Building a bookcase with $2400 of warped wood

I've said it before and I'll say it again: wood is a fickle mistress. Some days she loves you. Some days she's patient and kind. But some days, you try building a bookcase with $2400 worth of warped wood. Because, masochism. Turn out purdy in the end though, didn't she?
Thanks so much to FESTOOL for partnering with me on this build. To check out all the fantastic tooling Festool offers, visit www.festoolusa.com/
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Items I use in this video (some are affiliate links which help sponsor this content):
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TotalBoat Epoxy:
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[@user-ic4nj2vw2h]

It’s even more beautiful now that books and tchotchkes are in place. It completes the space. Thank you Scooter……. I mean Erik.

[@ENCurtis]

Thank you, user-ic4nj2vw2h. Now stop impersonating my mother.

[@michaeljeanmartin]

Well here it is folks. The most wholesome comment chain on KZbin 🤌 (PS thanks for the video)

[@howardyounger5456]

that is great. did Eric just get a new nic name lol

[@cjolaguera5469]

gotta say scooter sounds way cooler than EN

[@AmericansWillRise]

"Im so excited that, I'm walking on the floors, with shoes on."...... 2 minutes after Eric plopped down, with his shoes on her couch. 😂😂😂

[@user-ic4nj2vw2h]

That’s only because I wasn’t home. Don’t worry - he was appropriately scolded

[@ENCurtis]

I'm a rebel without a cause 😂

[@pamelaj92]

😂​@@user-ic4nj2vw2h

[@jt8172]

@@ENCurtis or a clue? 🤣

[@justinwiles1775]

*so excited you patched that hole in the wall

[@rolandgdean]

Your mother's reaction...I can SO relate. When I developed my prototype for the heirloom and keepsake boxes I make for our Etsy store, I wanted ALL WOOD with no metal hardware allowing the wood to "speak, uninterrupted by flashy metals"...a monolithic design relying completely on the medium itself to do all the heavy lifting of the hinge, handles, and even the latch I had to invent for this design. Her fist response when seeing it..."Boy, you better get some nice hardware on that thing or you ain't gonna to sell the first one!" lol...gotta love 'em

[@ENCurtis]

😂 it's the brutal honesty that I'm here for

[@erikleorga]

I did a wood burned plaque for my friends daughter for her birthday. With her 2 favorite dragons, Toothless and Stormfly, and her name along with "Dragon Master." Her reaction was lackluster when she got it, but she has to show it off to every family member, every school friend, everyone! So, a delayed reaction.

[@CHIPSpeaking]

​@@ENCurtis Huzzah for brutal honesty! If you can't take brutal honesty, get outta the workshop!

[@danielrisberg2112]

Beautiful work! I really think the "extra dominoes" looked nice.

[@richardc6932]

As beautiful as the bookcase is, I can’t quite wrap my mind around the fact that you can see the backs of the books from the stairs. If I installed that style in my house, my young grandsons (4) would have many of those books in the stairwell. 🙀 I enjoyed watching the building of the case and the thought that went into the assembly. 🇨🇦👍👨‍🦳

[@greggcoulter6008]

Lol your mom cracks me up. My mom would’ve said the exact same thing about the patch on the wall. The bookshelf looks fantastic. Great video.

[@ENCurtis]

Right?! Mothers... 😂

[@mikecolo2158]

Another Master Class! Really appreciate the technical and detailed walk through on the glue up. And the fix with the plugs looks great. I'd call that a Bob Ross Happy Accident.

[@ENCurtis]

It's for sure a happy accident. She loves the detail :)

[@drockoe1522]

Amazing work and got to learn some new tricks

[@hoffmeisterwoodworks]

Classic mom response! Beautiful work, and love the plugs

[@rockscho1]

Beautiful, great job fixing the wall. Oh wow, lovely shelving unit❤❤

[@diggk1]

I can only speak from a carpenters perspective but I think what separates good carpenters from great carpenters is the ability to thrive in less than ideal circumstances with the material that is being used & the tools in which they have available.

[@ENCurtis]

That is an excellent way to phrase it.

[@cowboymetalandwood4965]

I like your screw-up. A good woodworker hides his mistakes an artist makes it all look like it wouldn't be the same without it.

[@mwoody4560]

nice to see someone use biscuits. I use them in that situation as well. Also, like the way you fixed your issue. Unfortunately, I’ve never built a perfect project yet. But because of that I’m getting better at fixing things.

[@ENCurtis]

Learning how to fix mistakes is equally important to figure out how to minimize them.

[@214rwoz]

Thanks for all your time and effort. I wish you would have called me for the glue up, have clamps will travel! Thanks again.

