Ok, I've got a design for a bookcase but it won't fit where I want it. It's about 10 inches too long. The dimensions are 103.5 x 88 1/4 x 17 1/8. I can only fit less than 96 inches long. My question is, should I just go ahead and shorten the shelves by the amount needed to fit (which will have to happen anyways) or should I also shorten the height of the bookcase as well (to try and keep it within the relative design of the larger unit)?

I started to try and figure out the aspect ratio of the larger case and then work backwards with that number to dimensions that would fit in my spot, but I got a bit lost. So... I'd figured where else to ask this question than this forum?

Any help, guidance would be most appreciative.

MJ

MJ wrote in
:

Ok, I've got a design for a bookcase but it won't fit where I want it.
It's about 10 inches too long. The dimensions are 103.5 x 88 1/4 x 17
1/8. I can only fit less than 96 inches long. My question is, should I
just go ahead and shorten the shelves by the amount needed to fit
(which will have to happen anyways) or should I also shorten the
height of the bookcase as well (to try and keep it within the relative
design of the larger unit)?

I started to try and figure out the aspect ratio of the larger case
and then work backwards with that number to dimensions that would fit
in my spot, but I got a bit lost. So... I'd figured where else to ask
this question than this forum?

Any help, guidance would be most appreciative.

MJ


I'd just shorten it. Bookcases are typically not very ornate,
basically just a rectangle, so they're pretty flexible in
proportions.

If you want an extreme example, the bookcase next to my desk is
24 inches wide (across the crown, 22 across the case) and 84
inches high. It was built to fit the space between the desk
and the door, which would otherwise be wasted, and looks fine.

John

On 10/24/2014 5:25 PM, MJ wrote:
Ok, I've got a design for a bookcase but it won't fit where I want it. It's about 10 inches too long. The dimensions are 103.5 x 88 1/4 x 17 1/8. I can only fit less than 96 inches long. My question is, should I just go ahead and shorten the shelves by the amount needed to fit (which will have to happen anyways) or should I also shorten the height of the bookcase as well (to try and keep it within the relative design of the larger unit)?

I started to try and figure out the aspect ratio of the larger case and then work backwards with that number to dimensions that would fit in my spot, but I got a bit lost. So... I'd figured where else to ask this question than this forum?

Any help, guidance would be most appreciative.

MJ

The height of a bookcase is defined by the standard height of a book
time the number of desired shelves. An allowance for the face frame
and the ability to get the book into and out of the shelf must be
considered.

If you are shelving a lot of paperbacks the shelves could be narrower
that if you are shelving a lot of art books and atlases

On Fri, 24 Oct 2014 14:25:39 -0700 (PDT), MJ
wrote:

Ok, I've got a design for a bookcase but it won't fit where I want it. It's about 10 inches too long. The dimensions are 103.5 x 88 1/4 x 17 1/8. I can only fit less than 96 inches long. My question is, should I just go ahead and shorten the shelves by the amount needed to fit (which will have to happen anyways) or should I also shorten the height of the bookcase as well (to try and keep it within the relative design of the larger unit)?

I started to try and figure out the aspect ratio of the larger case and then work backwards with that number to dimensions that would fit in my spot, but I got a bit lost. So... I'd figured where else to ask this question than this forum?

Any help, guidance would be most appreciative.

MJ

I'd worry about the space between shelves. If scaling the height
makes the shelves too close together to be practical (assuming they
are fixed spacing) I'd leave the height at whatever dimension allows
sensible shelf spacing (or a reasonable number of shelves) for the
things you intend to put on the shelves.


--
Peter Bennett, VE7CEI Vancouver BC
peterbb (at) telus.net
Vancouver Power Squadron: http://vpsboat.com

On 10/24/2014 4:25 PM, MJ wrote:
Ok, I've got a design for a bookcase but it won't fit where I want it. It's about 10 inches too long. The dimensions are 103.5 x 88 1/4 x 17 1/8. I can only fit less than 96 inches long. My question is, should I just go ahead and shorten the shelves by the amount needed to fit (which will have to happen anyways) or should I also shorten the height of the bookcase as well (to try and keep it within the relative design of the larger unit)?

I started to try and figure out the aspect ratio of the larger case and then work backwards with that number to dimensions that would fit in my spot, but I got a bit lost. So... I'd figured where else to ask this question than this forum?

Any help, guidance would be most appreciative.

A bookcase, like a chair, is a functional item.

As with a chair, design for function first and foremost, and let form
take a backseat, so to speak.

--
eWoodShop: www.eWoodShop.com
Wood Shop: www.e-WoodShop.net
https://www.google.com/+eWoodShop
https://plus.google.com/+KarlCaillouet/posts
http://www.custommade.com/by/ewoodshop/
KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)

On 10/25/2014 9:29 AM, Swingman wrote:
On 10/24/2014 4:25 PM, MJ wrote:
Ok, I've got a design for a bookcase but it won't fit where I want it.
It's about 10 inches too long. The dimensions are 103.5 x 88 1/4 x 17
1/8. I can only fit less than 96 inches long. My question is, should I
just go ahead and shorten the shelves by the amount needed to fit
(which will have to happen anyways) or should I also shorten the
height of the bookcase as well (to try and keep it within the relative
design of the larger unit)?

