1 back, 3/16 by 8 by 10 in., soft wood.
2 cleats, 3/8 by 1-1/4 by 8 in.
1 plain mirror gla.s.s, 7-1/2 by 9-1/2 in.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Details of Dresser]
Begin by planing the four posts to length. The lower ends should be slightly beveled to prevent their slivering. Cut the mortises for the tenons that are on the ends of the side rails. These rails are to be 7/8 by 2 in. and the tenons should be 3/8 by 1-1/4 in. wide by 3/4 in. long.
The posts should be rabbeted down to their middles to a depth of 3/8 in. so as to receive the 1/4-in. end panels. The end rails should be cut to length and their tenons worked after one edge of each has been rabbeted as were the posts.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Dresser Complete]
Having squared the panels to size, put the two ends of the dresser together with glue. Next make the four frames which are to carry the drawers. They should measure from outside to outside, in length 17-1/2 in.; in width, 12-1/2 in. It is intended that the short pieces shall be tenoned into the long ones. When these frames are ready, cut out each corner as indicated in the cross section drawing. Reduce to size the drawer guides and fasten them in place. Dowel the frames to the ends of the dresser in the places indicated on the drawing. Put on the back, nailing into frames to the ends of the dresser in the places indicated and fasten the top in place, putting screws into it from the under side.
The mirror frame and support should next be made. The drawing shows quite clearly the parts and their relation to each other. All the slopes are of 45 deg. Instead of rabbeting the mirror frame, a 1/4 by 3/8-in.
fillet of oak is nailed around to form the recess, the walnut frame and oak fillet making a pretty contrast. All nail holes are to be filled with putty colored to match the finish. Wooden pins or round-head screws are to be used to fasten the mirror frame to its support and should be placed above center an inch or so.
The drawers are to be constructed in the usual manner. It is a good plan to make the grooves 1/16 in. narrower than the stock is thick to insure a fit, chamfering the under or back sides of the bottom and back if necessary. Make the sides of the drawers of such a length that when the drawer has been pushed in as far as it will go, the front will be recessed about 1/4 in. behind the front crosspieces. Groove the inside of the drawer front 3/16 in. to receive the bottom. The mirror should not be placed until the wood has been finished.
[Ill.u.s.tration: DRAWER CONSTRUCTION]
Finish the wood natural, apply three coats of varnish. Rub the first two with haircloth or curled hair and the last with pulverized pumice stone and crude oil or raw linseed oil. This gives an egg-sh.e.l.l gloss. For a dull finish, rub the varnish after it has become bone dry with pulverized pumice stone and water, using a piece of rubbing felt. Rub until the surface is smooth and even, and clean with a wet sponge or chamois skin. If a polished finish is desired, rub first with pulverized pumice stone and water, then with rotten stone and water. Finish with a mixture of oil and a little pulverized rotten stone.
CUTTING TENONS WITH A HAND-SAW
This home-made tool will be a great help in the construction of mission furniture. With its use, tenons may be entirely cut with a saw, discarding the use of a chisel and mallet. The device consists of a convenient length of straight board, A, Fig. 1, wide enough to cover the widest piece to be tenoned. A piece of board, B, is fastened to A with brads or small screws. This board should have a thickness equal to the piece to be cut from the side of the tenon. The piece C is fastened to A and B with small cleats at their upper ends. The s.p.a.ce between B and C should be wide enough for the blade of a saw to run through easily, and also long enough to take in the widest part of the saw blade. The tool and piece to be tenoned are placed in a vise as shown in Fig. 2. The width of the piece removed for the tenon may be varied by putting in pieces of cardboard between the work, E, and the piece A, Fig. 1.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Sawing Tenons]
ARTS AND CRAFTS OIL LAMP
Electricity and gas are not always accessible in suburban or country homes and the regular type of a mission lamp would be of little use. The ill.u.s.tration shows an ordinary round wick kerosene lamp fitted out in mission style.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Artistic Mission Style Oil Lamp]
[Ill.u.s.tration: Bronze Shade Holder]
A few modifications were made in the design of an expensive lamp to simplify the construction. The lamp should have a tall chimney. The dimensions given in the drawings, and the photograph, will explain themselves. Many of the details can be worked up by the maker.
