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BOOKS BY WILLIAM NOYES 
 
 Handwork in 'Wood 
 
 ^X^ood and Forest 
 
 design and Construction in \(/ood 
 
DESIGN and CONSTRUCTION 
 IN ^VOOD 
 
 Y. 
 
 ©y WILLIAM NOYES 
 
 Assistant Professor of Industrial Arts 
 
 Teachers College, Columbia University 
 
 NEW YORK CITY 
 
 The Manual Arts Press 
 
 Peoria, Illinois 
 
 19 16 
 
 806TON COLLEGE LIBRARY 
 CHESTNOT HILL, MASS. 
 
133354 
 
 TT 
 
 ./v/7Jr 
 
 COPYRIGHT 
 
 WILLIAM NOYES 
 
 1913 
 
 THIRD EDITION, 1916 
 
FOEEWORD 
 
 The purpose of the following studies is, (I) to give to be- 
 ginners in woodworking an opportunity for the acquisition of skill 
 in the handling of tools, and, (II) some practice in designing sim- 
 ple projects in wood. 
 
 I. This series of projects is not offered as a hard and fast 
 course. The training of the hand does not depend upon following 
 a fixed order, like a course in geometry. Many roads lead to the 
 goal. This course claims to be a practical one because, tho con- 
 stantly changed, it has been a successful one. No greater misfor- 
 tune could befall a course in handiwork than that it should be stere- 
 otyped. Indeed, my chief misgiving in publishing the course is lest 
 it seem to have found final shape. 
 
 To obviate this impression, other projects involving the same 
 or similar processes are suggested, and illustrated. 
 
 It will be noted that the course here outlined is so planned that : 
 
 1. A variety of woods is employed, each appropriate for its par- 
 ticular project. They are: cypress, whitewood, maple, white pine, 
 mahogany, chestnut, hickory, sweet gum, oak, and black walnut. 
 
 2. In genera], the technical processes involved increase in diffi- 
 culty thru the series, but esthetic considerations are not sacrificed 
 to this formula. 
 
 3. Several types of construction are employed, involving such 
 joints as : end-lap, rubbed, miter, uiiddle cross-lap, doweled butt, 
 and ledge. 
 
 4. A few simple processes in copper working are included because 
 their employment considerably extends the range of useful and orna- 
 mental projects available. 
 
 5. A variety of finishes is suggested, including several methods 
 of staining, as well as the use of such polishes as oil, wax, and 
 shellac. 
 
 In a word, the course involves a considerable variety '^of. experience 
 in technical processes. 
 
 9 
 
The attempt is here made to reduce the practice of the shop to 
 words and pictures, in order that it may be available to those who 
 must work alone. The author, however, does not at all presume to 
 believe that, however helpful books may be to the worker, they can 
 ever fill the place of individual instruction and demonstration. 
 
 11, In this series all but two of the projects, the picture-frame- 
 clamp and the mallet, are such as to invite the worker to create 
 his own designs. To this end a considerable number of suggestive 
 illustrations are introduced. Design may begin with pure imitation, 
 but it never ends there. It is my hope, therefore, that as the stu- 
 dent worker proceeds thru the series, he will more and more freely 
 design good things. Some general suggestions for help in designing 
 will be found in Chapter II, and these are supplemented in each 
 succeeding chapter by concrete application of the general principles 
 to the project in hand. 
 
 10 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER PAGE 
 
 I. Wood 13 
 
 II. Wood, A Medium of Artistic Expression 21 
 
 III. Equipment 29 
 
 IV. A Scrap-Basket 35 
 
 V. Picture-Frame-Clamp 59 
 
 VI. The Mitered Picture-Frame 65 
 
 VII. The Candlestick 83 
 
 VIII. Taboret 99 
 
 IX. Mallet 115 
 
 X. Trays 123 
 
 XI. Polling Blotter-Holder 133 
 
 XII. Small Boxes 137 
 
 XIII. Lanterns 147 
 
 Index 158 
 
 11 
 
Chapter I 
 WOOD 
 
 Next to food and clothing, wood is to man the most useful of 
 substances, and there is no other single substance that has as great 
 a variety of human uses. The prosperity of any nation is largely 
 measured by its timber supply, and hence we see the extraordinary 
 efforts now being made by progressive nations to conserve their 
 forests. Today the lumber industry is the fourth largest industry 
 in the United States, and any intelligent person can quickly make 
 a list of scores of uses to which wood is put. Two-thirds of the 
 people of the United States live in wooden houses and half of the 
 population burn wood as fuel. 
 
