# Bench & Bookshelf



## bb71 (Jan 23, 2010)

Here's a bench and bookshelf that I built recently for a client. They are built to match the style of the existing fireplace trimwork. unfortunately its more painted work which everyone seems to want lately.

Materials are paint grade maple ply, poplar facing and drawer fronts, and MDF and pine trims. Slides are full extension 75lb. The drawer knobs are very nice pewter with a dragon fly design. The HO has a thing for dragon flies.

I used a small drawer lock bit for the drawer boxes which worked out very nicely. I typically machine cut dovetails for drawer boxes but I wanted to give this a try.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=45097&cat=1,46168,46174&ap=1



Bookshelf...









Drawer knobs...









Drawer box joint...









Bench...









Bench Back...










Pieces in place....


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## RLFX (Feb 2, 2010)

Nice Really Nice .. Love the white ! Nice and clean looking .. MDF ?


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## bb71 (Jan 23, 2010)

RLFX said:


> Nice Really Nice .. Love the white ! Nice and clean looking .. MDF ?


 
Thanks! Paint grade maple ply and poplar banding


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## wletson (Jan 11, 2010)

As I was looking at the first few pictures, I was thinking "I'd be nice to see them together", I'm glad you showed them in place. Look great with the fireplace!


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## bb71 (Jan 23, 2010)

Thanks! HO was happy with them and should lead to more work. The bookshelf still needs to be pushed back a little. HO was waiting to get a right angle flat cord so it could be pushed further back.


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## smitty1967 (Feb 24, 2008)

BB that is some nice work indeed! I'm curious about the painted finish...Latex I presume? And did you spray it? 

I'm getting ready to start a girl's twin bed for my sister-in-law's daughter (neice), and they want an ultra-white gloss finish. This looks similar to what you have on the bookshelf-bench, yes? 

Any tips are appreciated.

good job!
regards,
smitty


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## bb71 (Jan 23, 2010)

No its rolled on with a 4" fabric 6mm nap roller. The HO wanted that look rather than sprayed. The paint is latex semi gloss Benjamin Moore Collection in Cloud White to match the fireplace. It actually turned out quite nice. Prime, sand, clean , paint, sand, clean, paint. I used a round sash type brush in the corners and then "jam" the roller in tight. This way there are no brush marks left at all.

When I built my daughter's bed I used an oil base gloss that turned out great. It was sprayed on. With the extra leveling time oil gives you could brush it on with good results too.


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## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

That is a very classy looking project and it looks great! Nice work. The drawers look like they turned out perfect.


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## bb71 (Jan 23, 2010)

ACP said:


> That is a very classy looking project and it looks great! Nice work. The drawers look like they turned out perfect.


Thanks much - i appreciate it.

The drawers did turn out nice. I'm my own worst enemy with inset drawer fronts though. I keep the tolerances too tight. There's a sixteenth or less around those drawer fronts. I asked the customer to give me a call if they start rubbing which could happen in the summer months. They did like how tight I keep them though.

Brad


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## pabloj13 (Dec 10, 2009)

How did you make the vertical lines in the back of the shelf unit? Router?


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## Skwerly (Feb 26, 2010)

WOW! Excellent work!


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## bb71 (Jan 23, 2010)

pabloj13 said:


> How did you make the vertical lines in the back of the shelf unit? Router?


Yes used a router and a straight edge. Lines are 3" O.C. with a 3/8" ogee beading bit. Very simple and quick to do. The material is 1/2" baltic birch.


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## pabloj13 (Dec 10, 2009)

bb71 said:


> Yes used a router and a straight edge. Lines are 3" O.C. with a 3/8" ogee beading bit. Very simple and quick to do. The material is 1/2" baltic birch.


Thanks. You mean something like this?

http://www.freudtools.com/p-135-ogee-groove-bits.aspx

The work is beautiful BTW. I actually like the painted look on grooved pieces like that.


