Simplified Stickley magazine stand

Art Mulder

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London, Ontario
Hey Folks,

This is a design I'm poking at, and I'd welcome comments or suggestions.

I started with an authentic Stickley Magazine shelf/stand -- from the book "Making Authentic Craftsman Furniture: Instructions and Plans for 62 Projects (Articles from The Craftsman, Edited by Gustav Stickley)"

I then looked for ways to simplify the plan. I am planning to build this for a charity goods/n/services auction at our church later in the season. I don't want anything too complex. In part, I'd like to keep the construction simple to make it a bit easier to build quickly.

This is what I've got so far. (Sorry, don't have a scan of the original plan, I could grab that tonight if desired)
stickley-mag1.jpg stickley-mag2.jpg


I've dropped one of the shelves, and I've eliminated the through-tenons.
I also replaced the 3-4 narrow vertical boards in the sides with one larger board. However, I tweaked that by putting in a keyhole design in the middle to lighten it up a bit.

This should be fairly simple to assemble, with biscuits (or pocket hole screws+plugs) which is a bonus.

well?
...art
 
Morning Art - looks like a fun project.:thumb:
Would you consider having the rear leg plumb and only the front leg slanting back? Seems to me this was something Stickley used, but it could just be a poor memory.:huh:
 
Art, it looks good to me. I kind of agree with Rennie but I also think it would be alright as is if it were going to be placed like an end table. I think making it symmetrical would help to speed up the cutting process and make parts more interchangeable so you could cut parts for more than one easily enough.
 
Morning Art - looks like a fun project.:thumb:
Would you consider having the rear leg plumb and only the front leg slanting back? Seems to me this was something Stickley used, but it could just be a poor memory.:huh:

Like this?
cockeyed1.jpg cockeyed2.jpg

I don't think I like that - now it looks like the shelf is leaning. The other design has a look of stability about it. I've never seen a Stickley with just one side angled. In fact, I've seen shelving units where not only is it angled in front to back (both front and back legs) but it also leans in from the sides also, which I like but was trying to avoid.
 
it would be alright as is if it were going to be placed like an end table.

Interesting idea... what if I took the design and chopped the height down to just two shelves... that could give me a matching end table. Hmm, not sure about that. this is a unique enough design that you probably only want one of it in the house. Hmm.
 
Like this?
View attachment 12872 View attachment 12873

I don't think I like that - now it looks like the shelf is leaning. The other design has a look of stability about it. I've never seen a Stickley with just one side angled. In fact, I've seen shelving units where not only is it angled in front to back (both front and back legs) but it also leans in from the sides also, which I like but was trying to avoid.
I believe i stand corrected. A quick search turned up these examples, all of which splay out to the sides.
f_89-0080_MagazinePedestal_o_s_.jpg f_89-0500_ChaletMagStan_o_s_.jpg f_89-0778_RoycroftMagazineTable_o_s_.jpg
Can't remember where I saw the one that leaned back :huh: - I might be thinking of something completely different. Not fun, growing old.:(
 
A, R and D, You guys are great!!!!!
I THINK, ( doesn't that please you:rofl: ).
Art, What you have looks real good. I like the keyhole but think it can use something more airy yet.
Also, consider making one in the large size, full size, thennnnnnnn with the same dimensions make that end table with just two shelves. You will have the set up and all the hard mental work done so why not make 2!!!!!! Well maybe more accurate........1 1/2!!!:rofl::rofl:
S :wave:
Who is Dickie Burkenbush?
 
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Shaz has a good idea. I wonder about doing one with the top shelf right at the top.

I tried to copy your drawing a bit ago. I think I got fairly close. I modified the keyhole detail just a little bit. What do you think?

 
Shaz has a good idea. I wonder about doing one with the top shelf right at the top.

I tried to copy your drawing a bit ago. I think I got fairly close. I modified the keyhole detail just a little bit. What do you think?


I think you've got nicer wood textures than I do :mad:
(I hope that one is in the file you sent me -- Sketchup is on my wife's machine at home, so I haven't opened it yet)

I wonder about the longer keyhole. Not sure I like it straddling a shelf. I'm going to try tomorrow doodling it with 3 shorter keyholes, one for each shelf space, to see how that looks.

I also rather like on the original how the top crosspiece is not flush to the top (as you doodled). It picks up on the same situation at the foot, and sort of mirrors it.
 
I tried to copy your drawing a bit ago. I think I got fairly close.

Check yer gmail...

I'm going to try tomorrow doodling it with 3 shorter keyholes, one for each shelf space, to see how that looks.

Hmmmmmm. Here are the two options so far.
stickley-mag3.jpg stickley-mag4.jpg


Not sure I like it. To keep the three keyholes somewhat equidistant on the side panel means that they don't exactly look equidistant from each shelf. I think the single keyhole is still my favourite so far. But I may yet change my mind. I've got another project to finish up in the next 6-10 days of my copious (cough cough) free time at home, before I can start this, so I have time to keep thinking about and poking at the design..
 
....... I think the single keyhole is still my favourite so far. ......

I have to agree. I don't like the three or the long one. I like one single short one. FWIW :eek:

Looks like a fun and somewhat challenging piece. Not hard but the angles would make it interesting. I want to build now but I have no place to put it. I want to gut my office and make all new furniture but I can't decide on what I want to for a desk/computer station. But I would love to have a couple of these in there for sure.
 
Hi Art, :wave:
You are doing the hard work but the great work here in planning your design. Accepting ideas for thought is one thing but you must build according to what you like, rather than what someone else thinks works. That is what makes you...you.:D :thumb:
Supporting you with ideas is just a way for us to expand our minds with projects we may not have considered had you not posted the thought. Thanks...However...:rofl::rofl::rofl:... just kiddin':):rofl:
S
 
Well, Shaz, So far no one has said "I hate it. It looks horrible without that tusk tenon detail. Bleah." (or more polite words to that effect :rolleyes: )

And really, dropping that through tenon detail was one of the things I was most concerned about with my tweaking of the design. It makes the construction so much easier, but does change the look a fair bit.

I'll post again when I get around to building it!

...art
 
One thing to think about is chances are the piece will not go for what you have in it.
I do understand that its all about taking pride in your work no matter what. With that
said I like your design very much.
 
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