Chapter II: =dining-Room Conveniences=

ROLLER TRAY WAGON

An efficient and convenient table placed on casters and wheels and comprising a china closet, drawer for silverware, serving table, and roller tray all in one. This device is invaluable to the housekeeper who does her own work. It saves her many steps in the preparation and the serving of her meals. While she is entertaining at a luncheon, it takes the place of a maid, since the refreshments can be prepared, arranged on the wagon, and rolled out at the appointed time. The prices of a tea wagon made in wicker or some expensive wood are very high, but one like the following illustration can be made at a nominal cost, or it can be made of dry goods boxes for even less.

MATERIALS:

26’ white pine.
1 piece of jack chain No. 14, 18” long, to support top.
1 pair 1½” (butt) hinges to hold top.
12 No. 5 screws, ¾”, to fasten hinges.
½ lb. 5-penny box nails.
2 brass hand bolts to fasten on drawer.
8 No. 10 screws, 2½”, to fasten legs to bottom shelf.
2 furniture casters to put on legs.
2 swivel or baby carriage wheels.

DIMENSIONS:

_Top_: 1 piece 1” thick × 16½” wide × 26½” long.
_Sides_: 2 pieces 1” thick × 5” wide × 33½” long, for front and
back of body.
_Ends_: 2 pieces 1” thick × 5” wide × 13” long, for top of frame.
_Handles_: 2 pieces 1” thick × 1” wide × 15” long.
_Bottom_: 1 piece 1” thick × 13” wide × 24½” long.
_Legs_: 4 pieces 1½” thick × 1½” wide × 32” long.
_Ends_: 2 pieces 1” thick × 3½” wide × 12” long, allowing 1” on
each end for tenon.
_Drawer_: 1 piece 1” thick × 1½” wide × 23½” long, for foundation
of drawer.

_Cleats_: 2 pieces 1” thick × 1” wide × 14” long, to support the
drawer.
1 piece 1” thick × 2½” wide × 23½” long, to be used as front to
drawer.
1 piece ½” thick × 2½” wide × 23½” long, to be used as back of
drawer.
2 pieces ½” thick × 2½” wide × 13½” long, to be used as side of
drawer.
1 piece ½” thick × 15” wide × 23½” long, to be used as bottom
of drawer.
1 piece ½” thick × 2½” wide × 3½” long, to be used as partition
in drawer.
_Shelf_: 1 piece 1” thick × 15” wide × 26½” long, to be used as
bottom of shelf.
_Braces_: 2 pieces 1” thick × 1½” wide × 12” long, to support ends
of shelf.
_Brackets_: 2 pieces 1” thick × 8” wide × 8” long, to be used as a
support for wheel.

DIRECTIONS:

Take the 2 sides (1” × 5” × 33½”) and round each end in the
shape of a half circle, boring a 1” hole in each end of side
piece to hold handles (1” × 1” × 15”). Fit bottom on inside of
box and nail it. Mortise 3½” from the top of the legs to fit
cross pieces, 1” × 3½” × 12”. Make a ¼” mortise on the legs 9”
from the bottom for the support of the bottom shelf. Measure
2½” from the top of the leg to put tenon for the front drawer
support. Construct the opposite end of the table in the same
way. The upper top of table, showing the lid and handle, should
be fastened to top after the table is made. In making the frame
for the drawer, 2½” deep × 13½” wide × 23½” long, nail the front
and back to the sides. Then nail the bottom of the drawer to
the inside of this frame with one partition nailed crosswise
the center of the drawer. Place handles on the front of the
drawer about 3” from each end. Screw on the 2 pieces placed 9”
from bottom of the leg, with 2½” No. 10 screws. Cut the bottom
shelf out 1½” at each corner, fit to the legs, and screw. This
shelf must be stationary. Brackets, 1” × 8” × 8”, are screwed
on at one end of the shelf to be used as supports to which the
wheels are fastened. The drawer may be used for silverware
and to keep the linen. The side used for silverware should be
lined with felt or outing. The table should be well dressed by
sandpapering, staining, and polishing it. Do not varnish it
because this does not make so attractive a table as the mission
stain.