[@ENCurtis]

haha noted! Thanks

[@gislisp]

I cannot overstate the immense value I've gained from your channel, thank you for that. This piece is simply stunning, and the clever solution you devised for the domino going through the side is brilliant.

[@JeffFontecchio]

So glad you had your assistant for that install, the piece looks great!

[@ENCurtis]

Thanks Jeff!

[@wooddogg8]

I absolutely love the way you fixed that goof, funny how mistakes can be disastrous sometimes or, with a little ingenuity, visually appealing.

[@ENCurtis]

I've found through the years that highlighting them, rather than attempting to hide them, generally makes for interesting details that we never would have planned for.

[@douggarson50]

@@ENCurtis Yeah, great save, best way to fix a mistake is make it a feature

[@parkercombes]

@ENCurtis I truly appreciate the phrase "design opportunity"🙂. It's a really nice way to try from spiraling into despair

[@johnbesharian9965]

@parkercombes, Apparently, that's also how some computer/internet and communication device software mfg's market their "Buggy" products. This one, a real, physical product, I believe, benefited from the unplanned Green & Green "Patch". Quite well, as a matter of fact.

[@maciej9280]

"it's not a bug, it's a feature" approach is always the best way, and it fits nicely with the plinth ;)

[@woodnotestudio]

I really enjoyed the creative way you corrected that mistake. I think it made the piece look even better.

[@ENCurtis]

Thank you!

[@xpkareem]

"Design opportunity" - I have a lot of design opportunities. Some of us are just blessed with so many opportunities.

[@ENCurtis]

😂😂

[@CinkSVideo]

I’m glad you screwed up that end panel. Your fix added a wonderful little touch and gave it a subtle dimensional effect from a standard shelf. The recesses on the front were brilliant little extras that distinguish this as custom made. Nice job on these “simple” shelves!

[@ENCurtis]

Thank you!

[@terrytopliss9506]

Looks perfect Eric,the small brain fart with the domino depth was beautifully remedied. Thanks for the video.👍👍👍

[@ENCurtis]

Thank you!

[@miguelmartir1040]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. You really help with the building process.

[@DavidPaulNewtonScott]

I am giving some thought to growing my own timber in Portugal. The big problem is wood takes so long to grow and season. Then I had a bright idea roundwood is 1.5 times as strong as the same ordinary timber. It is also radially symetrical so should not cup or warp. With this method, you dont even need straight timber. Just match the grains. I am looking forward to making a dining room table.

[@OpossumPiper]

There is nothing better than a well-built bookcase. Because books. Thanks for taking us along on another awesome build.

[@LyleAshbaugh]

There’s an old saying: if you can’t fix it, feature it! You called it “design opportunity“, which I’m going to steal😊. Some of my favorite pieces I made came from fixing/featuring my errors.

[@ENCurtis]

Please do! 😎

[@tonysutton6559]

My woodwork teacher (who finally retired after 50+ years of teaching following his serving his apprenticeship and working in a shop) used to say "they aren't mistake, they're features"

[@joostgaren6217]

What a wonderful piece of furniture! Absolutely stunning!

[@einsteinbpc]

Showing your mistakes and how you fix them is such an inspiration. I’m working on some shadow boxes for a client as we speak and I’m loosing some of my drive. This video helped. Cheers 🥂

[@ENCurtis]

Glad to hear it!

[@AB-nu5we]

Awesome result regardless of where the wood started. I often go to the big box/lumber yards and deliberately buy their 'potato chip' sheets of plywood (for a little discount). It's going to get cut down so as you note, you can cut around and shap the curved pieces as needed.

[@ebonicmaser]

broski, that's an amazing gift to your mother!

[@ENCurtis]

Thanks brother man!

[@wheels2757]

My dad and I call those through tenons in the show face “unintended design enhancements” 😅

[@ENCurtis]

I like that variation on "design opportunities"

[@TheGeekBarn]

Love the humor and the ACTUALLY useful tips you give! Good work!

[@WarriorKidd06]

I like this a lot. My thing is, I feel like the books need a stop on the side of the stairs. I built a stereo rack very similar to this 4 years ago almost and I put a simple stop to help my records from falling out the back.

[@andyevans8585]

Whole new peice of furniture and she notices the hole you patched in the wall! Gotta love it 😆

[@georgieporgie5115]

Thanks Eric. Enjoyed your journey!

[@ENCurtis]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@user-rg1oc7jq7x]

Plugs worked out great!

[@BlackHawk295]

I have been binge watching all of your videos over the past few days and it's definitely making me want to get back out into the woodshop and build a thing. It definitely shows that you were once a teacher because you explain things in a manner that even I can understand it!

