Part 8

_The Design._--The problem of design was to plan a simple, inexpensive bookcase which could be easily transported and set up in a student's room and which would hold approximately two hundred books. The drawings show how these requirements were met in the design. When in use it is held together by keyed shelves at the top and bottom. The necessary stiffness is given to it by the base pieces which are fastened both to the sides and to the bottom shelf by screws. Additional stiffness is given by drawing up the three middle shelves to the sides by means of screws. Upon removing the screws and the keys the bookcase is easily taken apart so that it may be crated in compact form for transportation. It is equally easy to set it up again. It has no back and may therefore stand away from the wall as well as against it. Its contour is plain, with few curves, giving a simplicity which will harmonize with modest surroundings and yet not bar it from keeping company with more pretentious furnishings.

The original of this design was actually made up in white wood, stained and finished to harmonize with black walnut furniture; but it may be made up in oak, ash, cherry, or any of the common woods used for furniture. For one bookcase the stock required is as follows, the sizes allowing for finishing to the dimensions as given in the drawing: For the ends, two pieces 7/8 inch × 10-1/4 inches × 4 feet 2-1/2 inches; for the short shelves, three pieces 7/8 inch × 10-1/4 inches × 3 feet 1 inch; for the long shelves, two pieces, 7/8 inch × 10-1/4 inches × 3 feet 5 inches; for the base pieces, two pieces 7/8 inch × 6-3/4 × inches × 3 feet; for the keys, one piece 7/8 inch × 7/8 inch × 1 foot. In addition to this there should be two dozen No. 10 round-headed blued screws, and one half dozen 1-1/2 inch No. 10 flat headed blued screws.

The tools needed are as follows: Rip saw, cross cut saw, back saw, compass, jack-plane, smoothing plane, block plane, spokeshave, try square, steel square, rule, knife, hammer, mallet, screw-driver, 3/4, 1/2, and 3/16 inch bits and bitstock, and 1/2 and 3/4 inch chisels, gauges, and sand-paper.

_Construction._--All the stock should be jointed, planed to width, and smoothed with sand-paper. The two end pieces should be squared to length, the top corners rounded, and the curve at the bottom cut as shown in the drawing. Care should be exercised in sand-papering not to round the edges. The correct spacing for the shelves should then be marked off on the end pieces and squared across, care being taken to have both ends spaced alike. To do this plane the ends together, with their edges flush; and, beginning at the bottom, measure off each of the spaces with correct allowance for the thickness of the shelf and mark these spaces across the edge. Then, separate the end pieces and with the marks on the edges as a guide, square across each of the end pieces on the inside and mark with a knife. In allowing for the thickness of the shelves it should be remembered that the stock, though originally 7/8 of an inch in thickness, has been planed and sand-papered, some of the shelves perhaps having been finished down more than others. It will therefore be necessary to measure and allow for the thickness of each shelf separately.

The three middle shelves are "gained" in--_i. e._, set into grooves in the upright ends--1/4 of an inch deep, as shown in the sketch. It will be better craftsmanship if the grooves are not carried across the full width of the end pieces but stopped, say, one inch from the edge, the shelves being cut to fit, as shown in the drawing. If this be done, the grooves should be cut out carefully with a chisel. If the grooves be carried across the full width of the end, they may be cut down with a back saw and then chiselled out. To insure a good fit in either case care should be exercised not to cut outside the knife lines. Chisel the bottom of the grooves carefully so that they will be uniformly 1/4 of an inch deep.

The next step is to cut the mortises for the top and bottom shelves. The dimensions for these should first be laid off on the stock by means of a gauge. They should then be bored well inside the marks and carefully chiselled out. Before this chiselling is done, however, knife lines should be marked on the outside of the end pieces exactly opposite the gauge lines. In mortising, as in cutting the grooves, the greatest care will need to be exercised that the chisel does not cut outside the knife lines. In working for a close fit it is better to err on the side of removing too little stock at first, if one must err at all, since it is quite easy to remove a little more in the final fitting. It is quite impossible to replace stock once removed.

In measuring for the length of the shelves it should not be overlooked that the top and bottom shelves are to carry the tenons to be keyed through the end pieces. These tenons should be cut out accurately with a rip saw, and the stock between them removed with a chisel after a deep knife line has been made. After fitting these tenons to the mortises and finishing them, the mortises for the keys should be cut, using a small chisel. It should not be overlooked that the outside face of each key mortise is cut on an angle, as illustrated. The three middle shelves are then cut to length, the ends squared by means of a block plane, and corners cut out to fit the grooves.

The parts are now ready to be put together temporarily and squared up in order to fit in the base pieces more perfectly than could be done by mere measurement. It will add a pleasing detail to set back these base pieces 1/4 of an inch from the front and back faces.

