Daughters Christmas Present FINISHED!!!!

[Ken Shoemaker]

Meghan wanted a bookshelf for her college books. She just graduated two weeks ago. This, BY FAR, is the largest project I've ever done. In fact, the first project I've built from plans. It's funny how much I'm learning on each project.

WOOD MUST BE SQUARE.
Sand parts BEFORE you assemble them.Anyway, It's made of red oak and finished with 2 coats BLO, covered with 6 coats of thinned satin ARM-R-SEAL.

Thanks for looking.

[Glenn Clabo]

Nice job Ken.
Square wood? Sand before assembly? Wouldn't that ruin the fun?

[Russ Massery]

Very nice Ken.Your Daughter will surely enjoy this for years to come. Thinned Arm-r-Seal did you apply it with a rag?

[Brian Weick]

Ken, Your daughter is going to love that! very nice work! :)
Brian

[Thomas Knighton]

Very nice work! The red oak looks really nice too!

Tom

[Ken Shoemaker]

Thanks to all. Had a great time doing it. Many lessons learned.

Russ: Yep, wiped it on with a rag and found that it goes on WAY smoother than a foam brush. I doubt I'll ever go back. I took a piece of old bed sheet and folded it up tight and held it together with a bind clip. Worked like a charm. BTW - Stop over anytime your in the area. Haven't seen much of you.

[Don Bullock]

Nice looking book shelf Ken. Your daughter should be proud that you put in so much effort into a liece for her. :D

[Jim Becker]

Very nice work, Ken!

[George Bregar]

Very nice work Ken. Wondering why the second shelf up is faced?

[John Bartley]

Very nice!! She'll treasure it and then her children after will also.

cheers

[jason lambert]

Nice job I like the detail around the top.

[Lincoln Myers]

Looks great Ken. Nice job, you're daughter will sure get some nice use out of it for MANY years to come. Prolly every time she returns a book to, or gets a book from a shelf, she'll thing of how cool it is that her Dad made it for her.

-Linc

[Dave Dionne]

That is a beautiful bookcase Ken, my in-laws have moved back (don't even get me started) and are asking about their high quality bookcases back so I will be making some, I had to warn them though that our daughter spilled her water on it when she was about 5 and the particle board never got over the swelling.:rolleyes:

Where did you get the plans? I would love to show them to my wife

Again Great Job

Dave

[Lee Schierer]

Very Nice! I'm sure she will appreciate the work that has gone into it long after the usefulness of the college books has passed.

Isn't it amazing how much easier cutting pieces square make the assembly process! ;)

[Bruce Page]

Very nice Ken. Your daughter should be thrilled for years to come.

[Ken Shoemaker]

Thank you all for your kind words...

Dave D. : The plans came from "Better Homes and Gardens 2006 Projects and Shop Tips". It has three differnt versions of the same book case on the front cover.

BTW - I now have an intense dislike for dimensioned lumber from the borg. Can mill it because it so close to the finished demensions from the start. THAT is why I started off with crap.... grumble, grumple, whine, b#$%%ch... :mad:

I need a place to buy good rough cut......

Anyway, Thanx to everyone who commented.... Ken

[Walt Caza]

Good work Ken,
What a great gift for your daughter, she will treasure it for years to come!
Congratulations on advancing the state of your art.
I bet you could build another one quicker and easier...just look at the growth!
Switching from dressed stock to roughsawn lumber is a woodshop milestone. I too made the switch this year.
It is good progress to buy cheaper lumber, and have more control over the machining. Way to go!

I find the creation process is more meaningful when you are building for someone you love.
Terrific project and a feel-good story to boot!
Thanks for sharing with us,
Walt
:)