Great video and build, thanks for sharing your experience. I find the commentary really helpful - there's loads of tiny details I'd miss without it. I'd definitely be interested in hearing more about the shelf support hole jig.
Great video. I have made several shelving units around the house all with various methods, compared to this they look extremely basic. You have given me plenty of ideas to make my units look more professional.
Commentary, yes makes for a good video edit and we can see what you’re doing as it goes on. How is the router table coming on? Or have I missed that video. 👍😄Thanks for sharing
Look's great ! , I'm building a curio shelf out of old pallet wood . I work with M.D.F. daily at my job and we build many shelves , or tables and such .
Really helpful....thank you. I'm about to build 3 bookcase units for my office so your example is really informative. Thanks for showing and describing so clearly.
Excellent video - whenever I am looking for inspiration for a project it brings me back to your videos! Why do you drill the shelf holes before painting? Wouldn't drilling after painting avoid the need to be so careful with the paint?
your comment about matching the mouldings, is a very very good idea, small details matter a lot and I guarantee the woman of the house (if there is one) will notice and appreciate it more than you think. PS can I ask you something? the trim at the front of the shelves and underneath of them for support - what wood is it? also do you think its ok if this unit you made was in the kitchen ? ( thinking of steam etc). Do you think the holes in the mdf for shelves will last and not wear out being mdf?Thanks in advance sir.:),
Nice work Andy. Made a couple of similar matching bookcases awhile ago for a client with curved tops and lots of fancy trimming. Lovely area Gosforth. Worked on site 2 years ago on Great Park estate for a developer and most breaks we'd drive into Gosforth or Tynemouth. Your commentating on the vids is much better. Scott
Would love to quiz you on that at some point. I do a lot of work in the new builds around here - some of the workmanship is lovely, some of it is shockingly bad though. The houses are going up at a rate of knots! 😃
***** hi Andy, I worked for a subcontractor mostly second fix. At least one of the chaps is still working there for a different contractor and another, a Geordie, bought a house there and now works in IT. I was visiting last year and came across a bit of gossip about residents talking of problems. Worked alongside the kitchen fitters and some were inexperienced apprentices and don't know if it was a common practice but P,s got a bad reputation for cost cutting and hurrying development. Scott
very nice job but would it not be easier to paint the panels before you put them together and give a final coat of paint when assembled i know from experience that every one has their own ways of doing things as i worked as a kitchen and bedroom maker and installer before having to give up work due to health issues i really like the moulding idea to cover the joins in the side i lookforward to watching more video from you even though i can not work now myself i still enjoy watching crafts people at work and see what you do now the job i loved doing for a living keep up the great work and videos regards james
Cheers James! I can't remember on this one but it was probably to keep the glue joints free of paint prior to assembly... or it could have been a timing thing since paint dries quicker than glue and I was probably running late as usual. 😂👍
I am just about to start on a small "bookcase" for some electronics and I was wondering if glue and brads would be sufficient. My last project was done with dadoes and I really wanted to avoid that if possible. So your video answered my question perfectly. Thank you.
Andy you said you use CA glue and activator for the molding.... Do they have the Titebond Molding and Trim PVA glue in the U.K. yet? You don’t have the running and drip issues like you do with regular wood glue as they use significantly less water in it.
Nice video chief, I've been subscribed for a bit but I've only just started paying closer attention to your stuff which looks excellent. Nice to hear a local accent for a change while I'm catching up on who's making what. Thanks again and please keep the videos coming.
nice video. 1. you dig lot of holes for installing shelf, but how exactly fixed shelf's on hole? didn't see you using screws for fixing shelf. 2. how good is pasting Printed sheet on MDF in terms of durability, price, finishing?
Those definitely aren't Ikea shelves. I'm a fan! Your videos are very well done and of course the wood work is amazing! Have you done a video for the hole spacing tool yet?