After all the parts are carefully fitted they should be assembled and the key and screw fastenings inserted. When this is accomplished the bookcase is ready for finishing. As this is a distinct part of furniture making it is reserved for treatment in a later chapter.

A HANGING BOOK RACK

_The Design._--It is designed to plan a light but strong book rack, to be fastened to the wall of a chamber. Since it is intended to occupy the space that might be given to pictures it is properly as simple in construction as a picture frame, depending upon good proportions and symmetry to give a pleasing effect. The straight lines of the design, which is illustrated above, meet these requirements and also harmonize with the general form and outline of books. Both shelves may be used for books, if desired, but the design permits them to be confined to the lower shelf, reserving the upper one as a suitable place for a bit of pottery or two, or some other choice bit of bric-à-brac. The mortise and tenon joints give the essential stiffness and strength without requiring the use of heavy stock.

_Materials and Tools._--Since strength with lightness is an essential feature to realize in the working out of this design, soft woods should be avoided. Ash is probably the strongest of the light woods in common use. Oak is much stronger but heavy and hard to work. White wood is comparatively light and very strong. Gum wood is classified with ash excepting that it is closer grained. Since this book rack is to be used in a chamber in which the wood trim is in enamelled white and most of the furniture of a mahogany finish, it will be equally appropriate to make it of white wood, to be finished in enamelled white, or of bay wood as a basis for mahogany finish. It was decided to adopt the latter course.

The stock requirements for carrying out this design are as follows: 2 back posts, 1-1/4 inch × 1-1/4 inch × 24 inches; 2 front posts, 1-1/4 inch × 1-1/4 × 18 inches; 2 centre uprights, 5/8 × 1 × 18 inches; 1 back rail, 5/8 × 1-1/4 × 37 inches; 1 end rail, 1 × 1-1/4 × 44 inches; and 2 shelves, 7/8 × 7 by 37 inches.

The tools needed are much like those required in the previous problem--_i. e._, the same planes, saws, bitstock, squares, and the gauge; but there will be needed a 3/8-inch bit, 3/8-inch and 3/4-inch chisels, a knife rule, a rabbet plane, a mitre box, and a mallet.

_Construction._--The details of construction required are as follows: Dressing the stock pieces, cutting the posts to length, cutting the points on the posts, rabbeting the cross rails and cutting them to length, cutting the mortise and tenons, halving on the end rails, cutting and fitting the shelves, cutting, fitting, and fastening the back rail, arranging the clamps and other appliances for gluing up, and cleaning off the glue after hardening.

The stock pieces should be first "dressed" down to the drawing dimensions. This means that they should be planed and sand-papered preparatory to laying out the cutting dimensions. The front and back posts should be cut to length in the mitre box, care being taken to allow an extra 1/2 inch for the pointed ends at the top and bottom. These pointed ends are cut in the mitre box by raising one end of the post and sawing to lines squared around the post 1/4 inch from the other end. The angle of the cut is made uniform by resting the raised end of the post on a block lightly nailed on the inside of the mitre box, thus giving the same elevation for all the posts. The 1-inch by 1-1/4-inch piece for rails is rabbeted out, using the plane designed for that purpose, and afterward cut to length as called for. The blind mortises should be made not more than 7/8 of an inch deep, and the tenons 1/16 of an inch shorter in order not to strike the bottom of the mortise. One of these rails should be accurately laid out with knife lines and the rest marked from this as a pattern. The drawing shows the location of the tenon with reference to the part of the rail on which the shelf rests. This is the most convenient position for cutting the tenon and it also gives greater strength. The centre uprights should be halved on after the end rails are in position, being cut for this purpose as illustrated in the drawing. They may be allowed to stand out 1/8 of an inch beyond the face of the end rail, and in making the joint an equal amount of stock is to be taken from the rail and from the upright. The shelves are then easily cut to length and the ends fitted with the block plane and dropped into place, being lightly glued and nailed with brads from the under side of the rabbet. Finally the top back rail should be halved in, being left to the last in order that the more important fitting of the shelves may be more easily accomplished.

In gluing up the mortise and tenon joints care must be exercised to set clamps out ready for use before the glue is applied so that the parts may be promptly drawn up in position. After gluing they should be allowed to remain about ten hours in order that the glue may properly harden before the clamps are taken off. All the extra glue squeezed out of the joints in clamping must be scraped off with a chisel, after the glue has hardened a little; and any remaining spots of glue must be carefully removed with fine sand-paper so as not to leave anything to interfere with the filling and finishing.

AN UMBRELLA STAND

_The Design._--So far as the question of use is concerned, no problem of design could be more definite than this one, since an umbrella rack can have but one use. The only elements of beauty possible are found in simplicity, proportion, and the general effectiveness of the construction for meeting the demands of use. The drawing shows four square, straight posts, squared at the ends, which are allowed to project a little above the top to avoid a box-like effect. All the joints are mortised except the division bars at the top. The cross pieces at the base are made wider not only to conceal the drip pan but to give a more stable appearance to the whole rack.

