Thoughts on making these

[jasonb]

Anyone got any thoughts on making doors similar to these.

Solid wood would run the risk of cupping or bowing, looking at the sides of the doors suggests that they have been lipped. My thoughts are a veneered MDF with 3-4mm constructional veneers stuck to the fronts.

Jason

[engineerone]

interesting jason, the metal framework you can buy for instance from isaac lord, but i installed one and there are a number of things i learnt which might be relevant.

actually the one i installed did not rotate, but the same principle applies. there is a top rail and a bottom rail which are installed on front to back bars. metal to wood. i put one in to the right hand side of a fridge/freezer, between it and the end wall. because the screws were on the right hand side it was a bit of a bugger to do up. then the front door was just hung on.

in my case i used 15mm skin. when originally designed these units had 3 mounting points, but the one i had had only two,
so now after about 5 years of using it with a mid handle, the centre is bowed.

if i remember correctly they do not go all the way to the back of a standard kitchen unit, so it is possible to recess the item and ensure that a thicker door is level with the other units.

i wonder whether it might be sensible to create an 18mm sort of mdf face frame, and then put seperate 10/12mm veneered mdf panels on the top of that face frame. you could put a couple of cross members to help strengthen things.

i think that some of them also come with metal front bars, and you could face them with wood screwed on from the back.

hth

paul

[Scrit]

Not necessarily construction veneers. 2 to 4mm thick solid wood lippings up to 50 or 60 mm wide (for use in glue pot edgebanders) are available from both Ney in Coventry or Reif and Son, Altrincham. Quantity might be a different matter, though.

Scrit

[jasonb]

Paul, its not the wirework I was asking about but the door construction, its just this pic showed the edge of the door.

Scrit, thanks, the thick edge veneers look like a possibility, would need enough for the equivalent of approx 30No 600x720mm carcases, though most will be deep draws. Do you think there will be a need to both sides to keep the door balanced in which case I would bond them to 16mm Veneered board rather than to one side of 19mm.

Jason

[johnnyb]

I have installed two or three of these and they have been with standard kitchen doors on them. I can't see a reason why these would move anymore than any other door. The ones I have fitted have had at least 3, the last one had 4 fixing points where the door was attached to the metal frame. The first one I fitted was in my parents kitchen about 3 years ago. This is still fine with very little movement at all, although the doors are a shaker style, not solid timber, which I now realise is why you are thinking of the boards cupping
Could you use standard veneers on a piece of quality ply? Veneered kitchen doors would usually be done that way. In the past I have bought veneer pre mounted on a paper backing. These were 8'x4' sheets and they were about £55 so not cheap, but they were very easy to work with.
These would then attach to the metal frame work and would be fine with no movement.

Johnny B

Are, just seen your reply. Veneering both sides is always recommended, I have tried short cutting this but usually it causes the board to bow. If the back is very well sealed we have got away with it, depends on whether it is worth taking the risk.

[Scrit]

I think you'll need to balance them, Jason. The stuff comes on large diameter rolls so it has a natural spring to start with! I seem to recall there's another supplier in Haydock, near St. Helens called Cadre Components

Scrit

[jasonb]

I've had another reply on the other side, looks just like them. Start with MR MDF sheet, cut 10x6 grooves and infill with solid timber, lip 4 edges, veneer and then cut 3x3 grooves. Needles to say it was done with CNC.

Jason

[Scrit]

Jason, if you're talking about a walnut veneered carcass with walnut grooves, say 3 x 3mm then I've seen full size doors done that way, but they didn't call for a CNC router. The blanks were grooved to take a square section piece of oak, about 6 x 8mm. Rectangular oak strips were planed and glued in and the door blanks were then surfaced by passing through a wide belt sander before being face veneered. Finally the grooves were routed out with a hand router and an HPL straight edge. Installed 40 doors done that way a while back,. So tell me again why do you need a CNC?

Scrit

[jasonb]

Just thought the CNC would be quicker than setting up and routing some 360 grooves with a hand held router. Although as most of them will be deep pan type draws the grooves in them could be done with a router table. Its just i'm a bit pushed for time so though about putting it out to someone, don't think I could put up with my mini bagpress running that long either

The carcases will just be oak veneer, doors the client wants to look like the ones in the pic in english/euro oak but has not decided if she wants face frame as shown or lay-on.

Jason