New to woodworking- Help with making a bookshelf

crynoutloud said:

Good afternoon from Atlanta. Just started on a project and would like to get some advise. I bought some white pine 1x10 sides and shelves and 1x12 top which I hope to put a routered edge on. I have sanded it down with a 400 grit sandpaper on a 1/4 sheet sander and am pleased with the finish. Is there something I should do before I put the pre-stain on? It still has some dust even though I've brushed and brushed it off. Also, do you sand the seal or stain?

I read on another thread where someone suggested using a 1x3 of poplar to make some kind of jig before I start using my router. Can anyone elaborate on this or point me to another post? I bought it with a little fancier face and just plan on zipping the three edges of the top shelf. . (1" reveal on sides and front, flush with the back.) I then bought some Luan door skin to make a back surface.

I am just wingining it as I go guys. Any suggestions or comments would be great. BTW- I bought a $99 Ryobi router from home depot.

Thanks,

Tom

Click to expand...

Howdy Tom and a big welcome to the Router Forum. I too am in the Atlanta area (Hiram).

To answer your first question, I have never bothered sealing wood before I apply stain and mine always comes out perfect. I would simply apply the stain of your choice and let it dry good before applying the finish coats. I normally sand between coats on the finish product.

As far as a jig, you should not really need one to just round your edges. Using a round over bit with the little wheel on the bottom should keep you in line with your shelf surface. Just be sure to keep your router base level on the wood surface and not let it tilt while rounding.

The Ryobi is a good starter router and you should do fine with what you are trying to do with your project. As you get into more complex cuts then you may need jigs and guides, but from the way I read your post you should not need this at this time. After you advance to other complexities, come back and yell for additional assistance and the fine folks here will jump at the chance to give you a hand.

Cheers

And now for a desenting view.... and I'm not saying these other people are wrong.... the fact is I differ with what they are saying. I always enjoy looking at things that were made by hand 100, 200, 400 years ago. I like to look at the joints they use.... the wood they used.... the finish and just how well did their work hold up. I especially like older pine things as they are a "soft" wood and as such many of them did not survive... but those that did!

I guess those old guys that use to use 20" wide pine for chests etc knew something we don't? I have many things I've made using 10" and 12" pine and have not seen that much of a problem..... (some of them are in excess of 30 years old now) now having said that if I were making a table top or such I would revert to ripping and gluing but for a shelf I would not. If I were intending to do a glue-up I would tend to buy smaller stock to start with..... but that is just me.

One of the reasons I don't like the "glue-up" is I like a natural finish.... I actual like the grain and pattern in the wood as the tree grew it. If you put on clear stain the glue up just looks like a glue up..... If I were to paint it then it would be an option.

It also depends on the grade of the pine, how it was dried (if it was dried well enough), now many knots.... is it already twisted/warped/bowed. If you go to the local building center and look the cheapest pine you can find and then work your way up to the expensive stuff you will see what I mean.

How ever you decide to do it enjoy the woodworking along the way.... remember it's all fine woodworking until some one decides it's kindling...

Ed

One way to finish pine is to apply Orange shellac,fresh mixed, followed by a good varnish(waterlox works well it uses phenolic as a resin so it adds an amber cast). This yields what is refered to as "pumpkin pine". Most of the antique and just old pine furniture that many people like so much was made from old growth (read slow growth) lumber that is much different than what is generally sold today. Another ,more general way is to first apply a very thin (approximately 1/2 lb cut) blond shellac ,when dry sand much of it off with 220 grit and then dye with a metallic dye (if appling by hand
use water soluable dye for the background ,or final color, from here it can be glazed, toned,and top coated. My sarcasm was meant to be directed towards the finish makers and spin doctors who decide what we want and need and why. The truth hardly enters into the hype.

regards
jerry

I use quite a bit of pine on kitchens and haven't had a problem with warpage. I use laminated pine and straight panel. Any time I have used pine, aspen, or tamatack from a hardware or home supply centre I have had problems before I even started building with it.

Our ancestors secret was a simple one. Cut your lumber, cross pile it, let it dry naturally for about 14-15 months, (minimum 12) and you won't have any splits or warpage after you build with it.Rough cut, trim, then plane and edge. It's extra work but well worth while. The effort will show in the finished product. Avoid quick changes in temperature and especially humidity. Aspen is far worse than pine not so much for warping as twisting. Once dried naturally, tamatack won't give you any problems at all. I have never found good tamarack at a supply centre.

I usually finish these woods with a clear finish called "REZ". I like to show the natural color and grain of the wood. I don't use any sealer or conditioner. I'm not sure whether climate or drying method would affect that or not.

The main reason we find very few antique items of soft wood that have survived is the change in temperature and humidity. I have a friend in the antique business who bought a dresser in Scotland for a hefty price. It was in perfect condition. Once it arrived at his warehouse here in Canada within 2 weeks the wood had split and the piece was worthless. Surely climate in that senario. However you build it, have fun with it. Good luck.