Would this hold? Plan B

[woodywoodpecker]

After much debate with another friend of mine about the sturdiness of the earlier book shelf, I am finally planning on building someone even more simpler. Below is the plan.

Assuming the shelf depth is 12 inches I was thinking if I can cut 6 inches in all the connecting pieces and then fit them thru like a puzzle it would look more nicer. Please ignore my lack of proper woodworking terminology. :dontknow:

I am planning on connecting all the pieces together with pocket holes so that the pieces do not come apart. And then follow it up with low voltage puck light or LED lights.

Thoughts? Recommendations?

 

[Bigdog72]

I submit that the pocket holes would show. Why not trust it to the glue?

 

[Tarhead]

I agree with Bigdog. Pocketscrews holding the shelves will show. You will have lots of glue surface. How will you attach it to the wall?

 

[Mike Davis]

A couple brads will hold it while the glue dries. I heard that somewhere. :roll:

But really some finish nails driven at 45° will not show and will hold the pieces together.

 

[Bill Clemmons]

I think this design will be sturdier than the last one, but I have the same question as Mark: how will it be attached to the wall? :icon_scra

Bill

 

[dlrion]

That will be a lot sturdier. :thumbs_up

One simple question from an electrical guy though... Where are you planning to put the wires for the lights? It could be somewhat unsightly if you don't plan ahead.

 

[gdoebs]

My thoughts (BTW, I like the design!)

1. pocket screws could work, I would just put them on the back edge of the horizontal pieces. Although, once you attached the vertical pieces to the wall, the shelves could just slide into the verticals with no glue or screws.

2. electrical... I'd route grooves in the back edge of the verticals and the shelves to run the wires. If you want a puck light in the middle of the shelf, I'd drill a long hole through the back edge then join it with a hole in the bottom of the shelf.

3. I'd only attach the verticals to the wall. Get some heavy duty angle brackets and make mortises for them in the back edge and bottom/top edges of the verticals. You'd mount the angle brackets to the wall (in studs!) then slide the verticals over them and attach the brackets with screws.

 

[ehpoole]

If you want to secure the shelves with screws, I think a better choice than pocket screws would be a 4-6" deck screw driven in through the rear of the shelve's vertical supports. You might have to drill a relief hole a few inches deep on the drill press to accept the screw so that it still intersects the shelf (or use an even longer screw), but that is easy enough. This will ensure that no shelf can be pulled free of the vertical support while still remaining 100% invisible. In this case glue would be optional, but it never hurts if you don't ever intend to disassemble it for moves.

The suggestion to route grooves in the rear and use intersecting holes for lighting is exactly what I would do to hide the wiring, just remember to leave extra room for the wiring connections (I recommend soldering the connections, then using heatshrink tubing to cover the soldered joints -- that will spare you multiple power cords or the bulk of wirenuts). TIP: remember to place the heatshrink tubing over each wire *before* you solder them together -- I do this regularly and even I forget this simple, yet obvious, step!

With regard to point 3 in the previous post, you could either attach the verticals to the wall, as suggested, (if they intersect a stud), or you can tie into the wall anywhere along width of the top shelf -- the interlocked design will prevent any other part of the shelf from pulling away from the wall. You could even use pocket holes (drilled into the top of the upper shelf) to tie it into the studs if you wish, just use 2-1/2" or longer screws (and set the jig for 3/4" to ensure plenty of length to penetrate the drywall and stud). Make the attachment at 2-3 points to ensure that the shelf cannot topple if unevenly loaded.

 

[Dean Maiorano]

MOUNTING IDEA:

- 2 - 4 metal keyhole brackets on the back of your vertical components. This will require sufficient thickness in the verticals and a solid HARD wood is preferred:

Image found at this URL -
http://www.azwoodman.com/mounting-brackets.html


LIGHTING IDEA:

- Mini LED pucks and rechargeable AAA's (no wires):

Image found at this URL -
http://www.pegasusassociates.com/led-battery-pucklight-pml300.html