Kumiko Shelf Doors

This is a set of 3 kumiko doors for a recessed wall shelf. When the client contacted us for this job, we were slightly apprehensive at first. The size of the kumiko panels posed a challenge as we had not made kumiko panels this large before before. The doors when completed would be 1.7 meters in height and the largest width 60cm wide.

Right down the line, this meant that we would need to prepare kumiko strips much longer than what we were used to making. The preparation of stock kumiko strips are an integral part of the kumiko making process. Each strip has to be made in exactly the same size, down to about 3 tenths of a millimeter (0.3mm). Because the notches of the grid is cut using a tablesaw blade, each cut that the blade makes must be within 0.3mm of the thickness of the kumiko strip to ensure a good fit. Not too tight, and not loose at all. Such precision is beyond the ability offered by a ruler or measuring tape (they give a precision to the closest 1mm). In addition, the distance between each notch on the grid must be exactly the same. On a smaller project, the number of notches cut on the kumiko strip are a small number (6 notches on our Kumiko Wall Art). To make a panel 60cm wide, the number of notches need to be doubled. This further challenges the precision, because an error would be multiplied by 12 times (instead of 6). Put into perspective, a tiny error of 1mm would result in 1.2cm difference by the time the 12th cut is made. Ok, challenge accepted!

We started with the design process. Design wise, we spilt the door with a middle horizontal rail roughly 4/10 of the height of the door. This gives a pleasing proportion to the eye, as well as giving the door more structural support. The main infill design all around the panels would be the Asanoha (Hemp leaf) infill and highlighting the main infills would be a strip of Sakura (Cherry blossom) accent infills. I just love how nature guides these designs. White Ash was chosen as the timber for the door frame for its lighter colour to compliment the client’s home.

Left door 2462 infills

1. 18 grids x 35 rows x 3 asanoha infills = 1890

2. 18 grids x 4 rows x 6 sakura infills = 432

3. 35 rows x 2 sides x 2 border infills = 140

Middle and Right door 2860 infills

1. 20 grids x 35 rows x 3 infills = 2100

2. 20 grids x 4 rows x 6 infills = 480

3. 35 rows x 4 sides x 2 border infills = 140

A total of 5322 infill pieces were used in this project. Many many hours of sawing, shaving and fitting each individual piece. Kumiko making can be arduous and tiresome because of its repetitive nature, but we found a lot of peace and a certain stillness of the mind in the process of making the infills. We hope that this peace and stillness we found during the process is translated into the work and more importantly, passed to the client’s home.