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Why is it that the simple ideas are the ideas most often overlooked? Whenever we see a product that solves a problem and appears so simple, we slap our forehead and do our best impression of Homer Simpson. Afterward, we all think, “I should have thought of that.”
If you have ever built a bookcase with adjustable shelves, I’ll bet you experienced problems with your shelves not sitting flat to the pins. It could be due to a quirky layout and drilling system, it might be a result of a small twist in your shelf boards or even a floor that is slightly out of level. Whatever the reason, shelf wobble is a pain to deal with. Most likely you hoped that with enough weight the shelves would warp and bend and the wobble would disappear. Here’s a product that takes that hope and worry out of the picture.
Spiral Supports are a new product that has taken a full step above the basic shelf support. These shelf pins up the ante and make leveling a shelf too easy. Spiral Supports have a cam-action movement that allows you to rotate the pin using a flat screwdriver to, in effect, raise or lower the support by up to an 1/8″. These upgraded shelf supports are available in a 5mm size (3/16″), but soon, possibly by October 2010, you’ll find Spiral Supports sized to the more common 1/4″ size. Currently there are three colors: white, beige and brown ( ABS plastic) and a clear support (polycarbonate).
The company has an informative web site (click here) with video and FAQs to help answer your questions, and you can request a free sample. Spiral Supports are available at many woodworking retailers. A bag of 20 or 25 pieces is priced from $3.80 to $6.00. And if you’re looking to retrofit every shelf in your home (don’t forget those kitchen cabinets) Spiral Supports are available in 100 and 1000 count bags, too.
– Glen D. Huey
If you’re looking for shelving ideas, we have a cart load available in the Woodworker’s Bookshop. Here’s a few books to check out:
- The World’s Best Storage & Shelving Projects (Articles taken from the pages of Popular Woodworking Magazine)
- Storage And Shelving Solutions from the editors at Family Handyman Magazine
- Desks, Bookcases, and Entertainment Centers (Best of Woodworker’s Journal)
Here are some supplies and tools we find essential in our everyday work around the shop. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality.
