Do It The Hard Way

[Richard Gillespie]

Finished the bookcase for my 2nd granddaughter. It's a duplicate of one made for the first. This one is made of Ash instead of maple however. The hardwood retailer had a very poor selection of Maple when I went.

I used hand cut dovetails with miter corners for the top. The bottom shelf has through, wedged tenons. The middle upright was installed with sliding dovetails.

My LOML says I couldn't make a living building furniture this way. She's right of course, it takes too long. I don't care, I'm building it for family.

[Steve Beadle]

I love bookcases, and that one is a real winner, Richard. And I can't think of anyone better to make it for than a granddaughter. I love the exposed joinery and the clean lines. What is the finish? And what is the back made of? What is it, about 60" wide?

It is too bad we can't make a living making such things for people we love, but when we make them, we're making something much better than just a living. We're making memories, and making statements.

Keep up the good work!

Steve

[Richard Gillespie]

I love bookcases, and that one is a real winner, Richard. And I can't think of anyone better to make it for than a granddaughter. I love the exposed joinery and the clean lines. What is the finish? And what is the back made of? What is it, about 60" wide?

It is too bad we can't make a living making such things for people we love, but when we make them, we're making something much better than just a living. We're making memories, and making statements.

Keep up the good work!

Steve

Thank you for the kind words. The bookcase is 48"(W) X 32"(H) X 12"(D). The backing is 3/8" fir plywood, filled and sanded to 180 grit. I used 3 coats of gloss poly.

[Tim Sproul]

Looks good.

I got a question though...on a corner joint, I got a hard time imagining a mitered corner joint that has through dovetails......or are just the half-pins mitered?

[Richard Gillespie]

Looks good.

I got a question though...on a corner joint, I got a hard time imagining a mitered corner joint that has through dovetails......or are just the half-pins mitered?

These are through dovetails. The tails are cut normally in the top and then you cut the four outside corner ones across to the first pin location at a 45 degree miter.

You have to be more careful when you cut the pins on the sides. The outside cut on the four outside pins doesn't show, therefore you do it at 45 degrees from the outside upper edge to the inside mark. You then miter the waste over to that pin at 45 degrees. That's what gives you the four miter corners.

I hope I've written that so it is understandable.