Author Topic: Software for planning wood bookcases/cabinets/tables etc? (Read 439,652 times)

Darwin · « **Reply #25 on:** March 24, 2007, 06:16 AM »

Thanks for posting that mouser! I'm looking at tackling a similar project myself and your notes will come in very handy.

mouser · « **Reply #26 on:** March 24, 2007, 12:04 PM »

Here's the book i recommend:

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Built-Ins-Shelves-Bookcases-Projects/dp/0696221152

Complete Built-Ins, Shelves & Bookcases (Stanley Complete Projects Made Easy) (Paperback)
by Stanley (Author)
Price: $13.57 (40 used & new available from $8.65)

mouser · « **Reply #27 on:** May 11, 2007, 09:41 PM »

believe it or not, i'm *STILL* not done!!!
but i am damn close. updated picture:

[attach]

Darwin · « **Reply #28 on:** May 11, 2007, 10:09 PM »

Love it - please come build some for me when you're done! Anyway, I love the look - I'd varithane the trim so that you'd have natural pine colour trim and the rest in a creamy white... Just my two-bits.

CodeTRUCKER · « **Reply #29 on:** May 20, 2007, 03:05 AM »

I think you already know I am a natural wood proponent.

All kidding aside, the key to making the two-tone look work is make sure you get an exact match with the parquet or an equally exact contrast from the flooring. This "contrast" would work very if the trim match, say the wood trim on your sofa (assuming you have that).

The main point is that the key to contrast is exact matching or exact strongly defined differences. Just being a shade or two off can be very disappointing. Fortunately, natural wood is very forgiving. (shameless plug

)

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #30 on:** May 20, 2007, 10:07 AM »

Looks beautiful - I am planning to build some new shelves (for the acres of DVDs and CDs). Do you fancy a trip to the UK

My only thought looking at the near finished job is are the adjustable shelves too long for the weight they will carry? I have some shelves at the moment that are badly bowed and they are much shorter than yours. Trouble is once shelves bow they look hideous.

Question - how are the adjustables fitted (I can see the holes down the sides but how are you seating the shelves so that you can move them?

mouser · « **Reply #31 on:** May 20, 2007, 08:24 PM »

carol, there is absolutely no doubt that the spans are *much* too big to support a row of books as they stand. softwood cant support more than 3ft or so and this is almost 6ft.

the shelves now have a 1x2 trim piece in front (not shown) which adds a little stiffness, but not enough.

i have 3 basic options:
1) double up each shelf (this is an aesthetically reasonable possibility since the 1x2 trim in front is tall enough to make 2 shelves look like one; ill post a picture later).
2) add a middle support upright piece of wood between each shelf (like i did on the bottom).
3) add a middle support upright metal rod between each shelf.

not sure yet which i shall choose.

Darwin · « **Reply #32 on:** May 20, 2007, 08:44 PM »

Being into overkill in everything that I do (multiple file managers and file comparison/synchronizing apps on my system for example), I'd go for doubling the shelves AND adding the middle support. My gut is telling me two things: it's time for lunch and doubling the shelves won't be enough to stave off "shelf bow".

Just my two-bits...

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #33 on:** May 20, 2007, 11:29 PM »

You could have simple slot in pieces of wood (to match the trim) to act a bit like mobile bookends - then you could make a variety of sizes and just slot them in between books etc. as required.

mouser · « **Reply #34 on:** May 20, 2007, 11:32 PM »

Quote

You could have simple slot in pieces of wood (to match the trim) to act a bit like mobile bookends - then you could make a variety of sizes and just slot them in between books etc. as required.

yep.

Stephen47 · « **Reply #35 on:** May 21, 2007, 12:32 AM »

I am afraid those shelves will sag under the weight of books. I have been doing woodworking for 37 years now and my experience tells me that a span of greater than 30" will sag especially if you put books on them

mouser · « **Reply #36 on:** May 21, 2007, 12:58 AM »

stephen -- welcome to the site, nice to have another woodworker here. soon we will have enough to have some good furniture building discussions

see the above discussions to see that it was always known the spans were much too long to go without support/sagging. it was always intended that i would put middle supports of some form.. just have to decide exactly what i want those supports to look like.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #37 on:** May 21, 2007, 08:27 AM »

Mouser you didn't answer my question above:

Quote

Question - how are the adjustable shelves fitted (I can see the holes down the sides but how are you seating the shelves so that you can move them?

