How To: Build A Custom Bookcase

Step 8 Sanding

You won't have this kind of access to the inside of these sideboards again, so now might be a great time to hit them with a bit of sanding. Palm routers like this Craftsman Vibra-Free Orbital Sander are made for this sort of thing. With 80-grit and a little time, we gave each piece we'd cut a good once-over to get rid of the pencil marks and rough spots.

Comments

[DallasDeckard]

These are nice shelves, built with a minimum of tools. That takes planning and ingenuity. Good job. I would like to suggest one thing though, if you do use the random orbit sander, I'd use a higher grit, say 220, unless you've dinged them up or something. Also, going over them with a scraper to take out the swirl marks is a good idea. No matter how good the random orbit or one's technique, there are always swirl marks that show up when you stain. Or do it by hand, going with the grain. Just a thought.

80 grit is a carpenter's bread and butter, which is why I quit shopping at Home Depot. For a long time they quit stocking 80 grit. I asked why and they told me that they sold more 100 grit and not enough 60 grit. I shook my head and said, "Okay, buy why did you quit selling 80 grit?" He just stared at me. Needless to say, it was Lowes for me after that. Man, do I miss a decent lumber yard.

I used to do things like this all the time when I lived in an apartment and didn't have the luxury of using a table saw and other equipment like that, which one can use if you have a garage or shop. I made a lot of neat things, which just goes to show you that if you have a little motivation and DIY skills there is a lot open to you regardless of your situation. Thanks for sharing this.

[ThreeWestCreative]

You are so right! I only recently started making furniture and learning about woodworking and now I can't even think about buying something without contemplating whether or not I can make it instead. :) I started with a custom desk and just recently built a platform bed. I was going to buy one but when I went to look at them I kept thinking "I could trim those legs a little bit and then do this..." which told me I should be making my own custom bed from scratch, not spending hundreds of dollars on a pre-made on I was going to alter. Best decision too. I love my bed and it made me feel so good to have made it.

I also find myself wishing there was a lumber yard instead of going to Lowes or HD. I feel like I would have more of a selection of wood. I also feel like the selection of connective hardware is less than what it used to be (kinda like how radio shack used to sell everything an electronics tinkerer could ever want and now all they sell is cell phones and pre-made crap).

I'm about to make a set of book shelves for a corner in my bedroom, a TV stand, coffee table, custom record player cabinet and recently put in a simple workstation in my recording booth (walk-in closet turned into a recording booth).