Cherry ply ripped to width, getting ready to cut to length. Ripping was a trick in the crowded space. I did a lot of pre cutting and router work in the driveway, and also moved materials into that space:
book shelves rough ripped and cross cut
Routing dadoes for the top, bottom and middle shelves and well as the recess for the back panel.
This guide clamp is really helpful when using the circ saw for rough cuts.
I used a plunge router with an edge guide to create the grooves on the shelves.
At the end of the day, I had a stack of pieces, and so much more to do...
After another day, the stack of pieces had increased.
Here the door panels are gluing up.
Things are starting to pile up. I want a bigger work space...
Gluing up the case frame. Notice the sides I drilled on the drill press. I found out my saw horses were not quite long enough and had to add the 2x4s you see on the tops.
This router table is great. I used it quite a bit on this project. Here it is set to cut grooves in the back panel side pieces.
Here's the back panel which was assembled in three separate glue-ups. It's a tongue and groove design done with the router. Maybe you can see the side pieces are grooved to so they recess flush with the back of the case.
Things are way too crowded.
Cabinet scrapers worked well to clean up the joints and wood. That plane is a cheap one I bought at home depot. Big mistake. Will spend the money to buy a nice one soon.
Case with back panel (some water spots to clean up stray glue).
Double stick tape (that stuff is amazingly sticky!) and a flush trim bit to make identical curves. Of course I also learned the hard way about watching for grain patterns.
Spindle sanding to clean up the curves.
The back of the face frame is Pocket holed together. Also, A chamfer bit in the router table for decorative detail of the face frame.
Pocket holes glue up.
Gluing in the face frame- wished I had more clamps (Curse of woodworkers everywhere...)
I used some monster Freud Router bits to make the rails, stiles, an raised panels on the doors.
Rough dry fit. Starting to glue edging to plywood pieces.
The corbels here turned out to be a bit tricky. Router the chamfers was tricky, but the real trick was gluing them on.
Things started to get a little messy by this point, notice even the camera doesn't want to focus on this mess...
Corbels in place (after much to do)
Tops of the corbels are drilled for dowels to fit the top.
I might have gone a little overboard pocket holing the bottom leg assembly...
I originally planned to stain the book case with this gel/oil stain combo, but I didn't like to way it looked. I tried about 7 different stains and combinations before settling on an old tried and true varnish mix.
Assembling the base.
Gluing the top in place. I hit my head twice on those clamps and wore two welts prominently for a week.
Base assembled.
Trimming the face frame flush with the shelf.
Finished the top to see if I would like it. I do have a scrap board too, but I didn't see a need to photo that.
I intended to totally sand and reroute the profiles on the panels and start fresh, but I ended up liking this look quite a bit.
With finish. Panels have to be prefinished so they can expand in the frame.
Case with finish.
Shelving. Finished.
Roughing in doors after gluing stiles and rails.
With hinges, another dry fit. Had to do some more trimming, and then finishing.
Getting close...
The brass pin sets really make a difference.
After final finishing and a wax, here it is at my parents.
Nate testing out the doors. Happy b-day bro.