Project built - wall hung bookcases

[Brian Holcombe]

Due to the recent success of completing my study, my wife has 'ordered' one of her own. I'm starting with the bookcases, this set will be very similar to the previous with a few updates and shorter in size. I build these with integral backs and interlocking joinery due to the fact that they are wall hung and the corner joints hold a great deal of the weight. I'm using Sapele for the carcass and honduras mahogany for the backs.

So, after cutting all of the rabbets for the backs and shelves I've moved onto the joinery for the tops. I've been improving in my sawing, so in this case I decided to do dovetails sawn to the line (not pared to fit) and of a slight compression fit. So far, so good, it's in fact been easier to make a very tightly fitting joint that requires little to no attention in regard to filling gaps;

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c181/SpeedyGoomba/2014-06/9F52CDCB-075B-40AB-9912-C67370BC5769_zpsrtsgdxsf.jpg

Veneers for the backs (these will be book matched across the piece.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c181/SpeedyGoomba/2014-06/8B4B7033-9425-4284-84D3-1FE44F38ECCE_zpsgddkqyux.jpg

I did quad matched walnut burl for my own, but the size of this one lends itself better to book matched crotch mahogany.

[Steve Voigt]

Very nice DTs, and lovely veneer. Mind if I ask where you bought it?
Did you post pics of your study? I must've missed it. I remember the nice-looking table.

[Brian Holcombe]

Thanks Steve! I bought the veneers from veneersupplies.com, I've actually bought quite a few veneers there and have been very happy with the quality of all of them.

here's a picture of my study.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c181/SpeedyGoomba/CFE22848-7F3A-4361-A906-D92078D58FCE_zpstv6ryiwb.jpg

And the opposite wall;

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c181/SpeedyGoomba/23AC703D-66D6-47B4-AEFC-18E7152D8A42_zpseczlim92.jpg

I've built the bookshelves, desk (leather top), little table, frame for the Japanese silk screen, and TV console.

[Judson Green]

Nicely done, Brian!

Your den looks fantastic and the newly commissioned work is off to a great start.

Really like media cabinet. What's the approximate dimensions of that guy?

[Tony Wilkins]

Very, Very nice - when you're done with the study for your wife I may kidnap you to help with mine ;)

[Steve Voigt]

Yeah, really nice stuff. I love the aesthetic, and the craftsmanship.
I sometimes feel a little…odd, combining 18th/19th c. tools & methods with a late 20th c. aesthetic. So I'm always glad to see other people doing that as well.

[Paul McGaha]

All nice pieces Brian.

Looks to be a very nice room to hang out or read in.

PHM

[Brian Holcombe]

Thanks gents!

Judson the console dimensions are; 75" W, 16" H and 18.5" deep. All said and done I would have liked it to be shallower, but it needed to fit a reciever that was fairly big.

Hah, Steve, that's funny. It's good to be in the company of other modernists who also happen to avoid table saws.

[Brian Holcombe]

Many dovetails later;

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c181/SpeedyGoomba/46390613-E67B-466A-8DEA-18A5F5129EB5_zpsg7e5bqfg.jpg

Havent fine tuned the edges yet, but I am happy about how these sliding dovetails came out. I did these for the center upright to add strength that a plain dado would not provide, since this is a wall hanging case. These were tapered so I actually could not test fit more than half way on the joint before gluing.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c181/SpeedyGoomba/5B76C4E1-28AF-4426-BD4C-C13D572C1B83_zpsn4n2fcui.jpg

[Judson Green]

Impressive, Brian! With tapered sliding dovetails, too. Very cool.

[Tony Wilkins]

Continuing to really dig this project. Great work.

[Brian Holcombe]

Thanks gents!

[Evan Patton]

Really nice! When you say you put quad-matched veneer on the back of your bookcase, did you do that on the face against the wall?

[Brian Holcombe]

Hi Evan,

Thanks! I mean the face-out side of the backs. The back of the cases I used QSWO, so it's nice to look at but not particularly fancy. I veneer both sides to prevent the panels from warping.

[Steve Voigt]

Your joinery is impressive, Brian. What's your procedure for cutting the tapered, sliding dt?

[Brian Holcombe]

Thanks Steve!

These were cross grain, so they required pretty good flattening prior to cutting the joints (if they move slightly after it doesn't seem to matter much as the joinery will bring it back). I fallow by cutting a dado groove and making sure it is the same depth across the entire width of the board. I then cut the sides of the dovetail with a female dovetail plane. I cut this without taper. I cut a notch to relieve the end of this cut, so that it doesn't blow-out the end of the board.

To cut the male side, I start by squaring the edge with a shooting board, then scribe the sides to prevent chip-out (cross grain cut), as I found that sometimes the nicker alone is not enough on the start. I cut this part with the taper of about .010", IIRC.

I measure everything with a set of dial calipers for this, and I found I could fine tune either board, but it was just as well I decided to fine tune the male end. When trial fitting I decided that being able to knock the assembly a little over half-way together without getting to aggressive with the mallet was good, and that worked out to be pretty good.

[Brian Holcombe]

Completed:

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c181/SpeedyGoomba/48BF03D3-5D9A-4D0A-8BB2-156AA9748C3E_zpsk4zbthrc.jpg
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c181/SpeedyGoomba/DB5A192E-82A1-41A9-87E8-33FA80D5F7C9_zpsvuo5zqii.jpg


http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c181/SpeedyGoomba/7E746D17-177F-4605-AFFF-7953AF257E04_zpsntbsuvjl.jpg

[Mike Allen1010]

Beautiful work Brian, very well done!!!

Thanks very much for sharing the pictures.

All the best, Mike

[Steve Voigt]

Looks terrific Brian. I don't mind repeating myself, you have a great aesthetic sense and impeccable craftsmanship. I hope to see more in the future.

[Tony Wilkins]

Very nice - keep the inspiration coming!

[Brian Holcombe]

Thanks gents! I've got a few items in the planning stages, a daybed and staircase railing are next.

[Judson Green]

Nicely done!

Are the backs veneered? How'd you do that?

[Derek Cohen]

Very nice Brian. I like the minimalism. Simple and elegant.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Standing ovation! Very well done, and with tapered sliding dovetails- show off!!!:cool:

[Brian Holcombe]

Lol! Thanks fellas!

Judson, the backs are veneer over birch ply, that would be the semi-neander part of this project, I pressed them in a vacuum press. I used ultra-cat powdered glue, which I like to use for figured woods and burls.