Need help selecting a back for my solid wood trapezoid case.
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Im building this stereo case out of solid walnut. (I have a lot of it). I thought I might shiplap the back of the rabbeted right and left compartments, however if I made the slats horizontal, Im thinking that wood expansion may cause binding and blow out the case due to the overall wedge shape of the back. Any suggestions? Im thinking the same issue exists with a frame and panel back. Thanks.
Replies
Plywood would be appropriate for the period. I would consider making some veneer with your walnut and putting it on some quarter in. thick plywood to make panels.
The whole point of shiplap is to allow for movement. If you make the laps wide enough to allow for expansion it will be fine. You just don't mate the edges on assembly so the boards can float past eachother. Also, the narrower each plank is the less danger there is as each part expands less. Think 1/2" rabbets overlapping by 5/16 or so. The traditional fastening is a single nail in each board to direct the expansion where you want it to go.
My thought was that as each slat expands in width, it also effectively gets longer due to their trapezoidal shape and thus may cause blowout on the side?
The length is unlikely to change very much. You could check that easily with your Sketchup model. Actually, what will happen is the angle on the end of each slat will change as the width changes.
Good point! Thanks, i dont like the sound of that. Im gonna put my bandsaw to work and slice off some veneer, Thanks again.
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