tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266015362211013614.post91493168698354396..comments2024-03-22T19:31:29.666+00:00Comments on Scribble Street News: Making an Impossible BookshelfJonathan Emmetthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11413964991466780348noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266015362211013614.post-63381049611799010392022-03-31T09:17:28.217+01:002022-03-31T09:17:28.217+01:00Jonathan the deed is done my impossible bookshelf ...Jonathan the deed is done my impossible bookshelf is finished. It was a process as I wasn’t able to use in the air I had to use plywood and bendable plywood.�� I probably over engineered it so it can also double as a pull up bar�� Instead of printing book covers I went to Thrift stores and collected old hardcover books And then use those two sandwich more plywood which then became book rests. Then also provides me with the next challenge Witjes putting new covers on those books. <br />Would love to share pictures here but apparently it’s not an option. If you like to see them I could email them anyway thanks again for a great idea which I loved reproducing. ��Paul Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13932595801286090914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266015362211013614.post-31230042261046824292022-03-31T09:14:36.390+01:002022-03-31T09:14:36.390+01:00Jonathan the deed is done my impossible bookshelf ...Jonathan the deed is done my impossible bookshelf is finished. It was a process as I wasn’t able to use in the air I had to use plywood and bendable plywood.😀 I probably over engineered it so it can also double as a pull up bar😂 Instead of printing book covers I went to Thrift stores and collected old hardcover books And then use those two sandwich more plywood which then became book rests. Then also provides me with the next challenge Witjes putting new covers on those books. <br />Would love to share pictures here but apparently it’s not an option. If you like to see them I could email them anyway thanks again for a great idea which I loved reproducing. 😀Paul Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13932595801286090914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266015362211013614.post-51048128826269393322022-01-29T21:37:55.087+00:002022-01-29T21:37:55.087+00:00Those are the correct measurements. That's the...Those are the correct measurements. That's the size of a small paperback in the UK. I wanted the dummy books to be relatively small so that they would look less noticeable among the real books, but you could use a larger size if you prefer.Jonathan Emmetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11413964991466780348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266015362211013614.post-61456973715124853782022-01-29T20:20:33.247+00:002022-01-29T20:20:33.247+00:00One more question are you sure about the measureme...One more question are you sure about the measurements ? :-) I measured it out for myself and the “books” are mighty small at only 17cm high and 11 deep? Paul Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13932595801286090914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266015362211013614.post-89287705832244375912022-01-29T12:53:26.086+00:002022-01-29T12:53:26.086+00:00Dear Jonathan thank you so much for your reply! Th...Dear Jonathan thank you so much for your reply! This is really helpful and contains all the information I was after. I think my radius will be less than yours but I might still go for the extra layer of MDF 😊.<br /><br />Once it is finished I will for sure share the result with you 👌🏼<br /><br />Friendly greetings<br />Paul Paul Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13932595801286090914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266015362211013614.post-37582374654051933712022-01-23T13:50:22.905+00:002022-01-23T13:50:22.905+00:00Hi Paul
Thanks for your comment. I’m glad you lik...Hi Paul<br /><br />Thanks for your comment. I’m glad you like the bookshelf.<br /><br />To answer your questions, the dummy books I used are 110 x 170 x 9 mm, but you might want to use thicker (see comments below). The backboard is 170 mm high and the shelf is 130 mm deep.<br /><br />You’re not the first person that’s contacted me to ask about making their own impossible bookshelf. Another reader emailed me to ask how the shelves are holding up and if I had any tips, so I’ve pasted my reply to him below in case it’s also of use to you.<br /><br /> ––––––––––<br />Both of the impossible bookshelves I made are holding up well after 5 years use. The curved surface of the shelf with the larger radius is sagging slightly in the middle and a small gap (3-4mm) has opened up between it and the front edge of one of the dummy books supporting it on one side. However the other shelf with the smaller radius has kept its shape perfectly (probably because it has a tighter curve).<br /><br />Weight-wise, the shelves can take hardback or paperback novels. If you wanted to put bigger books on them,I think you would either need a thicker shelf (you could add another layer or flexible MDF to achieve this) or a narrower spacing between the dummy books.<br /><br />The curved shelf is just glued into a routed slot in the backboard with PVA wood glue. If the slot is nice and tight, glue should hold it OK.<br /><br />One thing I would do differently with hindsight: I mentioned in the post that, in addition to gluing them, I also hammered some panel pins through the underside of the shelf into the base of the dummy books to make them extra secure. The dummy books are effectively upside down brackets. The ones I used were only 9mm thick, so it would be difficult to get anything thicker than a panel pin into them without them splitting. With hindsight, it would be better to use thicker mdf (perhaps 18mm) and secure them with screws (I’d drill a small pilot hole first) through the shelf and backplate.<br />––––––––––––<br /><br />As mentioned above, the larger of the two shelves, which as an internal radius of 1100 mm, has a slight sag in the middle. If the internal radius you’re using is over 1000 mm, you might want to use an extra layer of flexible MDF to make the shelf more rigid.<br /><br />I hope this of use. If you do build your own impossible bookshelf, do send me a photo.Jonathan Emmetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11413964991466780348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266015362211013614.post-59877379784412725482022-01-23T09:07:37.299+00:002022-01-23T09:07:37.299+00:00Dear Jonathan I found your project and I am blown ...Dear Jonathan I found your project and I am blown away by it! Splendid work and inspiring. I am going to make one myself. I was hoping you would share the measurements of your project. I know the radius of my own arch already but I was wondering what the measurements are of your “bookends” the height of your backboard and the depth of the shelve itself. I would be very great full if you would share these with me.<br /><br />Greetings <br />Paul Roodenburg Paul Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13932595801286090914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266015362211013614.post-72627286512655033502016-10-24T12:04:37.904+01:002016-10-24T12:04:37.904+01:00Excellent work Jonathan!! Bookshelves everywhere i...Excellent work Jonathan!! Bookshelves everywhere i say!!!Bekbloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16698254505214439950noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266015362211013614.post-7386750154273976652016-10-24T10:50:10.304+01:002016-10-24T10:50:10.304+01:00Thanks, Zoe. But having just had to make two of th...Thanks, Zoe. But having just had to make two of them, back to back, I'm not taking orders at the moment. :)Jonathan Emmetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11413964991466780348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8266015362211013614.post-71833855434810985022016-10-24T09:23:36.503+01:002016-10-24T09:23:36.503+01:00BRILLIANT. Can you please make me one? (I'll n...BRILLIANT. Can you please make me one? (I'll need a nice arched doorway too!) Playing by the bookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02761644438775249830noreply@blogger.com