Make a Craftsman-style Wall Shelf, from Popular Woodworking

Editor’s observe: With the vacations upon us, I’m wanting via classic problems with the magazines and books we personal for enjoyable handmade presents – issues you could construct in not an excessive amount of store time, however that may assist to create a lifetime of reminiscences for the recipients. I’ll submit (no less than) two each week between now and the brand new yr. That is Vacation Challenge Publish quantity two – for the “Pint-sized Pickup,” click on right here.

— Megan Fitzpatrick

Study to make by means of-mortises utilizing a template and a router as you assemble this easy and durable shelf.

by Rick Peters
from the December 2001 problem of Popular Woodworking Journal

Like most woodworkers, I attempt to not reinvent the wheel each time I construct a venture. As an alternative, I search by way of my library and again problems with woodworking magazines to see if I can discover what I’m in search of. I often don’t discover precisely what I would like – but when it’s shut, it’s straightforward to switch a dimension or ornamental function. So I used to be fairly stunned once I began wanting round for a Craftsman-style wall shelf, and got here up empty. Additional digging revealed that the Craftsman people of yesteryear didn’t use them. Not as a result of they didn’t have knickknacks, however as a result of they relied on constructed-in shelving models and enormous sideboards or buffets to retailer and show their cherished collectibles.

Undaunted, I dusted off my drafting desk and put pencil to paper. Designing a wall shelf like this was pretty straight-ahead as I had a tough concept of the size I wanted and I knew I needed three cabinets roughly 30″ lengthy. As I labored, I included three basic craftsman-fashion particulars into the wall shelf: shallow, sleek curves, the corbel (the distinctive curved form on the backside of the edges), and the honesty of by way of-mortise-and-tenon joints. Though quartersawn oak is a trademark of Craftsman-style furnishings, I selected cherry as an alternative for 2 causes. First, quartersawn oak is very figured and I needed the gadgets exhibited to catch the attention fairly than the shelf itself. Second, since I used to be on the lookout for a formal, dignified look, I selected cherry – a wood I’ve all the time felt provides a contact of magnificence to any piece.

As soon as I used to be snug with the design and had labored out nearly all of the small print, I made a fast mock-as much as get a higher really feel of how the curves would work collectively and to raised visualize the completed piece.

Construction

To construct the Craftsman-style wall shelf, begin by slicing the elements to measurement. See the slicing listing and illustrations. There are solely seven elements to the shelf: two similar sides, three similar cabinets and a prime and backside bracket. The edges and cabinets are 7⁄eight″-thick and the brackets are three⁄four″. As you cut the elements to measurement, set a few of the thicknessed scraps apart for check cuts later.

Mortises

The most important problem to building the wall shelf is chopping the mortises within the sides for the shelf tenons. As a result of these are by way of-tenons and might be extremely seen, I made a decision it might be greatest to construct a easy router jig for added accuracy. The jig is simply a piece of 1⁄four″-thick hardboard with cleats screwed across the edges to carry a aspect piece in good place. Pairs of slots for the mortises within the hardboard are sized to simply accept a 5⁄eight″ OD, 17⁄32″ ID template information bushing for the router. This bushing can be utilized with a 1⁄2″-diameter straight bit or spiral-finish mill bit. I drilled the holes within the hardboard with a 5⁄eight″ brad-level bit and eliminated the waste between the holes with a sharp chisel.

Cleats screwed across the perimeter of the mortising jig seize a aspect piece for routing the mortises.

To make use of the router jig, match it over a aspect and slide a scrap of plywood beneath because you’ll be routing right through the aspect. Utilizing a plunge router, take a collection of sunshine cuts, blowing out the chips from the mortise after each cross. Proceed till you’ve cut right through. Then transfer onto the subsequent mortise.

A plunge router plus a mortising jig equals precision mortises –one thing that’s paramount when the mortises are by means of and the tenons are uncovered.

All that’s left is to sq. up the spherical corners of every by means of-mortise with a chisel. Though you are able to do this with a typical beveled-edge chisel, a nook chisel will make fast work of the job. Since I lean closely in the direction of the Craftsman fashion, it was straightforward to justify the modest value of this wonderful software. To make sure the nook cuts are completely vertical, clamp a information block flush with the sting of the mortise and press the nook chisel firmly towards it as you strike the chisel with a hammer.

To ensure the mortise corners find yourself completely vertical, clamp a scrap of wood flush with the sting of the mortise to information the chisel.

There are a couple extra mortises to cut on all sides piece – these settle for the tenons on the ends of the highest and backside brackets. Since these aren’t by way of-mortises, you needn’t use a jig. As an alternative, lay them out immediately on the edges ensuring to guide-match them as proven. To cut these mortises, I used a 1⁄four″ mortising bit within the drill press and clamped a fence on the again edge for accuracy.

