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Book Stand

Project by TomFran posted 667 days ago 1050 views 2 times favorited 37 comments Add to Favorites Watch

I desired to have a book stand that would display my book at a 20 degree angle, which would catch the light on my desk just right. Since something like I wanted probably doesn’t even exist, I decided that it was time to try to make my investment in woodworking equipment pay off.

After a quick sketch, it was out to the shop to see if I could make what I wanted from some “scrap wood.” I ended up finding a suitable piece of pine for the main components and used a piece of Spanish cedar for the strip at the bottom.

It was an easy project, but I still managed to use my table saw, bandsaw, router table, belt sander, spindle sander, foreplane, and 23 gauge pin nailer. I stained the pine, because I desired to have it darker (Minwax English Chestnut), used a couple coats of shellac to seal it, and then followed that up with two coats of Deft (in spray can) lacquer.

It was easy and fun to make, and it works great for its intended purpose. It was designed to be used for reading books, not displaying them.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28


37 comments so far

View mot's profile

mot

4901 posts in 930 days


posted 667 days ago

Ahhh, Tom, a great project. I’ve long been an advocate of book stands to relieve neck strain with reading at a desk. Very nice idea, and excellent execution!

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

View GaryK's profile

GaryK

9521 posts in 882 days


posted 667 days ago

Great job Tom!

Lets see, I guess that would make it a $3000 bookstand if you bought all your equipment to make it. :-)
I would have made you one for, say….$1500. Half price!

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

View TomFran's profile (online now)

TomFran

2513 posts in 888 days


posted 667 days ago

Gary,

I’m going to have to make several more of these to offset my investment in woodworking equipment ;^D

But, at least now, I can tell my wife that I’m saving money for the household by producing “specialty items,” which can’t be purchased anywhere else ;^D

(Whoever said woodworking was an inexpensive hobby…?)

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

View Max's profile

Max

14387 posts in 1167 days


posted 667 days ago

Tom,

A great project. Maybe make your wife one with a moveable bar to hold the book open to its location for her cook books. So while she is it the kitchen she can have them open to the place she wants. Then she really would know that you are making “specialty items” and even one for her. That is if she is the one in the kitchen.

-- Max "Desperado", Salt Lake City, UT

View TomFran's profile (online now)

TomFran

2513 posts in 888 days


posted 667 days ago

Max,

That is a super idea! My wife is a GREAT cook, who loves to be in the kitchen and loves cookbooks. I bet if I made her one of those, I could buy another tool ;^D

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

View Max's profile

Max

14387 posts in 1167 days


posted 667 days ago

Tom,

That was kind of my thought process!!!!! Ya just never know.

-- Max "Desperado", Salt Lake City, UT

View TomFran's profile (online now)

TomFran

2513 posts in 888 days


posted 667 days ago

Max,

That’s one of the reasons we come to LumberJocks – to brainstorm with the other jocks and figure out how we can rationalize our huge investment in tools. Thanks for the help!!!!

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

View Hawgnutz's profile

Hawgnutz

522 posts in 970 days


posted 667 days ago

Tom, it is a very nice stand for your “Good” Book!

God Bless,
Hawg

-- Saving barnwood from the scrapyards

View TomFran's profile (online now)

TomFran

2513 posts in 888 days


posted 666 days ago

Hawg,

Yes, indeed, and that’s exactly the “Book” it was intended to display.

Thanks for the kind words. This isn’t an “amazing” piece or anything, but it fulfills a need, and I had a great time making it. (....and it helps to defray the cost of my tools ;^D )

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

View Russel's profile

Russel

2056 posts in 832 days


posted 666 days ago

Very nicely done. Simple and elegant.

-- When you give someone a chance it may well be their last.

View TomFran's profile (online now)

TomFran

2513 posts in 888 days


posted 666 days ago

Thank you Russel.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

View rikkor's profile

rikkor

11335 posts in 768 days


posted 666 days ago

That is what I need to build: A good stand for the Good Book. I like yours Tom.

View TomFran's profile (online now)

TomFran

2513 posts in 888 days


posted 666 days ago

Thanks rikkor! I’ll be happy to share dimensions or whatever, if you need it.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

View TomFran's profile (online now)

TomFran

2513 posts in 888 days


posted 666 days ago

Mot,

Yes, a book stand will help against neck strain and will also reduce glare. I have been using them for many years. You should make one!

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

View Tilt's profile

Tilt

44 posts in 990 days


posted 666 days ago

Tom, very nice indeed and for such a Great Book.
If you don’t mind, I would like to make one for myself.

-- My dad was an electrician, but my fathers a carpenter.

View CharlieM1958's profile

CharlieM1958

7618 posts in 1112 days


posted 666 days ago

Simple project maybe, but finely crafted. Great job, Tom. That is going in my stolen idea file.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

View Thos. Angle's profile

Thos. Angle

4013 posts in 856 days


posted 666 days ago

Tom, That is a very nice book stand. I really like the look. “Rattlaquer” is one of my favorites too. Well done.

-- Thos. Angle

View Chris 's profile

Chris

1469 posts in 885 days


posted 666 days ago

Nice stand Tom…. Did you seal the pine before staining? I have never had much success staining pine.

-- Chris

View cajunpen's profile

cajunpen

5968 posts in 959 days


posted 666 days ago

Tom that is a fitting stand for the book that you selected. Keep reading and learn from your readings.

