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272552 Chuck Taylor 2021‑01‑11 Re: Bookcase project completed
Adam,

> I thought a few people might be interested in photos of a
> bookcase I built last year, using mostly old tools.

This galoot certainly is! 
 
> https://maxwells.smugmug.com/Woodworking/Poplar-bookcase/

Very nicely done! That project represents a lot of work, a lot of skill, 
and a lot of sticktoitiveness! Besides the result, I really like how you 
worked in the use of a lot of galootish tools into the project, both
old tools and shop-made tools. The fact that you did it all by hand
makes it doubly impressive!
...

>  https://maxwells.smugmug.com/Woodworking/Poplar-bookcase/i-zGbj69d/A

I am intrigued by that twin-screw vise on the left end of your bench.
Those look like square nuts, but I don't see any threads. How does it
work mechanically? Are there nuts fastened under the bench top? 

I am thinking of making a similar vise for the left end of my bench. It 
looks useful for holding a planing stop as well as for holding planks for 
resawing. It could also be used as a vise for dovetailing. 

My bench top is 5" thick, so putting the nuts under the bench 
top wouldn't work for me, and I don't even want to think about excavating 
that much maple for the screws to run into the bench top. I was 
thinking about threading the screws full length and embedding a couple 
of inches into the bench top and fixing them there. Then I'd put the
 square nuts outboard of the movable jaw. The obvious issue is that
the screws would always stick out 6 or 8 inches and be easy to
run into. But I don't see another way.


> ... How does one cut pins in a 6 foot long board? The ladder is a
> naive way that sort of works, but there are obvious alternatives. 

https://maxwells.smugmug.com/Woodworking/Poplar-bookcase/i-dNKSrJq/A

As I recall from when you visited my shop, you are pretty tall. Surprised
you needed a ladder. :-)


> Now, the width of the carcase has been determined, so we 
> can get to work on the shelves. These will be sliding dovetails, 
> and the ol' dovetail plane needs a bit of sharpening. Using that 
> plane is the (only) fun part of sliding dovetails.

> https://maxwells.smugmug.com/Woodworking/Poplar-bookcase/i-PFSBDpQ/A

Looks like you converted a run-of-the-mill rabbet plane into a dovetail
plane by making a custom fence for it. Nicely done!

> ...Having marked them all, it's time to cut. My usual backsaw for 
>  this is a Type 1 Bad Axe 16".

Nice drive-by!
...

> Completed bookcase, and painted ...

> https://maxwells.smugmug.com/Woodworking/Poplar-bookcase/i-jBNk5fP/A

> https://maxwells.smugmug.com/Woodworking/Poplar-bookcase/i-P4KWxVb/A

Congratulations, Adam, on completing a fine project, and completing it in record
time for a galoot! You can be justifiably proud of your work.

Chuck Taylor
north of Seattle USA

Recent Bios FAQ