[Ill.u.s.tration: Details Showing Dimensions of Parts]
The top and side facings are built together, the angle being reinforced with block and glue, as shown in detail. These facings, to which the cushions are attached, are afterward made fast to the frame by ornamental headed screws. The detail and photograph show the manner of applying the under facing.
Before attaching the top and side facings, the bed cloth should be placed over the slate and fastened. The nap of the cloth should run from the head toward the opposite end of the table. Draw the cloth as tight as possible, taking care that there shall be no wrinkles.
The billiard cushions can be bought ready to cover. The b.u.mpers which keep the top from striking the front posts can be obtained by making proper selection from oak door b.u.mpers carried in stock by hardware dealers. The bra.s.s swing bars, most likely, can be obtained at the same place.
The upholstering on the under side of the top--the back of the davenport--is to be built upon a stout frame made of some suitable common wood, and the whole set in the recess formed as shown in the detail drawing--the whole being fastened from the back before the slate bed is put in position.
Effort should be made to select leather of a color that will harmonize with the wood finish which is to be applied.
EASILY MADE BOOK SHELVES
Very cheap but useful and attractive book shelves are shown in the accompanying drawing. The vertical strips, A, may be 3/4 in. by 2 in.
and are screwed to four shelves, B, each cut to the shape of a quarter circle. The screws are all countersunk and as the heads all come on the side next to the wall, they do not show. The design might be varied somewhat to suit the fancy of the builder, although the appearance of the shelves constructed as shown is very pleasing, especially so if the workmanship is good and the wood carefully stained and varnished. The total cost of construction was less than 75 cents.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
A BLACKING CASE TABOURET
[Ill.u.s.tration]
A substantial piece of mission furniture which may be used as a tabouret or plant stand as well as a blacking case, in which there is a receptacle for brushes, blacking and a shoe rest, is shown in the ill.u.s.tration. The stock can be secured mill-planed, sandpapered and in lengths almost ready to be a.s.sembled. The stock list consists of the following pieces:
4 posts, 1-1/2 by 1-1/2 by 17 in.
4 side rails, 1 by 6-1/2 by 9-1/2 in.
2 top pieces, 1 by 8-1/4 by 16-1/2 in.
1 bottom, 1/4 by 9-1/2 by 9-1/2 in.
1 cleat, 1 by 1 by 18 in.
The posts and cleat are surfaced on four sides, while the other pieces are surfaced on only two sides. The allowance of 1/2 in. on the side rails, top and bottom, is for fitting the joints. Be sure the surfaces of the pieces for the posts are square and the ends sawed square off, making the posts exactly the same length when they come from the mill.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Details of Shoe Rest]
Square up the four side rails to 6 by 9 in. Cut one end of each post tapering with a chisel; face and sandpaper the posts and side rails before making the joints. The side rails are attached to the posts with three dowels to each joint. The place for each dowel is located by making a line exactly in the middle lengthwise on each end of each side rail. Three lines are made to intersect this middle line, as shown in the detail. Drive a 1/2-in. brad in each intersection allowing a small portion of each brad to project, and cut off the heads. Gauge a line in the middle of each post at the top where the joints are to be made and press the end of a side rail containing the brads against the post. This will mark the places to bore holes for the dowels. Pull out the brads and bore holes for the dowel pins.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Details of Tabouret Construction]
When gluing up the side rails and posts, first put on a coat of glue on the ends of the side rails and let it dry. This will fill up the pores in the end grain of the wood which will make a strong joint when finally glued together. The dowel pins are made 3/8 in. square with a slight taper at the ends. These can be easily forced into the holes, when the ends of the side rails are coated with glue and ready to be put together, by clamps pressing on the outside of the posts.
The bottom is held in position with narrow strips tacked on the lower edge of the side rails. Square up the top pieces to 8 by 16 in. and fasten one piece to the top with cleats and screws as shown in the drawing. The other piece is hinged to the first one with two 2-in.
hinges.
The shoe rest can be made from a block of wood and covered with sheet tin, copper or bra.s.s, or a cast-iron rest can be purchased. The rest is fastened to the under side of the hinged top. Stain the wood any dark color and apply a very thin coat of sh.e.l.lac. Put on wax and you will have a finish that can be renewed at any time by wiping with a little turpentine and rewaxing.
