Popular Woodworking 2007-04 № 161, страница 22

Shaker Shelves

Clear finish updates the look of this classic design.

Skills you've honed in previous ""I Can Do That" projects are all it takes to create this graceful set of shelves, so with this project we'll teach you a few clever tricks to draw arcs without a compass, and to straighten twisted boards - which is often a problem when working with wider pieces of wood.

This modified Shaker design, downsized from a set of creamery shelves, is adapted from a Shaker Workshops catalog. To ensure our ^"-stock would not bow under the weight of even the heaviest items, we decided to make these shelf pieces a bit shorter than those you'll find on the company's web site (shakerwork-shops.com).

Many home centers carry only pine, poplar and oak (you may also find maple or aspen, depending on your region). We decided on oak because we think it has the best natural

appearance.

One of the biggest challenges you'll have with this project is finding wide boards that are straight and flat ... and that remain straight and flat after you cut them to size. Take time to look through the racks for the best boards - and if at all possible, avoid shrink-wrapped boards, no matter how pretty. You'll need two 6' and one 4' 1 x 12s (or one 10' and one 8' length). You'll also need a 6' length of 1 x 4 for the supports.

Once you're back in the shop, your first step is to cut the sides to length on your miter saw. If you have a 10" miter saw, your crosscuts on the sides (and shelves) will be a two-step process because the diameter of the saw blade limits the width of the cut. You'll need to first cut on one side of your board, then flip it over and carefully line up the kerf with the saw

Pocket screws and two back supports make this handsome Shaker-inspired shelf simple to build.

blade before completing the cut (see picture at right).

Now, you're ready to lay out the arched top and cutout at the bottom. Align the top edges of the sides and stick the faces together with double-stick tape to keep them from slipping, then clamp both pieces together flat to your workbench. Now, measure across the width to find the center of your board, and make a mark. That measurement is the same distance you'll measure down from the top edge to mark the intersection of the two points (5⁵/8"unless you've resized the plan, or used different-sized stock). This point is where you'll place your compass point to draw the half-circle arch across the top.

And if you don't have a compass, it's no

by Megan Fitzpatrick & Glen D. Huey

Comments or a question? Contact Megan at 513-5312690 ext. 1348 or megan.fitzpatrick@fwpubs.com.

Contact Glen at 513-531-2690 ext. 1293 or glen.huey@fwpubs.com.

problem. It's easy to make a compass jig. Simply grab a thin piece of scrap and drive a nail through the middle near one end. Now, using the same measurement you already established to find the compass point (again, it's 5⁵/8" on our plan), mark and drill a hole that distance

Because the wood for the sides and shelves is 1lV4"-wide and your miter saw is likely a 10" model, you'll have to cut the pieces in two steps. Measure and make the first cut. Then flip the board over and line up the saw blade to the kerf you've already cut, and make the second cut.

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Popular Woodworking April 2007