Part 4

The directions for finding the angles might be given mathematically, so that you could get them for yourself with a little figuring, but it will be easier practically to find the angles in the way I describe, and they will be accurate enough for this piece of work.

For the book-rest you must buy some planed whitewood which is preferable to any other on account of staining. A piece eighteen inches long, twelve inches wide and one half inch thick, will be enough; it will cost about ten cents.

Lengthwise with chalk-line mark off eleven strips five eighths inch wide; cut them with splitting-saw and plane, the sides cut with fore-plane, making each strip JUST one half inch in breadth as well as thickness.

We will begin with the uprights for the front.

Take one of these strips, square one end: then measure a little over one half inch down the stick, and with try-square make a continuous line around the stick.

Find the centre of the end just squared by drawing diagonals, and then either with block-plane or knife, point the stick by putting the edge of knife on the continuous line on one of the faces of the square, and directing the blade toward the centre of end; a steady, firm pressure will give a good bevel. Finish the other three sides in the same way, and you will have a pyramid with square base for one end of your stick: cut the stick off square thirteen inches from the point. Finish two more sticks in the same way, and you will have your three front uprights.

Now take another piece; square one end as nicely as possible (everything depends in this job on the neatness and accuracy of your work), measure seven and five eighths inches from squared end; cut off and square: you will have a stick seven and one half inches long. Make another like this from the piece left. These pieces we will mark _A_: they are the short uprights in diagram. Now cut two pieces twelve and one half inches long: square both ends; find exact middle, measure one fourth inch in each direction from middle and draw lines with square _across_ the stick. Right and left on the side faces (_not_ the one underneath), draw lines parallel with top face one fourth inch from it. These last lines show how deep you are to saw on the first two lines with cross-cut saw. With chisel remove the little piece one half by one half by one fourth. Take care not to cut the stick deeper than the lines indicate. The sticks will look like fig. 1. These are the cross bars, _BB_.

From another stick cut three pieces six inches long: square both ends; these are marked _CCC_; two belong to the back, and one for the front connecting _CC_. From short pieces left cut two pieces two and three fourths inches long, of course squaring the ends: these are _DD_, and go at side of front.

For uprights of back cut two pieces ten inches long: square ends. On a board or piece of paper mark on a line two points three and one half inches apart. From the right-hand point draw a perpendicular, the line connecting the two points being the base of a triangle. Lay one ten-inch stick from the left hand point to the perpendicular, making the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle. You will readily see how much of a bevel is required to make the lower end set firmly. It will probably be about one eighth of an inch; make the same bevel on the other ten-inch piece: these we will mark _EE_ (the uprights for the back). Bevel the lower ends of the three-pointed sticks (the uprights for front) in the same way. (_See base of fig. 2._)

On one front upright, measure two and three fourths inches from point on face _A_: cut out bit one half by one half by one fourth as in piece _B_. Repeat at eight inches; again at ten and five eighths inches from point of stick. This completes middle upright.

Now to return to pieces _EE_. On a board or paper mark in line three points three and one half inches apart. Hold beveled end of pointed upright on point one, so that a point _Y_ ten inches from bevel will be perpendicular to point two. Stand bevel end of _E_ on point three, so that the other end will rest against point _Y_. You will then see the bevel needed on upper end of _E_ to make it fit against point _Y_. It will be about an inch long.

Treat the other _E_ in the same way, taking care that both bevels start from same face of stick. Square end of new stick: cut off six inches and square again. At point three inches from end cut out bit one half by one half by one fourth, as in _B_. This is the stick _F_.

Cut two sticks ten inches long: square ends. These are _GG_.

The pieces are all cut out; now of course you had more whitewood than these measures, but it is so cheap it seemed best to allow for mistakes, and the spoiling of two or three sticks in cutting bevels, etc. The bits left always come handy.

