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The Z Tower

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The Z Tower
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Difficulty
Intermediate
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A modern shelf, freestanding.

West Elm Apex Tower Plans Thank you so much to everyone who has shared their amazing photos from Christmas on our Facebook Page, our Photo Gallery, and our Brag Blog. If you haven't had a chance to check out our Brag Blog, I hope you do.  It consists entirely of reader contributed posts, and anyone can blog about their projects.  My absolute favorite part of what I do is seeing photos, so thank you so much for sharing.  You inspire me. Moms out there, question for you.  If you got an expensive gift, would you feel like there was a better place for the money to be spent?  Could have made an extra mortgage payment?  Put it in a college savings fund?  Bought something for your kids?  Now what if you really needed it.  For work.  Would you still think of ways that you could get around not having it? I've been needing a cell phone (smart phone would be really sweet) for at least a year now.  True story - once a VP of Public Relations for a big brand called and Grace answered the phone and hung up on him.  Not to mention missing calls when we are out of the house from other important people.  I called, Ana, and your phone just rang and rang.  Or how about traveling?  I needed a cell phone. But I kept telling the Ram that I could wait a little longer.  And I had some good excuses.  Let's see how the iPhone 4 is.  There's probably not good service where we live.  But I don't really need one that bad.  We'll talk about it later. So you can imagine how shocked I was to get an iPhone on Christmas morning.  Oh the guilt.  Within minutes, I was downloading aps for my daughter to play.  And when my mother called, I found myself saying, "but it's really for the whole family . . . " I hope your Christmas was as joyful as ours, but most of all, I hope you can accept a gift a little better than I can. It's been nearly a year since this plan was first requested.  I've had the drawings on my computer for months.  But I just could not in good faith blog the plans without getting my hammer out first.  Because I wanted to know - is it stable?  Is it functional?  Does it wobble?  Is the base sturdy?  And I'm so happy to tell you today that I love this shelf, and it was a fun, easy project, and the shelves are very sturdy, and as long as you don't have a climber in your household, plenty sturdy. Speaking of requesting plans, I appreciate everyone taking their time to request plans.  And I am highly influenced by what you suggest.  And if your suggestion is buildable, it's only a matter of time before I get to it.

 

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The Z Tower

Dimensions
The Z Tower
Dimensions shown above.

Preparation

Shopping List

1 – 8′ 1×12 board 4 – 8′ 1×2 Boards 1 1/4″ Screws 2″ Screws Wood Glue Wood Filler Paint and Finishing Supplies

Cut List

2 – 1×2 @ 8″ (Tops inside supports, both ends at 10 degrees parallel) 8 – 1×2 @ 12″ (Shelf Supports, both ends at 10 degrees parallel) 2 – 1×2 @ 4″ (Bottom inside supports, both ends at 10 degrees, parallel) 2 – 1×2 @ 65 1/4″ (Sides, both ends at 10 degrees parallel to each other) 4 – 1×2 @ 13″ (or 2 2x2s @ 13″ – Top and Bottom) 2 – 1×2 @ 11 3/8″ (Inside bottom, one end at 10 degrees off square) 2 – 1×2 @ 12 7/8 (Outside bottom, one end at 10 degrees off square) 5 – 1×12 @ 14 1/2″ (Shelves)

Tools
Tape Measure
Speed Square
Pencil
Safety Glasses
Hearing Protection
Drill
Miter Saw
Power Sander
Level
Drill Bit Set

Instructions

Step 1

Frame

Use glue and 1 1/4″ screws predrilled from the inside into the leg. Build two of these, but be careful – the sides will be mirror images of each other NOT exact copies.

Step 2

Step 2: Base Support

Now add the base supports to the outsides, as shown in the diagram. Use 1 1/4″ screws and glue. I also added 2″ screws from the front of the legs into the front edge of the base supports for extra support.

Step 3

Shelf Supports

Now add the shelf supports, starting at the bottom and working your way up. If you start at the bottom, you can easily trim excess of the top (I had about 1/4″ excess at the top). Use the shelves (1x12s) as spacers to help you determine the distance between the shelf supports.

Step 4

Top and Bottom

If you have a 2×2, it’ll save you some work. Otherwise, glue and screw with 1 1/4″ screws 1x2s together to make the top and bottoms. Then attach the shelf sides to the top and bottom.

Step 5

Project Type
Bookshelf and Bookcase Plans
Room
Storage Solutions
living room
office
Style
Modern Style Furniture Plans

Comments

Cathy (not verified)

Mon, 12/27/2010 - 02:24

Ana, it is a Mom thing, I also can't accept an expensive gift without feeling those twinges of guilt. My husband and I love your website, our children are now all grown, but we do have grandchildren and we can't wait to make them some of the delightful children items we have seen here. Thanks for this site and enjoy your phone!! You deserve it!!

