Place the front and the back in the clamps and after the glue has had time to harden, a.s.semble the remaining parts. Thoroughly sc.r.a.pe and sandpaper all the parts, carefully removing any surplus glue. Wood finish will not "take hold" where any glue has been allowed to remain.
The seat may be given the same treatment as suggested for the armchair.
This should not be done, however, until the finish has been applied.
A simple finish is obtained by the application of a coat of paste filler of a soft brown color, if oak has been used. Apply and clean this off in the manner directed by the manufacturers and after it has had 24 hours in which to harden, sand it lightly with No. 00 paper. Over this apply a thin coat of sh.e.l.lac. Allow this to harden, then sandpaper lightly with fine paper. Upon the sh.e.l.lac apply several coats of some good rubbing wax. Follow the directions that are to be found upon the cans, being careful not to apply too much at a time. If too much wax is applied, it stays in the small pores of the wood and produces an ugly chalk-like appearance.
ANOTHER PIANO BENCH
The piano bench shown is best made of black walnut or oak and should be finished in the natural color for walnut, but stained some rich brown for oak.
The following pieces will be needed:
1 top, 1 by 15-1/2 by 38-1/2 in., S-2-S.
2 legs, 1 by 14-1/2 by 20-1/2 in., S-4-S.
2 rails, 7/8 by 3-3/4 by 36-1/2 in., S-2-S.
1 stretcher, 3/4 by 4-1/4 by 37 in., S-2-S.
The keys can be secured from the waste that will be cut off from the other parts.
Square up the top in the usual manner to the size indicated in the working drawing. In a similar manner square up the stretcher to width and length.
There will be no need to square the ends of the rails as they are to be cut off on a slant. Square up the sides or edges and then lay off and cut the slanting ends, smoothing them with the plane. Lay off and work the shape on their under edges.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Detail of the Piano Bench]
The ends are best laid off by means of a template or pattern for which a piece of rather heavy paper will do. Lay off the main dimensions on a center line. Sketch in the curve of the edge after the slant has been laid out. Lay out the form at the bottom, then fold the paper along the center line and trace the other half. With this pattern lay off the outline upon the wood. For convenience in laying out the grooves for the rails and the mortise for the tenon on the stretcher, it is well to work a face edge upon each leg and allow this to remain until these joints have been made and the parts fitted. The shape at the bottom of the leg is merely suggestive and may be modified as desired.
Lay out and work the tenons on the stretcher. Then lay out and work the grooves upon the rails. Each side of each rail is grooved 1/8 in, to allow the leg to be recessed. This is done to give the bench the bracing that is needed to make it stand firmly. Work the grooves in the legs and the mortises for the rails.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Piano Bench in Quarter-Sawed Oak]
It should be noted that the mortise for the key in the stretcher must be laid out before the shoulders and cheeks of the tenon on which the mortise is made are cut off. Otherwise there would be no place to put the gauge in marking the sides of the mortise for the key.
Thoroughly sc.r.a.pe all the parts and then a.s.semble them. No glue is needed. The rails are held in place by dowel pins, the heads of which are allowed to project slightly and rounded so as to give an ornamental effect. The top is attached by means of small angle irons or by means of blocks and screws fastened to the corners made by top and rails.
ANOTHER SCREEN
The screen shown in the accompanying ill.u.s.tration is made of burlap and plain-sawed oak. The stock list follows:
2 posts, 1-1/2 by 1-1/2 by 40 in., S-4-S.
2 base pieces, 3 by 3 by 12-1/2 in., S-4-S.
2 horizontals, 3/4 by 4-1/4 by 38 in., S-2-S.
1 horizontal, 3/4 by 1-1/2 by 38 in., S-2-S.
1 vertical, 3/4 by 1-3/4 by 20 in., S-2-S.
4 braces, 1-1/8 by 4-1/4 by 6-1/2 in., S-2-S.
The two base pieces may be shaped first. The drawing shows the form and the dimensions. Make use of a face edge in laying out the mortises in the base pieces for the uprights, before these face edges are removed to make the slanting sides.
Work the verticals to length, laying out and cutting the tenons at the bottoms, and shaping the tops as shown.
Lay out and shape the three horizontals as shown, working the tenons upon the ends of each and the mortises in the lower two for the tenons of the middle vertical.
For the braces, secure a face edge on each piece and square one end of each to that. Lay off the curve free-hand upon one block and cut it out.
Use this block as a pattern or template to lay off the others.
Thoroughly sc.r.a.pe and sandpaper all the parts, then a.s.semble them, using clamps and good hot glue. Take care to see that there is no warp in the frame as it lies in the clamps. After the glue on the frame has hardened, remove the clamps and attach the base blocks and the braces.
The braces are secured by means of round-head screws.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Plain-Oak Frame with Burlap Panels]
Remove the surplus glue and then apply a finish as desired.
For the paneling, frames will be needed about which to fasten the burlap. These may be made of 1/2-in, soft wood and the following pieces will be necessary:
2 pieces, 1/2 by 2 by 36 in., S-2-S.
2 pieces, 1/2 by 2 by 8 in., S-2-S.
4 pieces, 1/2 by 2 by 18 in., S-2-S.
4 pieces, 1/2 by 2 by 19 in., S-2-S.
Make these frames enough smaller than the openings they are to occupy to allow for burlap and tacks. These frames are held in place by putting fixed nails in the top of each frame before the burlap is attached.
Holes are bored in the rails to correspond to them. The lower edges of the frames are held in place by nails inserted up through the rails upon which the frames rest.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Detail of the Frame]
A FOLDING CARD TABLE
The accompanying sketch shows the details of a card table that can be folded up and carried about or stored away when not in use. We would advise making two tables at the same time, as the material for both can be purchased nearly as cheaply as for one. The material necessary for making one table is given in the following list:
1 piece, 7/8 by 1-3/16 by 27-1/2 in., ba.s.swood or poplar.
2 pieces, 7/8 by 1-3/16 by 29-1/4 in., ba.s.swood or poplar.
4 legs, 1 in. square, 24-3/4 in. long; oak.
4 pieces, 1 in. square, 5 in. long; oak.
4 side pieces, 3/8 by 1-3/8 by 29-5/8 in.; oak.
4 pieces, 27-1/2 in. long, single groove electric wire moulding with batten.
1 piece cardboard, 1/8 in. thick, 29-1/4 in. square.
4 pieces bra.s.s rod, 3-16 in. diameter, 15 in. long.