Chapter VI: Preface (6)

After this stool was finished, the boys looked it over critically, and decided that it could be improved on, that it was too high and not heavy enough.

Footstool number two is shown in Fig. 174. In this design, the shelf is dispensed with, and two stretchers or side pieces substituted; stock 7/8 and 3/4 inch thick took the place of 1/2 inch. The two ends were glued together with paper between, cut out as one piece, afterward separated, and the paper and glue planed off. The curved outline was drawn on paper, traced on the wood, sawed out with turning saw, and finished to line as in previous work.

The joint for fastening the side piece to the legs is shown in the drawing. It makes a strong and rigid combination, calling for a good fit. In putting on the top piece, angle irons can be used, but the boys tried a new method. After gluing the joint, they bored holes and countersunk them through the sides, forcing flat-head screws 2-1/4 inches long up into the top.

Being below the level of the eye, these were invisible, and they saved the time and labour of making angle irons. Two screws on each side are enough to make a solid piece of work. The material was quartered oak with antique finish. To produce this effect, lampblack dissolved in turpentine was added to the filler, and after drying was polished to a dead flat finish. (See polishing chapter.)

Design number three is shown in Fig. 175. The legs run the long way of the stool; joints the same as number two; top fastened by screws through cross piece. The height, being much less than in the first designs, gives it a very massive and substantial appearance. All eight edges of the top have been slightly rounded with plane and sand-paper. This stool is non-upsetable in the direction of its length. Stand on the extreme end of the top and lean backward; the stool will not tilt up in the slightest degree. Harry tried this several times, but it remained on the floor with all four feet. This does not apply to the width, so the boys designed number four (Fig. 176), which would not upset from the side, where the feet are usually placed. It is even lower than number three, and as the other dimensions are practically the same, it appears even more massive.

The construction is similar to number three, but the legs are again at the ends, and the whole being made of oak, or ash, it is practically indestructible.

A very beautiful golden-brown finish may be given these stools by first coating them with bichromate of potash.

This chemical comes in crystals, which readily dissolve in water. Put it on with a one-inch varnish brush and, when dry, sand-paper down flat with No. 0 sand-paper. Two or three coats of shellac, each allowed to harden and dry thoroughly before being rubbed down with sand-paper, will give a satisfactory polish. Finish by a rub down with raw linseed oil, and wipe dry.

XXXIV

THE TABOURETTE

This is a favourite problem in woodwork for boys, because the tabourette can be put to many uses. It may hold books or magazines, serve as a pedestal for a jardinière, for vases of flowers, for smokers' sets, etc. Its forms are many, and the methods of finishing and decorating infinite.

The five styles shown in Figs. 177 and 178 are perhaps the most common ones, and they are arranged according to the difficulty of construction.

No. 1. Has a circular top supported by square legs, bound to a lower shelf.

No 2. Has an octagonal top supported by flat legs, which are held together by two strips halved together at the centre, and mortised through the legs. It is stronger than No. 1.

No 3. Is the familiar hexagonal form, with only three legs, made rigid by fastening to an hexagonal shelf.

No. 4. Is the standard square form in mission style, mortised together.

No 5. One of the simplest in appearance, is the most difficult to construct, because of the six long joints mitred at 120 degrees, the well-known Moorish style.

As it is easily possible for any boy to make any of these tabourettes with ordinary tools and ordinary patience, they will be taken up in detail.

TABOURETTE NUMBER ONE

_Stock._--Four pieces for the legs, 1-1/2 inches square.

The height varies, usually being between fourteen and eighteen inches. It is purely a matter of proportion. Sixteen has been adopted in the drawing as a good average. The top, a circle thirteen inches in diameter, is cut from a piece thirteen inches square and 7/8 inch thick. The shelf may be an exact duplicate of the top, but it appears much better, as shown in the drawing, as a square with corners cut off to fit against the legs. The method of getting this form is shown by dotted lines on the circular top.

The method of construction is very simple. The top piece being laid out, is cut close to the line with turning saw, and finished to line with chisel and spokeshave. The square openings for legs are sawed out and the wood removed with a chisel.

All chisel work should be done on a bench hook or on a piece of scrap board, as a cutting block.

In preparing to assemble, lay the four legs side by side on the bench top or fasten in the vise. Make sure they are equal in length. Four and a half inches from one end draw a pencil line with try square across all four. Half an inch from the other end draw a similar line; this end is to be the top. These pencil lines are for locating the holes for the screws, so that they will all be on the same level. Bore a hole on each line with a bit or drill, large enough so that the body of a round-head blue screw either 2-1/4 or 2-1/2 inches long will just slide through.

Before assembling, bevel or round the top of each leg about 1/8 inch. Fasten the four legs to the top with the screws, slip the shelf into position, and make fast in the same manner. Stand the tabourette on a level surface, and if it needs levelling, proceed as explained in the making of saw horse.

