Pair of Cherry Bookshelves

[Dave Stuve]

I've been working on these for almost a year (well, between other projects!) These are solid cherry, with face frames with frame and panel backs, and holes drilled for adjustable shelves. They're just over 5'2" tall and about 24 inches wide. They are 12" deep and the face frames are 2" wide except on the bottom which is 4" wide so I can make some 'legs' with a cutout. (The stock I used was a pile of 6' boards that I got a great deal on because they were shorter than most people want.) Two feet wide is a bit narrow, but the shelves fit just about anywhere in the house now.

I ended up making 5 shelves for each bookcase because paperbacks are pretty short, and I could squeeze an extra shelf in. I think almost all of the wood is planed down to 5/8" just to cut down on weight a little, but they're still very solid. I used Watco Danish Wood Oil finish, after sanding everything to 220 (sides and top to 240 because of the figured grain.) I'm quite happy with the results.

First... selecting the wood (mostly 6' stock, and I was lucky enough to find some nice pieces in the pile) I had fun putting them all up on end and walking around and marking the ones I wanted to use with chalk.
woodshop_breaktime.jpg

Building the frame and panel backs (the panels are Oregon wild cherry which is more amber in color than the Eastern stuff. I used my k body clamp extenders for the first time since my longest K body clamps are 40" and this panel was 60"+. The extenders worked great.
frame_and_panel_back.jpg

Sanding BEFORE assembly (saved me lots of time! Love the new Mirka CEROS) I used tongue and groove router bits on the table to create the grooves and stub tenons, and a 'shaker' bit from Lee Valley to raise the panels. Did I mention I love my new sander?
sanding_back_panel.jpg

Fitting the backs by chisel, sanding, jointer, hammer, or any means necessary...
fitting_the_bookshelf_back.jpg

Both almost done, just sanding and cutouts for feet
almost_done.jpg

Bookshelf #1 ready for business
bookshelf_empty.jpg

Filled with my old sci-fi paperbacks...
bookshelf_full.jpg

Bookshelf #2 waiting to have books and shelves loaded. I'm almost sorry to cover up all of that pretty cherry with books.
bookshelf_number_two.jpg

[glenn bradley]

Those came out beautiful Dave. Love the finish.

[Dave Stuve]

Thanks Glenn, I think I finally figured out the Danish Wood Oil finish - I used to drown the wood in it, and the finish came out blotchy dark and muddled. Now I do several light coats, rubbed dry in between.

[Jerome Hanby]

Nice work! I've been trying to concoct some book shelf design for paperbacks that would handle then in some compact fashion. Lazy Susan and sliding banks of shelves all seem like overkill...