Shop's Log #10: Red Oak Cat Shelf

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Hello Everyone, time for another blog from The Farm…

In addition to the goats, pigs, and chickens, The Wife and I also have too many cats on this place! LOL. Four cats live inside with us, plus one in the barn, two live in the back yard, and at least two frequently visit for food.

I guess I take after my Dad who was known as “The Cat Man” by the local vet’s office…I just love cats. The barn kitty hangs with me in the shop when I’m working, the other outside cats always want food and affection, and the inside cats rule our house.

If you have cats, you probably understand!

We already have a 6 foot tall cat “tree” covered with carpet in the living room, so the cats will TEND to scratch it instead of the furniture. And we have a handful of cat “shelves” attached all over one wall, intended for them to climb and frolic upon. Great for entertainment, believe me!

When my wife showed me this photo from the web:

…I wanted to upgrade our ugly cat shelves immediately! Nah, I wasn’t interested in paying 250 Euros plus shipping, just give me a hint on how to joint the things together! LOL.

No, I’m serious…I’m new to joinery, and have no experience on how to decide which joint goes where. I know how to build junk, but want to learn to built nicer stuff. Even furniture for the home. More reading needed…

In the meantime, I asked one of my buddies here on LJ’s that builds furniture what to do. He suggested, based on usage, rabbets, screws, and glue. Cool, I can handle that…

First, I needed a panel from which to cut the three pieces that I would need…the backboard, the shelf, and the support. I like the look of Red Oak, and had some extra in the shop, so oak it is.

…trying hard to arrange the boards so that hand planing is easier later, but who put all these knots in the wood? Bummer.

Into the heat canopy overnight (see how old this build is!) for the glue to cure.

And then, it’s time to flatten each piece I cut off the crappy panel I glued up. Must practice panel glue-ups. For now, it’s time to practice flattening…more…

Once flat and square, I started cutting a rabbet on the actual shelf portion of the build…using a method I had read The Schwarz use. He showed starting at the far end of the rabbet, and working your way backwards to prevent the fence from slipping on the 45. Worked for me!

I also cut the ends of the board to prevent the up-coming dado from showing…thanks to Paul Sellers for the tip! Um, no. He didn’t just drop by the shop…But, I own a few of His books.

After flattening the second piece of oak, I scribed a line where I wanted the bottom of the shelf to fit. And after a bit of chiseling, offerred the rest of the rabbet to the backboard for laying out the top of the dado. Another Sellers’ trick explained MUCH more clearly in his writing!

Notice the nasty tear-out on the ‘top’ of the shelf? Yeah, I sorta gave up trying to smooth the top of this piece since it will be covered with carpet. Plus, the grain of the oak was just laughing at my No.62.

A lil check for square…

Check out the blue bucket in the right of the photo…very valuable piece of shop equipment! It catches the rain when it leaks through my hurricane-proof building. No, I’m not joking…

Next, the small support that holds up the 7-25 pound cat that jumps on the shelf. I hope this is enough! I WENT to engineering school, but didn’t graduate.

Gotta give the little LV Detail Rabbet Plane nine thumbs up. Great at small clean up duties! Although a bit finicky to fettle due to the one-piece lever cap and handle.

Next, you can see the dado being created for the support under the shelf…

…chiseling to break up the wood fibers, then cleaning up with the 271. What a sweet plane!

Almost there…No special joinery between the shelf and its support; just glue and screws since it will covered. In fact, I had already planned to install THIS shelf at about a 7 foot height in our living room, so it will be difficult to inspect the actual joinery and finish. Smart-huh? The next one should be prettier!

A quick trip to the scroll saw to make up for all my time flattening with planes…

…then the disc sander to make the curves a little nicer…

And, after assembly, and a heavy coat of oil/wax, this one’s ready for the house…

Honestly, is it a piece of Fine woodworking? Of course not! But, it’s not a complete piece of poop, and is actually much nicer than our current shelves. I learned a bit, got a workout, and had fun on top of all else.

Hopefully, everyone will notice the funny cat on the shelf, and not the tear-out or beginner joinery. LOL.

So, across the road, and into the old home we go…sorry for the mess. I simply used carpet tape to attach one of the cat’s favorite piece of shaggy to the shelf, and drew instant attention from the grey tuxedo…

Penny gave my work a quick inspection from every angle…

Nope. She wasn’t getting on it! Smelled like oil, and the joinery is a hack!

Once attached to the wall (the reason for the large backboard…to capture studs), she gave it another brief look. How could any ‘normal’ cat resist such a lofty position?

But…no cat has been on this damn shelf since I built it! I cannot believe it!

I’ve perched stuff up there precariously, covered it with magazines, adorned it with half open boxes, placed my fleece shirt on top of the carpet, I even placed an open jar of catnip on it, but cannot get a single cat in our house on the thing.

Crazy cats! There is the cat’s tree in the left corner, and there are two more shelves below this photo that they use to get to the top ones. Notice the cheapo Borg shelf supports and mdf that spans the doorway behind miss Penny…they love that shelf.

But, not the one hand-joined.

Guess it’s not rabbet season…

Comments and suggestions are always welcomed…

Source: LumberJocks.com

Shop's Log #10: Red Oak Cat Shelf