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  1. #1
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    Jun 2014
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    Default Understanding Tambour Physics

    I've got a cabinet build in mind which uses a tambour door, and I'd like to get a better understanding of how they work, and, more specifically, how to design one from scratch. What I'm primarily interested in understanding is bend radii, and how to engineer appropriately narrow slats to round a certain corner without binding.

    Most of the material I've come across is jut "BUY OUR ROUTER BIT AND DON'T THINK ABOUT ANYTHING", but if any of you have read my build posts... I don't roll like that.

    So is anyone able to recommend some reading material, a website, or something similar which talks about how to engineer these things?

    Or is anyone able to just provide some feedback on tambours which you've previously built? Either horizontal or vertical.

    Much appreciated,
    Luke

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  3. #2
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    Default

    Here's AlexS's build Tambour front book case if that helps

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
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    Millmerran,QLD
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    Luke

    I once nearly constructed a tambour so as you can gather I don't have much experience at all. However, I did go to the lengths of purchasing a kit for this purpose. I will try to dig it out to see if there are any instructions accompanying it.

    I believe there are two approaches to the tambour. One uses a canvas or similar backing, while the other replies on cables to keep the slats together. I have always wanted to construct a roll top desk and a while back I thought I would make a saw till with a tambour. I realised that I needed extra storage and the doors would have to be utilised. A tambour was going to make it extremely difficult to keep saws in place.

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  5. #4
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    Luke

    This is the kit I have that uses cables.

    P1050261 (Medium) (2).JPG
    P1050264 (Medium).JPGP1050265 (Medium).JPG

    The router bits still have their protective coating on them.

    P1050262.jpgP1050263.jpg

    I had to photograph the instructions as I could not load the scan to the Forum. There are some dimensions there. These slats wouldbe thicker than if you used a backing material.

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  6. #5
    Join Date
    May 2007
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    Sth Gippsland Vic
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    Default

    We did a twin tambour door cabinet each at trade school back around 1982. Ive still got the piece holding the workshop stereo next to my workbench atm.

    The way they got us to make them was the apprentice wood machinists did the machining of all the parts including the base and top board which takes the groove that the door tracks in, and the tambour moulded slats . And we did the joinery and put them together. We didn't do any working out of the curves the doors take . The lower track had a long strip of black plastic pressed in for the timber to run on . The doors slats wee pressed down onto canvas. Its just done on a board with some square lines drawn up and the glueing starts at the front leading edge of the door.

    Over the years restoring I watched older guys re doing Cutler roll top desk tops until all those guys had left then I was doing them . The desks were sometimes full restoration jobs and other times just the tambour part in the top was in for new canvas.
    Same as before . Just drawn up on a chipboard sheet that was to big . Start with the leading edge and glue each slat down square to that as many slats as can be weighted down at a time. When its dry trim up and get everything moving . Its a bit stiff at first. A bit of cracking where a little extra glue may have just glued two together. Your supposed to get the amount of glue applied just right without much squeeze out from one slat to the next .

    As far as designing the radius of the curve compared to the slat Luke just draw it then test Id say . The slats are rebated at each end . A given track width can only take a slat so wide before its jamming going around the bend you like . Its got to be narrow and loose enough to move freely of course. My small tambour cabinet from trade school has a track width of about 5 mm . The slats are about 12mm wide with a guess. They do a tight 90 degree turn from the front to the side . The Cutler roll tops are tracks of about 1/2 inch and slats more like 3/4 to 1 inch wide I think .

    Rob

  7. #6
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    Default

    Thanks, everyone.

    Paul, I had not seen it done with cable. I'd imagine a strong, static string would do a similarly good job, and likely be a bit easier to tension. With modern synthetic sting, I'd imagine it would be pretty durable as well. This technique is very interesting...

    My tambour will wrap around the side of the cabinet such that it will open both the front and the side of the cabinet, and also such that if it's only partially opened, you'll be able to see the inside of the tambour. For that reason, I don't really want to use canvas. I've also not, personally, had the best experience with gluing fabric to wood.

    The set of bits you've got there runs around 80 bucks here, which is pretty reasonable I suppose. It could certainly be a lot worse.

    Rob, you're right. I need to just cut some tester blocks and test what I want to do. If it runs. it runs. If it binds, I'll adjust it.

    Thanks again! Great info. Much appreciated.

    Luke

  8. #7
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    Forgot to say. It doesn't have to be canvas. Big Cutler roll tops need a sturdy fabric like canvas. A more fine fabric can be used on smaller stuff. As long as its strong .
    You also see sometimes on larger slats where its not glued but screwed through a flat backing timber strap to each slat.

    Rob

  9. #8
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    Nov 2004
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    Millmerran,QLD
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    Quote Originally Posted by Luke Maddux View Post
    Thanks, everyone.

    Paul, I had not seen it done with cable. I'd imagine a strong, static string would do a similarly good job, and likely be a bit easier to tension. With modern synthetic sting, I'd imagine it would be pretty durable as well. This technique is very interesting...

    My tambour will wrap around the side of the cabinet such that it will open both the front and the side of the cabinet, and also such that if it's only partially opened, you'll be able to see the inside of the tambour. For that reason, I don't really want to use canvas. I've also not, personally, had the best experience with gluing fabric to wood.

    The set of bits you've got there runs around 80 bucks here, which is pretty reasonable I suppose. It could certainly be a lot worse.

    Rob, you're right. I need to just cut some tester blocks and test what I want to do. If it runs. it runs. If it binds, I'll adjust it.

    Thanks again! Great info. Much appreciated.

    Luke
    Luke

    I did buy that kit from the States, but I can't remember who through. Maybe Lea Valley? Of course I don't really know what I am talking about, but my concern with any "string" type product, whether synthetic or natural would be with wear and chafing. The cable supplied with my kit is multi strand. Unfortunately I cannot give you the benefit of my experience in how it performs. Maybe there is something on YouTube. Have you seen this thread?

    Tambour front book case

    Alex is using what I would describe as the more traditional approach and it has a canvas backing which might not suit you if the reverse side is partially visible. He is applying marquetry to the face of the slats so I think that would have been the only option for him.

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  10. #9
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    Luke

    It looks like it was Rockler and I think this is the US$80 set to which you referred:

    YouTube

    That was just for the bits. I could not see the cables that I purchased.

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
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    Darkest NSW
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    3,197

    Default

    Couldn't one use that thin plastic coated braided S/S wire (usually used for hanging pictures) as the cable? It is very flexible and hard wearing, and readily available in gauges down to under 1mm dia.

    https://www.ebay.com.au/i/2629771262...yABEgKXUfD_BwE

  12. #11
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    Default

    Sorry, I didn't see this earlier. As some have said, I'm using the 'traditional' method of backing the slats with cotton duck (lightweight canvas). I'm interested in an alternative method using cables of some sort, and have bought a pair of 1/4" canoe makers router cutters with this in mind. The cable would need to be able to stretch & contract repeatedly without breaking, so I'd need to do some experimentation to find something suitable.

    Out of interest, I repaired a 1925 Austrian tambour cabinet once. The backing for the slats was hessian, backed with newspaper - thats' how we got the date.
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