/diy/ - Do It Yourself

[Anonymous No.300787]

Hey guys. I've had this idea kicking around in the back of my head for awhile. And I wanna ask a few basic questions to kind of work around the biggest obstacles in the project.

I want to make two small bookshelves, and chain or otherwise affix them to some telephone poles or street signs in the downtown area of the town I'm living in currently. I want to stock them generously with a small collection of books I've read and loved and have subsequently purchased extra copies of from used book locations and off of amazon for purposes of the project.

My main problem is this - I don't know the first thing about carpentry. I don't need to scratchbuild the bookshelves - in fact I think it'll look cool if I just nail together some random wooden crates I find on kijiji - but I don't have any idea how I can make these shelves weatherproof enough to preserve the books through rain and snow.

Also, I know wood can be weatherproofed, but what exactly would I need to do? What would the exact name of the material that I would apply to the wood, and would I need to pre-treat the wood in any way, like by sanding?

Thanks for your time, /diy/

Pic unrelated

[Anonymous No.300790]

Just gonna post a couple more images in this set. I think they might tickle your guys' fancy.

[anus presley No.300871]

>2012
>still reading dead trees

forget the bookshelves. If you have to ask, then you cant build 'em. do what normal people do, and leave the books lying around at restaurants and such.

make sure you leave a friendly sticky note saying "Free Book -- N O A N T H R A X ! ! ! ! ! "

[Anonymous No.300904]

I like this idea, op.

[Anonymous No.300917]

I think your first obstacle is to find a place you can put them. Private property is one thing but city property is another. I can't say for sure but there are probably laws regulating what can be attached to telephone/light poles and how long they can stay there. You don't want to go through all the trouble and have it taken down by the city after all.

I'm sorry op. I wish I could be of more help but I can't give very solid advice. Just throwing ideas out, maybe look into deck sealant or that flexseal shit. Get some clear pieces of pvc sheet and make some hinged doors with a magnetic closure. Also make a "Take one leave one" sign.

[Anonymous No.300939]

Hey guys, thanks for the feedback.

>>300917
I have a feeling this could be a problem as well. Like, the shelves being removed by city crew. Maybe I'll affix some kind of sign inside in case of such a situation - "Should this structure be deemed inappropriate and is to be removed, please call this number " Or something similar.

Huh. WOuld deck sealant work on the wood if it were painted?

[Anonymous No.300940]

Gonna bump this once more befoe bed.

[Anonymous No.301162]

Had a similar plan, but instead of a small contraption I'm looking at making a prefab "kiosk" with roof and solar powered LED lighting.

I don't have the plans on this computer but the idea is to make 4 similar units out of gardenwood (wood you can use for garden furniture and the like) whose backsides fit together so we'd have 4 outward facing bookshelves behind polycarbonate windows. There is a hollow behind the units where we can fill it with concrete (probaply use a palstic lining to protect the wood) to it will be a bitch for a local to remove it. Add a a prefab roof with cheapo solar panels and LED lights stripped form garden lights and voila. A full-size geurilla library.

Of course this set up requires some experience, tools, money and accomplices. For our midnight placing we need at least 8 folks to gget set up within 10 minutes.

Local laws be damned i say, as long as you don't put it in harm's way and use common sense you should be okay (and of course, rules 1&2)

[Anonymous No.301168]

>>otherwise affix them to some telephone poles or street signs in the downtown area of the town I'm living in currently
You could just put them under bus stop awnings and not have to worry so much about weatherproofing.
And if you get four 40lb or higher pull magnets they're hold up a short bookshelf fairly easily.

[Anonymous No.301171]

>>otherwise affix them to some telephone poles or street signs in the downtown area of the town I'm living in currently
You could just put them under bus stop awnings and not have to worry so much about weatherproofing.
And if you get four 40lb or higher pull magnets they will hold up a short bookshelf fairly easily.

[Anonymous No.301185]

regarding concerns about the bookshelves being taken away by The Man. You could fulfil your project through legit means, i.e. pitch your idea to the city/council/authorities. you might even get funding for it.
you could also pitch your idea to your local bus/train/subway company. here in the UK we often have 'leave a book/take a book' community projects in train stations for commuters.

you will probably also like my attached picture- several villages in the UK have converted their old telephone boxes into libraries.

good luck! :)