Part 5

2 top pieces, 7/8 by 12 by 12 in., S-2-S. 2 base pieces, 7/8 by 14 by 14 in., S-2-S. 2 sides, 7/8 by 8 by 35-5/8 in., S-2-S. 1 back, 7/8 by 6-1/4 by 35-5/8 in., S-2-S. 1 door, 7/8 by 6-1/4 by 34-3/4 in., S-2-S. 4 blocks, 7/8 by 4 by 4 in., S-2-S. 4 shelves, 7/8 by 6-1/4 by 6-1/4 in., S-2-S. 4 pieces, 7/8 by 1 by 10 in., S-4-S.

Make the top and base of two pieces, glued and screwed together with the grain crossed. This method prevents warping. To keep the end grain from showing, a strip of 3/8-in. lumber may be put on all around as shown in the drawing.

Have the sides, front and back squared up perfectly. The sides are to overlap the back and to be fastened to it with round-head brass or blue screws. To the center of the top and base attach one of the 6-1/4-in. square pieces. Over these, fit the sides and back and fasten them with screws or nails. The four corner blocks are now put under the base.

Two or more shelves may be set in as shown. Brass or copper hinges will look well if a dark stain is to be used.

Around the sides and back a 1-in. strip should be fastened to the base to give added strength.

If a dull finish is desired, apply two coats of stain and two of prepared wax. If a polished surface is wanted, first fill the pores of the wood with any standard filler, which can be purchased at a paint store. After this has dried partly, rub off any surplus filler, rubbing across the grain of the wood. When perfectly dry apply one coat of shellac and as many coats of varnish as desired, rubbing down each coat, except the last, with No. 00 sandpaper and pumice stone.

[Illustration: Detail of Cellarette Pedestal]

A DRESSER

The dresser shown in the illustration was made of quarter-sawed white oak and finished golden and waxed. The mirror is of beveled glass and the following is the stock bill:

1 top, 3/4 by 19-1/2 by 33 in., S-2-S. 4 posts, 1-3/4 by 1-3/4 by 28 in., S-4-S. 4 end rails, 3/4 by 2-1/4 by 17 in., S-2-S. 4 stiles, 3/4 by 2-1/2 by 20 in., S-2-S. 2 panels, 3/16 by 12 by 18 in., S-2-S. 3 facings, 3/4 by 2-1/4 by 29 in., S-2-S. 2 top frame pieces, 3/4 by 2 by 32 in., S-2-S. 2 top frame pieces, 3/4 by 2 by 19 in., S-2-S. 2 mirror supports, 1 by 2 by 33 in., S-2-S. 1 mirror support, 3/4 by 2-1/2 by 33 in., S-2-S. 1 drawer front, 3/4 by 7-1/4 by 28 in., S-2-S. 1 drawer front, 3/4 by 6-1/4 by 28 in., S-2-S. 2 drawer fronts, 3/4 by 5-1/4 by 14 in., S-2-S. 1 partition, 3/4 by 1 by 6 in. 2 mirror-frame pieces, 3/4 by 2 by 40 in., S-2-S. 2 mirror-frame pieces, 3/4 by 2 by 20 in., S-2-S.

The following material list may be of common stock and not quarter-sawed:

Mirror-backing pieces equivalent to 1/4 by 18-1/2 by 36 in., S-2-S. 2 cleats, 3/4 by 2 by 10 in., S-4-S. 4 drawer-support frame pieces, 3/4 by 2 by 29 in. 7 drawer-support frame pieces, 3/4 by 2 by 15 in. Slides taken from scrap stock, 3/4 by 1 by 15 in. 3 back pieces, 3/4 by 2-1/4 by 28 in., S-2-S. 2 back pieces, 1/4 by 8 by 28 in., S-2-S. 8 drawer sides, 1/2 by 7-1/4 by 17 in., S-2-S. 2 drawer backs, 3/8 by 7 by 27 in., S-2-S. 2 drawer backs, 3/8 by 7 by 13 in., S-2-S. 2 drawer bottoms, 3/8 by 15 by 27 in., S-2-S. 2 drawer bottoms, 3/8 by 15 by 13 in., S-2-S.

In working up the various parts proceed in the usual manner. If not thoroughly familiar with the various tool processes involved, it will be necessary to investigate pieces of near-by furniture and to read up some good text dealing with the processes involved.

[Illustration: Dresser in Quarter-Sawed Oak]

The exact size of the mirror is 18 by 36 in. and the frame should be rabbeted to correspond.

