Door gap creep, soliciting opinions


Brendon_t

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I just wanted to throw this out into the land of fresh minds as I've been staring at the issue for a week now, and an still stuck on a way forward.

I've been working on this wall hanging cabinet for a while and while fitting the doors, somehow I screwed up. After many on and off cycles adjusting hinges, my gap is now massive and inconsistent.

There are a few fleeting options that have come and gone for a possible fix, that doesn't include a full door rebuild as I'm out of the maple, and mostly out of the two pieces of walnut I wanted this entire thing to come from.

I'd love to hear and ideas, because honestly. Looking at the current state of the fit, is frustrating and making me not like the project too much.

 

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Two thoughts both of which I admit are from the peanut gallery.

Is it possible to use a different hinge at this point that would allow some adjustability?  I suspect the existing screw holes will end up being in the wrong places.

It's a real nice looking cabinet, but would you consider modifying the design to include a thin vertical piece filling the gap?  Could be walnut or another contrasting wood.  You could attach it to the carcass which would leave it in place when the doors are opened, or it could be fixed to one of the doors.

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I would make new ones. There's two things I see the gaps are too big. And the wood you picked for the doors frames is too wild.

It doesn't match the nice mellow pieces you picked for the drawer.

You might also find in time the wild grain will not behave and the doors will not sit flat on the face of the cabinet.

 The maple panels look great and should be the star of the show.

Aj

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36 minutes ago, Chestnut said:

That maple is amazing! I'd make new casework. The doors seem like the  important part. Either that or I'll 2nd what Steve said.

Remaking the casework also isn't an option. This whole project was really an exercise of using 2 boards, for a whole project. This will live in the shop with me. Honestly, I'd trash it before a rebuild. It just wouldn't be worth it to me.

Im currently leaning toward a static divider. I just don't like it. 

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3 minutes ago, Brendon_t said:

Remaking the casework also isn't an option. This whole project was really an exercise of using 2 boards, for a whole project. This will live in the shop with me. Honestly, I'd trash it before a rebuild. It just wouldn't be worth it to me.

Im currently leaning toward a static divider. I just don't like it. 

Well if you trash it mail me those doors i'll put em to good use. I'd cover shipping.

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1 hour ago, Unknown craftsman said:

. And the wood you picked for the doors frames is too wild.

It doesn't match the nice mellow pieces you picked for the drawer

Aj

Funny you say this. The door and drawer stock is the same board Sam area, just resawed. The "wild" grain there is actually the most boring parts of the board I started with.  Knew the maple needed subtle surround. 

Just now, Chestnut said:

Well if you trash it mail me those doors i'll put em to good use. I'd cover shipping.

Deal

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9 minutes ago, wdwerker said:

A " T " shaped strip attached to the front or back of one door has the advantage of not impeading access once the doors are open. You could also make an " L " shaped strip if you  want to be able to open either door independently.

I like where you're going but having trouble visualizing. Do you have an easily accessable example?

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Another option I have been considering is dying some wenge or walnut black, and gluing the front two door faces together, with the strip in the current gap, then separating them with the track saw leaving a little black strip on each side. I would have to perform the same steps on the drawer faces as I matched the gap there, to the doors before stepping back and cringing.

I could also use a light color wood for contrast or Cherry which is what the inside shelf is made out of.

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13 minutes ago, wdwerker said:

A "T" with the top cross on the outside and the post between the doors would be closed second. If the " T" is on the inside then the door it's attached to would be closed first. 

So essentially an applied moulding to the face of the doors that is connected to one and not the other? 

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As an idea for next time, I have had good success leaving the doors too wide, then hand planing the inner stiles until I get a good fit.

I think if it were me I'd just try to glue a thin strip of wood to both stiles. Up to you if you want to try and blend or add more contrast.  I'd probably leave the drawers as is. Grain is moving the other direction, which complicates things, and the gap down there doesnt bother me, as it seems to have a face frame or center support between them anyway.

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3 hours ago, wdwerker said:

Yes. The inside corner of the applied molding would increase the glue surface and strengthen it from getting knocked off accidentally. 

Now what about spinning that into, gluing both sides of the t in, then cutting a kerf as the new gap. Both open

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Do you have any of that walnut left?  You could add a strip on the inside edge of each door then rip along the face of the door to remove the face of the stile and then veneer over it to cover the strips.  Basically ripping off the face of the board so you can veneer over it and have the veneer end up flush with everything else.  You could repeat it on the backside if desired so you'd only be able to see the repair on the edge of the door when they are open.

Another option is to rip it down on the other three sides and apply a thin molding all the way around.

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