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  1. #1
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    Mar 2008
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    Default Bookshelf / Room divider

    Hi All,

    We have a room in the house that has too many books, and unless they're stacked by a tetris master in the existing bookshelf, they simply end up on every flat surface as they get pulled out to be read. For all those Marie Kondo fans out there, don't even bother with the sales pitch, I love the look, smell and feel of books, and the prospects of me geting rid of some is slim to none.

    The room serves two purposes, a music space where my wife and I have our guitars and amps, as well as a second cosy sitting room which we/the kids use when things get too noisy in the main living area. As such, the idea is to build a free-standing bookshelf to seperate the two spaces within the one room. After procrastinating for a long time, I've finally settled on a design which I'm rather fond of. Before I start the build however, I thought I'd subject it to the scrutiny of more acomplished furnature makers than myself.

    The basic idea is to build a case with legs. These can then be stacked on top of one another to form a set of book shelves with what I think is a simple yet pleasing aesthetic. It has the added benifit of being able to be re-purposed as seperate /smaller units in the future as our needs change.

    Shelf_Unit_2019-Jul-27_07-50-48AM-000_CustomizedView41083178270_png_alpha.jpg Assembly_2019-Jul-27_07-50-08AM-000_CustomizedView2875216783_png_alpha.png
    Drawing.png

    Project links for those interested in reviewing the models:


    First a couple of assertions and design notes:
    • The wide spaces offer great flexibility to hold lots of books. I anticipate that given the depth, books will be stored from both sides.
    • The leg spaces will hold paper backs whilst the cases are tall enough to hold magazines and our tall encyclopedias.
    • I expect that they will be self supporting and stable. If not, I have considered two options: 1) An end will be against a wall, so could fasten them to the wall with a bracket, or 2) I could devise a clip of sorts to secure each shelf to it's neighbour. Screwing them together is not an option, due to wanting to be able to separate them in the future without holes.
    • The total height is 2240 mm.
    • The legs will be morticed into the shelf base.
    • As specified in the notes, the stock will be 30 mm Tasmanian Oak.
    • The corners will be mitered with biscuits and 6 mm Huon pine splines.


    Now onto my questions:
    1. Do you forsee the top timber of the bottom unit flexing when stacked (The legs are inset 300 from the ends). If so, I have the option of inserting "dividers" to transfer the load closer to the feet on the lower units. I have used Tasmanian Oak in this thickness for a range of projects, and it's very rigid, so am hoping it will be ok.
    2. Will Huon Pine splines be suitable? I recently made some Tasmanian Blackwood boxes with Huon splines. Whilst the contrast looked beautiful, I did question whether the weaker wood offered any additional strength, thereby negating any benifit of the splines to holding the miter together. If so, suggestions of a suitable wood that still offers a clear contrast would be appreciated.
    3. Will the legs being morticed into the case offer enough lateral rigidity? 30 mm width and depth isn't much surface to stop lateral racking so does have me concerned. If this will be an issue, I'd love to hear some suggestions for that joint which retains the visual simplicity. I could potentially run a brace between the legs along the center line, as it will be hidden by the books. Any thoughts on how tall such a stringer would need to be?


    I think that's it. I welcome any and all constructive critisism and thoughts (except on the intersection of Ms Kondo's notion of happyness and my books).

    Ta,
    Lance

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  3. #2
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    Default

    To address your questions

    1. 30mm should be thick enough to support it with minimal sagging; you will probably see it if you look along the shelf from the end, but I don't think it will be noticeable from the front unless you're really looking for it. An upright divider in the centre would definitely prevent any noticeable sagging if you want to be absolutely sure.

    2. Pretty much anything will do for the splines. Jarrah or Redgum could be an alternative if you wanted to go with a dark contrast instead of a light one.

    3. A well-fitted mortise is extremely strong against racking, I don't think you need anything extra.

    Hope there's pics at the end (or during), it's a nice design.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
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    Sydney
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    Default

    i love books too. My wife loves Marie Kondo, and my undies have never been neater, but I am not getting rid of books either

    Having said that... I'd still be worried about stability. Books are heavy, these will be heavy, and an accident could happen. I'd want something holding them all together or at least to the wall. Would it be possible to have locating recesses in the top for the legs? That wouldn't be too intrusive as an individual stand-alone unit (I agree, screw holes would!) but coupled with some holders mounted on the wall might add an appropriate amount of stability?

