from
Woodsmith
MAGAZINE
LATTED
S SHELF
SLATTED SHELF
Here s a great place to hang your hat and coat or use as a clothes rack
in the kids room. And it breaks down easily for moving or storage.
our main parts make up this pro- line up the ends of all five slats and draw CLEATS. With the slats complete,
ject: a shelf assembly, two end lines across them with a square. Draw a work can begin on the cleats (B). Since
Fbrackets with curves, and a back line 13/ " from each end (this will position the cleats are all the same length and
4
with  Shaker-style birch pegs. To match the brackets 32" on center), and at the one end is rounded over on all of them, I
the pegs, I built the project from birch. exact center of the length; see Fig. 3. found it easiest to lay out all three cleats
CROSSLINES. Next, draw crosslines on a single 5" wide board; see Fig. 2. Cut
centered on the width of each slat. The the board to a finished length of 91/ ",
4
SHELF ASSEMBLY
easiest way to locate the center is with a and then round over one edge on one
The shelf is made up of five slats (A) held combination square; see Fig. 1. end with a 1/ " roundover bit.
4
together by three cleats (B); see page 2. Set the square for just a smidgen less MARK PILOT HOLES. Before cutting
SLATS. To make the slats (A), first rip than half the width of a slat (7/ "), mea- the cleats apart, mark the location of the
8
five pieces of 3/ "-thick stock to a com- sure in from each edge, and put marks. pilot hole lines for the screws; see Fig. 2.
4
mon width of 13/ ". Since I wanted to be Splitting the difference between the First draw a line 3/ " back from the front
4 8
able to hang the shelf on wall studs that marks will locate the exact center. Then edge. Then draw four more lines 2" apart.
were located 16" on center, I did a little punch the centers with an awl. Now, the three cleats can be ripped
figuring and cut the slats to 38" long. DRILL HOLES. The screws at each of 11/ " wide. To locate the pilot holes, draw
2
After cutting the slats to length, round the points are sunk below the surface of crosslines centered on the width of each
over the top edges of each slat with a 1/ " the slat and covered with wood plugs; see cleat using the same method that was
4
roundover bit; refer to Fig. 3 on page 3. Fig. 3. To drill the plug and screw holes, used with the slats. Finally, center punch
MARK POSITION OF HOLES. Once the first counterbore a 1/ "-dia. hole at each and drill a 3/ " hole at each point.
2 32
edges are routed, three screwholes are intersecting point. Then a 3/ " hole is ASSEMBLY. With the holes drilled in
16
drilled in each slat to attach the cleats. To drilled the rest of the way through the both the slats and cleats, assembly can
mark the location of these screwholes, slat to accept the shank of a screw. begin. Start by screwing and gluing the
Plans N O W
page 1 © 1998, August Home Publishing Co.
SLAT
A
WOOD PLUG
EXPLODED VIEW
OVERALL DIMENSIONS:
38W x 93/4D x 103/4H
CLEAT
DOWEL
B
7!/2
3#/4
MATERIALS LIST
C
L
BRACKET
WOOD
3 C
A Slats (5) / x 13/ - 38
4 4
3
B Cleats (3) / x 11/ - 91/ BACK
4 2 4
3
D
C Brackets (2) / x 87/ - 10
4 8
3
D Back (1) / x 5 - 323/
4 4
SHAKER PEG
HARDWARE SUPPLIES
1
(15) / "-dia. Wood plugs
2
8&/8
(15) No. 8 x 1" Fh woodscrews
2!/2
(4) No. 8 x 11/ " Fh woodscrews
4
3
(1) / "-dia. x 4"-long Dowel rod
8
#/4
7
(4) / "-dia. x 33/ "-long Birch Shaker pegs
8 8
9
(2) / " x 111/ " Keyhole hangers w/screws
16 16
BRACKET PATTERN
2!/2"R
BRACKET
C
CUTTING DIAGRAM
5!/2
6
#/4 x 5!/2 - 48 (1.8 Bd. Ft.)
7!/2
A
A
15
10
#/4 x 5!/2 - 48 (1.8 Bd. Ft.)
3#/8
A
A
#/4 x 5!/2 - 48 (1.8 Bd. Ft.)
1!/2" R
BRACKET
A
C
C C C
NOTE:
BE SURE CORNERS
#/4 x 5!/2 - 48 (1.8 Bd. Ft.)
ARE SQUARE
B
&/8
NOTE GRAIN DIRECTION
2!/2" R
B D
B
9
two outside cleats to the first and last cardboard template; see the Bracket After the mortise is routed, a section
slats; see Fig. 3. Make sure this partial Pattern above. Then use the template to of the slot needs to be drilled out to
assembly is square. Then screw and glue trace the brackets on the blank. Now cut, accept the head of the screw that will be
the remaining slats and cleats together. file, and sand them smooth. in the wall; see Fig. 5.
The final step on the shelf assembly is MORTISE FOR KEYHOLE HANGER. Finally, drill holes and screw the key-
to glue plugs into the counterbores. Then The shelves are held on the wall with two hole hanger into the mortise; see Fig. 6.
chisel or cut them off and sand flush. nifty little metal keyhole hangers. STOPPED RABBET. Next, a stopped
(They re available from many wood- rabbet is routed on the inside back edge
working mail order catalogs.) To hold a of each bracket to accept the back (D);
BRACKETS
hanger in each bracket, a 3/ "-deep, 9/ "- see Fig. 7.