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## bb71 (Jan 23, 2010)

The bit is from Lee Valley (item #16J21.56)
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=30179&cat=1,46168,46173&ap=1

Here is the straight edge guide I use. I haven't used any others to compare to but this one is fantastic. I have the 100" version with the traveller and stops - love it.
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=41707&cat=1,240,45313

Brad


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## bb71 (Jan 23, 2010)

Here's the Sketchup drawings for these two pieces if anyone is interested in building them or something similar. Sorry - had to zip the files to get in under the max attachment size. I think the drawings are fairly clean but I apologize if they aren't.

Brad


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## phinds (Mar 25, 2009)

Nicely thought out and nicely executed ... looks to be outstanding joinery throughout and although I normally MUCH prefer wood to paint I have to say that your white paint job (ALSO very well executed) does make it look good.

Paul


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## jlhaslip (Jan 16, 2010)

Very nice.
Did you do the fireplace as well? Nice look to the ensemble.


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## bb71 (Jan 23, 2010)

Thanks for the compliment guys. I apreciate it. The fireplace was existing in the home. Its about 6 years old.


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## pabloj13 (Dec 10, 2009)

bb71 said:


> The bit is from Lee Valley (item #16J21.56)
> http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=30179&cat=1,46168,46173&ap=1
> 
> Here is the straight edge guide I use. I haven't used any others to compare to but this one is fantastic. I have the 100" version with the traveller and stops - love it.
> ...


Awesome. Thanks. I love it when people post SketchUp plans too. I like seeing how everyone does their joinery. Great stuff.


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## bb71 (Jan 23, 2010)

pabloj13 said:


> Awesome. Thanks. I love it when people post SketchUp plans too. I like seeing how everyone does their joinery. Great stuff.


 
The joinery in this one is nothing special but it works. I hope I included all the details in the drawings. Sometimes I get lazy :huh:


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

BB,
Nice job, excellent work. Very clean looking, good design. Well done.
Mike Hawkins


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## Itchy Brother (Aug 22, 2008)

In a word Beautiful! Itchy Brother


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## pabloj13 (Dec 10, 2009)

bb71 said:


> The joinery in this one is nothing special but it works. I hope I included all the details in the drawings. Sometimes I get lazy :huh:


The reason I was interested in that beading is that I want to make a bed with a simple rail and stile footboard/headboard with bead board like that as the panel. I want it to look sort of like tongue in groove panels. I want to whitewash/pickle it instead of painting like you did. Do you think if I used the beading bit on oak plywood it would still look ok enough on those seams to just whitewash (i.e. the ply won't show through too bad)?


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## bb71 (Jan 23, 2010)

pabloj13 said:


> The reason I was interested in that beading is that I want to make a bed with a simple rail and stile footboard/headboard with bead board like that as the panel. I want it to look sort of like tongue in groove panels. I want to whitewash/pickle it instead of painting like you did. Do you think if I used the beading bit on oak plywood it would still look ok enough on those seams to just whitewash (i.e. the ply won't show through too bad)?


I think that the plys would be noticable depending upon how transparent your finish is. They certainly were before finishing in the baltic birch I used. Having said that, I would still give it a test run. You may run into something that looks great.

brad


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## dub warrior2 (Feb 25, 2010)

Hi, great pieces of work and lovely finish on them.
I couldnt get the sketchup plans to work, do you still have a link to the plans?


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## bb71 (Jan 23, 2010)

They are compressed files. You'll have to unzip them before loading into sketchup, If you have trouble still PM me your email address and I'll send them direct.


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## juanation (Jan 17, 2010)

ohhh!!!!!! those are nice!!!!


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## Guest (Mar 11, 2010)

wletson said:


> As I was looking at the first few pictures, I was thinking "I'd be nice to see them together", I'm glad you showed them in place. Look great with the fireplace!


Thanks! HO was happy with them and should lead to more work. The bookshelf still needs to be pushed back a little. HO was waiting to get a right angle flat cord so it could be pushed further back.


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## bb71 (Jan 23, 2010)

Is that what you meant to post?


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## ben arnott (Nov 15, 2008)

Very nice! I love the detail around the top. You've given me some nice inspiration. Thanks for sharing. And great photos btw.


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