Bookcases

[jaxenro]

Been working on some barrister style bookcases. Bottom shelf unit will be two drawers the next two up will have glass fronts. Modular they come apart into each shelf component and you can mix and match as well as make them taller or shorter. Will post some more photos later but here are a few in progress shots

[havanaholly]

Those would look really cool with some of your books in them.  I have a 1:1 barrister's bookcase, but it has no drawers.

[jaxenro]

I like the mix and match idea of them. Each section has a board on the bottom that fits into an opening on the section below. Even the top and base are made the same way. So I could use three shelf units, three drawer units, two drawer units and three shelf units, whatever is needed. I am also working up a drop down desk unit and a matching pedestal desk as well

I am working on the doors now. I am using microscope cover slides for glazing which is really thin glass and building the frame up from 1/32 x 1/16 and 1/8 strips. The glass is about 1/32 thick so it fits nicely. I have tested some hinge ideas where you can pull the front of the drawer up and then slide it about 1/3 of it's length back into the case so we will see how it all works out. I am sort of basing them on the plan above and some of this although theirs are a bit different

https://jansenfurniture.com/products/combination-7/

[LeeB]

I love these! Can't wait to see them finished. I have a full sized set with the base, 4 glass fronted units (with the kind of hinges you described) and the top. They are 19th c ones that my parents brought  over from Scotland, where we used to live. Mine have a deeper base with a step back of a few inches so the lower couple units can accommodate larger books. But the drawers sound like a great idea. What kind of hardware will you use?

[jaxenro]

Hi Lee

I am making my own hinges from brass rod and tubing. For pulls I bought some 1/24 scale door knobs which look about right for 1/12 scale pulls. The hinge will be a tiny piece of tubing mounted on the door and a long brass rod with an "L" shape at the end that will go into the tube. Then mounted in the case is another short length of tube that the rod will go into. So the door will pivot up and then slide back into the case (in theory anyway although I did mock up a test one and it worked). I plan on using a 1/32 piece of cherry sheet to cover it all up and provide a shelf for the door to sit on when it is pushed in.

Would love to see pictures of yours I am collecting pics of vintage ones to use for inspiration. One thing I like is since the base and top aren't glued on I can swap them out for different ones, say ones without a side overhang so I could make a "wall of shelves". I am making them from cherry with madrone burl veneer for the top. For the finish I am trying something different. I made a stain from an old recipe I found in a 1908 book on woodworking consisting of powdered alkanet root and dragons blood dissolved in alcohol which gives the cherry a deep red color (dragons blood was used by the old violin makers in their varnish to give it that deep red violin look and alkanet dissolved in oil is an old time gun stock finish) and then spray Deft satin lacquer. I wanted to avoid an oil finish as they will have books on them and oil finishes never completely seem to dry.

I am also working up some bookends to go on top. They will have a cast "marble" base (marble powder and dental plaster mix) and cast sphinx sculptures on top. I am waiting on the correct sized bases and some additional sphinx castings from Shapeways before I send them off to be cast but here are some preliminary shots (the bases are being redone to be longer and narrower)

[havanaholly]

What are you using for the sphinxes?  Doesn't look like the "white metal" Phoenix uses.

[jaxenro]

I had some custom designed and "printed" in bronze by shapeways to use as masters. I will have copies lost wax cast in brass. Shapeways actually prints a wax model and then lost wax casts it in bronze. When cast I plan to treat them a little to add a natural patina to the metal

Attached is a picture of a few of the doors I am making. They are 1/16 and 1/8 wide 1/32 strip. You can see the lip on the inside for the glass to fit in and the gap in the upper corners for the hinges. The microscope cover slides are 1" x 3" so I literally build each door around one using a magnetic building board and clamping and glueing each strip in place

[havanaholly]

The sphinxes looked silvery, not brass, on my monitor; probably the patina will calm that shine.

[jaxenro]

yes will give them the old hard boiled egg treatment

[jaxenro]

The doors are done just not hinged yet

having a little fun stacking and restacking the units I made a four unit bookshelf and a two unit chest of drawers

 

[jaxenro]

obviously i haven't finished the cabinets yet either which is why some are still light colored

do you draw plans up when making things from scratch? I do simple ones to size  this is the one i drew for the bookcases

[havanaholly]

2 hours ago, jaxenro said:

...do you draw plans up when making things from scratch? I do simple ones to size...

Yes, I use 1/4" grid paper.

[jaxenro]

Didn’t think of grid paper need to get some

[havanaholly]

When I make replacement pin-hinged doors and casement windows for my houses I trace the openings onto the grid paper to use as patterns.

[LeeB]

6 hours ago, havanaholly said:

Yes, I use 1/4" grid paper.

I do, too. The great thing about drawing plans to actual size is that you can really see exactly what it's going to look like and even pick pieces of wood or other materials by laying them over the drawing instead of having to measure everything. 

[havanaholly]

Once I'm sure of my measurements I cut out my paper pattern pieces and lay them on the wood to cut around.  The Magic Mending Tape works nicely for holding the pieces of paper in place.