TABOURETTE NUMBER TWO

Tabourette number two may be modified by designing legs with slight curves. Before cutting these, lay out the four mortises just as the centres for screw holes were located in previous model so that all four will be equally distant from the floor. Cut out mortises by boring several holes within the space to be cut and finish to line with chisel. These mortises should be laid out on both sides of the leg by squaring lines around the four sides.

The top needs no description, as it is just a plain octagon. The principal work in this model is on the cross pieces. They should be laid out carefully, side by side, to make sure that the distance across from shoulder to shoulder is exactly alike on both. The tenon may have two shoulders, as shown at _b_, or only one, as at _a_, but in either case the mortises cut in the legs must exactly fit the tenon. The halved joint in the centre must also be carefully fitted.

When all the parts are ready to assemble, drill two holes near the top of each leg for the round-head screws. Insert all the tenons into their mortises and fasten the legs to the top. A little glue may be used in the mortise and tenon joints and one brad should then be driven from the side or edge of each leg through the tenon. Sink the brad below the surface with nail set.

TABOURETTE NUMBER THREE

See chapter on mechanical drawing for laying out hexagon. This form will appear crude unless the legs are modified, and two or three suggestions for this are shown.

The construction consists in fastening to the under side of the top piece a hexagon of 7/8-inch pine eight inches in diameter, making sides four inches long. Every alternate side of this under piece should be made with a sloping edge to conform to the slant of the legs, of which there are only three. Drill or bore four holes in each leg, two 7/16 inch from the upper edge, and two to hold the hexagonal shelf. The top edge of the legs should be bevelled with a block plane to fit snugly against the under side of the top. Three sides of the shelf--every alternate one--should be bevelled in the same way to fit against the inside of the legs.

When ready to assemble, fasten pine hexagon to the under side of the top with six 1-1/4-inch screws.

Attach the legs to the three sloping edges of this under hexagon lightly with round-head screws. Leave the screw heads projecting about 1/4 inch until the shelf has been fastened in position, then drive them home with the screw-driver. This is one of the simplest of tabourettes to make, but it is open to criticism. The sloping legs give it a wide base so that it is less easily upset than the other forms; but the pressure from above tends to spread them and pull the structure apart. This tendency must be counteracted by a tie piece, which in this case is only a shelf held by screws, some of which are in end grain.

Of course any form may be criticised. The most beautiful of all, the Turkish or Moorish, on account of its overhanging top and small base, is the most easily upset, and in designing new forms all these points must be considered.

TABOURETTE NUMBER FOUR

This is an ideal example of the mission type taken from Mr. Fred D. Cranshaw's book, "Problems in Furniture Making." It calls for forty mortise and tenon joints, and as it is usually made in oak, it requires considerable time for laying out as well as for cutting.

Twenty-four of these joints can be dispensed with by panelling the sides in place of the lattice work. By hinging the top and putting in a bottom, the tabourette becomes a ladies' work box, a shoe box, etc.

In a project of this kind it is absolutely necessary to work systematically. Letter or number each part. Mark the legs _a_ _b_ _c_ _d_, and proceed to work in pairs. After squaring up all the pieces, take side _a b_. Lay out the four joints on _a_ and _b_ which are to face each other, finish these ready for assembling, lay aside _a_, and lay out _b c_, etc. When you have finished all four sides around to the starting point, stand the four legs up in the position they are to occupy and check up the work to see if any mistake has been made. Treat the cross bars in the same way, marking the tenons _a1_, _a2_, _b1_, _b2_, etc. When you have gotten around the second time, assemble the whole thing and look again for errors.

Take apart and lay out mortises in cross pieces by pairs. Fasten 1 and 2 together in the vise with the edges which are to face each other up as shown in Fig. 177.

Square the lines across both pieces, remove from vise and gauge the horizontal edges of mortises with marking gauge.

To avoid confusion and for change of work, cut out these mortises before laying out the next set, and so for the third time work around to the starting point.

A fourth trip around, making and fitting the upright slats, and the tabourette is ready to assemble. By using liquid glue, which hardens slowly, the whole structure can be put together, fastened with large hand screws or clamps, and left over night to dry.

While the glue is setting, measure carefully for the top, to see if there is any variation from dimensions on drawing, and cut out the top piece. By this time, the amateur woodworker will have more respect for the mission style than ever, and will appreciate the difficulty of reaching simplicity.

The best method of securing the top is with small angle irons fastened to it and cross pieces on the inside. Invert the tabourette, after screwing the angles to the cross pieces, and with the top on the floor, drive home the last four screws.

No; it is not finished! There remains the polishing. See Chapter XLIX.

