Bookmatched Maple advice

[C. in Indy]

Hi, I'm posting this in case some cabinetmakers or luthiers have related info. I have a nice piece of tiger maple that I just bookmatched. The pair of boards are now glued together; each half is 4-1/2" wide and around 3/8" thick (final planing still in progress). I want to use this for a cabinet door (some 20" long) but I really don't want to frame it. The style of cabinet may visually tolerate a little bowing, but not well tolerate a twist in the wood along the length.

The maple with this figure is flatsawn, not QS. So I'm a little concerned on stability. Trying to decide between (a.) leaving it alone, (b.) adding some discrete ribs on the back side, like bracing on a guitar-back, or (c.) working in some more formal breadboard-like structures to control it.

Since I'm in the realm of width of a guitar or violin, what do you think?

Thanks,

[stmfitr636]

Bracing on a guitar back is only used for voicing and controled dampening, etc. However, a strip covering/supporting the joint is often used to keep that from splitting (and/or to re-enforce for a decorative spline).

That said, if I were to use battens on a decorative box... they would certainly be shaped as such because it looks really cool.

[Dan Moening]

In my mind, the cross bracing would have to be diagonally to effectively control twist.

A cross grain batten would only help to control bow/cup.

[MichaelMouse]

The best tiger maple is on the radial (quarter). On the tangential, it's called quilting or blister. You sure about the direction of the annuals?

Anything as random grained as quilted/tiger maple cannot be predicted. If it has something it wants to do, can't be prevented, either. Make a door and go with it.

http://www.aaes.auburn.edu/comm/pubs/bul...l#specific

[Alan S]

Either design the cabinet so it still looks OK when the door warps, or build a frame for the panel.

[TomFromStLouis]

B or C. It WILL move.

[AHill]

Why not build the frame on the back side? Guitar tops stay flat because the "frame" is the sides of the guitar. For sure, the bracing adds some stiffness, but primarily the edges are constrained by the sides.

So, glue a frame on the back side of the perimeter of the door. Add some diagonal cross bracing if you wish, for some visual interest.

[C. in Indy]

Thanks for some excellent thought-starters!

I was overdue for a trial-fit so I roughed-in the knife hinges tonight. This hopefully gets me motivated to make more decisions and do more work!

[C. in Indy]

A few more baby steps are done now. The hinges are done, the back is fit, and some strong hanging hardware is fitted under the top ledge (I'm trying it out in my shop before sending it to the recipient in the future).

For the bookmatched maple I added some buttresses which may or may not do a lot, but I think the style of cabinet will be OK in any case:

[C. in Indy]

A need for closure was pestering me ! The door is holding up OK in the winter to spring transition in my basement shop.

Trimming up some quick Butternut shelves last night:





Testing the shelves:





Looking at the waxed-up job, complete with a recycled Gerstner-chest nickel "pull". If all goes well, I'll take it off my shop wall and put it on my niece's wall in May.




Have a great day,

Chris