Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 09:30:14 -0400 (EDT)
From: dicconf <dicconf at radix.net>
To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at WSFA.org>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: Book shelves and cases
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at WSFA.org>

On Thu, 20 Oct 2005, Mike B. wrote:

> At 01:54 PM 10/20/2005 -0400, Madeleine Yeh wrote:
>>
>>    I am daydreaming of bookcases that are light, stable,
>> durable and cheap that I can make myself.
>
> It can be educational to wander around the dealer's room and see what the
> pros are using.
>
> I did that, and I saw two basic solutions.

[snippety]
>
> The other was a folding design that I have one of myself.  I found them at
> Staples for about $40.  They are 3' or so tall with 3 shelves, and fold
> flat.  Setting them up just requires unfolding the sides and letting the
> shelves hinge down into position (you can verb any noun in English!).  They
> look good (solid wood, stained to look like other species...mine looks like
> Cherry, the ones at the con were Maple), are stable enough, don't cost much
> for what you get, and are simple to store or transport as needed.  For
> short bookcases it's a great design.  How tall you could make them I'm not
> sure.  Stability would be the main issue for that, same as with any other
> tall bookcase, and the solutions are the same too. Building these yourself
> is possible, if you have a wood shop handy.  Making them with power hand
> tools may be possible, but it would take some skill.  For $40 each, is it
> worth it just to buy them...hardwood at local hobby rates would run almost
> that much (unless you *like* woodworking).  Simplifying the design would
> lower the aesthetic factor, but also reduce the level of skill and facility
> needed to make them.

These were the ones Tamar and myself were using (three of them).  Two were
bought and two others (incl;uding the one we didn't bring) were found at a
local Thrift Shop for $10 and $7 (that last needed a new bottom shelf,
which only required cutting a plank to length and putting it on hinges).
They will stack two high, giving a five foot bookcase if Harvard will
forgive me, but I'd want them against a wall for stability at that height
and would add a fish to hold the side junctions steady.

-- Dick Eney