TABOURETTE NUMBER FIVE

This is so radically different in construction from the previous forms that it requires special consideration. Twelve edges must be planed to a 60-degree mitre throughout their entire length and the fit must be perfect. To accomplish this, first cut out two hexagons from 1/2-inch pine, 8 inches in diameter, and exactly alike. Construct a special shooting board, at least three inches longer than the legs. Plane a strip of white pine to the shape of a wedge whose angle is 30 degrees. Nail it to the top of shooting board, as shown in Fig. 178 at _a_. By laying the piece to be mitred on this, the edge can be planed to 60 degrees. Lay this on the two pine hexagons as shown at _b_, and with the knife make a mark at the angle _a_ on both ends. Connect these two points by a sharp line drawn with a straight edge. Plane this edge on the shooting board to point _a_, giving angle _a c_. Tack this leg by brads to the two hexagons, at each extreme end, driving brads only partly in, so that they can be easily withdrawn. Fit the second leg to the first, and so on around to the starting point. Number or letter the legs, and the corresponding faces of the hexagons, so that they may be easily replaced.

Next take off the legs, lay out and cut the openings with the usual tools. These may be plain Gothic arches or simple modifications.

When the legs are finished, make the hexagonal top and prepare to assemble. Use the best glue. Fasten the first leg in its original position on the pine hexagons, using 1-1/4-inch brads at the top, driving them all the way into the original holes. Put a coating of glue on one edge throughout its whole length, and rub the next leg up close into position. The brads in the lower hexagon must be driven in only part way, as they are to be removed again. Put all six legs into position in this manner. To bind the legs together while the glue is drying, heavy cord should be wound around them, using strips of wood to prevent marring the angles. Let the whole stand over night.

Next day, plane off any glue that may show, removing the two brads at the bottom, dressing down one side at a time until you have reached the last leg. The pine hexagon at the bottom may be taken out, if it doesn't fall out. Sand-paper the sides with No. 0 sand-paper, wrapped around a block.

The top only remains to be adjusted.

Drill six holes in the pine hexagon at the top, and pass six 3/4 or 7/8 inch screws through from the under side into the top piece by inverting, with top on the floor.

There is so much careful work on this tabourette that it is worthy of good material. Mahogany is very suitable, the light coloured bay wood being the cheapest variety; but of course other woods will do. In case bay wood is used, it can be given the appearance of old mahogany by first coating it with a wash of potassium bichromate. Polish.

XXXV

THE DOVETAIL JOINT

While most mission furniture is put together with the mortise and tenon joint, cabinet work calls for the dovetail. All the skill and accuracy possible are needed in dovetailing, and when well put together with this style of joinery, a piece of furniture should last indefinitely.

The making of joints just for practice may not be very interesting, but in the case of the dovetail it is decidedly advisable. This is what Ralph decided in Harry's case, and he was required to make first a single open joint as shown in Fig. 179. The piece marked _a_ was laid out first, after squaring up the stock, and the shaded portion removed with back saw and chisel, sawing so close to the oblique lines that no chiselling was required on these two sides. Piece _b_ was next fastened upright in the vise, piece _a_ being laid over _b_ in a horizontal position, and the form of the dovetail scribed with a knife point. In other words, the first piece cut out was used as a template for laying out the second. The form of the dovetail appeared in knife lines on the end of piece _b_. The laying out of _b_ was then completed as shown at _d_. The darkened portions were removed with back saw and chisel, and the two parts carefully fitted and glued together.

This method of laying out dovetails is much surer than that of laying out each piece separately according to the dimensions, as any variation from the figures is duplicated on the second piece, so that they must fit.

This single dovetail was followed by a box dovetail joint comprising three dovetails on one piece, as shown in Fig. 180. The method was the same as before, the three spaces being laid out, sawed, and chiselled. After testing to see that the bottoms of the cuts were square, piece _f_ was laid out, cut, and fitted. Seven-eighths pine is good for this practice work, but white wood gives better practice, in that it is harder, and the dovetails cannot be forced together without breaking, unless the fit is good. The harder the stock used, of course the more true this is.

After successfully making these two practice joints, the boy was ready to try his skill at cabinet work. He began with a toilet box in black walnut, to be inlaid later and polished. The over-all dimensions were 11 × 7 × 3-1/2 inches, the height, exclusive of top and bottom pieces, being three inches.

The bill of material read:

2 pcs. walnut 11 × 3 × 1/2
2 pcs. walnut 7 × 3 × 1/2
2 pcs. walnut 11 × 7 × 1/2

The process was as follows: Sides squared up and tested. Ends squared up and tested. Sides and ends compared to see if all were exactly the same height. Dovetail joints laid out on side pieces. (The two sides can be glued together with paper between, and cut at the same time, but on this first box the boys laid out each side separately.)

Joints cut and chiselled to line and lettered _a b c d_. This was to avoid confusion in laying out the ends from the sides. Ends laid out from sides with knife. Ends cut and fitted to sides. This short description meant the fitting of four box dovetails, or twelve individual dovetail joints, and it took considerable time. The four pieces were glued and fastened in hand screws over night. Particular care was taken to see that the pressure was evenly distributed, so as not to throw the box out of square.

While the glue was hardening, the top and bottom were squared up half an inch shorter and half an inch narrower than the finished box was to be.

A quarter-inch rabbet was cut on the four edges of both top and bottom. When the box was taken out of the hand screws next day the rabbet allowed top and bottom to fit sides and ends as shown in _g_ (Fig. 181). They were glued into position, and again placed in hand screws.