[@ENCurtis]

Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying the channel! Appreciate the kind words 👊

[@michaelstockdale]

Absolutely beautiful bookshelf! You do excellent work! I appreciate you showing us the challenges you faced while building this piece... Makes you more real, and the piece even more spectacular!

[@ENCurtis]

Thank you so much!

[@briancollins2230]

I always enjoy watching. Great video. Till next week. Keep the coffee hot and your cup full.

[@ENCurtis]

Thank you! Will do!

[@simonbell3953]

Love it - and that you used ‘plum(b)’ in the explanations - and created a peach 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Really appreciate the subtle details - flush vs recessed sides and the angled top and rounded edges on the lounge side. Nice architectural piece - as a room-divider. The ‘error’ fix details are sweet too. Thanks for another great video 👍🏻

[@tehbieber]

Glad to see I'm not the only one who's been in "Welp, plunged through one of the dominos, guess I better do them all to make it match" territory

[@ENCurtis]

bahaha nope. I live in that territory some days.

[@NathanTalbertWoodworking]

I think it was a good thing you cut through the end. those caps look amazing vs staring at a plain piece of wood on the end.

[@MurphysCreations]

That is a great looking book case.

[@tobiasfrancisco5879]

I wanted to see it being strapped to the Prius's roof 😂. Nice work my friend 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽

[@ENCurtis]

😂😂 No such luck this time. Had to use a truck.

[@eightiesallen3180]

Being someone who likes "over the top" bookcases you find in European flea markets (usually without the fleas), I found your bookcase strangely refreshing...🤣

[@jimrosson6702]

Looks amazing thanks as always for walking us through the hole build your teaching skills are amazing. The bookcase looks amazing all installed and the plugs on the end add such a beautiful touch great idea. I’ve learned so much from watching your videos Thanks for sharing your talents with us all.

[@edwardnorek8506]

Ahhh, Working with warped wood ... Woodworker's bane or blessing!?! I kind of (oddly) enjoy working with difficult pieces. It forces me to figure out work arounds and when I do get straight pieces, it goes so much easier with the mental toolbox I'v developed with the less than perfect pieces. I'm sure that anyone who has done more than one or two projects have had those S#@%! moments with a brain fart in the joinery process. 🤣 Always provides for a brain itch and a design change on the fly lol. Beautiful yet subtle but at the same time an elegant fix. Drawing the darker contrast up. Personally, I think it actually connected the casework to the plinth much better than if it were just a clean face. Once again, outstanding video on an elegant project 👍

[@ENCurtis]

I agree completely. I was frustrated by their inclusion at first but after I stepped back I saw the connection between the dark elements and how it drew them together. Then I wasn't mad at it anymore

[@brewofqi]

Another fine video. Thanks again! I use your technique of soft abrasives to apply coats of finish that require sanding. Game changer. Took my pieces to the next level. I've passed on that knowledge to anyone who will listen. I'm only 3yrs into proper woodworking & can't wait to tackle a project like this bookshelf. CHEERS!!

[@joelw6215]

So you wouldn’t have made that for your sweet mom if it wasn’t for festool !!!!? They make tools and bring families together. I love it!!! Btw what finish did you use ? I may have missed that. Maybe I’ll watch it again 😅

[@00ham00]

Love it! Looks amazing.

[@ChrisHornberger]

Dude! Kudos! No one even knows the word plinth any more. Just when I think you've reached a pinnacle of cool... fucking plinth. Excellent.

[@jonboy8181]

I really like the end “plugs.” It’s adds just enough interest. If the wood is the lead singer, these are the guitarist with mystique.

[@PPHalpert]

I just learned a shit ton 🎉😊 I love your channel MORE each time I watch, thank you!

[@ENCurtis]

Thank you so much!

[@karl_alan]

The plugs are an interesting solution I never would have come ip with. I would have probably made floating tenons out of oak, and then made it look like wedged, through mortise & tenons were the original plan, by squaring off the oak tenons & putting a contrasting wedge in them. I like the zircote plug thing though. Always wanted to do that & always forget it's a thing.

[@VulcanKing67]

That is a beautiful piece!

[@skippylippy547]

This video was an "immersive" experience! The detail, the problem/solution, the ability to see through all those issues was spectacular. It made me feel good about life again.

[@Johnsmith-fr9qd]

I'm certainly not glad you made a mistake since I know how frustrating it can be, but I definitely appreciate you showing us. It's nice to know those things happen to even the true professional furniture makers like yourself. It's easy to get discouraged as a beginner when that stuff happens, but it's reassuring to know that mistakes will happen no matter how much of an expert you are. Awesome fix with the plugs and thanks for another great video!

