# Panel Cabinet Doors



## fungku (Jul 3, 2008)

What is the best way to clamp these while glueing?

Sometimes I get the panel is not flat but slight bowed in a "U" shape, if you know what I mean.


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## pianoman (Jan 16, 2008)

Check your joint...check your gluing peices for squareness after joining...use a spring clamp while K-clamping...don`t over clamp. I don`t know...everything must be square, flat and properly milled!!! Check your clamps


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## Geoguy (Feb 22, 2008)

fungku said:


> Sometimes I get the panel is not flat but slight bowed in a "U" shape, if you know what I mean.


If you're saying your panel is not flat, I assume you mean a glued-up panel. When glueing boards together to make panels, after applying the glue and loosly clamping the boards together, I will sometimes sandwich the loosly clamped boards between straight cawls positioned on the top and bottom of the panel. I use pieces of wax paper between the cawls and the panel to keep them from becoming glued together. Tighten all the clamps and you should be good.

Also, if your joints don't fit good, you may be applying too much pressure on the clamps to pull the joints together. The extra clamping pressure may bow or distort your joints.


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## JCCLARK (Jan 30, 2007)

I use the over and under method, checking with a straightedge
as I go. I can adjust it a little by which clamps I tighten a little more.
Usually, as soon as the glue sets about 2-5 min, I pull the clamps,
clean the glue off with a wet rag,flip the panel, clean and reclamp.
always checking with a straight edge to fine tune it.

If you're joining your edges with a jointer, make sure to alternate
faces of the boards that ride against the fence.
That way, any angle error of the jointer will be cancelled out.
Just a little off will compound to make the panel bow
if they all are the same face to fence orientation


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## fungku (Jul 3, 2008)

Thanks for the tips guys.

As for the type of door I was referring to it was for these cabinets I just finished. Some fo the doors are ever so slightly bowed into a "U" shape. i.e. The stiles partly folded outwards. Maybe I put too much pressure on the clamping and/or it wasn't evenly clamped.
Not enough that the customer noticed, but enough to bother me.


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## Tweegs (Sep 8, 2007)

More often than not, only another woodworker will spot your mistakes.

Take comfort in that, if you can :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Still, it's always hard to let go of a project when you know there is some imperfection, no matter how slight.

I guess that's what makes us craftsmen eh?


Oh, and tell someone to fix that floor!


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