Walnut bookcase unit is done....
#11
I finally got around to finishing the walnut bookcase unit I started before xmas. The 3 piece unit has sat patiently awaiting warmer weather for some lacquer top coating. I started a build thread on this project but many of the remaining photos are on my old phone waiting to be transferred over. I thought I'd post the final product with a few thoughts on this build.

One of my biggest fears and challenges with this build was making 3 stand alone cabinets that would butt and fasten to each other so they wouldn't look like 'butted up cabinets'. The 7,8" height made things even more interesting. Attaching the face frames to the boxes and keeping everything square was a pain in the rear. Using biscuits on the last two helped tremendously. The extra length provided plenty of material that wanted to flop and sway without the biscuits. Not using biscuits on the first glue up did throw me a bit off square on my middle cabinet which I paid for when installing all three side by side.

Another monotonous task was drilling all the shelf holes with a home made jig. If you have lots of shelf pin holes to drill, invest in a good jig. My holes turned out well for what I was working with given my shelfs sit flat and don't wobble. Luckily, I didn't have trouble shoot any of them. I used the "L" shaped shelf pins/brackets as they had a wider surface for wood contact. If you ever need shelf pins or brackets, buy good ones. I ordered cheap ones off Ebay that looked like they'd been trimmed with bolt cutters. Lesson learned. I ended up with a rubbed bronze version from Woodcraft. They were dimensioned very well with a nice semi snug fit in the hole.

The finish is Sherwin Williams high build pre cat lacquer in medium rubbed effect. I went back and forth between using this and dull rubbed effect. I think the dull rubbed effect may have looked a tad better on the walnut given the pores. I don't love the medium rubbed effect on the walnut but it's OK. I do love SW's pre cat lacquer though. The high build is great product as is the pre cat CAB lacquer. I had a great color disparity between the Missouri walnut and the walnut plywood. The walnut had a very red hue to it and many of the plywood pieces were simply "blah" and much lighter than the hardwood. I ended up shooting 3 light coats of Transtint Dark Walnut in lacquer thinner to help blend the colors better. I also really like the little bit of darkness it provides. I'm hoping the TT and UV absorbing lacquer will help keep the walnut nice and dark for years to come. I know many cringe to see walnut get anything but an oil based or shellac product but this is what I like for certain--not all--walnut pieces. This also blends better with the dark tinted black cherry dining set across the hallway. I used one pint of LT with 40 drops of dye. Nothing highly scientific as I knew I'd have to add more coats to certain shelfs and pieces compared to others. I used an Earlex 5500 for the dye and it works well with thin viscosity products.

I recently posted a thread on leveling and attaching the cases to each other. This was a greater task then I ever imagined it would be. This is another reason this project stressed me out a bit. Anything 'off' would stand out like a sore thumb when it was time to put them together. Getting everything perfect--which was my goal--was not going to happen. My far right case was a bit off from lining up the top trim and bottom trim. I ended up having to split the difference--a small amount--but it still wasn't going to be perfect. I can live with it but this is a reason why I wouldn't ever build this project again. A stand alone one piece project or built it can absorb a little here or there without being noticed. These 3 cases put side by side will show where you're off. I ended up leveling the cases the best I could and clamping them together at the face frames. I then added a piece of 2" thin flat bar stock with screws to the backside of the top trim pieces. I then added commercial style connector bolts underneath the case. This kept me from drilling into the finished 3/4" plywood sides where the hardware would of shown. I then dialed in the leveling feet as good as possible and got the whole unit slide back up again the wall. I used 2" "L" brackets screwed in the top ply and then a wall stud. I used my 7" Stabila level and they are dead nuts on plumb. They are also rock solid. I can see a little bit of light coming through at the top molding when standing straight on but it's not bad at all. As much as I wanted everything really tight, I'm pretty happy overall with how they turned out. One of the biggest challenges came when my wife knocked one of the finished cabinets over in the garage with the overhead door. I had moved it temporarily to run downstairs to the shop for something and I heard a huge crashing sound while in the basement. Luckily it snapped the face frames nearly perfect for a repair. The repair turned out well and it's not noticeable. Anyhow, it took me twice as long to build then I thought it would. I believe I had 60 hours in the build and a couple days finishing and installing. I'm glad it's done. Time to clean the shop and beg my wife to let me put some woodworking books on this monster....