_Materials and Tools._--Oak is selected as perhaps the most appropriate wood; but other woods, if the surroundings require it, may be used to good advantage. Oak is one of the strongest and most durable of the woods used for furniture and takes well a great variety of finish. It is also quite easily obtained.

The stock requirements are as follows: Four corner posts 1-1/4 × 1-1/4 × 27-1/2 inches; four top rails 1/2 × 1-1/4 × 9 inches; four base rails 7/8 × 3 × 9 inches; two division bars 1/4 × 1-1/4 × 9-1/4 inches; four cleats 1/2 × 1/2 × 9 inches; and one board 1/2 × 7-1/2 × 7-1/2 inches to support the pan.

The same tools in general will be required as in the previous exercises, but it will be necessary to add a 1/4-inch bit, a 1/4 inch chisel, a steel scraper, and two short clamps.

_Construction._--All the stock should be planed to size, scraped, and sand-papered with the exception of the base board for the pan, since that is hidden from view. The scraper corrects all slight unevenness of surface and removes scratches and other blemishes. Care should be taken in sand-papering to rub always with the grain of the wood and to avoid rounding the corners. The corner posts should first be cut to proper length and the tops and bottoms slightly chamfered. Mortises are then to be located, bored, and chiselled up. The top and bottom rails should be laid off and the tenons gauged and cut, care being taken not to have them too long. The inside edges of the tenons have to be pared off slightly, as illustrated in the drawing, to allow room for each when they come together.

The next step is to assemble the parts, clamp them up, and test them for accuracy. While these parts are in the clamps, measurements should be taken for the cross pieces, which may then be made, allowing extra length of 1/4 of an inch in each end for the tenons to enter the top rails. These cross pieces are to be halved together at the centre, as shown in the drawing. The base rails are designed to be thick enough to take up all the space on the inside of the posts so as to hide the corner, as illustrated in the sketch showing the bottom construction.

The next step is to assemble the parts for gluing. It is not necessary to explain this process in detail, since it has already been thoroughly explained in the general section on gluing. It is not necessary to glue on the cleats on which the pan rests; they may be nailed in. When the base is glued together measurements may be taken for the pan.

A MAGAZINE STAND

_The Design._--This problem calls for an attractive article of furniture which should also be useful as a receptacle for magazines and current newspapers. An enclosed portion between two of the shelves is desired to conceal from view and preserve for a time the more valuable papers, parts of magazines, or clippings, as may be found convenient. The perspective sketch on this same page shows how these simple requirements are met. The overhanging top adds character and strength to what might otherwise seem too light for the load it is intended to carry.

_Materials and Tools._--Oak is selected as a suitable wood because of its strength and durability; for this stand is likely to be in almost constant use. A light wood, delicately finished, would soon show wear.

The stock list, according to the drawing, may be itemized as follows: 4 corner posts 1-3/4 × 1-3/4 × 36 inches; 4 upright slats 5/8 × 1 × 34 inches; four shelves 7/8 × 10-1/2 × 17 inches; one piece for the top 7/8 × 14 × 21 inches; 2 top rails 1 × 1-3/4 × 12 inches; 1 piece for the door 7/8 × 8 × 15-1/2 inches for the ends and the back of the closet 1 piece 5/8 × 8 × 36 inches; 1 pair 1-1/4-inch brass butts with screws for the hinges, and one brass knob or catch.

The tools needed are a jointer, a block plane, a smoothing plane, steel square, try square, knife gauge, fine cross cut saw, 1/2-inch bit and bit stock, key-hole saw, 1/2-inch chisel, mallet, nail set, hammer, screw-driver, and steel scraper.

The principal operations are as follows: Planing to size; scraping and sand-papering stock; squaring ends and smoothing them to the required length; laying out gains at corner posts; making mortises for top rails; making the rails; assembling the main parts; fitting ends and sides of the closets; hanging the door and putting on the fixtures.

_The Construction._--Smoothing with the plane and scraping are very important and they should be completed before any sand-papering is done because particles of sand (silica), adhering to the wood, will dull the steel tools. All three operations are needed to remove the marks of the machine tools of the factory, in order to give a good finish in the end. The scraper follows the plane, removing the unevenness which the latter leaves on board surfaces. Sand-papering gives the finishing touches.

After the stock is well smoothed, the top and the shelves should be squared off, cut to length, and block planed. The posts should then be cut and accurately trimmed to dimensions. They may be marked with a knife line for the gains into which the corners of the shelves are to be fastened. Since the posts are perfectly square, no attention will have to be given to their exact location in marking or cutting the gains; but when the mortising for the rails is laid out, care must be exercised to mark them so that the mortises will come on the proper faces for assembling. In mortising for the top rail it is well not to work up to the end of the post but to cut back, say 3/4 of an inch, as shown in one of the details. The rails may now be laid off and the tenons cut and fitted. It is exactly 8-1/2 inches between the shoulders of the rails. Since the shelves are 10-1/2 inches wide, one inch is thus left on each side to be gained into the posts.

