Library Cart Project

[boxmaker2002]

Anyone have or seen plans for a rolling library cart which would hold teacher-owned library books for a grammar school classroom?

My daughter just moved to a grammar school from middle school. There was one in her old classroom, but we couldn't move it to the new school. I failed to take measurements/photos.

I am an owner of a new BT3100, as yet unassembled, and thought this might be a good first project for the machine.

Jerry

[GeekMom]

What style are you looking for? Flat shelving, slanted shelving, single or double side shelves? Two or three shelves? I did some searching, but didn't find any plans. However, if you have a public library nearby, they would probably let you take some measurements/angles from one of their metal carts.

This site sells book trucks. Good dimensions are included in their descriptions of the different carts.

[boxmaker2002]

Thanx

Thank you, Karen, for the really rapid response to my query. It is a situation which requires some deep thinking about. The library cart my daughter left belonged to the school library, and was entirely of wood, except for the casters. I would like to design something which has adjustable shelves, and perhaps some small storage drawers, perhaps in a torsion base.

My skills are weak on the design side, so I may be biting off more than I want at this stage.

Jerry

PS I would have contacted you by email rather than on the forum if I could have figured out how.

[John Hunter]

Check this site for free plans, you may find something you can use there http://www.woodworkersworkshop.com/r...ex.php?cat=102

[gmack5]

Welcom to the "Family"

Anyone have or seen plans for a rolling library cart which would hold teacher-owned library books for a grammar school classroom?
My daughter just moved to a grammar school from middle school. There was one in her old classroom, but we couldn't move it to the new school. I failed to take measurements/photos.
I am an owner of a new BT3100, as yet unassembled, and thought this might be a good first project for the machine. Jerry

Jerry, there is a link in this post to a very LARGE group of Woodworking plans for just about anything you can imagine, along with some other information that you may find useful.

Congratulations on the acquisition of your BT3100 and welcome.

One of the first things you need to do, after you get your BT3100 Saw assembled is, following your Owner's Manual, go thru the entire set-up proceedure, step by step, in the sequence laid out in the Manual.

Each set up proceedure builds on the preceeding one, so you MUST keep them in sequence.

Usually the Saw is set up properly, right out of the box, but you should still check it as this gets you familiar with all the adjustments on the saw and assures you that everything is as it should be.

Here's some free plans that'll keep you busy for a while. http://www.woodworkersworkshop.com/r...ex.php?cat=102

And here's some additional information about your Saw that you may find useful.

Regardless of what you've read or others have told you, NEVER NEVER use any wax or lubricant on your saw that contains Silicone, this includes all automobile waxes and polishes and most spray-on furniture polishes. The reason is simple, most of them contain Silicones and they will make your projects difficult to finish.
Silicones repell liquid, making "fish eyes" in your finishes, this will force you to remove the Silicones from your project and start over. That stuff (Silicone) migrates all over every where, don't ask me how, it just does.
If you put it in one place, eventually it will be all over the
entire saw.

Your best bet is to use a "dry" lubricant, such as Teflon (PTFE), Powdered Graphite, or Candle Wax for the Raising/Lowering and Tilt mechanisms below the table top.

Then use either Johnson's Paste Wax, Minwax's "Finishing Wax" or Butcher's Wax on the working surfaces, table tops (All three of them) and the Rip Fence.

Do NOT Wax the Front and Rear rails or the Miter Fence. As a mater of fact, you may want to glue 220 grit sand-paper to the front face of the Miter Fence, cause you don't WANT things to slide on there.

You might also want to check out the "Articles" section on the www.BT3central.com site. Lots of good maintenance information on your saw and some of the Jigs and Fixtures that BT3Central members and others have designed for it. Located here: http://www.bt3central.com/articles/
The only thing you'll need to access the information is a recent copy of the Adobe Reader (It can be downloaded from the BTcentral site).

One of the Articles mentioned is a "Check List", written by Jim Frye. You can find it here: https://www.sawdustzone.org/articles...nce-check-list

This list contains all the different areas on your saw that need to be periodically inspected or given some sort of special attention. In other words, a "Preventative Maintanence Check List" or PM. Performing this PM on a monthly basis would be a good idea.

