Bookcases

[Randall Flagg]

Wow. I like the use of an existing (older) window casing and glass. Better yet is how you placed the books and comics..it looks great.

[sarah]

looks great, patrick. I love the blue. It feels happy.

[The Library Policeman]

Looks great Patrick!

[Patrick]

Thank you, John, Jerome, Sarah and Alan.

The maker of this one constructs a lot of different sized and colored bookcases all built "around" old window casings. I'm still getting used to it as I've never owned anything quite like it. I do like it though.

Jerome, glad you like the "display" aspect. I suppose that space will fill up as the collection grows (i.e. Joe releases another book). By the way, the signed comic books are to the left behind the L&K Vol. 1 & 2 hardcovers; I wish I could display a few of them, but there's not any room left to do that. I should probably find a comic set slipcover somewhere and store them in it.

Sarah, the blue makes me happy too.

[The Library Policeman]

Thank you, John, Jerome, Sarah and Alan.

The maker of this one constructs a lot of different sized and colored bookcases all built "around" old window casings. I'm still getting used to it as I've never owned anything quite like it. I do like it though.

Jerome, glad you like the "display" aspect. I suppose that space will fill up as the collection grows (i.e. Joe releases another book). By the way, the signed comic books are to the left behind the L&K Vol. 1 & 2 hardcovers; I wish I could display a few of them, but there's not any room left to do that. I should probably find a comic set slipcover somewhere and store them in it.

Sarah, the blue makes me happy too.

Patrick, Overlook Connection has slipcases specifically for the L&K comics in their online store. I saw them whilst browsing it the other day.

[Brice]

I love that bookcase, Patrick. It looks great with the JH collection too. Add me to the list of people feeling the happy blue color. :thumbup:

And it's full already. It seems the faster you buy bookcases the faster they fill up.

[Patrick]

Thanks, Alan, I'll check it out!

Brice, glad you're feeling the blue love too. Yeah, it did fill up frighteningly fast. Lots of room left though if I rearrange things. Currently in the bookcase there is only one book that Joe did not sign (a 1st/1st of HS-B).

[Daghain]

Nice!

[Lenny]

Finally got my new bookcase put together and loaded. It is the Oxford from Home Decorators, 72 X 48. It was vary easy to put together but you will need help with the doors. There was a problem however. The shelves, even though they are solid wood, immediately started to sag when I loaded them with books . Not so much that they were in danger of falling but I did go right out and buy some renforcing brackets. After that I had no problems. I guess it was due to that fact the shelves were so long and there is no center divider in the case. Either way problem solved and the case looks great for only $500.

[The Library Policeman]

Looks great Lenny.

[jhanic]

Very nice!

John

[Riostar]

thats a beautiful bookcase, I'm way jealous. I do love my cheap ikea bookcase, its serves the purpose.

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

Looks great Lenny.

[Daghain]

Looks great Lenny. I love Home Decorators.

[Patrick]

Looks great, Lenny! Is that the 'merlot' color? It looks more brown (vs. red) than I expected - which is a positive.

Also, any chance you might post a closer-up photo of one of your reinforcing brackets? I should probably go that route as well at some point since I also own the 48" wide version of the same bookcase.

Again, it looks sharp!

[Sir_Boomme]

Finally got my new bookcase put together and loaded. It is the Oxford from Home Decorators, 72 X 48. It was vary easy to put together but you will need help with the doors. There was a problem however. The shelves, even though they are solid wood, immediately started to sag when I loaded them with books . Not so much that they were in danger of falling but I did go right out and buy some renforcing brackets. After that I had no problems. I guess it was due to that fact the shelves were so long and there is no center divider in the case. Either way problem solved and the case looks great for only $500.

I got the six shelf/ 48" version....same finish, the boxes arrive a couple of weeks ago.... but they had left out the cam bolts. I called them, and sent me another package.... but instead of having the 12 I needed... the big envelope only had two. SO now I'm waiting on yet another package, hopefully containing the other ten... it's supposed to get here tomorrow.

In the meantime... the rest of the bookcase is scattered all over two rooms....waiting to be put together.

so the shelves sagged? I was afraid of that.
after I get my shelf heights set, guess i'll have to make some center braces to slide in and add support. Bummer.


yours is the 72" high one? did you leave a shelf out?

[Lenny]

Looks great, Lenny! Is that the 'merlot' color? It looks more brown (vs. red) than I expected - which is a positive.

Also, any chance you might post a closer-up photo of one of your reinforcing brackets? I should probably go that route as well at some point since I also own the 48" wide version of the same bookcase.

Again, it looks sharp!

Yes this is the merlot and I was pleased that is was more brown than red when I opened the box.

I will post some close up picture of the color when I get home from work today and close ups of the brackets.

[Lenny]

Finally got my new bookcase put together and loaded. It is the Oxford from Home Decorators, 72 X 48. It was vary easy to put together but you will need help with the doors. There was a problem however. The shelves, even though they are solid wood, immediately started to sag when I loaded them with books . Not so much that they were in danger of falling but I did go right out and buy some renforcing brackets. After that I had no problems. I guess it was due to that fact the shelves were so long and there is no center divider in the case. Either way problem solved and the case looks great for only $500.

