I’m preparing to make the V-shelf bookcase in Taunton’s publication “Bookcases” by Niall Barrett. The bookcase happens to be featured on the Fine Woodworking home page. According to the text all the parts, including the vertical supports, are only a 1/2″ thick. The shelves are joined to the vertical supports with biscuits. Since I don’t have a biscuit joiner I’ll be using mortise and tenons. But in either case the tenon can’t be more than about 3/8 inch deep. Particularly for a biscuit because it is curved, the average depth will be less than 3/8 inch.
It doesn’t seem like enough depth to make a secure joint, since the bookcase may be subjected to a little racking. What do you think? – can this bookcase last more than a few months using biscuits in a 1/2 inch thick vertical support? Would you use thicker supports? Thanks in advance.
Replies
You can, if you want, make biscuit slots with a router. Is that an option for you, or is the M&T the path you want to take?
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
You would be able to use a router to cut biscuit slots in the shelves, but it wouldn't work for the sides. I wouldn't use biscuits for the main joinery in anything. Especially that bookcase being it doesn't have a back. I think I would use wedged through mortise and tenons. You can always tweak the thickness or change stuff, it's your world, do what you want. John E. Nanasy.
I agree w/John. Through-wedged multiple m&t joints would be strong and decorative. Time consuming, true, but what have you got but time? Heh?
Also, why not make eveything 3/4" instead of 1/2"? Hmmm...?wb
Ben
I made this bookcase for a class at a local Woodcraft. Trust me it is very strong,I did however use 5/8" material over the 1/2". I think 3/4" will look too heavy.If you dont have a biscut joiner use dowels to locate your V's to the sides, a slot cutter would work only for the slots to assemble V's. Also assemble the unit in steps. After your V shelves are dry layout there locations on the sides and drill for dowels. I glued my biscuts in the ends of the shelves first and let set up,This made the final assemble much cleaner and easier. I have one of these cases in my home and it is loaded with full size woodworking book's a total of probably 150# and it is still square and the V shelves have not saged. I changed the overall height on mine and shelf spacing to acomadate larger books you might want to consider this before you begin. I think this shelf was designed more for smaller paper back books this is the perfect spacing for them. The student's that attended this class were also very pleased with the project. We used ribon Mahagony with a oil and wax finish. Someday I will do one in Cherry.
Good Luck
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