 One of the most useful qualities of wood, namely its combusti- 
 bility for fuel, also constitutes one of its most serious disadvantages; 
 it is not fireproof. On the other hand, until it is actually burned 
 thru, it retains its stiffness, a fact that is not true of hot steel. 
 It is because of its destructibility by fire, as well as by insects and 
 deca}', that attempts are constantly made to find substitutes for it. 
 But even in spite of the employment of such substitutes as cement 
 and steel in constructive work, its use is constantly increasing. 
 
 Most of our paper is made of wood and practically all our fur- 
 niture. Its great utility depends upon such qualities as its size, its 
 strength, its lightness, its ease of working, its elasticity, its hardness 
 and its beauty. When wood is to be used for building or other con- 
 structive work, then its size is of great importance, while in work 
 requiring only small pieces, other qualities, such as hardness, or 
 permanence of shape, are determining factors. The strength of wood 
 is shown by the fact that a hickory bar will stand more pull than a 
 wrought iron bar of equal length and weight, and a block of long-leaf 
 pine will stand nearly as much crushing weight as a block of cast 
 iron of equal height and weight. Hickory is so tough that no 
 substitutes for it in wheel-spokes, handles and similar articles which 
 have to stand constant blows, have as yet been found. The hardness 
 
 13 
 
14 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 and elasticity of such woods as oak and maple make them suitable 
 for floors. Some wood, like spruce, that is both light and strong, is 
 used for ladders and poles and canoe paddles. 
 
 For ease of working and permanence of shape, no wood compares 
 with white pine, "the King of Woods," but unfortunately this spe- 
 cies is now becoming scarce. For the making of furniture, two woods 
 now hold supremacy, oak and mahogany. This is due partly to their 
 beauty, but also to their strength. The oak is native; the mahogany 
 is imported. 
 
 One of the most useful characteristics of wood is its ease of being 
 joined together by nails, screws, glue, etc. Woods differ greatly in 
 this respect, white pine, yellow poplar, and bass being very easy to 
 nail, while oak, hickory, maple, and ash are difficult to nail without 
 splitting. In general, the tough elastic woods split badly in nail- 
 ing, while the soft brittle woods nail well. Hence, with some 
 woods, before nailing, special precautions, like boring holes, have 
 to be taken. On the other hand, woods like oak and maple, which 
 are difficult to nail can be very securely joined together by means of 
 screws. Certain woods, notable among which are mahogany and 
 white pine, can be glued together with remarkable tenacity. This 
 susceptibility to the cohesive action of glue is a most useful character- 
 istic of all our common woods. Soft woods glue much better than hard 
 woods. 
 
 One quality, possessed by all wood, is of serious disadvantage, 
 namely its sensitiveness to moisture. It shrinks when dry and 
 swells when wet. This necessitates particular care in certain forms 
 of construction and in methods of finishing. The shrinkage of wood 
 is to be explained by its internal structure. Wood is composed of 
 "cells" or fibers, which are long, slender tubes, thru which, during 
 the life of the tree, the sap passes. The cells formed during the 
 spring of each year grow large with thin walls, and those formed 
 in the summer grow smaller with thick walls. A layer of spring 
 wood and of summer wood together form an "annual ring" as seen 
 in a cross-section of a log, or stripes, as seen in a longitudinal sec- 
 tion. Eunning across these up-and-down cells and radiating out 
 from the center of the tree are other cells called "pith rays," some- 
 times very large, as the "silver flakes" in oak (see frontispiece), 
 sometimes very minute as in pine. They serve to bind the annual 
 rings together and often, as in beech, sycamore and oak, add great 
 
WOOD 
 
 15 
 
 Fig-. 1. Boards usually warp in the di- 
 rection opposite to that of the usual rings 
 in them. 
 
 beauty to the grain of the wood. Now wood shrinks because the 
 walls of the cells which compose it become thinner as they dry. 
 For some unknown reason wood cells do not become shorter, so that 
 wood shrinks very little in 
 length. This peculiarity is made 
 use of in constructing doors and 
 in other panel constructions. 
 
