Shopsmith Forums

Many many years ago I build several shelves of this general design. The verticals are two on each side (4 total) notched boards with a detail at the top and bottom. These were primitive and hand cut with function over being pretty. Each shelf is also notched so it effective is a matter of taking out a couple of screws on each side (metal brackets hold side pieces together) and if piles up for moving.

We used them for various purposes including toy shelves and book shelves and the like. As the kids got to a point of needing their own units things got a little ruff for the shelves but still they are functional, well at least this one is.

My Daughter took this one with her when she left home and they are still using it at her home. They just moved it and she sent me a picture..... so I'll share it with you.
I see it has some missing pieces on the shelves, the grain there suffers, a weakness in the design. Of course if I did them today I'd do it a bit different. But it does show that even cheap pine can last for years, 43 or so depending on which one this is it might be only 41 or 42 but which ever it was fun to see it again.

Ed

It should be good for another 40 or so. A couple of my wife's favored possessions are a few things her grandfather made for her about 60 years ago and a large flower stand her father made when he was about 14...


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I was just reminiscing about this project. The first ones I made I didn't have a chisel to knock out the joints so I used a screwdriver..... when I went back home sometime later I picked up a few chisels that had been my uncle/grandfather's (that is another interesting story but not for now). Sure hand tools work but sometimes life is a whole lot easier with certain ones then others, like cutting those curves with a coping saw on the early ones... and then there was all the sanding to get them smooth. Still you can do a lot with not much.

Ed

My first wood lathe was one of those AMT $9.95 + shipping, lathes off of the back cover of Popular Mechanics Magazine (About 1964, it was a hard bite into my meager weekly paycheck). I ran it with an ancient 1/4 HP washing machine motor (wringer washer) and my first lathe chisels were several old wood handled screwdrivers with the tips ground to shapes. I didn't care, I was turning wood...

I struggled long and hard with the decision to buy that at the time. We spent well over twice that on lunch today...