Maple and Fir Bookcase: Bookmatched sides, Sliding dovetails, and some curves

[Adam Johan Bergren]

Hello all, this is my first post! I thought I'd post my most recent project: A bookcase

I was tired of totally rectilinear furniture, so I decided to experiment with some curves. Well, the result is the bookcase in Maple with fir back boards shown below.

Sides are bookmatched maple, shelves are attached with sliding dovetails.

Backsplash (upper and lower) are attached using angled dowels and glue, and both have slots to accomadate the tenons in the ship-lapped fir back boards.

There is no metal in this shelf!

All of the round-overs were shaped by hand using a spokeshave. On the sides and backsplash, I roughed out the curves using a bandsaw, and then used my spokeshave for the round-overs. I also prepared the surface using a Veritas cabinet scraper and a card scraper. I must say, I enjoyed the low dust and quiet enviroment of this work. Not to mention that I did not have to sand after acquiring the cabinet scraper (I bought it toward the end of the project)!

Finish is with BLO and super blonde shellac.

I know there are many aspects where I can improve, but this is one of the projects that I am mostly pleased with the design, and moderately happy with my execution. If I can learn to tighten up my joints a bit, I think it would go a long way toward improving my work. I think using hand tools will also help, as I just seemed to "jive" with hand tool work (this is the first project where I did a significant amount of work using hand tools).

[Dave Stuve]

Hi Adam,

That's a nice piece of work. I also try to make my pieces with no screws or nails (I think all wood joinery is a fun challenge. I sometimes 'cheat' with Miller Dowels if I can't think of a clever way to join some boards.) I've also been getting into scraping over sanding. It's really pleasant! (No dust mask, can hear the radio, just me and the wood and a sharp piece of metal.)

Dave

[Phil Thien]

I know there are many aspects where I can improve...

Oh yeah? Name one. I think it looks fantastic.

[John Thompson]

Extremely nice, Adam. Clean lines but with a gentle flow..

Sarger..

[Lucas Bittick]

Good stuff-- thanks for posting. I bet its lateral strength is great with those dovetailed shelves.

[Jim Becker]

Welcome to SMC, Adam! Nice work.

[Anthony Watson]

No nails? I'm impressed. If I can't fire up the air nailer, I wouldn't know how to build a bookshelf. I also like the curve on top. I also feel like I'm in a rut where everything I build is a basic box in various sizes.

Great work!

[Adam Johan Bergren]

Thanks all! It is encouraging to hear your words!

For some reason, after every project I do, I find a whole bunch of errors, and think to myself, "I won't make any mistakes on my next project." So far, this has not come true!

On this project, I would have liked to have tighter joints in some places, although I admit these are pretty picky. I also had some manageable but significant tear-out on the tails, when I cut them in the shelves using my router table. I ended up wishing that I'd used a thin scrap to avoid tear-out on the work pieces. I guess with each project, I learn a lot, which is always good!

[glenn bradley]

I also feel like I'm in a rut where everything I build is a basic box in various sizes.

A bandsaw will do wonders for that ;-)

[glenn bradley]

That is a nice, clean looking unit. I am hurting for some bookshelves and you have inspired me to move them ahead of the planned chest of drawers in the grand scheme of things around here.

[Anthony Watson]

A bandsaw will do wonders for that ;-)

I bought a Grizzly bandsaw a year or two ago, but so far all I've used it for is making thinner boards for smaller boxes.

Anthony