Curved doors

[mrtree]

Hi all, I would like some advice on making a curved door.

The profile is a quadrant, but to simplify, it won't be a true curve, the stiles will be flat with the curve starting at thier edge....does that make sense?
It's for a bathroom cabinet & isn't an actual door but the end panel, roughly 500mm deep.
It's painted, tulip wood for the rails & stiles with a flexi MDF panel formed over a jig.

So far, so good, the mortices will be machined as normal, but what about the tennons, should I cut them by hand or is it worth making up a sliding jig with the rails clamped in place, so I can cut up to the shoulders on the band saw.

Any advice on short-cuts and potential pit-falls would be appreciated.

Thanks

Chris

 

[williams1185]

if its just a one off making a jig is a bit of an overkill it would be quicker marking it out and cutting by hand as long as you can follow the line by eye maybe an hours work . ian

 

[woodbrains]

Hello,

If the ends of the stiles are straight, as I gather they are, then just cut them on the bandsaw, with a stop block clamped to the fence. It should not be difficult to run the flat on the fence, however short it is. Just do the inside of the curve cheek first, so you keep the flat reference edge, for when you do the other one.

Mike.

 

[Benchwayze]

I built a one-off 'caul' to the curve I needed. I used 2" pine 'stiles', and fitted each one to its neighbour, over the caul as I went along. I used greaseproof paper to prevent sticking to the caul. The angles of the edge joints weren't exact, but each one was jointed so they were 'proper' rubbed joints. The doors were spot on, (although they might have warped now!) I cleaned the inner side of the curve with a round soled plane, I knocked up especially for the job. I never made another, (Too much hassle) and the cupboard went to market; via an 'antiques' fair in Tewkesbury.

HTH