-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/

View TomFran's profile (online now)

TomFran

2513 posts in 888 days


posted 666 days ago

Tilt,

Thank you. You are most welcome to make one just like it!

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

View TomFran's profile (online now)

TomFran

2513 posts in 888 days


posted 666 days ago

Charlie,

Thank you for your kind words – you are a real encourager on the site!

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

View TomFran's profile (online now)

TomFran

2513 posts in 888 days


posted 666 days ago

Tom A,

Thank you so much. “Rattlelacquer” is a good name for it! I like to use the spray cans, because then I don’t have to clean the gun. For big projects, I use my spray equipment, but for small stuff like this, it’s just easier to use the rattlelacquer.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

View TomFran's profile (online now)

TomFran

2513 posts in 888 days


posted 666 days ago

Chris,

Thank you my friend.

I sealed it after staining it. And, I used Minwax Preconditioner before staining it to ensure an even penetration of the stain. I hope that was the correct procedure.

If you sealed it before you stained it, you wouldn’t be able to get the stain to penetrate and darken the wood, would you?

I guess that if it gets messed up, I’ll make myself one out of the Spanish Cedar. I really like that wood, especiallly since someone gave me a huge pile of it for free! It’s all rough cut, but now that I have a planer, I can deal with that ;^D

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

View TomFran's profile (online now)

TomFran

2513 posts in 888 days


posted 666 days ago

Bill,

Thank you so much for the gracious comment. I do try to read the Good Book, and then (by God’s grace), put in practice what I read. I’ll never exhaust the treasures contained therein, but I’m being blessed trying.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

View Grumpy's profile

Grumpy

14920 posts in 744 days


posted 666 days ago

Tom why not make your wife a matching rolling pin for her recipe book stand. Then you could justify a new tool. Either that or she could use the rolling pin to keep you under control (only kidding).

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

View TomFran's profile (online now)

TomFran

2513 posts in 888 days


posted 665 days ago

Grumpy,

Thanks for another great suggestion! Always looking for more ideas on how to get more toys – I mean tools! ;^D

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

View MsDebbieP's profile

MsDebbieP

14156 posts in 1054 days


posted 665 days ago

very lovely… hmm matching rolling pin, matching spoons, ladles, and spatulas…

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

View TomFran's profile (online now)

TomFran

2513 posts in 888 days


posted 664 days ago

Thanks Debbie ;^D

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

View Lee A. Jesberger's profile

Lee A. Jesberger

3710 posts in 873 days


posted 664 days ago

Hi Tom;

Great job; good choice of reading materials. I guess that’s why Thomas Jefferson made a portable desk for his personal use. The reading surface angle was probably closer to yours.

I have been giving away cookbook stands to people we make kitchens for, using scraps of wood left over from the job.

I use a smaller angle as they’re being used while the person is standing, and the cookbook is on the counter.

I reall enjoy making them as the possibilites are endless. There’s one of the home page of the pro woodworking tips website, which is made from birds eye maple, rosewood and maple. Check out the legs detail. They’re one of my favorites.

Lee

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

View TomFran's profile (online now)

TomFran

2513 posts in 888 days


posted 664 days ago

Thanks a lot Lee.

Your book stand is very beautiful! The feet look pretty intricate as well. Did you turn them on a lathe, or are they metal? That would be a good way to keep the book from getting soiled by something spilled on the counter too, since it only contacts the surface by four feet.

That is such a wonderful way to use up “scrap” material and get some real brownie points with the customer! Great work (as always…).

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

View DocK16's profile

DocK16

710 posts in 980 days


posted 656 days ago

Tom,
I love things of simple elegant design and you hit it right on the nose here.

-- DocK, WV

View TomFran's profile (online now)

TomFran

2513 posts in 888 days


posted 656 days ago

Dock,

Thank you very much! I am enjoying using it as well.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

View dennis mitchell's profile

dennis mitchell

3789 posts in 1208 days


posted 623 days ago

The finish on it sure came out nice. Looks like a nice hardwood.

-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com

View TomFran's profile (online now)

TomFran

2513 posts in 888 days


posted 623 days ago

Thanks for the gracious comment, Dennis! This is one of those kinds of projects that you get to enjoy by having something custom made for your own needs. A benefit of being a woodworker.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

View Freddo's profile

Freddo

57 posts in 590 days


posted 587 days ago

Hi Tom –
Awesome. I was just showing your project to my wife (after getting her permission to post “our” image here in LJs) and explaining to her how I used fat book to prop up my Bible when reading it at the kitchen table over the last year. Hmmmm…I’ve got some lumber and a new inspiration thanks to you…Thanks for posting. Great job!

-- God bless! Freddo (Northern - NJ) Our Creator designed us to create - so use WOOD!

View TomFran's profile (online now)

TomFran

2513 posts in 888 days


posted 587 days ago

Freddo,

Thanks a lot for the kind words in regard to my bookstand. But, before you do, I’m getting ready to post my next book stand. This one can be used on your lap or a table. I made this one for when I’m reading in my chair. I’ll be posting it tomorrow after I get some pictures of it. Thanks again and God bless you!

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

View Lee A. Jesberger's profile

Lee A. Jesberger

3710 posts in 873 days


posted 585 days ago

Hi Tom;

Thank you!

The feet are turned from maple and rosewood,

Never too many brownie points right.

Lee

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

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