Too big ikea bookcase issue

[paulfoel]

My first mistake was letting my wife measure the gap. 2nd mistake was buying it and putting it together without checking.

So, got a 80cm wide bookcase to go into a 75cm gap....

I've managed to dismantle it and also get the back off (Without too much damage). My plan is to 5cm or so off the end of the top, middle, bottom struts and shelves. Obviously, I'm going to lose the ikea fixing then so I'll just have to screw through from the outside (wont see it anyway because of wall). Think rear will be a bit more difficult - its long and thin.

I have, a jigsaw, electrical mitre saw (probably shelves wont fit), hand held circular saw. Bench/Table saw would be best but I dont have.

Any tips/ideas?

 

[bernardgreen]

Show your wife the tools and the instructions / safety advice for them and suggest she get in with it.......

 

[Burnerman]

Any saw with large teeth is going to give the shelf veneer a hard time, Paul. Have you considered clamping all of the shelves together and cutting them as one with a panel saw?
The same could be done with the top and bottom - presumably they are a little longer?
If you apply masking tape to the cutting line, veneer splintering will be reduced somewhat. The back is less of a problem really - again a panel saw will probably give you the straightest cut, working from the visible side and keeping the saw as flat as you can.
John

 

[paulfoel]

Any saw with large teeth is going to give the shelf veneer a hard time, Paul. Have you considered clamping all of the shelves together and cutting them as one with a panel saw?
The same could be done with the top and bottom - presumably they are a little longer?
If you apply masking tape to the cutting line, veneer splintering will be reduced somewhat. The back is less of a problem really - again a panel saw will probably give you the straightest cut, working from the visible side and keeping the saw as flat as you can.
John

Yes aware of the problem with the veneer. I'll try the masking tape idea.

More concerned about getting a straight cut. But the clamp together idea sounds good. The back panel goes into grooves so rough edge isnt going to matter.

To be honest, it is what it is. Its not going to be perfect but I can't take it back.

 

[big-all]

before you do any cutting you need to check the gap in several places
assuming this is an alcove have you allowed for the skirting and the walls being all over the place

 

[paulfoel]

before you do any cutting you need to check the gap in several places
assuming this is an alcove have you allowed for the skirting and the walls being all over the place

Good advice!

 

[SFK]

Paul,
To get the shelf to fit on your mitre saw, if the shelf half fits so that it cuts half way across, you can cut half and then flip the shelf and cut again to get the whole cut).
If this works, to get all shelves cut to exactly same length I would clamp a bit of wood onto the cutting plate of the Mitre Saw 5.5cm from the blade, so that you always cut a constant 5.5cm off the shelves and top/bottom cross supports.
https://www.popularwoodworking.com/tricks/crosscut-short-pieces-without-making-missiles

However, as said by others this ikea veneer wood might (will) be damaged by Mitre saw blade, so you might need to try first to see how badly it cuts.
SFK

 

[Doggit]

I would suggest you have a chat with your local woodyard, and see how much they'll charge to cut the shelves for you. They should be able to do it in one go, and will have a sacrificail bit of wood that will stop splintering. You can then cut the back piece yourself with the circular saw.

 

[paulfoel]

I would suggest you have a chat with your local woodyard, and see how much they'll charge to cut the shelves for you. They should be able to do it in one go, and will have a sacrificail bit of wood that will stop splintering. You can then cut the back piece yourself with the circular saw.

Now that would be easier. Local B&Q has got a big saw. Used them in the past for wood bought there (free).

Would they do for wood I brought to them? For a charge obviously.

 

[Doggit]

Catch them at a slack point, and I doubt they'll charge you much.

 

[Chud]

Alternatively for straight cuts with a circular saw...

 

[Tigercubrider]

What model is it?
I have cut some billy cases down.
But I do have access to a decent wall saw and sliding chop saw

I cut all the oak veneer one by one with masking tape over the cut area
One issue that you will need to work on is that Billy cases use a pin that screws into the side, and also a dowel.
You need to replicate the receiver holes in your horizontal parts - do it before cutting for alignment if you can. The metal pins need a hole drilled to intersect and you can use the offcut for the alignment

 

[paulfoel]

What model is it?
I have cut some billy cases down.
But I do have access to a decent wall saw and sliding chop saw

I cut all the oak veneer one by one with masking tape over the cut area
One issue that you will need to work on is that Billy cases use a pin that screws into the side, and also a dowel.
You need to replicate the receiver holes in your horizontal parts - do it before cutting for alignment if you can. The metal pins need a hole drilled to intersect and you can use the offcut for the alignment

Yep it is Billy bookcase with oak veneer.

Was just going to create a new hole for the dowel, not bother with the screw bit and instead use screw through from the outside. Due to wall you wont see it anyway.

 

[Tigercubrider]

I think the shelves have a little nib for the brackets as well.
i did wonder about the alcove - screws through will be fine.