Alcove shelves - Glue ply and rout?

[hellboy]

Hey again!

In between refitting the kitchen, I'm looking to put alcove shelves into our living room. I've already put 2 shelves which sit the tv and some other stuff. I used the mdf and button method which worked ok. However, I was wondering if it would daft to glue 2x25mm ply, cut to size and use a router to channel the back and side edges for sliding onto some battens? I was just thinking of ease and solidity, rather than building the frames etc for 8 shelves. They're going to be 1100 x 360 x 50 and store books.
Hope you can help once more and as always, thanks in advance.

H

 

[blup]

A thin batten will support a considerable load and be relatively unobtrusive under a shelf.

Blup

 

[mrrusty]

As @blup says a thin batten will carry considerable weight, and across an alcove you really do need back support. If using fairly thin shelves you may also need to stiffen the front edge. For shelves supported only at the ends this calculator is helpful https://woodbin.com/calcs/sagulator/ If the shelves are fairly deep it may also give some idea how much the unsupported front edge may bow under load, but it isn't designed to calculate with shelves fixed at the rear edge

 

[hellboy]

Thanks, that's great.

I've decided I'm going to purchase a table saw (this is an excuse). I'll then do the plywood / mitre method with supports on the sides and back. I'll let you know how it goes!

 

[mrrusty]

Don't rush and buy a table saw. Out of all the tools I have the table saw very very rarely comes out. Track saw and sliding mitre saw are the two tools I couldn't live without.

 

[foxhole]

You can use just screw heads to mount alcove shelf on, a small hole at each screw head under the ply allows shelf to tap down over screw head ( which protrude from wall 10-15mm)leaving no visible fixing .

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I have a cheapy table saw, a Titan, it's nothing special but great for ripping down lengths of timber, I couldn't fathom using any other type of saw for that purpose, you can always sell and it will easily sell for well over half what you paid for it.

 

[mrrusty]

I couldn't fathom using any other type of saw

all my ripping goes on the band saw...

 

[hellboy]

I was looking into the Kreg tools for a guide, the Dewalt circular saw I've just bought doesn't appear to be compatible with their own rails.

Any views on the kreg guides?

All the best.