bookcase design question

Re: bookcase design question

Barry Irby

I know you know this, but you need to look at the books and design the shelves around them. Top shelf for paper backs, middle and bottom shelf for hard bound.

You know it does not take a really large bookcase for a Kindle, right?

Re: bookcase design question

Ellis Walentine

I'd start with two questions:

What will you be storing in it?

If it is to be a multi purpose bookcase, I'd figure on adjustable shelves. Otherwise you need to determine the shelf spacing that works for your books or whatever.

What is the aesthetic?

Most of the furniture you've posted here over the years has had some sort of bracket foot design, and molded top edge or crown. Would that aesthetic fly in the room where this shelf unit will live? If not, what would? I try to come up with designs and proportions that complement the other furnishings in the room.

Ellis

I'm fond of this one, but maybe not simple enough

Dick Coers

I built this submitted design when I worked at Woodworker's Journal magazine. Only two shelves, but easy to adjust the dimensions. I have the one I built for the article in our spare bedroom. Been in use for 22 years now.

Question

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

I am fond of that one myself. When one has a frame and panel side how is the side attached to the top and bottom.....in this case for example?

Generic

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

Nothing in the room matches and in any case I would hope she would drag this case around with her forever and it will live in many environments. (BTW, bun feet coming up on the next project). Two adjustable shelves will be in the plan.

We could just build a dovetailed box with adjustable shelves but I was hoping for a small increment of style beyond this idea. Molding and decorations is not my strong suit.

on reading....

Hoa in Alameda

When my son David just got into reading (probably about 3 yrs old), we noticed that if he saw two books, one he'd already read, and one new to him, he'd pick up the book he'd already read, and read it again.

To encourage him to read new books, we needed to make new books more visible.

The first bookcase I built for him was a rotating bookcase. It consisted of 5 shelves on top of each other. Each shelve was in the shape of a cross showing the fronts of 8 books. Every week Mom would rearrange the books so that the new one showed.

The whole bookcase was on a Lazy Susan turntable.

I'll see if I can post a photo tomorrow.

Here are a couple that travel well.

Gary Smyth

Maybe a bit too masculine.

Rather than embellishing with trim

Keith Newton

Bill since you like to cut joints, and are good at it, I would just keep it simple, but do a couple of through tusk tenons on the ends of the top and bottom shelves, then lines of holes for shelf pins for the middle ones. That way it could always be KD into a small stack of boards for transport off to school and back when in college.

That will look nice, be flexible, and easily transportable. And those joints will be strong enough to not need a back.

Re: Question

Dick Coers

On this one, there is a top frame and a bottom shelf that are placed in dado slots in the frame. The actual top and bottom are both mahogany veneer plywood.

Followup question Question

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

I have built things with panel sides and never was confident I was doing it the best way. Hence my interest in what others do.

A dado will lie some amount below the top of the side frame leaving a frail amount of wood above it, especially the long grain of the vertical part of the end frame, it would seem. Am I understanding this part correctly? Does the top frame then lie below the top of the side or is it rebated about 3/8" into a 3/8" dado so as to be flush with the side?

Re: bookcase design question

Yonak

If she intends to travel with them in the future, perhaps you could make some simple boxes (maybe with handles ?) in which she could carry stuff when moving, and then a base for them to stack on that may set them on a bit of an angle (might be a fun concept for a child), so there would be no need for bookends and, perhaps, some deeper than others.

Re: Followup question Question

Dick Coers

The frame lies flush with the top of the sides. You do have to be careful with the fit and assembly with the short grain on the side frame stiles.

I built it for the Nov/Dec 1995 issue and except for a few bumps, it's like the day I built it. There are even some biscuits used in the construction. So not museum quality construction, but it's been a very serviceable piece.

Re: You're overthinking this

Hank Knight

How much can you accomplish in three days with your daughter in your shop? Keep it simple. The cherry should be enough beauty to satisfy one's artistic sensibilities. Just build a nice, simple two or three shelf book case with a solid (plywood?) back. She will treasure it because she built it with you.

KISS

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey

3 boards

6 cinder blocks

Done

It will get her ready for college

Re: You're overthinking this

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

My design talent could get me as far as a box with adjustable shelves. Others could add a small detail or two that would not be timely to execute and make it look better.

Re: bookcase design question

roger lance

You're a better designer than you let on. So, you've got some ideas.....maybe develop 3 or so to basic drawings and then let her pick the one she likes most.

There's plenty time to prepare some stock before her visit.....I know you'll have a good time.