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Free Standing Shelving

Free-standing shelf units have several advantages over wall-mounted or bulk-in ones. They can easily be moved if the room layout is changed. They canhe moved away from the will to allowpainting or papering. They can even betaken along when moving house.However, they have drawbacks too.Some manufactured shelving anddisplay units are rather flimsy, and maytwist out of square or sag if they areheavily loaded. In general, betterresults conic Irons building units troutstronger materials such as natural woodand plywood. The other problem isgetting theta to stand upright againstthe wall; skirtings (baseboards) prevent standard units from being pushed backflush with the wall surface, and carpetgripper strips make them lean forwardsslightly. The answer is to design the side supports on the cantileverprinciple with just one point of contactwith the floor, as far as possible fromthe wall, so that the unit presses morefirmly against the wall as the load onthe shelves is increased.

Since a shelf unit is basically a boxwith internal dividers, it can beconstructed in several different ways,using simple butt joints or morecomplicated housings. Perhaps the bestcompromise between strength and caseof construe non is to use gilled butt joints reinforced with hardwooddowels, which give the jc >ints the extrarigidity they need in a unit of this sort.

Start by deciding on the dimensionsof the unit, then select materials to suitthe likely loading the shelves will haveto support. Nlark up and cut matchinggroups of components to length in batches to ensure (hat they are allprecisely the smile six. Pre-drill all thedowel holes, using a drill stand anddepth stop for holes in the boanl lacesand a dowelling jig for those in the boardends. Insert the dowels and make up thejoints. A thin plywood or hardboardbacking panel can be pinned (racked)on to give the unit extra rigidity.

CONSTRUCTING A FREE-STANDING SHELF

1. Clamp groups of identical componentstogether. Mark them to length and cutIhein in one operation to ensure that theyare all the same length.

2. Mark the posit ions of the shelf dowelholes on the unit sides, ensuring that theymatch. Drill them all to the requireddepth, using a drill stand if possible.

3. Use it dowelling jig to drill the dowelholes in the shelf ends. This ensures thatthe holes are correctly positioned andcentred, and are drilled straight.

4. Glue the dowels and rap them into theholes in the shell ends. Citedk that theyall project by the same amount, and cutdown any that are overlong.

5. Assemble the unit by gluing one end of each of the three shelves and joining them to a side panels. Then glue the otherends and add the second side panel.

6. Cut a hardboard or plywood backingpanel. Check that it is perfectly square,then pin (tack) it to the bark of the unit.

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