Customer Reviews

Bookcases

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Bookcases are a reviewer's friend. Or rather, they are until they take over the house. Eventually you realize that you have more invested in cheap assemble-it-yourself furniture than you do in that Volvo in the garage. If you have pretensions at being handy, there will come a time when you start dreaming of nifty cabinets and lawyers bookcases - all make in that shop in the basement. And that's the time to reach for Niall Barrett's book.

Think there's nothing to it? Barrett starts right out with a bit of bookcase theory. Finally you will understand why those shelves keep sagging and how to keep it from happening. The author's style is straightforward, right to-the-point, but it is clear from the beginning that Barrett loves making bookcases, and loves what goes in them as well.

Eleven designs are presented, from a simple, short bookcase to and exotic formal sideboard bookcase. Other than the sideboard, which is a bit over designed for my tastes I found all of the bookcases attractive, graceful, and functional. Barrett pays most of his attention one the details of building with only elementary suggestions about finishing.

As has been mentioned earlier, he uses shop tools to simplify the work. Although there is no reason that some of the simpler designs couldn't be done with basic hand tools or handyman's power tools. Probably a router and a good rotary saw (small table saw or hand tool) are minimum requirements.

This book is filled with nice projects. I have just started working on one of the bookcases, the instructions are very detailed, even discussing finishing. The photography and illustrations are great. Looking forward to doing more of the bookcases.

I've only tried one project from this book, the Barrister Bookcase. It looked like a great design and was a good opportunity to use my new Tenon Jig and my Biscuit Joiner. I'm an amateur, but have made at least 10 pieces of good quality hardwood furniture. I am urging fellow woodworkers to take care in following the plans, photos, and instructions for this project as there are errors in at least 1 dimension and numerous misleading features of the sketches and photos. Examining everything carefully will allow you to navigate the pitfalls, but don't take anything for granted.
I contacted Mr Barrett, the author, thru Taunton Press. Initially both appeared interested in my input, but when I had more than just one problem to recite, the communication stopped. I've offered to send Taunton a concise list of the problems but they will not answer my e-mails anymore.
It seems a shame when you purchase a rather polished looking instructional book, find problems, and the publisher isn't interested in correcting the problems.

This book is does and excellent job covering bookcases. There are several styles of bookcases and construction methods detailed. This gives you not only different looks to choose from but also different methods to use in building bookcases. There are many detailed diagrams, from perspective measurements to exploded views showing where the biscuits go. The simple jigs used to make the angled cuts are also covered.

... I decided to purchase this book, hopeing that I might be able to turn out some bookcases for myself in the shop. I still hope to, but it may have to wait until I win the lottery.

I was looking forward to something that I could build, ... I was thinking that any 'simple jigs' I could build myself, and with basic hand tools, (chisels, a few saws, a drill, and a few countersink bits, I'd be set. But this is NOT the case.

For almost all of the projects, Niall's plans call for the use of any number of expensive power tools. A table saw is essential, as well as a biscuit joiner, and a router. with a few bits. Any mortises that he cuts are done with a table mounted cutter.

With these tools, they would be simple projects, I however, will be cutting the dove-tails and mortises by hand, and I don't expect them to be as fast built.

Still, I look forward to building one or two, though his diagrams will no longer be a great help.

In general I like almost all the books and magazines that I own from Taunton press (such as Fine Woodworking, Fine Homebuilding, and some of their other books). In general the their writers are adept at what they do and their editing and illustrations are well done.

This book is no exception. Unlike several of the reviews I have read, I didn't find any glaring errors in any of the plans (I built the maple plywood bookshelf and adapted the beech bookshelf for my own needs). I find the designs and illustrations to be useful. I plan on building the cherry Shaker-style book shelf in the near future (it should be easy enought to adapt to hold my DVD collection).

Of course you will need some good power tools to complete these projects, especailly a good table saw (although I built the maple bookshelf mostly with my circular saw and a good edge guide), a biscuit joiner, jointer and a router. But this is pretty standard fare for any woodworking project.

... on the one hand, all the projects are beautiful, will inspire you to want to try them, and will probably appeal to an advanced woodworker.

On the other hand, the title is simply, "Bookcases," rather than "Advanced Bookcases," and none of the projects as I recall were within the level of someone like myself with a simple table saw and simple router, and no biscuit joiner. Even for someone with a biscuit joiner, the author acknowledged that some of the joinery was a bit tricky.

With that said, I did learn some wonderful stuff in the introduction, where Barrett notes two things: 1 -- To always plan your bookcase project by measuring what you are going to put in it, and what it weighs, and 2 -- To always sleep overnight on your plan before doing the cutting.

Voila, he is so correct. I ended up not making any bookcases at all, but installing Rubbermaid wall-mounted white melamine shelves.

I test-fitted all my shelves before attaching them permanently to the standards, moving tall books with tall books and short books with short books, and all the super-high world atlases on one spot.

I made sure to sleep overnight on any design questions involving fitting the wall-mounted shelves around ducts or doorways, or figuring out where to make short, well-supported spans for heavy books. It all came out great, so that is an unintended consequence of Niall Barrett's book. The introduction really is quite good on how to plan a way to store a library, and has nice photos of various fasteners and standards.

Check this book out and maybe use it to plan something simpler -- that's my advice.

this book details 11 different bookcases: simple short, simple tall, shaker-style wall shelf, standing v-shelf, country colonial, trapezoidal, shaker-style with doors, arts and crafts, barrister, formal sideboard, and step-back bookcase. All nice-looking and well detailed. Most using solid wood, some using a little plywood. for me though not any plans for large free standing bookcases. i ended up designing and building my own 8-foot by 3-foot units with paneled sides and locking doors out of solid teak using very simple construction. this book needed some more fancy designs with dimensions i used.

Although the book is informative (if a total beginner), I felt it to be half of what I had hoped for!

Hello, Mr. Barrett and his team have knocked themselves out to train and educate people like me on both the asthetics and craftmanship of high quality bookcases. I am a professional instructional designer who graduated from a top three graduate program in the field (FSU) and I recognize how important it is for the subject matter expert (Mr. Barrett) to logically convey his or her teaching objectives to the reader in ways that the reader will hold fast to and generate good work from. IOW, I know I can follow the instructions while referencing the excellent exploded diagrams and produce handsome bookcases to hold and display my beloved books. My own goal and the instructional goal of Mr. Barrett and his team match cracker jackerly. Thanks for your hard work.