Adjustable Bookshelf

[Robert Weber]

I usually lurk over on the dark side, but since this is a general-type design/hardware question, I thought that I would have a greater chance of a useful response over here in the light of burning electrons.

Anyway, LOML has asked for an adjustable shelf for her schoolbooks, teachers editions, workbooks, etc (she homeschools two of our children, the other turns 1 today, and a local pastor's child who needs more one-on-one than even a private school can give her). She wants a bookshelf (one shelf) to sit on the side of her desk up against the wall.

I was going to build a simple piece with a bottom, back and sides with a few dividers in the middle spaced to her specifications. However, as she was measuring last night, she commented that some of the measurements might vary over time, and she was trying to make them as general as possible.

Here's what I'm looking for: I want a piece or system of hardware (or something I can make myself) that will allow me to have adjustable dividers within this shelf. It would also be nice if it looked a bit nicer than the type of adjustable dividers you see at your local library. I was also hoping to avoid making a ton of dadoes in the bottom and back.

Since she's not expecting adjustable shelves, this could make me a hero at home...

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Signature line removed which contained a direct link to poster's web site - a violation of the TOS.

[Doug Shepard]

I can't tell for sure whether you're wanting to do adjustable shelves (horizontal) or adjustable dividers (vertical). You say "adjustable shelves", but dados in the bottom make me think dividers. ??

[Jeff Sudmeier]

Rob, that sounds like a great idea! I have never heard of a shelf that is able to adjust both horizontally and vertically, but I am sure someone will have an idea!

[Robert Weber]

Sorry, let me try again - only the dividers are adjustable. I should have worded that more clearly in the first place. The shelf, back and sides will all be permantly connected.

[Dan Gill]

If you're talking about adjustable dividers, I think I remember seeing an idea for that. It did involve grooves, though. Picture this - two parallel grooves that run the length of the shelf. The divider has two "feet that slide in the grooves. Of course, this would seriously weaken the shelves.

Otherwise, you could drill the shelf for dowels set into the bottom of the dividers. That would weaken the shelves less.

Of course, adjustable shelves (adjust them up or down for differing heights of books) are easily possible with shelf pins or standards. There's no reason I can think of that you can't do both of these things.

[Jamie Buxton]

Adjustable dividers? They're called book ends. Buy 'em at any office supply place. The sheet metal ones don't eat too much space.

[Doug Shepard]

Now that I understand what you're after, here's a couple of thoughts:

You could put rows of shelf pin sleeves in the bottom and top of the divider opening and space them so that you have a pin on either side of the divider to hold it in position.

You could put an edge banding on the top of the divider opening that would project down and visibly hide whatever you end up doing to hold the top of the divider in position.

The only other thing I can think of is to just do a friction fit with a divider something like this, that you could slide back and forth. Forgive the crude sketch. I was trying to make something with rounded off corners with nothing more than MS Paint.

[Steve Beadle]

Here's a "cookbook" shelf with adjustable divider that I have made a couple of this past year. You could change the dimensions to suit your purpose. I got the design out of Wood magazine # 148 (May 2003, page 78).

[Ted Shrader]

Rob -

Have you thought about two rows of holes in each shelf. Then use some ³/₁₆" piano wire bent to the desired shape.

Ted

[William Lai]

One thing I'd caution if your design entails a piece that's fitted to the shleves both top and bottom, is to account for sag of the shelving under load. I think you may have a hard time unless the deflection is kept to a minimal, i.e. the shelve is engineered to hardly deflect at all. Google the "sagulator" to find the sag with your material choice.

[Robert Weber]

Here's a "cookbook" shelf with adjustable divider that I have made a couple of this past year. You could change the dimensions to suit your purpose. I got the design out of Wood magazine # 148 (May 2003, page 78).
Steve, how does that adjustable divider lock into place?

[Rob Russell]

It sounds like you're looking for dividers that hold in place vs. free float. What about taking a divider like in Steve's shelf and cutting a series of mortises down the middle of the shelf, say a couple of inches apart. The tail of the divider would just sit down in the mortise. It would mean your wife is a little bit limited in where she puts dividers based on the mortise positioning, but it's otherwise a simple/straightforwards solution to build.

[Steve Beadle]

Steve, how does that adjustable divider lock into place?
You might be able to tell from the picture that there is a tongue of wood that extends below the sliding divider, running between the front and rear shelf halves. Attached to the bottom of the tongue is a block of wood that is wider than the tongue, so that the divider cannot be lifted out of its "track." The length of the tongue is slightly more than the thickness of the shelf pieces, so that it tips just slightly. This allows you to move the divider wherever you want it. The sideways pressure of the books tends to lock it in place.
If you like the design, but don't have that copy of Wood magazine, I could make a copy of the article (I think it's just two pages) and get it to you.

A couple things worth mentioning: This picture is of an unfinished shelf. The screws haven't been covered on the ends. You might also notice that I put a cross-grain dowel near the ends of the shelf halves, to strengthen the screw hold. You can see this dowel on the inside edge of the rear shelf, left end.

Steve

[Robert Weber]

I think that the divider on a track might be an option. Another one that just occured is a pair of sliding dovetail running the length of the shelf. Any thoughts on that one?

[Robert Weber]

Having given it some thought, I'm going to go with the track in the bottom (maybe two parallel tracks). I'll post pictures as I complete it.

Thanks for all the input.

[Jeff Sudmeier]

I think that the divider on a track might be an option. Another one that just occured is a pair of sliding dovetail running the length of the shelf. Any thoughts on that one?
Robert,

I would think that would work great! The divider would have to be slid perfectly perpendicular to the dovetails, but that should not be a problem if it is not moved often. When presure was put against it, it should not move, it should wedge itself in a just a slight angle to keep it from moving.

[George Summers]

One thing you should remember to consider if you are going to use wood for dividers, thickness of the divider(s). You would probably use at least ½" thick stock for the dividers, so five dividers would subtract 2½" from your shelf capacity (3/4" stock would subtract more). I like the piano wire adjustable dividers idea, takes up very little horizontal space.

George

[Robert Weber]

As promised. The shelf is maple stained with Minwax Old Maple stain, and finished with amber shellac rubbed out with 4-0 steel wool. Thanks for the advice.

I can't upload the photo, so here's a link to it... (get a "This Document Contains no Data" when I hit the upload button).


http://www.jlatech.com/rob/Woodworking/MapleBookshelf.jpg