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#12
WOW!

Very nice work.

Ed
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#13
Before I read you post I looked at the pics and planned on complimenting you on your seams between the units. I know what it's like to know your flaws as the guy who built it, but I'm impressed, nice work!
Benny

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#14
Thank you very much. I am my own worse critic and in all reality, the seams aren't terrible but I was wanting perfect--don't we all? I photographed the one top one at its worst angle possible--head on and close. The bookcase is primarily viewed at a side angle though. Once the case is loaded up it further deter the eye from where the cabinets butt up to each other.

I extended the height of this Woodsmith plan which made the potential for "seams" even greater. I thought about making some walnut scribe and attaching it over the seams with magnets/metal inserts but I have much bigger fish to fry. Overall, I'm pretty happy with how they turned out. The lacquer is baby butt smooth and it--along with the walnut--will be noticed much more then where the cabinets adjoin. Thanks again for the nice words...


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#15
Well they turned out really nice Damon. Very crisp workmanship, and you really got the color matched well between the hardwood and ply. That little light coming through the top molding - only you will see it, but if it really bothers you just put a piece of tape over it on the backside. I've done that a couple of times. And next time, if there ever is, you might consider adding the molding after the cabinets are in place. That way the molding spans all three cabinets so there are no seams to deal with and it will cover any little variation in height of the cabinets, both at the top and bottom, plus, the bottom molding will sit tight to the floor.

John
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#16
The bookcases look great.
Nice write up and photos too.
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#17
Really nice. A couple of coats of white Rustoleum to add some class.

I did a slew of holes using a home made jig produced from peg board. I taped over the holes I did not want to drill, and I used a 7mm Vix bit to do the holes. It went as fast as any commercial jig--or just as fast as I was able to move the drill from hole to hole.

I bought the black colored shelf pins on Amazon.com at a very good price for 100 pieces. I forget what but about 1/20th the cost of buying at Lowes.

A really nice job. Maybe you can skip the Rustoleum.
No animals were injured or killed in the production of this post.
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#18
Hi John,

I thought about adding the molding after the three boxes were built and I would probably do it that way if I ever built another set. If I did it that way, I would have to do something very similar to what you did with your recent crown molding project and the molding would have to be screwed on so it could later be removed. I would also have to pre finish the molding before attaching it.

As this unit sits, 3 pieces adjoined, I cannot get it out of my house. This is what appealed to me with this plan--a big built in style unit that I wouldn't ever have to leave behind. Building it in place and attached to the wall would of been much easier and more forgiving.

I learned a lot on this project. Thank you again for all your advise along the way. I can't tell you how much I appreciated that. I will keep the tape trick in mind. I will see what the wife says when she gets home from work. I doubt she'll notice it. She's anxious to put her leather bound Easton Press books out. She's a big reader....

I have another wall that would be perfect for a bookcase upstairs but a farm table will be next on the list. I have the legs and rough sawn 6/4" walnut standing by. I need to finalize the plans before I start cutting any boards. I'm planning on trying bread board ends for the first time. Be prepared for some incoming PM's....


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#19
My pegboard jig worked OK but the more I used it the more the peg board holes were wanting to wallow out a bit. I ended up buying the Kreg on sale at Lowe's to only get home and find out it wouldn't space out at 2" steps. I ended up keeping it anyways.

White Rustoleum? Now you sound like the guys I work with. They are rattle can spray paint kings. Which is much better then borrowing my spray equipment....or me with my spray equipment.


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#20
Kansas City Fireslayer said:


My pegboard jig worked OK but the more I used it the more the peg board holes were wanting to wallow out a bit. I ended up buying the Kreg on sale at Lowe's to only get home and find out it wouldn't space out at 2" steps. I ended up keeping it anyways.

White Rustoleum? Now you sound like the guys I work with. They are rattle can spray paint kings. Which is much better then borrowing my spray equipment....or me with my spray equipment.




The trick is to only drill with a vix bit. With the vix bit I had no tearout (I was using oak ply for the book case) and no wear and tear on the pegboard. I found th 7mm box bit on Amazon.com.
No animals were injured or killed in the production of this post.
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