Curved Maple Tall Cabinet

While I commend your workmanship, that backsplash frame panel with horizontal grain just looks so wrong. How did you profile the drawer faces? Shaper cutter?

The drawer faces were molded on the shaper. A single large blank was made to yield all the curves but the panels. An edge would be sawn to the proper curve, profiled, then sawn off. Repeat as needed.

The panels are horizontal since the way I learned frame and panel has the grain always running the longer dimension, rather than only vertically.

Excellent work on a very challenging cabinet. The finishes are not my cup of tea, and I take it the stain work was intentional? It's very blotchy, but I take it that it was the rustic look you were going for with the distressed painted parts. The frame and panel for me sticks out like an ugly sore thumb. I don't agree with the grain remarks from the first response, I think that's fairly subjective in this application, but I would have used the darker paint color interior on that area. However I am sure your customer drove those requests, so if she is happy job well done sir!

Well, the finishing was all selected by the designer on this. We also sub out almost all our finish, as the shop is too small, and the technology too intimidating for this particular dinosaur. Both designer and the clients are delighted, but the look is not my first choice. The black is rubbed thru in places, and this always looks forced or unnatural. The stained Maple is 'dirty' as in old and patinated. It also looks a bit forced. I like some glazing on new work to warm it up a bit, but this is not what I would do. Both finishes were presented as sample boards and approved from those 2 s/f samples.

It is the old conflict between delivering what they want vs my tastes.

I often find that my delivered product exceeds the low expectations people have grown used to in my market - quality-wise. Designer and clients both exclaimed that the cabinet is so much nicer than they thought it would be. And this was not a low-ball piece. In fact, a deposit had been given to a cabinet dealer for the same piece at half the price, but after a year, he couldn't get anyone to build it, so he refunded and they contacted us.

As per our usual, I had a page of specifications and what was and was not included along with my pricing. That level of involvement and understanding is what convinced them to spend twice what they anticipated.

That is really a standout design. your right, the glass should be curved. Did you make the upper and lower molding with a shaper as well? I have not attempted curved moldings and panels yet, except for some small drawer fronts laminated to a mold. I dont have a shaper but do have a pretty nice router table.

Yes, all the long radius moldings were made on the shaper. A large blank was made, bandsawn to shape, template attached and then molded. That was then sawn off on the bandsaw, then the template relocated, the next molding shaped, then sawn off. The broad flat on the upper cornice was bent laminated from thin stock.

We did spend some time on the template - swung a router on a trammel jig - to get it accurate and true. Every other long radius curve was made with the same template. We have a template finger on the bandsaw so we can use the template to accurately saw a curve as well as shape them.

The door rails were made from this large blank also - sanded smooth on the proper radius, then bandsawn off and cleaned up on the back. The stiles are essentially flat, but the door panels are 1/2" solid, coopered for the curve. The inside of the panels were left with a bit of the facets to show how they were made.

The molding corners - tight radii - were all made on the lathe and then sawn off. Joining the straights to the tight curves, and those to the long curves, was the most difficult part. We blind or thru splined them, but it isn't all pretty.

I really like it, including the color scheme. I agree that the frame and panel finish detracts from rather than enhances the overall look of the piece, but as long as the customer is happy, that's all matters. I'm surprised they wouldn't go with curved glass; it would have really added a great touch to the piece. This company: http://www.paragontemperedglass.com/about-us.aspx makes curved glass panels at very attractive prices. You might want to check with them the next time you have need for curved glass.

Actually, I did price the glass as part of my due diligence and it was not prohibitive - in context.
I proposed it as an add, along with a leaded option that would also conform to the curve.
I think they did not realize the effect that the flat vs curve would have. I did mention after install, that we could always come back and change out the glass anytime.

I think it as a beautiful piece, Dave. Finish and all! I would say everyone build the same piece for the same price and compare. I'll place my money on this one.

Beautiful wood working, too bad about the finish. I agree it should have had seeded curved glass.