I've been asked to build a bookcase measuring 84" tall and 9' 8" wide using Birdseye maple. I have been given about 80 bd. ft. of birdseye maple stock from Michigans Upper Peninsula. A very good friend named Bruce who is a logger and has a sawmill wants to give this bookcase to his wife for a belated Christmas present. He logged off the B/E and milled it at his sawmill.
He wants the 2 outside pieces measuring 24" x 24" to have adjustable shelving for pictures and the center section measuring 66" x 16" to have fixed shelves for books. The bottom areas are for storage and will have raised panel doors. He would like the doors to be made of B/E also but I explained my caution with tearout and he said plain maple would be fine as long as I made the rails and stiles with birdseye. Bruce has given me some leeway so I've been pondering (and asked a couple WW'ing friends their opinions) about using cherry for the raised panels and B/E for the rails and stiles. All the carcase has been made using 3/4" maple plywood per his request, all the face frames will be B/E maple.
Pictures show the face frames already cut to size and passed through the drum sander. I'm not sure how well the B/E will show up but it is highly figured. The next pics show the carcase mocked up to get an idea of size...and I just had to get my mom and dad in on the project.
I will post more on this thread as work progresses.
He wants the 2 outside pieces measuring 24" x 24" to have adjustable shelving for pictures and the center section measuring 66" x 16" to have fixed shelves for books. The bottom areas are for storage and will have raised panel doors. He would like the doors to be made of B/E also but I explained my caution with tearout and he said plain maple would be fine as long as I made the rails and stiles with birdseye. Bruce has given me some leeway so I've been pondering (and asked a couple WW'ing friends their opinions) about using cherry for the raised panels and B/E for the rails and stiles. All the carcase has been made using 3/4" maple plywood per his request, all the face frames will be B/E maple.
Pictures show the face frames already cut to size and passed through the drum sander. I'm not sure how well the B/E will show up but it is highly figured. The next pics show the carcase mocked up to get an idea of size...and I just had to get my mom and dad in on the project.
I will post more on this thread as work progresses.
Attachments
Last edited by a moderator: