A Bookcase
While designing this bookcase, you will learn about:
Step 1: Create a new document
To design a bookcase, begin with a new drawing document by going to the File menu and selecting the New command. This will bring up a window titled "Create a New Design Document." Select the landscape version of a cabinetSizedDesign. If you have disabled the checkbox labeled Enable Create New Design Dialog, then a new document will appear instantly, instead. This new document will display a blank grid.
Step 2: Create the main details of the bookcase
You can start by creating the left side of the bookcase, in the Left view, naming it, and finally adjusting its dimensions to 9" wide by 50" tall. Select the Block tool from (by clicking on the block icon at the top of the Inspectors panel. Move the mouse to the design view (either 2D or 3D), and click-drag to create a block. Go to the Objects inspector (in the Inspector window, click on the tab marked Object) and type "left side" in the text field immediately above the button labeled Add Authored Attribute to Object (or it may say ... to Document). Make sure you type a Return, so that your new name will be applied.
Adjusting dimensions directly in the drawing is easy: simply double-click on the dimension that you want to change. This will highlight the numbers and measurement units. Then type your dimensions in (replacing what was highlighted). Switch to the top view and set the width (again, directly in the drawing) to 3/4". Remember to include the double quote, indicating inches, and to type the Return key to apply the new value. Select the left side and switch to the front view.
Because the next few pieces have the same depth, we're going to use a time-saving feature called object prototyping. If you're not already there, switch to the Object inspector. If it isn't checked, check the box next to "use as prototype." The left side is now the prototype object. In the front view, the prototype's hidden dimension is 9", so any new objects you create will be 9" deep. This is how object prototyping can save you time.
Next we will draw the top, with a rabbet joint. Since the left side is already selected, we can now easily duplicate the left side: Holding down the Alt key and click and drag the left side. Drag it a small distance away from the left side. Now, click on the button labeled 90° Clockwise in the Rotate section near the bottom of the Layout inspector. Your new piece will now be horizontal.
Change its name (from "left side 2") to "top." Again, remember to type the Return key after entering the name. Change its width to 36". You can do that here, in the Object Inspector, by double-clicking in the right-hand column, in the row labeled "Width" in the table in the middle of the Inspector window. This enables the editing mode for the Width value. Enter the new value (36"), including the double quote (for inches), followed by the Return key. Don't worry that the field below goes into editing mode. You can ignore this.
To make a rabbet joint, we need to zoom in a bit close. First we need to move the top into position. Click and drag the horizontal piece so that its left end is near the top of the left side. To zoom in on the area where the left side and top intersect, we need to move the drawing so that area is in the center. Hold down the space bar, and click on your drawing and hold down the mouse button. Notice that some new crosshairs appeared. These show you were the center of your drawing is located. Drag your drawing around until the area, mentioned above, is near the intersection of the crosshairs. Now slide the scaling slider to the right (it's in the Scale controls; you can click here to see a picture of it). This changes the scale so that objects in your drawing are larger. Make the objects about as big as the picture below. Move the top so that its left end exactly aligns with the left edge of the left side, and so its horizontal center aligns with the top of the left side. Your pieces should now look like the yellow and blue pieces in the picture below. Click on the button called "Center Origin" in the View controls. Slide the scaling slider to the left until you can see all of your two pieces and their dimensions.
To make the other two pieces, we can use a trick. Select both pieces. Duplicate them (holding down the Alt key and clicking and dragging). In the Layout inspector, click twice on the Rotate CW button. Now, we have a right side and a bottom (they aren't labelled correctly, but we'll get to that in a moment). We will now move them into position. While they're both still selected, lets move them so that the upper right corner of the right side is near the upper right corner of the top. Move the drawing so the upper right corners are centered, and zoom in, exactly like we did earlier for the upper left corner. Move the right side so that its top end aligns with the center of the top. Center the origin and bring the scale back to where you can see everything you've drawn.
Now we will move the bottom into position and label the pieces. Click in your drawing anywhere not on one of your pieces to deselect. Click on the right side and, in the Object Inspector, change its name to "right side." Press Return to apply the name change. Click on the bottom and change its name to "bottom." While its selected, move the bottom up a few inches. It doesn't matter yet how far; we'll fix that when we create the kick.
