Looking for input, developing bookshelves for sale

[jwatriss.livejournal.com]

Hi all.

I've been working on putting myself out there as a furniture builder. One thing I keep hearing in here is that there's a sustained need for GOOD bookshelves/ bookcases.

You guys are my current target market... I'm trying to stay local for now. I know there are a lot of academics and bibliophiles in the area, so I wanted to put this in the Davis board to see what you all had for ideas and requests.

So far, I have the following things that I think should be incorporated somehow.

-Solid wood, no plywood, particle board, or MDF. It costs a little more, but it's more durable, looks nicer, and the shelves are much stronger, meaning less sag over time.

-No drywall screws. I know that the unfinished furniture shops have plenty of quickly bolted together shelves from who knows where. I'm going for something a little nicer than what I used to have in my college bedroom.

-Modular. I've seen plenty of tall bookcases, and my one gripe is that they really don't move very well. I think that most of my friends move at least every few years, and I'd like to put out something out that is readily movable, and will work with all the old spiral staircases we have to deal with around here.

-Some fixed, some adjustable shelves. I know adjustability is always a desired feature, but a few fixed shelves in there will help make for a much sturdier, durable bookcase.

-I've been bouncing around the idea of a separate pedestal base, with adjustable casters/feet, and a built in level...because who in here actually has level floors? This way the base can be put in and leveled out, before putting up a huge heavy pile of books.


Pricewise, I've been told that the primary choices right now are either $60 target garbage, or super high end $2500-ish custom stuff. I don't think that I'll be anywhere near the $60 mark. I need to make a living. But I think it's possible to build solid, lasting bookcases for less than $500.

So, ignoring pricing for the moment, what are you all looking for in a bookcase/ bookshelves?

Comments

[inahandbasket]

Built-in ones, but I'll probably do them myself. ;-)

The existing lower-end options that I've seen locally are mostly unfinished one-by pine that are dadoed together and then tacked in place with pneumatic brads, leaving little square holes all around the edges. Then they take a router with a 3/8" roundover bit to the whole front of the thing.
They cost a bit more than Ikea stuff, but less than good quality finished shelves.

I think the separate pedestal base is a lovely idea, but expect it to be an expensive add-on rather than default.

If you can do nice shelving with decent fit&finish (no brad holes) for a few hundred bucks, you'd probably have a decent market for it.

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

I agree about the separate base. I think that's something I wouldn't really have much need for, but which would make the whole thing cost more than I'd be willing to spend. I have one of the lower-end ones you describe, inahandbasket, and would adore it if it had some adjustable shelves. It's served me well. Adjustable shelves with a little extra support (instead of just resting on four teeny pegs) would be very awesome. Maybe some sort of braces?

[zmook.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure I own a couple of those, too, and while I'm quite happy with them, my income has gone up and now I wouldn't mind if my next bookcases were not made of cheap, poorly-finished pine. (The poorly-finished part is my own effort -- I bought them unfinished). They do have one triumphant feature, though -- one is 2' wide, 7' tall, and has no fewer than ten shelves perfectly sized for paperback books. Believe it or not, I had to get that by special order. It is a continuing puzzle to me why it is nigh impossible to find pre-made bookshelves for paperbacks. I can't believe they are such a rare and exotic thing to want to store in a bookshelf.

But anyway. I have a couple crappy crappy pressboard shelf things I'd like to replace. I might be in the market for the kind of thing you're talking about. The two form factors I like are low-n-wide (27-30" tall x 3' wide) and narrow-n-tall (24-30" wide x 7' tall). Seems to me those are about optimal for fitting into random New England apartments.