I'm building some cabinets which need large slab hickory doors. I'm
matching some existing cabinets so I must use the slab design. I know about
the problems associated with expansion, distortion, etc. as my whole kitchen
uses slabs. I've fought through the expansion issues using hinges that
adjust enough to allow for seasonal differences. The existing doors use two
battens on the backside for stability. It's a pain but "you know who"
likes the design so that's what we're going to use.
Anyway, back to the problem at hand. The cabinets will be approximately 60
wide x 36 high. To maximize the size of the opening, I'm just using one
partition down the center. This makes the doors about 28 x 36. I want to
fold each door in the middle so they are manageable. The problem is, if I
hinge each door in the middle, I can't install battens on the backside for
stability. They will get in the way when I try to fold up the door. Do you
think I need to stabilize a door which is about 14 x 36? I can use narrow
pieces, alternating grain orientation, etc. to help stabilize. I will
finish both side to prevent warping. I cannot use a breadboard design
because it won't look good with the other pieces. Any other ways to prevent
warp that keeps the backside flush? I haven't found any hinges that would
accomodate the battens. I'm not opposed to some sort of steel reinforcement
if that would do the trick.
Thanks
I think the spline is a good idea. I'm particularly concerned about
cupping. Maybe I could run a couple stopped dados across each door and then
screw in a hardwood batten the depth of the dado (allowing for expansion of
course)? With the right hinge I could probably even have the batten stand a
little proud of the surface.
Thanks,
Steve
"Charley" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Have you considered cutting and inserting a spline into the top and bottom
> edges of the doors? I did this once, instead of making breadboard ends, to
> keep a board flat (flatter than it would have been without it). You can
> only
> glue the center of the spline because it suffers the same cross grain
> problem as a breadboard edge, but it won't show on the front or the back
> and
> it will significantly help with cupping problems.
>
> --
> Charley
>
>
>
> "Steve" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> I'm building some cabinets which need large slab hickory doors. I'm
>> matching some existing cabinets so I must use the slab design. I know
> about
>> the problems associated with expansion, distortion, etc. as my whole
> kitchen
>> uses slabs. I've fought through the expansion issues using hinges that
>> adjust enough to allow for seasonal differences. The existing doors use
> two
>> battens on the backside for stability. It's a pain but "you know who"
>> likes the design so that's what we're going to use.
>>
>> Anyway, back to the problem at hand. The cabinets will be approximately
> 60
>> wide x 36 high. To maximize the size of the opening, I'm just using one
>> partition down the center. This makes the doors about 28 x 36. I want
>> to
>> fold each door in the middle so they are manageable. The problem is, if
>> I
>> hinge each door in the middle, I can't install battens on the backside
>> for
>> stability. They will get in the way when I try to fold up the door. Do
> you
>> think I need to stabilize a door which is about 14 x 36? I can use
>> narrow
>> pieces, alternating grain orientation, etc. to help stabilize. I will
>> finish both side to prevent warping. I cannot use a breadboard design
>> because it won't look good with the other pieces. Any other ways to
> prevent
>> warp that keeps the backside flush? I haven't found any hinges that
>> would
>> accomodate the battens. I'm not opposed to some sort of steel
> reinforcement
>> if that would do the trick.
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>>
>
>
Have you considered cutting and inserting a spline into the top and bottom
edges of the doors? I did this once, instead of making breadboard ends, to
keep a board flat (flatter than it would have been without it). You can only
glue the center of the spline because it suffers the same cross grain
problem as a breadboard edge, but it won't show on the front or the back and
it will significantly help with cupping problems.
--
Charley
"Steve" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm building some cabinets which need large slab hickory doors. I'm
> matching some existing cabinets so I must use the slab design. I know
about
> the problems associated with expansion, distortion, etc. as my whole
kitchen
> uses slabs. I've fought through the expansion issues using hinges that
> adjust enough to allow for seasonal differences. The existing doors use
two
> battens on the backside for stability. It's a pain but "you know who"
> likes the design so that's what we're going to use.
>
> Anyway, back to the problem at hand. The cabinets will be approximately
60
> wide x 36 high. To maximize the size of the opening, I'm just using one
> partition down the center. This makes the doors about 28 x 36. I want to
> fold each door in the middle so they are manageable. The problem is, if I
> hinge each door in the middle, I can't install battens on the backside for
> stability. They will get in the way when I try to fold up the door. Do
you
> think I need to stabilize a door which is about 14 x 36? I can use narrow
> pieces, alternating grain orientation, etc. to help stabilize. I will
> finish both side to prevent warping. I cannot use a breadboard design
> because it won't look good with the other pieces. Any other ways to
prevent
> warp that keeps the backside flush? I haven't found any hinges that would
> accomodate the battens. I'm not opposed to some sort of steel
reinforcement
> if that would do the trick.
>
> Thanks
>
>
"Steve" wrote in message
> stability. They will get in the way when I try to fold up the door. Do
you
> think I need to stabilize a door which is about 14 x 36? I can use narrow
> pieces, alternating grain orientation, etc. to help stabilize.
Not knowing your design, I would be tempted to use two doors per opening
with no intermediate stile ... that way you could use battens if you
anticipate a problem. This is quite common.
Whatever you decide upon, one thing to consider is to choose your grain
orientation carefully, using pieces with the grain running as close to
perpendicular to the face as you can find. IME, most likely to cause
problems is flat sawn stock, least likely is quarter or rift sawn.
YMMV ...