wide bookcase

Thu, Jul 15, 2004, 12:51pm (EDT-1) [email protected] (CNT) gurgles:
Well, hello :D I am back for a little advice <snip>

OK, I'll advice you, with a little free advise. Use your
imagination.

Free plans? Don' need no steenkin' plans.

Years back I needed bookshelves for books. A lot of books, and
heavy. Made two, each about 8' tall, and 8' wide. How much is that in
inches? Just bought what length wood they had in stock (8'), so no
cutting involved. Needed cheap, needed strong, needed fast, and needed
cheap. Made both out of 1X2" wood.

Now I suppose you want instructions. Sheesh. Nail strips along
the wall, sideways, spaced as far as you want the shelves high, nail to
the drywall stucds, and as high as you want shelves. I put a 1X3" strip
in front, on the floor, so the first shelf is not right on the floor.
Then nail strips vertically, as far apart as you want the supports to
be. Horizontal strip, matching the first. Vertical strip, matching the
first, and so on, until the shelves are as deep as you want. I did end
with a vertical strip. Very fast to put up, very cheap, very strong.
Still in the backroom, still in use. Hmm, that was probably late '81.
I think I had the whole thing up in about 2 hours. If I ever decide to
take it down, it'll probably take less than 4 hours - I figure something
like that is faster going up.

Have no idea if that's been done by anyone else, but probably.



JOAT

We've got a lot of experience of not having any experience.
- Nanny Ogg

Also, it may be a better idea to go buy from a store. I am just looking for
the cheapest way to do the bookcase. Sometimes buying something finished is
cheaper. All that matters is it's for the books. So, if you see a good deal
(be it from Borg(s) or whatever), let me know.

Thanks.

Chuck

Meaning I have to go all over and find those cinder blocks from yards? And
maybe boards in dumpsters where they are building houses? LOL

I just came back from OfficeMax and there was 28" wide by 6' tall for $25
each, think I'll just get two.

Chuck

> cinder blocks and pine boards.

No pride of authorship there, but if you care to, make it in sections ~20"
wide, dadoing the interior uprights either side of 3/4 ply, leaving 1/4 in
the middle. Fully glued, works great, and is reinforced by the addition of
edging strips. Also allows you to choose your own shelf size. Make the
bottom three for quarto size, upper four for octavo. I leave 3/4" open
space above the books for finger space.

With the step back the case is better balanced, and by making it in upper
and lower, you can take it with you easier if you so choose.

"CNT" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Meaning I have to go all over and find those cinder blocks from yards? And
> maybe boards in dumpsters where they are building houses? LOL
>
> I just came back from OfficeMax and there was 28" wide by 6' tall for $25
> each, think I'll just get two.
>
> Chuck
>
> > cinder blocks and pine boards.
>
>

OK, those are really FINE furniture!!!! I know, those will be good enough,
still chip wood.

Chuck

> I was just going to recommend to well know manufacturers of Fine
Furniture:
> Sauder and O'Sullivan.

Cheapest ?
Go to the local brick and block supplier and get some of their rejects. Use these for supports. Stack 2 high on each end
and place a 1x ? Across them. Do the same until you have reached the desired height. Easy to tear down if you need to.

JAW


CNT wrote:

> Well, hello :D I am back for a little advice (or advise, you know). I want
> to make a wide bookcase for my basement for many many books. Yes, it will be
> all load up with all books. I like to make it 80" tall by 60" wide. Is the
> only way to make it strong is to have a back attached (glued and biscuited)?
> I want to make it the cheapest, since it's for a basement. So, plywood is
> the way to do it (since solid pine would be too weak, wraps as books weights
> it)? Would a 12" deep be too much? What is avg depth for regular books?
> Should I make two bookcases or at least another board in the middle? I might
> make a door to cover it, would be a 1/4" thick or even thinner ones. Any
> comments or plans (ha ha, yes, for FREEEEEEE!!!!)?
>
> Chuck
>
>

You can add a front edge to the plywood shelves to help stiffen them up.

Heck you could buy 2x material up to 12" wide to build it out of.

Rich


"CNT" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Well, hello :D I am back for a little advice (or advise, you know). I want
> to make a wide bookcase for my basement for many many books. Yes, it will
be
> all load up with all books. I like to make it 80" tall by 60" wide. Is the
> only way to make it strong is to have a back attached (glued and
biscuited)?
> I want to make it the cheapest, since it's for a basement. So, plywood is
> the way to do it (since solid pine would be too weak, wraps as books
weights
> it)? Would a 12" deep be too much? What is avg depth for regular books?
> Should I make two bookcases or at least another board in the middle? I
might
> make a door to cover it, would be a 1/4" thick or even thinner ones. Any
> comments or plans (ha ha, yes, for FREEEEEEE!!!!)?
>
> Chuck
>
>
>

"CNT" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Also, it may be a better idea to go buy from a store. I am just looking
for
> the cheapest way to do the bookcase. Sometimes buying something finished
is
> cheaper. All that matters is it's for the books. So, if you see a good
deal
> (be it from Borg(s) or whatever), let me know.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Chuck
>

cinder blocks and pine boards.

For heavily loaded with books, you probably need to support the
shelves every 16-24 inches to prevent the shelves from
bowing/deflecting

John

"CNT" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...


> I just came back from OfficeMax and there was 28" wide by 6' tall for $25
> each, think I'll just get two.

I was just going to recommend to well know manufacturers of Fine Furniture:
Sauder and O'Sullivan.