In the modern home, the orderly arrangement of books and magazines
calls for ample shelf space and the book shelf becomes a favourite
piece of furniture among amateur woodworkers. The book rack for the
books of the day has been taken up in Chapter XXVII. The book shelf for
hanging on the wall is blocked out in Fig. 192.
The questions to be considered in the design are:
No. 1. Methods of fastening shelves to ends.
No. 2. The design of the ends.
No. 3. The back: is it necessary, and if so shall it be solid?
Outline of back.
No. 4. Method of fastening to wall.
No. 1. The method of bringing shelves and ends together with plain
butt joint and fastening with a round-head screw from the outside is
the easiest and poorest. The whole weight on the shelves is carried by
the screws. This method is shown at _a_. At _b_, a better method is
indicated, the shelf being gained into the end and held in position by
the screws. The weight in this case is carried by the ends. To hide the
joint, the shelf may be slightly narrower than the end piece as shown
in the top view at _c_, or the two parts may be of the same width as
at _d_, the gained joint stopping half an inch or so short of the full
width. These details apply to bookcases that stand on the floor as well
as to smaller ones.
[Illustration: Fig. 192. The problem of designing a wall book rack]
No. 2. The design of the ends is largely a matter of artistic taste,
and where curves are used, the lower part is usually formed in such a
way as to suggest a bracket.
No. 3. A back is only necessary to give the rack rigidity and to
protect the wall. If made solid--_i. e._, to cover the whole space
between ends--it uses a good deal of wood and adds considerable weight.
_E_ shows a method of using only top and bottom strips. They will make
the rack sufficiently rigid and the strip should be gained into the
ends, bringing them flush with the back of end pieces.
No. 4. Find the location of wall studs by dropping a line with weight
on it (plumb) from the nails on picture moulding, or by bringing the
weight in front of nails on base board. Make fine pencil marks on the
wall where the studs have been located. Find the horizontal distance
between the marks and at this distance drill holes in back of book rack
and secure to the studs by screws. This brings all the strain on the
back strips. If the rack has no back, square up two hard wood strips
about 3/4 inch square and as long as the shelves. Drill screw holes in
these strips and fasten to studs. Drill vertical holes at the back of
each shelf 3/8 inch in from edge, fit the shelves over cleats and screw
down into them from upper side of shelves.
The cleats should be finished in the same colour as the book rack. This
method makes a very solid and permanent fastening.
The length of a wall rack should be limited ordinarily to three feet,
as the weight of three feet of books will give considerable sag to the
shelves, and a greater length will call for a vertical partition and
corresponding bracket underneath for its support.