Just curious because I am trying to figure this one out for my own project.

app103 · « **Reply #38 on:** May 21, 2007, 09:02 AM »

Down at the bottom of the page, in Step #3: http://www.acehardware.com/sm-building-shelves--bg-1285343.html

If this is what you are doing with the adjustable shelves, according to that page, the type used in images 1 & 2 are only suitable for light loads. Books are not light.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #39 on:** May 21, 2007, 11:46 AM »

That's the problem - a bit of dowling or a small bracket isn't going to take a lot of weight.

The other methods either require buying metal strip type kit (in which case it is probably going to be cheaper to buy self assembly units that come complete) or hours of tedious work routing super accurate slots or grooves.

None of this really appeals and is what has put me off for months getting started!

Thanks for the link though - that is a useful site.

mouser · « **Reply #40 on:** May 21, 2007, 02:10 PM »

that's a great page that app found, i wish i had known about it earlier.
actually i am using metal shelf brackets:
[attach]

CodeTRUCKER · « **Reply #41 on:** May 23, 2007, 04:07 AM »

I am a very strong proponent of wood glue, but not just any kind. As time goes on technology will probably replace the old favs, but when I have something that works I do not change it.

In regard to the weight-vs-span conundrum, have you considered using dummy books aligned as supports? These would be would supports painted as fake volumes of some classics that you might never put on your shelf. Done right, the "book" supports would fit right in with the rest of your tomes.

Darwin · « **Reply #42 on:** May 23, 2007, 04:54 AM »

Farmsteader - I think that you are as sharp as a tack and I like your idea!

app103 · « **Reply #43 on:** May 23, 2007, 05:32 AM »

I like the idea too...but I think the 'books' need to be more personal.

my suggestions:

Donationware for Dummies
Mouser's guide to running an IRC mental hospital
Coin Collecting for Birds - by Cody

lanux128 · « **Reply #44 on:** May 23, 2007, 06:14 AM »

Quote from: app103 on May 21, 2007, 09:02 AM

Down at the bottom of the page, in Step #3: http://www.acehardware.com/sm-building-shelves--bg-1285343.html

good find, app!

in the same page..

• Wider cleats, as shown in this image, provide a great deal of structural strength. They also make it possible for the shelves to be moved in and out as necessary.
• If you are designing shelves to carry extremely heavy loads, use wide cleats and nail them firmly into position.

[attach=#]

just like mouser, i also had gone for metal brackets..

hopefully my bookshelf will stand the weight..

mouser · « **Reply #45 on:** May 23, 2007, 10:36 AM »

Farmsteadter and my dad think alike!
They both think wood glue is the best thing since slices bread, and both came up with idea of using "dummy" books as supports. Must be old school true woodwork lovers.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #46 on:** May 23, 2007, 10:54 AM »

Hmm ... now could I use DVD cases filled with cement for my DVD shelving project?

app103 · « **Reply #47 on:** May 23, 2007, 11:37 AM »

Personally I don't like wood glue. It's too runny and it has a very weak bond.

I prefer something called Velverette, but as far as I know, they don't make it any more and I have not found a suitable replacement for it yet.

Good thing I still have a few jars of it.

I discovered it when I was going to school for floral design. (it was marketed as a floral adhesive...alternative to hot glue)

I use it anywhere that crazy glue, 10 ton epoxy, or duct tape is unsuitable or won't work.

It's very thick (thicker than the typical tacky glue),very tacky, dries clear, and has a slow enough drying time to allow you to adjust things properly.

It comes in a jar. You have to dip a paint brush or wooden skewer in there to get it out. Cleaning up the excess is very easy with a damp paper towel.

I have used it to glue towel racks to ceramic tile in a location where humidity and moisture are a concern. (I may have to remove them some day, since I rent, and I can do this without damaging the tiles) The towel racks have held strong for about 10 years, so far.

I have used it to hold the wood & hinge together on a closet door after it split and the hinge & a piece of the wood fell off.

It holds screws into my walls.

It is holding my desk together in many places, including the little knobs that my keyboard tray rests on.

Darwin · « **Reply #48 on:** May 23, 2007, 02:02 PM »

app - that's just a tease if it's not available anymore! I'm always looking for good, strong glue (with a three year old and a five year old I have a never ending supply of broken things requiring repair) and Velverette sounds like just the thing

Hmm... found this data sheet from what I believe is the manufacturer (looks like it started out as Solomon's Velverette and was acquired by Delta) - dated late January 2005. Velverette is no longer listed among their products, though, so I've written to them asking for its status.

mouser · « **Reply #49 on:** May 23, 2007, 02:11 PM »

this seems to be what many consider the best current glue:
http://www.gorillaglue.com/home.htm

[attach]