 Wood shrinks most cir- 
 cumferentially, that is, in the 
 direction of the annual rings, 
 and somewhat, radially. This 
 explains why boards often warp 
 as they do, that is, in the direc- 
 tion opposite to that of the an- 
 nual rings in them (Fig. 1). A 
 board is said to be "warped" 
 when one side shrinks more than 
 the other. This warping is some- 
 times due to the fact that one side is drier than the other. In such a 
 case the board can often be straightened by drying the other (con- 
 vex) side. But usually the warp- 
 ing is due to the direction of 
 the annual rings in it. A "comb 
 grain" or "rift" board. Fig. 2, 
 which is cut radially in the log, 
 is less likely to warp than a 
 "slash grain" or "bastard" board 
 which is cut from the side of 
 the log. 
 
 It is partly for this reason 
 that much fine lumber is "quar- 
 ter sawed," Fig. 3. That is, ra- 
 dial boards are sawn out first, di- 
 viding the log into quarters 
 which are then sawed up as 
 nearly radially as is consistent with economy. In some woods, as in 
 oak and sycamore, the beauty of the grain caused by the exposure 
 thus made of the pith rays, is an additional reason for quarter 
 sawing. See frontispiece. 
 
 Figr. 2. 
 
 Comb grain board; B^ Slash 
 grain board. 
 
16 
 
 DES1G^^ AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 Fig-. 3. Common method of quartering- log-. 
 
 Disadvantageous as the shrinking and swelling of wood is for 
 most purposes, it is sometimes made use of, as in splitting soft 
 stone by means of wetting wedges which have been driven into bor- 
 ings in the stone. 
 
 The beauty of wood depends 
 largely upon the '^gvaiji/' a terra 
 which means several things. Us- 
 ually the grain of wood means 
 the pattern formed by the dis- 
 tinction between the spring 
 wood and the summer wood. 
 Hence, according to the ^^figure" 
 formed, wood may be straight 
 grained, crooked grained, wavy 
 grained, curly grained, or bird's 
 eye. The term "grain" may also 
 refer to the appearance caused 
 by the presence of the "pith 
 rays," as in oak, (see frontis- 
 piece), or to the peculiar changing reflection of light due to cross 
 grain as in mahogany. The terms coarse grain and fine grain may 
 refer respectively either to the 
 width of the annual rings or to 
 the presence or absence of pores'. 
 Wood is sold by the board 
 foot; that is, the unit of measure- 
 ment is a board, one inch thick, 
 one foot long, and one foot wide, 
 or 144 cubic inches, Fig. 4. A 
 simple method of measuring is to 
 multiply the length in feet by the width and thickness in inches and 
 divide by 12. For example 1" (thick) X 8" (wide) X 10' O"(long)-^ 
 12=6' 8" B.M. (board measure). Boards less than one inch 
 thick are calculated as one inch. Dressed lumber, that is, planed on 
 both sides, comes 3/16" less in thickness than sawn lumber. For ex- 
 ample, boards sawn 1" thick are planed to 13/16". For all ordin- 
 
 ^A fuller discussion of this subject will be found in the author's Wood 
 and Forest, Chapter I. The Manual Arts Press, Peoria, III. 
 
 Fig^. 4. A board foot. 
 
WOOD 17 
 
 ary purposes it is economical to buy 13/16" stuff. For thinner boards 
 one may have this resawn at the mill.'' 
 
 Following are descriptions of a few common varieties of wood. 
 
 As an aid to their recognition, see the illustrations, frontispiece. 
 
 White pine has been the most useful of all trees in the United 
 States. The wood is one of the easiest and most satisfactory to work, 
 owing to its uniformity of grain. For all purposes that require a 
 wood that shrinks and checks but little and holds its shape well, 
 such as molding patterns, window sashes, cores of doors and cabinet 
 work, white pine is unrivaled. It is very light and soft, and is of 
 medium strength, elasticit}^, and durability. It splits easily but nails 
 well. In color it is light brown, almost cream color. The grain is 
 not noticeable and has no particular beauty. Hence when used for 
 house trim it is usually painted. Its former abundance made it 
 cheap and it has therefore been used so recklessly that now it is be- 
 coming scarce. Red pine is often sold with and for white pine. 
 Price in N. Y. C, 1913, $120 per M (thousand). 
 
