# How to build an Arched Cabinet in Ash



## beachwagon (Apr 26, 2020)

Hello all,

I have been studying, for the last month or so, the design of a cabinet that my wife found being sold through Anthropology:

https://www.anthropologie.com/shop/fern-storage-cabinet?category=furniture-dressers-armoires&color=001&type=STANDARD&size=One%20Size&quantity=1









I have been studying the picture to try and devise how one might make a replica of this cabinet. So far there are components that I have an idea on and some others where I am lost, and would love your thoughts on both!

Case: I believe that the case is made out of bendable Ash ply and is built up to be 3/4". At least the outermost and innermost sheets are a single piece of grain matched ash ply. You can see in one of the pictures that the grain matches from the bottom all the way up the arch. Same with the inside and the back of the case. A question is if bendable play is stable enough to use on the straight sections of the case like the bottom 2/3rds and the back given that it has to be used for the arch.

Case front banding: This appears to be a ~2" piece of 3/4" ash. That is somehow joined to the edge of the ply. At first I thought that the way to do this was to steam bend it, but now after thinking about it, and studying the grain in the picture, for a while I think that both the banding and the arched top sections of the doors are actually cut out in the finished shape from a single slab that is >18" wide. Which ever the correct method is, how is it attached to the plywood?

Doors & drawers: It also appears that the drawers and shelves are milled from a single slab as well and then re-sawed into final thickness.

In summary: The potential materials list would be a slab of >18" wide Ash and bendable ash ply - anything else?

How would you construct this?


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## Unknowncraftsman (Jun 23, 2013)

I think your way off. There's definitely plywood on the back and sides but the doors are probably laminated. There's no need for a 16 inch wide plank of Ash. I would simply made the case up and then build a form that matches the curve. Resaw poplar @ 3/32 and make some doors. Turn some feet on my lathe. Dovetails the drawers with true cedar bottoms.
The drawers in the photo are probably plywood and whatever. 
It's a nice piece it like it. If I were to make that in my shop I would charge 6k. And I guarantee it would shade the one you show in the photo.

I would recommend you make the piece out of practice wood first. Your second attempt will have less mistakes.
Good Luck


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## CaptainKlutz (Apr 23, 2014)

+1 don't over think the construction.

There are all kinds of bendable plywood panels in market. 
Look at Timberflex. 3/4 thick panel with MDF one side. Blend to shape, bond 1/8in skin on other side, and lock in shape. Veneer with what ever wood you desire. Face frame is likely 7/8×3/4 wood strip glue to panel to hold hinge screws.

The grain pattern on drawer fronts and bottom are veneer MDF/plywood too. Telltale sign is end of drawer grain does not align with grain direction on top, so it probably tape veneer. The drawer sides are normal wood grain, where the face/bottom panels are rotary cut rift sawn pattern. Only veneer can do that with perfection.

The 2 shelves are thick and not adjustable. Another common trick is to use paper/plastic honeycomb core faced with MDF for light weight, yet strong and thick panels, Veneer the exposed sides and it looks like wood.

Without seeing the piece in person, and touching the panels to gauge weight, and rigidity; hard to tell exactly what core materials are used. But I am sure they used veneer for all large surfaces.

Best Luck.


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

> How would you construct this?
> 
> - beachwagon


I would build it out of plywood + ash veneer. The case would be typical carcase construction (dados, etc).

I'm betting bulk of the piece is either ash plywood or ash veneer over ply. Looking at the grain patterns on the drawer fronts, they are obviously veneered.

The challenge will be the arch top and the doors. I guess ash bendable ply is available, if not you would again have to go with veneer, which would be a huge challenge without a giant vacuum press.

To me the doors will be the biggest challenge. There just isn't a whole lot of structure. Seems you would be relying on the glass to prevent racking and warping.


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## Tony1212 (Aug 26, 2013)

Izzy Swan just did a video about bendy plywood. Talk about good timing.


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## PPK (Mar 8, 2016)

There's something really beautiful about an arched top. I built a display case that had an arched top. 
Perhaps you could glean something useful from my process…. https://www.lumberjocks.com/projects/409366
Show us the end results if you build it!!


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## beachwagon (Apr 26, 2020)

> There s something really beautiful about an arched top. I built a display case that had an arched top.
> Perhaps you could glean something useful from my process…. https://www.lumberjocks.com/projects/409366
> Show us the end results if you build it!!
> 
> - PPK


Pete - Thanks for sharing, the process that you followed certainly looks to be applicable here. These other thoughts are also great, especially the one about using sacrificial material at each new step or joint before going with the actual finished goods.

I certainly think that this actual cabinet is a laminate / veneer as it is likely coming from a production shop. My hope is to adapt it to a home workshop. The first step would be to build an arch template out of MDF to do the bending. Then use Ash bendy-ply (and skip the veneer to not need a vacuum) and make the drawers and shelves out of solid ash. The doors are the trickiest part (next to the edge finishing on the cabinet face). Could make them out of Ash ply, or as some have suggested apply a veneer. Seem like milling/making them out of solid ash is an option, and likely the one that I might try. Getting 20" wide stock is not a problem or very cost prohibitive. Stability would be the primary challenge and would be confined to selecting the best materials.

It is a beautiful piece, and I rather think that you could (with a lot of patients) best their results in a hobby-shop. At this point for anything is so difficult, this and many other projects will have to wait.

-David


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## Arcticangel (Oct 20, 2021)

Just now finding this post and wondering if you actually made the cabinet. I've purchased it and it's in back order. I can't wait to learn of your experience in recreating this cabinet


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