Great job. Love the pin jig idea. I have a very similar bookcase to build soon although it's more of an L shape and being built into a corner. it's in a 1880s house and the walls are out of plumb and out of square. Any ideas how I'd achieve a tight fit to the wall? I was thinking about leaving a small overhang on the back edge of the side panels and somehow scribing in situ?
Really nice detailed video! Congrats! I do wonder how you hide the joints between the pine trims and the MDF shelves? Do you apply filler then sand? Thanks!
Well done! I wish my work could look as good! Some MDF bookshelf projects tend to be weighty. Depending on the desired finish, I might prefer to use standard plywood. I missed the part where you cut the recess that allowed the fit of the back panel. Was the shelf support drill jig made by yourself or purchased? (Never mind, I’ll look at your equipment list) Seems that drilling the shelf holes could wait until after the second coat of paint, therefore be less fuss of paint filling holes. Again, great work and thank you!
Appreciate its getting a bit old, but still really nice and relevant- do you have a source for the profiler to drill the shelf supports used at about 8.50 mins?
I'm going to make something similar but have to make all the cuts with a circular saw on trestles which isn't always easy! Do the strips you placed on the shelves really make it much stronger? I was going to put vertical pieces in the middle to reinforce them.
Totally, yes. Probably preferred tbh. I think I had to get this job out the door so didn't have time to wait for the paint to dry before drilling, if I remember rightly. 👍
Just sketching my own bookcase project [3 no. x 1500 x 300 x 1000] otherwise very similar to yours except I spray glue and screw BUT I was going to use recessed library strip rather than pins. Is there a particular reason you chose pins? Really Good video by the way, and I may change my plans to glue and nail as its obviously a lot quicker. (A long distance subscriber from Forest Hall)
Generally if it's being painted then it's easy enough to fill nail holes etc. so they'll never be seen. Plus I think on this one the nail holes are covered by trim anyway... I think. If it was solid wood I'd probably use biscuits instead. Dados etc. certainly an option too depending on how they'll be covered on the front etc. 👍
did you do any test pieces on gluing end grain to face on these mdf pieces? i tried some laminated particle boards and the glue just got sucked up in the end grain.
I don't often use particle board / chipboard but I wouldn't trust it with superglue for the reason you mention. MDF glues really well on face and edge / end grain.
Rok Podlogar Rok, one way to avoid it sucking up the glue (if you are using PVA/Wood glue) is to size the particle board or mdf “end grain” first. Brush glue on the end grain joint and let it sit for 5 minutes or so after wiping off the excess. Then apply more glue to the end grain and put it together. The second coat of glue reactivates the first coat but doesn’t absorb as much as the first coat.
Hello, nice bookshelf. Do you add the vertical trims also to add strength and stop the vertical sections of mdf from bending outwards because of the weight of books or the mdf is strong enough? Thanks in advance, ps what is the trim made from and by the way do you sell plans at all? I really like to contribute to you for all your hard work giving advice :)
first, i really enjoy your channel for its informative content. after watching you man-handle that sheet of plywood, i got to tell you about my recent video "cutting plywood in a small shop". i am not plugging my video or channel, but i think you might find this video useful in your shop. keep up the great videos :>)
Good question! MDF takes paint better but is more prone to sagging. Plywood is stronger but paint grade ply can be very expensive. Might cover this on a vid as there's lots of pros and cons. 👍
@@GosforthHandyman IMO the best thing about MDF to me is while MDF can sag, you can always brace it to prevent that in design. Anything real wood can warp unpredictably and that's always a bugger.
Nice video, really enjoyed it and all the others on your channel that I've watched too. I noticed there was an old school 'dado rail' behind the bookcase when you were installing it so I figured it couldn't sit flush against the wall. So wondering how you fixed it to the wall?