Jill (not verified)

Mon, 12/27/2010 - 04:51

Love this, and it's moving to the front of the "to-do" list! Basic question, what size am I cutting the shelves at? It's probably there, but I've looked and looked and don't see it.

Sabrina (not verified)

Mon, 12/27/2010 - 05:00

This is one to make me thankful for the miter saw! I think my parents would love this one.

Here's me making a request that probably sounds ridiculous in Alaska in winter -- I really want a porch swing plan!

Dawn (not verified)

Mon, 12/27/2010 - 05:46

I feel very guilty when I get a gift that is expensive, my husband bought me an e-reader that is awesome, it surfs the web and acts as a date book and you can read books on it! I almost told him to take it back, with 3 kids we could always use the money, but I accpeted it downloaded a book and feel a little better about it now. Still hard to not think about what I could buy for the kiddos with that $$$.

sarahhiggs (not verified)

Mon, 12/27/2010 - 05:57

I want this!! Another to add to the growing "must build list"

..random question, how do you like your boots (i can't even remember the brand now..) - i have heard they're really functional... and i'm up here in Northern British Columbia and a girl can never own too many booties. ;)

kerry davis (not verified)

Mon, 12/27/2010 - 06:17

Merry Christmas, Ana! So glad you got a phone for Christmas - you totally deserve it! Love the plans - I have sooo many on my to-do list!!

Kim Trobee (not verified)

Mon, 12/27/2010 - 07:37

Ahhh, mommy guilt! We've all had it, but one thing I know, Ana, is you not only need that iPhone, but you deserve it. You bring so much joy to others, not to mention empowering women, through this website. Use it, enjoy it, download apps for yourself, and know that you are indeed worth it. Bless you, girl!

Ana White (not verified)

Mon, 12/27/2010 - 07:53

Sarah, I'm CRAZY about those boots! My husbands family draws names for Christmas, and his sister's SO got me, and he sent me these boots. They are so beautiful, I'm afraid to wear them! But very comfortable and I'm sure, super functional too.

Lynn Peters (not verified)

Mon, 12/27/2010 - 09:31

I love this plan. I want to make some for my office. Maybe I missed it, but the materials list includes the 1 x 12 for the shelves, but the cut list doesn't mention it. One of the drawings has the shelves at 14.5" so do I cut the 1 x 12" into 5- 1 x 12" x 14.5" pieces? May be a dumb question, but want to be sure.

Thanks!

Leslie Royce (not verified)

Mon, 12/27/2010 - 10:28

Ana-
I used to have a hard time not only accepting gifts, but also help from other people. I am so bad-- my family doesn't get me gift cards anymore because I use them to get gifts for other people, and stuff for the Hubby and kids. I have a hard time accepting help because I don't want to burden other people -- it drives my hubby crazy! So... let me share with you what my mom told me once (which didn't totally cure me, but makes me try harder to accept help and gifts). "When people give it blesses them and when you don't accept gifts or help gracefully and readily you are robbing someone else of a blessing!"

OUCH! I would never want to rob someone of a blessing and I KNOW that you wouldn't either! So try really hard to just smile and say THANK YOU!

BTW-- I am a total Ana White/Knock off wood JUNKY! LOL

Condo Blues (not verified)

Mon, 12/27/2010 - 13:16

I felt that way about the compound miter saw my in-laws gave me for a combo birthday/Christmas gift. My father in law has been saying I "need" one for a few years. I don't deny that, but it was on my Wish List not my Want or Need List. And it was more than we typically spend on each other for gifts. So I felt a little guilty when he and my mother in law invited us over and made a production of going to Home Depot for a "quick errand" and told me with big smiles on their faces the errand was for me to pick out my saw.

I mentioned to my husband that I felt a little bad that they spent so much money on me. My husband wisely said to stop it because Dad's been talking about it for years. He likes building things and since his sons don't but I do, that's the one thing that he gets to share with me. Didn't I notice how happy he was the day he gave it to me?

So now I love my saw. Without guilt.

Janine (not verified)

Wed, 01/05/2011 - 06:25

Hi Ana,

Love the site, and working up to building something. Just need the courage. But I LOVE this design. Would it be possible to build it taller than the 5 1/2 feet? We have a 10 foot room where I would like to put it, so I would want it closer to 8 1/2 - 9 feet tall. Really appreciate all that you do.

Janine

Dee22

Tue, 12/27/2011 - 17:24

This was a good project plan. We added a 1x2 along the back on both sides. It gave some extra stability to the lower shelves. I was afraid of cutting the angles, but that worked out just fine.