Offset Bookcase

[oldhudson]

I haven't posted anything for a while so I thought I'd jump in with my latest project. My wife found a picture of this on the internet and said, "build me one of these to fit in the space between the wall and the east window in the family room". This has not been completed as we are at loggerheads as how to finish it. It's not even glued up because I prefer to add finish before assembly if I can.

This entire the project was made with off-cuts from other projects. No wood was purchased. Some of the pw is birch and some maple. All the wood edging is poplar.

The height is 46.25"  the width 24.5" and the depth 8.25"

I ripped all the pw with a track saw and cross cut to length at the table saw. I used two methods of joinery. There are some dados that position and supply additional glue surface for some of vertical pieces and I used dowels. The edging was ripped at the bandsaw and then planned to smooth it out. It's 1/4". No screws or nails - just dowels, dados and glue. The edging was slightly oversize.  A trim router and flush trim bit were used to cut it back so it was the same thickness as the pw.

Suggestions for finishing and comments welcome. When it's done I will finish a final pic.  Thanks for reading.

[Clayton717]

Great looking shelf. I recently but a dresser for my daughter and use tung oil finish and rubbed it on. I like the finish it produced. 

[amazingkevin]

14 hours ago, oldhudson said:

I haven't posted anything for a while so I thought I'd jump in with my latest project. My wife found a picture of this on the internet and said, "build me one of these to fit in the space between the wall and the east window in the family room". This has not been completed as we are at loggerheads as how to finish it. It's not even glued up because I prefer to add finish before assembly if I can.

This entire the project was made with off-cuts from other projects. No wood was purchased. Some of the pw is birch and some maple. All the wood edging is poplar.

The height is 46.25"  the width 24.5" and the depth 8.25"

I ripped all the pw with a track saw and cross cut to length at the table saw. I used two methods of joinery. There are some dados that position and supply additional glue surface for some of vertical pieces and I used dowels. The edging was ripped at the bandsaw and then planned to smooth it out. It's 1/4". No screws or nails - just dowels, dados and glue. The edging was slightly oversize.  A trim router and flush trim bit were used to cut it back so it was the same thickness as the pw.

Suggestions for finishing and comments welcome. When it's done I will finish a final pic.  Thanks for reading.

not only do you have the best tools but the best woodworking knowledge too

[meflick]

Do you want it painted to match a color scheme in the room?  Stained to keep the wood grains showing?  How much use and abuse do you expect it to get?  Will things be set on there and left most of the time other than cleaning or is it a place things will be moved and placed on and off regularly?  All of those questions and answers will go a long way towards helping you figure out the best way to finish it off.  Looks like you have done a great job and look forward to seeing it completed and installed.  Thanks for sharing.

[Rob]

Good job.  That dowel jig is a beauty.

Rob

[oldhudson]

1 hour ago, Rob said:

Good job.  That dowel jig is a beauty.

Rob

Yes it is. It's a Dowelmax, a Canadian company. I use it often instead of mortise and tenon joinery. Much simpler. It's simple to use, flexible and dead-on accurate. 

[oldhudson]

Well I finally completed this project. I ended up finishing with garnet shellac (5 coats). I tried both brushing it on and using the 'pad' technique. I really wasn't happy with the results. But it is what it is. I think maybe I thicker cut. I was using 1 oz of shellac flakes to 8 oz of alcohol.

[Bill WIlson]

Brushing shellac is a challenge.  It dries so fast that it's hard to keep a wet edge and forget about going back over it to even out the coverage.  Padding or French polishing is a very traditional way of applying shellac and those who have done it say it produces a beautiful finish.  I've never tried it, but from what I've read, it takes some practice and only works really well on open, flat surfaces.

I spray most of the shellac I use and I'm pretty happy with the results I get.  Shellac sprays well, once you get the process dialed in.