Corner Shelf Completed

[John Hulett]

With LOML 8 months pregnant, we decided to move our 21 month old into the spare bedroom (converting it, of course) and put the baby into the "nursery." So, LOML comissioned this corner shelf.

I mentioned my son's age - well, we needed a place to put a lamp on, plus monitor transmitter, and whatever else.

This is what I came up with. It's poplar (representing my first project that wasn't either sheet goods or soft pine) and painted, as you can see.

Joinery is biscuits. The glue-up was a challenge on the middle and bottom shelves; it was quite difficult getting adequate clamping pressure off of the routed (round-over) semi-circle shapes. Funny how the try fit clamp-up went okay, but with the rushing due to glue, the actual glue-up was not as smooth.

Actually, planning for the semi-circle shape was an after-though. Fortunately, I had saved the cutoff (cut with a jig saw, so it was pretty rough), but even still, I had an okay grip on one side, but the cutoff was about a half-inch on the other side.

Overall though, I'm happy with it. More importantly, LOML is happy with it. So much so, that she wants me to make 3 more.

Any and all comments, criticisms or suggestions on how to clamp up the next three are all welcome.

- John

[Mike Cutler]

No criticism here John. If your wife is happy that's all that counts. ;)
For the next glue up you may want to use something with a longer open time, and maybe some of those "strap" style clamps that Bessey sells.
I've been fooling around with epoxy as of late, and like the ability to adjust the open time. It also require less clamping pressure. I think that Unibond 800 has a pretty long open time also, never used it though.
The project looks great, and congratulations on your upcoming new family addition. I see alot more little fun projects in your future. :cool:

[Bob Noles]

John,


I don't have any glue advice to offer, but I just wanted to comment on what I think is a nice job. Your project came out looking great and I can certainly see why the LOYL wants more.

Keep up the good work!

[Jim Becker]

That works, John!! Did you try band-clamps?

[Tom Jones III]

That is a great early project. Think of how much that would cost you at Pottery Barn Kids or some other similar place ... I don't know maybe $150? I'll bet you didn't spend that much and it looks better.

Band clamps would work great and are fairly cheap. Another option is to clamp a board to the shelf parallel to one side then clamp the side to the parallel board. You could even clamp one of those Jorgenson wooden jaw clamps to the shelf, then put another clamp directly on the Jorgenson clamp and the side.

[Kurt Aebi]

Great Job!

Real simple, yet real handy and really nice

Great Job!

[John Hulett]

Thanks for all the kind words! This was really the most fun project I've done - I got to use my planer and jointer:D .

I'm not clear on how I would use the band clamps here. In conjunction with the fall-off from the jigsaw cut, similar as how I used the bar clamps? Or just use the band clamp like I've seen used on picture frames - strait around the shelf? The trouble I would think I might have with the band clamp is the reveal. Am I mistaken?

[Roy Wall]

John,

Nice work - I like the shelf!!

on the glue up......

My guess is you make the 3 shelves basically from 3 squares.?? Save the off cut (from Bandsaw?) to keep the pattern curve. Then on glue-up; use these off cuts to make a nice "square" piece so you can clamp with cauls to catch the middle shelve...

make sense..?

[Corey Hallagan]

Excellent work, very fine painted surface. Thanks for sharing.

Corey

[Don Baer]

Very nice work. Now get busy on the other three....;)

I made a corner shelf for LOML some years back. I took a lot of time, made sure it was square in the back. Stained and finished it and when I hung it on the wall I discovered that the corner of the room wasn't square...:mad:

[Mike Cutler]

John. The Bessey Clamps that I was referring to are a "strap" type clamp. They come with these little plastic guides that can be located anywhere on the band, and they have little "Movable Feet" to make contact at all kinds of different angles.
You would probaly have to wrap the straps around the Project at the shelves, and add a little spacer to the front of the curve for the band to tighten up on.
Those little "feet" apply pressure evenly. You can't apply gorilla pressure to it. but they may work out easier for you. For that project, you would need two of them. One around the bottom and one around the middle. Epoxy doesn't require the same amount of clamping pressure that other glues/adhesive do. It may be worth considering.

[Jules Dominguez]

Good craftsmanship and a very attractive finished product, John.

[Sam Chambers]

Well done, John! I like the design and the paint job...looks nice and smooth.