| Project by lysdexic | posted 09-21-2011 05:02 AM | 186280 views | 78 times favorited | 51 comments |  |
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This is my third project. I made this for my son who shares the same obsessive personality trait as me. He loves Hotwheels and man, he has a bunch. I really have not given him any in a long time. But the rest of the family just keeps on bringing them.
Design considerations:
I wanted it to hold about a 100 cars
I wanted to think “outside the box” and present the cars at angle for interest and not straight to the side or nose. At first I was going to angle them to the side about 30 degrees but this made construction more complicated and decreased capacity.
Also, wanted a more floating quality and didn’t want to build just a box with shelves.
I wanted to use contrasting woods but the poplar and walnut are too stark together.
The convexity of the center spline was an after thought. It gives it a uniqueness and a personality but I would not do it again.
Construction:
Poplar spline from Lowes and the shelves are re-sawn 4/4 walnut.
The joints are tight half laps and there is nothing glued.
The hanging hardware came from Lee Valley
I am happy how it came out but would do things differently next time. Right now a musing over a set of shelves to hold some of his die-cast cars.
My son says it looks like a sailboat and my wife says it looks like a rib cage.
Again, no glue or hardware to secure the shelves. Just a half-lapped joint with a tight interference fit.
The shelves were trim to length to match the curvature/arc of the center spline
The final product.
Thanks for looking.
-- "It's only wood. Use it." - Smitty || Instagram - out_of_focus1.618
51 comments so far
JL7
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8747 posts in 3417 days
#1 posted 09-21-2011 05:05 AM
This is really a cool idea and nicely done….thanks.
Jeff
-- Jeff .... Minnesota, USA
Brett
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#2 posted 09-21-2011 05:07 AM
That’s great! I love the design and that it is more of a display shelf than a storage shelf. I can see both your wife and sons observations of what it looks like. That’s funny. ;)
How did you hang it?
-- Hand Crafted by Brett Peterson John 3:16 http://www.TheCrookedNail.blogspot.com
lysdexic
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#3 posted 09-21-2011 05:08 AM
Reloaded the initial pic. Better now.
Thanks
-- "It's only wood. Use it." - Smitty || Instagram - out_of_focus1.618
ShaneA
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#4 posted 09-21-2011 05:09 AM
Nice looking project. Function and great design. Plus I am sure after the hotwheel phase, this can display something else. Well done.
a1Jim
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#5 posted 09-21-2011 06:23 AM
the coolest design and well built too.
souichiro
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#6 posted 09-21-2011 06:44 AM
very cool shelf, love the design with the different length shelves making a pattern. What a great way to show those cars off!
-- Dale, Oregon
redryder
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#7 posted 09-21-2011 07:44 AM
Your photos detail your work nicely…..........
-- mike...............
Eagle1
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#8 posted 09-21-2011 10:59 AM
Neat shelf. Thanks for all of the pics showing the steps you did.
-- Tim, Missouri ....Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what the heck happened
A Slice of Wood Workshop
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#9 posted 09-21-2011 01:00 PM
just had a baby boy, can’t wait to start playing with cars with him. The shelf is great, love the design.
-- Follow me on YouTube- http://YouTube.com/user/asliceofwoodworkshop
Ken90712
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#10 posted 09-21-2011 01:25 PM
Great looking display, I like the design and that its not boring. Well done!
-- Ken, "Everyday above ground is a good day!"
CampD
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#11 posted 09-21-2011 02:04 PM
Now this is to cool, nicely done.
-- Doug...
CharlieM1958
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#12 posted 09-21-2011 02:42 PM
Great display!
I didn’t even know Hotwheels were still around.
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
Skylark53
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2702 posts in 3512 days
#13 posted 09-21-2011 02:46 PM
Beautiful work and a beauiful way to display the cars and still keep them accessable.Contrasting woods is a terrific idea.
-- Rick, Tennessee, John 3:16
Cory
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#14 posted 09-21-2011 03:30 PM
That’s the coolest car shelf I’ve ever seen! I might have to steal that idea, but let my son put some of his lego creations on it. Thanks for posting.
-- The secret to getting ahead is getting started.
sharad
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1118 posts in 4256 days
#15 posted 09-21-2011 04:56 PM
Excellent design and liked the number of pictures you have given to show the details of construction. I wish other LJs also do the same. What is the height and width of the shelf?
Sharad
-- “If someone feels that they had never made a mistake in their life, then it means they have never tried a new thing in their life”.-Albert Einstein
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