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by
Art Mulder
photos: Roger Yip
illustration: Len Churchill |
CURIOUS BOOK CASE (part 3) |
These
two roof assemblies contain secret compartments, hidden behind
hinged roof sections. The hinges I used must be mounted at a
90º angle to the roof. Therefore, hinge mounting strips
need to be added inside the top section of the roof compartments.
Mount a scrap 3"x 9" piece of plywood between the
tops of the two gables. Choose which roof section is going on
the left and which is going on the right side of the bookcase,
as the two need to be mirror images of each other.
Now, cut out the remaining parts of the left and right roof
sections and attach them to the gables. The roofs should overhang
the gables by 1/4" at the front and the back.
The
side roof sections need to have two of their sides sawn 17º
from square to match the gable angles. The two swinging-roof
sections must be slightly shorter than their fixed counterparts
to allow clearance for opening.
Mount the hinges for the two roof-top secret compartments. It
may take some trial and error to find the optimum position for
the hinges to get lids that close flush. A test roof section
may come in handy at this stage. Experiment on it, then transfer
the positions to the two roof sections.
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| The
skirt also uses hinges to add even more storage
and another secret space. |
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| CLICK
ABOVE FOR DETAILED ILLUSTRATION. |
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Fasten the two side roof assemblies to the top of the bookcase.
I brought them together with glue and clamps.
The peaked, centre roof section is your final challenge. It
requires some careful measuring. Use a piece of 1/8"-thick
hardboard to make a pattern. It’s much easier to work
with a thin panel to get the measurements right before trying
to get the 1/2"-thick plywood to fit.
Again, use an angle 17º from-square, this time for the
sides of the roof (forming a 73º bevel). The top and bottom
need about a 30º angle, but take measurements from your
actual project. The centre roof back section is a mirror of
the front, with the top 1/2" cut off, so it can fit in
under the centre roof front. Glue and nail the two roof segments
into place. Fill any slight imperfections before you paint the
project.
Keep a Secret
The last construction step is to make the skirt that wraps around
the base of the bookcase. This conceals the third secret compartment.
First, cut out the two side skirt pieces. Trace the foot cut-out
from the bookcase, make the cuts with a bandsaw or jigsaw, then
sand smooth. Use a hand plane to make a chamfer along the tops
of these pieces. Finally, glue and clamp them into place on
the sides of the bookcase.
Cut out the front skirt piece next, and give it a foot cutout
similar to the side pieces. Mark the locations for the Euro-style
hinges, 22.5 mm from the top, then drill 35-mm-diameter holes
for the hinge cups. Wait until after final painting before installing
the hinges.
Painting: Round Two
As I mentioned before, the paint detail is a large part of this
project. It adds to the charm, and also the challenge. Take
your time, don’t rush and you will be rewarded at the
end.
My paint pattern included a grey stripe in the place I marked
off earlier to create the illusion of walls between the houses.
You can also add paint to create two fake windows on the fronts
of the two gables.
I recommend waiting a few days for the paint to dry fully, then
apply two coats of clear urethane over the entire project for
an extra layer of protection.
Now that you have flexed your imagination with this project,
let your kids do the same as they fill it with their treasures.
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1. Frame it up | 2.
Painting and assembly |
3. Finishing up |
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