OK, I have completed the shelves wanted and designed by my widow neighbor.  Some time back I posted on making the framework here.

So here are the actual shelves.  

 

 

 

 

 

Pieces are cut.  Remember, the side pieces need to be long enough to go all the way back.  If you lay down the pieces as I have done, the long piece will take up more room making the side pieces short.  

 

Spacing pieces glued and bradded in place.  Going to put the other side of the shelf on.

 

All pieces in their proper place, glued and clamped.  This is one end.  

 

The other end.  Also, a tip about the side spacers - I used the HF clamp to pull the side spacer all the way to the front.  You don't want any space between the parts.  If you have a small gap, an old trick is to do some sanding. Take some of the sanding dust, mix with some wood glue and stuff the mixture into the crack.  After it drys, it will sand and take paint.  It is barely noticeable.  

Edited November 29, 20196 yr by FlGatorwood
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Continued...

 

 

 

The space between the top and bottom boards is for the framing to attach to the wall and hold the shelf.  

 

 

 

Delivered.  Sanded. showing both back and front of 2 different shelves.  She's happy.  

 

 

Ends.  Every woodworker immediately the dastardly mistake that i made.  I should have turned the grain of the top and bottom shelves toward each other.  Way too late and I hope they don't warp for about 10 years or so.  It'll be out of style by then.  

Edited November 29, 20196 yr by FlGatorwood
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Those are really nice! I know she will be happy with them.

Very nice.  I bet they never warp.  Who installs?

Her brother.  And, he wants me to build shelves for sale.  If I had time between all my other projects, it might be fun for a short while.  One thing that I would change to reduce the weight is use plywood for the top and bottom.  It would be equally strong.  

 

@lew and @HandyDan , thank you for your compliments.  

Edited November 29, 20196 yr by FlGatorwood

Very nice. Aren’t all shelf’s made of wood, floating shelf’s?  Sorry, that’s just how my alleged mind works.

2 hours ago, FlGatorwood said:

One thing that I would change to reduce the weight is use plywood for the top and bottom.  It would be equally strong.  

Exactly.  Edge band them in some thin strips of pine.  Does add time to the project but to me they would be just as strong.  Nice thing about edge banding is you get very little end grain showing.   A trick I use for end grain, if I am painting it, is to smear some clear caulk on it.  Seals right up and when you paint you cannot see it.  

When I redid our bathroom, Mimi wanted smaller versions of these. The thing I did differently was to make the edges extend to cover the bottom and top. Then 45 degreed the corners that way there wasn’t any end grain showing