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Challenge04 entry...Shoji screen inspired Book Case...better get this in now!

Blog entry by Ryan Shervill posted 82 days ago 1126 reads 4 times favorited 22 comments Add to Favorites

Hello all. Being as our second child is due on Sunday, and my wife is feeling that she may be early, I figured I’d better get this in ASAP :)

I am new to Sketchup, and far from a “SU guru”, but I hope I managed to do at least a passable job on this…forgive me for any errors.

This bookshelf is inspired by Japanese Shogi Screens. Built to be very open and “airy”, the design allows it to be used both in the center of the room as a divider (Like a Shoji Screen) or in a traditional location against a wall. Built in my preferred style, it looks complex to build, but in reality it is an intermediate project. The frame is a combination of 1” maple (legs) and 3/4” cherry, and the (optional) doors are simple 1/4” maple ply set in stopped dados in 3/4” cherry frames and inlayed with 1/8” cherry stock to form the “grass” (Although veneer would work just as well), and have decorative square maple pegs. The inlay in the plywood panels and walnut “tree” in the top are simple router-inlays and are scaled to use one of the 1/8” router inlay kits available at woodworking stores. I’ve also considered replacing the 1/4” ply in the panels with actual Japanese paper, as a real screen would be made of. If I went that route the only change would be that the rails only would recieve a dado, and the top and bottoms of the paper would be wrapped around 1/4” wooden cauls that would fit into the dados.

All four doors are “hinged” with pieces of brass rod sunk into the tops and bottoms of the outside portions of the “H”, and either/both sets of doors can opened, or even be eliminated all together if a more open look is desired.

The joinery is a little unique in that it uses the end of a half lap to form a tennon that passes through the leg mortises, but this step can be eliminated all together for those who want a simpler build. The M/T can be replaced by a biscuit joint, dowels, or (gasp!) screws with contrasting cherry tapered plugs.

The shelves add to the open feeling, and are just simple half-lapped maple grids sunk into 3/4” cherry stock. The center groove in the shelves are just accents cut with a 1/8” saw kerf, and the inlay strip in the front is just a 1/4X 3/8” maple strip set into a dado cut with the tablesaw.

Thanks for looking!

Ryan Shervill

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http://www.box.net/shared/j4zztv6ogs

-- If you can't set a good example, at least serve as a horrible warning... www.rarewoodcreations.com

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Ryan Shervill

175 posts in 203 days


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challenge04 bookcase shoji

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22 comments so far

View Damian Penney's profile

Damian Penney

592 posts in 382 days


posted 82 days ago

I like it :)

-- I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso

View gbear's profile

gbear

47 posts in 490 days


posted 82 days ago

Nice job…I really gotta learn how to use SU, so far it’s way over my head.

-- gbear, Carmichael, CA

View GaryK's profile

GaryK

8183 posts in 379 days


posted 82 days ago

Very nice!

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

View Scott Bryan's profile

Scott Bryan

7806 posts in 213 days


posted 82 days ago

Ryan,

As usual you have crafted an original and very unique piece. I really like the design and the details.

Thanks for the post and good luck in the contest.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

View Thos. Angle's profile

Thos. Angle

3246 posts in 353 days


posted 82 days ago

WOW! That will make a very special cabinet. you might not think you know Sketch Up, but I can’t wait to see what you can do when you think you do understand it.

-- Thos. Angle, Owyhee Design, Oregon

View bfd's profile

bfd

155 posts in 198 days


posted 82 days ago

Ryan,

This is great. I want to build this!

-- bfd, Folsom, CA

View Thuan's profile

Thuan

152 posts in 209 days


posted 82 days ago

Visually stunning, lots of right angles going on there to make it look complex, and gentle curves of the reeds against the light background softens everything.

-- Thuan

View Woodshopfreak's profile

Woodshopfreak

315 posts in 133 days


posted 82 days ago

I vote you winner. Great piece!!

-- Tyler, Illinois

View MsDebbieP's profile

MsDebbieP

10984 posts in 551 days


posted 81 days ago

this is SWEET
absolutely GORGEOUS design.
And I really appreciate how you have described “easy” and “more difficult” ways of creating this book case. It sounds like it is easily adapted to one’s level of ability.

The inlay is stunning and the right “added touch” to this piece of art.
Well done, Ryan

And I hope the delivery of your precious gift is smooth and as easy as it can be :)

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

View Ryan Shervill's profile

Ryan Shervill

175 posts in 203 days


posted 81 days ago

LOL, I’m sure it will be smooth and easy…..for me anyway!
I’m a firm believer in “more than one way to skin a cat”, and there are multiple ways to perfrm the same function. I’d hate to think someone would avoid building this case because they don’t feel comfortable chopping mortises, so I tend to include alternative construction methods so people can work to their skill/comfort level. If screws and plugs work better for the builder? Great. And truth be told, when done it would look just as good as through-mortises.

