# Need help finding bookcase plans



## jrock080692 (Jan 27, 2013)

Recently I was reminiscing of when I was a young child. I used to spend most of my time with my grandpa. We would spend hours in is workshop and I would be his right hand man, helping him with everything to fixing anything you could think of to making furniture. I used to have such a great time with him and this has made me want to do it all over again. This time though I want to build something with him I can keep in my house for years so that someday I can look back and say I built this with your great grandfather to my children. This is why I have made this thread, I need help with a design. What I would like to make with him is a bookcase. I love to read and have many books so this would be a practical thing to build. What I need help with is the design. I have kind of an idea in my mind of what I want to but I can't find plans on the web that are close enough. What I have found are very plain and simple bookcases. What I would like to make is something slightly more sophisticated that I could be proud to display in my home someday as a beautiful piece of furniture. I would greatly appreciate it if someone could either help me find the plans to build a bookcase or make them for me (if it is not to much to ask since I have no clue how to design it). Another thing I need help with is choosing what wood I should use. I want it to be a good quality wood without setting me back too much and I plan to stain it a dark color. Ultimately I want this to be a quality bookshelf that looks like a bough it at a good furniture store.
Some specs. I would like the bookcase to have:
-About 6 to 6.5' feet tall
-4 to 5' wide
-I would like it to have crown molding on the top
( the design can be intricate and complicated, my grandfather has a full workshop with every tool one could imagine)
- I want the bookcase to just have shelves, I don't don't need any cabinets or doors on it.
-I want it to be somewhat heavy ( weird I guess but in my mind a good piece of custom furniture should be have I guess)


It might be foolish to ask all this but if anyone could help it would be great. Also sorry for the length and any grammar errors.


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## jschaben (Apr 1, 2010)

This looks like a pretty decent bookcase build, a little on the complicated side, IMO, but incorporates a lot of nice touches. MIght be a little small for what you have in mind but could be scaled. I am a little concerned about the width you are asking for. 4-5' is a pretty long bookshelf considering that books can get pretty heavy. You may need a center divider or something to support the shelves midway and maybe also some banding to stiffen the shelves. There is a calculator online somewhere that will compute shelf sag given size, material and estimated loads. Just google "sagulator".:smile:

http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/42637/free-plan-arts-and-crafts-bookcase


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## Rockerbox1 (Jan 21, 2011)

I'm sorry, I can't help you with the plans you seek, but your reasoning hits home with me. I remember spending time in the shop with my grandad. He was my number 1, but is no longer alive. I miss him a lot and really wish I could have built a lasting piece like you want, with him.
Good luck with your search, I hope you can get something built with him.


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## against_the_grain (Aug 15, 2010)

I was going to suggest going to your library or searching your local library network online. My online library network encompasses several counties as well as several large metro libraries. 

Any book is available from any library in the network by putting a hold on it at my local library through my online account. When the book arrives at my library, I get an email and phone call. Then I go pick it up.

Currently I have a copy of Shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture.

Stickley and Craftsman designs don't usually have crown moldings. Their beauty is in their simplicity. But......

I did come across a site online with a design that may interest you. It is 42" wide 14" deep and 84" high. A stately bookcase with crown moulding. All shelves and no doors. I assume you will make any dimensional adjustments to suit your preference. You aren't likely to find a plan that meet your stated requirements exactly.

Also I do not have any affiliation with the website, have never purchased from them, and this is not an endorsement. I assume no responsibility for 
any business transactions that may result from this post. It is,in my opinion, a very handsome bookcase however.

The plans are available here. An Architectural designed bookcase. By Jeff Branch.


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## jrock080692 (Jan 27, 2013)

Thanks everyone for your help. With all of your information I am heading in the right direction.


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## against_the_grain (Aug 15, 2010)

Hey good luck with your build. Hopefully when you get your plan sorted out you can post some details of the build. Sounds like you have a really ambitious and awesome project in mind. With a nice story behind it.

Again 

Good luck and happy building !


