# Curved cabinet doors help



## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

I'm looking at making a vanity for my brother in law. I've built many cabinets, entertainment centers and other small furniture type items but this is a first.

What is the best way to make the curved door? I'm guessing steam bending but how to do the rail and stile joinery is got me stumped.

If there's a better way by all means tell me.

I'm also looking for the column's that are on the sides of some vanities. That is I'm assuming you can buy them in different species and use them instead of making them myself.

I've included some pictures that they sent me to work from but they prefer the curved door style.

Any help would be appreciated.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

The easiest way for you to do them would be to cut the rails from solid stock (bandsaw the curve). For a flat panel, you could use a bending ply, veneer it, glue and fasten to a rabbet on the back of the 
R&S's.

For the corner legs, when you see what they cost to buy, you may decide to make them yourself. If you Google "newels" and then "images", you'll find a wide variety of possibilities. They are staircase parts.












 







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## Locodcdude (Oct 24, 2010)

Cut the rails from the bandsaw like he said from a piece of wood thick enough to make the right curve you're looking for. After that I would probably create the grove for the panel in it, and then make a plywood clamping jig for the main part of the door. By the jig, I mean taking a piece of wood, and cutting the curve you wish to get from the plywood, and then clamping the plywood to the curved wood that you just cut. Maybe moisten it a little bit with some water to open the pores and make it able to "warp" a little bit easier.

I had a problem with a curved piece of wood, instead of planing it down, I just wet it, and clamped it on a slight curve opposite to the warp. It brought it down fine


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

www.woodcraft.com/Articles/Articles.aspx?ArticleId=386

www.josephfusco.org/Articles/Arch_T...4QFjAA&usg=AFQjCNHcgVbGkbhlCki3uhC6dfBT8mljgw

~tom


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Have you seen this?*

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f13/black-white-cabinet-progress-24735/

Bret seems to have a handle on everything curved and then some!
For the panels, bending plywood over a form and then veneer on both sides. For the rails laminated strips, the stiles sanded to a curve after shaping by hand plane or jointer.

I think Bret, aka Lola Ranch did a step by step on a Bombe chest: http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f13/bombe-chest-stand-19368/

This photo show what Bret did:


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## mike1950 (Aug 29, 2010)

If it is made out of wood that does not steam well you can use bent laminations. Built a curved bar front that way out of ribbon mahagony.


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

firemedic said:


> www.woodcraft.com/Articles/Articles.aspx?ArticleId=386
> 
> www.josephfusco.org/Articles/Arch_Top_Doors/archtop_doors.html&ved=0CB4QFjAA&usg=AFQjCNHcgVbGkbhlCki3uhC6dfBT8mljgw
> 
> ~tom


Tom thanks for the links but the first one is for an arch top not a curved door and the second link wouldn't work.


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

Thanks guys,

I thought about band sawing it but seems like a lot of wasted wood and the bent lamination was my first choice either way my question is. How do you join the rail and style? Standard cutting of the joints would be difficult because of the curve I never have just liked butt joints especially for doors. I'm thinking a half lap along with the rabbet for the flat panel.


Bill I actually didn't see that post but, I figured Lola Ranch would have something posted.

Cabinetman I was thinking something like the newels but wasn't sure, I will look at the prices but he is paying for materials I supply labor just like he will do for my timing belt on my truck.


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## mdntrdr (Dec 22, 2009)

I use the bandsaw technique and cut the tenons before cutting the curves. :yes:


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## Lola Ranch (Mar 22, 2010)

*No. Don't cut the rails with the band saw.*

Funny thing, I've just been out in the shop building some curved doors.

This is just my opinion but I have done a lot of curved work over the years. I've tried steaming wood before with very unsatisfactory results so I don't even go there. If you cut the curved rails out of thick stock, well you have to have thick stock and then you are possibly going to get short grained where it matters most, where it joins with the stile. The tighter the radius the more short grained you will get. Plus it will look funny and you can't get the grain to run through.

Laminating the rails by gluing thin boards together on a curved form is by far the strongest and easiest method and, if you are careful, you can get the grain to run through between the door rails. The thinner the laminations, the easier it will be to bend. I resaw the thin boards with the band saw and then run them through the planer so the thinness is limited by how thin you planer will plane.

If you have an old chunk of beam just cut your form out of that. Make the form radius a little tighter than the final radius you desire to allow for spring back. I used 4 plys at 3/16" to make the 3/4" thick rails. I cut the mortise and tenons with the band saw after first cutting the bottom of the mortise with a forstner bit on the drill press. Its all very sturdy and the grain runs through for a matched set of doors with now short grain. If these doors had solid panels I wood cooper the panels (edge glue several rips together having cut the appropriate bevel on the edges).