[@ENCurtis]

no matter how many years you've been building things, you're still human. Best not to beat yourself up and figure out how best to fix it!

[@philaandrew100]

@@ENCurtis Exactly! As a wise man once said, "A man that claims to have never made a mistake has never made anything"..

[@Kernowwoods]

I get really excited every time you post dude. You never fail to impress and educate in such a relaxed manner. You, sir, are a priceless individual. Thank you 🤙

[@patricktdonovan]

Awesome build. Great video.

[@SleeperHoundDesign]

Great job Erik. Killer work. Festool is such a awesome company

[@ENCurtis]

Thank you!

[@1deerndingo]

Real world, honest wood working. And, does the workshop coffee cup know you use a different cup in the editing room?

[@Ninoy2059]

That was the best reaction on mom. Job well done.

[@henrysboy2]

Really enjoyed the video. Practical tips to overcome adversity and build a beautiful piece. Thank you.

[@ENCurtis]

Thank you!

[@robandsharonseddon-smith5216]

The additional 'design feature' made it for me. Awesome.

[@GibClark]

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻looks great, I like the creative accidents our mistakes bring to our projects. wood always educates us..... I'm about to be taught again, as our sawmill comes end of April. I'm sure to learn a ton about internal stresses the hard way lol

[@ENCurtis]

Sawmills are a whole different beast but it's absolutely worth the investment!

[@GibClark]

@@ENCurtis yep, definitely gonna be a fun learning experience.

[@dpsolomon56]

A happy accident, and your fix was genius, magical and visually stunning!

[@pinkerbot]

Turned out beautiful!

[@ENCurtis]

Thank you!

[@keithklein4538]

Hi Eric, 35 years ago I bought some curly red oak planks. After 12 years in my basement, they got made into a china cabinet. None of those boards EVER settled down. They still move, twist, etc. But, I made my joints well, and the top, which moves the most , has almost 12 mm of room to move. Seeing your boards I just knew they would be moving. A lot. You will know in ten years if you did a good job of working with that wood. Nice solution to the emergent domino problem. I did the same thing on the last bookcase I built. Oops but not oops. In all you did a very commendable job on the piece. Cheers, Keith

[@ENCurtis]

Wood is a fickle mistress. I'm curious to see how she settles down over time.

[@BillMSmith]

Raves about the repaired hole in the wall before the new fancy furniture. Passes the Mom test with flying colors! Nice build and good save on the punch through. That looks great in that spot, and your mother can invite her friends in to brag about her boy.

[@martinhowden]

Honestly, I think that little mishap you did actually made it more beautiful. (might just be me??) Those darker nubs on the end. I feel like they break up the side or something. It's not just a flat side of wood. I'm sure it would have looked great like that too, but I'm really loving this mishap you had there. You made it look gorgeous! Great job with everything from design to finished product. Looks amazing!

[@ndamico1]

I create a lot of design opportunities!

[@ENCurtis]

hahaha same!

[@Ian-xy7xi]

Looks great, well done++++++, mum will be proud!

[@ENCurtis]

Sure hope so! :)

[@Ian-xy7xi]

I'm sure she is! @@ENCurtis

[@jamesfrench8004]

Thoroughly enjoy your style of video presentation/delivery!

[@ENCurtis]

Thank you kindly!

[@thefirsted]

Super nice looking shelf! By my estimation it's overengineered AF which is very nice. In addition to my view, and thumbs up you get your choice of a standing ovation, or a golf clap.

[@stavybananasify]

That shelf is unbelievably beautiful

[@ddutton0]

Classic mom reaction 😂

[@darrenb4324]

Thanks for the tip about using off cuts to practice the joinery! I have to put in a vote for the music of your previous videos instead of the music in this video though. 😊

[@williammaxwell1919]

Building for your Mum.... No pressure (just don't screw the pouch), but you nailed it in spades. Your Mom is right to be proud of her son, so you should be proud to be her son (no matter whatever you think your flaws are). You doubt your skills and yourself when you shouldn't. To doubt is human.but doubt doesn't make us less of a person. Believe in yourself, because if you don't believe in yourself, who will? A perfectionist will always doubt themselves (and you are a perfectionist in spades). Your Mum (I'm Antipodean; its Mum, not Mom) has the right to be very proud of her son. Your Mum has every right to be proud of her son

[@intern4life]

Erik out here accidentally making the perfect illustration of how we big box lumber woodworkers can make do with our banana boards 😅

[@joeschmidt2720]

I’ve seen this piece in the background for a while now and have been anxiously waiting for this video. I want to do a shorter version for myself. It’s even better that it’s for your mom.

