I have some very basic skills, in terms of being somewhat handy with tools and knowing enough to keep from cutting my fingers off with a saw. That's about it though. I don't have a table saw, just a standard handheld circular. I do have a good router though and a routing table.
I want to build one of those cube style bookshelves. Seems like a pretty basic thing that would be beginner friendly. Trying to decide on some design choices for how to assemble it.
It's going to be fairly large, 16 cubes, 4X4. And I still want it to be somewhat easy to move, so I'm thinking two upright 4X2 units and sit them side by side. My plan is a big box with a center vertical riser, dadoes cut into the sides and center for shelves to fit into. I'm shooting for a bit larger than the standard cube size, mine will be 15" cubes.
Open questions I have are:
1. What material to use. Furniture grade plywood, or MDF. I was thinking 3/4 inch but not sure if that's strong enough. I'd say the shelves need to be able to handle at least 20 pounds. Advantage of MDF is cheaper, and in my case free (sort of) since I have a 4X8 sheet in my basement doing nothing. I'm going to be painting it black.
2. Using butt joints for the corners. Does it matter whether the top and bottom are sandwiched between the sides, or vice versa? I kinda like the idea of doing it the other way, because then the sides and center can be identical lengths with the dadoes at exactly the same spot. But if there's some structural reason for doing it the other way then ok.
3. I'd also like to make the middle of the three shelves removable. Or possibly the top shelf, haven't decided. I'm debating how to mount those shelves. Either with dadoes like the rest and just slide them out when needed. Or attach blocks on the sides and cut a shelf to fit by just sitting on the blocks. Or maybe just drill some holes in the sides, get some of those metal pins to stick in there, and sit the shelf on that. Or something I haven't thought of yet.
So yeah, any advice is great. Thanks.
I want to build one of those cube style bookshelves. Seems like a pretty basic thing that would be beginner friendly. Trying to decide on some design choices for how to assemble it.
It's going to be fairly large, 16 cubes, 4X4. And I still want it to be somewhat easy to move, so I'm thinking two upright 4X2 units and sit them side by side. My plan is a big box with a center vertical riser, dadoes cut into the sides and center for shelves to fit into. I'm shooting for a bit larger than the standard cube size, mine will be 15" cubes.
Open questions I have are:
1. What material to use. Furniture grade plywood, or MDF. I was thinking 3/4 inch but not sure if that's strong enough. I'd say the shelves need to be able to handle at least 20 pounds. Advantage of MDF is cheaper, and in my case free (sort of) since I have a 4X8 sheet in my basement doing nothing. I'm going to be painting it black.
2. Using butt joints for the corners. Does it matter whether the top and bottom are sandwiched between the sides, or vice versa? I kinda like the idea of doing it the other way, because then the sides and center can be identical lengths with the dadoes at exactly the same spot. But if there's some structural reason for doing it the other way then ok.
3. I'd also like to make the middle of the three shelves removable. Or possibly the top shelf, haven't decided. I'm debating how to mount those shelves. Either with dadoes like the rest and just slide them out when needed. Or attach blocks on the sides and cut a shelf to fit by just sitting on the blocks. Or maybe just drill some holes in the sides, get some of those metal pins to stick in there, and sit the shelf on that. Or something I haven't thought of yet.
So yeah, any advice is great. Thanks.