Replies

1. 
   GaryW | Mar 17, 2007 09:40pm | #1

   We build Euro cabinets almost exclusively, and we do quite a few curved cabinets, although I haven't done a whole kitchen of curved work since 1992..... they're expensive. Even simple, single cabinets require a precise layout of the carcase with consideration for laminated door/drawer front springback. Since my CabnetWare program doesn't help much, I layout everything full size on sheets of white melamine - like lofting a boat. That's one of the only things that material is good for, because you can wipe it clean like you can a black board.

   We use a router compass to cut top and bottom carcase edges. Then, after calculating springback, we take much care building the door laminate mold (again, using the router compass). Then we use in a vacuum press to to laminate the doors. Yes, we've made slab as well as frame and panel doors. Designing and building the mold is probably the most time consuming, and therefore expensive part of the project. Along with that, comes the tricky part of accurately cutting the finished, curved pieces. I'm glad we have a sliding table saw now, because we had to create another crosscut sled for the Delta cabinet saw.

   And while thinking about doors, don't forget to consider hinges. If you're using Euro hinges (we prefer Salice brand), be sure to know which hinge, plate, and possibly a wedge to get the door to align with its carcase and adjacent doors. This isn't as easy as you might think.

   Sorry I can't help you find a text on the subject. In reality, I think it's another one of those trial and error projects. That's because every cabinet, its curve and possibly angled ends, and how cabinets relate, is going to present different problems. It can be fun, especially if it has both convex and concave curves!

   If you have any specific questions, you can email me or ask it here, and I'll try to answer.

   Gary W

   gwwoodworking.com

   
   

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   Edited 3/17/2007 2:43 pm by GaryW

2. 
   woodrae | Mar 20, 2007 03:42am | #2

   Mykes—

   I think Gary W. has nailed it pretty succinctly: The process of building curved cabinets isn’t particularly difficult, but it adds tremendous labor time to a kitchen job. His methodologies sound very familiar to the way we built cabinets in the various shops I’ve worked, including my own cabinetmaking business, and I think he has given you very good advice.

   Luckily, tooling is somewhat minimal and you don’t need much beyond the standard woodshop fare, although I would definitely invest in a vacuum-bag setup for the doors, as well as the drawer fronts. The router compass (technically known as a 'trammel') is the way to go, but make sure you’re bidding on arcs of a circle. If you get into ellipses, you’re going to have to use templates and pattern-routing bits, which will be more work due to the time invested in making the templates, especially in a one-off kitchen.

   Oh… and if you’re bidding this job, I would first see if it’s possible to do it on a time-and-materials basis. Assuming you cannot (it’s unlikely in our trade), then you need to think long and hard about the price. I’m guessing somewhere in the region of four times your average cost for a typical high-end cabinet as a starting point, maybe more.

   —Andy

1. 
   GaryW | Mar 20, 2007 07:52pm | #3

   Andy's correct:  it'll take at least four times the labor to create a curved door than a flat one, and vacuum presses are essential these days to create curved shapes. You need only a single mold, not two, perfectly matched ones. And to accurately cut those curves, you'll need some special tools - I use my router with compass trammels.

   As an example of the labor involved, I can build a flat, slab door for less than $10/sf for labor (my rate is $110 per hour). To curve the same door, I must (1) build a mold for the vacuum press - 3 to 4 hours, and then (2) cut out multiple pieces of veneer for the door's core, (3) vacuum press the core, (4) cut and join (tape) the surface veneers and then (5) lay them up in the press, and then (6) I've got to accurately cut the curved shape to fit its opening, before (7) veneering the finished door's edges. So that 4-sf door would probably cost at least 7 - 8 hours labor, as compared to less than a half hour. Of course, if you use the same mold (radius) for many cabinets, the price per sf decreases. I've got quite a pile of molds to proove that no one wants the same radius for every cabinet, although I do reuse one occasionally - to my own benefit.

   When you buy the vacuum press, get the best, most heavy duty bag available. I've owned my Mercury Vacuum Press bag for almost twelve years, and only now need a new one. And buy the biggest, rotary vane vacuum pump possible:  a 10-cfm pump will pull a 25-in-mercury in half the time a 5-cfm pump, and it's important to work quickly. This company, http://www.vacupress.com/index.htm, is a good place to look. Finally, build the mold way sturdier than you think is necessary..... my press imploded my first mold while I was up eating lunch.

   To cut curves, I use my compass router to cut only the first one, and then shape multiples with a pattern bit. My most used trammel is only about 3-feet long, but I have another that's almost 10-feet long - both of 1/4-inch aluminum plate, which is easily machined with woodworking tools. An ellipse isn't much more difficult, and you can buy a jig here http://www.microfence.com/pages/Ellipse%20Jig.html. I made my own and use my router compass with two pivot points. Again I route the first one and then pattern shape multiples.

   Now don't be discouraged by all this, because building curved work is a blast and puts you into high-end projects. It's a challenge to bid and build, but that's the fun of it.

    Gary W

   gwwoodworking.com

3. 
   wandabar | Mar 22, 2007 04:42am | #4

   I built a kitchen with curved cabinet doors in my last house. I bought plywood that was already curved, had a 10" radius. I covered the doors with plastic laminate, it was trickie but I did not need any special tools or vaccuums. I bought the plywood from a company called Roberts plywood.

4. 
   reginag | Jun 30, 2010 12:46pm | #5

   I suggest you get the wooden ones.

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