Advice needed for sliding door project run amok

[Max]

Thank You.

[Dick Snyder]

Thanks. Like hardboard, I would have to paint it. I have a couple of other approaches to consider first

[Dick Snyder]

I went to a glass store today to see if they can track down smoked acrylic glass.

Meanwhile I am thinking more about your idea. As I understand it, I should make a frame and panel door with the 1/4" cherry as the panel. The panel track from Rockler is 7/8" wide. This leaves just under 1/4" for the two panels to pass each other. If I made 1/2" frames with a rabbet on each frame edge to create a spline to slide in the track. I would end up with something just a little wider than I have now. I worry that the 1/2" frame with the unruly 30"x 34" plywood in it would rack a lot but I guess it is worth making a frame to see what happens.

[dpb]

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That's the idea, yes. What's the ply core, do you know? What's the RH in the workroom area and where it's been stored and how was it stored? It's possible you might be able to reduce EMC and get it to return to more nearly the neutral stress position at time of manufacture which will tend to cause it to go back to nearer flat. If you can do that, and _THEN_ finish it to reduce further moisture migration you may have a shot.

I sorta' fanned on the overall size of the panels initially; that's pretty large. You possible could make the frame and inset panels in somewhat like window lights instead of just one single panel...could end up as a "design feature", perhaps... :)

[dpb]

On 03/17/2015 1:17 PM, dpb wrote: ...

Just in round numbers a 4-lite panel would have roughly 12x14" panels whereas 6-lite would work out a about 8x14" if two high. No idea what the rest looks like; could envision it "lookin' good!!!", depending... :)

[whit3rd]

I tried the 'cover with wallpaper' trick, and kinda got it to work, BUT (1) the stuff I got wasn't real wallpaper, it turns out to be some kind of pre-pasted vinyl (2) the hardboard had the screen-surface problem (but you can apply shellac primer, then apply a hot iron to flatten it- don't use a fancy Teflon surface iron for this). (3) I ended up painting the hardboard and the (washed) vinyl stuff with white glue, letting it dry, then applying the hot iron. Not too hot, so the vinyl doesn't flow; not to cool, so the glue doesn't soften and fuse.

So, for the future: where oh where can I find REAL PAPER wallpaper?

[Lew Hodgett]

---------------------------------------------------- Sanatis has been around forever.

Lew

[dpb]

BTW, the key is that if you make more, smaller panels, you'll find the needed stiffness won't be as much to retain them flat as the single larger since there's less bend to remove from each. I'd still work on reducing the initial stress levels first, though...

[Dick Snyder]

I am going to try to make 2" wide frames out of some scrap pine to see if they will hold the panels flat. I think I will join them with half lap joints for now. If that works, I might try miters with splines. TBD

I don't know the ply core. I don't have an instrument for RH but we have oil heat and it has been a VERY cold winteand spring so far (27 for a high today) so we had more (dry) heat than usual. The boards were stored in a vertical position, longest edge down. I will just do my experiment and see what happens.

I am still pursing a source for Lexan

[Lew Hodgett]

------------------------------------------------------ Do a google (I use DuckDuckGo.com) of the following:

acrylic sheet distributors boston area

BTW, Lexan more expensive than acrylic.

Lew3

[dpb]

On 03/18/2015 2:46 PM, Dick Snyder wrote: ...

And, if that is reasonably successful, the cherry or other hardwood will be stiffer. As noted, also, if you go to 2 (or 4 or 6) instead of just

1 panel you add stiffness and reduce the amount of force needed at the same time (at the cost of more fabrication effort, of course, ain't no free lunch :) )

Try laying flat covered on clean, dry non-staining material and place a plastic over it with a water dish under to let it pick up some. Sticker it so it's got circulation space both sides and add some weight to the top...see if it will acclimatize back to a more nearly uniform flatter position then after that when it is brought back to a dry environment.

Have smaller panels just oversize what you need makes this easier to handle from space considerations obviously...

On edge is really not a good way to store ply altho often given room limitations it's the only practical solution.

[Dick Snyder]

After many good ideas from you all on my problems I thought I would let you know that the idea which worked best for me was 1/4" acrylic panels. They are very stable, slide easily, and while not what I had planned on (I had stained cherry plywood), they look quite nice in their own right.

Thanks again to all who assisted me in thinking through this problem and, as usual when I ask for help, I learned a *LOT*.

Dick Snyder

[Swingman]

Photos, or it didn't happen ... ;)

And congratulations on finding a solution you're happy with.

[Leon]

Exactly!

[Dick Snyder]

Where is a good place to put a photo?

[Lew Hodgett]

------------------------------------------- alt.binaries.pictures.woodworking works for me.

Lew

[Dick Snyder]

I just posted a picture on apbw. The cabinet is sitting on my assembly table awaiting delivery to my daughter and her husband tomorrow.

Again, thanks to all who were so helpful to me.

Dick