DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF A WOODEN BOOKSHELF

1.1 Introduction

Bookshelf is a wooden cabinet use in offices, shops, laboratories and homes etc. for Self storage of files and documents, for show casting of saving items in the shapes (pattern 2008). In first stage of shelve making, the provision to avoid waste of time materials and money which always accompanies dime tiling and repair of the shelve that failed to meet the requirements. this situation can only be avoided by putting down first a laid down on a documented plan such a needs and wants, design decision function, considerations , and working drawing as the case may be.

On the other hand, wood itself according to Oxford Advanced Learners’ Dictionary defined WOOD as the hard material that the trunk and braches of trees are made up of. Wood from deciduous trees are called “HARD WOOD” and those from CONIFER TREES are called “SOFTWOOD”

The physical qualities of wood include: color, grain pattern and surface defects which are mostly seen when the tree is being cut into lumber. The working qualities of wood include dulling effect wood reaction and density which describes the weight (mass) per unit volume of wood

Density = weight (mass of wood) / Volume of wood

Wood is one of the oldest materials known, yet it plays a major role in modern day life. Wood can be said to be the structural part of tree. A living tree basically has the main parts which are the trunk, the roots and the crown which comprises of the branches and the leaves. The roots are embedded in the soil to support the entire tree and also absorb nutrients and water for growth of the tree.

Indeed, the trunk is the most important part for the construction works, paper production, weapons, packaging, artworks etc.

Wood really, is hard fibrous tissue and a natural composite of cellulose fibers (which are strong in tension) embedded in matrix of life, wood is produced as secondary xylem in the stem of trees. In a living tree, it transfers water and nutrients of the leaves and other photosynthetic parts. The wood used for this project were purchased from a local timber market unde3r the strict guidance of my able supervisor, while the proper dimensioning, cutting, fitting, finishing and other works were done in the wood work workshop of my department.

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Limitation of the study and Definition of technical terms.

1.2 Background of Study

A bookshelf or bookcase is a place of furniture with horizontal shelves, used to store books. It is clear that as a furniture wood is the chief construction material used in the construction of book shelf even though glass is used in some case.

Bookshelf is mainly used for storing books in our home, Offices and school libraries and other household equipment like cutleries compact disc, glass plate etc.

In the construction of book shelf precautions should be taken both on t he materials for construction end when construction to produce an efficient bookshelf and for long duration of the bookshelf. During the initial storage of shelve making a wall seasoning wood is always chosen for the making of bookshelf, reasoning being to avoid the shirking of shelf component which always result in warping or insect attack. This is notice by the ugly appearance of goals or opening in between the joint of various components, deflection of component member which may lead to deformation of the entire shelf within a short life span.

Another aspect of work in the wooden shelf is the joint employed in the fastening process. The direction of grain in a solid wood affects the joint strength. The part which meets will have end grain radical (edge) g rain or tangential (face) grain. The holding power on strength of radical end, tangential grain is equal since the joint meet along the grain; although radial and tangential grain has the same holding power and they likely to shrink at different temperature.

Seasoned wood can be used for the cabinet making working, this is to avoid the shrinking of shelves components which always results in warping. This could be observed by the appearance of gaps or opening in between the joints of the various components.

Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to construct of a Wooden Bookshelf.

1.3 Statement of Problems

The problems encountered are minimal but, can always be seeing with scripting to achieve a viable result.

The problems include:

1. Sources of materials: this source of materials was a problem though never took much time but delayed the time frame of the completion of this project. The sourcing of material includes ability to get a strong wood that can really stand the test of time. Though there are various woods in the market but sourcing or particular one that can fit in both condition room and rooms at normal temperature is really a fall order.
2. The ability to design with precision: before t he construction of the work made analysis on the design giving specific dimensions thus, this entails our construction must be base on that, the cutting and joining of materials to suit the unit ail or posed design analysis was another little constraints a various errors that would have occurred were eliminated before careful working which took sometime.
3. Communication network: our ability t o get across every body involved in this designed was another fall order as distance was another fall order as distance network, bad roads were involved in militating against the project completion again all odds, we succeeded at least.

1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to Design and Construct a Wooden Bookshelf. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To expose the students to practical wood work.
2. To broaden the materials horizon of students.
3. To expose student to undertake works that require precision and accuracy.
4. To train students to understand and apply safety, take safety precautions when undergoing any work either in the wood workshops, machine shop or in the industry.

1.5 Significance of Study

The significance of the study ranges from the basic use of bookshelf what entails proper arrangement of books and paraphernalia

It has equally helped to sharpen my thinking and ability to synthesize and evolve new design techniques.

The significance of the study can be seen in team work, which the bedrock of every project work, a two good heads is better than one.

Thus, every organization has really benefited from team work. As such, I saw the importance of team work it really helped in making the stress of the work to be reducing to the beeriest minimum. Institution of higher learning like university of Alabama (U.S.A.) has carried out research on this, thus it depth of knowledge which involves cutting and joining process is of uttermost significance.

1.6 Scope of Study

The scope of the research is focused only on the use of wood in the production of bookshelves.

1.7 Limitations of the Study

This project work is limited to only private use, this is because it has opening that suit conductive home usage and learning, if it were meant for the public it would have been larger in size to accumulate different books from different Authors. The limitation of this project work is mobility of work to live for decades since it is made up of wood that might be likely affected by either weather, temperature or the activities of other organisms is likely that the life span of the bookshelf will reduce.

The limitation of this project analysis, this is because research that led to the design and construction of this project are not versed through tested and proved.

1.8 Definition of Terms

Below are the definitions of some of the terms used in the course of this project work.

1. Hard Wood (Angiosperm): They are woods from deciduous trees which bear a great variety of flow and containing seeds, often called dicotyledonous seeds e.g. Mahogany, Wa-wa (obeche), Danta etc.
2. Soft Wood (gymnosperm): This type of wood is usually found on trees which are distinguished b their tall slender trunks, narrow or needle like leaves and has naked seeds. They are usually evergreen and are botanically known as GYNOPTERNS.
3. Seasoning: This is the process of drying out of the excess moisture from the log of wood (timber)so as to condition the wood before usage.
4. Veneer: This is a thin sheet of wood obtained from log or fitches (section of log) by rotary peeling, slicing or fine sawing.
5. Preservatives: These are chemical substances which are applied to the wood. To prevent insect attack and other artificial defects, in other to achieve long durability and strength.
6. Adhesive: This is referred to as a substance used to bind two hard surfaces together.
7. Conversion: This is the sawing of a log of wood into boards of planks for use by the carpenters or other experts in the other professions.
8. Defects: These are referred to as irregularities occurring in or on the timber which lowers its strength and durability on utility value.
9. Jointing: This is referred to as assembly of two different parts of wood by cutting out wood packages to fit into each other.
10. Finishing: This is the state in wood work construction where the surface of the wood is prepared to receive the finishes.
11. Finishes: This referred to as the various varnishes including decorative finishes, lacquers, and enamels preservatives. that are applied to wood surface for both protection and aesthetic values.