The shelf is finished and sitting beside my desk. It is nice to be surrounded by the things of your design -- which awaits for your improvements. There are made-in-USA products sold at stores, and I got new materials. I have been using 1x3 logs, the most economical choice there are, which are soft, easy to cut and nail down. The trouble is, all those logs are not cut straight, and often the logs have many nodes. You must be very careful in selecting those logs. Always look at the log in such a way that the smallest sides are facing you. If you look along the edges from that direction, you will be able to tell whether the logs curve sideways or not. You should select logs that are straight and as less nodes as possible.
Cutting is easy for those logs. I have the mitre box that let you cut the logs in right angles. To connect each log, screws are the most secure ways since they hold the pieces in both ways. The selection of screws can mean a lot if you are manually screwing them. The screws I am using is made so sharp that it cuts in the woods with less forces. In most of the cases, though, nail will do if the woods are glued right. There are a few projects in my head.
Cutting is easy for those logs. I have the mitre box that let you cut the logs in right angles. To connect each log, screws are the most secure ways since they hold the pieces in both ways. The selection of screws can mean a lot if you are manually screwing them. The screws I am using is made so sharp that it cuts in the woods with less forces. In most of the cases, though, nail will do if the woods are glued right. There are a few projects in my head.