[@ENCurtis]

Please do! And I'd love to see your interpretation when you're done.

[@howardyounger5456]

that is nice nqw i know the difference between a carpenter and a wood worker. i worked with my dad right after high school. we done inside trim carpentry. this was 1979 - 1983. we only drove our nails with hammers. my dad had me build him something a couple of weeks ago. when i got it done he said I knew you where going to make it to elaborate. i guess i am a wood worker now. you do really nice work; fun to watch and learn.

[@walterrider9600]

thank you EN . i liked the fix

[@ENCurtis]

Thank you 👊

[@tc9148]

Gorgeous build!!!

[@ENCurtis]

Thank you!

[@ThirdPlanetStudio]

Very beautiful!

[@ENCurtis]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@tommoeller7149]

Ambitious by any standard despite it's relatively simple lines. Some great tips along the way. Thx.

[@ENCurtis]

Glad you liked it!

[@biscuittreewoodworks]

Great job, beautiful bookcase!

[@ENCurtis]

Thank you!

[@smorgasbord42]

Great video - can you talk about how your Shoulder Jig might have contributed to the mistake? Since you're using the Domino cutter through the jig, you have to add the jig's platform thickness to the depth at which you're milling the domino mortise. This is where math could come into play. Same for the dado depth - the router bit's depth has to be as deep as the dado you want plus the thickness of the jig's platform.

[@AngieWilliamsDesigns]

Turned out beautiful! I just recently made a jelly cabinet and blew through the sides with the domino. UGH!!! Very frustrating. Also went right into my MFT table. Not cool. I was able to salvage it but the plug idea would have been much easier.

[@philaandrew100]

That was a typical Mum reaction. Funny part is we forget that after having raised us, Mums are pretty much surprise proof with anything we do... And let me guess, fixing the hole in the wall is a job that has been on your list for at least the last 10 years, right?😂

[@anonymouspdg6121]

Really beautiful piece! Not a comment on your skills or products Eric but this whole video really emphasises the point that for 'normal' people, generally just the cost of the wood means it is unaffordable. Such a shame as natural wood is so tactile, strong and durable. For me, just the price of wood to build something myself is sometimes painful, even though the end product is so satisfying!

[@annieltitus]

Nice recovery!

[@TomasRosberg]

that's stunning! I recently had the same problem with some bookmatched curly walnut for a sideboard I made, even though I managed to do exactly what you did here with joinery (getting everything flat) I didn't feel comfortable with how it would hold up over time and started from scratch again.the piece was a commission so it was a risk I wasn't willing to take . I was hoping you'd go with hide glue on this one, makes it easily repairable should any of the joints come apart (given how much tension there is) and I would be really interested to see how this holds up over time. The Ziricote accents are lovely, the figure of that oak is also beautiful and elegant ... well done!

[@ENCurtis]

For sure. I'm interested to see myself. It *should* relax and ease with time. But that's just a theory...

[@TomasRosberg]

@@ENCurtis would make for a great follow up vid a year or two from now!

[@bogmaerke]

Eric! Her name is mom, don't call her Rita!

[@Mostviews111]

Beautiful as always instead of putting those domino plugs I would have just made some small floating shelves for plants.

[@richball9576]

Just like the time I completely rebuilt my mom's sewing machine cabinet and she says "Oh, you polished my hand wheel" lmao 🤣

[@ENCurtis]

😂😂

[@darleneredden3251]

I love watching your videos I always learn something. I need to know more about expansion and contraction and how to integrate into my projects. Where can I go to find out more thorough and reliable information about that?

[@mm9773]

0:03 Mum’s smile makes it all worthwhile.

[@ENCurtis]

100%

[@davidpeters8813]

Looks great and well done overcoming those obstacles! 👍 How long until something falls/gets pushed thru the back and down the stairs though? 🤣

[@drewjohnson265]

Like so many others -the through mortis(-ish) detail on the end panel takes this to a whole other level. Awesome!! Interested in hearing your thoughts around other joinery options for the dividers, such as a sliding,stopped dovetail (seen from the stair-side). Would it be solely aesthetic that you didn’t chose this joint or is there more to it?

[@johnhiemstra1464]

Another beautiful project by the master! I kept wondering if someone is going to push a book too far and out it goes the other side. lol The happy mistake is an excellent visual feature. Makes it even classier.

[@ENCurtis]

We considered glass on the back up but I think it would have cut off the staircase too much. The interplay between the two spaces is critical!