2" Thick Shelves - Edge Finishing?

[paulrockliffe]

I'm fitting some shelves next week, they're oak-faced MDF top and bottom with an ash front. The ash is 2" x 1.5", which will leave the shelves 2" deep. 5 shelves starting at 20" up from the flaw with 16" between shelves, both sides of an alcove. I'm missing out the second shelf from the bottom on the left hand side and wall-mounting a TV in the space created, to give you the context.

I know how it's all going together, but I've not decided how to finish off the fronts. I recently did some wardrobes in ash and used a wide stopped chamfer to detail those, but I'm tempted to do something different with these. I don't know what though.

If these were your shelves, what would you do?

Thanks!

 

[MARK.B.]

How thick is the ash front ? if just a thin veneer then you wont be able to do much with it without exposing the mdf underneath.


:roll: Sorry did not read properly (hammer) ,If it were me then a simple round over would be my choice , less places for the dust to gather .

 

[Zeddedhed]

I'd just knock off the edges with a finely set block plane.
But then that's what I do with almost everything

 

[custard]

I'm working on a few pieces at the moment that are influenced by Matthew Burt's beautifully textural, "beading" designs,

http://www.matthewburt.com/furniture-de ... ne-chalet/

So I'd run eight 6mm beads right across the 2" ash lipping. I've been experimenting and personally I prefer the look when the quirk between the beads is kept really fine, virtually coming to a point. Use a water based grain filler on the Ash (like Aqua Cote) then polish to a decent gloss, it will catch the light, accentuate the horizontals, and turn bog standard shelving into something really special.

Good luck!

 

[paulrockliffe]

That looks interesting, what do I need to cut the beads? I might have a play around and see if I can mock up something that I like.

 

[rafezetter]

I'd say the simplest way to cut beads like that is a profiled router bit and a guide runner using some form of peg fixing at either end to ensure even spacing. Edit - I've just had a cracking idea, but I'm keeping that for myself!

 

[Phil Pascoe]

The last time I did heavy shelves, I had a cutter that left an edge like the side of a capital "R" - Wealden iirc - it worked well.

 

[DTR]

Something like this? Beaded with a Record 050

(Not a nice wood like ash though!)

 

[paulrockliffe]

That looks nice too, though I won't be beading it by hand!

Is it the same cut top and bottom, it looks more abrupt on the bottom bead? The top one looks like a bead with a small cove next to it.

 

[DTR]

It's the same top and bottom, I think it's just the way the light caught it

 

[paulrockliffe]

The capital R one is a bead with a chamfer on it, I'm swaying towards that at the moment:

http://www.axminster.co.uk/axcaliber-ex ... ing-cutter is the cutter, though a larger bead might be better as that's 1/4". Will try to find one with a bearing guide though.

I quite like DTRs option, but I think it wants a small cove next to the bead, sort of like a mini Ovolo, but I can't find a cutter that'll do that...

 

[paulrockliffe]

I don't mean ovolo, I mean something else.

 

[Mar_mite]

I'd leave them square. I think a bit of decoration on shelf edges looks nice on something like a traditional bookcase, but for shelves in an alcove I'd leave simple.