The Technique of FURNITURE MAKING

Shaped flush doors

Curved doors, bow (227:1), serpentine (227:2), ox bow (227:3), etc., can be built up by traditional methods out of solid wood veneered on the face and back. The slats can be coopered (227:4) and then smoothed to the curve, or offset (227:5), or built in sections (227:6) and shaped with stoup-plane, round Surform tool, shaped scraper, etc. The slats need not be tongued together, as in 227:4, 5, and a simple cramping/clamping device is shown in 228 composed of sawn bearers with a packing piece (A) and folding wedges (B) which are driven to cramp the sections together. Modern methods form shaped doors out of thick constructional

veneers or thin sheets of plywood pressed between male and female forms/formers (227:7), or over a male former only in a vacuum - bag press (227:8). In constructing matched formers allowance must be made for the thickness of the assembly, as the radius of the curves of inner and outer faces is not identical. The former (227:10) can be constructed of softwood pieces accurately band-sawn to the curve and faced with hardboard, well waxed to prevent the veneers sticking. Resin glues should be used for cold pressing, or if hide glue is used then heated cauls of heavy sheet zinc or hardwood must be introduced into the assembly. Hand-cramping pressure should be applied to the centre-point, working outwards to each end.