# Cherry Bookcase



## wobrien (Feb 3, 2012)

Last week I started a small bookcase for my son's room. Got some rough sawn cherry from the local sawmill. I heard you guys like pictures?


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## wobrien (Feb 3, 2012)

Laminated legs to 1.75" square


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## wobrien (Feb 3, 2012)

Rails are connected to legs via mortise and tenon. Planed down lumber to 1/4" for the panel. (wish I had oriented it the other way, grain pattern looks upside down to me)


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## wobrien (Feb 3, 2012)

Mortise and tenon for the stretchers as well. 










Ship lapped panels for the back.


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## wobrien (Feb 3, 2012)

Unfortunately I glued up the sides before drilling the holes for adjustable shelf pins. The stretchers and back are not glued up yet though. I gotta come up with a new plan for installing a shelf now. Thinking about triangle blocks in the corners. Any thoughts? I'm going to do one shelf at bottom, one fixed shelf in middle, and the top.


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

wobrien said:


> Unfortunately I glued up the sides before drilling the holes for adjustable shelf pins. The stretchers and back are not glued up yet though. I gotta come up with a new plan for installing a shelf now. Thinking about triangle blocks in the corners. Any thoughts? I'm going to do one shelf at bottom, one fixed shelf in middle, and the top.


Can't you just make a jig to go inside and drill the shelf pins anyway. Looking good so far.


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## wobrien (Feb 3, 2012)

Dominick said:


> Can't you just make a jig to go inside and drill the shelf pins anyway. Looking good so far.


They'd have to be angled in since I won't be able to get a drill in there perpendicular to the legs.


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

wobrien said:


> They'd have to be angled in since I won't be able to get a drill in there perpendicular to the legs.


Not sure I follow you.


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## Dierte (May 26, 2011)

Are you against pocket holing the shelves? Pocket the shelves, drop em in and away you go.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Dominick said:


> Not sure I follow you.


+1

George


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## wobrien (Feb 3, 2012)

I can't get the drill close enough to the side panel to drill holes on the inside of the legs and there is not enough of the leg showing next to the back panel to put shelf pins on that side of the leg.


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

wobrien said:


> I can't get the drill close enough to the side panel to drill holes on the inside of the legs and there is not enough of the leg showing next to the back panel to put shelf pins on that side of the leg.


Still not following. Sorry. I'm blind. Lol


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## Dierte (May 26, 2011)

Dominick said:


> Still not following. Sorry. I'm blind. Lol


I think he meant to drill dowel holes up and down the legs. Since everything is attached hes screwed. Time to think about alternative ideas like fixed instead of adjustable.


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Dierte said:


> I think he meant to drill dowel holes up and down the legs. Since everything is attached hes screwed. Time to think about alternative ideas like fixed instead of adjustable.


Agree.


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## oldmacnut (Dec 27, 2010)

wobrien said:


> Last week I started a small bookcase for my son's room. Got some rough sawn cherry from the local sawmill. I heard you guys like pictures?
> 
> 
> 
> ...





DAMNIT!!! I WANT WIDE CHERRY

Where are you, will they ship.

Oh, i like the bookshelf, ive been interested in the shiplap method recently, and ive been wanting a set of floor to ceiling cherry book shelves for my large book collection.


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## Hammer1 (Aug 1, 2010)

You can use "shelf standards". There are several types, you would want surface mount. You can also make some out of wood by drilling holes in some sticks and gluing them in the bookcase. The holes could be small to accept typical shelf pins. Another, more work, method that I like is to stack two narrow boards and drill a series of 3/4" holes along the length, then rip those boards through the center of the holes. One of these half hole strips goes in each corner of the cabinet and a 3/4" wood cleat with rounded ends fits in to support the shelves. A little classier than metal standards or pin holes. Shelves need to be notched with this method. Not a very good picture but you can see one of these wood standards in the back corner of the center section in this cabinet
http://www.knapeandvogt.com/?page=products.18.221&page_nr=1


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## wobrien (Feb 3, 2012)

Dierte said:


> I think he meant to drill dowel holes up and down the legs. Since everything is attached hes screwed. Time to think about alternative ideas like fixed instead of adjustable.


^This


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## wobrien (Feb 3, 2012)

oldmacnut said:


> DAMNIT!!! I WANT WIDE CHERRY
> 
> Where are you, will they ship.
> 
> Oh, i like the bookshelf, ive been interested in the shiplap method recently, and ive been wanting a set of floor to ceiling cherry book shelves for my large book collection.


I'm in Plymouth Meeting PA just outside Philly. I go to a small one man mill who uses local trees cleared for development. I don't think he ships, but I can ask next time I'm there.


