Building And Arched Top Bookshelf Design And Fabrication podcast

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In this episode, I designed and built a Craftsman-style fireplace mantel for a client in Colorado Springs . The mantel was made from hickory and stained to match some of the other millwork in the house. Summary Fireplace Mantel Design and Fabrication Building a Custom Fireplace Mantel to Match a Staircase Newel Post In my last project, I built a custom staircase with a handrail , and the client loved the newel post design so much that they asked me to create a matching fireplace mantel. Today, I’m walking you through the process of building this mantel, from selecting the wood to the final installation. Selecting and Preparing the Wood I started by rough-ripping the stiles, sides, and inner panels to width before sending them through the planer to achieve the correct thicknesses. Since the mantel would feature mitered joints, I took extra care to match grain patterns and coloring so that the seams would appear seamless, almost as if they were cut from a single piece of wood. Mitering and Gluing the Joints The sides of the mantel were mitered to the front stiles for a clean, continuous look. I used blue tape as a hinge to ensure precision, folding the pieces together after applying glue. I left small gaps in the tape to monitor the miter alignment while clamping. Initially, I cut the stock slightly longer to allow for adjustments. Once the glue dried, I ripped the stiles and sides to their final width and length, using a stop block to ensure uniformity. Assembling the Legs with Dominos For joinery, I used the smallest Domino tenons available. If you don’t have a Domino joiner, a biscuit joiner or even small mortise-and-tenon joints would work—though the stock was only about 3/8″ thick, so precision was key. To make the process safer, I clamped long, narrow pieces in a vise while cutting the mortises. For smaller rails, I stacked them against each other for stability. Since end grain doesn’t hold glue as well, I applied adhesive to both the Dominos and the mortises for a strong bond. Building the Header and Adding Cleats The header was constructed similarly to the sides, with a mitered edge for a seamless appearance. I added plywood cleats to the legs to provide a nailing surface for attaching the mantel to the wall. Before final assembly, I did a mock-up to measure the filler strip that would support the cove molding. This strip was a simple 3-inch board with mitered returns that tucked back into the wall. Routing the Cove Molding For the cove molding, I first roughed out the profile with a dado blade at the table saw to reduce router strain and prevent tear-out. Then, I made finishing passes with the router for a clean edge. I used a wider board than necessary, routing profiles on both sides before cutting them free. I also used a round-over bit to create quarter-round molding for the base of the legs. Creating the Bullnose Shelf The top shelf featured a bullnose edge, matching the staircase nosing. I started by routing the profile on a test piece to set the correct table saw angle for waste removal. After ripping off the excess, I routed the final profile and mitered the edges for a seamless wrap-around effect. Installing the Mantel At the job site, I positioned the plywood cleats inside the legs to mark their placement on the wall. After securing them with molly bolts, I attached the inner panels from the inside of the legs before reattaching the assembly to the cleats. Next, I installed the header, ensuring a snug fit, followed by the filler strip and the top shelf—nailing it from below to hide fasteners. Finally, I added the cove molding and quarter-round trim, using a headless pin nailer to minimize visible holes. The Finished Fireplace Mantel The result is a beautifully crafted mantel that perfectly complements the staircase’s design. The attention to grain matching, tight miters, and seamless transitions makes it look like a single, cohesive piece. If you’re considering a similar project, remember that careful planning, precise joinery, and patience in selecting materials make all the difference. Whether you use a Domino, biscuits, or traditional mortise-and-tenon joints, the key is in the details.…

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Building a Craftsman Style Staircase and Handrail

