The curve or bend of the piece to be made must be marked out on a wide board or on the floor. Nail down several blocks of wood or pieces cut out like brackets on the board or floor against the drawing, as shown in the ill.u.s.tration. The wood is sprung between these blocks or forms after it has been softened by steam. When taking the steamed pieces from the box do not lose any time in securing them to the forms. Do not take out more than one piece at a time, as it must be bent to the forms immediately after taking it from the hot steam. The time of the steaming will vary with the size of the pieces. Small strips may be steamed in 15 or 20 minutes, while large ones may require several hours to become soft enough to bend. The pieces must be left in the forms until they are thoroughly dry.
A SMOKING STAND
When making the smoking stand shown in the accompanying photograph, use quarter-sawed oak, if possible, as this wood is the most suitable for finishing in the different mission stains. This little piece of furniture is very attractive, easy to construct, and is an article that a smoker would appreciate.
If the stock is purchased finished and sandpapered, it will save much of the hard work. The material needed is as follows:
One piece, 7/8 by 12 in. by 9 ft. long, for the legs.
One piece, 7/8 by 10 in. by 4 ft. long, for the top.
One piece, 7/8 by 8 in. by 1 ft. long, for the shelves.
One piece, 1/2 by 2 in. by 6 ft. long, for the pipe rack.
The legs can be made first. Cut four pieces off the 12-in. board, each exactly 25 in. long, and lay each one out with a pair of compa.s.ses as shown in the detail drawing at Fig. 1. With a circle or keyhole saw cut out the piece, then shave out the saw marks and sandpaper smooth.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Smoking Stand Details]
[Ill.u.s.tration: Finished Smoking Stand]
Next take the 8-in. board and make the shelves. Set a bevel protractor at a 45-deg. angle, lay out the pieces as shown in Fig. 5, and cut them out with a saw. Eight pieces are cut out as shown in Fig. 4. These pieces can be cut out of the sc.r.a.ps left from cutting the legs and shelves. Cut them so that the grain runs the long way. Place two of these braces on the bench with the beveled ends toward each other, but with a piece of 7/8-in. stock between them, and the other two beveled ends resting against a straightedge. Fasten them to the bench with a couple of nails, leaving the heads sticking up so that you can pull them later with a claw hammer. Remove the straightedge and slide the piece that is between the braces along until it projects 4 or 5 in. from the side formed by the straightedge. Then place two more braces in the corners formed by this piece, put two 7/8-in. pieces between the two braces that are fastened, and the two that are loose, so that each brace will be in its proper place. Fasten the last two the same as the first pair. Then remove all the pieces from between the braces and place the tops of the legs in their stead. These should be fastened to the braces with 1-in. screws of small diameter, put in at an angle. Bore a hole in straight for about 1/4-in. with a 1/4-in. bit for each screw, and then run a gimlet at an angle into the leg. After you have the legs fastened to the first set of braces, measure up from the bench 10 in. and put in another set, being careful to get them all the same distance from the bench, as the inner corners of the shelves rest on these braces. Now pull out the nails and set the stand on its feet.
Next put in the shelves. Place the inner corner of one on one of the braces, and fasten it there with a screw put through the brace from the bottom. Now fasten a clamp on each leg at the ends of the shelf in such a manner as to form a support on the top side of the shelf. Then put four screws through the shelf from the bottom into the legs. Repeat the operation on each shelf, being careful to get them all the same height.
Four pieces like Fig. 3 should now be made. These pieces will have to be fitted in place as they should slant outward so that it will be easy to put articles through the holes. The holes should be about 5/8-in.
diameter.
The top can be made by cutting off two pieces from the 10-in. board, each 20 in. long, and fastening them together with dowels. Smooth the ends and be sure that the boards match evenly. It makes a better job to glue the top together, in addition to the dowels, and, if you do this, it would be better to make the top first. Then it will have time to dry before you are ready to use it. In putting on the top, care should be taken to get each of the corners an equal distance from the legs. Then a screw may be put up through each one of the braces and two or three through each leg into the top. Now smooth all rough and uneven places with fine sandpaper and apply the finish. Secure some metal matchsafes and scratchers, fasten on as shown in the photograph, and the stand is complete.
A CHINA CLOSET
This beautiful piece of mission furniture can be made by anyone who has a few good tools and knows how to use them. The cost is very moderate and if you are convenient to a mill a great amount of labor can be saved by ordering the pieces ready cut to length, squared, and sanded.
Quarter-sawed oak should be used and the material needed will be as follows:
4 posts, 2 by 2 by 54 in., S-4-S.
2 top and bottom boards, 3/4 by 15-3/4 by 39-1/2 in., S-1-S.
