​​Self Shelf
by Michael Herrera

Step#1: Take inventory
First you want to make sure that you have all the supplies you need in order to create this shelf. 4-5 2 by 4’s. 1 Big sheet of thin flexible wood. A big sheet of half an inch of wood. 16 medium sized nails. A box full of small nails no longer then 1 inch. A drill with adjustable nuzzle to hold a screw and drill. Small hand saw. Measuring tape. Small Level (Optional). Right triangle level. Pencil. All of these materials wood wise are all accessible from your own back yard or simply asking companies such as Home Depot for any spare wood or take a walk.to their scrap pile and get high quality wood for under 9 dollars.

Step#2: Workplace
You will need to find a table or other open space with enough room to operate. You should consider and keep the size of your shelf in mind. You want to make sure that you have more than 20 by 20 feet of free space to operate comfortably with a power source nearby for any use.

Step#3: Measure twice cut once
You will grab your 2 x 2 and measure the height of which you would like your shelf. You will need to measure 4 of them and make the cut with your saw blade. From there we will also decide how deep you would like each level to go. It should be noted that it will depend on its purpose changing the length to your necessities. While we are on this step, you will also cut out your jacket. For myself I chose to keep my back open but have 2 sides and a top. This will be the entire length of your shelf. With the 2 by 2’s, you will also cut out 4 pieces of wood depending on your depth of the shelf.

Step#4: Setting a base
Once you have gathered all assembly pieces of wood, you will first grab one of 4of your big 2 by 2’s and one of the smaller and cut 2 by 2 pieces of wood tocreate4 L shaped pieces. (If your small2 by 2 is wider than your beams, you will want to move them all the way to the corresponding sides Left or right.) Then once all drilled, drill them onto your first floor as this will be both the base and bottom level.

Step#5: Building your floors
You will now grab your next few floors and very small perfect fit. (Keep in mind on how spaced apart you want them, ideally, so books fit with a bit of wiggle room. For this step you have to adjust the size of your shelfs due to slight change of size). With now small wooden poles you will cut 3 pieces to set them as a seat for your shelfs. (Left, Right, Back).

Step#6: Floors
Once you have set and mounted the seat which your shelfs will sit on, you will want to slide all of the levels.(When setting up your seats you will need your level to make sure your levels are straight). Your levels will not be pinned or drilled down to be a part of the frame or build itself.

Step#7: Assembling the walls
You will now have 4 pillars nailed to your base or first floor along with your seats with your other 2 floors resting on top. From there your frame is all set and will now need to drill a pilot hole (Drilling a small hole with a drill to not brake or splinter/crack the wood), and then set your small nails through the pilot holes and pin down your walls.

​Step#8: All Done
Now that all pieces are all together, you can now admire your new shelf and place it wherever you may need it to be. This shelf is meant to be a multi-purpose space meaning you are not limited to just books but even as just extra space.

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