This week I’m building a version of these folding campaign bookshelves for the “Campaign Furniture” book. I made slight changes to the original Victorian design – incorporating some features that I spied in some other folding units.
The result is – I hope – a more stable set of shelves.
I’ve built several sets of backless shelves such as this – they were common during the Arts & Crafts period – and there are lots of little things you can do to make things start stiff and stay stiff. (No blue pill required.)
These shelves are surprisingly small: 24” high, 22-3/8” wide and 9-1/2” deep. So even if my first unit is a failure, It won’t take much wood to build another one.
— Christopher Schwarz
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I was one of the ones that asked that you include this in the book and am grateful that you did so.
I love your sense of humor, cracks me up. Good way to start the day. Thanks and have a Happy Thanksgiving.
This is hip. My skills are weak sauce, but this looks like something I can build.
I really like the folding shelf sketches you’ve been posting lately, thanks for the previews! I actually have need to build something like this soon so I’ll be giving it a go before the book comes out. Based on the sketches and the table video I’m comfortable with the hinge layout and how the floating shelf/shelves will lock the unit in place for use but I’m curious about the small cross piece added in this sketch.
How are you thinking of attaching the cross piece so it adds enough stiffness in use but removes easily for transit?
Thanks!
Me thinks, you use the smudge tool too often!
You mean my hand? Those are drawn by hand.
Chris, how many copies of something do you make for the book? For example, your campaign furniture book, how many chests, how many stools, etc?
Eric,
I usually make several pieces of each form, depending on the complexity and the amount of “engineering” required. Campaign chests are simple. I built two chests. Roorkee chairs are very complicated. I built more than a dozen to sort out the equations. Other stuff is somewhere between.