# Bookcase project



## Keith 66 (6 Feb 2020)

Mum passed away a year ago & our book collection has grown from reasonable to big! Just knocked a chimney breast out & had it plastered to make room. 
I have approached four companies to give me a quote & two gave a ballpark figure of about 7k, time scale at least two to three months away, the other two havent come back with a price at all.
Im now rethinking & contemplating doing the job myself.
Anyone know where in Essex i can get good quality Oak or Cherry faced MDF rough cut to size? Im going to need about 5 sheets of 22mm but it will need cutting into long boards mostly 300mm wide with one sheet cut into 400mm wide.
My problem is although i have machinery circ saw, bandsaw, thicknesser etc i havent got the space to handle 8x4 mdf & cut it down. Once its sliced up i can deal with it!
Any pointers to suppliers who can do this would be welcome.


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## Inspector (6 Feb 2020)

Can't use a track saw to break it up to manageable sizes in the garage or driveway?

Pete


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## Keith 66 (6 Feb 2020)

Maybe but i literally have nowhere to store it in full sheets. If it rains im stuffed!


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## Inspector (7 Feb 2020)

I was thinking along the lines of cutting each sheet into 2 or 3 pieces when you get it. Bringing that in and then finish cut it as you work. 
Pete


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## Keith 66 (7 Feb 2020)

May have to be the way!


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## sammy.se (7 Feb 2020)

Hi Keith

Belated Condolences re your Mum.

Couple of places in/near Essex worth a try:

Blumson Timber Merchant, Barking
E Roberts Timber, Chingford area
T Chambers, Leyton and Forest Gate

Fulham Timber (good delivery range, might have a to pay a little)

"Brentwood Hardwood Offcuts", they don't do sheet goods, but they are friendly and may point you in a good direction for a local supplier.

Hope that helps

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk


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## Eric The Viking (7 Feb 2020)

The local sheet goods supplier I use here will take a cutting list (they have an online tool). 

OK, there is a charge for it, but I've got to the decrepit stage where even a full sheet of 3/8" ply is a workout. Also, the impregnated, melamine faced stuff used for flightcases and temporary staging ("Buffalo board") wrecks sawblades. So having it cut by the supplier is doubly helpful, and the delivery driver much prefers cut sheets to complete ones! They can get a far cleaner cut than I can, even with my railsaw, and if anything is damaged before or during delivery, it's not my responsibility.

I'm sure delivery costs to Essex will be pretty huge from here, but there really must be someone near you that offers the same service for good quality material. I wouldn't consider the sheds' cutting services, not coz the cutting is poor, but in my limited experience the stock is the cheapest available. If you find someone, don't forget to allow for their saw kerf!

E.


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## LBCarpentry (7 Feb 2020)

Wait - did you just say 7k and you only need 5 sheets..?

Whhaaaaaatt?


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## galleywood (8 Feb 2020)

Try J Gards & Sons at East Hanningfield.
https://www.gards.co.uk/


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## sammy.se (8 Feb 2020)

galleywood":1n4f7mqk said:


> Try J Gards & Sons at East Hanningfield.
> https://www.gards.co.uk/


Ooh, these guys look good. They have a very interesting website and prices look reasonable on MDF (don't know what brand they use).

They also carry block board, which is harder to find.

Delivery a bit steep for me (66£) but still worth it for larger orders (relatively, I'm a DIYer).

Any other Essex recommendations Galleywood?


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## Keith 66 (8 Feb 2020)

Gards arent far from me will have a look! 
First unit goes into an alcove between a wall & chimney breast 1100 wide x 2400 high, storage cupboard below 500mm high x 400 deep , 5 or 6 shelves above.
Second larger one 2300mm wide x 2400 high 500mm high storage coming out from wall 400mm with bookcases above at 300mm deep 5 or 6 shelves divders on a slightly randomised layout.
Will be drawing it up today so i know exaactly how many sheets of what im going to need.


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## galleywood (8 Feb 2020)

sammy.se

Here are a few that are nearer to you - but I have not tried them.

http://brentwoodtimber.co.uk/?LMCL=YlzEE8
https://www.lathamtimber.co.uk/
http://www.dhhtimber.co.uk/


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## sammy.se (8 Feb 2020)

galleywood":37sfmzjj said:


> sammy.se
> 
> Here are a few that are nearer to you - but I have not tried them.
> 
> ...


Thanks!!!

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk


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## Keith 66 (8 Feb 2020)

Thanks for more ideas, Timbmet at Basildon also have a good selection. Will have a shufti next week.


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## Alex (9 Feb 2020)

Hi Keith. If its oak veneer bookcase you are after have a look at Ikea Billy oak veneer bookcases. They are proper oak veneer with finish that looks oiled. At £55 for 800mm x 2000mm, six shelves included plus you can buy extra shelves and further sizes available. I can't even buy material for £55. Really sturdy if you put L brackets on top and screwed to wall. Quite easy to adapt with plunge saw if need cut one down. I've put quite few in for customers who have been thrilled with them. Worth a consideration.