HOW TO MAKE A ROLL TOP DESK
[Ill.u.s.tration: The Desk Complete]
The materials for this roll top desk can be purchased from a mill dressed and sandpapered so the hardest part of the work will be finished. The wood must be selected to suit the builder and to match other articles of furniture. The following list of materials will be required:
68 lineal ft. of 1 by 3 in. hardwood.
65 lineal ft. of 1 by 2 in. hardwood.
3 lineal ft. of 1/4 by 24 in. hardwood.
45 lineal ft. of 1/4 by 10-1/2 in. hardwood.
36 lineal ft. of 1 by 12 in. hardwood.
35 lineal ft. of 3/8 by 9 in. soft wood.
100 sq. ft. of 1/2 by 12 in. soft wood.
1 piece 34 in. wide and 54 in. long hardwood.
30 pieces 1 by 1 in. 48 in. long.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
The upper and lower back panels are constructed very similar, the only difference being in the height. The inside edge of the 3-in. pieces is plowed with a 1/4-in. plow 3/8 in. deep exactly in the center and also both edges of each 2-in. piece. The 16-in. pieces in the upper back panel and the 24-in. pieces in the lower back panel must be cut 1/2 in.
longer and a 1/4-in. tongue made on each end to fit into the plowed groove and form a mortise joint.
The upper back panel is filled in with four boards 9-1/2 in. wide and 16-1/2 in. long, while the four boards in the lower back panel are 9-1/2 in. wide and 24-1/2 in. long cut from the 1/4-in. hard wood. When the grooves are cut properly, the joints made perfect and the boards fitted to the right size, these two panels can be a.s.sembled and pressed together in cabinet clamps. This will make the outside dimensions as given in the drawing.
The end panels are made very similar to the lower back panel, the only difference being in the width of the filling boards, which are 10-1/2 in. for the outside end panels and 10 in. for the inside panels. One end panel and one inside panel make the sides of one pedestal. As the end panels are 1 in. wider than the inside panels they overlap the back panel and cover up the rough ends of the boards. A 1-in. piece 2 in.
wide is fastened at the top and bottom of each end and inside panels as shown by the dotted lines. The lower back panel is fastened on by turning screws through the back and into the ends of these pieces. The bottom pieces have 2-in. notches cut out, as shown, into which to fit two crosspieces across the bottom of the pedestal for holding the casters. The top end panels are made as shown in the drawing, the inside edge of the pieces being plowed out, making a groove the same size as in the other pieces of the panels. The panel board is cut to the proper shape from the 1/4-by 24-in. material. The length given in the material list will be sufficient if the pointed ends are allowed to pa.s.s each other when laying out the design.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
Instead of cutting a groove for the roll top curtain, one is made by fastening a 1/2-by 3/4-in. strip 7/8 in. down from the edge and on the inside of the panel. A thin 1/4-by 1-3/4-in. strip is bent to form the shape of the edge and fastened with round-headed bra.s.s screws. A 1-in.
piece is fastened at the back and a groove cut into it as shown by the dotted line into which to slide a 1/4-in. back board. The top is a 12-in. board 54 in. long.
As both pedestals are made alike, the detail of only one is shown. The part.i.tions upon which the drawers slide are made up from 1-in. square material with a 2-in. end fitted as shown. Dimensions are given for the divisions of each drawer, but these can be changed to suit the builder.
The detail of one drawer is shown, giving the length and width, the height being that of the top drawer. The roll top curtain is made up from 1-in. pieces 3/4 in. thick and 48 in. long, cut in an oval shape on the outside, tacked and glued to a piece of strong canvas on the inside.
The end piece is 2 in. wide, into which two lift holes or grooves are cut and a lock attached in the middle of the edge. A drawer lock can be made as shown and attached to the back panel and operated by the back end of the roll top curtain when it is opened and closed.
The top board, which is 34 by 54 in., can be fitted with end pieces as shown or left in one piece with the edges made rounding.
At this point in the construction of the parts they can be put together.
The sides of each pedestal are fastened together by screws pa.s.sed through the 1-in. square pieces forming the part.i.tion and into the sides of the panels. When each pedestal is put together the lower back panel is fastened to them with screws turned into the pieces provided as stated in making the end panels. The top board is now adjusted with equal edges projecting and fastened in position with finishing nails. As the top panels cover directly over where the nails are driven, the heads will not show. The upper back panel is fastened to the curved ends and the whole top held to the top board with cast corner brackets that can be purchased at any hardware store. The top should not be drawn together too close before the 1/4-in. back board is put in the grooves and the roll top curtain placed in position.
[Ill.u.s.tration]