Chris Friesen wrote in
el:

Puckdropper wrote:
I'm working on building a simple entertainment center, and would like
some advice. The sides and back are to be 1/2" red oak plywood

With hundreds of pounds on it, I'd probably go with something a bit
thicker, unless you have solid legs.

I'll have to look for something thicker, then.


I plan on putting a large screen TV that's about 100-200 lbs on the
second shelf, and was wondering if the 1/2" plywood sides would be
sufficiently strong. The shelves themselves will be 1/2" plywood
supported by a 1x2 poplar frame with 1x4 red oak as a border. The
top shelf will carry some wonderfully heavy equipment, too. It'll be
less than 200 lbs, I think.

I'd actually be worried about the shelves themselves as well. Not
sure what you mean by a "1x2 poplar frame", but you might want to run
it through the sagulator to see how much deflection to expect.

The shelf is a 1x4 red oak frame with mitered corners. The 1x2 poplar
frame will go inside the 1x4s and support the plywood. There will be a
center support to minimize the tendency of the shelf to sag. I'm fairly
confident this will be plenty strong.

Any suggestions on attaching the shelves to the plywood sides?

Biscuits and glue, nailed up from the bottom through the shelf into
the side. (Down from the top for the top shelf.) You could use glue
blocks or cleats for reinforcement if they're not going to be visible.

I don't have a biscuit joiner, but would dowels work to serve the same
purpose?

With 3/4" plywood, I could actually attach the shelf directly to the
plywood with screws.

On a related note, this project marks my first real venture into
hardwoods. I had a good experience with the hardwood store, but
learned that 10' long boards just won't fit in a Prius.

In my Matrix I fold the front seat forward and can handle 8' boards
with the tailgate shut. For longer boards I open the rear glass
window.

8' boards aren't a problem. The 10' boards are a little long. Had I
been going straight home, I could have let the boards hang out.

Chris

Puckdropper
--
"The potential difference between the top and bottom of a tree is the
reason why all trees have to be grounded..." -- Bored Borg on
rec.woodworking

To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm