Two Maple Bookcases

We wanted bookcases on the sides of our fireplace so I decided to build them using mostly hand tools. I cut the dados for each shelf using a Stanley 71 router plane. It took a long time but worked great! I bought the maple boards laminated (8’x12”x3/4”) for the extra cost and ease of use. This greatly reduced the time I would’ve spent dimensioning. The 3/4” thick shelves with center beam support seem to be holding up ok. I designed these bookcases myself and did not use plans. These were my first significant furniture builds and were a great learning experience.