jaxenro Posted September 30, 2019 Share Posted September 30, 2019 I looked through my scrap pile and I have three sheets of old Mahogany 3 x 24 - so old the stickers are yellow and faded. They are 1/32, 1/16 (2/32), and 3/32" thick, one of each. I did some studying and decided on a pair of bookcases so I drew up some plans this time. This is a rough sketch of what I am going to make. Brown will be plain mahogany red a flame mahogany veneer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxenro Posted October 1, 2019 Author Share Posted October 1, 2019 I broke the plan down into sections so I can build it in sub assemblies. The main body - section 2 - will be 3/32" thick mahogany by 1" deep. This will fit a 3/4" to 7/8" deep book with a little to spare. The distance between the shelves is 1" with even spacing. Since I have everything on hand to start the main body I am beginning there. Each case requires twelve parts, two sides, four shelves, and six doublers. I am setting this up as kit and will start by cutting the twenty-four parts and sanding them to size. I have my Dobson miter saw and recently acquired this to help keep my sanding square https://www.micromark.com/Sand-It 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatFord Posted October 1, 2019 Share Posted October 1, 2019 Thank you for sharing all the details! I will need to build several shelves in the near future and this is very helpful. If you don't mind a couple of questions?? I'm a novice at this, but what the doublers for? And what miter saw do you use? Thanks! I can't wait to watch this build. Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxenro Posted October 1, 2019 Author Share Posted October 1, 2019 Doublers aren't standard but I am using them for two reasons: 1. Shelf Supports 2. It is easier than making thicker sides and cutting slots for the shelves to sit in plus I am using the 3/32" I have on hand, and I want the sides to total 3/16" thick so I can veneer them. The top is 3/8" thick comprised of two 3/16" thick sections, as is the base with an additional 1/4" section, and the side posts will be 3/16". I am using 3/16" as a standard to try to keep everything proportional. American Empire style was very classical order based and that often uses multiples of a standard like the drawing below. I am simplifying it though. I use this as a miter saw https://www.micromark.com/Miter-Rite although I know some here use this (I don't have one) and seem to like them a lot https://www.micromark.com/Miter-Master 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatFord Posted October 1, 2019 Share Posted October 1, 2019 Thanks for the information! I appreciate it. Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxenro Posted October 1, 2019 Author Share Posted October 1, 2019 I will post each step for you but I am definitely a novice myself so I doubt I can teach you much 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted October 1, 2019 Share Posted October 1, 2019 I hadn't made bookshelves with doublers. I used a wee "V" blade carving tool to cut grooves in the sides for one, but usually I just cut bits of squared toothpicks and glue them to support the shelves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxenro Posted October 2, 2019 Author Share Posted October 2, 2019 Doublers really only work if you are going to cover the front sides with something like a thin board or veneer. Otherwise they look odd with the two layers of wood showing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxenro Posted October 2, 2019 Author Share Posted October 2, 2019 Kim, let me know if I am overdoing it on the steps. I wanted to be detailed for you but I don't want to get redundant Anyway I stripped the 3/32 x 3 x 24 into three 1 x 24 pieces and cut the two end ones into 1 x 12's. This gave me four 1 x 12's which I then squared up the front and end and taped into a bundle. This gives me a nice set 4 pieces thick I can then use to cut almost identical pieces from 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxenro Posted October 2, 2019 Author Share Posted October 2, 2019 And here's the Dobson all ready for action. Pokey is sleeping through the process she likes to get involved when I am applying the finish and she can embed a few hairs 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FurMama Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 Cat hair...the ultimate condiment/accessory/embellishment! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxenro Posted October 2, 2019 Author Share Posted October 2, 2019 All the little bundles cut out and ready to sand. I will sand them square on all four edges using the Sand-It tool. Each bundle has four identical parts so the six bundles contain the twenty-four parts we need to make the body part of two bookcases. I leave them bundled together until they are squared up 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NellBell Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 Please be detailed I'm also watching to learn . So cool 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatFord Posted October 3, 2019 Share Posted October 3, 2019 On 10/2/2019, 8:33:01, Miniatures in Marble said: Kim, let me know if I am overdoing it on the steps. I wanted to be detailed for you but I don't want to get redundant Anyway I stripped the 3/32 x 3 x 24 into three 1 x 24 pieces and cut the two end ones into 1 x 12's. This gave me four 1 x 12's which I then squared up the front and end and taped into a bundle. This gives me a nice set 4 pieces thick I can then use to cut almost identical pieces from You are not overdoing it at all! I like seeing