Chuck Wilson said:
Well, SWMBO has dictated a request for a toy shelf for my daughter's room. Except, when she explained it to me, it seemed to be more of a book shelf that was deeper than a standard bookshelf. So, anyone built something similar to what I am talking about.
As a side note, I purchased a TS 75 with the CT 33 Dust Extractor in the fall and kicked out a bunch of pickets for a fence. Got some wooden storm windows in the works for out older colonial. Might this be a reason for some more Festools (Maybe a Domino)?
Regards,
Chuck
Chuck,
I've built a few cabinets and bookcases and such. Right now, I'm helping my dad and we're doing a 10' wall unit for my mom's sewing room. Countertop with 3 banks of drawers, which are independent of the counter, so that they'll roll out into the room. Then 4 wall cabinets that are removable, so when they move out, they can take the cabinets with them.
What I've found to be the most important thing to keep in mind is the end use of the project. If I'm doing a wall bookshelf, then check out common book heights and depths. I did a "Garage Workshop" unit years ago that I saw Norm Abram do on the NYW. I purchased the plans and built the thing. Almost immediately after I was finished, I had to take down the wall cabinets that I build exactly to his plans - I tried to fit my woodworking book collection to the shelves, which were fixed at like 10" apart. I couldn't get a book on the self! I immediately redid the upper cases and was frustrated with the whole thing. I then got smart and from then on, I focused all my projects on the outcome.
For instance, I build some laundry room cabinets for a friend. I asked her what the biggest item was that she planned on putting in them. She had various bottles of cleaner, so I put in adjustable heigh shelves. But, she also had some plastic storage bins (I've found a lot of wives like them to organize stuff - like crafts and stamp collections). So, I measured the bin length with the lid on and then made the cabinets about 1/2" deeper. Most upper cabinets are 12" deep. I made hers 18" deep, which required double the material (you can get 3 rips if you do your cabinets 15 7/8", 2 if they're 23 7/8" off a 4'x8' sheet of plywood).
If you make the bookshelves 12" tall, they will accomodate the height of most book spines. If your wife or daughter has plastic toy bins (or you want to get them to help organize the mess), build the shelves to their depth (if you plan on putting doors over them to hide the clutter, or you don't want the bins to be tippy). Most books will be fine with as shallow a depth as 9", but some children's books are deeper. Talk your project over with you wife and plan for down the road - like when you're daughter is a teenager and what her needs will be then.
Good luck,
Rod
