Bookshelf unit...

osx-addict · Post by **osx-addict** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 8:21 pm

Hi all..

I'm dying to work on a project and get things moving on a WW project but funding is super tight.. Anyway, I figured it wouldn't hurt to find a set of plans for some nice bookshelves that can be used primarily for.. um.. books? We've got a fair amount of books and wood likely need to have several sets of shelves akin to a shelving unit that is at least 6-10' wide and at least 6' tall -- they shouldn't have any moldings on the sides to interfere with connecting them together to look like a single unit.. I did see the Shopsmith Tall bookshelf here but am looking for others as well.. I love the look of built-ins I've seen in peoples homes but don't have an entire wall to dedicate to make it look like a built-in.

For materials, I want something that will not sag (might need to visit the SAG calculator) if the entire shelf is loaded with books.. Can the carcasse use veneered 3/4" plywood or should I go with solid materials?

Oooh.. I just noticed an heirloom bookshelf in the current issue of WoodSmith magazine.. Here's one that's also nice if I had two connected together..

Ok.. Perhaps some of you have done this sort of thing before, and I'm hoping that I can learn from your wisdom! If this works out well, my better half will be VERY happy!

osx-addict · Post by **osx-addict** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 9:27 pm

Ok.. I think I found a reasonable set of plans here.. This might just work out.. Now I just need some wood..

horologist · Post by **horologist** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 9:49 pm

Rick,

If you plan to paint the shelves it can be done quite inexpensively. I made this shelf for my wife to use in her sewing room. Sides and shelves are 1/2" ply the back is 1/4" ply. Each shelf has 2" x 2" pine attached with glue and screws on the bottom of all four sides. The sides and back are glued and screwed to the 2" x 2" edging. The shelves are 43" long, zero sag and quite strong.

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The main disadvantages of this system are that the shelves are not adjustable and you do lose height to the reinforcing 2" x 2"s. If you plan on using a more traditional design with adjustable shelves then the 3/4" ply would make better sides as it will be less likely to bow outwards. Save the solid wood (if necessary) for the shelves.

Troy

hobbydad · Post by **hobbydad** » Sat Nov 07, 2009 10:14 am

Here is a book/AV shelf that I made. A friend of mine runs a small cabinet shop and recently acquired a cnc router. I wanted to give him some business and watch it in action, so he cut the frame and shelves for me. It is made from 3/4" red oak ply with 3/4" red oak trim. Simple, but it works well and is very solid. It was a lot of fun watching the router fly through the job, especially all the holes for the adjustable shelves.

Loren

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JPG · Post by **JPG** » Sat Nov 07, 2009 1:17 pm

hobbydad wrote:Here is a book/AV shelf that I made. A friend of mine runs a small cabinet shop and recently acquired a cnc router. I wanted to give him some business and watch it in action, so he cut the frame and shelves for me. It is made from 3/4" red oak ply with 3/4" red oak trim. Simple, but it works well and is very solid. It was a lot of fun watching the router fly through the job, especially all the holes for the adjustable shelves.

Loren

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NICE! Interesting library!:) Toy shelf also I see.

Interesting feet.

fjimp · Post by **fjimp** » Sat Nov 07, 2009 1:18 pm

Loren,

Nice shelf set up. I enjoy making shelf cabinets.

One lesson I have learned is the importance of the extra support under both the front and back of shelves. I purchased a nice looking set of shelves for my office that lacked the added support. I later added the support and even thought he shelves are 48" long they still support the load very well.

Another important thing I learned from making shelves for my wife's quilting room is to use care in selecting stain and sealers. Both can interact with the cloth material. Jim

hobbydad · Post by **hobbydad** » Sat Nov 07, 2009 1:31 pm

JPG40504 wrote:NICE! Interesting library!:) Toy shelf also I see. Interesting feet.

The "feet" are for sliding it around. I took that picture while I was still working on hooking up the A/V stuff.

I appreciate the comments.

Loren

osx-addict · Post by **osx-addict** » Mon Nov 09, 2009 5:38 pm

Thanks all! In terms of materials, if I use a 3/4" oak plywood, should I be looking for any particular variant of the plywood -- specifically the type of cuts used to make the plywood (rotary vs rift vs quartersawn vs flat sawn) as described here? I've personally never looked at any 'nice' plywood (and will get it from a reputable lumberyard -- not the local Lowes/HD).. I'm assuming they'd be able to tell me if a particular plywood they're selling is rotary sawn, rift, etc.. Anyone ever ask when picking out lumber? Just curious..

fjimp · Post by **fjimp** » Mon Nov 09, 2009 5:54 pm

osx-addict wrote:Thanks all! In terms of materials, if I use a 3/4" oak plywood, should I be looking for any particular variant of the plywood -- specifically the type of cuts used to make the plywood (rotary vs rift vs quartersawn vs flat sawn) as described here? I've personally never looked at any 'nice' plywood (and will get it from a reputable lumberyard -- not the local Lowes/HD).. I'm assuming they'd be able to tell me if a particular plywood they're selling is rotary sawn, rift, etc.. Anyone ever ask when picking out lumber? Just curious..

Asking anyone at a big box store a question about source or quality of materials in the lumber department is like asking a politician to tell the truth. Yeah right like that's gonna happen.

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Mon Nov 09, 2009 11:11 pm

osx-addict wrote:Thanks all! In terms of materials, if I use a 3/4" oak plywood, should I be looking for any particular variant of the plywood -- specifically the type of cuts used to make the plywood (rotary vs rift vs quartersawn vs flat sawn) as described here? I've personally never looked at any 'nice' plywood (and will get it from a reputable lumberyard -- not the local Lowes/HD).. I'm assuming they'd be able to tell me if a particular plywood they're selling is rotary sawn, rift, etc.. Anyone ever ask when picking out lumber? Just curious..

Well, I'll be---! Just now learned that hardwood plywood is classed as flat, quartersawn, or rift as well as rotary. I'd always thought it was the same as softwood ply - either rotary or flitched. I used a sheet of oak ply that was quartersawn, but I figured I was just lucky to find it 2nd in the stack. It was the only quartersawn in the 4 sheets I inspected. BTW, most of the high quality oak ply is flitched, I haven't seen much rotary cut.

Anyway if you are going the plywood route there will be no difference in the performance of the wood because of the top veneer layer. The only difference will be appearance - so buy what you think looks best. Sorting through sheets of plywood gets tiresome quickly, so be prepared. Take along a helper.

Another thing to consider when using plywood is the lumber (boards) you will be ripping to serve as edge facing/shelf support.