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
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    Perth
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    Last year I advised a neighbour about an almost identical project (his shelf was 1.2m wide x 2.4m high) and I said it would be too dangerous, just someone leaning on it could topple it over and if the top shelves landed on someone it could result in severe injuries. He was very determined so I suggested he go ahead and build it and try it out. A few months alter he got back to me and said he had screwed the whole thing together as well as moving it over and up against and attaching it to a wall.

    !We're going through the whole "where do we put all our books" ATM. SWMBO has been a keen collector of kids books for 30 years, and is also an avid reader (she has always had 3-5 books on the go at one time) and has been at me to build more shelves for years. SWMBO was a school librarian and still operates a small private younger child's library out of a spare bedroom for members of greater family and they love visiting and browsing and borrowing these books. She even has an old school library card index system, library cards and a borrowing stamp that she uses. The result is we have piles of books all over the place. Fortunately demands for extra shelving have reduced for a couple of reasons, the immediate one being that MIL passed away a few months back which means access to a heap of bookshelves (although they also come FULL of interesting books). The MIL's books are the least of our worries as there's the entire contents of a two storey house and a beach house to sort out.

    I know you said no Marie Kondo sales pitch but here is our "book experience" in the last decade.Up until a few years ago I could think of no "die harder" physical book collector/reader than SWMBO but after getting her an iPad in 2010 she started using an e-reader and now apart from a few kids books she purchases very few paper books. I converted almost exclusively to audio books back in ~2012 and SWMBO now uses audio books almost as much as e-readers. I still like a good paper based book but last year I listened to 154 audio books, read about 7 on an e-reader, and I read one paper book. This experience means we (especially me) are slowly losing interest especially in our "lesser loved" paper books and so last year we had a bit of a cull. I was able to get rid of 3 boxes of technical stuff and 2 boxes of paperbacks when I converted my study to more of an electronics workshop. I can envisage a point where I will only end up keeping a couple of shelves of my faves. The more we do it the more liberating it feels. Anyway, we think a further cull and a couple of MIL's bookshelves will get all our books onto shelves with room to spare

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Wollongong
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    18

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    I just see a lot of wasted space at the end of the short shelves.

    The books there will either need a bookend to stop them falling over, be stacked vertically, or not have books there.

    A plain rectangular prism isn't as pretty, but it has the most capacity.

  7. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Leiothrix View Post
    I just see a lot of wasted space at the end of the short shelves. .
    SWMBO would fill them full of "geegaws" in no time flat.

  8. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by elanjacobs
    2. Pretty much anything will do for the splines. Jarrah or Redgum could be an alternative if you wanted to go with a dark contrast instead of a light one.

    ...

    Hope there's pics at the end (or during), it's a nice design.
    Thanks for the response Elan,

    Regarding the splines, are you suggesting that my concerns about using softwood as splines for a hardwood joing is unfounded?
    And yes, there will certainly be photos of the project in action. It may take a month or so as I'll need to purchase the wood and let it sit for a little while first.

    Quote Originally Posted by poundy
    I'd still be worried about stability
    @Poundy and @BobL, thanks for voicing your concerns about stability. I have an idea in my head of unobtrusive clips which will hold it all together as a single unit. I just need to think of a way to secure one end to the wall (though a simple C shaped bracket attached to only the wall would probably suffice).

    Quote Originally Posted by BobL
    I know you said no Marie Kondo sales pitch but here is our "book experience" in the last decade.
    Without wanting to go off on a tangent, I totally agree with your observations, but I have a simple problem with e-books... I really dislike looking at a screen in my down time. There is no objective reason for me not to use an e-reader, and have made a concerted effort (on a tablet) several times. Having to stare at a computer screen and be "connected" all day means that in my down time, I want to be as disconnected as possible, and not look at a computer. Perhaps a dedicated e-reader would help, but that's just more money on another screen at this stage. Perhaps I'll feel differently when I retire. Regarding audio books, we listen to them whilst doing long car trips, but find that when listening and doing something, I find it hard to follow as my mind keeps drifting to the task at hand.

    P.S. Your wife's "library" sounds amazing, and well done to her finding a practical and benificial outlet for her skills and interest.

    Quote Originally Posted by Leiothrix View Post
    I just see a lot of wasted space at the end of the short shelves.
    We've got some ornimants which will adorn those spaces. I actually think they will break up the "wall of books" quite nicely.

    Again, thank-you all for your thoughts. It's off to the timber merchant now to get my stock.

    Lance

  9. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by LanceC View Post
    Regarding the splines, are you suggesting that my concerns about using softwood as splines for a hardwood joing is unfounded?
    Not so much unfounded as unlikely to matter here.