This construction left a quarter-inch rabbet all around the top and bottom of the box. This space was to be filled with square pieces of white holly as an ornamental feature. While the glue was hardening a second time, these little square strips were prepared. The boys found that it would not be necessary to square up the four sides, for if one corner were made perfectly square, the other sides could be planed off after the strips were glued on.

When the hand screws were removed again, all traces of glue in the rabbet were carefully taken off with a sharp chisel. The strips of holly were sawed in the mitre box, and fitted around the four sides of top and bottom. The construction at this stage is shown at _h_, with the holly strips projecting beyond the walnut sides, ends and top.

The strips were fitted and glued in position, and then held in place during the drying process by winding the box in all directions with stout twine.

When thoroughly hard and dry, the whole thing was squared up, as if it were a solid block, and scraped with a steel scraper.

Gauge lines were then made for the cover, as described in the chapter on toilet boxes, sawed, fitted, hinged, and polished.

When a box like this is to be inlaid, the inlaying should be done after the squaring up, but before the cover is sawed off.

The method of ornamenting the edges by strips of different coloured woods may be omitted, and the work considerably simplified by gluing the top and bottom on, as shown in Fig. 181 at _i_, and if this seems too crude, a bevel 1/4 inch on the sides and ends and 1/2 inch on the top can be made with the plane. Still another method is to round the edges as shown at _j_.

Where the top is to be inlaid, either _j_ or _k_ is preferable, as ornamented corners combined with a decorated top is rather too much ornamentation for good taste.

XXXVI

INLAYING

In our search for the simple life with its mission furniture, etc., inlaying has become almost a lost art, but it is so easily done, and if used in moderation so pleasing to the eye, that every boy ought to try it at least.

If simple designs are adhered to, the results are bound to be satisfactory. The materials required are a few pieces of veneering of different thicknesses and two or more kinds of wood. Veneering can be obtained from 1/8 inch thick down to 1/64 inch, but for ordinary work the thickness should be 1/8 inch, 1/16 inch, and 1/32 inch, and the woods, ebony, holly, walnut, mahogany.

A good collection for simple designs is:

1/8-inch ebony, holly, mahogany
1/16-inch holly, rosewood, walnut
1/32-inch holly, mahogany

The tools required are a mitre box, back saw, socket chisel, and mallet.

The process consists of building up the design, cutting out the opening, gluing the design in the opening, and dressing down.

BUILDING UP THE DESIGN

It pays to make a full-sized drawing of the design, as the relation of the inlaid work to the space it is to occupy is important. For a box proportioned like the one just described, 11 × 7 inches, the inlaid design should be in about the same general proportion. A square centre piece in such an oblong space would not look well; it should be about one and a half times as long as the width. The best plan is to draw the box top full size and then carefully work up the design.

This sort of designing will be a new experience, as the veneering is all cut in a mitre box, no tool but a saw being used, and this fact limits the designs.

Several pieces of the veneer are glued together and placed in hand screws over night.

Suppose the combination shown at Fig. 182 is used. Five thicknesses composed of two 1/16-inch walnut, next two of 1/16-inch holly, and in the centre one 1/8-inch ebony, will make a strong combination 3/8 inch thick.

The dimensions should be about 18 inches long by 3 inches wide. These five pieces when glued together make a solid piece 18 × 3 × 3/8 inches. This built up board is sawed into strips 1/8 inch thick, and these strips 3/8 × 1/8 inch form the basis of the design.

In drawing the centre piece, border, or whatever form the inlay is to take, it must be constantly kept in mind that 3/8 inch is the width of the pieces. Fig. 182 shows the shapes possible on a 45-degree mitre box. Four pieces like _a_ make a square. To make an oblong design from this shape, ten pieces will give _b_. Four pieces like _d_ will give a hollow square, in which may be fitted a piece of fancy wood such as rosewood, snake wood, satinwood, or some other South American wood.

The Greek cross is a favourite figure, and it is composed of twelve pieces, eight like _f_, and four like _a_. Some of its variations are shown in _c c_.

This design can be elaborated as shown at _e_. Some of the most pleasing combinations are extremely simple. An oblong piece of beautiful wood such as bird's-eye maple, with a simple mitred frame, is far more satisfying than the more complicated figures.

The Swastika is a favourite among boys, and it is shown at Fig. 183 applied to an oblong box design. In such a figure the border strips are not put on until all the pieces for the Swastika are cut out, fitted, and glued.

In many of these designs two, three, and sometimes four gluings are necessary. The pieces, having been cut and fitted, are all brought together on a piece of paper and glued with liquid glue. The hot glue dries too quickly. The paper holding the design is laid on a piece of pine 7/8 inch thick, and wire brads driven into the pine up close to the inlay to hold the design together while it dries. Two nails should be used against each piece of the outside border. These nails may be used to exert pressure by bending them with the fingers over the design to force the pieces together.

