Shelf pins for bookcase – strong enough?
losttexan
| Posted in New To Woodworking on
I’m thinking about using metal shelf pins to hold up bookcase shelves, since I want to be able to adjust the shelves. One big question is whether they are strong enough — does anyone have a view on whether pins like this can support a 24-32″ shelf of books? Would be fit into holes in veneered plywood.
I’m thinking of something like these:
hmm. didn’t seem like the pix uploaded, but here’s the range at Rockler and I was thinking about simple pins or the L-shaped ones: http://www.rockler.com/CategoryView.cfm?Cat_ID=173
thanks!
Peter
Replies
Peter-
Those pins will be plenty strong for a bookshelf. I use the spoon-shaped brass pins. They also make them with insertable sleeves for added strength and looks. Try Woodworkers' Hardware for bulk prices.
To bore the pin holes, I use a 4-feet long piece of tempered pegboard with a plunge router and a 1/4" upcut spiral solid carbide bit with a 1/4" I.D. template bushing. To make the jig, pick a row of holes on the pegboard and bore all the holes out to 1/64" over the O.D. of the bushing, and chamfer the holes to ease the bushing's entrance into the holes. Carefully determine the hole placement (mirror image on opposite cabinet sides) , clamp the jig and plunge away. I place a small piece of masking tape over the jig holes I don't want to use to avoid drilling too many holes or getting the holes out of sequence. (DAMHIKT)
Hope this helps.
kreuzie
Avoid undersized shelves
The pins will be strong enough but the better the length fits into the opening, the stronger they will be. This is especially true for the flat ones. I have made some shelves that had excessive gaps between the end of the shelves and the sides of the case and the flat ones have bent downward from the weight on the shelves.
Shelf supports
Note that I did not say shelf "pins".
I have had great luck with the piano wire gizmos.These are lengths of, what I call piano wire, about 1/16th" thick, bent to fit a slot in the end of the shelf. The holes in the uprights are then much less visible.
Frosty
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