Packard
Member
Prior to the pandemic, me and several of my buddies had an early morning coffee club at the local Starbucks. That “club” never regained its footing after the pandemic, and I stopped going to that Starbucks and started going to a much closer coffee shop.
But the old Starbucks set up a “leave-a-book-take-a-book” free library. It was a popular feature, but the IKEA shelf unit was not up to the stress of a busy retail environment.
I had some left over melamine-clad particle board and I volunteered to make a replacement. That was about 12 - 15 years ago.
I was in the throes of my “no fastener” construction phase, and this unit was built with no fasteners (later modifications included pin nailing).
All panels were 3/4” thick (including the back panel). All joints were 3/8” deep dadoes, glued and clamped.
I originally applied white PVC edge banding, but that quickly deteriorated and I took the case back and applied oak iron on edge banding with stain and clear coat (It was probably either waterborne acrylic, or oil based poly).
The book case originally had small nail in plastic feet. But a couple of years later, sloppy wet mopping was taking a tole on the particle board at the base. I took back the cabinet and replaced the small feet with 5/8” tall screw in rubber feet. I also added a base molding made from resin (to hide the water damage). The plastic base molding was intended for exterior use and has resisted all mopping efforts to destroy it.
I went back to that Starbucks store yesterday when the Barnes & Noble cafe was closed for plumbing issues. I took the photo (below) yesterday.
In retrospect, I should have made large radius on the front of the vertical panels. It is pretty sharp and probably a hazard. Also, I see that there is some chipping of the edge banding at those corners. If I had used 2” radius corners, it would have been safer and then I could have edge banded the top and front as one piece. Less chance of chipping.
The one lesson learned: Never underestimate the tolls that the retail environment can make on store fixtures.
Also, the no-fastener joinery stood up remarkably well. I would note that I brushed on two coats of Woodworker’s III for each dado. Particle board absorbs so much of the glue that the joint can be glue-starved with a single coat. But it is a race against the clock (and the open time for the glue). I recommend the two coat method.
But the old Starbucks set up a “leave-a-book-take-a-book” free library. It was a popular feature, but the IKEA shelf unit was not up to the stress of a busy retail environment.
I had some left over melamine-clad particle board and I volunteered to make a replacement. That was about 12 - 15 years ago.
I was in the throes of my “no fastener” construction phase, and this unit was built with no fasteners (later modifications included pin nailing).
All panels were 3/4” thick (including the back panel). All joints were 3/8” deep dadoes, glued and clamped.
I originally applied white PVC edge banding, but that quickly deteriorated and I took the case back and applied oak iron on edge banding with stain and clear coat (It was probably either waterborne acrylic, or oil based poly).
The book case originally had small nail in plastic feet. But a couple of years later, sloppy wet mopping was taking a tole on the particle board at the base. I took back the cabinet and replaced the small feet with 5/8” tall screw in rubber feet. I also added a base molding made from resin (to hide the water damage). The plastic base molding was intended for exterior use and has resisted all mopping efforts to destroy it.
I went back to that Starbucks store yesterday when the Barnes & Noble cafe was closed for plumbing issues. I took the photo (below) yesterday.
In retrospect, I should have made large radius on the front of the vertical panels. It is pretty sharp and probably a hazard. Also, I see that there is some chipping of the edge banding at those corners. If I had used 2” radius corners, it would have been safer and then I could have edge banded the top and front as one piece. Less chance of chipping.
The one lesson learned: Never underestimate the tolls that the retail environment can make on store fixtures.
Also, the no-fastener joinery stood up remarkably well. I would note that I brushed on two coats of Woodworker’s III for each dado. Particle board absorbs so much of the glue that the joint can be glue-starved with a single coat. But it is a race against the clock (and the open time for the glue). I recommend the two coat method.
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