Thread: Japanese sliding doors. (Shoji)

Sinjin,

you can get bamboo plywood that looks similar to the bamboo flooring that is getting very popular.

http://www.greenbuildingsupply.com/P...wood/index.cfm

http://www.plyboo.com/plywood.html

http://www.silkroadplywood.com/products.htm

Just an idea. sorry i can't recomend any sources near you. Please post pics when you are done.

-Ryan

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...5&postcount=22

Originally Posted by sinjin1111

I'm thinking of building some built in robes along one wall in my bedroom.
And i'd like to make them using timber frames with maybe Bamboo or Look a like Rice paper. ...
Sinjin

I'm interested in doing exactly the same thing: built-ins along one wall, with shoji sliding doors. Can't help with the bamboo, but on rice paper: you can get the real thing from these guys:
http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...5&postcount=22

I was going to use thin strips of ebonised timber to make the doors in a rectangular grid arrangement. Still have to do some experimentation with ebonising, though.

Keep us posted.

http://www.berkeleymills.com/159/product.htm

One day my abilities will match my expectations and I'll do something like this to replace the MDF built-ins at my place.

Thks for all the replies.....a lot of food for thought...That site you sent has some great ideas Clinton..
Sinjin

Good site for all sorts of furniture Clinton, thanks.

achieving a "real" Japanese door feel is something worthy of research. Your being in VIC can be a real help as there are places (the best is in Richmond in my opinion) that have lots of real Japanese cabinet and house doors. I met up with a guy down past geelong who had around 2000 doors in his shed...... suffice to say, they gave me serious food for thought! Anyway, Japanese cabinet doors look fantastic when done right I reckon - and a bit tragic when not ..... I have a pair of early 19th century originals (along with its cabinet) if you'd like me to take a happy snap I'd be happy to do so and post them.

One thing to remember is that Japanese doors were rarely over 6 feet high, so think about having a second, shorter set above the first to keep the correct "look" - if you didnt want to make a separate overhead set, you could put a heavier rail at the appropriate point to emulate the look and feel of a second set.

Look forward to seeing the end results!

couple of other things to think about is that the japanese had the amazing ability to design asymetrical cabinets that look incredible.

http://images.google.com/images?q=fu...en&sa=N&tab=wi

Its these things that can really create a convincing effect.

I would advise strongly against using real Japanese paper in screens and doors. While staying at a really old hotel near Nagaoka Japan I managed to endear myself to the hotel owner by rolling over in my sleep and putting my foot through a shoji screen. Luckily my wife was with me and managed to get me out of trouble!

Originally Posted by sinjin1111

I'm thinking of building some built in robes along one wall in my bedroom.
And i'd like to make them using timber frames with maybe Bamboo or Look a like Rice paper. My first choice is the bamboo. Does anyone have any clues where i might get hold of the thin Bamboo strip that are used sometimes in this type of work. The strips i have seen are sometime only 6mm wide. Any hints on design would be more than welcome also. I have Toshio Odate's book and Jay Van Arsdales book on Shoji.
Sinjin

Hi there i can supply you with bamboo furniture board in either a coffee or natural colour sheet sizes are 2.400 x1.200 or 2.400x.600.
If i can be of any help give us a call on 0408141535
ps sheet thickness are 18 up to 35 mill

As Kiwigeo states, rice paper is way to fragile. The best to use is fibreglass panels. Get some thats .5 mm and its increadably strong and the translucent nature of it matches rice paper