I got the six shelf/ 48" version....same finish, the boxes arrive a couple of weeks ago.... but they had left out the cam bolts. I called them, and sent me another package.... but instead of having the 12 I needed... the big envelope only had two. SO now I'm waiting on yet another package, hopefully containing the other ten... it's supposed to get here tomorrow.

In the meantime... the rest of the bookcase is scattered all over two rooms....waiting to be put together.

so the shelves sagged? I was afraid of that.
after I get my shelf heights set, guess i'll have to make some center braces to slide in and add support. Bummer.


yours is the 72" high one? did you leave a shelf out?

When I unloaded the boxes the FIRST thing I looked at was the shelves to see how sturdy they were going to be. They LOOK like they will hold anything you put on them. However it wasn't 5 minutes after loading them I noticed a slight sagging starting to happen. The brackets I used were very easy to install. The back panel of the shelf has 2 supports that run down the back. I just mounted the brackets to them and it works great.

As soon as I get home I will post some close ups so anyone who gets this case can see what I did.

One other thing I do not like about the shelves is the mounts that hold them in from the factory...they are plastic. So I am looking for some metal ones to use. I'll post pictures of those as well.

Yes mine is 72" high, I left out one of the shelves so I put SOD and others in there.

[ELazansky]

Can I get some opinions on this bookshelf -

http://www.thewoodlandmills.com/36width4.html

The shelves are 3/4" thick and made out of solid wood. It looks like it would be able to hold without sagging. Wondered what everyone else thought.

Thanks,
Eric

[Lenny]

At only 36" wide I wouldn't think you would have any problem with sagging. Just depends on the quality/type of wood the shelves are made of.

[Cutter]

Can I get some opinions on this bookshelf -

http://www.thewoodlandmills.com/36width4.html

The shelves are 3/4" thick and made out of solid wood. It looks like it would be able to hold without sagging. Wondered what everyone else thought.

Thanks,
Eric

I have a solid pine bookshelf I bought through Amish Unfurnished, but after seeing your link I bet these companies are all the same. Anyway the bookshelf is easily the most sturdiest and strongest bookshelf that I have. I could load anything on it and it wouldn't sag.

[Ricky]

One other thing I do not like about the shelves is the mounts that hold them in from the factory...they are plastic.

Uh, aren't they God-awful? The shelves don't even fit into all four of them!

If you find similar, less crappy ones, please let me know.

[Randall Flagg]

Where possible, I recommend glass shelves (or Plexiglas). They let overhead lighting through-and if properly supported do not sag.

[Lenny]

Here are pictures of how I mounted the brackets. I drilled a pilot hole into the back panel braces and then just screwed them in. So far no sagging and I feel a lot better with these being metal instead of just having the plastic shelf holders that came with the case.





As you can see I haven't screwed the bracket into the shelves themselves yet as I am not sure I will keep the shelves where they currently are. Once I'm satisfied with the display I will screw the brackets into the shelves making everything more sturdy.

[Patrick]

Thanks for the close-up photos, Lenny. I'll have to go find some of those brackets.

...
I got the six shelf/ 48" version....same finish, the boxes arrive a couple of weeks ago.... but they had left out the cam bolts. I called them, and sent me another package.... but instead of having the 12 I needed... the big envelope only had two. SO now I'm waiting on yet another package, hopefully containing the other ten... it's supposed to get here tomorrow.

In the meantime... the rest of the bookcase is scattered all over two rooms....waiting to be put together.
...
yours is the 72" high one? did you leave a shelf out?

Terry, I have the same bookcase (posted upthread somewhere). If you go to your local hardware store and spend about three dollars, you can buy cam bolts that will be far higher quality than the ones that came with the bookcase. I did that and the whole thing was a lot sturdier. If I were in your place, I would do that and not wait for the lower quality ones to ship. Just take one of the cam bolts you do have to make sure you get the same size.

Here is something I posted on the subject over a year ago:

... In regards to assembly, ... my one issue was with the cam nuts (or whatever they're called). The ones that came with that big ol' bookcase were weak - a couple even broke when I was tightening them up. I was able to purchase more at Home Depot for under $4, and they were much higher quality. If I had to do the whole thing over again, I would go to Home Depot first and buy the better connectors for the whole job. They worked much better, smoother and stronger.

...

[The shelves] are adjustable. However rather than have the long lines of holes an inch or so close together the entire height of the bookshelf, each shelf "area" has 3 or 4 holes about 3 inches apart. I wanted a couple shelves in slightly different heights than designated, so I added some holes with my drill....

I drilled four "custom" holes (used one of those doughnut ring stoppers on the drill bit so the holes wouldn't accidentally drill through to the outside of the bookcase) so I could use all the shelves and still store all the big books on the bottom shelf. The shorter shelf area I use more for storage of magazines and things rather than upright books.

Here are a couple photos upthread - about a year ago, but will give you the idea.