When each piece has been pressed into place, allow it to stand over night. Next day bend the nails back, and lift the design, paper and all, out of its nail fence, tear off the paper and cut away any glue that projects beyond the edges with a knife or chisel.

You now have a solid inlaid design 1/8 inch thick ready for use. Find by measurement the exact place where you want this figure, lay it on the surface and with a sharp knife scribe a line around the design. Place the inlay to one side, and cut out to a depth of 1/8 inch the whole space inside the knife lines. This can be done with socket chisel and mallet, or with a router. The final cut should be made with the chisel, bevel side in and straight down.

You now have a space cut in the surface the exact size of the design, except possibly the depth. Coat the bottom of this space with glue, press the design down into the space and hammer it tight with the mallet and block of soft wood.

Allow the glue to harden thoroughly, plane the design down to the surface, scrape, and sand-paper.

This is one of the things much more easily done than described on paper.

Instead of the solid designs just described, an inlaid border is sometimes preferable. Fig. 182 at _g_ gives a good idea of a very neat one. In this case, the groove to receive the inlay is drawn directly on the surface of the box, and cut out to the usual depth, 1/8 inch. The pieces of inlay are sawed out in the mitre box and fitted into the groove individually, but not glued until the entire border has been fitted. They are done all at one time, and then a piece of board is laid over the whole top, and it is placed in hand screws over night.

The number of combinations which can be obtained from three or four veneers of different thicknesses is astonishing, but perhaps the most interesting form is called built up work. Fig. 184 shows several forms of built up borders. The method of making _a_ is as follows:

Ebony and holly 1/8 inch thick are required and two separate combinations are glued up, one containing two pieces of holly with one ebony, and the second two of ebony with one holly.

When dry, saw out of each combination a strip an inch or an inch and a quarter wide. From strip No. 1 saw a dozen or more pieces an inch or so long. To make these pieces exactly alike, drive a nail into the bottom of the mitre box an inch from the 90-degree saw cut. By pushing the strip up to this nail each time a cut is made the pieces must be the same length.

For combination No. 2, shift the nail to 3/8 inch from the saw cut, and saw out an equal number of pieces as from No. 1.

By gluing these pieces together alternately, border _a_ will result. It is necessary on these built up combinations to add an outside retaining strip of thin veneer to hold the pieces rigidly together.

When the final gluing has dried, the usual 1/8-inch strip should be sawed out. This is best done on a power, band, or circular saw, but it can be done by hand if the rip saw is good and sharp.

Other built up combinations may be handled in the same way. For square spaces, the checker-board is a great favourite. It calls for a dark and light veneer of 1/8 inch thickness. Glue up four light and four dark pieces in alternation as shown in Fig. 185. When hard, saw out eight strips as wide as the veneer is thick. Glue these eight strips together, reversing four of them, so that the black and white squares come together. The result will be a solid piece one inch square, and by sawing off 1/8-inch slices, each slice will be a checker-board composed of 1/8-inch cubes.

The very best glue obtainable is needed for this work, especially if the woods are ebony and holly, as these are so hard that the glue cannot penetrate.

When a 30-60-90-degree mitre box is used to cut the strips, an entirely different class of designs is obtained. Fig. 186 shows some of the endless possibilities of these combinations. They are suitable for the top and shelf of an hexagonal tabourette, and the oblong figures are suitable for the top of an oblong box or the space between the wells of an inkstand.

Some of the simplest yet most effective forms give the impression of overlapping shown at _a_, Fig. 183, this being an oblong piece of fancy wood with a narrow mitred frame around the four sides; _b b_ are pieces of the same kind of wood but different from _a_, with a narrow frame on three sides; _a_ appears to be laid over _b_, and _c c_, still another kind of wood, both cut from the same piece.

It looks more uniform and harmonious if the frames of the five pieces representing three distinct kinds of wood are the same.

It is important in choosing these borders to see that the outside veneer be in marked contrast to the surface into which the design is to be set.

A very simple centre piece may be made interesting by surrounding a plain oblong or rectangle of rare wood with an interlaced border.

Inlaying of curved designs means some difficulty in accurately cutting out the opening to fit the design; but this is overcome by reverting to the ancient art called marquetry work. Three or more veneers 1/16 inch thick are glued together at the corners and the design drawn or glued on the top layer.

Suppose the figure is that of a butterfly. Assume that the veneers are holly, mahogany, and rosewood. With a fine fret saw cut or saw directly on the lines. The three thicknesses being sawed at one time, the pieces must exactly fit. The rosewood may be used for the outer edge of the wings, the holly for the main part of the wings, and the mahogany for the body. As all these parts fit accurately, they may be glued to a 1/4-inch backing piece and dried under the pressure of hand screws. Flowers, birds, etc., in infinite variety, and even landscapes, can be cut out and used in this way. Veneers coloured green are on the market and may be used for leaves or foliage effects.

