Lower Shelf
2010.05.27
I went back to the Rebuilding Center today to find something suitable for the lower shelf. My first thought was tongue-and-groove flooring, but after sifting through the stacks, it didn’t look like I could find enough matching pieces. Then I found a piece of 3/4″ douglas-fir shiplap siding, about 7 inches wide and 17 feet long. I cut it down with a handsaw (for easier transport), shelled out all of $4, and brought it home.
I figure the white paint is probably lead-based, so I don’t really want to disturb that. Therefore, I flipped the wood over to use that as the top side. The surface was stained and darkened with age. I used the belt sander, followed by the jack plane, and it cleaned up nicely.
I made a series of crosscuts and ended up with eight pieces for the shelf. A tongue-and-groove joint would have been better than shiplap to keep the pieces locked together, but the shiplap should be alright.
2010.05.30
I ripped a 3/4 by 1 1/2 piece of oak in half to make two support rails for the shelf boards.
I predrilled and countersunk for screws, then attached the support rails to the lower stretchers.
The shelf boards just sit on top of the rails. I am hoping this will be sufficient, but will have to see how that holds up in use. I may have to glue the shelf boards together somehow or attach them to the rails with nails or screws.
Sliding Dovetails