 Cypress is a soft, easily worked wood, that does not warp badly 
 but is likely to contain many fine checks. It nails well and is very 
 durable. Hence it is much used for shingles, posts, railway ties, and 
 conservatory construction. As seen in slash grain boards, it is often 
 beautifully figured by the fine lines of summer wood between the 
 broader spaces of spring wood. It has a reddish brown color and no 
 resin ducts. Its beauty makes it a desirable wood for interior finish 
 and for many pieces of furniture. Price in N. Y. C, 1913, per M. $65. 
 
 Spruce is a straight grained, strong, light, elastic, and rather 
 soft wood, which shrinks and warps but little, is easy to plane and 
 saw, but hard to chisel neatly across the grain because the spring 
 wood is so much softer than the summer wood that it crushes before 
 it cuts. It nails fairly well. It is used chiefly for construction, for 
 ladders, for paddles, and other articles requiring both strength and 
 lightness and, preferably, for paper pulp. It is the wood from which 
 sounding boards are made because it is very resonant. It can be sub- 
 stituted for many uses of pine. The color is dull white, and the 
 rings not noticeable. Very strong, light, furniture can be made of it. 
 Price, in N. Y. C, 1913, $50 per M. 
 
 'Further information about measuring lumber can be found in the au- 
 thor's Handwork in Wood, pp. 48 and 109. The Manual Arts Press, Peo- 
 ria, 111. 
 
18 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 White oak is now the wood most commonly used for interior fin- 
 ish and furniture. It is very strong, quite heavy and elastic, and 
 hard. It is rather hard to work and to nail, and checks and warps 
 considerably, unless carefully seasoned; but when once worked up 
 is without a rival on account of its strength and beauty. The color 
 is a light brown. The rings are plainly defined by pores, which 
 make a pleasing pattern in slash sawn boards. Its great distinction 
 lies in the pith rays, which are broad, conspicuous, and irregular. 
 They are often an inch or more wide and many inches long. These 
 rays are very hard, almost like horn. They are brought to plainest 
 view in radial (or rift) boards, and hence quarter sawing, tho un- 
 economical, is commonly practiced to obtain the most effective 
 "grain." As the wood is becoming more scarce, inferior species are 
 mixed in, smaller trees are cut, and radial veneers are more and 
 more used. In staining, the pores absorb much more color than 
 the summer wood or the pith rays, and hence, no wood is capable 
 of such contrasts of grain when stained as oak. Price in N. Y. C, 
 1913, $135 per M. 
 
 White ash is a heavy, strong, elastic, hard wood, used especially 
 for handles of farm tools, oars, barrels, etc. It splits badly in nail- 
 ing. It is used considerably for inside finish and furniture both on 
 account of its strength and the beauty of its figure when slash sawn. 
 The "grain" is due to the massing of the pores in the spring wood. 
 It is the hardest and best of the ashes. Black or brown ash is much 
 easier to work, and is sufficiently strong for most furniture. Price, 
 in N.Y.C., 1913, $85 per M. 
 
 Yellow poplar or white wood grows with a tall straight trunk 
 unsurpassed in grandeur by any other eastern American tree. This 
 furnishes clear knotless boards, often 15" to 18" broad. It is a gen- 
 eral utility wood, largely taking the place once held by white pine, 
 and is used for cheap furniture, interior trim, and carriage bodies. 
 It is light, brittle, soft, easy to work, nails very well, has medium 
 strength, and does not warp badly when properly handled. The pith 
 rays are quite noticeable, but are not made much use of for decora- 
 tive purposes. The rings are distinct but not prominent, and the 
 color is greenish or yellov/ brown. It is a good wood to keep in stock 
 for all sorts of purposes, and an ideal wood to carve. In the south, 
 magnolia is often sold with and for yellow poplar. They belong to 
 the same family. Price in IS^. Y. C, 1913, $80 per M. 
 
WOOD 19 
 
 Sweet gum. Except for one quality, sweet gum would be one of 
 the most useful woods. It has an even texture, is comparatively easy 
 to work, takes a beautiful finish and polishes well, is an ideal wood 
 for carving, and with a little care can be nailed well. It has a 
 beautiful chocolate hue varied by uneven deposits of coloring matter. 
 But it twists and warps more than any other common wood, and hence 
 
 ^^^^^^H^^^^^^*^ 
 
 
 Fig-. 5. Clamping up boards to keep them from warpin^jr. 
 
 for commercial purposes is largely used in veneers. For small articles 
 of household use, it is an excellent wood. Price in N. Y. C, 1913, 
 $75 per M. 
 