[Illustration: Detail of the Dresser]

For a finish, a coat of paste filler colored so as to give a rich golden brown should be applied first. Allow this to harden, after rubbing and polishing it in the usual manner, then apply a thin coat of shellac. Sand this lightly when hard, and over this apply a coat of orange shellac. Over the shellac put several coats of some good rubbing wax and polish each coat well. If a striking contrast is wanted for the medullary rays of the quartering, apply a golden-oak stain first. Sand this lightly, then apply a second coat diluted one-half with solvent and sand again lightly. Apply a thin coat of shellac, then, when dry, sand lightly and apply paste, and proceed as before.

A MISSION SIDEBOARD

Oak is the most suitable material for making this sideboard and it should be first-class stock, planed and cut to the dimensions given in the following list:

1 top, 7/8 by 22 by 48 in., S-2-S. 1 top shelf, 7/8 by 12 by 48 in., S-2-S. 1 bottom, 7/8 by 22 by 48 in., S-2-S. 2 back posts, 2 by 2 by 57 in., S-4-S. 2 front posts, 2 by 2 by 36 in., S-4-S. 2 standards, 2 by 2 by 20 in., S-4-S. 2 mirror rails, 7/8 by 2 by 47 in., S-2-S. 2 mirror rails, 7/8 by 2 by 20 in., S-2-S. 3 front and back rails, 7/8 by 3 by 46 in., S-2-S. 4 end rails, 7/8 by 3 by 20 in., S-2-S. 4 standard rails, 7/8 by 2 by 10 in., S-2-S. 2 vertical pieces, 7/8 by 19-1/2 by 22 in., S-2-S. 1 horizontal piece, 7/8 by 22 by 14-1/4 in., S-2-S. 1 drawer front, 7/8 by 6 by 14-1/4 in., S-2-S. 1 piece, 7/8 by 3 by 3 in. 4 vertical door pieces, 7/8 by 2 by 17 in., S-2-S. 4 horizontal door pieces, 7/8 by 2 by 15 in., S-2-S. 2 drawer sides, 7/8 by 5 by 14 in., S-2-S. 1 drawer bottom, 1/4 by 14 by 14-1/4 in., S-2-S. 1 back panel, 1/4 by 16-1/2 by 44-1/2 in., S-2-S. 2 door panels, 1/4 by 10-1/2 by 15-1/2 in., S-2-S. 2 side panels, 1/4 by 18-1/2 by 16-1/2 in., S-2-S.

[Illustration: Detail of the Mission Sideboard]

Begin work by cutting the posts to the length indicated in the detail drawing. The top ends are tapered with a 1/2-in. slant. These posts are cut in pairs and it is best to stand them up in the same position they will be in the finished sideboard, and mark the sides to be mortised with a pencil. Also cut the grooves into which the panels are to fit. These are to be 1/4 in. wide and a little over 1/4 in. deep.

[Illustration: Mission Sideboard in Quarter-Sawed Oak]

The rails are cut with tenon ends to match the mortises, and also have grooves to receive the panels.

The bottom part of the back is closed with a panel and two rails, one at the same height from the floor as the front bottom rail, and the top one even with the under side of the top. The large panel is for the opening thus formed.

These parts are now put together, using plenty of good hot glue, and spreading it well on the mortises and tenon ends.

When drawing the frame together with the clamps, care must be taken to get it square.

After the glue is hard enough to remove the clamps, the top and bottom are put in place. The corners of the top are notched out to fit around the posts, while the bottom is cut to fit on the inside of the rails and is held in place by putting screws in at an angle through the bottom into the rails. The top is also fastened in this way, except that the screws are run through the rails into the top.

The two vertical pieces are now put in place. Drive nails through the bottom and into these pieces. On the top end use screws driven at an angle. Glue may be used if desired.

The doors are made to match these openings. The corners are mitered and the backs rabbeted to receive the panels. These panels may be made in art glass if so desired.

The horizontal piece for the drawer to rest upon is now put in place and fastened by driving nails through the vertical pieces. The drawer is made to fit this opening, and it should be lined with velvet to keep the silverware in good condition.

The standards and shelves are put on as shown in the drawing. The mirror is put in a frame, which is made to fit the back opening and has the corners mitered and the back rabbeted to receive the mirror.

Thoroughly scrape and sandpaper all parts that are visible. The sideboard is now ready to be finished as desired.

