Coopered doors...more than one option!

[Mark Singer]

Yesterday there was a post by Mark Stutz that several of us responded to regarding planning coopered doors on the concave side. The consensus by myself and others was to use a convex moulding plane running with the grain and the staves. I modified a flat bottom woodie coffin style smoother and the results on mahogany were excellent! Smooth like glass. If you want to modify a plane, tighten the wedge with the chipbreaker in place. Run it up against a 6" x 48 belt sander with the blade in. That way the blade will be ground to the same curve as the plane bottom. Slowly rotate the plane body until the desired radius is achieved. Then remove the blade and sharpen after flattening the back. Don't push hard on the belt sander or the blade could heat up.

Option 2:
I tried my Compass Plane #113 against the grain using a slight shearing skew stroke with a fine set....very nice results on Mahogany and even hard maple.
The shavings are short since the face is being worked. The curve is in concert with the plane bottom and the texture of the finsh is very good ...but not smooth. I have great respect for Bob Smalser and others that discouraged this technique...but it does create very good results. A little sanding or a scraper and your there!

[Bob Smalser]

Terrific...thanks, Mark.

[Mark Stutz]

Mark,
Thanks very much for the follow up, and especily th pictures. Actually, for a small keepsake bow like I had in mind, it appears that one could simply start with thick flat stock and achieve a similar result. Another option to consider. Obviuosly on doors one would have to cooper the "blank". Thanks again.

Mark

[Bob Smalser]

For such a shallow bow, those techniques will work fine.

But for the little work involved, I'd minimize the crossgrain planing and move quickly to the heavy spokeshave to minimize sanding.

Beginning with such thick stock, better make sure the wood is completely stable to the environment its gonna live in, as even the slightest moisture gradient will cause it to move.

[Mark Singer]

I only used the thick stock, because it was scraps I had around. But, if you layed up a coopered slab ...it should work fine. The subtle radius is very typical of a Krenov cabinet...it will be much more obvious a curve when it is part of the whole cabinet

[Leif Hanson]

Thanks for the update, Mark! It's always great to see the results like this.