Tool for making simple shelves?

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Robsasman

Senior member
Dec 7, 2008
565
0
76
You could buy one of those adjustable bookshelves, they have those holes up both sides to put clips in for the shelves. Screw the sides to your walls, cut shelves to length if you have to, and your done.
Or do it with your own wood on the sides and drill the holes yourself.
 

amdskip

Lifer
Jan 6, 2001
22,530
13
81
Originally posted by: Robsasman
You could buy one of those adjustable bookshelves, they have those holes up both sides to put clips in for the shelves. Screw the sides to your walls, cut shelves to length if you have to, and your done.
Or do it with your own wood on the sides and drill the holes yourself.
Yes, you have no business messing with tools. Buy a bookshelf.
 

feralkid

Lifer
Jan 28, 2002
16,617
4,708
136
Next up, using a garden hose to change your oil; then we'll travel to New York, where Sam repairs a leaking toilet using an old trombone.
 

So

Lifer
Jul 2, 2001
25,923
17
81
Originally posted by: swbsam
Originally posted by: lxskllr
You'd have to cut it, or grind it out. I'd have some concerns over the long term durability though. You'd be better off putting wood up on each side, and using that to support the shelves.

Thanks, that's what I was thinking too - in case we go with the cutting drywall option, what tool would you recommend? A standard saw seems like it would require quite a bit of skill to use for a n00b like me. Would a dremel work? Not that I own one, but I probably should get one.. hmmm.

The "cutting drywall option" is not actually an option. Don't do it.
 

BurnItDwn

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
26,167
1,638
126
Originally posted by: Kelemvor
We just use the skinny metal pieces with the notches all the way up them. Screw those to the wall and then put on the clips. You can put the shelf pieces anywhere you want and move them up and down to exactly the height you want.

Something like this:
http://hardware.hardwarestore....port-strip-206334.aspx

This is what I would do, though if you want to put heavy things on the shelves, you'll want the double wide metal strips .... and if you want to put REALLY heavy things on the shelves ... then this is simply not an option.
 

Squisher

Lifer
Aug 17, 2000
21,204
66
91
If you want wood shelves mounted to the wall with no visible means of support (wood on the sides) buy yourself a pocket screw jig, some dowels, a Flush Cut Pull Saw, and some sand paper.

You'll be able to get away with this because at the front (and the back) of the side wall of the inset in the wall there is wood behind the drywall. Which means you'll be able to secure the front of the shelf by a screw going through the side.

 

feralkid

Lifer
Jan 28, 2002
16,617
4,708
136
Originally posted by: Squisher
If you want wood shelves mounted to the wall with no visible means of support (wood on the sides) buy yourself a pocket screw jig, some dowels, a Flush Cut Pull Saw, and some sand paper.

You'll be able to get away with this because at the front (and the back) of the side wall of the inset in the wall there is wood behind the drywall. Which means you'll be able to secure the front of the shelf by a screw going through the side.

Ha! If you're lucky.
 

Ronstang

Lifer
Jul 8, 2000
12,493
18
81
Originally posted by: swbsam
Originally posted by: lxskllr
Wood, or drywall?

Drywall, but I was thinking of adding a wood frame along the perimeter for added strength, unless drywall's strong enough (which I doubt it is).

Add wood to both sides of the indention with holes drilled for those little push in shelf supports and add enough to give you the flexibility to relocate the shelves. Then use some trim on the front edge to finish it out and then either paint or stain it to provide the finish you desire. This is a Saturday project if you know what you are doing.
 

Squisher

Lifer
Aug 17, 2000
21,204
66
91
Originally posted by: feralkid
Originally posted by: Squisher
If you want wood shelves mounted to the wall with no visible means of support (wood on the sides) buy yourself a pocket screw jig, some dowels, a Flush Cut Pull Saw, and some sand paper.

You'll be able to get away with this because at the front (and the back) of the side wall of the inset in the wall there is wood behind the drywall. Which means you'll be able to secure the front of the shelf by a screw going through the side.

Ha! If you're lucky.

I guarantee there is a stud where the sidewall of the inset meets the main wall and where the side wall of the inset meets the back wall of the inset.

You can't just hang drywall on air.
 

feralkid

Lifer
Jan 28, 2002
16,617
4,708
136
Originally posted by: Squisher
Originally posted by: feralkid
Originally posted by: Squisher
If you want wood shelves mounted to the wall with no visible means of support (wood on the sides) buy yourself a pocket screw jig, some dowels, a Flush Cut Pull Saw, and some sand paper.

