Simple Bookcase for a complex problem

Here are a few photos of the bookcase I recently completed.

My wife and I are in to books. She likes her fiction and I’m very much in to history!

Problem: Many books with no place for them, except in the Rubber-Maid containers from when we moved here 5 years ago. I decided that it’s time to get them out and store them properly. Please note that this project is the first of many. On the agenda is a recessed bookshelf built in the wall in our bedroom along with a roll-tiop desk.

Back to making dust….

Planning. Yes, drawing out my quick ideas on a sketch pad are good for brainstorming but when it comes to actually drawing them out on graph paper and all that garb, I pull my hair out! I llike to get a better idea of what I’m looking at as I go.

My brother-in-law in Montana is big into woodworking and design. He suggested Sketch-up. This company offered the computer program for a price, I believe it was around 3 or 400 dollars, but not for sure. Google bought the company and offers the basic version for free. There’s a Pro version but basic does just fine.
This program allows drawing on an X Y Z axis, zoom in and out, stretching, adding dimension, layers. Here’s the link:

http://sketchup.google.com/

After drawing the case on the computer, I printed the drawing out, there were about 6 or seven pages as I showed close details. This was very helpful and fast. The dimensions are already calculated which saved time and are printed large enough so when I pill my soda on the paper, I can still see everything!

This was a simple project so I used 3/4 Oak ply, cost $40.00 and a piece of 7/8” 1×8x8 solid oak that I picked up for 12 bucks. Yep. $52.00 in wood.

I designed the case based around book sizes, and kept the shelves permanently attached. It’s very strong. Shelf openings are 10” and 12” on the top half, and the bottom half is made deep for those coffee-table type books. No book sticks out over the edges. On the lower left section, I accounted for tall books or maps and short books that are deep. The bottom two right-hand shelves are 13” high. It’s custom.

Trying do do this porject and work on the railroad was a pain, but I managed.

I purchased a 23/32 plywood bit for doing the dado joints. This worked great and was quick. The trim has a 1/4” groove to attach it to the face of the sides and shelves. The front of the faces and shelves also had a 1/4” tongue for the trim to attach to. I dry fitted the entire bookcase completely before gluing.

In all, it was a simple way to get started fixing a problem with our book storage.

Until next time,

Joel

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