Need help, adding bookends to bookshelf

[Kayla]

Hi all,

Need help.  I am hanging shelves on the wall with black standards.  I am using 1 x 10's (3/4" by 10" actual) solid wood  with a radius front corners and a round over edge.  I would like to add bookends to these shelves with 2" x 6's (1.5 x 5.5" actual) solid wood. these bookends will also hold my 1/4" bungee cord earthquake straps. I was thinking of sitting the bookend on top of the shelf and using my Kreg jig to drill vertically downward through the side of the bookend and then screw into the shelf.  I can in addition screw upwards through the shelf brackets into the shelf and the bookend.  I don't mind having the holes showing since I like the look of a dark blackish plug (to compliment the black standards and brackets) against the cherry stained wood.

Does anyone have any thoughts on how well this would work and if it would be strong enough.  Can anyone think of a better way?

 I am a relative newbie.  I did use the Kreg jig to make a bunch of drawers for a kitchen redo.  It was easy and they came out great.

Thanks in advance.

Kayla

[Don Foley]

Kayla,

What you suggest using the pocket holes drilling downward through the bookends into the shelf or drilling upwards through the shelf into the bookends with normal wood screws would work.  If you use the downward drilling method and place the pocket holes on the inside of the bookends (the faces that face each other when mounted), the books will cover the pocket holes.

That being said, since you don't mind having visible plugs, consider drilling two holes downward from the inside and two from the outside, just be sure to stagger them so the screws do not hit each other when driven.  Of course if the pieces aren't finished when you join them use some wood glue and the strength of either joint will be strengthened (this assumes you will not want to remove the book ends in the future).

Hope this helps, Don