Easy Workshop Organization Projects

Making a Modular Shelf from the Scroll Saw

By Albert Baggetta

Spring is upon us! There’s no better time to clean out your workshop and implement new organization techniques to keep your work area looking tidy all year round. Below is a modular shelf project from Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts Fall 2019 (Issue 76) by Al Baggetta. This project is a relatively simple, stackable storage cubby you can make on the scroll saw. Not only is it attractive and minimalist, but you can assemble it in a variety of configurations. Use it to display projects, reduce clutter, or store your tools! For more easy workshop organization projects, check out our upcoming and recent blog posts!

Getting Started

Choose a kind of wood; I used 1/4” (6mm) Baltic birch plywood for my shelves and 1/4” (6mm) cherry to make contrasting clips to hold them together. Photocopy the patterns and attach them to the wood using clear packaging tape. 

A Word About Stability

These shelving units are intended to hold light, small objects. The tighter you make the inside cut on the clips, the tighter they will hold the entire unit together. If you find you have cut the insides of the clips a bit smaller than 1/4” (6mm), use sandpaper or a file to widen them a bit. Alternately, you could sand down the shelves to make a snug fit. If you plan on leaving the units together permanently, put a few drops of glue on the inside of each of the clips before inserting the shelves.

 Materials

• 1/4” birch plywood cut 8” x 4” (Five Pieces)
• 1/4” birch plywood cut 6” x 4” (Five Pieces)
• 1/4” cherry cut clip patterns (Sixteen Pieces)
• Sanding mop: 140-grit
• Wood glue (optional)
• Tape: clear packaging
• Spray adhesive
• Finish: clear spray lacquer

Tools

• Scroll saw blades: #5 reverse-tooth
• Belt sander

About the Author

Al Baggetta is a retired English teacher and former musician who took a liking to scroll sawing. Visit his pattern site at baggetta.com. 

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