A great deal might be written about this old style of ornamental woodwork, but it would deal almost entirely with questions of design, as the method would be practically the same in every case. One form of this interesting art is called buhl work, in which sheet brass, German silver, or even the precious metals are used. Brass and ebony were a favourite combination at one time, the two layers being glued together with paper between. The design was sawed out, and then a sharp knife blade inserted into the joint to separate the brass from the ebony. That gave two distinct designs. In one case it was a brass background with ebony inlay. In the other, an ebony background with brass inlay.

There will always be as many resulting combinations as there are original layers of material. A backing of cheap material is always necessary to support the finished work to which it must be securely glued. In polishing the finished surface, a steel scraper must first be used, followed by fine sand-paper; then polish.

Some of the newer forms of decoration, while lacking the richness of inlaid work, admit of greater freedom. Pyrography, for example, is closely akin to drawing, and in the hands of a careful worker may be made to produce very artistic effects. Like all arts, it also has its limitations. In woods of the pine family, it will not do at all, on account of the pitchy sap. In dark-coloured or very hard woods, it is equally unsatisfactory, so that it is used almost exclusively on basswood, because of the white colour, softness, even grain, and freedom from pitch.

Outfits for pyrography may be purchased quite reasonably. They consist of a glass bottle containing benzine; the vapour from this is forced through a rubber tube by means of a bulb held in the left hand out to a platinum point. This point is first heated in the flame of an alcohol lamp sufficiently to ignite the benzine vapour as it comes out through openings in the point.

While the left hand keeps pumping the vapour, the right hand guides the point along the lines of the design, which has been drawn or traced on the wood.

Many articles made and stamped with designs are to be had at the art stores; but the joy and satisfaction in achievement come from making the articles and originating the designs.

Basswood is very easily soiled by handling and a coat of white shellac should be applied after the burning is finished. Sometimes staining is used on certain parts of the design, as for flowers or fruit, and in that case the staining must be done before the shellac is applied.

XXXVII

THE CHECKER-BOARD

A favourite project among young woodworkers is the checker-board. While it is closely akin to inlaying, the method of making it to avoid unnecessary labour is here suggested. As the checker-board consists of sixty-four squares of equal size and divided equally between two kinds of wood, one dark and the other light, some way must be devised to insure their being exactly alike to make the board a success. Considerable care should be used in the selection of the woods, for while they must present a strong contrast in colour, they should be as nearly as possible of the same degree of hardness, to make the working uniform.

If soft woods are used, red gum and basswood make an agreeable contrast in colour. Basswood is not a very satisfactory wood to polish in its natural colour, however.

Among the hard woods, a combination of black walnut and rock maple, or mahogany and maple, or even cherry and maple, can be used. Any one of these combinations will be more satisfactory in the finished work than the soft woods mentioned. The work will be harder of course, but in woodwork as in other things, nothing really good is obtained without effort.

Assuming that the woods have been selected, four strips of dark and the same number in light coloured wood should be squared up to a width of 1-1/4 or 1-1/2 inches according to the size of the squares to be made.

As in other woodworking problems, have a full-sized or half-sized mechanical drawing ready before using a tool.

A checker-board built up of 1-1/4-inch squares will be ten inches square without the frame. (See Fig. 187.) With 1-1/2-inch squares, it will be twelve inches on each side. This is amply large and a satisfactory working size. The material should be either 1/4 inch or 3/8 inch thick. Plane the strips about sixteen inches long by one inch and a half wide.

Lay the four strips of dark wood on edge on the bench top and carefully fasten the four in the vise. Remove a light shaving to insure their width being all alike.

Treat the light strips the same way.

Next place all eight strips together and examine for inequalities. Too much care cannot be exercised at this point, as the success of the problem depends on it.

To make doubly sure, reverse every alternate strip end for end, and if inequalities appear place all eight strips in the vise and remove a light shaving. One of the best methods for making these strips of equal size and with perfectly square edges is to construct a shooting board, or arrange one already made, as shown at _a_.

The strip _s_ is set to a gauge line made 1-1/2 inches from the edge. The strips are laid in this space and planed in the usual way, until the plane touches the stop. This makes the width of all pieces the same and gives true edges.

These eight strips placed alternately light and dark are now glued upon a backing of soft wood, 1/4 inch or less in thickness. Gluing must be done thoroughly, each strip being rubbed back and forth until a good joint is made with its neighbour.

A piece of newspaper is spread over the top, heavy pieces of flat stock placed top and bottom, and the pressure from several hand screws applied while the glue is drying.

The best liquid glue obtainable should be used, and the paper on top prevents the hand screws being glued to the wood.

This combination must stand until the glue is thoroughly hard, if it takes forty-eight hours, which it does sometimes in damp weather.

When dry, remove hand screws and tear off paper. Square outside edges if backing projects or glue adheres. With a large try square or steel square lay out parallel lines across the combination 1-3/4 inches apart. Saw on the lines with cross cut saw, unless a mill is handy, when it can be done more accurately with a circular or band saw.

