Popular Post davewyo Posted January 23, 2019 Popular Post Report Share Posted January 23, 2019 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted January 23, 2019 Report Share Posted January 23, 2019 Nice start. Drawers going to be inset? Looking forward to the progress. A lot of Amish and Shaker stuff has a Arts and Crafts look about them as well. Seems like an adaptable design. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davewyo Posted January 23, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2019 It's all finished, Richard. It's a bookcase, doesn't get any drawers. My wife doesn't want a back put on. She likes the open look of it. BTW, it's Alder and Birch. 33" high, 43" wide, and 12" deep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted January 23, 2019 Report Share Posted January 23, 2019 It almost has a faint Asian look to it as well. I like it a lot. I like the wood choice the birch has some nice faint figure to it that adds visual interest but isn't overwhelming. I also like backless book cases, I think it helps the case not dominate the room it's in as much. Is it goign to be for books or household decorations? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted January 23, 2019 Report Share Posted January 23, 2019 Nice looking case. Clean lines and the open back makes it visually light. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davewyo Posted January 23, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2019 4 minutes ago, Chestnut said: Is it going to be for books or household decorations? Thanks, Nut. A little bit of both. We have a fire place with a couple of chairs in front. The bookcase will go up against the wall kind of in the middle and will get some "coffee-table" books plus a few trinkets like interesting pottery or perhaps some rocks and fossils which we've found over the years. I like the backless look too but I left it possible to add a back in case my wife changes her mind. The birch is more figured than the photos suggest. I'll try to get a pic of the top which shows the "flame" but my ability to capture figured chatoyance is limited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted January 23, 2019 Report Share Posted January 23, 2019 2 hours ago, davewyo said: It's all finished, Richard. It's a bookcase, doesn't get any drawers. My wife doesn't want a back put on. She likes the open look of it. BTW, it's Alder and Birch. 33" high, 43" wide, and 12" deep. Oops, I guess I'd best remove the two drawers in one of mine. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkinneb Posted January 23, 2019 Report Share Posted January 23, 2019 Very nice!! I like the wood choices and the clean joiner work. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted January 23, 2019 Report Share Posted January 23, 2019 I really like that Dave. A really cool un-imposing piece. Arts & Crafts is probably my favorite style and I think I might just go ahead and steel this for a project. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted January 23, 2019 Report Share Posted January 23, 2019 I like it, a bunch!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat60 Posted January 23, 2019 Report Share Posted January 23, 2019 Like it a lot also. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davewyo Posted January 24, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2019 Thank you very much, everyone. I appreciate the kind responses. In the interests of full disclosure the bookcase was inspired by plans that I got from Woodworker's Journal (no affiliation). I 6 hours ago, pkinneb said: Very nice!! I like the wood choices and the clean joiner work. The wood choice came from trying to use only wood that I have on hand, which was purchased impulsively or left over from other projects. I have some 3/4, 6/4, and 8/4 Alder which I was going to use to make a Mission Style armoire but decided I didn't need a big, giant armoire to lug around. And I had some "Flame Birch" which I got from Bell Forest to make boxes. I've ended up making two tables, a fishing net, and now a bookcase from that lumber which I bought 4 and 6 years ago. Alder isn't a bad option when you're looking for a medium tone. I'm pretty happy with the Birch/Alder match-up. I've built with Alder together with Walnut as well, and it turned out pretty good as the light wood of the combo. 7 hours ago, RichardA said: Oops, I guess I'd best remove the two drawers in one of mine. Oh no! There's no need to take yours out. I'm sorry if I seemed to say that yours was a silly question. You're entirely right Richard, many a bookcase have drawers. Quite often at the bottom, and and I frequently see built-in bookcases with a cabinet below, which have drawers and doors. 3 hours ago, Chet said: I think I might just go ahead and steal this for a project. Go right ahead, Chet! I put the rails along the back so I could push the books back and they would all come to a stop in the same place, but if I was to make another (and I think I may be making two out of Walnut for another room), I would be sure to make the sides flush with the rails on the inside of the case. As I made this one the side "slats" are centered on the rails. They would be better if they were flush with the rails on the inside so that the first book put on the shelf can be any size and won't fall into the space left because the slats are centered. I'm not sure if that makes sense. If not, let me know and I'll take a picture of the detail I'm trying to explain. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted January 24, 2019 Report Share Posted January 24, 2019 Within those drawers are bookmarks pens and pencils, an extra pair or two of reading glasses and some highlighters. I kinda think they are appropriate. I still like yours, drawers or not. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isaac Posted January 24, 2019 Report Share Posted January 24, 2019 I like backless bookcases for large coffee table type books because it can help hide extra deep books by allowing them to extend out the back a tad. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeslayer Posted January 24, 2019 Report Share Posted January 24, 2019 Great work as usual Dave, please elaborate on the construction if you will, M&T joints, domino, how did you secure the shelf? well done sir! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davewyo Posted January 24, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2019 10 hours ago, Isaac said: I like backless bookcases for large coffee table type books because it can help hide extra deep books by allowing them to extend out the back a tad. Good point. The beauty of making your own bookcase is that you can customize it to fit the size of the books you own. 9 hours ago, treeslayer said: Great work as usual Dave, please elaborate on the construction if you will, M&T joints, domino, how did you secure the shelf? well done sir! Thanks, Dave. It's all M&T done with a router and a dado blade on the table saw. I attached the shelves by gluing at the front and I used screws at the back with very sloppy holes for wood movement. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post wdwerker Posted January 24, 2019 Popular Post Report Share Posted January 24, 2019 I have achieved the backless look in some of my bookcases by adding a loose 1/8" or 1/4" MDF sheet painted with the matching wall paint. Take out the shelves and the back fits with a 1/16 gap , this approach lets you switch from a matching wood back that's a permanent part of the bookcase to the backless look. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.