In putting the parts together you must be very careful. You will need some one-inch brads and some seven-sixteenths or three eighth ones also, and about two feet of brass spring wire, two French screws one inch long (slim ones), and two five eighths inch ones.

Take first the pointed piece for the middle of front: the one with the squares cut out of it: fit one of the _B’s_ into the upper place and the other into the lower one. Put piece _F_ into the middle slot; put two brads through each piece (_BBF_) and into the pointed one. Turn the whole over so the face _A_ is down.

Take two pieces marked _A_; with inch-brads fasten pieces _D_ endwise, so that upper face of _D_ will be two and one eighth inches from end of _A_.

Place one _A_ between the two _B’s_ on the right of pointed stick with _D_ pointing to the right; you will find that the end of _F_ touches _A_ at a point two and one eighth inches from the bottom, so that _F_ and _D_ divide _A_ plus one half inch (eight inches) into thirds.

Place the other _A_ and _D_ facing just opposite on the other side of pointed stick. You will find that the ends of the _A’s_ touch the _B’s_ at a point half-way between the end of _B_ and the pointed piece. Secure in position with inch-brads.

Place one of the other pointed sticks to the right, the other to the left of ends of _B_ and _D_, and fasten so that the end of upper _B_ is two and one half inches from point, and _D_ two and one eighth inches from upper _B_ and lower _B_ _slightly_ over two inches from bottom of bevel. In placing these two pointed pieces _be sure_ and have the face _a_ (_fig. 2_) down.

Now for the back. Take the pieces marked _E_; measure two and five eighth inches from upper ends; fasten one of the pieces _C_ by the ends to these points, and the second _C_ at a point a _little_ over two inches from bottom.

Fasten upper beveled ends of the _E’s_ to backs of points _x_ (_see picture_) with short brass screws and a couple of brads.

Next take pieces _G_, and measure two and three fourth inches from end: bore holes large enough to admit long screws; with brads fasten third _C_ at points one and one half inches from ends of _G_, and one and one fourth inch from holes. (This is to support the book.) Then screw _G_’s directly under _B_ and _A_, the long ends directed backward. You will find the seven-inch ends will touch the lower part of pieces _E_ about one half inch from bottom. Fasten with brads.

These two pieces (_G_) serve to keep the back from spreading away from front and make the rest strong enough to support quite a heavy book.

This is really a very simple thing to make, for the lines are all straight, and if you are careful in cutting, fitting and joining, you will feel paid for the trouble.

X.—BOOK-REST. (_Continued._)

YOU now have the book-rest all put together ready for finishing. The first thing now to do is to sandpaper it. For this you must buy some (o) or (oo) sandpaper, and go over the whole thing, being careful not to round the corners. You can accomplish this by stretching a piece of sandpaper over one of the little bits that remained after cutting: this will make a flat, firm surface, and will not be so liable to round the edges as if stretched over your thumb.

Before staining, you must make the brass springs to hold the leaves back.

Cut six and one half inches of your spring wire, (which should be about one sixteenth of an inch in diameter.) At a point five eighths of an inch from end, bend the wire into a right angle; two and one fourth inches from that point give the wire a turn round a small nail, or piece of telegraph wire (you cannot turn it evenly with your fingers alone); this is to give the wire a spring, and will enable you to lift the end of the wire on to the leaves of the book. Now turn the end of the wire in so as to make a rounded end. It will then look like _fig. 1_.

Make another spring exactly like this one: then cut off a piece five and one half inches long, bend to a right angle at a point five eighths of an inch from end. Then at a point two inches from angle, give the wire a turn as in the other set, and turn the end in. Make a second one like this of the remaining piece of wire.

To fasten these springs on to the rest, you must bore a hole one-sixteenth of an inch in diameter through the sides of the two _end uprights_, at a point just below the end of piece _D_. Insert the five eighth inch ends of the larger set of springs into these holes, from the outside. You will find that you can lay the springs back when not in use, and that you can turn them out and lift the ends over the edges of your book, so as to keep the pages down when you do need to use them.

