I greatly enjoy building things myself, but some of my scratch-built and DIY projects are not exactly elegant enough for certain environments. As much as I don’t like to admit it, my level of skill is not yet at the point where I can build a shelving unit, bookcase, or display cabinet that will look great in the living room.
Earlier this week I spotted the new Rockler I-Semble shelf blocks (model 47512) in a magazine ad that really caught my attention. I-Semble brackets are simple L-shaped risers that anyone can use to create tables, open cabinets or shelving units. The design is not super-elaborate, but they look classy and can help you built a functional project quick and easy with just a couple of boards, a drill and the included screws.
Advertisement
I-Semble brackets are made from powder-coated steel, and although there’s no word about how much weight they can support, Rockler says that two brackets can support a maximum shelf spans of 36″.
The brackets are 10″ deep, making it easy to find laminate shelves at any home improvement center, and 13″ tall, a reasonably good height. It should be possible to even use these with 12″ boards for greater depth and storage capacity, but 14″ might be pushing it, at least in terms of aesthetics.
I-Semble shelf blocks will be sold in pairs for $17.99 at Rockler stores and online. Also included are 16 black truss head wood screws, 5/8″ long.
Buy Now(via Rockler)
Advertisement
While there are other supports and accessories on the market, such as 2×4 Basics shelving brackets, I have not yet seen anything else quite like these I-Semble ones.
I really like the idea of these brackets, and have been looking to upgrade my two Z-line Gemini bookcases (in silver and cherry) that have been filled to capacity for a while now. These blocks might just be what I need.
Steven B
Hey Stuey,
These items are not available at Rockler (internet or in-store) until AT LEAST the end of January. My wife is in need of a desk that will fit in a particular spot while maximizing storage space, so she designed one with ‘shelves’ as the legs – very much like the pictures posted in your article. I’m thinking that these metal ones would be eons more attractive than the basic wooden design planned, but it looks like we will have to wait to see…
Stuart
When I contacted Rockler about availability, they said pretty much the same thing. Shelving-legged desks do seem to be more space efficient than ones with drawers, and should save on the cost of drawer slides.
I know that product photos are suppose to look good, but something about these sample projects make the I-Semble blocks look incredibly appealing. I bet we’ll see white and silver versions come out after a few months.
Kevin bates
Had you read the catalog description you would have seen the words powder coated steel.
Stuart
Had you read the post, you would have seen the statement I spotted the new Rockler I-Semble shelf blocks in a magazine ad. I have not received the new Rockler catalog yet, but thanks for the info, snarkiness notwithstanding.
Steven B
Kevin – In all fairness Rockler just put these on their website on Sunday (I know, I’ve been checking). The price is also $19.99 – not $17.99. Stuey is at the mercy of the marketing folks that no doubt flood him with product announcements – in this case incomplete (full description), incorrect (pricing), and premature (availability).
Stuart
Thanks for the info about the I-Semble brackets now being listed in the online store, I’ve updated the post with the new info. Two magazines had ads showing $17.99 pricing, so I wonder why the initial price is $19.99 instead.
Yes, I’m usually flooded with product announcements and similar emails, but that’s not what happened in this case. The ads I spotted featured the above usage examples, the phrase shelf-building made easy, and a few words about what you can build using a drill and these blocks. No specs or any other product details. After sending a note to Rockler’s marketing/PR contact for additional info, I was told that official details and the release will be ready for distribution at the end of the month.
Anyhow, thanks for the updates! 13″ height is nice, and while the 10″ depth seems a bit shallow, at least it’s a common shelving size. By RTA Z-Line bookcases are 11-1/2″ deep with 14-1/4″ spacings. I could do without the added 1-1/4″ spacing, but that extra 1-1/2″ depth definitely does make a difference.
Ron K
On sale $9.99