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## mike1950 (Aug 29, 2010)

Lola ranch, Nice looking cabinets and I sure wish my shop was as clean as yours. You sent me a message back in Nov. I just found it. I live in Spokane Valley. Used to do quite a bit of work in your area and yakima.


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

Thanks Lola ranch, beautiful work as usual.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

rrbrown said:


> Tom thanks for the links but the first one is for an arch top not a curved door and the second link wouldn't work.


That's my bad... Misread the original post... I have to admit I was like "really? Arched doors ain't that difficult" lol...

~tom


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Lola Ranch said:


> through.
> 
> Laminating the rails by gluing thin boards together on a curved form is by far the strongest and easiest method and, if you are careful, you can get the grain to run through between the door rails. The thinner the laminations, the easier it will be to bend. I resaw the thin boards with the band saw and then run them through the planer so the thinness is limited by how thin you planer will plane.
> 
> If you have an old chunk of beam just cut your form out of that. Make the form radius a little tighter than the final radius you desire to allow for spring back. I used 4 plys at 3/16" to make the 3/4" thick rails.


I agree that laminating layers will be stronger than cut from solid. But I don't agree that it would be easier, especially if it hasn't been done previously. It's not an art making a form, but it is an important component to the process. We all have our methods, and to do a glue lam, mine would be to cut 1/8" layers, as they bend easier than 3/16", and the possibility of springback would be minimal.












 







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## Lola Ranch (Mar 22, 2010)

cabinetman said:


> I agree that laminating layers will be stronger than cut from solid. But I don't agree that it would be easier, especially if it hasn't been done previously. It's not an art making a form, but it is an important component to the process. We all have our methods, and to do a glue lam, mine would be to cut 1/8" layers, as they bend easier than 3/16", and the possibility of springback would be minimal.
> 
> 
> I agree, just cutting the rails from solid thick stock is easier since you save the step of laminating. But for the reasons I previously discussed, I prefer the laminated method.
> ...


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## Jimbob101 (Feb 16, 2012)

I've recently got hold of some Curvomatic and it's made making curved panels and rails much easier and quicker. It's a brilliant system but not many people seem to have heard of it yet.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Jimbob101 said:


> I've recently got hold of some Curvomatic and it's made making curved panels and rails much easier and quicker. It's a brilliant system but not many people seem to have heard of it yet.


I'll bet that it's your product.




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## Jimbob101 (Feb 16, 2012)

I wish it was my idea! Sadly no. I just think that it would help you guys to see it even if you make your own and just use the technique. It's not even similar to any other method that I'm familiar with. It's so simple and no moulds are required.


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## WillemJM (Aug 18, 2011)

Lola Ranch said:


> Funny thing, I've just been out in the shop building some curved doors.
> 
> This is just my opinion but I have done a lot of curved work over the years. I've tried steaming wood before with very unsatisfactory results so I don't even go there. If you cut the curved rails out of thick stock, well you have to have thick stock and then you are possibly going to get short grained where it matters most, where it joins with the stile. The tighter the radius the more short grained you will get. Plus it will look funny and you can't get the grain to run through.
> 
> ...


Great post, appreciate the experience shared.

How do you cut grooves for your panels in the bent rails?


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## thegrgyle (Jan 11, 2011)

Jimbob101 said:


> I've recently got hold of some Curvomatic and it's made making curved panels and rails much easier and quicker. It's a brilliant system but not many people seem to have heard of it yet.





Jimbob101 said:


> I wish it was my idea! Sadly no. I just think that it would help you guys to see it even if you make your own and just use the technique. It's not even similar to any other method that I'm familiar with. It's so simple and no moulds are required.


Pretty cool system..... I'm sure it may not be your idea, but I'm sure you have something to do with the company in some form. 

Please don't be offended... we are used to many guys who just show up and try to sell their stuff. You forgot to include a link, but a simple google search found it, and that is what any good salesman would hope for.

*@ Lola Ranch (Bret)....* thanks! :thumbsup:

Fabian


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Jimbob101 said:


> I wish it was my idea! Sadly no. I just think that it would help you guys to see it even if you make your own and just use the technique. It's not even similar to any other method that I'm familiar with. It's so simple and no moulds are required.


Yeah...it's probably one big coincidence that the contact email at the Curvomatic site is "Jim".










 







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## Lola Ranch (Mar 22, 2010)

WillemJM said:


> Great post, appreciate the experience shared.
> 
> How do you cut grooves for your panels in the bent rails?


I use the router table for this. Just use a straight cutter the same width that you want your groove to be. The only trick is you have to cut a curved fence to match your work piece.

Bret


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