Combination Bookshelf/Glass Shelf - Also does anyone in the ACT have a drum sander...

**Putty** · 14th March 2017, 08:55 PM

Hi all,

My old man has commissioned me to make him a bookcase (930x730x280) with a smaller (700x700x180) display for fancy glassware from beautiful NSW spotted gum. Not being someone who's ever had much success planning things, he and I sat down and sketched out the design in my work diary over several whiskies and many beers. The next day we went out to our local timber yard and picked up the goods - needless to say I was woefully ill-prepared and ended up with approximately enough rough-sawn timber to do the bookcase.

This is my second major project, and first for someone else (previously I made a coffee table for myself from a slab of natural edge redgum and Tasmanian Oak legs with a cut-out for my chessboard to sit flush in, picture attached), and my first since I really built up my workshop. I've spent the last week dressing and thicknessing the timber (using my router sled which is excellent for what it is, but lacks the precision of a drum sander or dedicated thicknesser), and in the last couple of days I have jointed the backing, sides, and base. I intend on dressing the shelves and 'cap' over the next day or two.

One problem I have run into is trying to flatten the sides and base (and I am sure I'll have the same troubles with the shelves and cap) to a satisfactory point. I have at my disposal a Makita (MT Series) belt sander and ROS, and a Ryobi 1/3 OS. The width of the timber I'm talking about is 280mm and getting it all uniformly level is proving to be an uphill battle. I also have OCD/perfectionist tendencies which doesn't help...

Tomorrow I'll have some photos of where the dressed and sanded timber is up to at the moment, but for the time being I have a couple of questions - does anyone have any suggestions/lifehacks/tips and tricks for getting a nice uniform thickness of jointed timber boards with the tools I have, and does anybody in the ACT have a drum sander they would be happy for me to buy some time on/precision thickness the timber for me? I am happy to pay in cash, in kind (however I can help in return) or in beer.

I have become a paid-up member of the ACT Woodcraft Guild but I won't get a chance to go down and introduce myself for the next week or two.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Anthony

**ian** · 15th March 2017, 03:34 PM

Can't help with an offer of a drum sander.

BUT, I suggest you don't go much further with the build BEFORE you get your material thicknessed to a consistent dimension.

Oh, and welcome to the forums.

**Putty** · 15th March 2017, 09:16 PM

Cheers Ian,

I spent the afternoon slowly working them over with my OS and am now satisfied with them. A couple of them have knots and streaks of rot (is that it? What else do you call them?) which I have cleaned out and filled with clear epoxy resin which is now setting nicely.

Tomorrow I will sand what I have done so far back down, hit it with some Danish timber oil and post the results

)

Anthony

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**Putty** · 16th March 2017, 05:36 PM

Attached are some progress pics - the two side walls and the base freshly coated with danish oil. There is a distinct two-tone theme going on and that's ok, that's what the old man is after. My plan is to make up two shelves and a top piece, all the same size as the base plate, space the shelves out 300mm apart, line the two sides up next to each other (and clamp them!) then rout a dado across both for the base and each of the shelves to slide into. Without trying to make it sound too complicated the plan is to rout from 'back' to 'front' and pull up 20mm short of the front edge, then knock out a square with the chisel and then slide the shelves in from behind, giving them a concealed mount so to speak. Then, having trimmed any excess shelf and base I'll lay the whole thing on it's face, lie the backing down over it, plumb it up, trim where needed and dowel and glue it in place. From there I'll do the same with the top piece.

Then I need to worry about the smaller unit that will sit on top, but let's just get the primary unit finished first shall we.

Does anyone have any recommendations on how I could do it better/smarter?

Cheers,

Anthony1.jpg 3.jpg

**ian** · 17th March 2017, 02:39 AM

is the picture the sides of the unit?

Your plan to install teh base and shelves in stopped dados is fine.
Depending on whether the sides extend beyond the top or are flush with it, you may wish to consider if teh top needs to be slightly longer than the shelves and bottom shelf (what ou are calling the "base").

what are you using for the back?
spotted gum boards or ply or MDF?
"normal" is to install the back in a rebate cut in the sides and top, with the shelves and "'base" that bit narrower in width so that the rear of each shelf is level with the rebate.

**Putty** · 17th March 2017, 06:47 AM

Hi Ian,

Pictured are the two sides and the bottom shelf.

The backing is also spotted gum. Good thinking about the top piece, I will try making it a bit wider initially and if I have to trim it down I can.

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**Trav** · 10th July 2017, 03:56 PM

Hi Anthony

I can't find the data stamp on this post (looks like march but what year?!) but I've got a jointer, thicknesser and drum sander if you still need them. I can also help with other machining (like tablesaw ripping) if you need.

Trav

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