One of the other things you'll find there is an on-line copy of the User's Manual in downloadable pdf format (a handy thing to have).

Something you might think about is the use of a set of Draftsman's Triangles instead of the Carpenter's Square that they show in the Owner's Manual for setting up your saw.

An accurate Carpenter's Square is almost a myth!

A good one will cost you quite a bit of money, $40 - $75, or more. I would recommend that you consider using a pair of Draftsman's 30 -60 and 45 degree triangles instead. You'll find they're not near as expensive and are far more accurate than a run-of-the-mill Carpenter's Square. The 30 -60 triangle should have one 12" leg and the other leg would be 9" long. The 45 degree triangle should have at least 8" legs on either side of the 90 degree corner. That way either one can be put up against the side of the Saw Blade without touching the saw teeth.

Just remember, regardless of which measuring instrument you choose to use, check it(them) to be sure they're accurate. When checking the Miter Fence for Square to the Blade with a triangle, use the 12" 30-60, if possible.

One of the other "tricks" that I've discovered is to take a piece of "Wax" paper, fold it several times and rub it in the grooves that the "T" nuts that lock your Rails in place ride in. Makes the Rails move smooth as Butter.

Last, but not least, don't forget to paint the RED line!
It's a line that extends the line-of-sight from the saw blade to the front edge of the table to remind you NOT to let your Miter Fence or your FINGERS get in the way of the saw blade. Just put red paint, nail polish, or what ever, in the grove that extends towards the operator from the front edge of the saw blade.

[boxmaker2002]

Been looking!

Check this site for free plans, you may find something you can use there http://www.woodworkersworkshop.com/r...ex.php?cat=102

I've been looking, but find nothing yet.

[mater]

You may see something here and use the dimensions and sketch your own plans for what you need. Library Carts

[boxmaker2002]

Cart general features and dims

Thank you all who have responded, but none of the steel carts come close to the features offered on the cart my daughter had to leave at school.

The cart was double sided, three shelves per side, and about 4 ft x 6 feet.I am not sure, but the shelves may have been adjustable as to height. It appeared to be made out of one inch thick oak veneer plywood. It was used in the classroom to store and display paperback books.

None of the websites offered seem to have carts even remotely like the wooden cart.

I was trained as an industrial arts teacher metalworking and electronics. I consider myself a relative newbie in woodworking.

[BobSch]

Any chance you could call her old school and ask to look at the old cart? Take a camera and a tape measure and get the dimensions and any special features.

[boxmaker2002]

Taking photos and making sketches of the cart would be the way to go. I'll have to call the school to see if it may be possible to get to it. Since I am the father of the teacher, they may not be willing to make it accessible to me.

I am trying to keep everything as a surprise for my daughter, though it would be quickly evident once I start work, since my workspace is in the garage.

This was an excellent suggestion! I will have to see if something can be done.

Jerry

[JR]

Since I am the father of the teacher, they may not be willing to make it accessible to me.

If you speak to the principal there shouldn't be any problem. Unless your daughter burned some bridges!
JR

[Jeffrey Schronce]

....PS I would have contacted you by email rather than on the forum if I could have figured out how.....

.....about 4 ft x 6 feet.

When you post on the forum and ask questions of the group, and are countered with other questions you probably want to reply via the forum rather than by email. This allows others to gain the information being sought in order to help you with your question. There are a lot of very helpful folks here. Obviously personal discusssions or off topic discussions should be via email.

Holy smokes! 4 x 6, double sided and it was mobile?!?!!?? Can you imagine how much that thing weighed considering 1" veneer and loaded with books?

[boxmaker2002]

Library cart weight

It undoubtedly would weigh a ton if loaded with full-size books and a lot of oversize books, but as my daughter will use it it will have only paperback size books on it.

The cart seemed to have some fairly hefty wheels under it, so I will have to find some that are capable of the load.

Jerry

[BobSch]

Grizzly's got a good selection of heavy-duty casters. Here's a few:

http://www.grizzly.com/products/sear...tart=42&num=14