American Woodworker: Two-Part Bookcase: Preparing & Gluing

If it weren’t for the backboards, this bookcase wouldn’t last a week. These hard-working boards help lock the upper and lower sections together, but more importantly they stiffen the case (Figs. F and G). Cut the backboards to length, place them in position on the case sides and lay out the slots for the screws (Fig. G). Cut the slots on the tablesaw. Stand the backboards on edge against a miter gauge and make two overlapping cuts with a standard saw blade. Then cut the dadoes for the screwheads.

Cut biscuit slots to join the backboards and case sides. These biscuits align the backboard flush with the side, but do not add strength. Glue the backboards to the sides (Photo 7).

The backboards also help you square up the whole bookcase when you glue the sides and shelves together. Thank goodness! You can get into lots of trouble by gluing things out of square, but this system is slick. Dry clamp each shelf in place with the biscuits loose in the slots and mark the shelf’s position on the backboard (Photo 8). Make the pencil lines very light because you won’t be able to get into the corners with an eraser after the glue up. That’s the one downside of this easy method.

Take your time and walk through a dry run of the glue up before you attempt the real thing (Photo 9). Here’s the best way to do the glue up, alone, without going crazy: Support one side with a narrow (7-in.), wooden box that leaves room for the clamp heads. Insert one shelf at a time, align it with the reference lines on the backboard and clamp it in place. Once all the shelves are upright, place the other case side on the ends of the shelves, clamp the shelves tight to the backboard and finally add the pipe clamps.

After gluing both cases, sand them with 150-grit paper. Avoid dyeing or staining birch, because it has a tendency to unevenly soak up color and become blotchy. Even an oil finish can look bad, so stick with shellac, brushed-on varnish or lacquer.

This tall bookcase stands quite well on its own, but for safety, fasten it to the wall through the backboards. Then there’ll be no chance for it to tip if a pet or rambunctious kid tries to climb the shelves!

Working in a small space?
No problem. We’ve designed this bookcase from short and narrow pieces. Two stacking halves make it easier to assemble (fewer clamps!) and easier to move.

GLUE THE BACKBOARD onto the case side. Make sure it’s square along the entire length. Check opposite each clamp as you tighten it down. Shift the head of the clamp in or out to change the angle of the backboard.

MARK THE POSITION of the shelves on the backboards with light pencil lines. These reference lines help you glue up the entire case square. Clamp each shelf in place, without glue, and adjust it until it’s square to the case side.

GLUE THE LOWER UNIT TOGETHER with cauls and pipe clamps. The thick cauls distribute clamping pressure over the entire width of the side. Use short clamps to pull the shelves tight against the backboards. Align the shelves with the reference lines. Then tighten the pipe clamps.

Detail of Shelf Slots
Screwing the backboards to the shelves stiffens the bookcase, but an allowance must be made for the backboards to shrink and swell in width with the seasons. That’s why the screw passes through a slot rather than a hole. The backboard is dadoed so the head of the screw doesn’t stick out.


	Nuts! We forgot to remove some squeezed-out glue before it dried! Finish won’t stick to it, so the glue has to be removed before we can move on. Fortunately, yellow glue can be softened with hot water and scraped off with a sharp chisel days after it has dried. Hot water turns the clear glue back to its original yellow color, so it’s easy to see what must be removed. After scraping, wash the area with a rag dampened with hot water, let the wood dry and sand off the raised grain.

Previous Page

Two-Part Bookcase • Exploded View of Bookcase
Preparing & Gluing • Milling The Sides & Shelves
Fitting The Backboards & Final Assembly