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Arts-and-Crafts Book Stand: Sides, Shelf and Joinery From "Wood Works" episode WWK-311

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Figure A Figure B Figure C Figure D Figure E Figure F Figure G Figure H Figure I Figure J

Side Panels and Joinery

With the, templates made and the side-stock edge-glued and trimmed, work can begin fashioning the curved side-pieces and associated joinery.

Materials:

Walnut stock pieces
Hand router
Plunge router
Jig saw
Double-stick tape
Clamps; wood blocks
Safety glasses or goggles

Note: Cut sizes may vary. For exact measurements, please contact David Marks through his Web site -- information below under Resources.

Safety Alert: Always wear safety goggles or safety glasses when working with wood, power-tools, saws, drills, routers, etc.

Steps:

• Before the side pieces are cut from the walnut stock, the mortises for the shelf are laid out and cut. It's best to cut the mortises while the stock pieces are still square.

• Two 4-inch long mortises are cut 1/4-inch wide by 1/2-inch deep. Position the layout marks for the mortises so that they will be centered in the piece, 8-1/4 inches off the ground, with a 5/8-inch space between them (figure A).

• With the fence of the plunge router adjusted to reference against the edge of the finished side piece, cut the two mortises (figure B).

• With the mortises cut, work can begin on cutting and shaping the side panels. To cut the tight curves of the foot, use a jig saw and a narrow scroll-blade (figure C) that has 12 teeth per inch. To get a clean cut on the long, sweeping sides, use a wider blade with 10 teeth per inch.

• Using the jig saw, cut out the stock so that it's slightly oversized (figure D).

• With the side-template of MDF double-stick taped to the rough-cut walnut stock, flush-trim the edges using a hand router and carbide router bit (figure E).

• To attach the top to the side pieces, mortises need to be cut into the end-grain of the side panels. To keep the project simple, cut all mortises to the same dimension. The spacing of the mortises should be adjusted to suit the width of the stock. Position the mortises 1 inch from each end, leaving a 2-inch space between the cuts (figure F).

• Since the mortises are being cut into the narrow edge of the stock, use wood blocks -- lined up and clamped onto either side of the stock -- to provide a surface for the router to rest as you make the cuts. Draw layout marks on the blocks to indicate the positioning of the mortises (figure G).

  Tip: Use double-stick tape to help keep the blocks in place as you add the clamps.

• With the clamps in place, use the plunge router to cut the mortises with a1/4-inch spiral-carbide bit (figure H). Each mortise is 4 inches long and 3/8-inch deep.

• With the mortises cut, work can begin making the shelf. The shelf-stock is 3/4-inch thick and 10 inches wide. The design calls for the shelf to be 17-1/2 inches long. The shelf stock can be cut to length using a jig saw.

• Once rough-cut to the proper dimension, use the hand-router and flush-trim bit to cut the edge flat (figure I), using the flat edge of the MDF as a reference.

• Mortises will also need to be cut in the ends of the shelf stock. As before, mark the layout on the ends of the stock, and use blocks with matching layout marks to support the plunge router (figure J).

In the segment that follows, the top of the book stand is made from two book-matched pieces of claro walnut, and tenons are crafted using hand tools.

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RESOURCES :

Fine Woodworking
A magazine devoted to high-quality craftsmanship in woodworking.
The Taunton Press Inc.
Website: www.taunton.com

The Small Wood Shop (The Best of Fine Woodworking)
Author: Helen Albert (Editor)
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561580619

Woodworking Techniques: Best Methods for Building Furniture from Fine Woodworking
Author: Editors of Fine Woodworking magazine
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561583456

Mastering Woodworking Machines (Fine Woodworking Book)
Author: Mark Duginske
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 0942391985

David Marks Website
David Marks, DIY's Wood Works host, is a master woodworker. For more information on cut sizes and project details, please contact him via his Website at www.djmarks.com

The Complete Book of Wood Joinery
Author: Robert J. Decristoforo
Publisher: Sterling Publishing Co. ISBN: 0806999500

Popular Woodworking
F & W Publications, Inc.
Website: www.popularwoodworking.com