Tambour doors

[kelsey smith]

Hi there,

Does anyone know of a woodworker who can make oak tambour for me? There are few discussions on UKworkshop forums but mostly folks having a go themselves.
Thanks in advance! Kelsey

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

What size and application for the tambour?

 

[Inspector]

Have you done any searches?

http://www.tambourline.com
https://woodentambourdoors.com
https://www.cshardware.com/wood-and-concrete/wood-items-and-fillers/tambour
Pete

 

[kelsey smith]

Have you done any searches?

http://www.tambourline.com
https://woodentambourdoors.com
https://www.cshardware.com/wood-and-concrete/wood-items-and-fillers/tambour
Pete

Hey Pete,

I did loads of searches!

Woodentambourdoors.com are definitely not operating anymore.
www.cshardware.com - products are great but dims are not good

www.tambourline.com - not found these before - thanks!

 

[kelsey smith]

What size and application for the tambour?

900mm x 1200 ish - kitchen cabinet.

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

The www.tambourline.com that Pete suggested look like a good company to go to, it seems they can provide a kit for you to assemble your own door. It is quite easy to make a tambour door though! Have you considered doing this or are you looking for somebody to make one for you?

 

[kelsey smith]

I've spoken to Tambourline. They don't quite do the size I'm after.

I might consider changing the design or doing it myself.

Outsourcing is my preferred approach - are you interested?

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

Sorry no. I restore antique furniture and have had to repair many tambours and replace missing ones over the years mostly on Georgian night stands and one or two Victorian roll top desks. They are very simple in design, essentially glueing sticks to a cloth backing. The only tricky bit is working out the curve and channel so you get a smooth action. You could make a model of one to get the feel of it before committing to a full scale cupboard.

 

[ScaredyCat]

You could try Graham at GT Woodshop ( GT WoodShop – GT Woodshop he recently did a video on making them and does do custom work.

 

[kelsey smith]

You could try Graham at GT Woodshop ( GT WoodShop – GT Woodshop he recently did a video on making them and does do custom work.

Many thanks.

 

[gdavie]

Sorry no. I restore antique furniture and have had to repair many tambours and replace missing ones over the years mostly on Georgian night stands and one or two Victorian roll top desks. They are very simple in design, essentially glueing sticks to a cloth backing. The only tricky bit is working out the curve and channel so you get a smooth action. You could make a model of one to get the feel of it before committing to a full scale cupboard.

Hi. I have just seen your post and thought I might pick your brains.

I have a large Austinsuites teak tambour door wardrobe, which I am in the process of refinishing.

Where the doors run along the plastic inset runners at the top and bottom they have worn down, right through the teak veneer and into the backing wood. This worn bit is of course completely hidden by the running channel, but the the doors are not entirely smooth now, and I suspect this is partly because of the wood being so much thinner than originally designed in the channel.

Wondering if when repairing these you have ever needed to fix this type of issue and if so how. My current thought is taking a router and carefully notching out the worn bit and gluing in a replacement bit of teak to build it back up, but wondering if there is anything less invasive I could do.

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

Are you sure they have worn through? The top and bottom should have a shoulder on them where they sit in the channel and they need to be a loose fit or the door will stick when it gets pushed around the bend. Also, if the channel is plastic I doubt that it would have worn the door even with fifty years of use!
Before doing anything invasive it might be a good idea to lubricate the channel with some paraffin wax and see what that does to the action.

 

[recipio]

Presumably that is 900 mm high and 1200 mm long for horizontal tambour. ? I've made a few tambour desks and found the following. If it's a vertical tambour the front and back should be of equal lengths otherwise the tambour wants to run away and disappear down the back.
Cutting an accurate shoulder on the ends of the tambours is vital for neatness and as a dust trap. However flat tenons don't negotiate sharp bends very well. I've seen designs with dowels in the ends of the tambour and have yet to try that technique.
You can use genuine canvas from a specialist supplier but I find ' leatherette ' just as good and durable.
Amana tools in the US market a tambour making set which you've probably seen on Utube. Its pricey and probably not worth it for a one off. It relies on the entire tambour riding in a a groove so it's not the neatest design.
I'd have a go - it's not as difficult as it looks - it just needs care when making.