The parts are now ready for the first assembling. To do this it is convenient to have a clear bench top on which the posts may be laid on one side, face down. The rails and shelves may then be slipped into place, the other two posts placed on top, and the whole clamped firmly together. This is the preliminary assembling for the purpose of testing the accuracy of the work. If it be found all right, it should be taken apart again, and, after glue has been applied to the tenons and to the ends of the shelves, the parts should be quickly re-assembled and clamped up as before, with the angles kept true. Before the glue hardens the shelves should be nailed into the posts, as indicated in the drawing. In this case it is the nail that is the main stay. The glue is accessory, adding much to the stiffness of the construction.

The top may now be set on and fastened by screws or by brads driven through into the posts and well set so that they may be concealed by putty, coloured to match the stain used. The end slats should be fastened on in the same way. The back and ends of the closet are next cut to size and bradded in. The door is then fitted and, to break the surface a little, an ornamental design is cut in the centre. Still further relief is given by setting in the door 1/4 of an inch from the edge of the shelf and ends of the closet. The door is now hung on brass hinges, the stop and catch added, and the stand is ready for staining and finishing.

A LIGHT LIBRARY TABLE

_The Design._--This is to be a table designed on simple lines and of good proportions. It is to have no drawer but as much shelf room as conveniently possible. The under shelf is designed to be cut out to allow a chair to be drawn up on either side. The end shelves may be regarded as designed to combine a bookcase with the table, thus adding much to its usefulness.

_Materials and Tools._--For a table of this kind oak is very appropriate. The following list gives the stock required for one table. The widths and the thickness are as called for in the drawing, but the lengths are given a little long to allow for cutting. A board not less than 9 inches wide and 10 feet long will be needed as stock for the top, the dimensions of which are 7/8 × 26 × 39 inches. A 10-inch board, 4-1/2 feet in length, will also be required for the shelves. There will also be needed four legs 1-3/4 × 1-3/4 × 30 inches; eight slats 1/2 × 1-1/2 × 18 inches; two back pieces 1/2 × 2 × 20-1/2 inches; two rails 7/8 × 3 × 32 inches; and two rails 7/8 × 3 × 20 inches.

The same tools will be required as in the foregoing problems excepting that a 1/2-inch bit and a 1/2-inch chisel will be required for mortising, and two 3-foot clamps.

_Construction._--The first step in the construction is to dress the stock, smoothing, scraping, and sand-papering it, and working the various parts to size. The lengths, however, of all parts excepting the legs are not cut accurately until, in the process of construction, these parts are needed. The legs are at once cut to length and the mortises laid out, bored, and cut. A gain should also be cut in each leg, into which the bottom shelf is to be fitted, glued, and bradded from the under side. The end and side rails may then be laid off for shoulders and tenons, and cut. In this case the tenons should be made 1/2 of an inch wide.

In gluing up, the top should receive attention first, in order to allow the longest possible time for testing the work under the inevitable changes due to continued seasoning. Great care must always be exercised in making the glued joints. It is often necessary to make them over on account of the development of cracks. Proper care, however, will prevent this. The general directions for gluing, given at the beginning of this chapter, will be of service.

As soon as the top has been glued the four short side pieces may be glued to the shelf, taking pains to make good joints before applying the glue. It should be noted that the inside ends of these short pieces are to be 15 inches apart, and it is important that the ends on opposite sides should be exactly squared across, as indicated in the drawings. This may be accomplished by first locating the centre of the shelf, at the intersection of lines, marked c in the drawing, and measuring 7-1/2 inches each way to the line of the back pieces, which are to run across the whole bottom shelf. As soon as the glue is hardened the ends should be squared and made true to set into the gains when the table is assembled. Finally, the legs, the rails, and the shelf may be assembled, glued, squared up, clamped, and set aside to harden before the clamps are removed.

It is a good plan to brad the shelf in from the under side before the glue hardens. After standing a few hours the table will be ready for the 1/2-inch strip which forms the back of the shelf. This is to be fitted and bradded in. Then the slats may be cut to length. They project slightly below the shelf, and are fastened in position by screws. The top may be cut to length and its ends smoothed, after which it may be fastened on the frame by means of screws and buttons, as already described in the early part of this chapter.

A HEAVY LIBRARY TABLE

_The Design._--This table, as the illustration shows, is designed to be of simple style, without a drawer or side shelves, and with the bottom shelf keyed into the base rail. Heavy, square legs, and mortise and tenon joints are called for.