Toddler Bookcase Project

I’m building this small bookcase for my one year old Son. I decided on a three shelf, curvy frame and panel design with a step down motif. The case will be made with quarter sawn white oak accented by fiddle back eucalyptus veneered side panels.

The project concept starts with a rough sketch and a few target dimensions. Height, depth, width and shelf spacing.

After the working scaled drawing is complete I start work on templates for each curved piece made from ½” mdf. For the side frame template which has straight lines as well as curves, I start by ripping the straight lines at the table saw. Note the stop line drawn on the stock and fence to avoid over cutting.

The same method is used for the interior straight profile except the cut starts from the opposite direction.

Now to work on the outside curve profile. The shape is rough cut at the band saw staying just outside the line. I then sand and file to the line using a variety of hand and power tools.

When I’m content with the shape of the outside of the template I lay out for the interior curves with a scribe tool. This insures the interior line follows the outside line perfectly.

The next shot shows the completed templates. At top is the crest rail for the case back, left is the side frame template and right is the upper and lower panel templates and center style template.

With the templates complete I can now cut and mill my hardwood stock as well as veneer the panels.
I start work on the side frames first. The 180 degree curve at the top is made with splined mitered pieces and joined to the styles with splines as well. Spacers are used to maintain proper orientation.

When the glue up dries I rough cut and flush trim the interior. The exterior is left square for now.

Next the tongue and groove joinery is routed and a dry fit of the pieces confirms I’m headed in the right direction. The inside rail was left square to rout the tongues, then flush trimmed to the template.

Next the panels are cut and shaped. One more dry fit and then the glue up.

The case side will receive stopped dadoes for the shelves. This is the part that worries me, for fear of tearing out the veneer as well as breaking the fragile shoulders of the panel grooves. Il rout the dadoes with a “Dado wiz” The operation went fairly well but I did break one piece of a panel groove shoulder. A patch is made to fix the blemish.

With the dadoes complete I now cut the shape out at the band saw and flush trim to the template at the router table.

The next step is to rout a stopped groove that will receive the ¼” plywood back panel. The next shot also shows the mortise that will join the rear crest rail to the case sides. The mortise is carefully chiseled out.

The side frames are nearly complete and will receive some edge profiles and of course sanding.

I’ll now turn my attention to the shelves and crest rail. More on that when I get to it.

-- Express creativity with wood, Dewayne. Vacaville CA.