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## RogerInColorado (Jan 16, 2013)

Woodsmith has several relatively inexpensive books with plans that have good detail. They had on their Episode 606 PBS show their modular bookcase that can be expanded, perhaps meeting your width requirement. That set of plans is available free when you sign up for free tips. Base site is http://www.woodsmithshop.com/ Look for the tv episodes tab, find the episode 606 free plans section and click on it. That will take you to the log in / sign up page. It's a great resource.


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## frankp (Oct 29, 2007)

Might I suggest a modification. Large bookcases are hard to move. (You'll want to pass this on to your kids/grandkids after all.) I have a bookcase from my great grandfather that is in sections. Each shelf is basically a stacking section of the overall case. Mine is only two shelves but the process could be the same for a much taller case. Basically each shelf is a "box" with the top of one box nesting inside the bottom of the box above it. When stacked you can't tell they are separate pieces- it's really ingenious.


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## against_the_grain (Aug 15, 2010)

frankp said:


> Might I suggest a modification. Large bookcases are hard to move. (You'll want to pass this on to your kids/grandkids after all.) I have a bookcase from my great grandfather that is in sections. Each shelf is basically a stacking section of the overall case. Mine is only two shelves but the process could be the same for a much taller case. Basically each shelf is a "box" with the top of one box nesting inside the bottom of the box above it. When stacked you can't tell they are separate pieces- it's really ingenious.


Sounds like those Thomas Jefferson bookcases. Plans are available for those boxes in several places. Not sure if same as your bookcase.

But those boxes are more or less for making the books themselves easy to transport.

Jefferson had a lot of books and traveled with them.

Popular woodworking has a plan for the Thomas Jefferson bookcase. I suppose modifications can be made , but most of those plans I have seen,the bookcases are not really ornate or of heirloom quality.

Not bad mind you, but pretty basic bookshelves with the design leaning more towards function over form .

Again, maybe you have something different. Would like to see it. Can you post a pic of it ?


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## willbess08 (Jul 5, 2012)

i've got a quick suggestion, the plan will come easy once you look at enough pictures, but as far as the crown molding goes, check out "coronado crown" Lowe's has it in prefinished (paint) grade and i think in wood also, its basically a crown molding that is a full 45, think quarter round. We use the traditional crown molding on cabinets for big kitchen jobs but it takes a lot of framing up the back of it to make a sort of fake wall/ceiling, where as the coronado can just be run around the top and 45'd just like a regular piece of trim. also looks awesome when finished (you can even put a piece of ply on top and trim around the edge for a REALLY finished look) hope this helps, attached is a pic of a powder table I built with a ply top trimmed under with the paint grade coronado from Lowes


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## henrylarry6 (Nov 3, 2012)

The powder table above is very good but can we use it as a book case? I think it will not serve the purpose.


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## Anywhy30 (Dec 2, 2011)

I can't say I could help out with the design much. An inexpensive find I found out today, looking for 1x6x6' @$4 give or [email protected] looked into other options for a small shelf in my 9yrs olds room. Came upon 1x6x6 dog ear cedar fence boards. They are 5/8" [email protected]$2.05 each just about half $$ it's a suitable alternative, if you can live with the rustic texture look...got them at $1.85each
Well can't complain for cedar


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## willbess08 (Jul 5, 2012)

I must not have been clear in my post, I was using the shot of the powder table to show the use of "coronado crown" molding as opposed to traditional crown, which I was hoping would help jrock achieve a look of crown molding around the bookcase he is planning to build, its the only picture I had of it being used on a cabinet. sorry for the confusion


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## frankp (Oct 29, 2007)

against_the_grain said:


> Sounds like those Thomas Jefferson bookcases. Plans are available for those boxes in several places. Not sure if same as your bookcase.
> 
> But those boxes are more or less for making the books themselves easy to transport.
> 
> ...


You are correct, they are certainly more functional than decorative but that doesn't prevent the OP from adding crown just as indicated to make them more ornate. I will see if I can get some pics up in the near(ish) future to show the basic design.


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## Burnt_Blade (Dec 26, 2009)

pm me, I have some bookcase plans I could send you.


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