Step 3: Create the back panel and the kick
In the Details View, select the outermost group (the top-most item). In the Object Inspector, check prototype. This will use the outermost group again as the prototype. Switch to Left view and draw the back panel of your bookcase and adjust its Depth dimension to 1/4". In the Object Inspector, change the name to "back panel." The back panel will now be exactly the shape of your bookcase, which you can attach directly to the back of the sides, top and bottom. This is fine if your bookcase is destined for your woodshop.
For furniture grade, you want to rabbet the back panel into the other pieces. We'll do that now. While still in the Left view, using the scaling slider to zoom in, move the back piece so that it's back edge aligns with the back edge of all the other pieces. Switch to the Back view. Select the back panel. Hold down the space bar and move the mouse until the upper-right corner is near the center of your drawing. Slide the scaling slider until the sides and top are quite large. Move the back panel's selection knob until it is halfway between the outermost and innermost upper-right corners of your cabinet. One at a time, slide both the scrollbars (at the bottom and at the right of your drawing) until the lower-left corner of your back panel is visible. Move its selection knob up and to the right until it is halfway between the outermost and innermost lower-left corners of your cabinet. Click on the "Center Origin" button and slide the scaling slider until you can see your entire drawing.
We will now make the kick and reposition the bottom. In the Object Inspector, check prototype (first making sure that the back panel is still selected). In this way, we will use the Width of the back panel as the hidden prototype dimension for the kick. This will dado the kick into the sides. Switch to the Left view. Draw the kick and, in the Object Inspector, change its Height to 3 1/2" and its Depth to 3/4" and change its name to "kick." Align its bottom end with the bottom ends of the side pieces. For the next few instructions, you can use the space-bar-and-mouse and the scaling slider, as we've done so far. Move it so it is about 3" back from the front edge of the side pieces. Now move the bottom piece so the top end of the kick is aligned with the center of the bottom. In this way, the kick is dadoed into the bottom; a nice, strong joint. The carcass of your bookcase is now done.
Steps 2 and 3: A high-speed alternative, using a Smart Object
You can save your file and start with a new one. Switch to front view. Open the Library Inspector, click on the triangle in the row called "carcasses" and drag the item called "floor-mounted carcass" into your drawing. Adjust the height by double clicking on the dimensional numbers and typing 60 and hitting the Return key. Adjust the width similarly, entering 36.
Step 4: Create the Shelves
Switch to front view and draw a shelf. Adjust it's length and position so that it fits between the two sides. You can now use object prototyping, cut and paste or the Layout Inspector. Begin by selecting the shelf.
To use object prototyping, in the Object Inspector, check prototype, then switch to the left view, and draw several more shelves. This has the disadvantage of requiring you to manually and carefully control the size and location of the height and width of your shelves. The depth is controlled for you by object prototyping.
To use cut and paste, hold the control key down and tap the C key to copy the selected shelf. Hold down the command key and tap the V key to paste a copy of your shelf. Drag this shelf to another position. Paste another copy and notice that this second copy is as far away from the first as the first was from the original. You can continue pasting as many shelves as you like.
To use the Layout Inspector, first use cut and paste to create as many shelves as you need, one on top of another. Move one of the shelves into the first position you want a shelf to be, and a second shelf into the last position. Select all the shelves. Open the Layout Inspector and click on the Distribute Objects button. It won't matter which of the two checkboxes is checked: evenly distribute centers or evenly space objects, as they do the same thing when all the objects are the same size. Your middle shelves will now be evenly distributed between the first and last.
Step 5: Create the Face Frame
Your bookcase is now ready for a face frame. To make this easy, let's use a ready-made face frame from the Smart Object Library. Switch to front view. In the Inspector window, click on the Library tab. Click on the little black triangle in the row called "face frames." This reveals a Smart Object called "basicFrame." Click on it, drag it into and drop it onto your drawing. Using the technique above to first zoom in on the upper-right corner and then the lower-left, move the selection knobs of the face frame so they line up with the outermost corners of your bookcase. Click on the Center Origin button in the View controls and adjust the scale so you can see all of your bookcase. Switch to the Left view and move the face frame so it's back surface is lined up with the front surface of the rest of your cabinet.
Step 6: Check it out in 3D
Now for the best part. Click on the 3D button in the views banner. Click anywhere in your drawing and, while holding down the mouse button, move the cursor from left to right. Does your bookcase look the way you expected?
