Chapter VI.

STAINING, DYEING, FILLING, POLISHING.

For coloring the wood wipe-stain is perhaps the easiest and quickest and is very satisfactory. You can get it at any paint store ready for use. Put it on with a brush of convenient size for the work and immediately wipe off with old rags or waste. It will not show brush marks and do not be frightened if it is much darker than you expected before it is wiped off. If the first coat does not make it dark enough, allow it to dry 12 hours and apply a second coat. After the last coat has dried 12 hours or more, and it is thoroughly hard, if on fir or similar wood, you may proceed to polish. If your material is oak or other open grain wood you will need to apply a filler, which you can also get at the paint store. This should be of the same color as the stain and put on in the same way. When it turns dull, which will be in a few minutes, wipe off all on the surface. This will leave the pores filled. Allow filler to dry at least 12 hours before polishing.

The best and easiest polish, as well as the most beautiful, is wax. To prepare this shave beeswax into a pan, add as much spirits of turpentine as will moisten it through, and powdered white resin, in proportion of one part resin to sixteen parts wax. Dissolve on stove, being careful not to let it catch fire. Stir it up and when cool it is ready for use. Roll some cloths into a ball, smooth on the outside, and use to apply the polish. Put the polish on very thin and evenly, allow it to dry a few hours, then with a clean ball of cloth (preferably woolen) rub at first gently with the grain, then harder in a circular motion and finally a few strokes with the grain. After 12 hours rub again with dry cloth, and if a higher polish is desired apply a second coat of wax as before. This polish will improve with age and occasional rubbing.

Instead of the wipe-stains you can use wood dyes which come already prepared. They sink farther into the wood and do not wear off as soon, but on the other hand are much harder to apply evenly. The filler, however, will take off some of the dye and you can sometimes even up a little any dark spots when rubbing down the filler. The dye does not take so long to dry as the wipe stain, six hours being plenty. Polish as above.

The filler in both cases will darken the color a little. Do not forget this in applying your stain or dye, and in some cases you will not require any other coloring than the filler itself. Of this you can judge by the color you desire and a little experimenting.

The hard glossy finish is not used on this kind of furniture and is very much more difficult to handle. In case you desire to use it on anything proceed as follows: Put into a glazed vessel a little gum shellac, just cover with 90 per cent alcohol. Stir till dissolved, about two hours, though not necessarily all the time. Do not use a tin vessel. Do not allow lumps to settle. When thoroughly dissolved take soft cloths and make a ball about 2 in. in diameter smooth on the bottom. Put on this half a teaspoon of the polish, then around the ball put a piece of cloth about a foot square, holding the ends in your hand. On the smooth side put a few drops of linseed oil and rub your work lightly in a circular motion all over. When it rubs harder put a few drops more oil on the ball and also on the work. Watch carefully. If the cloth sticks to the work, thin the polish on the ball with a little alcohol, first taking off the outside cloth. Replace the outer cloth with the other side out. When the work is all filled with polish and has a good gloss, change the outer cloth for a clean one. Put a few drops of alcohol on it and proceed as before till the oily look has gone. Too much alcohol will wipe off the polish in splotches. When the ball leaves little or no mark rub fast and strong with the grain a few minutes and you are done. This finish improves with age also, but requires practice to apply properly.

To describe the numberless methods of coloring and finishing woods would fill a book several times the size of this one. The above are the best, quickest and most easily learned.

PIANO OR ORGAN BENCH.

[Illustration: PIANO OR ORGAN BENCH]

Piano or Organ Bench: This seat is very easy to make and much handsomer than the ordinary piano stool. Lumber required 10 ft. 1 in. × 12 in. and 7 ft. 1 in. × 3 in.

[Illustration: (Bench Plan)]

First, get out the end pieces to dimensions given. Cut the mortises for the ends of the stretcher as shown, the top of the lower mortise (a) 6 in. above the floor and the top of the upper mortise (a) 18 in. above the floor. The tenon on the stretcher has only one shoulder, as shown at (c). Next cut a rabbet ¼ in. deep for the seat to fit in across the inside face at each end, just above the upper mortise as shown by dotted lines at (d). Then round the corners and cut the handles and arches in the bottoms with the compass saw. Next get out the seat exactly the same width as the ends and ½ in. longer than the space between the ends to allow for the ¼ in. in the rabbet at each end. The stretchers (b) are, of course, ½ in. shorter to their shoulders than the seat for the same reason, though 3½ in. longer including the tenons. To cut the holes for the pins, insert the tenon through the end and mark across it on the outside just where it comes through the mortise, then take it out and bore a hole about ½ in. in diameter on this line so that when the tenon is inserted through the mortise one-half of the hole will be outside. You can thus make your pins round and by splitting them in half have two pins. All sharp edges should be rounded off a little with the plane so they will not be so easily marred. Smooth thoroughly before putting together. The seat is held in place by two screws from underneath through the upper stretcher into the seat. These screws should be near the ends of the stretcher and well into the seat, but be very careful they do not go through the seat.

