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Thanks for the replies.. Still working on the shelf but haven't addressed the mounting hardware yet but will if time permits this weekend.. So far I've got all parts cut and ready for assembly but figured I'd stain/coat it before assembly as it would be much easier.. To that end, the following came up..

Ok.. So my Rockler purchased can of Arm-r-Seal (from General Finishes) was running low so I visited the local store again to get more only to find that they no longer carried it because it was banned by the SCAQMDbecause it apparently pollutes too much for LA County! So, the only other compatible product they carried was a Sam Maloof product which is also an oil + urethane mix.. The thing I didn't notice is that it's full-gloss (unlike the Arm-R-Seal which is semi-gloss) and should be applied differently..

So, after I applied it and found none appear to completely dry to the touch (still a little tacky feeling after several days), I finally did some further reading (which I should have done before applying it!!) and found that I should only leave it on for a while and then effectively wipe all of the excess off with a clean rag followed by a drying period. I had assumed I could use the same technique I had used for the Arm-R-Seal but not in this case (I won't make that mistake again).

Anyway, at this point I'm tempted to do a light sanding and try to buff the finish out and see what it looks like.. Is there anything else I should do to rectify this? Unfortunately the gloss is VERY glossy on this finish compared to the Arm-R-Seal and I ended up putting some of it on top of the arm-r-Seal finished pieces to be consistent.

Also, since the bookshelf sits on top of an existing desk (already stained/finished) and that item is NOT glossy I'm half tempted to apply the Maloof product to it as well for consistency.. Is that a bad idea or should I try to tone-down the Maloof finish to be less glossy? I can go either way here..

osx-addict wrote: Ok.. So my Rockler purchased can of Arm-r-Seal (from General Finishes) was running low so I visited the local store again to get more only to find that they no longer carried it because it was banned by the SCAQMDbecause it apparently pollutes too much for LA County!

Can ya order it online?

Haven't tried.. I didn't see anything indicating I couldn't.. However, I suppose if I were to visit down in San Diego I could pick some up down there as it's out of their jurisdiction..

Ok.. So I finished this project and took a photo (not the greatest -- did it with the old cell phone). Anyway, this gives you an idea of what the end result turned out like. I learned a number of lessons on this first real wood working project of mine. I was able to attach it to the wall at the top using some 3/4" "L" brackets I found at the local ACE hardware store and screwed them into studs and then into the top of the shelf unit. Seems like it should hold well for the next big one. As you can see, the birch plywood seems to be a match and the stain picked by the guys at Anderson Plywood in Culver City did a great job on the stain color as well.. The rear plywood is 1/4" birch plywood as well (the guys at Anderson told me to avoid 1/8" plywood for shelf backing as it was too thin). Of course when looking at the two cabinets we recently purchased right next to this new cabinet, that is exactly what they used -- 1/8" backing and of course some of those shelves are laminated particle board -- of course assembled here in California..

Some of the things I learned along the way :

1. Use the proper table saw blade when cutting dado's in plywood to avoid tearout. I didn't have an arbor yet when I did this and used an SS blade that was not fine toothed enough and caused some tearout along the edges perpendicular to the grain. Should be remedied now that I've got the new arbor -- shipped quickly from SS.
2. Take your time to think assembly through when making measurements -- I incorrectly measured the width of the bottom shelf piece (too narrow) so the sides are not sitting where they should have been. Luckily you can't see it unless you remove the edge banding on the front..
3. Assume finishing will take 2-4x the time it took to do all the cuts unless you're painting. Perhaps that was just me!
4. When you're ready to stain/clear-coat, make sure you have sufficient supplies of both products so you don't have to switch from brand-A to B in the middle -- big problem on my end. Ended up stripping Maloof clear-coat off and starting over with another water based product. Much better turnout for me.. I'm not yet ready for the Maloof and probably other oil rubs.. perhaps down the road with more experience..
5. Complete the project sooner (or at least within a reasonable amount of time).. The wife thought it was taking WAY too long! Of course she was correct.. It took me more than a month overall I think for this simple bookshelf..

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P.S. It's only the top-half that I worked on -- the desk portion was already made 15+ years ago by a prior home owner.. I was just adding to it.. See some of the earlier pics to see where it started..

Excellent job on your shelf, Rick!:D I totally agree with your "L" brackets for earthquake security. When reading your post I said "DUH":o . The simplest solutions usually work best.

Yes, the color matching is so good the unit looks as one. Also you have found that 1/8" backing works. It's only two functions are to stop racking of the unit and to prevent little stuff from falling down behind the unit. However your 1/4" ply is pretty and as you said picked up the recommended color beautifully. Hard to say you went wrong with the recommendation here. Maybe the 1/8" stuff wouldn't have come out so pretty.

Concerning the short measurement - next similar case, use a straight wood stick and make a pencil mark at the correct length. Then use that stick for measuring the cuts. You'll never go wrong this way.

Thanks Chuck.. I did use the thicker wood to my advantage and brad-nailed each of the shelves into the back of the panel which ought to help with sag prevention. Next time I build something that large or larger I REALLY need a table to do the work -- this time I used our tile floor which isn't quite level and caused it's own issues with assembly. I'll work on that for next time..