curved drawer front

[Fred Page]

I’m applying a three sixteenth inch thick ash ‘veneer’ onto a curved drawer front.
Do you think I should steam or water treat this piece and get it into the approx. curvature before final gluing? The veneer is fairly springy at present and I have nagging doubts that the glue might not hold it. I’ve shaped an exact former ready to bend the piece onto the drawer front when gluing.
I have further doubts because the veneer or laminate that I’m applying is to overhang the edges of the drawer as if in an applied front (which I suppose it is). Does anyone have any opinions or advice?
Fred.

 

[marcus]

Hi Fred, if you glue it properly it should be fine. Decent glue is strong stuff!

Cheers

Marcus

 

[Fred Page]

Thanks Marcus,

I think pride and reputation are causing my concern. I just don't want the client to come back after a while complaining that the fronts are lifting.
I've already explained that unless the drawer stops are placed accurately then the applied fronts will take a knock every time the drawers are closed! This will test the glue line even further.

 

[marcus]

Don't blame you - I tend to get paranoid about things breaking once they leave me too! :? You should be fine in this case though - think of laminated boat stems and frames - essentially loads of thin pieces stuck together in a big curve, which then spend the next twenty years being alternately dipped in water and pounded by waves. People trust their life to them.... Or for that matter laminated aircraft components - I believe the Mosquito bomber was built entirely out of wood?!

My only worry would be that if the veneer is generating a lot of pull it might pull the substrate out of shape as you are gluing up, but presumably you will be clamping it to a former, so this shouldn't be an issue, and once the glue goes off the component will be stronger and more stable than it was before.

M

 

[jasonB]

A lot will depend on the tightness of the bend and what glue you intend to use.

I would think about doing it in three 1/16th layers over your former, this would then hold the shape and can then be fitted to your draw box without any tension in the wood.

Jason