Sometimes the challenge of trying a new technique compels whole project designs, and that’s what happened in a roundabout sort of way with this Floating Bedside Shelf. I wanted to see whether the edge V-groove router bits, shown on page 48, can be used to wrap solid wood trim around the edge of a curved shelf as well as a straight one. The short answer is yes, they can! Quite elegantly, actually, as you can see in the curves of the purpleheart shown above. But here’s the kicker: doing that will involve making three very precise templates to guide these bits around those curves, primarily so the purple-heart hugs the edges of the plywood shelves seamlessly.
And if you’re willing to test your template-making skills, this alternating, double-shelf project is well worth the effort. Its small cubby in between the shelves can stow a wallet, jewelry or other small valuables behind the front door. I outfitted the project with a strip of low-cost LED rope lighting to cast a soft glow under each shelf. Mine also contains a USB outlet for charging smart devices. The project mounts to a wall stud with screws driven through the cubby’s back panel.
If you like the look of the project but aren’t yet up to the challenge of tricky template-making (or investing in the edge V-groove router bit set), you could simply make the plywood shelf cores larger and wrap their edges with thin veneer edge tape. But that won’t be as durable as solid wood in the long run, nor will it give the same effect as this contrasting, wide purpleheart will. So, why not test your skills and build it just as I have!
Making Subassemblies of Trim Blanks
Let’s get down to business by on page 43). Now, study the for miter-cutting these trim pieces correctly. Why miter them, you ask? Well, mitering will eliminate nearly all of the end grain that would take finish more darkly than the side grain will. You’ll also help to blend the face grain more uniformly all around the shelves, which will look much better when viewing the shelf trim from above.
