I saw this design challenge just surfing the net one day. I just so happened to be working on a bookcase design of my own. So here it is. In my design is made to be broken down easily to be shipped. So the spacers are made of metal. I don’t know if that qualifies for the challenge. But it is just a design. They could easily be made out of wooden dowels or even antiqued cooper pipe for that matter. In my mock ups I used white ash. One is done natural with a tung oil and wax finish and the other is stained with a dark red mahogany ultra penetrating dye stain (ultra penetrating because white ash is so dense) also with a tung oil and wax finish. The color combinations are endless with different types of wood, dowels, or metal pipes. The design is simple. The shelves are 8 inches wide and 36 inches long with a 45 degree champher edge on top and bottom that does not show up well in the pictures and is not in the drawing. But I was thinking 10 inches wide would be better. The spacers are 18 inches and the toe kick is 3 inches. What I like about this design is that it is simple. It could be made with basic woodworking skills and a blueprint. What I also like about it is that it is not a CASE so to speak. They are more like shelves. I think it makes a great display for art, sculpture, etc. And because it isn’t a case you can see the color of the wall through it. Which makes it very minimal as far as the impact on a room. It can also be used as a divider in a room. It could be made to any deminsion. So this is my bookcase design. I hope you like it!
P.S. I havn’t figured out how to post my googlesketchup design yet?
-- Nick Kerpan
6 comments so far
Scott Bryan
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20780 posts in 721 days
posted 594 days ago
Hi Nick,
These are nice display book shelves (I, like you don’t know whether to call them bookcases or shelves). They are a straight forward design and would compliment any decor. Personally I like the top one better. It lets the natural beauty of the ash show through.
Thanks for the post.
-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.
Harold
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312 posts in 746 days
posted 593 days ago
I also like this design, I didn’t notice how you held the shelves in place? are they adjustable? I have been wanting to replace the old shelves I have in my work area and your design would really be functional as well as a very efficient use of the material…recycled copper pipe or any other for that matter would be wonderful. Have you thought about perhaps using a more natural or live edged material for the shelves themselves? I think you could really convey an organic feel to a very modern design, which is very difficult to do. This really is a great concept and design, I like it. great job!
-- If knowledge is not shared, it is forgotten.
nicholas
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2 posts in 600 days
posted 592 days ago
the bookshelves are held together by a threaded rod (5/16 18)through the middle of the pipes. Nuts and lock washers on the top and bottom. When you tighten the nuts the shelves become surprisingly rigid. To adjust for different sizes you can use different lengths of rod joined by coupling nuts.
-- Nick Kerpan
MsDebbieP
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14181 posts in 1060 days
posted 591 days ago
a great idea – to be able to take them apart for moving.
(great timing on finding this site!) :)
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
motthunter
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2079 posts in 698 days
posted 591 days ago
I like the mixed elements of wood and metal. Looks great
-- making sawdust....
Karson
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25811 posts in 1299 days
posted 589 days ago
Nick a nice design. great job.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †