Wooden Shelf Brackets

[wizer]

ok, so I had a go at bandsawing the brackets. Didn't come out quite as elegant as i'd hoped. I used 9mm MDF. I think it's the badsaw teqnique. Managed to get it a bit more presentable with sandpaper but not very happy. Any suggestions? Or is it more practice? I think one problem was the blade was a bit too deep. Will try a smaller blade tomorrow.

I have decided to makee the bracket par out of some Walnut I have had for a few years.

 

[ByronBlack]

You could tidying the curves using a rasp or a surform?

 

[WellsWood]

Tom, I'm out tomorrow from about 10:45, but if you can get here before that (or wait till I'm back at about 5:00) I've got a jig I made for that machine to do more or less exactly what you're trying to do. I made it to cut the curvy bits on this

It worked quite well :wink:
Anyway it's yours if you want it, but you could make one in about the same time as it takes to drive here. ALright thats a bit of an exaggerarion (but not much), all you need is a carrier boardfor your bracket with a couple of bits of batten nailed to it at 90 deg. to each other to simulate the wall and shelf, work out the centre point of your cutting radius, and use your circle cutting attachment on that point. Make sure there's enough overhang at the side of the carrier board closest to you so you don't cut the end completely off when you cut the bracket (you're going to cut through the workpiece and the carrier bracket remember)
Sounds complicated but really isn't, and worth making 'cos freehand arcs like the one you need to cut are hard to do.

 

[johnjin]

It all sounds terribly complicated to me if I am understanding you right.
All I do is screw a Keyhole plate on the back of the bracket after recessing it of course and just put a screw in the wall to hang it on. And there it will sit with no visible means of support.

Hope this helps a little

John

 

[wizer]

Key Hole Plate? What's one of those then?

Byron, Yes I think your right, maybe even a spoke shave.

Mark, That's a lovely table, could be the way to go with this. It's a bit busy this weekend. If I have no luck shaping it freehand then I think i'll try your method. I know it's half term next week, but maybe we can slot it in somewhere?

Thanks all

 

[Alex]

Hi Wizer, i think the Keyhole plate John is talking about is better known as a mirror plate. Like this one http://www.diytools.co.uk/diy/Main/Cate ... goryID=244

On the subject of cutting a nice curve on the bandsaw first draw on the template using French curve stencil or any round object eg paint can dustbin lid etc. Now the mistake people make is trying to cut to the line on the first cut. Cut away a lot of the waste then do little cuts adjacent to the line so as you when you do your final cut slightly off the line the waste bits fall off and don't bind the back of the blade. Now take the template to a drum sander on drill press and finish off working it exactly to the line and hey presto you have a nice smooth curving template. I use one of these but a cheaper one will do the same job.
http://www.axminster.co.uk/product.asp? ... e=1&jump=0

Alex

 

[johnjin]

No a Keyhole plate is a piece of mild steel about 1.5m/m thick 12 m/m wide and about 40 m/m long with a countersunk hole each end to screw through into the bracket and a keyhole in the middle. You recess the wood to fit the plate in and make a deeper hole where the keyhole is for the screw head to go into that is sticking out of the wall. A pair of these will easily take 30 Kilo. You can remove the shelf from the wall in 1 second and you only have a couple of screws left sticking out of the wall. You can buy them from Woodfit part No BP500 for about 50p each if I remember correctly or easy enough to make your own. The best method for hanging book shelfs on the wall in my opinion.
Hope this helps.

All the best

John

 

[Alex]

aah yes John thats the one i was trying to find picture here.
http://www.woodfit.com/product_info.php ... hole+Plate
When i was a supplier we termed that as a mirror hanger/plate as well. :lol:
As for hanging wall cabinets or book shelves i find them way to fiddly trying to line up screws with holes while holding up a a solid carcase is ...........well lets just say back breaking. My chosen method, French cleats no lining up problems just slide the cabinet up and slide it down to hook, even fine adjustments can be made without removing anything just add shims to level. 8) I'll probably be shot by the Trademens secrets society one of these days :lol: :lol: :lol: Here's a link to French Cleats. http://www.newwoodworker.com/frenchcleat.html

Probably irrelevent for you, Wizer on this shelf bracket.

Alex