19 weeks fa

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In this episode, I help a Colorado Springs Client remodel their staircase. The existing staircase was a straight run with an outdated style. I redesigned it to have open-ended steps with a craftsman handrail . Summary Staircase Design Update and Fabrication Brian discussed his process of updating a staircase’s design. The clients wanted to change the style to an open-ended track, which required modifications to the wall. Brian marked the rise and run of the staircase on the drywall and cut it out using a Sawzall. He also had to remove the treads from the skirting board and cut new stringers. He reframed the wall in sections to maintain structural integrity and nailed them to the existing studs. Before starting the project, Brian fabricated all the necessary components at his workshop. Staircase and Handrail Construction Process Brian discussed his process for creating a staircase and handrail. He detailed how he milled and glued together various components, including the nosing, treads, and spindles. He also explained how he used a domino joiner for efficiency and prefinished the inside edges of the spindle units. Brian also shared his methods for reducing tear-out and chatter when routing and how he used a custom-cut handrail profile. He concluded by recommending the use of a building codebook for accurate information.…

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Building and Arched Top Bookshelf

19 weeks fa

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In this episode, I build an arched-top, custom built-in bookshelf for my Colorado Springs Client . The frame and shelves are made from walnut, while the back walls and sides are painted with reflective paint that reflects the LEDs integrated into the bookshelf’s frame. Summary Arch Top Bookshelf Construction Process Brian discussed his project of building an arch-top, built-in bookshelf with LED lighting. He detailed the process of measuring and tracing the arch shape, creating a template, and cutting it out of plywood. He emphasized the importance of achieving a smooth shape and paying attention to grain direction. Brian also explained the method of joining the pieces together to create the arched top using a Festool domino and epoxy, as well as the use of soft pine glue blocks to clamp complex shapes together while the epoxy dries. He then moved on to making the sides and building the shelves, including installing LED lighting and attaching cleats to the wall for support. The client had their electrician and painter work on the project while Brian built the components.…

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Building A Live Edge Floating Shelf

20 weeks fa

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In this episode, I build a custom floating Shelf with a live edge for a Colorado Home . The shelf is made from a walnut slab and is adorned with ebony bowties inlaid into a defect in the slab. Summary Walnut Shelf Creation and Inlay Process Brian discussed his process of transforming a walnut slab into a floating shelf . He detailed the challenges he faced, such as the slab’s twist and its width being too large for his jointer. Brian explained how he used a router slide to flatten the slab and then used a planer to remove any marks left by the router. He then power-carved the slab to create an organic shape inspired by water erosion. Afterward, he used a wire brush to remove loose materials from the rotten wood. He also shared his method for creating bow tie inlays using ebony, which involved drawing the designs, cutting them out on a bandsaw, and then inlaying them into the shelf’s edge over a defect. Finally, he cut the shelf to size at an angle to create a focal point with the rotted wood. Installing Walnut Shelf in Stairwell Brian discussed the process of installing a shelf in a stairwell. He used a compass to transfer the wall shape onto a plywood template. Once the template was fitted perfectly, he transferred the shape to the walnut shelf. After sanding the walnut to fit the wall shape, he checked it for square and made adjustments as needed. He marked the stud locations on the wall and transferred them to the slab for accurate hardware installation. Brian also created a story stick to help locate the mounting hardware and made lateral adjustments to level the shelf. The final step was to test if everything fits together.…

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Making 3D Wooden Puzsles for Christmas

20 weeks fa

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In this episode, I make 3D wooden puzzle cubes for Stocking Stuffers. One of my kids’ toys inspired the design, and I thought I could make a fun version for all ages. If you are interested, you can purchase a 3D Puzzle Cube or Build your own; plans are available . Summary Building 3D Puzzle Cubes for Christmas Brian discussed his recent project of building 3D puzzle cubes as stocking stuffer ideas for Christmas. He shared his process, which included milling and cutting the lumber, sanding the board before cutting, and setting up a stop on his miter gauge. He also built a jig to hold the puzzle pieces accurately and safely. After making test cuts, he cut the puzzle pieces and added a chamfer to the ends using his router table. Finally, he applied a few thin coats of finish to complete the project.…

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Building a Custom Fire Rated Door