A HALL OR WINDOW SEAT

[Illustration: Seat Made of Quarter-Sawed Oak]

A simple design for a hall or window seat is shown in the accompanying sketch and detail drawing. Anyone who has a few sharp tools, and is at all handy with them, can make this useful and attractive piece of furniture in a few spare hours. Quarter-sawed oak is the best wood to use in its construction, as it looks best when finished and is easy to procure. If the stock is ordered from the mill ready cut to length, squared and sanded, much of the labor will be saved. The following is a list of the material needed:

4 corner posts, 1-1/2 by 1-1/2 by 28 in., S-4-S. 2 side rails, 3/4 by 2-1/2 by 36-1/2 in., S-4-S. 2 end rails, 3/4 by 4 by 14-1/2 in., S-4-S. 2 side braces, 1 by 1 by 36-1/2 in., S-4-S. 2 end braces, 1 by 1 by 14-1/2 in. S-4-S. 1 seat, 1 by 16 by 35-3/4 in., S-4-S. 2 top end braces, 3/4 by 2 by 14-1/2 in., S-4-S. 6 slats, 3/4 by 2 by 6-1/2 in., S-4-S.

Square up the four posts and lay out the mortises according to the drawing. To do this, lay them on a flat surface with the ends square and mark them with a try-square. The tenons on the end and side rails are laid out in the same manner as the posts. The end rails should be marked and mortises cut for the upright slats as shown in the detail drawing. Fit the end and side braces with mortise and tenon joints.

The two end frames can now be glued and clamped together and set away to dry. Put all the parts together before gluing to see that they fit square and tight.

The seat should be made of one piece if possible, otherwise two or more boards will have to be glued together. The corners should be cut out to fit around the posts. It rests on the side rails and cleats fastened to the inner side of the end rails.

When the window seat is complete go over it carefully and scrape all the surplus glue from about the joints, as the finish will not take where there is any glue. Remove all rough spots with fine sandpaper, then apply the stain best liked, which may be any one of the many mission stains supplied by the trade for this purpose. If this window seat is well made and finished, it will be an ornament to any home.

[Illustration: Detail of the Hall or Window Seat]

A MISSION PLANT STAND

For the mission plant stand shown in the illustration secure the following list of quarter-sawed white-oak stock, cut and finished to size:

1 top, 3/4 by 15-1/2 by 15-1/2 in., S-2-S. 4 posts, 1-1/4 by 1-1/4 by 20 in., S-4-S. 4 rails, 3/4 by 3 by 11 in., S-2-S. 2 rails, 3/4 by 2 by 11 in., S-2-S. 1 shelf, 3/4 by 6 by 10 in., S-2-S. 4 slats, 1/4 by 2 by 12-1/4 in., S-2-S. 2 slats, 1/4 by 2 by 12-3/4 in., S-2-S.

Test all surfaces of the posts with a try-square to see that they are square with each other. Lay out the tenons on the ends of the rails as shown in the sketch and cut with a tenon saw and chisel. Arrange the posts and rails as they are to stand and number each tenon and mortise. Lay out the mortises in the legs, taking the measurements directly from the tenon which is to fit that mortise. Cut the mortises, first having bored to the depth with a 1/4-in. bit.

[Illustration: Detail of the Plant Stand]

The slats should now be made and mortised into the top rail 1/4 in. They come outside of the lower rail and are held to it with two small brads, fancy-headed tacks, or round-head screws.

In laying out the mortises for the lower rails, care must be taken to have them set 1/8 in. farther in than the upper rails so the slats may come outside.

Set up the stand without glue or screws to see that all pieces fit accurately. Then glue up the sides with the slats first. After these have set for 24 hours, fit in the other two rails and the shelf. Three flat-head screws should be used to hold the shelf in place. These must be placed so the slats will cover them when they are attached.

[Illustration: Complete Plant Stand]

When this work is completed it is ready for the top. A good method of attaching the top is shown in the sketch. The screws used for fastening should be 2-in. No. 10. Bore into the rail 1-1/2 in. with a bit 1/16 in. larger than the head of the screw. Then bore through the rest of the way with a bit a little larger than the shank of the screw. Thus a little space is left for expansion and shrinkage of the top.

Scrape and sandpaper thoroughly to remove all marks or glue spots. Finish with two coats of weathered-oak stain, followed by two coats of black wax.

