Replies

1. 
   saschafer | Apr 01, 2008 06:29pm | #1

   If you start with straight-grained, quarter-sawn wood, yes. Even so, you need to be careful to allow the wood to acclimate to its environment before final machining. Tall or wide doors (like for a pantry) are going to be tricky; I'd definitely want to divide a tall cabinet into at least two shorter cabinets. You need to consider the aesthetic (and possibly structural) effects of even a moderately wide door expanding and contracting by 3/8" or so over the seasons.

   -Steve

    

2. 
   philip_r | Apr 02, 2008 12:39am | #2

   Ah, here is the article you need.  Go to page 5 and 6.  It looks like a pretty slick method.  I've never tried it... but if done properly, there shouldn't/t be any problems. 

    

   http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/SkillsAndTechniques/SkillsAndTechniquesPDF.aspx?id=2680

1. 
   JohnWW | Apr 02, 2008 12:56am | #3

   The invisible cleat can also be done by mortising all the way through each of the planks that make up the door, except for the outer two pieces and then gluing up all the pieces into the panel except for one of the two edges. Once the glue is dry the cleats can be slipped into the door and the last edge piece is glued on. The cleats don't have to be wood, aluminum is stiffer and is added assurance that the door will stay flat.John White

1. 
   PeterThomson | Apr 02, 2008 02:33am | #4

   John, Tbagn and Steve,

   Thanks all for your responses, very helpful.  The beech I have is rift and flat sawn unfortunately, but the various "hidden cleat" methods look very promising.  I like the idea of hiding aluminum inside a solid wood door, too--it appeals to the engineer in me!  Aluminum bar or pipe, a drill press with a tall fence and stop blocks, and a bit of luck/sweat.... Will try a test piece this weekend and let you know how it works.  Wish me luck fellas, and thanks again!

   Cheers,

   Pete

1. 
   JohnWW | Apr 02, 2008 06:19pm | #8

   Don't forget that these doors will expand and contract a lot more than paneled doors, figure 1/4" per foot of width between winter and summer. The idea of using pipe or round stock is a good one, it is far easier to drill deep holes than through mortises. You would probably want to use 4 or 5 rods to achieve the equivalent to a couple of flat bars.John W.

1. 
   PeterThomson | Apr 14, 2008 06:29pm | #9

   Hi all, this is my follow up to where I got to.

   The idea of running aluminum bar or tube through these flat sawn board before gluing was pretty appealing, so I tried it out.  Making the holes is very tricky... Tried a drill press and forstner with poor results (cheap press with lots of run out), dead on holes but too much slop.  Tried using my router as a horizontal borer, also with little luck -- need to rip all boards pretty narrow (3" max) for common mortising bits.

   Either way, it was a real struggle to keep the edges of the planks lined up for rub joints--kept getting a gap on one face or another.  Very tricky, but could probably be done well on a proper horizontal mortiser (better than my homemade jobbie).

   At the end of the day, I decided that structural metal reinforcement was a lovely idea but too much difficulty (for me!) to put into practice on this project.  I ended up using the following procedure:

   Hidden breadboards at each end; with,

   Sliding dovetails (3/4 door thickness) across the backs, at 12" centers.

   The hidden breadboards are decorative and I don't expect them to do much.  They resist warping of the door somewhat, but since the end of the door isn't capped on both sides (like a traditional breadboard) on side tends to pull away from the hidden breadboard.

   The sliding dovetails are pretty slick, all done on the router table for easy (repeatable and repetitive) milling.  These are beech, just like the doors, but make a noticeable difference and really seem to stiffen them up (based on manual, brute force "flex tests").  The sliding bits (long tails, I guess) aren't visible on the exposed edge of the cabinet doors, only on the hidden (hinge side) edges.

   I intentionally sprayed one side of a test door with water (before finishing) and laid the wet side down on a melamine surface for a couple of days, dry side exposed.  Very little cupping or warping in this "extreme" service, so I think the doors and drawer fronts will stand up well.

   I'm very happy with the solution and really greatful to all the advice everyone gave me.  Thanks again!!

   Pete

3. 
   wdrite | Apr 02, 2008 03:10am | #5

   Solid wood cabinet doors are not a good idea.  For the look you want, I would suggest the door be made by fastening 3 to 4 inch wide boards to cleats on the inside of the doors.  Use kiln dried lumber and face joint each board before running the other side through a planer.  Then fasten each board to the cleats with screws.  Apply the same number of finish coats to both sides of each door.  If this doesn't suit your better half, you might try 3/4 inch hardwood plywood with edgebanding.

4. 
   ring | Apr 02, 2008 07:32am | #6

   Pete,

   What you are really looking for is this:

   http://www.tillygruppe.com/
   (go to "three-layered hardwood panels" on the site)

   I don't know if you can get your hands on something similar, but for my shop it's the only reasonable solution for slab doors nowadays. Been using it for several years.

   David Ring

   http://www.touchwood.co.il/?id=1&lang=e

5. 
   Dave45 | Apr 02, 2008 04:36pm | #7

   The only solid wood "slab" doors I've seen that didn't warp had some kind of bracing on the back (e.g. "Z" bracing).  And, even some of them warped. - lol

   I'm currently building several cabinets for a customer and all have "slab" doors and drawer fronts.  I'm making them from cabinet grade beech plywood with iron-on edge banding.  I've done 12 doors so far and they've all stayed flat as a pancake.