The smaller set can be fastened in the same way under lower _B_ or under _G_ if you prefer, at a point near the lower ends of _A A_.

If you are going to stain the book-rest, it is better to do it before fastening in the springs.

I think ebony stain goes best, and as you can make it yourself, it would perhaps be cheaper.

First you must get some logwood chips (about a teacupful); after boiling them in a pint of water for an hour or so, apply with an old brush (not the chips, but the decoction you have made by boiling the chips!). You can put on two or three coats of this, letting it dry each time.

The next part will perhaps be the hardest. Get some iron rust or old iron filings, put these in strong vinegar or acetic acid and let it stand a day or two; if by this time the liquid is not of a reddish-black color, add more iron rust.

After the two or three coats of logwood, your wood will be of a dark yellow color, but this will immediately turn to a fine black when you apply the iron. Only one coat of this is needful, because it does not soak in. You might try the logwood and the iron on a small bit of wood first, and then you will see if the solution of iron is strong enough for a good black.

When the book-rest is _perfectly_ dry, rub on some thin shellac with a soft cloth: this will make the dull finish now considered so desirable.

This book-rest is very convenient to use round the house at home, and is, as you have seen, very easy to make: but it as an awkward thing to pack away in a trunk if you are going into the country, for instance, or are travelling.

You may like to make another, if you have been successful with this one, and this time you can make it with hinges, so as to fold up compactly, by making the following alterations:

The front will be the same and the back also, with the exception of the uprights _E E_, being hinged instead of screwed on to upper _B_.

The two _G’s_ must have a one fourth inch hole bored one fourth of an inch from the back end, and a corresponding one bored through _E_ about an inch from the bottom; these holes are for pins, on which the _G’s_ may turn.

Instead of the six-inch _C_ which joins the two _G’s_ at a point one and one half inches from outer end, there should be two pieces seven inches long fastened with brads, at points respectively three inches and six and one half inches from outer ends of _G_. The piece six and one half inches from end _can_ be left out—though it looks neater with it—but the back will shut closer without it.

Now put the peg through the _G’s_ and into the _E’s_.

Draw the back of the book-rest from the front, put ends of _G’s_ through the spaces bounded by pieces _A_, _B_ and _D_, and you will find that the _G’s_ rest in the corners made by _A_ and _B_.

When you want to shut up the book-rest, you must draw the _G’s_ out, and turn them away from front on to the back of the _E’s_, and then shut the _E’s_ up on to the _A’s_ as in figure.

I don’t think this quite as pretty as the fixed book-rest, and there are of course other ways of changing the original plan which would be more ornamental; but this is very easy and will answer the purpose. You will find it good fun and good practice to experiment on changes in any of the designs given, after you have mastered the simple forms and the plain directions given in these papers.

XI.—A BED TABLE.

THE accompanying figure shows you a very useful but rather peculiar piece of furniture quite simple to make; if you are ever ill in bed yourself or any one in the family is obliged to lie in bed and have meals brought to them, I think you will say it is a handy thing to have instead of a waiter that joggles and tips on one’s lap in the bed, instead of even a table at the side of the bed that compels one to twist round uncomfortably in order to reach.

It explains itself, almost; but a few directions and dimensions will help you.

As you can see, it is a tray with legs to set over the lap in bed, with a rim to keep things from sliding off, and is light enough to be carried by the side handles; a tempting breakfast for the invalid can be arranged neatly upon it instead of a waiter.

It can be made of any kind of wood, but black walnut is as pretty as any and enough can be bought for it, for about fifty cents.

You will need two boards, each two feet long; one should be one foot wide and one half inch thick, the other one and a half foot wide and one half inch thick.

Take the first one; plane nicely, being careful to have the ends and edges square. Set this aside for the top of tray.

