Quick and Clean Bookcases
Lumberyard pine with biscuits make a sturdy bookcase
Synopsis: Much of what John Kelsey builds falls in the useful and sturdy category, though he also does make fine hardwood furniture. Here, he shares a design and technique for building bookcases that is economical of materials and time. He uses 5/4 #2 white pine for strength and availability, but advises you choose what’s plentiful in your area. He explains how to make the frameless, backless case with two cross-braces that prevent racking. He talks about sizing and crosscutting the parts, handplaning the boards, joining the parts with biscuits, and making support pegs. Side information offers help in selecting usable #2 pine.
Sure, I like to show off my finest pieces of hardwood furniture, but they’re only some of what I build. Much of the output from my home workshop is what I’d call useful and sturdy rather than highly refined or fancy.
Bookcases, for example. In a lifetime of…
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