22 weeks fa

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In this episode, I built a custom fire-rated door for my Colorado Springs client . Now, to build a custom fire-rated door would be pretty expensive because I would have a ton of hoops to jump through and get the stamp certifying it as fire-rated. So, it is not feasible to do a one-off piece. However, talking with the builder, we came up with the idea to veneer a pre-made fire-rated door to look like the rest of the doors. After a quick consultation with the building department, they approved the door as long as we didn’t cover up the certification stamp on the edge of the door and we couldn’t make any cutouts. Summary Woodworking Project: Fire-Rated Door and Challenges Brian discussed his woodworking project, specifically a fire-rated door for a client’s garage. He detailed the process of shop-sawn veneers, ensuring the material was perfectly square and using a helical head in his planer to clean up the veneer face. He also shared his method of laying out the veneers and the challenges of working with large, heavy pieces. The door was veneered to match the rest of the doors in the house. The rails of the door were a quarter-inch thick and were glued on to create a door stile illusion and accommodate stainless steel thickness. Brian also shared his challenges with using a vacuum bag for epoxy application on a large door project and his plans to find a better solution for future projects.…

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Building Modern Contemporary Doors

22 weeks fa

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In this episode, I build a whole house of Modern Contemporary Doors featuring a stainless steel accent. My Colorado Springs Client was remodeling their entire house and wanted me to make all the doors. They were going for a contemporary, modern feel , so the doors I came up with were pannel-style, with each panel divided by a stainless steel band. I modified the design of the doors to fit each application. I designed all the custom doors to fit all the standard-sized doors, pocket doors, fire-rated doors, and barn doors. Summary Creating Custom Doors With Stainless Steel Accents Brian discussed his experience in creating custom doors for a client’s house, including four barn doors, a pocket door, and several bedroom and bathroom doors. He detailed the process of milling the lumber, cutting dados for the panels, and creating mortises for the tenons. Brian also shared his strategy for managing the large number of doors, which involved using a jig system with stop blocks and a domino for alignment. He demonstrated how he used the table saw to cut all tenons. Brian also discussed the process of creating custom doors with stainless steel accents, highlighting the use of a protective coating, a jig for centering the stainless steel pieces, and self-tapping screws for assembly. He finished the build by showing off the cherry wood with an espresso stain highlighting the stainless steel accents.…

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Building a Modern Contemporary Bench

23 weeks fa

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In this episode, I Built a Modern Contemporary Bench for a client in Telluride, Colorado . One of the great things about building custom furniture in Colorado is visiting all the beautiful mountain towns. This client wanted a custom bench with a mitered corner so the board’s grain flowed along the top and down the side. The Bench is made from walnut and is about 18″ tall, 14″ deep, and 72″ long. Summary Joinery, cutting miters, and Woodworking Glue Techniques Discussed Brian discussed using dominoes to join boards together, primarily for alignment purposes for the bench top and to add strength to the miter joint. He mentioned the challenges of working with tight tolerances and the need for a deep-cut handheld saw, such as the Ts. 75, to cut through the thick wood. Brian also highlighted the use of West system epoxy glue for its gap-filling and grain-soaking properties. He used a glue block technique to clamp the miters shut. He concluded the build with a final finish of a wipe-on poly.…

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Building a Mountain Modern Entry Door

23 weeks fa

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In this episode, I built a Mountain Modern Entry Door for a Colorado Springs client’s home . The door was inspired by the Mountain Contemporary Modern Style and featured some timber-framing architectural stylings. The custom door was sized to fit the home’s extra-large opening. Summary Woodworking Project: Custom Door Construction Brian discussed his woodworking project, a custom door with intricate designs and angles. He detailed the process of cutting and fitting the various pieces, including using a bandsaw, jointer, and miter gauge. Brian also explained the use of craft paper for marking templates for the angles and the application of veneer for the door panels. He mentioned the challenges of assembling the door by himself due to its complex design. Lastly, he discussed the construction of the door jam, including the installation of an adjustable threshold and weather stripping. The project is nearing completion, with only the final finish and installation at the client’s home remaining.…

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Building a Rustic Barn Door

24 weeks fa