The body of the lamp is made of 1/2-in. oak and is provided with openings as shown. The interior receptacle is very handy for holding a match box, smoking articles, etc.
A piece of copper band, 1 in. wide, is fastened to the body with large upholsterers" tacks, to give it a finished appearance. The base is 7/8 in. thick and in order to prevent tilting is provided with four square feet, 1/4 in. thick. The top piece of the body is 1/2-in. oak, which is provided with a hole large enough to receive the bowl of the lamp. If such a lamp is not at hand, one can be purchased at a very reasonable price.
The shade is made of oak frames set in with clouded art gla.s.s panels.
The different sections of the frames are fastened together with bra.s.s screws and the gla.s.s is held in place by triangular cleats of oak. Be sure and fit the shade with cardboard panels before ordering the gla.s.s.
The cardboard can be used as a pattern in cutting the gla.s.s, and the gla.s.s will then fit without recutting, which is quite difficult.
The gla.s.s beaded fringe should be of suitable color to harmonize with the finished lamp.
The shade is supported by four brackets cast in bronze from a wood pattern (dimensions given) and finished by filing, buffing and lacquering.
ANOTHER CHINA CLOSET
The china closet shown in the accompanying ill.u.s.tration is well proportioned and of pleasing appearance. It can be made of any one of the several furniture woods in common use, but quarter-sawed oak will be found to give the most pleasing effect. The stock should be ordered from the mill ready sawed to length, squared and sanded. In this way much hard labor will be saved. The following pieces will be needed:
1 top, 1 by 19 by 38 in., S-1-S.
4 posts, 3/4 by 3 by 59 in., S-2-S.
4 side rails, 3/4 by 3 by 31 in., S-1-S.
4 end uprights, 1 by 2 by 48-1/2 in., S-2-S.
4 end rails, 1 by 3 by 16 in., S-2-S.
2 lattice rails, 1 by 2 by 13 in., S-2-S.
1 top board, 3/4 by 3 by 36 in., S-1-S.
4 side door rails, 3/4 by 2 by 47 in., S-2-S.
6 cross rails, 3/4 by 2 by 12 in., S-2-S.
4 slats, 1/2 by 3/4 by 16-1/2 in., S-2-S.
4 slats, 1/2 by 3/4 by 13-1/2 in., S-2-S.
8 slats, 1/2 by 3/4 by 12-1/2 in., S-2-S.
4 shelves, 5/8 by 16 by 32 in., S-1-S., poplar.
4 cleats, 1 in. sq. by 55 in., soft wood.
4 cleats, 1 in. sq. by 28 in., soft wood.
4 cleats, 1 in. sq. by 14 in., soft wood.
[Ill.u.s.tration: China Closet with Latticework Doors and Sides]
[Ill.u.s.tration: Details of China Closet]
Having this material on hand, start with the four posts, as they are all alike. Clamp them together, being careful to have them of the right length, and the ends square. Trim the bottom, as shown in the detail drawing, and then lay out the mortises for the front and back rails.
These rails can now be laid out and the tenons cut to fit the mortises in the posts. The back rails should, in addition, be rabbeted for the back board as shown. The end rails are fastened to the posts by means of screws through 1-in. square cleats, fastened on the inside of the posts as shown in the section A-A. In all cases the screws should be run through the cleats into the framing so the heads will not show. The end rails should be rabbeted on the inside for the latticework and the gla.s.s.
The back board should have the corners rounded as shown and be fastened to the top board with screws through from the bottom side. The top board is then fastened to the top rail cleats in the same manner.
The doors are put together by means of tenons and mortises. The frames should be rabbeted on the inside for the latticework and the gla.s.s.
Leaded gla.s.s can be used in place of this latticework, if it is desired.
Suitable hinges and a catch should be supplied. These can be purchased at any hardware store.
The shelves should be cut out at the corners to fit around the cleats.
They rest on small blocks which are fastened to the cleats, or if desired, small holes can be drilled and pins used instead.
The back is put on in the usual manner. A mirror can be put in without much trouble if it is desired.