Plain one edge of second piece (the one and one half feet wide); with splitting saw cut off strips twenty-four inches long by four inches wide: square ends and plane edges of piece left. Measure one foot from end, square and cut off. You will have two pieces alike for the ends or legs, and one strip two feet long, four inches wide, for back.

Round off one edge of top (the piece two feet long by one foot wide) with small plane, and sandpaper smooth. Take two side pieces; find points nine inches from bottom and respectively four and eight inches from side of leg; bore holes with largest bits, split out piece between, enlarge and smooth with gouge or knife to fit the hand. These are to slip the fingers through to hold the tray.

Draw a line parallel with, and ten inches from, bottom of legs and fasten one leg on either end of the two foot by one foot piece, using three one inch screws for each leg.

Fit the back piece neatly on to square edge of top and fasten with four screws; put a screw on upper corner of each of the sides, through into end of back to make it steadier.

If the corners of the sides are rounded as in picture, it will look a little better.

You can make this bed table even more useful by attaching a simple book rest which will be a great comfort to an invalid who is able to read yet finds it fatiguing to hold a book.

Cut two pieces one quarter inch thick, one wide and seven inches long, and one piece nine inches long; one half inch from bottom of the two seven inch pieces, bore holes large enough for seven-eighths inch screws to play in.

One half from ends of nine inch piece, make some smaller holes, and also two holes one inch from top of back (on inside) and eight inches apart.

Screw ends of seven inch pieces into these holes and the nine inch piece into the other ends of the seven inch pieces; of course the screws must play easily. When not in use the rack will fold over and lie inside the back as shown by dotted lines.

To keep the book from slipping forward insert two movable pegs about three and a half inches apart in front of middle of back.

XII.—CABINET.

I HAVE often been asked to describe a “Cabinet for Specimens,” such as I made for minerals. It would be equally good for shells, eggs, coins, or even for a bookcase. The shelves hold the specimens protected from dust with glass doors, and from meddling fingers with a lock and key. The cupboard (or drawer if preferable) below holds duplicates useful in making exchanges, and the needful tools for the specialty which interests you.

The cabinet of course can be made of black walnut or any other hard wood, but for lightness as well as cheapness I used pine (stained) and put in a back of dark-brown cambric instead of wood, the cambric costing fifteen or twenty cents, where the wood would cost nearly a dollar and a half.

I can’t give you close estimates about lumber either as to price or lengths, because at different mills boards vary greatly in dimensions, and values at the West or in Maine are unlike those in cities. I will therefore describe my own, feeling sure that by this time if you have made all the other articles in the series you can alter the pattern I give you, or follow it accurately, according to the purpose you have in view.

My cabinet fits easily in an alcove six feet, six inches high, and four feet, six inches wide; and is large enough to hold an interesting collection. For convenience in cutting, the seven boards I used were selected according to the following dimensions:

A—12 feet by 12 inches. B—6 feet by 10 inches. C—8½ feet by 12 inches. D—12 feet by 12 inches. H—4 feet by 13 inches, and 2 boards for shelves 8 feet long by 1 foot wide.

If possible, get three-fourths-inch board, as it is both lighter and cheaper, but inch-board is often easier to get and my measurements are for that. Get it all as clear as possible.

Besides the boards you will need two pieces of two-inch moulding six feet long, and two pieces of three-fourths-inch about eleven feet long, to hold the glass in the doors, and three pair of hinges; also lock and key if you desire all to be secure.

Take _A_, divide in two, plane edges and square ends for sides.

Take _C_, cut two boards, each four feet two inches long, and one foot wide, for top and bottom.

From _B_ cut two pieces that shall be six feet long, and four inches (for sides of door casing), then from remainder cut strip three and one half feet by one inch, to go behind lower moulding for hinges of _E_.

From board _H_ (which is four feet by thirteen inches) cut out block at _each end of one edge_, three inches long by one wide.