Thanks everyone for the comments. Though I have to say….Every time I log in here I get a big head. :)

-- If you can't set a good example, at least serve as a horrible warning... www.rarewoodcreations.com

View mrtrim's profile

mrtrim

1484 posts in 271 days


posted 81 days ago

we can tell your head is getting big because its starting to come up thru your hair ! lol sorry ryan couldnt help my self ! lol only wish i had your excuse . great entry i love it ! im looking for a project for some really pretty curley maple i been saving and ive got a bunch of sapele to try with it , i also need a bookcase in my office ! hmm …..

-- if you aint the lead dog the scenery never changes

View MsDebbieP's profile

MsDebbieP

10984 posts in 551 days


posted 81 days ago

smooth and easy for you. haha don’t tell that to your lady :)

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

View Karson's profile

Karson

11555 posts in 791 days


posted 81 days ago

Ryan. Looks great, and good luck on the new addition to the family.

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

View Ryan Shervill's profile

Ryan Shervill

175 posts in 203 days


posted 80 days ago

Hey all. It’s 21:12 here, still no baby…I could have put the entry off another day after all! :)

Some good looking stuff has been posted guys, keep it up!

Ryan

-- If you can't set a good example, at least serve as a horrible warning... www.rarewoodcreations.com

View Jeff's profile

Jeff

941 posts in 485 days


posted 78 days ago

As usual, you have blown me away with this design. It’s very elegant yet involved; I love that.

Best of luck with the contest as well as the new arrival!

-- Jeff, St. Paul, MN

View Todd A. Clippinger's profile

Todd A. Clippinger

2450 posts in 490 days


posted 74 days ago

This is the best! I am totally into your style!

-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com

View FloridaNoCypress's profile

FloridaNoCypress

16 posts in 87 days


posted 69 days ago

Of all the Asian-influenced designs I have seen in this contest, yours is the cream of the crop. I have said so on Martin Sjoka’s blog where he announced you’re the winner. I really do look forward to your ariticle in PWW. And quite frankly, I hope you have an easier time building it than designing it in SU.

Since my contest entry, I have designed a workbench which I will ibuild from the plywood I used for hurricane shutters (of course, that was after Charley passed by about 7 or 8 miles away from my house) since I have bought and installed the proper shutters and hardware.

Don’t worry, my wife still wants her bookcase, so I better get cracking on it. Again, Ryan, congratulations!

-- FloridaNoCypress

View Grumpy's profile

Grumpy

3852 posts in 242 days


posted 64 days ago

Excellent design Ryan.

-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python

View dennis mitchell's profile

dennis mitchell

2802 posts in 705 days


posted 58 days ago

Congratulations! Very nice.

-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com

View Chris 's profile

Chris

913 posts in 382 days


posted 58 days ago

Congrats Ryan!

-- Chris

View LewT's profile

LewT

1 post in 111 days


posted 58 days ago

Congratualtions on creating a quite exquisit design. I downloaded your design, and had a quick look at it with Sketch Up. Here are a couple of items you may find useful with Sketch Up. On the shelf edge, in order to make the left and right halves planar, select the shelf component, edit component then push/pull the surfaces which are not aligned to match the desired surface. Since the offset of the surfaces from a common plane is small, you may find that the push/pull tool “jumps” because of the fraction of inch increments and will not align easily with the desired surface. To get around that, zoom in until the component segment you are trying to adjust fills about 1/3 or more of the screen, then activate the push/pull tool very near the corner you want to move to snap with the desired plane corner. If you still have problems getting the two to snap together, rotate the object until you can see the desired snap point after the errant plane has been pushed/pulled, then repeat the push/pull. To align the partially open doors at a non planar (rotated) angle, it is very useful to have two reference points on the object and two on the case. In your design, you could attach the hinge pins to the door object, and “drill” a mounting hole in the door frame and use that for alignment. Use x-ray view if you have problems seeing the pin and the hole. To attach the “top” component to the vertical frame, I find it useful to construct a point on the bottom of the “top” component where one corner of the vertical member can snap to. Otherwise, you have to move them together until one is penetrated by the other, and be very careful to stop on the plane. (Check the right vertical member relative to the top.)

-- Best regards, LewT

View itsme_timd's profile

itsme_timd

307 posts in 222 days


posted 55 days ago

This is a gorgeous design, congrats Ryan! I look forward to seeing the spread in PW. ;-)

-- Tim D. - Woodstock, GA

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