bowed and twisted cupboard door

K

Kirk Rush

Well-known member
I am making a walnut corner cupboard.  It has a glazed upper door with 15 panes of glass.  It measures 23" wide ,  45 3/16" high, and 15/16 thick.  I made it out of quartersawn stock thinking that it would be very stable, but it wasn't.  The right side(hinge side) bows inward about 1/32  which isn't too bad.  The left side(lock side) bows inward 5/64.  When I place the right(hinge) side flush with the cupboard and bring the left(lock) side out to where the bow in it is flush with that side of the frame, the bottom left corner kicks out 5/32 and the top corner 3/64.  Any suggestions as to how to deal with it besides some serious hand planing at the areas where it protrudes.  I am also concerned about it moving again when all the glass is put in.  Thanks for any help you can give.

                                                  Kirk

 
I have a 21st century solution that often works. With your door in place see if gentle pressure at the protruding corners will make it lay flat/even  with the frame. If so it is likely that rare earth magnets set into the door at the protruding parts will bring the door close to flat. I use 1" round magnets available from Lee Valley. I countersink them into the door using a 1" Forstner bit. If possible I have it close onto another magnet set in the frame with the pole reversed so that you have the pulling power of two magnets. Recently I made a large armoire with 6' doors that were perfect when made, but with time the door stiles bowed slightly. Magnets fixed the problem.

Howard Steier
 
IF YOU GO TO MUSEUM EVERYTHING LOOKS PERFECT.  THE REASON IT DOES IS BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GET AS CLOSE AS YOU WOULD LIKE OR THERE WAS SOME RESTORATION BEFORE IT WAS PUT OUT ON DISPLAY.  NOW IF YOU COULD GET CLOSE AND PERSONAL TO THESE ANTIQUES YOU WOULD SEE ALOT WORST THINGS THEN 1/32 OFF HERE AND 5/32 OFF THERE.  JUST ENJOY THE WORLD OF WOOD MOVEMENT.  THAT ALL I DO AND I SURE THE PIECE STILL LOOKS BEAUTIFUL OVERALL.

FREDDY ROMAN
MAKER & RESTORER
 
For those who may be wondering, I "fixed" it by  splitting the differerence between the concave and convex areas  on the left(lock) side.  The frame bows inward just a little in the lock area, and I planed the top and bottom to where they were flush with the case.  The bottom has a nice bevel, but no one but another woodworker would ever notice, right?

                                                        Kirk
 
Kirk,

One thing to take into account is that most people will look at the entire piece and marvel at your skill.  It's us "wood geeks" that are guilty of micro-examining every detail.  Many's the time that my wife has commented on my staring at a section of a piece of furniture with "Well, what's wrong with it!"  But most times, it's just my studying or admiring the technique or craftsmanship.
 
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