Bookcase pictures- Finally Finished !

[Bob Winkler]

I "gave" my daughter this birthday present last January in the form of a promise- except I just finished it this week. Ok, so I'm slow, but I was doing other things this summer. Good thing I don't earn my living this way- we would starve.

The design is from FWW Jan/Feb 2003. I modified it from fir/cherry to a maple/cherry combination. Thanks to Lou Sansone, the sides are beautiful tiger maple. I hope I did that wood justice. I wish I was a better photographer, because the cherry/maple contrast, and the maple figure are truly wonderful to view.

And because I'm weird, I've added a "secret compartment" to the bookcase. Anybody guess where it is?;)

Hope you like the pics.
Bob

[Jim Becker]

Wow, Bob! That turned out great!! Great job and good choice of materials. Outstanding.

[Doug Jones]

And because I'm weird, I've added a "secret compartment" to the bookcase. Anybody guess where it is?;)
Very nice bookcase,, If you tell where the secret compartment is, it then won't be a secret anymore.

[Timo Christ]

Great Work!
The tiger maple is stunning.
Is the secret comparment below the top maybe?
cheers,
Timo

[Mike Vermeil]

Really nice Bob. Wood is awesome & construction looks really clean. Gotta love that tiger maple.

[David Wilson]

Beautiful bookcase Bob. Great way to show off that Tiger Maple.

[Don Baer]

Simply beutiful I realy like the combination of wood.

Secret compartment is part of the bottom Shelf?

[Dan Forman]

I think she will feel it worth the wait! I love the combination of maple and cherry, the figure on the sides is very eye catching. A lovely piece.

Dan

[Mike Cutler]

Excellent. Well done!

That is a beautiful piece of furniture, and while the Tiger Maple gives it a lot of "pizazz", The simple lines make it elegant.
Very well done.

[Martin Shupe]

Outstanding!

I really like the combination of maple and cherry, and the sides are stunning!

What kind of finish?

Was the construction pretty straight forward from the article, or were there any "gotchas"?

This plan is on my long list of things to build.

[Roger Myers]

Great job Bob! That really came out fantastic! Your daughter will treasure it forever..
Roger

[Vaughn McMillan]

Beautiful bookcase, Bob. I really like the tiger maple, and you did do it justice. Your daughter's bookcase is something that's gonna be in the family for a long time, methinks.

- Vaughn

[Bernie Weishapl]

Great bookcase Bob. That should be around for some time to come. Awesome looking.

[Von Bickley]

Fantastic bookcase... I'm sure that bookcase will become a family heirloom.:)

[Roy Wall]

Bob,

absolutely BEEUUtiful!!!!!!!!!!!!

Terrific work - its stunning!!

are the side panels bookmatched? If so, how thick?......and...

are the slelves adjustable ? and bored in the bookmatch:confused: ????

[john whittaker]

I think Don got it right. Secret is in bottom shelf. Put a family picture in the "secret place" for your daughter to find....

Great job and say hi to Henry for me.;)

[Jason Tuinstra]

Bob, that is drop-dead gorgeous! You certainly did do the wood justice! I remember this one from FWW and recall how good it looked but how I would have rather seen something other than fir. Well, here it is! Just stunning. This will be handed down for generations, no problem there. The only problem will be the fight over who get's it! :p Thanks for posting it.

[Todd Davidson]

The birthday girl is stoked! :)

[Roger Barga]

what a great present for you daughter. kudos on a job well done. roger

[Keith Burns]

WOW, that is one stunning bookcase ! Love the materials. When you look at it, it appears to have lights shinning on it. Absolutely wonderful.

My guess is that the secret compartment is incorporated in the lower shelf as well.

[John Buzzurro]

Very well done. I love the tiger maple too.

[Dan Larson]

Heeeyy, were'd my socks go? Oh yeah, right-- you just knocked my socks off! I really like the bookcase. The warm color of the figured maple (the result of an oil finish?) and cherry compliment each other so well!

Dan

[Bob Marino]

What others have said - just beautiful! Can you tell us the the finishing process?

Bob

[Bob Winkler]

Wow, thanks for all the nice responses. You guys are really great, and my head barely fits through the doorway now. I'll try to answer some questions:

- I used 2 coats of witches brew (BLO, mineral spirits, poly varnish), followed by 4 coats of thinned poly wiped on, followed by a thin coat of paste wax for that "silky" feel

- the only unusual tip to offer is that I used 2-part epoxy for the M&T glue up. Given the size and number of parts, I wanted the full hour of working time to get it clamped.

- Only the bottom shelf is fixed (screwed through the bottom rail). The other rest on pins, but I didn't drill extra holes because I didn't want to mess with the beauty of the wood.

- the sides are full 1/2" hard maple, which supports the shelf pins just fine.

- some of you guessed that the secret compartment is below the bottom shelf. It stays in place using magnets. See the picture below.

Thanks again for all your support and comments.:)
Bob

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Bob....your daughter and future generations will cherish that for a long time. Absolutely gorgeous wood, workmanship and finish!

[Bruce Page]

Outstanding Bob! I bet that tiger maple really jumps out at you in person!

[Doug Shepard]

Wow. That is drop-dead-gorgeous. Seems a shame to cover it up with books:D

[Jules Dominguez]

Beautiful piece, Bob. The upgrade to maple was certainly worthwhile.

[John Motzi]

Very, Very, Very Nice!

[George Matthews]

And because I'm weird, I've added a "secret compartment" to the bookcase. Bob

;) I often add a secret compartment to my projects too, so don't feel too "weird"!

Very nice workmanship.

How is the back panel made?

[Gene Collison]

In a word, "beautiful". I do secret compartment's too, how about up top? Looks thick enough to be double walled.

Gene

[lou sansone]

I "gave" my daughter this birthday present last January in the form of a promise- except I just finished it this week. Ok, so I'm slow, but I was doing other things this summer. Good thing I don't earn my living this way- we would starve.

The design is from FWW Jan/Feb 2003. I modified it from fir/cherry to a maple/cherry combination. Thanks to Lou Sansone, the sides are beautiful tiger maple. I hope I did that wood justice. I wish I was a better photographer, because the cherry/maple contrast, and the maple figure are truly wonderful to view.

And because I'm weird, I've added a "secret compartment" to the bookcase. Anybody guess where it is?;)

Hope you like the pics.
Bob

Hi bob

Well you have done a nice job. Glad I could provide the raw materials. Really came out nice. Man that tiger is just fantastic. Some of the very best I have ever seen.

lou

[Pete Harbin]

Wow Bob! Fantastic design and wood selection!
That is really nice!

Pete

[Corey Hallagan]

Wow, how did I miss this post. That is a very striking piece there bob. Great work!

Corey

[John Miliunas]

Bob, I'm with Corey! Don't know how I passed this one up for over a day!!!:o Simply stunning and, as others have said, your wood choices are beautiful, as is the execution! Great job, Bob!:) :cool:

[Mark Singer]

Bob,
Really beautiful!!!!