Face frame - for bookcase w fixed shelves

[Harvey Chute]

I'm building a hanging bookcase, and with any luck this will be my first woodshop creation that my wife actually allows inside the house.

The carcase has three fixed shelves in between top and bottom. My next step is to assemble and attach a face frame of 2" hardwood (hemlock).

My thought is to assemble the entire faceframe (slightly oversize) as a separate assembly, using pockethole joinery. This would include the faceframe strips running across the front of the three shelves in between the top and bottom. Then I would glue the entire assembly to the carcase, and rout the hardwood flush with a trim bit.

As I envision this though, I'm concerned about precisely lining up the faceframe for each of the 3 middle shelves.

Am I better off to assemble a faceframe for the top/bottom/sides only, and then to simply glue a facing/edging strip to the front of the three remaining shelves..?

Or should I let the facing for the middle shelves overhang the top surface slightly, and carefully rout flush - making sure I stop the flush-trimming precisely at the point where the shelves meet the facing that runs up the sides of the carcase.

Both approaches seem hokey and I must be missing something obvious.

Here's a pic of the carcase. Thanks for the great advice on this forum.

bookcase20.jpg

[Steve Clardy]

That looks like a long span for a shelf.
I'd use a 3/4x 1 1/2 face piece on the front of the shelf for support.
You can either assemble those with your rail and stile pieces [outer]
or add them afterwards.

[Bob Childress]

Harvey,

One of the great things about WW is that there are myriad ways to do anything and some of them are even correct! That said, if it were me, I'd build the outer frame as you described and attach it. I'd add the shelf facing after so I could be sure it would aline with the top shelf edge. Then, no routing required, which would be tough anyway when you get to the corners.

Also, what Steve said. Let the shelf facing be a 1x2 for added strength (and it also looks nice), with the extra width proud of the shelf bottom.

But, as before, there are thirty other ways to do it. Whatever makes you the most comfortable.

[Steve Schoene]

Have you done finishing samples on the ply and on the hemlock? Hemlock, which incidentally is a softwood, not a hardwood, can absorb finish unevenly, which I suspect (I haven't used it myself) gives a good chance that stain could end up "blotchy".

My advise is to work out the finishing program on scraps of the same woods before you attach a faceframe, you may want to change your faceframe wood choice.

[Harvey Chute]

That looks like a long span for a shelf.
I'd use a 3/4x 1 1/2 face piece on the front of the shelf for support.
You can either assemble those with your rail and stile pieces [outer]
or add them afterwards.

Yeah, it's 34" wide so I might be pushing the limits for a bookcase shelf. I hope with the shelves being fixed and not adjustable that'll help, and that a beefy front edging will help. I guess Plan B will be to run a strip along the underside of the rear of the shelves.

... if it were me, I'd build the outer frame as you described and attach it. I'd add the shelf facing after so I could be sure it would aline with the top shelf edge. ...
But, as before, there are thirty other ways to do it. Whatever makes you the most comfortable.

Good point, I need to remind myself there's usually multiple right ways to get the job done. This will be the first of four bookcases going in diffreent locations so I can learn and improve/adjust as I go.

Have you done finishing samples on the ply and on the hemlock? Hemlock, which incidentally is a softwood, not a hardwood, can absorb finish unevenly, which I suspect (I haven't used it myself) gives a good chance that stain could end up "blotchy".

My advise is to work out the finishing program on scraps of the same woods before you attach a faceframe, you may want to change your faceframe wood choice.

I used hemlock recently as facing for some corner shelves, it stained pretty well - but this is bookcase will be a larger facing area and more visible too. Thanks for correcting me on hemlock as a hardwood. I'm going to seriously consider changing my wood choice, perhaps to birch, and run some finishing tests.

Thanks all! - Harvey

[glenn bradley]

Another 'fix' for your hemlock would be to use a sealer prior to staining. I do this on some pine using a dewaxed shellac. It really evens out the colors although it also inhibits the stain from 'taking' so your colors will be lighter. I just re-stain sealed pieces to match the rest of the project.

[Rob Bodenschatz]

For future reference, I've found this helpful: http://www.woodbin.com/calcs/sagulator.htm.

[Shelley Bolster]

Harvey.....I wouldn't use solid birch. Cut narrow, such as you would for a face frame, birch, due to it's often erratic grain, can do some pretty wild things. May I suggest using alder as an alternative as it is much more stable for the application you are using it for. Alder not only will take a stain good, won't twist like a pretzel, it is also often called "poor man's cherry".

[Harvey Chute]

Another 'fix' for your hemlock would be to use a sealer prior to staining. I do this on some pine using a dewaxed shellac...

Thanks Glenn, I may do some experimenting with that - haven't used sealer before but will see how the hemlock takes it - for future projects if not for this one.

For future reference, I've found this helpful: http://www.woodbin.com/calcs/sagulator.htm.

That is a useful tool, it predicts 0.1" deflection across the 33" span. Not acceptable, but the edging should reduce the deflection. Or... this'll be a lesson learned on bookcase width for me

Harvey...I wouldn't use solid birch. Cut narrow...birch, due to it's often erratic grain, can do some pretty wild things. May I suggest using alder as an alternative...

Thank you Shelley, that would not have occurred to me. When I get back home I'm going to look for some of that poor man's cherry!!

Thanks for your help all, I'll post pics of the end result. I'll be breaking in my Rocket Pocket on this project and am excited about that.