    I'm sure there would be a difference between different timbers, but, short of dropping it off the back of a truck, a bookcase is highly unlikely to experience loads where it matters.

  10. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by LanceC View Post
    Without wanting to go off on a tangent, I totally agree with your observations, but I have a simple problem with e-books... I really dislike looking at a screen in my down time. There is no objective reason for me not to use an e-reader, and have made a concerted effort (on a tablet) several times. Having to stare at a computer screen and be "connected" all day means that in my down time, I want to be as disconnected as possible, and not look at a computer. Perhaps a dedicated e-reader would help, but that's just more money on another screen at this stage. Perhaps I'll feel differently when I retire. Regarding audio books, we listen to them whilst doing long car trips, but find that when listening and doing something, I find it hard to follow as my mind keeps drifting to the task at hand.
    I agree its quite challenging to keep track, and find myself re-listening to some sections. I compensate for that by running the tracks @ 1.2X faster .
    I mainly listen to the books in bed, driving, and while walking the dogs so this is not too taxing.
    I spent a lot of time on the bed last year.
    In the shed I listen to the books if it's a mindless task like maintenance, repairs or pulling something simple apart, otherwise I go for radio, or music.

    Audio books have some advantages and disadvantages. Sometimes the readers are rubbish and you can tell the reader doesn't really have any interest, but at other times they really add to the story.
    Being of a scientific bent I listen to some strange stuff. Currently I am listening to Madam Curie's 1902 PhD thesis on Radioactive Substances - originally written in French, but read in english by a woman with a slight Polish accent. She is making only a few pronunciation mistakes, and apart from references to the odd diagram, it's surprisingly listenable. One of my favourite listens was Moby Dick read by a bloke who could apparently do the Olde Nantucket accents just so and indeed he sounded like an old pirate. The other book that was brilliantly read was a Jane Austen read by Patricia Rutledge (Bucket Woman) - really added to the story. Autobiographies read by the author are also often quite unique.

    P.S. Your wife's "library" sounds amazing, and well done to her finding a practical and benificial outlet for her skills and interest.
    Thanks

  11. #10
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    Reguatds the general construction- Mitred joins with splines would probably be superior to tennons on the corners- the inner joints between levels obviously can't be such and tennons - domminos would be most suitable. Reguards the timber used for the splines. Softwoods as opposed to hardwoods is more of a point of the glue -ever tried to break a bit of crappy pine by putting one end in the vice and pulling till it gives way? Bending/twisting yes. However tensile strength with the help of a good glue bond is what makes splines work. By the way one single screw (into a stud or masonary wall -towatds the top )should deal with most bump into -fall over disasters. Save an offcut from thr region where needed and idealy use a tapered timber plug cutter to grab the best grain match. will take an expert to spot it. Oh by the way 30mm hardwood holds a LOT of books. If they sag -doubt this- give a lip of matching timber - or a central stiffiner- doubt would be needed. As an asside after moving many times - Magizines particularly coulour photo kind weigh consderably more than most books-something about the paper for clear shinny photo stuff. Pick up a box of Nat geographics compared to paperbacks. But still 30mm hardwood should span well. the rest of your logic seems fine.

  12. #11
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    Gah! I can't believe it's already nearly been a month. None the less today was the day I finally bought my stock. After looking at a range of options and costs for the raw materials, I've settled on 120x35 construction grade hardwood.

    I went for a long drive today to check out a no-frills direct-to-the-public wholesaler. In the end it was at least educational. My local trade outlet 15 minutes down the road is only about 2.5% more expensive, and very easy to deal with. Plus I know that they source their stock from local timber yards. In the end I purchased my stock locally, but the exercise was helpful in that at least I know their prices are on par.

    One thing I like about them is that they are more tham happy for me to pick through the boards, bypassing the undesirable lengths. In fact there were mostly dregs in the racks today, so the fellow fetched and opened a new pack for me, then helped me select the good ones, even pointing out knots and damage that I missed. Great service.



    It was then time to rack them, all 50 lm of them. Although they're kiln dried, I still like them to air for a little while before use. This is the first time I've stickered stock, which should quicken things up. I'm hoping to get cracking within a couple of weeks.



    While I love the out of the way racks, every time I climbed up the ladder with a 5 m length balancing over my head, I keep thinking of the inherent injury risk. Perhaps I will need to dedicate some brain power to considering alternatives.

    While I hope there will be further progress in this thread in a couple of weeks or so, let's see what life throws up in the interim.

    Lance

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