You'll be able to get away with this because at the front (and the back) of the side wall of the inset in the wall there is wood behind the drywall. Which means you'll be able to secure the front of the shelf by a screw going through the side.

Ha! If you're lucky.

I guarantee there is a stud where the sidewall of the inset meets the main wall and where the side wall of the inset meets the back wall of the inset.

You can't just hang drywall on air.

Guarantee, huh?

Ha!

Just to be sporting, I'll absolutely guarantee with a 200% money-back rebate offer there's only a nailer and that you are full of boloney, and besides you claimed that there would be wood at the front, which is unfreaking likely (random chance at best) and why am I wasting time on this moronic thread.

Cheers!

 

Kelemvor

Lifer
May 23, 2002
16,928
8
81
Originally posted by: BurnItDwn
Originally posted by: Kelemvor
We just use the skinny metal pieces with the notches all the way up them. Screw those to the wall and then put on the clips. You can put the shelf pieces anywhere you want and move them up and down to exactly the height you want.

Something like this:
http://hardware.hardwarestore....port-strip-206334.aspx

This is what I would do, though if you want to put heavy things on the shelves, you'll want the double wide metal strips .... and if you want to put REALLY heavy things on the shelves ... then this is simply not an option.

We use these in our pantry. Have shelves loaded with canned goods. 2 of the metal rails on each side, one towards the front and one towards the back. Solid as a rock.
 

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
48,920
46
91
Originally posted by: feralkid
Just to be sporting, I'll absolutely guarantee with a 200% money-back rebate offer there's only a nailer and that you are full of boloney, and besides you claimed that there would be wood at the front, which is unfreaking likely (random chance at best) and why am I wasting time on this moronic thread.

Cheers!

I'm thinking you're picturing this wrong. The front would be an outside corner where two walls come together. Yeah, there will be wood there.
 

Squisher

Lifer
Aug 17, 2000
21,204
66
91
Originally posted by: feralkid
Guarantee, huh?

Ha!

Just to be sporting, I'll absolutely guarantee with a 200% money-back rebate offer there's only a nailer and that you are full of boloney, and besides you claimed that there would be wood at the front, which is unfreaking likely (random chance at best) and why am I wasting time on this moronic thread.

Cheers!

So, You're saying there is a piece of one by or plywood spanning the side wall of the inset? Nevertheless, if there is a nailer, at the front corner where that nailer meets the main wall there is a stud. You don't put a corner bead in an outside corner mounted to two adjoining nailers. You might as well build a house out of one by or plywood studs.

But, let's say the second little pig built this house from twigs, he'd still have enough meat behind the drywall to anchor a shelf in 3/4" of wood.
 

feralkid

Lifer
Jan 28, 2002
16,617
4,708
136
Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: feralkid
Just to be sporting, I'll absolutely guarantee with a 200% money-back rebate offer there's only a nailer and that you are full of boloney, and besides you claimed that there would be wood at the front, which is unfreaking likely (random chance at best) and why am I wasting time on this moronic thread.

Cheers!

I'm thinking you're picturing this wrong. The front would be an outside corner where two walls come together. Yeah, there will be wood there.

Of course I'm picturing it wrong...there are no pics...it is utter speculation, and my assumptions would be as dopey as any in this thread.
 

DrPizza

Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Mar 5, 2001
49,601
166
111
www.slatebrookfarm.com
Originally posted by: feralkid
Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: feralkid
Just to be sporting, I'll absolutely guarantee with a 200% money-back rebate offer there's only a nailer and that you are full of boloney, and besides you claimed that there would be wood at the front, which is unfreaking likely (random chance at best) and why am I wasting time on this moronic thread.

Cheers!

I'm thinking you're picturing this wrong. The front would be an outside corner where two walls come together. Yeah, there will be wood there.

Of course I'm picturing it wrong...there are no pics...it is utter speculation, and my assumptions would be as dopey as any in this thread.

I really don't think the OP did a poor job describing the job he wants to do. I think that you're the only person who doesn't get it. Yes, there will be a stud there.

OP: another reason the drywall won't work: working vertically, the drywall won't be attached to the studs as often as you're putting in shelves (you said 10 shelves.) So, once you've notched the drywall from the front edge to the back, you'll have several pieces of drywall that are only held in place by a little bit of drywall compound. Those pieces will not be fastened to the wall. I have sincere doubts that your shelves would remain functional & aesthetically pleasing for very long.

