[Stephens73]

I had a friend post this photo on my wall on facebook and asked me if I could build this? I am really at a loss for the design and structure. How would you build this?

 

[ryan50hrl]

I suspect it's attached through the backing....by doweling into the "trunk" and attaching through the back i would suspect it would be strong enough.

 

[Streamwinner]

My sister asked me if I could build the same bookshelf. My assumption is that it either is a number of small angled torsion boxes (from a similar design) or solid pieces secured with hard to see brackets. Could be dowels, too, if it were permanent. Cool bookshelf, though.

 

[Stephens73]

I don't know if I want to try to tackle this project. My friend lives 3 hours away and I really don't want to transport my tools to do this.

 

[BernieL]

It is obvious the branches (shelves) are not steam bent boards but rather angled attachments, probably doweled from the back board like Sreamwinner suggests. The angles are sharp, not curved. Another possibility is to have splines on the inner curves of branches. The original builder was innovative in creating this design, but it's not magic.

 

[sweet willy]

Maybe not magic Bernie but the glue up and the clamping is definitely a nightmare!

 

[Chaincarver Steve]

See the bottom edge of a sheet good that begins a few inches from the floor? Then I stops right above the highest branch? I think the tree parts are attached to that piece as a backing. The whole unit is then attached to the wall. The angles of the branches act as shelf supports to prevent the shelves from sagging. The tree parts may be glued and screwed to the backer, doweled to it or a combination of the three.

It's also possible that the tree parts are anchored directly to the wall. But I doubt it would have to be.

I do like the design. It looks really cool.

 

[Chaincarver Steve]

Maybe not magic Bernie but the glue up and the clamping is definitely a nightmare!

Probably not as much as a nightmare as you're thinking. Actually, I believe it would be especially easy to assemble. Since it's so segmented, you can glue up one piece at a time. And nails or screws can be driven into the joints to aid in assembly.

Of course, I've never made one of those shelves so I'm speaking only from what I've learned online and in books. But it should be an easy assembly. Once you finally get all the parts cut and fitting together snugly, that is.

 

[Chaincarver Steve]

Well, I believe I was way off by saying that the shelf unit might be built onto a sheet good backer board. Here's some similar shelves for sale. They don't have a backer. The ones in my link are made of MDF and they're asking $899.00 for them!

http://www.yliving.com/nurseryworks-tree-bookcase.html

One could still build the shelf using a backer board for structural support. But, apparently, it can be built without.

 

[Chaincarver Steve]

Me again. I have the answer this time. Google Images came through for us.

Here's a look at what's going on. It's constructed with plywood. Then, most likely, veneered to look like solid wood.

Here's another way to go about it, with different results.

 

[jmfurniture419]

I believe this was assembled using solid 1"x6" common board. It is then covered with plywood.

 

[bauerbach]

old thread, but the later pictures are clearly different than the original. the original is much thinner and the other method would never work. SOmeone made one more recently, he laminated a bunch of sheets of plywood together and used a flush cut router to match each layer to the last I think. Lots of waste but it got the job done.

 

[TrevortdogR]

old thread, but the later pictures are clearly different than the original. the original is much thinner and the other method would never work. SOmeone made one more recently, he laminated a bunch of sheets of plywood together and used a flush cut router to match each layer to the last I think. Lots of waste but it got the job done.

Your right the original is different than the later one.

Does anyone know how do they do the joinery for the original one?

 

[bauerbach]

I bet the original is fixed to the wall to support the branches.

 

[pimms]

Cool book shelf, but I personally wouldnt take on unless was paid a lot, seems quite challenging, it has te be able to sustain a lot of weight.