PLANT STAND.

[Illustration: PLANT STAND]

[Illustration: (Plant Stand Plan)]

Plant Stand: Lumber required 4 ft. 1 in. × 12 in. Cut the top from one end of your board. Then lay out the four legs marking the top of one next the bottom of the other to save sawing and the four will just about take up the width of your board. The two stretchers will cut out of the remaining lumber leaving you a piece about 6 in. wide to spare. Smooth up the edges of the top and take off the sharp corners with your plane. Next shape the legs cutting the rabbet ¼ in. deep for the top to fit in, then the mortises for the tenons on the stretcher. Next shape stretchers, halving them together where they cross and making the tenons about one-third as thick as the material itself, and shaped as in the drawing. Smooth thoroughly before putting together. Fasten the tenons with glue and the top either with a plug glued in as at (a), or with screws sunk and covered by a plug as at (b). This plug should be about one-half inch diameter and allowed to project about ½ in., the end being rounded as in illustration.

This stand made about 27 in. high, 23 in. in diameter, makes a pretty tea table.

MAGAZINE STAND.

[Illustration: MAGAZINE STAND]

Magazine Stand: Lumber required 20 ft. 1 in. × 12 in. Get out ends first to dimensions given. Cut mortises for the tenons on the ends of the top and bottom shelves, the top of the lower ones 5 in. above the floor and the top of the upper ones 35 in. above the floor. These shelves do not fit in a rabbet. Next cut rabbets ¼ in. deep for the other two shelves, the top of the lower one being 15 in. and the top of the upper one 25 in. above the floor. Cut holes for pins as described in directions for piano bench. The brace (a), below the lower shelf has no tenons and no rabbet but just fits snug and is set back from the edge of the shelf about an inch, as shown by dotted lines in end view. Is fastened by two screws from underneath as shown. These screws need not be plugged, as the holes will not show.

[Illustration: (Magazine Stand Plan)]

Make the tenons on the ends of the lower shelf about 2 in. wide and about 1½ in. for the upper tenon, the tenons being full thickness of the shelves.

MUSIC CABINET.

[Illustration: MUSIC CABINET]

Music Cabinet: Lumber required 12 ft. 1 in. × 12 in., 6 ft. 1 in. × 4 in., 2 ft. ½ in. × 9 in., 14 ft. ½ in. × 1 in. and 4 ft. ½ in. × 12 in.

[Illustration: (Music Cabinet Plan)]

Note that the top and bottom shelves are rabbetted ¼ in. into the sides, and held by screws from the outside covered by plugs. The door is made with panel ½ in. thick. The three middle shelves are adjustable, that is, may be set at any height by cutting notched uprights of the ½ in. × 1 in. material and screwing them to the sides of the case, as shown in side view at (a), and cross pieces to fit in these notches and support the shelves at (b). The shelves are not fastened at all but the corners cut out to fit round these uprights and rest on the cross pieces (b). The support under the lower shelf (c) is simply fitted in and fastened with screws from underneath. It will look well to set the door in about ⅛ of an inch from the front edge of the sides and top and bottom shelves. Piece (c) should also be set in ⅛ of an inch. The back should be fitted between the sides and fastened with screws covered by plugs. Any kind of catch may be used, but a square wooden knob bevelled to a point on the outside and cut to fit a round hole and fastened with glue in the door, as illustrated at (d), will appear best. If this knob is used get a friction catch and set it in the top of the door.

HALL SEAT.