I started to try and figure out the aspect ratio of the larger case
and then work backwards with that number to dimensions that would fit
in my spot, but I got a bit lost. So... I'd figured where else to ask
this question than this forum?

Any help, guidance would be most appreciative.

A bookcase, like a chair, is a functional item.

As with a chair, design for function first and foremost, and let form
take a backseat, so to speak.

+1

Not sure what your dilemma is, MJ. If you want to go with a maximum
width of 93" you can "shrink" and maintain proportions (height and width
only) by multiplying your original dimensions by .899 which will give
you a case 93" wide and 79 3/8" high.

If you want to shrink the depth as well, then it's just shy of 15 ½" deep.

But, as Karl says, FUNCTION over FORM. Build what you NEED and that
ain't necessarily what looks pretty.

On 10/25/2014 10:29 AM, Swingman wrote:
On 10/24/2014 4:25 PM, MJ wrote:
Ok, I've got a design for a bookcase but it won't fit where I want it.



A bookcase, like a chair, is a functional item.

As with a chair, design for function first and foremost, and let form
take a backseat, so to speak.


Besides, if you scale all dimensions it is difficult to find books that
have been scaled too.

Not sure what your dilemma is, MJ. If you want to go with a maximum
width of 93" you can "shrink" and maintain proportions (height and width
only) by multiplying your original dimensions by .899 which will give
you a case 93" wide and 79 3/8" high.

If you want to shrink the depth as well, then it's just shy of 15 ½" deep.

But, as Karl says, FUNCTION over FORM. Build what you NEED and that
ain't necessarily what looks pretty.

Well, I generally agree (Form follows Function), but in this case this is a full wall system and getting the proportions right would, to me, means getting the right shape to the system. I appreciate your thoughts and I think they will work for me. The depth of the case is immaterial. There is an amount of applied moldings that provide ornament to the case and I don't want it to appear odd. I'll work out the details in Sketchup and see how that goes.

Again, thanks.

MJ

On 10/26/2014 3:41 PM, MJ wrote:


Well, I generally agree (Form follows Function), but in this case this is a full wall system and getting the proportions right would, to me, means getting the right shape to the system. I appreciate your thoughts and I think they will work for me. The depth of the case is immaterial. There is an amount of applied moldings that provide ornament to the case and I don't want it to appear odd. I'll work out the details in Sketchup and see how that goes.

Again, thanks.

MJ


BS. What good is getting the form right if books won't fit? Function
is a must or you have a pretty wood grid on the walls, not bookcases.

MJ wrote in
:

Well, I generally agree (Form follows Function), but in this case this
is a full wall system and getting the proportions right would, to me,
means getting the right shape to the system. I appreciate your
thoughts and I think they will work for me. The depth of the case is
immaterial. There is an amount of applied moldings that provide
ornament to the case and I don't want it to appear odd. I'll work out
the details in Sketchup and see how that goes.

I think the only way it would look odd is if it's not symmetric.
I don't know how many vertical dividers it has (at 103" wide
I assume it has some), I would try to keep each horizontal
section in the same proportion, or at least take equal amounts
off each end.

I wouldn't worry about the height, I think if you start messing
with that you're just opening a can of worms.

John

On 10/25/2014 9:44 AM, Unquestionably Confused wrote:
On 10/25/2014 9:29 AM, Swingman wrote:
On 10/24/2014 4:25 PM, MJ wrote:
Ok, I've got a design for a bookcase but it won't fit where I want it.
It's about 10 inches too long. The dimensions are 103.5 x 88 1/4 x 17
1/8. I can only fit less than 96 inches long. My question is, should I
just go ahead and shorten the shelves by the amount needed to fit
(which will have to happen anyways) or should I also shorten the
height of the bookcase as well (to try and keep it within the relative
design of the larger unit)?

I started to try and figure out the aspect ratio of the larger case
and then work backwards with that number to dimensions that would fit
in my spot, but I got a bit lost. So... I'd figured where else to ask
this question than this forum?

Any help, guidance would be most appreciative.

A bookcase, like a chair, is a functional item.

As with a chair, design for function first and foremost, and let form
take a backseat, so to speak.

+1

Not sure what your dilemma is, MJ. If you want to go with a maximum
width of 93" you can "shrink" and maintain proportions (height and width
only) by multiplying your original dimensions by .899 which will give
you a case 93" wide and 79 3/8" high.

If you want to shrink the depth as well, then it's just shy of 15 ½" deep.

But, as Karl says, FUNCTION over FORM. Build what you NEED and that
ain't necessarily what looks pretty.

As a person with over 5k books in the house, A bookcase holds books! I
build most of mine, my library I bought them. My beloved has better
style than I need. :-)

Martin