loutent wrote in message ...
Hi Greg,

snip

I'm thinking about a back, but I'm not sure. Are you suggesting a back
to keep the units square, or just to hide the wall behind? I have
already decided that no sensible thickness of back would be strong
enough to mount the units with. Your suggestion for lateral supports
is pretty much what I had planned.

I was just talking aesthetics here - it's a PITA to repaint the wall
between all those shelves. Another consideration is that your wall will
not be perfectly flat (if it's drywall) and you will probably have
spaces here and there (unless you try to scribe everything which would
be a nightmare on the back). Putting a 1/4 inch back eliminates that
problem. Having done it both ways, I always us a back. You can paint
it a color if you don't want a stained wood back.

This is my first foray into rec.woodworking, and I have to say that
I've gotten a couple of tips that I didn't even ask for that should
spare me a lot of grief. I hadn't given any real thought to the fact
that the wall won't be flat.

I was considering getting a biscuit joiner, but your suggestion has
made me wonder if that's a good idea. Even though this is a built-in I
think it might be nice to be able to disassemble it into the
individual units should we ever decide to move. Nails would allow
that.

Biscuits would be better and not show. When I said nails, I meant nails
& glue, but if you think you might want to take it apart, then the
nails would be ok I guess.

That was just an afterthought. Sitting here on the front end of a
large job I find myself thinking that I'll practically want to be
buried in the thing once it's done. But after a few years I suppose I
might be able to part with it.

A general rule of thumb in any house move is that nothing in the old
place will fit the new place - and even if it does, SWMBO will hate it
in the new place anyway - so it will probably stay behind in the old
place.

:-

Not many women on this group, I assume?

10. Remove ledger (or, if you are worried about weight, use a nice
piece of 1x2 oak as a permanant ledger under the cabinet.)

I like that idea. Thanks.

If the unit is going wall to wall (i.e., between two walls), be sure to
allow space on either side for a filler strip so you can scribe a tight
fit.

Another good idea. I've been wanting to write a book called
"second-time knowledge" that would chronicle the education I've been
getting doing every damned thing for the FIRST time since I became the
lord (and handyman) of my undersized manor. Thanks for the tips.

Greg Guarino