[Woodworking] Bookcases
 

as part of my home office (used to be a BR) renovation, i'm building 5 custom bookcases. four will go along one wall, and the fifth will stand alone on another wall. they will sit on a 4" high base and be 80" tall, making the top 84" (7 feet) above the floor, leaving about 12 to the ceiling. of course, each bookcase has 2 sides that support the adjustable shelves. the shelves sit on pins that go into 1/4" holes.

so today I began. ripped 2 sheets of plywood into ten 9" wide strips, then cut them to 80" long and began to drill all the shelf pin holes.

:faint:

each side will get 104 holes, 52 in each column. 5 bookcases, 10 sides, 104 holes per side = 1040 holes.

how prescient, i just sent off my quarterly taxes today - form 1040. :slap:

so i'm 1/2 done, will do more tomorrow.

pic of holes:

did i mention that there is no AC in the shop? but it is fairly cool, and not bad with a small fan going.

:DAB:

Shallow bookcase?

yep.

the vast majority of my books will fit on a 9" deep shelf. so no reason to waste space behind books.

i have some existing 12" deep steel and glass bookcases that will be re-used and they will hold the few deeper books nicely.

That's a lot of holes to drill!

I built this one a few years ago. I'ts 6'x5' and a foot deep. It has adjustable shelves as well, but only 120 holes to drill.:yesnod:

I'd like to see your progress on this, DAB.

i'll keep posting as i have more to show. plan is to do the rest of the holes tomorrow, then 800" of edge banding, then cut the tops and bottoms, then cut the top and bottom and center cleats (used to attach the bookcases to the wall), and more edge banding for exposed edges for them, then assembly with pocket screws. then build the common base, get it leveled, attach it to the wall, place cases in place, and then cut a shit load of shelves (which also need edge banding - i hope i have enough, if not, i'll have to order more, they didn't have any at the lumber yard :slap: )

should be done next week some time, allowing for other things i have to get done around the Casa.

:iagree:

That doesn't look like the typical everyday plywood neither......

Can you build me an iTunes books on iPad shelf? :leaving:

What are you using for a drill jig, I’ve always dreaded adjustable shelves due to not having a good jig

I see your 1040 holes in wood and would like to present a stainless steel spin filter with the main body 3/16" thick that has 3/8" holes in it.

This 45" long item has 3105 holes in it. :crazy:

Plus as an added bonus, the outside diameter must be turned to 7.500 +/- .005

At a feed rate of .008 per rev, that equates to literally a 1/4 MILLION impacts per cut. The carbide insert is only good for one pass. I had eight tools set up , one for each pass and also programmed .025 taper into each cut so it would cut straight ( due to insert wear )

My buddy Tony just sent me this picture today, he got to do this past run of parts since I no longer work at the tentless circus :rofl:

Show you tomorrow.

I'll need to see the number of toggle switches and the pillow cases.....

:hide:

:toetap:

Trace the outline of your hand flipping the bird, cut it out of a fine piece of pine or birch, give it a smooth finish and a medium stain, and ship it to Datawiz.

:D

How about cheap MDF painted black? No point in spending good wood or time.

:dance:

Only if you use a brush and paint on a hot day so every single brush stroke is visible. :funny:

:D lol

When making kitchen cabs I lazy and just use the metal tracks with clips done in no time flat.....:seasix:

here is the jig for shelf pin holes, it's adjustable for width, and those two black stepped pins are used to hold it in place after the first hole is drilled, so it doesn't shift as you go along, and to extend the holes beyond the reach of the jig. it's from Rockler. also, two shots of the special drill bit that comes with it. you can get either 1/4" drill bit version, or 5mm version (if you like metric stuff :slap: )

Ok I need one of those now, that would make it way easier

There are cheaper and simpler versions, but I like this one.

The right tool makes life MUCH easier :yesnod:

That drill jig is a nice set up. :cool1:

Dab, I see your drill jig...what holds you at a square 90* to the work piece? Your skill, with some hopes and dreams sprinkled in?

It self squares. There are knobs that tighten and hold it firm to the work.

That pic was taken with the jig just resting on the next piece. Not tightened up yet.

I see. I’ve never been able to perfectly hold a drill square to the work piece:confused5:

The bit squares up on the jigs large hole, and then pushing against the spring the bit is pushed into the work.

today's update:

got all the sides edge banded. got the tops and bottoms all cut, pocket screw holes drilled, and exposed edges on tops and bottoms edge banded too.

and ran out of edge banding. more on order, 2 weeks. so at a standstill presently.

:DAB:

got the edge banding today, so tomorrow i do the final banding and then assembly of 4 of them. then careful measurements and make shelves.

pics when i have something to show.

Lots of holes and lots of deburring! :yesnod:

We just made a mic-6 aluminum tooling plate for a customer with 2,448 1/2-13 tapped holes. I used a form tap to keep the burrs at bay! :cert:

assembled and in place on their sub-base (not visible). now have to cut and band a mess of shelves, and then move a shit-load of books. work on shelves tomorrow.

:DAB:

this is 4 of the 5, the 5th one goes on another wall, but the floor there is not ready for it yet.

Maybe a dumb question, but where do you get the pins for the shelves? :bigears:

I'd put my money on Home Depot.

these are 1/4" shelf pins (they also make 5mm ones for metric folks).

they do sell them at Homey Depot, but I normally get mine in bags of 100 at Woodworkers Supply, they have a retail store in ABQ, and they are also on the inter web and can ship stuff to you that you order. since i'm expecting 25 or so shelves, i got the 100 count bag a few months ago when I was passing their store. HD and Lowes also carry these, but in little 12 or 16 pin packages.

https://woodworker.com/helpdetail.shtml

pins:

https://woodworker.com/brass-support...s&searchmode=2 item 866-644, package of 100, $15.89.

:DAB:

100 for 16 bux.....China made....gotta be......:dance::lol:

it doesn't say on the package.

Why edge banding? We always used a hardwood nosing on things like this...

Cheap, easy to apply, already finished.

If it was a high traffic location, then I’d do a solid wood edging.

some shelves in place today.

first 4 are done and full. one more later on another wall.

nicely done :seasix:

Looks great. :seasix: