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Tambour entertainment center?

I am interested in trying out your tambour router bit set but am not sure if my intended application will work.  I am designing an entertainment center with a tambour door that will roll up and to the back .


The opening is roughly 32" tall by 46" wide.  Is it possible to do a 46" wide tambour and not have it bind up?  I am also concerned about the weight of the door once more than half of it gets to the back of the case.  I am planning on plying up the rails with two pieces of 1/4" tiger maple to one 1/2" piece of baltic birch plywood to minimize on twisting.


This router bit set seems like a great approach but is it just for smaller doors?   Is there a track that anyone makes that will help the movement?  Iam definitely going to test this on a model first but I don't want to make the investment on the bits unless I think it's possible.


- Brian

Epping, NH

Our Expert

Although 46" is a wide expanse I see no reason why the tambour will not work for this application. In order to prevent twist or sagging of the tambour slats, it's important to select straight-grained stock that is free of warp and stress.


I understand your concern about binding. For example, wide drawers in a chest will sometimes bind if they twist or rack sideways in the opening. To prevent binding, I fit the drawers with very little side clearance. I suggest that you cut the tambour slats the same way. In other words, short slats will twist sideways in the tambour groove and bind.


Also, to help wooden drawers and tambours slide smoothly, I apply furniture paste wax to the moving parts. Once a finish is applied and the tambour and groove are waxed, very little side clearance is required for smooth operation.


Large tambours can be heavy and so as you open a large tambour it is important to grasp the end and open it gradually to prevent it from dropping into the back of the case. A large tambour is not difficult to open, but it does require care to prevent damage.


View our Tambour Router Set

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