Lachlan Brophy, Sliding Tambour Door Corner Unit (STUDENT 2025)

Student:

Secondary

Name of school or tertiary institution, name of woodworking teacher (if you have one), and name of photographer:

Corpus Christi Catholic High School Oak Flats

Country

Australia

This project is a custom-designed Tasmanian oak corner unit, carefully crafted to balance aesthetics, function, and structural durability. The standout feature is the 90-degree concave curve that guides a sliding tambour door, softening the cabinet’s overall form while providing smooth and practical access to internal storage. The build incorporated a wide range of advanced joinery techniques. Dovetail joints were used to construct strong, precise drawers, mitre joints formed seamless edges in the carcass, tongue and groove extended the side panels with accuracy, rebate joints provided tracks for the sliding door; and mortise and tenon joinery, supported by domino joinery, secured the laminated legs for stability and strength. Additional features included a mitred edge on the cabinet door, grooves in the drawers for bases and router cut grooves for the runners providing smooth drawer function, as well as inlay cut for the unit’s back panel. The drawers were enhanced with custom laser-engraved inserts featuring the initials of my parents, adding a personal and sentimental element to the piece. The finishing process was equally meticulous: each surface was sanded progressively through 120, 180, and 240 grits with a Festool sander, ensuring a smooth, professional result. To protect and enrich the timber, multiple coats of Feast Watson wipe-on poly were applied, followed by Feast Watson soft wax on the tambour door tracks and drawer runners for effortless operation. The final product showcases refined craftsmanship, functional design, and meaningful personalisation, resulting in a unique, high-quality piece of furniture that reflects both technical ability and creative vision.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.