Providing that the wall is truly 4' wide or less, here's my suggestion: get a 4x8 sheet of 1/4" plywood of the same wood that your cabinets are made from, 4x8 sheet 3/4" cabinet grade plywood, same wood. Stain the plywood to match your cabinets as perfectly as possible. Locate the studs & measure very accurately. Mount the 1/4" plywood to the back wall. Measure the depth from the surface of that plywood to 3/4" from the front corner. Rip a sheet of plywood to twice this width, plus the kerf of your sawblade. Either use a dado blade on a table saw, else a router to cut your grooves into this plywood at the intervals you'd like the shelves. Width of the grooves should almost exactly match the thickness of the 3/4" plywood (which isn't exactly 3/4's inch) AFTER the grooves are cut, rip down the center & mount one half on the left & one on the right. You wait to rip it down the center to be certain that the grooves on both sides will be consistent from side to side. If your floor runs, you may have to trim a little off the bottom of one and the top of the other. From the remainder of the plywood, (and you may need a little more), cut the shelves to be as close as possible to fitting from side to side. All of the plywood should be flush with the other plywood. However, it should only come to 3/4's inch from the front edge of the wall. Apply some hardware (dozens of choices, from dowels to other fasterers) to the back of the shelf to give it further support when goes up against the 1/4" plywood.

Next, get 1x2 hardwood, again, to match the cabinets in the kitchen & stain to get as close to an exact match as possible. Face all the plywood with the 1x2. Use a pneumatic nailer to fasten it. If you are really, really careful, you can get the built in shelves to match the rest of the cabinets.

$20 more: use 4x8 3/4" furniture grade plywood for the back, instead of 1/4". Cut grooves into it too, about 1/2" depth. That way, if the wall isn't perfectly straight/plumb/square, you can still get it to line up without gaps. (unless your wall is off by more than 1/2" over 4')
 

Safeway

Lifer
Jun 22, 2004
12,074
9
81
Either nail up support boards on both sides or use L-brackets.

You could make it look fairly nice if you add a front cover panel to hide the support boards and give the shelf some depth.
 

Greenman

Lifer
Oct 15, 1999
20,943
5,567
136
Thank God DrPizza got it right. But I have to wonder if the OP isn't just a little bit out of his league? The man doesn't own a tool, he's never done any woodworking, and he's going to tackle built in shelving as a first project? He's going to spend more on tools than it would cost to have a cabinet maker build the darn things.
 

preCRT

Platinum Member
Apr 12, 2000
2,340
123
106
All of you missed a key point:

Originally posted by: swbsam
Exactly, sorry for being vague - I'm not a very handy person!


He has no tools, no experience with power equipment, has practically admitted to being a klutz yet you want him to use a dado blade or a router? Almost forgot the pneumatic nailer, no tool for a noob. That's almost guaranteeing a trip to the ER and a missing digit or two.

It'll be much cheaper & safer if the OP just buys a bookcase or hires a pro.




 

DrPizza

Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Mar 5, 2001
49,601
166
111
www.slatebrookfarm.com
Originally posted by: preCRT
All of you missed a key point:

Originally posted by: swbsam
Exactly, sorry for being vague - I'm not a very handy person!


He has no tools, no experience with power equipment, has practically admitted to being a klutz yet you want him to use a dado blade or a router? Almost forgot the pneumatic nailer, no tool for a noob. That's almost guaranteeing a trip to the ER and a missing digit or two.

It'll be much cheaper & safer if the OP just buys a bookcase or hires a pro.

Yeah, but think of the "epic" thread on ATOT that'll be linked to all over the internet after he attempts the project.
 

PieIsAwesome

Diamond Member
Feb 11, 2007
4,054
1
0
Originally posted by: Greenman
Thank God DrPizza got it right. But I have to wonder if the OP isn't just a little bit out of his league? The man doesn't own a tool, he's never done any woodworking, and he's going to tackle built in shelving as a first project? He's going to spend more on tools than it would cost to have a cabinet maker build the darn things.

Fancy-shmancy tools? Bah! A handsaw, power drill, hammer, screwdriver, nails/screws is all you need for most things. The shelves don't sound very complicated, this is a good learning experience.
 
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