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## AndyT (9 Feb 2020)

Alex":ar27a2fc said:


> Hi Keith. If its oak veneer bookcase you are after have a look at Ikea Billy oak veneer bookcases. They are proper oak veneer with finish that looks oiled. At £55 for 800mm x 2000mm, six shelves included plus you can buy extra shelves and further sizes available. I can't even buy material for £55. Really sturdy if you put L brackets on top and screwed to wall. Quite easy to adapt with plunge saw if need cut one down. I've put quite few in for customers who have been thrilled with them. Worth a consideration.



Very true. Even if you fill the shelves with big heavy books, or pack two rows of smaller books onto each shelf, there's no perceptible sag. 

And they have sold over 60 million units (2017 figure.)


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## Setch (9 Feb 2020)

Thirded - granted they're chipboard not MDF, but the veneered oak finish is just that, and they've already done the hard work of edging the fronts and optimising the balance of material strength to shelf width.


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## Keith 66 (20 Feb 2020)

I bit the bullet & ordered a pile of materials, Cherry faced MDF & three slabs of sawn cherry for edgings & mouldings. All arrived yesterday.
I ended up using Jennor timber in Enfield, reasonable on price & free delivery. 
We sometimes use them at the school i work at & they have always been reliable.
My wife is pleased with the choice of cherry, some of it is quite wild figuring & a nice colour.
Makes a change from Oak!
Spent yesterday afternoon machining the edgings & facings, Edgings are 10mm thick to allow a decent radius to be routered on, my boatbuilding showing here, never did like sharp corners on boats!


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## MikeG. (20 Feb 2020)

Alex":3crp519y said:


> Hi Keith. If its oak veneer bookcase you are after have a look at Ikea Billy oak veneer bookcases. They are proper oak veneer with finish that looks oiled. At £55 for 800mm x 2000mm, six shelves included plus you can buy extra shelves and further sizes available. I can't even buy material for £55. Really sturdy if you put L brackets on top and screwed to wall. Quite easy to adapt with plunge saw if need cut one down. I've put quite few in for customers who have been thrilled with them. Worth a consideration.



Really? On a woodworker's forum?

Honestly, isn't the point to start making these things ourselves rather than buying machine-produced mass-made furniture from global superstores? Who cares if it costs a few pennies more. No-one looks at an Ikea bookshelf and smiles inwardly at the satisfaction that buying it gave them.


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## RichardG (20 Feb 2020)

MikeG.":251yfnzm said:


> No-one looks at an Ikea bookshelf and smiles inwardly at the satisfaction that buying it gave them.



Apart from Mr Ikea of course...


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## Racers (20 Feb 2020)

The only piece of furniture in my lounge I didn't make is from Ikea.

Pete


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## Keith 66 (27 Feb 2020)

Well i have been busy, purchased a new Festool track saw, Why i didnt buy one of these years ago i dont know, i was staggered at the accuracy & cleanness of the cut, zero tear out on the veneered faces & they look like they were cut with a laser.
Lower storage unit was prefabbed in the workshop, as its 2.3m long 500mm high & 400 deep being built from 27mm mdf it was going to be a massive struggle to carry indoors so it was assembled dry, edges all faced & assembled in situ. In view of the weight of books its going to carry it has to be strong & i used two layers of mdf one 15 & one 12 glued together as this was what the timber yard had!
Upper book case sections will be 18mm.
All the front edges will be a 12mm thick section with radiused corners.
Will have some pics tomorrow.


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## Keith 66 (14 Mar 2020)

Well it wasnt tomorrow as things got in the way! Back on the job & the tracksaw was busy. My last hand held circular saw was an old metal cased black & decker dating back to the mid 60's, that was lucky to cut within 1/8" of the line, the festool was a revelation, smooth prescise cuts with no tear out or chipping. This one job it has earnt its cost & then some.
Heres a couple of pics with the top glued on, nearly done! All frontedges have been edged with 12mm solid edgings so an 8mm radius on every corner, I dont like sharp corners or iron on edging.
Couple of balls ups to repair tomorrow where i ran the router too far at a couple of the intersections.
Thing is as a boatbuilder im used to working with 3d curved things & having to work square is a bit of a challenge to me, Im pleased & so is my good lady!


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## Keith 66 (25 Mar 2020)

Well its done, all repairs done, all sanded down & three coats of Ronseal satincoat polyurethane varnish. I was quite impressed with the varnish its easy to apply & goes off quickly.
I was going to fit a ceiling trim & cornice but was vetoed by my wife, the room ceiling slopes down enough at one end that no matter what you do it was going to stand out like a wart. It was less obtrusive to leave the top bit off!
Some led strip lights to fit & the lower doors to make but that will have to wait until the timber yard is open again. Tomorrow i start loading it up with books.


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