I have an old oriental chest, I believe it is called a Chinese wedding chest. It has sliding wood doors — the by-pass type that ride in groves. The top rail (or is it stile – I can’t remember which is which) of one of the doors has a knot in it, and the rail has warped around the knot to the point where the door will not slide very well. I’m not sure what type of wood it is – it has a grain pattern similar to pine, but seems lighter in weight. Anyway, what is a good way to straighten it out? It doesn’t need to be perfect, just a bit less curved than it is now. The curve is front to back, not up and down, so that if the door is laying face up on a flat surface, it humps up at the knot.
Thanks!
Replies
How about a sharp chisel to pare away the knot bulge?
BSAyer,
If the door is the one that passes in back of its mate, and there is nothing to interfere in the cabinet itself, you may be able to attach a batten to the back of the top rail, to pull it flat. Remove the finish, glue, clamp and screw. Finish to match. Otherwise, you might consider removing the bulk of the wood in an area 4-6" long, behind the knot. Fit a straight grained patch, carefully press the rail flat and glue in place. Finish to match.
Regards,
Ray
Another alternative: measure the amount of bow in the top of the door panel (with the panel laying down with the bow up measure the gap from the back of the panel at the knot to the surface it is resting on). Then Plane/sand that much off the back surface at both the top corners. This may be the same amount of work but it will not be visible.
Thanks. Removing wood is not an option. Chinese cabinets are built with very thin pieces of wood. But I think the reinforcing board on the back might work. The doors are the same, so it can be the back one.
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