Book match the 2 sides and lay out the mortises for the brackets immediately on all sides piece.

Aspect Shapes

With the mortises full, use the drawing on the final web page to make a sample of the edges out of 1⁄four″ hardboard. Rigorously cut this out with a jigsaw or band noticed and sand the sides clean. Then place the sample on both sides piece and hint round it with a pencil. Now you"ll be able to cut the edges to form and sand the sides clean.

A drum sander fitted within the drill press will make fast work of smoothing the corbel on the underside and the mild curve on prime of every aspect piece.

Shelf Tenons

Now that the edges are full, you possibly can flip your consideration to the cabinets. Principally all there"s to do right here is to cut the tenons on the ends to suit the mortises within the sides.

The shoulders for tenons on the cabinets areeasily cut on the desk noticed fitted with a dado blade.

Because the sides are 7⁄eight″ thick, I made the tenons 1″ lengthy in order that they’d protrude by means of the 7⁄eight″-thick sides by 1⁄eight″. I cut the dual tenons in two steps. First, with a dado blade within the desk noticed set for a shallow cut, cut an equal quantity off every face to create the shoulders leaving a 1⁄2″-thick tenon (right here’s the place these scrap items come in useful). Then with every shelf on finish and a tall help piece hooked up to the miter gauge, make the top and center shoulder cuts to type the dual tenons. Right here once more, use the scrap items and sneak up on the right match.

Clamping a tall help fence to your miter gauge will make slicing the dual tenons a protected and straightforward operation.

Take your time and check the match typically – what you’re on the lookout for is a friction-match – when you even take into consideration reaching for a hammer to influence the joint to go collectively, it’s too tight. Cease and take a little extra off. (A finely tuned shoulder aircraft is superb for this.) Lastly, to melt the ends of the tenons and assist them slide extra simply into the mortises, I chamfered the ends with a block aircraft.

A friction match of the tenons within the mortises is what you’re in search of.You must really feel simply a slight resistance as you slide the items collectively.

Brackets

The final two items of the wall shelf to make are the highest and backside brackets.Every has a sleek curve and tenons cut on the ends to suit into the matching mortises cut within the sides. When you’ve cut the tenons, lay out the curves by bending a skinny strip of wood into a sleek curve and having a helper hint the define on every bracket. The previous boatmaker’s adage “if it seems to be truthful, it"s truthful” definitely applies right here. After you’ve laid out the curves, cut out the shapes and sand the sides clean.

The sleek curves on the highest and backside brackets may be laid out with assistance from a helper by tracing alongside a bent strip of skinny wood.

Meeting

Earlier than assembling the Craftsman-style wall shelf, there are a couple issues to do.First, soften the sides by rout-ing or planing an 1⁄eight″ chamfer on all edges apart from the highest edges of the underside bracket, the underside edges of the highest bracket, and the again edges of the cabinets. Subsequent, sand all of the items now – that is a behavior that’s value creating – you’ll save your self a lot of frustration in the long term making an attempt to sand inaccessible spots.

To assemble the wall shelf, first make a dry run. Assemble all of the items and clamp the shelf collectively with out glue to ensure there gained’t be any undesirable surprises. Then rigorously disassemble the shelf and apply a small quantity of white glue (I don’t use yellow glue right here, it units up too shortly) to the tenons on the cabinets and the tenons on the highest and backside bracket. Additionally, apply a skinny bead of glue to the underside fringe of the highest bracket and the highest fringe of the underside bracket.

Working shortly, slide the cabinets and prime and backside brackets into one aspect piece.Then place the remaining aspect piece and apply clamps from aspect to aspect. You’ll additionally need to clamp the highest and backside brackets alongside their lengths to their respective cabinets. After the glue dries, take away the clamps and pin the cabinets to the edges with brief lengths of dowel for added power.

I drilled 2″-deep holes from each the back and front of every aspect piece to permit the dowel to cross utterly via every tenon to lock it securely in place. A dollop of glue on every finish and a few raps of a hammer is all it takes. (Pare off any protruding dowel with a sharp chisel.)

Lastly, I routed a pair of keyhole slots within the again to hold the shelf and utilized two coats of satin polyurethane.

A keyhole bit fitted in a hand-held router and run alongside a information block is a simple option to connect the shelf to a wall.

Mounted on the wall, this Craftsman-style shelf will grace any house and can proudly show your favourite assortment of pottery, knick-knacks – even vintage instruments.

Sample for the edges.

Should you like building this type of furnishings, be sure you take a look at “Popular Woodworking’s Arts & Crafts Furniture Projects,” with forty two excellent designs.