Brilliant again mate, commentary video works really well, though I’m gutted I didn’t spot any choppers drawn! 😂 Are you completely self taught? It’s something I’d love to do but when you see videos like this, I often think I’ve got a lot still to learn, but to be fair some work I’ve seen the ‘pro’s’ turn it is terrible! You clearly take a lot of pride in what you do.
Cheers buddy. Yeah, I've seen some pretty shoddy work in my time too. If a job's worth doing n'all that! 😃 Self taught - yes and no, long convoluted answer that I'll explain in a vid at some point! 👍
Unless i have missed a load of videos, i see you have a new toy and a Festool as well. I never thought you would join the Festool club with their prices, oh well a great video as always and the voice over commentary is good. Barry (West Kirby, Wirral)
I saw that video as well because i made myself one of those dust catches, i think this is the first video since then that i have seen you use it. Unless i have missed again. Barry.
Great video! Thank you. How long did you wait for paint to dry between coats? On some acrylic it says to wait four hours, but I don't know if people actually wait that long. I know I am too impatient to most of the time.
I think on that one I left it overnight between coats but I've re-coated in about an hour when I'm really pushed and never had any problems. Once it's touch dry I normally give it at least another 30 mins or so, only if I'm pushed though. 👍
Andy - I'd love to know how you knocked up the spacing jig for the pin holes. Probably a quick mark out and drill, but what spacing did you use and why?
@@GosforthHandyman Hi Andy, Just about to embark on a similar project and have really enjoyed your video, so thanks very much for putting it together. I know you've been asked this already but did you make a video about making that jig? No worries if not! Wish me luck! Shane
Great video, question for you. What do you fill the nail holes with? I make a lot of MDF furniture and I'm a bit of a novice. I tend to use general wood filler when hiding screws/nails etc but once painted (with water based paint) the areas that have been filled tend to rise a little. Do you have any tips for this?
Hello, great video very well explained. I've been following your advice and all is going well. I have a query about painting the MDF. I'm using Leyland primer and the water based gloss, applying the paint with a little foam roller. The problem for me is that when using the roller the paint finish isn't smooth, it's slightly dimpled (if that makes sense!). Have you came across this? I've tried less/more pressure on the roller. Using less/more paint but the end result is the same. Can you help? Cheers T
Yes - this is called roller rash. I find if I let the paint dry for 30-60 seconds and then lay it off very lightly (hardly any paint on the roller) this can help to pop any bubbles and leave a smoother finish. Another option to try is a paint additive such as Floetrol. Water based paints dry VERY quickly so the paint doesn't get a chance to flow out before it dries - the Floetrol can help with this. 👍
Thanks so much for your swift response, I've ordered some Floetrol now. I have to say, your video tutorials are brilliant and they give people who aren't so skilled (like me!) the confidence to tackle jobs. I'm loving it and I've already got some other jobs planned!! Cheers mate! T
Hey there, Painter here. Like he said when using a sponge roller on smooth surface make sure it's not soaked in paint. When the paint is soaked it always causes that really extreme stippling. Very, very little paint on it. If you plan to make lots more similar projects then think about learning to use a spray gun. A Gravity gun is harder to use in my opinion, but all you need is a cheap (~20$) gun and an air compressor and many hobbyists/DIY'ers already have one of those, you probably do if you're using a brad nailer! :^) . If you feel like spending a bit more money you can get an airless sprayer. My company uses GRACO pumps. A spray gun can make unimaginably nicer texture on smooth pieces like trim and mdf.
another great video :) a little tip for that tricky part at 4:06 using a clamp on each side as a support shelf would be handy (saw April doing this I think) :)
Great vid, thanks for sharing. I see you used a Brad gun for most of the fixing together. Did you then punch them in and fill before paint, or is the 3 coats of paint enough to hide them?
Hi. Thanks for the video. I am looking at building some built in bookcases and was wondering if I could use brad nails like you Do? I have a tacwise 500el pro angled 18 gauge electric nailer? Would this be strong enough? I guess really it is just there until the glue goes off hey?