16 16
The completed shelf assembly rests on wide mortise is routed on the back edge; Since the stopped rabbet is to be 3/ "
8
two brackets (C). Both brackets are cut see Fig. 4. Rout the mortise by making wide and 5/ " deep, a 3/ " rabbeting bit can
8 8
out of a single 9" x 15" blank made from two passes with a 1/ " straight bit on a be used to cut it; see Fig. 7. Start and stop
2
glued-up stock; see drawing above. router table or with a hand-held router the cut just a bit short of the end lines and
After the blank is squared up, lay out a and edge guide. clean it up with a sharp chisel.
LAY OUT HOLE
EDGING DETAIL
CENTERS BEFORE
2
1 2 NOTE: RIP THREE CLEATS
RIPPING
2 FROM #/4" STOCK
#/4
2
PUNCH
2
CENTERS
WITH AWL
#/8
!/4"
ROUNDOVER
BIT
1#/4
TOP VIEW
9!/4
A 5
1!/2
SLAT CLEAT B
USE
ROUND OVER
COMBINATION SQUARE
EDGE BEFORE
1#/4
TO MARK CROSSLINES 9!/4
RIPPING, SEE DETAIL
Plans N O W
page 2 © 1998, August Home Publishing Co.
!/2" HOLE, !/4"DEEP SAND WOOD PLUGS FLUSH
MOUNTING THE BRACKETS. After the 1#/4
3
rabbets are routed, the brackets are
#/4
mounted under the shelf assembly. I
decided not to fasten the brackets perma-
#/16" SHANK
#/4
B CLEAT
FRONT
HOLE
nently since I wanted to be able to take
EDGE
#/32" x #/8" DEEP
the unit apart for moving or storage. !/2
PILOT HOLE
NOTE:
#8 x 1" Fh
Rather, I used two short pins (dowels) in
!/4"ROUNDOVER
WOODSCREW
1#/4
ON TOP EDGES
the top of each bracket to locate and sta-
OF ALL SLATS 38
bilize the assembly; see Fig. 8.
To mount the pins, drill two holes in
B CLEAT
the bottom of the second and fourth slats.
1#/4
The holes are centered on the widths of
SLATS A
3
these slats and located / " from the
8
HOLES FOR MIDDLE CLEAT
inside edge of the two cleats; see Fig. 8. CENTERED ON LENGTH
1#/4
USING DOWEL CENTERS. After dril-
GLUE AND SCREW
OUTSIDE SLATS TO END CLEATS,
ling the holes in the slats, use 3/ " dowel
8
CHECK FOR SQUARE
centers to mark the location of the
matching holes on the top edge of the
brackets. Then drill these holes.
4 5 6
(/16
1#/4
Finally, glue two short dowels into the
top of each bracket to act as locating pins. CENTER
CLEAN OUT
MORTISE
WASTE
Then round over the end of each dowel
ON STOCK
BETWEEN
HOLES
with sandpaper to help them slide into
BACK
EDGE
the matching holes.
ATTACH
KEYHOLE
(/16
#/16" DEEP
HANGER
DRILL TWO #/8"
WITH #8 x #/4"
HOLES, !/4" DEEP
TOP EDGE
BACK WOODSCREWS
SIDE-BY-SIDE
The final piece to cut is the back (D). It s
#/8" RABBET BIT
ripped to a width of 5" (to match the
WITH PILOT
7
stopped rabbet on the bracket).
C BRACKET
To determine the length of the back,
turn the shelf assembly upside down and #/8" x %/8"
STOPPED RABBET
hold the brackets straight up against the
SQUARE UP
cleats. Then measure the distance
CORNERS
FIRST PASS ABOUT
between the brackets and add the depth
WITH CHISEL
HALF TOTAL DEPTH
of both rabbets (in my case, 323/ ").
4
5
After the back is cut to final length,
%/8
3
rabbet the ends to produce / "-thick
8 STOP RABBET
SHORT OF FINISHED LENGTH,
tongues that fit in the stopped rabbets in
1!/2
FINISH WITH CHISEL
the brackets; see Fig. 9. Then round over
the front edges with a 1/ " roundover bit.
4
SHAKER PEGS. Now locate and drill ATTACHING THE BACK. Finally, the FINISH. To finish the shelf, I sanded
1 3
/ " holes, / " deep as shown in the back is placed in the stopped rabbets in all the surfaces smooth and then applied
2 8
Exploded View on page 2. And then glue the brackets and holes are drilled for two coats of General Finishes Royal
in the Shaker Pegs. flathead woodscrews; see Fig. 10. Finish (a tung oil/urethane mixture).
SECOND: DRILL OPPOSING %/8
#8 x 1!/4" Fh
#/8" HOLES, !/2" DEEP
8 9 10
WOODSCREW
IN BRACKET
FIRST: RABBET ENDS
#/8" DOWEL PIN,
TO PRODUCE #/8" THICK COUNTERSINK
&/8" LONG
TONGUES SCREWS
KEEP
BACK
EDGES
#/8
FLUSH
SECOND: ROUT A !/4"
ROUNDOVER ON BOTH
DRILL PILOT HOLES
FACE EDGES
IN BRACKETS
FOR SCREWS
6&/8
2&/8
#/4
#/8
FIRST: LOCATE
AND DRILL#/8" HOLES,
BACK SIDE DOWN
!/2" DEEP IN SLATS
Plans N O W
page 3 © 1998, August Home Publishing Co.
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