Need Help w/ Tall Cabinet Door

[John Stevens]

I'm designing a tall, thin cabinet to hold audio stuff. One of the options has doors that go all the way from bottom to top, about six feet (1800mm). The whole cabinet would be only about 18-21" wide (450-550mm), with two frame & panel doors, each around 9-11" wide (225-275mm). Here are my questions--

First, I'm figuring the thickness of the door stock will end up at around 3/4" (18-20mm). Is this thick enough, assuming the doors will not hold any weight other than themselves?

Second, I'd like to use walnut for the rails and stiles. I like walnut and I've read that it's a stable wood. I'd like to use a lighter colored wood for the panel. In terms of appearance, a light-colored wood like maple or birch would work, as would a reddish-colored wood, but I'm guessing it needs to be a wood that's stable. Any suggestions?

Third, I'm concerned about getting the doors flat, and getting them to stay that way. I figure the process would go something like this--

1. Sort through the 6/4 and 8/4 stuff at the lumber yard and pick the pieces that are the least warped, cupped and twisted.

2. Take the stuff home and let it sit for a week or so to acclimate. If the lumber yard is at ground level and only 30 miles from my home, I figure the change should be minimal.

3. Cut to near-finished length and width. (I've got a Festool saw and guide rail, so I can do that before milling.)

4. Run one face over a jointer until flat, then run through the planer. I'm afraid I'll have to mill the daylights out of the pieces to get a flat face that's nearly six feet long. Hopefully I can find a few 6/4 or 8/4 pieces that can yeild flat 3/4" pieces. Or is this unrealistic?

Anything I'm missing? What would you do differently? Thanks in advance.

[Tim Sproul]

To keep the doors flat, you might opt to use sheet good for the panel and apply moldings if you want a raised panel look - rabbet the plywood and apply moldings in the rabbet. Otherwise go with a flat panel. Glue the plywood into the frame.


To keep the frame straight, you might consider making the frame stock thick - 1 inch thick and resawing and then face glueing to get your 3/4 final thickness. I've tried this before and if the stock starts out warped, it doesn't help but if it starts out flat, it may help it stay flat. Face glue like you're closing a bookmatch. And remember to use QS or rift for the frame......I think using plainsawn for a frame draws too much attention to the frame and Qs or rift is generally more stable than plainsawn. Mill the frame members carefully - be patient and let them have enough time to settle before final milling.

Another thing to do is to try and allow air flow into the cabinet. Holes somewhere in the bottom, top, sides and/or back of the interior will help the interior of the cabinet and the room atmospheres stay approximately equal. Also, going with slightly larger reveals around the doors will help alleviate any humidity differences between the room and the cabinet interior.

Epoxy finish the end grain of the frame members before applying show finish.

[Alan Turner]

John,
Quartered stock will stay flatter than plain sawn stock. From a good yard, such as Groff, you should be OK going iwth either 4/4 or at most 5/4. I would plan to finish at about 7/8" thickness. If you go with thick stock and mill it down, you may find that the ticker stock is less stable because the center of the stock is not as dry as the two faces, although in Walnut this is not too much of a problem. It would be more of a problem in a wood such as white oak, which is less easy to dry.
Your idea of letting the wood acclimate, both before milling, and afterwards, is correct.
Good luck, and let us know how it turns out.

[Bruce Overholt]

Good advice and tips. I'm also preparing to build a cabinet to store three Luchbox WW tools. My door is will be 2' X 6'. The Carcass and Door panel is made with 7-Ply AC sanded plywood that my local Lowe got last week. I have three heavy duty shelf glides for the tool shelfs. Also plan to use 3/4 length Web panels below each shelf for stability.
I have yet to find a source of good Plywood in my area. However, I do live very close to Groff and Groff Lumber for my Rough lumber needs.

Bruce

[Gord Graff]

Hello John,

I can't add to what has already been said here except to say that some well meaning woodworkers have said in the past that building tall or wide cabinet doors is a no no. I have never subscribed to that ideology, case in point the kitchen cabinet doors pictured below that I built a year ago for my kitchen. The largest of the 4 is 21 ½” X 49 ½” and after a year of service (3 teenagers slamming doors) the doors are just fine.

The dimensions of the doors you’re considering are in my opinion, feasible. Follow stock selection others have given and go ahead and build the doors.

All the best
Gord
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v191/gordgraff/KitchenPicturesBefore236.jpg

[Doug Shepard]

I'm sort of with Tim on using sheet stuff for the center panel, but not necessarily store-bought stuff. Your 9-11" width gives you another option. This is narrow enough that even a 14" BS with riser block would allow you to slice your own thick veneer and glue it to baltic birch ply (I think MDF might be too heavy?). A standard 14" BS would still work if you bookmatched each door from 2 pieces of veneer. You could still get something with a real wood look but without the stability issues. Spalted maple might look pretty good against the walnut (just a thought).

[Sam Blasco]

Generally speaking, for frame and panel, I don't like a door taller than 50", so any tall cab doors are usually done with two doors. The dimensions you stated shouldn't cause major problems, though, and the advice offered so far is solid. Another thing to think about is a tall cabinet with one door means you have to open into the whole cabinet even if what you want is in the upper section, so breaking the doors up can have a positive affect for practical use. Depends on how the cabinet is to be used.

For mixing the woods, if you are considering walnut with cherry, the affect in time will be slighty diminished because cherry will darken and walnut will lighten. I really like the subtle difference after a year, but if you want a more dramatic contrast it's something to think about. When I design, I have samples of finished woods around with the color they will be in the future and it helps in planning details.

[Alan Turner]

Bruce,
I don't buy it there, but I have seen G&G get in cabinet ply for its customers. It needs to be ordered ahead of time. Give them a call and see if I have understood correctly. I would find it quite dangerous to live too close to G&G.

[Bruce Overholt]

Alan, I am very nervous about my Lowe's Plywood purchase. This is for my first project, since buying my tools and setting up my shop. Since this project is for my shop organization and tool storage, I really can't wait any longer, since I've contacted several of the local lumber yards for plywood. Everyone either would have to special order veneer grade plywood, or would only order in quantity.
I'll be going to Groff and Groff as soon as this rain lets up to purchase boards. I haven't decided what I'll use for my face frame or doors yet. Ilive in the southeast corner of lancaster, and Groff and Groff is about 15 Mi away.

Bruce

[Bruce Overholt]

Alan and Creekers, Just got back from G&G. I decided on breaking my single door into three smaller ones. While at G&G I bought 3ea.4/4 FAS Soft Maple boards for my face and door frames. I explained to the saleman that this is my first milling project, and he thought Soft Maple would be a good choice. A note of caution, One/I could spend some Bucks$$$ in a place like that.
Bruce