Cabinet making

[Locton]

Hi can anyone help? i am making a low L-shaped corner cabinet, which way should the grain follow on the top section? or can the grain go in opposite directions?

thanks,

 

[Philly]

Hi Locton,
Good Question- My first thought was "mitre it are the corner" but then a wide mitre joint is probably going to open with the expansion/contraction of the timber, especially if it's quite wide.
So, I reckon it doesn't matter which way it goes, as long as it looks right when it place. And of course, attach the top in a way which will allow it to move so it doesn't split along the grain!
Hope this is of help,
Philly

p.s. and welcome to the forum too!

 

[Anonymous]

which way should the grain follow on the top section?

mmmm... how about to follow the longest arm of the "L" ?

OK, OK, they are even.... so.... I would consider from which standpoint of view it will be seen at a first glance and I would orientate the grain horizontally, i.e. east-west.

Cheers and welcome to the forum.
Alberto

 

[Alf]

Welcome to the forum, Locton.

I'll go with Alberto, I think. Interesting question; never thought of it before!

Cheers, Alf

 

[Midnight]

Warped though it may seem, I tackled this very thing with my first project; 4 L shaped + 5 U shaped (cropped to contour an alcove), with biscuited mitred corners; material was cheap an tres nasty ply edged with mahogany. 3 years on they're still as rough as they ever were, the ony changes being they've darkened with age.

If I were to do it over in solid wood however, I can't say I fancy either option; loking at long grain on one side, with end grain on the other strikes me as being just.....wrong, although Alberto has a valid piont re keeping the grain flowing in the one direction. Even with the pieces of each shelf cut from the same board, a continuously glued mitred joint may fail through slightly unequal rates of expansion / contraction.

 

[Aragorn]

When I make up unusual shaped tops for example to fit into a bay window or corner, I usually keep the grain orientated in one direction, usually parallel to the "average". So in this case that would be at 45º.

 

[Keith Smith]

One other option is to make a Mason's mitre (the same as a kitchen worktop joint). Firmly join the front edge and make a sliding joint to allow for movement.

Or MDF top then veneer and apply moulding to front edges.

Or one continuous top and apply a moulding to the end grain using a dovetail fillet, screwed in place, again with allowance for movement .