Nail _CC_ on to top and bottom of _AA_, taking care to put top and bottom (_CC_) _on_ and not between uprights _AA_.

At point nine inches from lower _C_, nail board _H_, with the projection facing outward. On each side on front nail strips _BB_. You will find they fit into cuts made in _H_.

Nail the three and one half feet strip close to bottom _C_ between _BB_.

From remainder of board _B_ cut piece three and one half feet long; with splitting-saw divide this into two boards, one eight inches, one four inches wide. Nail the four-inch piece directly under _C_, between the _BB_. This finishes the front for the doors.

Now for the mouldings: from one of the two-inch strips cut piece four feet, four inches long; cut ends at angle of forty-five degrees; cut two pieces one foot three inches long: have right-hand end of one and left-hand end of other cut at angles of forty-five degrees, i. e., one half of a right angle. Cut a second similar set of mouldings, nailing one set to top, the other to bottom of cabinet.

The piece three and one half feet by eight inches is a kind of door, which is hinged to the strip behind the moulding at the bottom. In my cabinet I have it for a cupboard, as I said before, but you can put in a drawer in its place if you prefer.

For the doors, cut from _H_ four pieces four feet, ten inches long by three inches wide, and four pieces one foot, nine inches long by three inches wide.

The best way of putting this together is of course to mortise it. To do this, draw lines at each end of one of the long pieces on the edge one fourth inch from each side; then draw lines _across_ the edge at points three fourths and two and one fourth inches from end.

This rectangle must now be cut out. Bore three one half inch holes one and one half inches deep: then with chisel split out the remaining wood and smooth as nicely as possible. Repeat this on all the long pieces.

To make the tenons or tongues which fit the mortises, measure one and one fourth inches from ends of short sticks, and with try-square draw line all round the stick. On sides of stick saw in one fourth inch deep; on edges saw three fourths inch deep. Then, parallel to sides, draw lines one fourth inch from sides of stick on the end, and two more lines three fourths of inch from and parallel with edges of stick. Place edge of chisel just outside of lines and chip off the little blocks, gradually shaving the tenons down to the lines.

If this is nicely done, the tenons will fit into the mortises so that the side edges and ends of the four long sticks will fit snugly on to the short ones. Put a peg through long and short pieces at the tenons to keep them from coming apart.

This can be done in another way that is also somewhat easier, by cutting from the sides at the ends of the pieces squares three inches by three inches by one half inch and screwing together.

If you have only one light of glass to each door, there will be no need of a cross-piece, so you will simply have to put the moulding round on the inside of the door frames. If you have smaller panes, you will need the crossbars.

For the four shelves you will require you must cut the two eight-foot boards into four, and make cleats to support them. These are merely narrow strips of wood nailed on inside of _HH_ (at the height desired) on which the ends of the shelves rest. The staining is done by the rule given in a former paper, and the hinges and lock are set as in the tool cabinet.

About four yards of dark cambric tacked on the back will finish a neat, simple, but serviceable cabinet like the illustration.

XIII.—A BOY’S “CATCHALL.”

THERE is no better way for a boy to spend his evenings, half-holidays, and vacations, than in making some useful and pretty articles of furniture for his own room, providing he has an aptitude for such work, and the mechanical ingenuity and natural patience to do it with neatness and accuracy. Yet a boy should not—if he takes pleasure in such work—become discouraged if his first attempts are not wholly attended by success, as no success comes without perseverance; and perseverance, if the love for the work be not wanting, will inevitably bring its own reward.

The average boy is not usually blessed with overmuch room in which to bestow his many treasures—his bats, balls and marbles, his collection of butterflies and bugs, relics of many a pleasant tramp through field and wood, and last, but far from least important, the treasured books of tale and adventure, so dear to the heart of a genuine boy; therefore the little case or cabinet of the illustration has been contrived, for his own making, as a resting-place for all these and more, and to prove the happy truth of the old adage, “A place for everything, and everything in its place.”