curved (bowed)cabinet doors

[jobelenus]

I was planning on building a small china cabinet for the wifey and she really has her heart set on something she calls "demilune" basically a bow front... The drawers and face frame I can handle, but this cabinet will have two doors opening below the drawers. How do I create bowed, veneered (mahogany) panels?? Any insights would be appreciated -

Thanks

 

[nelsone]

Couple different ways to do this. Coopering the doors is basically building up the paned with some angle cut on each board to make up the curve. There is also bending plywood available that can be used. The bending ply can be veneered, coopered panels can use solid wood. Sounds like a neat project! Can't wait to see what you come up with!

 

[Ben325e]

Here's a great write up by Derek Cohen. The four links are all part of a series, but the first is the section about coopering the doors. His entire site is fascinating - one of the most productive ways to waste time on the internet!

The write up includes making the curved panels, fitting them in a frame, then the completed door.

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/Sideboard-EntertainmentCentre.html
http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/Curvingandgroovingtheframe.html
http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/Sideboard-Buildingtheframe.html
http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/SEC-ACompletedDoor.html

Ben

 

[jobelenus]

He does beautiful work!! and all the hand tools - Thanks for the links - thankfully my doors are going to be a lot less of a semi-circle than his - I don't know why the bending plywood didn't enter my brain before - thanks for the input folks -