Lighter, Stronger Frame-and-Panels
Derived from Chinese casework, this frame-and-panel approach combines the best attributes of a solid plank door and a traditional frame-and-panel
Derived from Chinese casework, this frame-and-panel approach combines the best attributes of a solid plank door and a traditional frame-and-panel. A solid door will never sag, but will move and warp. Traditional frame-and-panel solves that problem, but is not as rigid. This method uses battens that tie into the panel with sliding dovetails and into the stiles with mortise-and-tenon joints. The result is a rigid construction that, while still free to expand and contract, will never rack.
The main virtue of a solid plank door is rigidity. It will never sag. Of course, solidplank doors have serious issues with wood movement and warping, and frame-and-panel construction was invented to solve those problems, cleverly combining the simplicity of a solid panel with the dimensional stability of a rail-and-stile frame. Yet frameand-panel construction has its own limitations. In a traditional frame-and-panel, the panel is dead weight—left unglued so it can move with…
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Comments
i love Andrew work, i love how he uses Japanese tools and some machines tools and that is my goal as a woodwork to get to the stage.
thanks Andrew and FW for this article
That wardrobe is my next project, any plans available?
I'd like to see some suggested dimensions. For example what is the panel thickness? The frame thickness etc.
In the "Interlocking Chinese Joinery" video he said the panel was 3/8" thick.
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