[Illustration: HALL SEAT]

[Illustration: (Seat Plan)]

Hall Seat: Lumber required 12 ft. 2 in. × 12 in., 36 ft. 1 in. × 12 in. The ends are of the 2 in. × 12 in. material dowelled and glued. The box under the seat has two tenons on each end of back and front, which may either come through flush with the outside of the ends or not quite all the way through if preferred. These tenons should be about 2 in. wide, full thickness of board and are fastened with glue and wooden plugs straight in from the front and back. Note that the box front and back (a) is set in about an inch from the edge of the seat. The seat itself is hinged to a 3 in. strip (b) side view at the back, and has a piece (c) across each end about 2 in. wide same thickness as the seat and flush with it, instead of battens underneath, to keep it from splitting. The bottom of the box (d) fits inside resting on a square strip at each end which is screwed to the ends of the seat. The back is rabbetted into the sides and fastened with screws from the back as at (e). This back is made of three boards, as at (f), and fastened with screws. Note that the edges of these boards are planed to an angle of 45 degrees, then the lower edge of each is just planed off so that when put together there is a little V at the joint. This makes an easy and good looking joint, as no crack will be visible, while at the same time it does not require the care and time necessary in the ordinary joined edges. This seat will be found very convenient in the hall for rubbers, etc., if you have a galvanized pan made to fit in the bottom of the box.

HAT TREE.

[Illustration: HAT TREE]

[Illustration: (Hat Tree Plan)]

Hat Tree: Lumber required 16 ft. 1 in. × 6 in., 6 ft. 4 in. × 4 in. The 4 in. × 4 in. is, of course, for the post which should be bevelled to a point at the top as shown. The feet are made by gluing three pieces of the 1 in. × 6 in. together, as shown at (a), and then sawing to shape with compass saw. It will save work to allow the middle piece to project about 1½ in. for a tenon to fit into mortise in the post, as shown at (a). The arch in the bottom of the feet need not be cut all the way across but simply take the corner off, as at (b), which shows the inner end of a foot. This taking the corner off saves work, gives a firm footing and has all the appearance of being cut clear across.

To make the coat and hat hooks take a piece of the 1 in. × 6 in., as at (c), cut a jog about 1 in. deep in the lower inner corner for a shoulder, measure 6 in. from the inner end along the top edge to (d). Using this as a center, with your compass mark the half circle (e), which should be 3 in. in diameter; 4 in. from the inner end of the piece and 3 in. below the top edge take another point (f) and describe a circle 3 in. in diameter as before. Next bore a 1 in. hole at (d) as near the edge of the board as the bit will work and a 1 in. hole at (f). With the compass saw saw round the outer circle at (e) until you come straight under (d), then saw straight to the top side of the hole (f). From the hole (f) slightly above its lower side, so as to leave a little hook, saw straight to the outer circle and then follow this outer circle until directly under point (f), then straight into the shoulder as illustrated. Fit these four pieces into mortises in post, fasten with glue and pin as illustrated.

DINING TABLE.

[Illustration: DINING TABLE]

[Illustration: (Table Plan)]

Dining Table: Lumber required 10 ft. 3 in. × 3 in., 16 ft. 1 in. × 4 in. and 18 ft. 1 in. × 12 in. For the top join four pieces of the 1 in. × 12 in. 4½ ft. long with dowels and glue. Allow it to stand at least twelve hours, then cut circle and dress off the top with plane. The stretchers (a) are halved together where they cross in the center of the table and mortised into the legs as shown. Stretchers (b) are also halved together at center and shaped and mortised as shown. It adds to the appearance if you put a pin in the top of these stretchers where they cross as shown at (c). This pin may be either square or round. The top is fastened with screws from underneath through the stretchers (a). These screws need not, of course, be long enough to reach entirely through the stretcher, but the heads may be sunk about 2 in., as shown at (d).

CHAIR.

[Illustration: SIDE CHAIR]

Chair: Lumber required 12 ft. 1 in. × 4 in., 12 ft. 1 in. × 2 in., 4 ft. ½ in. × 2 in., 3 ft. 1½ in. × 1½ in.

[Illustration: (Chair Plan)]