The new strips will be 1-3/4 inches wide, less the amount removed by the saw. Dress them down to a width of 1-1/2 inches on the shooting board. This should bring the eight pieces on each strip to squares 1-1/2 inches on a side.

Eight of these strips make the checker-board. The original pieces, being sixteen inches long, allow for two or three extra strips in case any are spoiled in sawing or planing.

These finished strips are now to be glued together on the permanent backing, which should be 1/4 or 3/8 inch in thickness, of the same material as the frame is to be and about eight inches each way longer and wider than the checker-board proper.

This should be placed carefully in the centre of the backing, joints rubbed and fastened by cleats 1 × 1/2 inch tacked to the backing on all four sides.

While this is drying under pressure of the hand screws as in the first gluing, square up the moulding which is to act as a frame: _d_ shows two styles. In both mouldings, a rabbet 1/2 inch or so wide and 1/8 inch deep should be made with rabbet plane. The outer edges may be square, rounded, or bevelled.

When the checker-board is removed from its final gluing, this moulding is to be mitred and fitted about it as in making a picture frame. Before doing this, remove all glue from edges with a chisel so that the frame will fit snugly to the checker-board.

The frame is to be glued to both backing and checker-board and again placed in hand screws. While this is drying, an inlaid border strip as wide as the rabbet, either plain or built up, should be prepared.

This strip, as well as the rabbet, may be omitted entirely, but should the frame be of the same material as one of the woods used in the checker-board it is necessary, and in any case it adds a finish to the work that is very pleasing. Inlaid designs may be set into the frame and a very elaborate result obtained, if desired.

After this last gluing, set in the inlay, and when dry, plane, scrape, and sand-paper the whole surface flat, and square the edges of the frame.

This makes a very substantial and heavy board, worthy of any woodworker and worthy of being used as a table top. Such a table may be constructed as shown in Fig. 188. It calls for mortise and tenon joints cut at an angle, and if this style of work is considered too difficult vertical legs can be used. This under structure should be of the same kind of wood as the frame of the checker-board, and if oak is used the stain should be applied before placing the inlaid border. Bay wood is preferable to oak for inlaying but is more expensive.

On a small table of this size, where vertical legs are used, the base is so small that the structure is top-heavy and easily upset, so that the problem becomes a very interesting study in design.

When the entire table has been put together, polish it. If mahogany, finish in natural colour; if oak, any of the styles described in the chapter on staining may be used, with care taken to keep the checker-board itself in the natural colours.

XXXVIII

TOOL CASES AND CHESTS

After our boys had made several dovetailed and inlaid boxes, Ralph announced that his pupil was ready to attack the construction of a tool cabinet. It was to be fastened to the wall over the bench, designed to hold most of the small tools, and to be in such a position that it could be reached from the front of the bench.

The cabinet designed was really a dovetailed box 30 × 20 × 6 inches over all. It was made of 1/2-inch quartered oak except the back, which was 1/2-inch pine. The bill of material was:

1 piece pine 30 × 20 × 1/2
1 piece oak 30 × 20 × 1/2
2 pieces oak 20 × 5-1/2
2 pieces oak 30 × 5-1/2

The front and back, each 30 x 20 inches, were made of two pieces 30 x 10 inches, jointed and glued, placed in clamps over night and the joints planed down to take off the excess glue which had oozed out under pressure of the clamps. While these two parts were gluing, the sides and ends were dovetailed as in previous boxes.

When the front and back pieces were glued in place on the box, they were further fastened by 1-inch brads, set below the surface, and the holes filled with putty, coloured to correspond with the stain. The colour of the finish was a dark, handsome green. The box was sawed in two along a line 2-1/2 inches from the front.

This divided the cabinet into two parts, the door or front section having a clear depth of 2 inches, and the back or wall section a depth of 3 inches.

After hinging the door section in position, the cabinet was stained inside and out, the outside polished and a hook for fastening the door shut was placed in position.

The cabinet was fastened to the studding of the shop by four strong screws 1-1/2 inches long. The various nails, hooks, and tool racks were next added and the cabinet was ready to use.

Patent racks for holding chisels, gouges, etc., are sold in hardware stores, but our boys preferred to make their own. Their chisel rack is shown in Fig. 189.

After squaring up and cutting out the recesses at the ends, holes were bored, the opening from the front cut with back saw, and the sharp edges rounded with chisel and sand-paper.

Holes for the screws at the ends were bored and countersunk.

In locating a tool cabinet of this kind, while it should be very easily reached, and is usually open during work hours, it should be placed high enough so as to be easily opened or closed without striking tools and work on the bench. In other words, it should not be necessary to clear the bench top in order to open the cabinet. About 6 inches between under side of tool cabinet and bench top is about right.

An old-fashioned tool chest, suitable for shipping a whole kit of tools any distance, is shown in Fig. 190. These chests were usually fitted with trays divided into compartments for small tools and hardware. Such a chest may be made of either hard or soft wood and its construction is as follows:

After making out a list of material, square up sides and ends exactly as in making any box. Lay out, cut and fit the dovetails. The bottom, on account of its width, will have to be made of two pieces. These may be jointed, glued and placed in clamps or put together with a tongue and groove joint. The latter plan calls for a special plane. Having prepared the bottom by either of these methods, bore and countersink holes about 6 inches apart in the bottom and secure rigidly to sides and ends by 1-1/2 or 1-3/4 inch flat-head screws.