all the steps. Thank you for doing this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted October 3, 2019 Share Posted October 3, 2019 Well done, Joel. What sort of tape are you using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxenro Posted October 4, 2019 Author Share Posted October 4, 2019 For that part? Just a generic Scotch type tape nothing special. It doesn't stick to the wood all that well, which is fine, but sticks to itself so after the first wrap it is really taping itself. No real residue to clean off just wrap it tight and it will work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted October 4, 2019 Share Posted October 4, 2019 The photos made it resemble the paper tape we used to use on folks with adhesive sensitivity, and that only really sticks to itself, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxenro Posted October 4, 2019 Author Share Posted October 4, 2019 I hadn't thought of that tape. My wife has adhesive sensitivity and I was using it to keep her Parkinson's medication patch from coming off. It would probably be perfect for this type of application. Anyway here are some shots of using the Sand-It tool to sand the edges square. I am only concerned about the cut edges at this point will show why later 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxenro Posted October 4, 2019 Author Share Posted October 4, 2019 And here we begin gluing. I use enough glue so a little creeps out when clamping but not so much so it gushes out. I used a scrap of 3/32 as a spacer and clamped up the first doubler, making sure the front edge is square. If the sides are sanded square to the front edge and th front edge square to the shelf side then everything will line up correctly and the shelves will be level. If the back edge is slightly off we can clean it up by sanding later on. One thing to watch for is that the doubler can twist when tightening the clamp down. Go slow with the clamp until it is tight and watch that nothing gets out of alignment. Then clean up any excess glue that squeezed out the side and use the spacer to add the next piece. Keep the spacer in place until the second doubler is clamped down then remove the spacer so it doesn't get glued in and clean up any excess glue. Repeat for the third doubler. I lined up the spacer with the bottom edge, then the doubler, then the spacer, the second doubler, etc. If there is any excess on the side (I cut it a tad over long) I will clean it up at the top after assembly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxenro Posted October 4, 2019 Author Share Posted October 4, 2019 Notice I haven't sanded the flat sides yet. Personally I think the glue grips a little better on an unsanded surface as it is less slick and has more grain to grab ahold of. Once the doublers are in place we will sand the inside flat surfaces as they would be near impossible to sand when it is assembled. The outside flat surfaces will be veneered so very little sanding is required 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted October 4, 2019 Share Posted October 4, 2019 I have had no problem whatsoever with wood glue adhering to sanded surfaces as well as to unsanded ones; so long as it's bare wood to bare wood and I clean the sanded surface really well with a tack cloth I'm good to go. I really like the nylon spring clamps for working in mini. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxenro Posted October 4, 2019 Author Share Posted October 4, 2019 Neither have I with gluing sanded wood. Clean and dry are probably the two biggest concerns when gluing. Your tack cloth is perfect for removing sanding dust because we don't want to glue dust to dust. BTW I am using Titebond III. Miniatures are a bit different in that they don't get the stress of a full size piece and they don't weigh that much. One reason I like mahogany and walnut over basswood is basswood doesn't weigh anything, but there is nothing wrong with basswood just a personal preference. Also when gluing edge grain I usually put a layer of glue on and let it dry on the edge, then put another on and clamp the join, but with a miniature is it worth it? Probably overkill but I often do it anyway. My way is definitely not the only way, or the best way, it is just my way :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxenro Posted October 4, 2019 Author Share Posted October 4, 2019 39 minutes ago, havanaholly said: I really like the nylon spring clamps for working in mini. I bought a pile of those there is a HF near me. When I am making miniature longbows (1:3 scale) I laminate three layers of wood (This one is Satinwood, Ebony, and Lemonwood with Ebony Tips) and found they didn't provide enough force to make a tight glue joint. The bow would come apart when drawing and tillering it. So I switched to C clamps. Now the bow's have a lot more stress on them than miniature furniture 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted October 4, 2019 Share Posted October 4, 2019 I meant for making dollhouse minis! C-clamps are da bomb for anything that will have stress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxenro Posted October 5, 2019 Author Share Posted October 5, 2019 The doublers are all glued. I did a quick mock up assembly to see how it looked. Not perfect but acceptable I guess. Then I sanded the shelf faces and inside faces of the doublers, places that would be near impossible to sand when it is assembled, and glued up and clamped the first one. Meanwhile I am starting the same process on the second one 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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