Gary,
When I have two doors in an opening, usually the doors don’t fit properly. Where they meet in the middle, the top of one door is inset while the other sticks out and vice versa on the bottom. In order to keep the door shut I must resort to using a magnet on the inside of the cabinet. Obviously, the opening or the doors are not in one plane. I think, the culprit is the opening or case itself. How can this be checked when I am gluing?
I make furniture for a living and want to make nice things that work properly. I appreciate your time and look forward to reading your reply.
Dan
Replies
Hi Dan,
When you're gluing up a case, if you can get your clamps out of the way, put some winding sticks on the door opening. Check to make sure the case isn't twisting under the clamping pressure. Adjust your pressure as needed. You can also, again if the clamps are out of the way, just eyeball from one edge of the case to the other.
But let's face facts here, cases go together not perfectly all the time. After gluing, you need to check the opening to see that it's in one plane. Again to your winding sticks, or if the case is small, to a flat surface, and then do your adjustments with a hand plane. I prefer a #5 jack plane because of its length. Plane off the high corners being careful not to tear off any unsupported edges or corners.
However we need another dip into the reality tank because even if you get the case flat, your doors may not be flat or your hinge placement may be imperfect! Ay yi,welcome to the wonderful world of woodworking.
So, careful gluing of the doors is equally important to ensure that they come out flat. Have a straight edge to check for flat as you apply pressure. You will be amazed how moving the door up or down in the clamps can change things. After glue up, then you need to flatten the doors and make sure they're not twisted.
Careful lay-out of the hinges is very important so the door doesn't twist in the opening. If the doors are a little out still when hung, then you're finally doing some woodworking! Stuff happens. If all your careful efforts fail, chalk it up to a misspent youth, wedge those doors in place, or mark them carefully and pull them and then plane those high corners flat.
I still use some kind of catch to hold a door in place and then when the case is in its final home, bring small wedges with you anyway just in case the floor is twisted. The front of the case may twist and the doors will go wonky again. Ain't it a blast? Have fun. I hope this helps.
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