PDA

View Full Version : Bookcase with Bifold Doors WIP



Studley 2436
18th May 2006, 11:34 AM
Hi all no doubt some are wondering where I have been well with business and all the rest I haven't had much time of late online. Also I have been pretty busy in the shed with my new creation. It is a bookcase that I am going to use to hide the phone socket in my photo studio. The socket is halfway up the wall and there is a power socket 75cm to the side. When I got ADSL2 the modem needed to go as close as possible to the socket so there is is balanced on a chair looking ugly. I need some more storage space too so I thought what about a bookcase with doors?

The timber I had was 140mm x 34mm although that varies a little some pieces as little as 32mm others just a touch over 35. This is the timber Bruce got for us last may. I think I am well on the way to finishing my stack off. Anyway I built the carcass and realised that 50cm door width was a lot so I decided to put a runner in top and bottom and make them fold. So it is a metre wide and 900 high. Shelves are spaced to hold an A4 folder with the top shelf being a little less as it is intended for software. Also I had to be able to transport it in the back of my Mazda 3 so I made the height to suit that. It's a little shorter than it was going to be.

Seeing everyone else here bookmatches their timber I thought I had better get with the programme and do the same besides it looks good. However you would not believe how hard it was to plane this stuff. Lots and lots of reversing grain. I really had to take a course in planing. Getting a 6000 grit stone helped.

Once I got that far I thougtht I should dress it up a bit so the track on top and bottom were routed to become nice mouldings. I was short on timber by this time so I had to rip a reject piece into strips and laminate it to get the thickness I needed. The bottom moulding is butted on but I have cut a corner out of the top one so that it gives some extra support underneath as well. Never know when a beautiful woman will drape her body over the thing, you have to be prepared. In this eventuality I cut some bracing that is in the back dadoed to fit the shelves and glued to the sides this stiffened it up a lot.

Isn't it funny when you are trying to do something you seem to find one more thing you can improve all the time. Anyway got it to this point yesterday. Seeing I have a ton of Black Jack I used that for the insides but went with EEE on the top and sides before using a coat of Shellawax on the top. This is what it looked like after the EEE but before the Shellawax. I'll fiddle around with the doors tonight and post some more pics in the next few days

Studley

Harry72
18th May 2006, 09:00 PM
You have been quite lately, the book case will suit the studio well.

Ps keep that trigger finger warm for October!

Studley 2436
18th May 2006, 11:10 PM
Geeze Harry I am nervous about it allready! I hope you keep your nerve

Studley

TTIT
19th May 2006, 12:48 AM
People tell me I've got too much time on my hands when they see my work but building a cabinet to hide a phone socket!!!!!! Now I've heard everything!:rolleyes: Any excuse to work some wood eh Studley! ;) Looking good so far!:D

Studley 2436
19th May 2006, 12:55 AM
Nah TTIT the socket is a killer halfway up the wall and it has an ugly channel from the floor up to it! And on a pile of books on a chair in front of it is the modem. Had to sort that. But it was a great excuse

Studley

Wongo
19th May 2006, 09:42 AM
Shut up! :D that’s so totally awesome like it is so pretty. I totally totally love it. :D

Good work mate.

Jill
19th May 2006, 10:08 AM
Very nice, Studley!

Cheers,

Jill

zenwood
19th May 2006, 12:59 PM
Nice job Studley. Bookmatching looks good, and the moulding is a nice touch of decoration. Nice finish too.

What's the machine in the background? Got yourself a jointer?

Wongo
19th May 2006, 01:02 PM
Looks like a combo. Am I right?

Studley 2436
19th May 2006, 01:48 PM
Thanks Zen
That is my trusty ML392 has given me good service. I am not sure about the earlier models but mine has been good. Getting the Veritas blade sharpener was good got the blades up to plane type sharpness and was really impressed with the quality of the result. Mind you then it made me think about buying a smoothing plane to supplement my LV LA Jack plane.

There is always one more tool to buy

Studley

Harry72
19th May 2006, 09:28 PM
.

There is always one more tool to buy

Studley

Amen to that!

Studley 2436
23rd May 2006, 11:23 AM
Finished the bookcase that is. It is a real improvement on the chair stacked with books that had a modem balanced on top.

I'm fairly happy with it some gaps are not quiet what I would like. The doors were a touch tricky to get right as they had to be spot on to both swing and not have monster gaps. I feel like I have been able to lift my standard up a notch from where it was. Thinking now about a short filing cabinet for my next project.

Studley

jmk89
23rd May 2006, 11:54 AM
Looks great. Any reason why you didn't use piano hinge for the doors? I would have thought that with the open back it would stop the light line showing through.
Jeremy

Studley 2436
23rd May 2006, 11:59 AM
*VBG* Didn't think of that Jeremy

zenwood
23rd May 2006, 01:16 PM
Looks good, and fits in the studio very well. Did you make the handles?

Studley 2436
23rd May 2006, 01:21 PM
Hi Zen
The handles are teak that I picked up from Bunnings. I was thinking about a few things but I saw those and thought they would fit well enough. The packet said they were polished well maybe but up to what standard? Anyway a short while with the sandpaper had them looking fairly good buff over with some Shellawax and they looked good.

Studley

BrettC
23rd May 2006, 02:44 PM
I agree with others on this forum that wooden handles generally look cr*p but looking at the pics have to say that they look good on your piece - good choice.

Harry72
23rd May 2006, 09:57 PM
Come up a treat Steveo... now you need a couple more of them to put around the studio!