SIDEBOARD

(MADE OF DRY GOODS BOXES)

A unique article made of dry goods boxes, which may be used in the dining room as a sideboard or in the kitchen as a cupboard. Two dry goods boxes are joined together to make the lower section, one end on each box being removed to be used as shelves in the sideboard. The upper section with its three shelves is made from pieces of other boxes. On two of the shelves brass hooks are arranged at equal distances apart, on which the cups hang. A groove may be made under the lower shelf and on the top shelf, in which the small plates and saucers rest. The two drawers, made according to dimensions and out of pieces of boxes, can be lined with felt or outing flannel to hold the silverware. Attractive curtains may be made of some suitable material and hung in front of the upper section. This is especially an interesting problem for boys in a school to work out.

MATERIALS:

3 large boxes for lower and upper sections of sideboard.
3 small boxes to be used for drawers.
2 pairs 1½” (butt) hinges to fasten doors.
½ lb. 6-penny nails to build sideboard.
2 metal knobs to be used on lower doors.
24 brass cup and saucer hooks.
2 hand bolts to be used on front of drawers.
Sandpaper and stain.

DIMENSIONS: Lower Section:

_Body_: 2 boxes 13” deep × 12½” wide × 26” long.
_Shelves_: 2 pieces 1” thick × 12” wide × 24” long.
_Cleats_: 4 pieces ½” thick × ¾” wide × 12” long, to be used under
the shelves.
_Doors_: 4 pieces ¾” thick × 2” wide × 26” long, to be used for
upright pieces.
4 pieces ¾” thick × 2” wide × 8” long, to be used as crosspieces.
2 pieces ½” thick × 9” wide × 23” long, to be used as panels.
_Legs_: 4 pieces ½” thick × 2¾” wide × 36” long.
4 pieces ½” thick × 2½” wide × 36” long.

Upper Section:

_Body_: 1 box 5” deep × 18” wide × 26” long.
2 small boxes 5” deep × 12” wide × 18” long.
_Drawer_: 1 box 5” deep × 18” wide × 24” long.

DIRECTIONS:

Boxes which can be most easily converted into the desired
sections must be selected. Two boxes (13” × 12½” × 26”) are
joined together to form the body of the lower section of the
sideboard. Remove the ends of the boxes, to be used as shelves,
using the side of a larger box for the top of this section.
The shelves are fastened in by 4 cleats (½” × ¾” × 12”) nailed
crosswise the partition and the sides of the section. Four
strips (½” × 2¾” × 36”) and four strips (½” × 2¼” × 36”) are
taken from the third box to make the legs of the cabinet. The
doors are fastened on with hinges, using two metal knobs in
front of the doors to open them. The foundation of the upper
section is made of a box (5” deep × 18” × 26”). The three
crosspieces used as shelves are made from the two small boxes
(5” × 12” × 18”). Make the drawer of a box (5” × 18” × 24”),
putting a partition through the center of the box and on the
inside if two drawers be desired. Place two hand bolts on the
front of the drawer. Sandpaper, stain, and polish the sideboard.

SCREEN

A screen is useful in many ways in the home. It adds a great deal to the appearance of a bedroom. By putting it around the bed one may often avoid draughts. In the dining room it is indispensable in the front of a serving table while the meal is going on. The illustration above shows a two-panelled screen which may be easily made in the home, or it furnishes good material for a woodwork problem to be used in the school. It is made of oak and covered with burlap. By adding to the number of pieces the third panel may be made with ease.

MATERIALS:

3 feet of oak.
¼ lb. 8-penny nails to be used in making frame.
3 1” (butt) hinges, with screws, to join panels together.
1 box of brass-headed tacks to fasten burlap to frame.
Sandpaper and stain.
3½ yds. burlap to cover panels.

DIMENSIONS:

_Frame_: 4 pieces 1” thick × 1” wide × 5’ long, to be used for
upright pieces.
6 pieces 1” thick × 1” wide × 2’ long, to be used for crosspieces.
DIRECTIONS:

Measure and saw the pieces according to required dimensions. Cut
the joints and nail the three crosspieces to the two upright
pieces. Make the other panel in the same way and join the two
together with the three hinges. Sandpaper, stain, and polish the
frame. After it has dried thoroughly, cover it with the burlap
on the outside, tacking this on with the brass-headed tacks.