2 shelves, 3/4 by 15-1/2 by 38 in., S-2-S.
2 lower end braces, 3/4 by 5 by 15 in., S-2-S.
2 upper end braces, 3/4 by 4-1/4 by 15 in., S-2-S.
1 lower front board, 3/4 by 3 by 40 in., S-1-S.
1 upper front board, 3/4 by 2-1/4 by 40 in., S-1-S.
4 door frames, 3/4 by 1-3/4 by 43-1/2 in., S-2-S.
4 door frames, 3/4 by 2 by 19 in., S-2-S.
4 upright end pieces, 3/4 by 1-1/2 by 39-1/2 in., S-2-S.
5 back pieces, 1/2 by 8 by 46-1/2 in., S-1-S.
2 cleats, 1 by 1 by 37-3/4 in., soft wood.
4 cleats, 1 by 1 by 12-3/4 in., soft wood.
4 blocks, 1/2 by 1 by 1-1/2 in.
First be sure the posts are perfectly square and of equal length. Either chamfer or round the upper ends as desired. The mortises can be laid out and cut, or they can be left until the tenons are all made and then marked and cut directly from each tenon.
The top and bottom boards should have the corners cut to clear the posts as shown in the drawing. The top board should be finished on both sides and the bottom one on the upper side only and be sure to get the best side up.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Details of China Closet]
Cut the tenons on the front boards back 1/4 in. from the face as shown in the end view. The boards should be finished on the outside sides and edges. The end pieces are fitted and finished in a similar manner except that the inside edge is rabbeted for the gla.s.s as shown. The side pieces are also rabbeted for the gla.s.s and the posts have grooves 1/2 in. deep cut in them to hold these side pieces. They are glued in place and this can be done after the frame is put together.
[Ill.u.s.tration: China Closet Complete]
The two shelves are finished on both sides and the front edges. The doors are fitted in the usual manner by a tenon and mortise joint at the ends. They are rabbeted on the inside for the gla.s.s and are finished on all sides.
Before gluing any of the parts together, see that they all fit and go together perfectly square. The posts, side, and front pieces should be glued and a.s.sembled, then the top and bottom boards put in place to hold the frame square when the clamps are put on. Leave dry for about 24 hours, then sc.r.a.pe all the surplus glue from about the joints as the finish will not take when there is any glue. Fasten the top and bottom boards to the frame by means of screws through cleats as shown in the drawing. The backing is put on and finished on the front side. A mirror can be put in the back without much trouble, if it is desired. The shelves should be put in place and held at the back by screws through the backing and at the front by two small blocks on the posts as shown.
After the closet is all a.s.sembled it should be thoroughly gone over with fine sandpaper before any finish is applied. It can be finished in any one of the many mission stains which are supplied by the trade for this purpose.
A LEATHER-COVERED FOOTSTOOL
The ill.u.s.tration shows a very handy footstool in mission style. The following list of materials will be needed:
4 oak posts, 1-1/2 by 1-1/2 by 12 in., S-4-S.
2 sides, 3/4 by 3 by 12 in., soft wood.
2 ends, 3/4 by 3 by 8 in., soft wood.
1 bottom, 3/4 by 8 by 12 in., soft wood.
1 small box of 8 oz. tacks 2-1/2 doz. ornamental head nails.
1 piece of dark leather, 16 by 20 in.
1/2 lb. hair and a small portion of mission stain.
The posts are the only parts made of quarter-sawed oak, the other parts, being covered with leather, can be made of any kind of soft wood.
Chamfer the top end of each post, and taper the lower ends as shown in detail. When this is done the mortises can be cut for the sides as shown in the post detail. When cutting the mortises and tenons take care to make them fit perfectly, as there is nothing to brace the legs at the bottom. The strength of the stool depends upon the joints. Make the surface of the posts smooth by first using No. 1 sandpaper, then finishing with No. 00.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Footstool Leather Covered]
The parts are now a.s.sembled. First clamp the ends together, using plenty of glue on the joints, and drive some small nails on the inside of the posts through the tenon ends. When the glue has set, the remaining sides can be put together the same as the ends. Fit the bottom on the inside about 1 in. from the top. This can be made fast by driving nails through the sides and ends of the board. The finishing is done by putting on the mission stain as the directions state on the can, then wax the surface to get a dull gloss.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Details of Footstool]
The leather is now put on. Notch out the corners to fit around the posts, but do not cut the ends off. Lap them under the cover. Before nailing on the cover fix the hair evenly over the top, about 6 in. deep.
Draw the leather over the hair and fasten the edges with the 8-oz.
tacks. The ornamental nails are driven in last, as shown in the drawing, to make a good appearance.