For the top, make a frame from 5/8 to 3/4 inch thick and 3 or 4 inches wide, putting the ends together with end lap or mortise and tenon joints.

Secure this frame to top of box by screws. These may be round-heads, or if it is desirable to hide them, the method shown in Fig. 190 can be used. This is accomplished by boring a 3/16-inch hole through the top frame. At the same centre a 1/2-inch hole is bored partly through. The screw is driven home and a round wooden plug glued into the 1/2-inch hole. When dry, this plug is sawed off and planed smooth.

The top frame having been secured, two gauge lines are made for sawing the cover, as in previous boxes, and the two parts dressed to gauge lines, ready for hinging.

Before putting on the hinges, the top is to be finished with a raised panel. Square up a piece of stock two inches longer and wider than the open space in the top frame. Round upper edges, and secure to frame by flat-head screws from the under side through holes bored and countersunk.

Next put on hinges, which should be large and strong, the variety known as strap hinges. Cut out space for lock, and fit. The holes for key are bored with a gimlet bit and cut out enough to allow the key to enter freely; or hasp, staple and padlock may be used.

The bevelled base is mitred at corners, and brass corner plates to protect these lower corners are added.

The strip at the top corresponding to the base may be mitred and protected with corner plates, or the ordinary butt joint can be used. The bevel on this strip may be omitted. A chest of this variety, made of pine and painted, will stand a great deal of rough usage. Iron or brass handles at the ends are recommended for convenience in carrying. Our boys were not satisfied with this form of tool chest, as it required two people to carry it, and after some experimenting they evolved one in the form of a dress suit case, long, narrow, and high, that could be easily carried. It is shown in Fig. 191.

They first made a solid box 30 × 15 × 7 inches over all. It was put together with butt joints securely nailed, using 1/2-inch white wood.

One quarter of the box was sawed out, as shown on the end view, and hinged to the body by ornamental brass hinges. This quarter was fitted for two saws by making two blocks as shown in the drawing. The rip and cross cut saws were fitted into the saw kerfs cut in these two blocks, placed securely in the cover, and were held in place by a small piece of leather strap taken from a school book strap and nailed to inside of cover. A tray for small tools was made of 1/4-inch stock the full length and width of the inside of the chest 1-1/2 inches deep and made to rest flush with the top of lower section on little corner strips glued in the four corners.

For handle, two pieces of leather strap were secured, one to each top section, by screws. When the box was closed, these two straps came together and made a good handle. The objection to a solid handle is that it must be entirely on one section and that takes it out of the centre, so that the weight is not evenly distributed.

This is one of the most satisfactory styles of tool carrier devised. It will hold practically the whole kit and may be picked up like a dress suit case and transported just as readily. A hook and eye or hasp, staple and padlock should be used to hold the case securely closed.

For carrying bits of various kinds and sizes, a roll of ticking or denim divided into separate spaces is very desirable. These rolls with straps are sold in tool houses, but may be made at home by the sewing department. Besides protecting the cutting edges, they help to keep out dampness and rust.

XXXIX

BOOKCASES AND MAGAZINE RACKS

THE WALL RACK

In the modern home, the orderly arrangement of books and magazines calls for ample shelf space and the book shelf becomes a favourite piece of furniture among amateur woodworkers. The book rack for the books of the day has been taken up in Chapter XXVII. The book shelf for hanging on the wall is blocked out in Fig. 192.

The questions to be considered in the design are:

No. 1. Methods of fastening shelves to ends.
No. 2. The design of the ends.
No. 3. The back: is it necessary, and if so shall it be solid?
Outline of back.
No. 4. Method of fastening to wall.

No. 1. The method of bringing shelves and ends together with plain butt joint and fastening with a round-head screw from the outside is the easiest and poorest. The whole weight on the shelves is carried by the screws. This method is shown at _a_. At _b_, a better method is indicated, the shelf being gained into the end and held in position by the screws. The weight in this case is carried by the ends. To hide the joint, the shelf may be slightly narrower than the end piece as shown in the top view at _c_, or the two parts may be of the same width as at _d_, the gained joint stopping half an inch or so short of the full width. These details apply to bookcases that stand on the floor as well as to smaller ones.

No. 2. The design of the ends is largely a matter of artistic taste, and where curves are used, the lower part is usually formed in such a way as to suggest a bracket.

No. 3. A back is only necessary to give the rack rigidity and to protect the wall. If made solid--_i. e._, to cover the whole space between ends--it uses a good deal of wood and adds considerable weight. _E_ shows a method of using only top and bottom strips. They will make the rack sufficiently rigid and the strip should be gained into the ends, bringing them flush with the back of end pieces.