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## wobrien (Feb 3, 2012)

Hammer1 said:


> You can use "shelf standards". There are several types, you would want surface mount. You can also make some out of wood by drilling holes in some sticks and gluing them in the bookcase. The holes could be small to accept typical shelf pins. Another, more work, method that I like is to stack two narrow boards and drill a series of 3/4" holes along the length, then rip those boards through the center of the holes. One of these half hole strips goes in each corner of the cabinet and a 3/4" wood cleat with rounded ends fits in to support the shelves. A little classier than metal standards or pin holes. Shelves need to be notched with this method. Not a very good picture but you can see one of these wood standards in the back corner of the center section in this cabinet
> http://www.knapeandvogt.com/?page=products.18.221&page_nr=1


I like this idea. If time permits I may try this. I'm leaning towards a fixed shelf for this one since its a pretty small case anyway. But that's good info to put away for the future. 

Thanks,
Bill


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Dominick said:


> Still not following. Sorry. I'm blind. Lol


I think now I understand. He actually wants the holes in the legs vs the normal position of the side panels.

George


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## wobrien (Feb 3, 2012)

GeorgeC said:


> I think now I understand. He actually wants the holes in the legs vs the normal position of the side panels.
> 
> George


Yeah, the side panels are only 1/4" thick


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

GeorgeC said:


> I think now I understand. He actually wants the holes in the legs vs the normal position of the side panels.
> 
> George


I got it now.


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## oldmacnut (Dec 27, 2010)

wobrien said:


> I'm in Plymouth Meeting PA just outside Philly. I go to a small one man mill who uses local trees cleared for development. I don't think he ships, but I can ask next time I'm there.


I lived in Landenburg, kennet square, and have friends in your area.

How much did you pay for that nifty pile of fruit bearing tree? kiln or air dried?


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## wobrien (Feb 3, 2012)

oldmacnut said:


> I lived in Landenburg, kennet square, and have friends in your area.
> 
> How much did you pay for that nifty pile of fruit bearing tree? kiln or air dried?


It was about $5/bdfoot air dried. I had a problem with some of it checking up after milling and drying again, but most of it was great.


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## wobrien (Feb 3, 2012)

oldmacnut said:


> I lived in Landenburg, kennet square, and have friends in your area.
> 
> How much did you pay for that nifty pile of fruit bearing tree? kiln or air dried?


Just realized I like to golf in your area, we play Chisel Creek once or twice a year.


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## haugerm (Nov 19, 2009)

Could you use a 90 degree drill attachment?
http://www.homedepot.com/buy/tools-...ll90-right-angle-drill-attachment-130808.html
--Matt


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## wobrien (Feb 3, 2012)

Been busy, so I just got back to it yesterday. What I ended up doing was gluing blocks inside the legs above and below the shelf to basically wedge it in. Pretty untraditional, but I think it should work...


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## wobrien (Feb 3, 2012)

Some more progress pics...





























I attached the top with button blocks, first time I used that method. And I made a black walnut inlay on the top, also a first time method. Some small gaps in the inlay, but I'm my harshest critic, so no one else will prob notice :thumbsup:


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## wobrien (Feb 3, 2012)

Question: Since the project has dragged on a bit, I had sanded most components a while ago and did final assembly yesterday. A few areas need to be cleaned up, including some glue squeeze out, but when I sand those areas they are much lighter than the areas that have had a week to darken. Do I need to sand the whole thing before applying BLO? I don't want some areas to be darker than others. Thanks


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

wobrien said:


> Question: Since the project has dragged on a bit, I had sanded most components a while ago and did final assembly yesterday. A few areas need to be cleaned up, including some glue squeeze out, but when I sand those areas they are much lighter than the areas that have had a week to darken. Do I need to sand the whole thing before applying BLO? I don't want some areas to be darker than others. Thanks


There is a simple fix for lighter cherry wood. Mix about a 1/4 teaspoon Drano in warm water. Blot it on and wipe it off sand and finish. Lye will age cherry but not stain it. This is a full proof method and you will be so satisfied you will use it next time in your finishing process. I use it to match other cherry pieces that were made years ago. Say goodby to the salmon color of cherry when you use this to finish. Remember this is not stain and looks nothing like stain. It's an aging process. Also, the amount of lye used determines how dark the wood will be. Experiment.

Al

Friends don't let friends use Craftsman.


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## wobrien (Feb 3, 2012)

All finished!


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## fiirmoth (Dec 26, 2011)

Looks great!!! I have a question on the back. I understand the Ship lapping, but I couldnt tell how it was attached to the stretchers. Did you have a channel in the top and bottom stretchers and the ship lapped wood sits in between? Or was the back attached some other way. I couldnt tell from the pics. Looks great overall though. Great job!!


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## MastersHand (Nov 28, 2010)

Beautiful work , nice grain layout too


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## wobrien (Feb 3, 2012)

fiirmoth said:


> Looks great!!! I have a question on the back. I understand the Ship lapping, but I couldnt tell how it was attached to the stretchers. Did you have a channel in the top and bottom stretchers and the ship lapped wood sits in between? Or was the back attached some other way. I couldnt tell from the pics. Looks great overall though. Great job!!


Yes, the back sits in grooves at top and bottom.


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## wobrien (Feb 3, 2012)

Thanks for all the advice and nice comments, it was a fun project for sure.


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