First get out the back posts from a piece of 1 in. × 4 in. to dimensions given. Cut the mortises for the back slats, seat frame and spreaders at positions indicated in sketch. The upper rail in the back should be about ¾ of an inch below the top of the side posts and by following the dimensions given in drawing you will get the position of the lower rail. The three upright slats in the back should be mortised into the top and bottom rail, as indicated by dotted line, but may be mortised full thickness and so save cutting a tenon, though if you do cut a tenon it perhaps saves more time, as you do not have to be so careful in cutting your mortise, which is covered by the shoulder of the tenon. When you have got out the back posts, next make the front posts, cutting your mortises exactly the same height from the floor as those in the back posts. Then get out the side rails and put these pieces together. The tenons on the side rail should be as long as possible without going quite through the leg, as they take all the strain when the chair is tipped back. Having glued the two sides of the chair together next get out the top and bottom rail of the back and fit and glue the three slats into them. Then get out the other rails of the back and front and glue them in one side of the chair. Then put on the other side of the chair and the frame is complete. The seat is what is known as a slip seat and is made and upholstered separately, then slipped into the frame of the chair. The inner frame for this seat is shown at (a) by dotted lines. It is made of the 1 in. × 2 in. stuff firmly mortised and glued at the corners and rests on four brackets at the corners of the frame, as shown by dotted lines. It should be a full ⅛th of an inch smaller all around than the frame in order to allow it to slip into the frame after the leather seat has been tacked on. This leather seat is made by tacking strips of strong webbing or canvas about 3½ in. wide over the top of this inner frame. Interlace these strips like basket work, leaving little or no space between them and stretch tightly over the frame. With soft cotton, hair or other padding laid evenly over the whole surface, being careful to leave no hollows and making the center a little thicker than the edges, build up your seat as thick as you want it. Then stretch the leather or other covering tightly over both padding and frame and tack it firmly on the under side of the frame. To cover the webbing and ends of the leather, tack a piece of black cloth over the whole bottom, then slip the seat into the frame. Some workmen put a pin through the leg and tenon where the rails are mortised into the legs. This adds strength, but we think is hardly necessary if your tenons fit properly and are strongly glued.

MORRIS CHAIR.

[Illustration: MORRIS CHAIR]

Morris Chair: Lumber required 8 ft. 2 in. × 2 in., 14 ft. 1 in. × 6 in., 14 ft. 1 in. × 2 in., 5 ft. ½ in. × 10 in.

[Illustration: (Chair Plan Top View)]

[Illustration: (Chair Plan Side View)]

First get out the posts. Cut the mortises, as indicated, for the seat frame. Put the sides together, fastening the arm on top of the posts by a screw down through the arm into the top of each post. This screw, of course, is to be covered by a plug, or if you desire mortise the top of the post through the arm making a square tenon mitred to a point on top of the arm. Next put in the front and back rail. Screw a strip (a) side view on the inside of the side rails and slats (b-b-b) resting on these strips to hold the seat cushion. The back is made separately and hinged on to the top of the back rail of the frame. It rests against a bar which fits into notches in the arms, as shown at (c), the bar itself being shown at (d). Note that the arms project about 1 in. inside of the posts and therefore are rounded out to the post at the back, where the back of the chair comes up between them. We would suggest your having the cushions made at an upholsterer’s, as it is difficult to make good cushions yourself. In imitation leather these will cost about $10.00 and in genuine Spanish leather about $20.00.

LIBRARY TABLE.

[Illustration: LIBRARY TABLE]

Library Table: Lumber required 26 ft. 1¼ in. × 12 in., 10 ft. 1¼ in. × 8 in., 20 ft. about 1 in. or 1¼ in., square.

[Illustration: (Table Plan Side View)]

[Illustration: (Table Plan)]

First select three pieces 5 ft. long of the best of the 1¼ in. × 12 in. for the top. Join these with dowels and glue. When dry fasten four strips on the under side with glue and screws, as shown at (a) in side view and bottom view. These strips should be set back about ½ in. from the edge of the top and mitred at the corners. They strengthen the top and give it a massive appearance. Next get out the ends. The pieces (b) and (c) are exactly the same. To mark the curve place one point of your compass at the corner formed by the dotted lines at (d) and with the other point mark the curve, the points being 3¼ in. apart. The upright pieces (e-e) are mortised into the top and bottom pieces and are made as shown at (f). The shelf should be made before the table is put together, the position for the tenons being marked by placing the end of it against the mortises in the uprights after the end is put together. The ends are fastened to the top by means of a square strip which is screwed to the top and then the ends screwed to the strip, as shown at (g) side view and bottom view. The tenons in the ends of the shelf should be about 1⅛ in. wide and full thickness of the shelf, which will make them square. The pins for these tenons are shown at (h) and should be about ½ in. thick.

Special Designs

Use the following blank pages for pencil sketches and clippings.

We will furnish working plans, with full instructions for any piece of furniture you may desire at 50c. each. Just send us a rough sketch or a picture, giving your idea.

The Farm & Orchard Publishing Co.

[Illustration: (Union printing mark: Allied Printing.; Trades Council; Union Label; Spokane Wash.)]

Spokane, Washington.

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