A BEDSIDE MEDICINE STAND

The accompanying sketch and detail drawing show a design of a bedside stand. This is a very desirable piece of furniture and is simple and easy to make. Quarter-sawed oak is the best wood to use in its construction. The material should be ordered from the mill ready cut to length, squared and sanded. The following list of material will be required:

4 posts, 1-3/4 by 1-3/4 by 33 in., S-4-S. 1 top board, 1 by 19 by 19 in., S-4-S. 3 intermediate boards, 3/4 by 15-1/2 by 17 in., S-4-S. 2 side boards, 3/4 by 5 by 15-1/2 in., S-4-S. 1 back board, 3/4 by 4-1/4 by 14-1/2 in., S-4-S. 4 side rails, 3/4 by 2 by 16 in., S-4-S. 1 door, 3/4 by 9 by 14-1/2 in., S-4-S. 1 back board, 3/4 by 10-1/4 by 14-1/2 in., S-4-S. 2 panels, 3/8 by 9-1/2 by 15 in., S-4-S. 6 slats, 1/4 by 1 by 8-3/4 in., S-4-S. 1 drawer front, 3/4 by 4-1/4 by 14-1/2 in., S-4-S. 2 sides for drawer, 1/2 by 4-1/4 by 16 in., S-4-S. 1 back for drawer, 1/2 by 4-1/4 by 13-1/2 in., soft wood. 1 bottom for drawer, 1/2 by 13-1/2 by 15 in., soft wood.

[Illustration: Medicine Stand in Quarter-Sawed Oak]

Start work on the four posts by rounding the top corners and shaping the feet as shown. The four posts are identical and the mortises should be laid out on all four at once so as to get them all alike. These should be carefully cut with a sharp chisel. On the inner surface of each leg cut a groove to hold the side boards of the lower compartment. Next prepare the two wide and the four narrow crosspieces, tenoning them to fit the mortises already cut in the legs. The lower crosspieces should also have grooves cut in them to hold the side boards of the compartment. The two complete sides can now be glued and clamped together and set away to dry. While they are drying the remaining parts of the stand can be made. The three horizontal boards are now made by notching out the corners to fit around the legs. They are supported by fastening small cleats to the inner surface of each crosspiece.

[Illustration: Detail of the Medicine Stand]

The two ends can now be set up and connected. Notch out the corners of the top board and fit it in place. The top is fastened down by means of screws set in at an angle from below. The back boards can be of soft wood and are fastened in place in the usual manner. The door should be of one piece if possible and should have suitable hinges and a catch.

Make and fit the drawer in place, and the stand is ready for the finish. First scrape all the surplus glue from about the points so the stain will not be kept from the wood. Finish smooth with fine sandpaper, then apply stain of the color desired.

A MISSION HALL CHAIR

This hall chair is designed to take up as little room as possible. For its construction the following stock will be needed:

1 back, 7/8 by 14 by 44 in., S-2-S. 2 sides, 7/8 by 14 by 17 in., S-2-S. 1 seat, 7/8 by 14 by 14 in., S-2-S. 1 stretcher, 7/8 by 6 by 16 in., S-2-S. 1 brace, 7/8 by 5 by 11 in., S-2-S. 1 piece, 7/8 by 7/8 by 44 in., for cleats.

These dimensions are for finished pieces, therefore 1/4 in. should be allowed for planing if the stock cannot be secured finished.

Lay out and cut the design on the back, sides, and brace. To cut the openings, first bore a hole near one corner to get the blade of a coping saw through and proceed to saw to the lines. Smooth the edges after sawing by taking a thin shaving with a sharp chisel. A file will not leave a good surface.

Mark the tenons on the ends of the stretcher and cut them with a backsaw and make smooth with a chisel. From the tenons mark the mortises in the sides through which they are to pass.

[Illustration: Detail of the Hall Chair]

[Illustration: Complete Hall Chair in Plain Oak]

To cut these mortises, first bore a row of holes with a 5/8 in. bit, boring halfway from each side so as not to split off any pieces. Now make of scrap material the two keys and from them mark the small mortises in the tenons.

Before putting the chair together, the cleats for holding the seat should be fastened to the sides, back and brace. Use flat-head screws for this purpose. Then put the sides and stretcher together, and fasten the back to the sides with flat-head screws.

The brace should be put in next, using three round-head screws in each end. There only remains the top, which is held by screws through the cleats from the under side.

Stain with two coats of weathered or mission-oak stain, and then apply a thin coat of "under-lac" or shellac and two coats of wax.

[Illustration]

* * * * *

Transcriber's Notes:

Table of Contents was moved to the front of the doument Bold text in the original manuscript is indicated with "$...$" Folio 84: "Chipppendale" changed to "Chippendale". Folio 90: "2 drawer ends 7/8 x ? x 7-1/2" was changed to an assumed 5-1/2 from context of the illustration. A table of contents was added to the front of the text. A list of illustrations was added to the front of the text.