 Mahogany is a general name covering a number of species, all of 
 which are imported. The chief varieties are Central American ma- 
 hogany, African mahogany, Mexican mahogany, East Indian mahog- 
 any ( Vermillion wood or padouk), and Spanish cedar. These varie- 
 ties are somewhat alike in color, a reddish brown, the annual rings 
 are inconspicuous, the pores are scattered, and few woods take glue 
 better. They vary considerably in hardness, in difficulty of nailing, 
 and in shade of color. The common uses are furniture and interior 
 
20 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 finish. The grain is very likely to be variable, causing a very pleas- 
 ing, changeable, reflection of light. Price in N.Y.C., 1913, $185 per M. 
 
 In the following studies, the woods just described will be recom- 
 mended. 
 
 It is impossible to give explicit directions for laying in a supply 
 of wood. Some varieties of wood may be plentiful in certain places, 
 others may be scarce and hence expensive. Some workers may be able 
 to obtain the wood in nearly the sizes wanted; others may be com- 
 pelled to purchase whole boards. Some may have a dry storage room 
 of ample size, as, for instance, an attic; others may be compelled to 
 store their lumber in a damp cellar. In general it may be said 
 that one should buy only what he can take good care of. Where any 
 quantity of lumber is stored, it should, if possible, be "stacked,'^ that 
 is, piled flat, each board separated from its neighbors by small cross 
 sticks to allow free circulation of air. If possible, there should be a 
 weight on the top board. Where only a few boards are to be put un- 
 der pressure, it is often convenient to clamp them together with 
 hand screws, as in Fig. 5. 
 
 BIBLIOGRAPHY 
 
 Filibert Roth. Timber. Bulletin No. lo, of the Forestry Service, Washing- 
 ton, D. C. (May be secured from the Supt. of Documents, Washington, 
 D. C, for IOC.) A brief, accurate, and non-technical but comprehensive 
 study of the structure and properties of woods, with a description of 
 common varieties and a key to their study. 
 
 Katherine Golden Bitting. Woodcraft, June-Sept. 'o6. 
 
 William Noyes. Wood and Forest. Manual Arts Press, Peoria, 11:. 
 
Chapter II 
 WOOD A MEDIUM OF ARTISTIC EXPEESSION 
 
 Projects in wood that admit of artistic variation are subject to 
 the same fundamental principles of design that underly all the space 
 arts. The constant problem of the artistic woodworker is to famil- 
 iarize himself with these principles. One way of doing this is the 
 keen observation of their application by past and present masters in 
 wood. Familiarity with the masterpieces of woodwork in other ages 
 and lands will give additional zest and interest to the application of 
 these principles. For instance, the hand workers in wood of Italy, 
 Spain, France, England, Scandinavia, and Japan, have much to 
 teach us in line, proportion, and construction. 
 
 The other way of learning these principles of the space arts is 
 by repeated application of them in constructive work. Only in the 
 latter way does the worker come to realize the limitations of his own 
 medium. The production of beautiful objects acquires a much more 
 lively interest when good taste and the ability to design are developed 
 along with manipulative skill in execution. On the other hand, tne 
 acquisition of skill becomes of vastly greater importance if it is used 
 as a means of creating things of beauty. 
 
 In a word, artistic judgment and skill of hand develop best when 
 they develop together. Each justifies and ennobles the other. 
 
 In the making of the following projects, where ample opportun- 
 ity is given both to design and to construction, the meaning of beauty 
 as related to wooden structures should grow clearer as the articles 
 suggested are worked out. Experience here, as elsewhere, is the best 
 teacher. 
 
 It is not to be inferred, however, that one can safely hope to im- 
 prove thru self-criticism alone. The dangers of going off at a tan- 
 gent are too great. In design, even more than in construction, the 
 critical assistance of a competent teacher is invaluable. The con- 
 stant appeal for help to superior artistic judgment is the surest path 
 to good taste. 
 
 21 
 
22 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN AVOOD 
 
 The underlying principles of the visual arts have been clearly 
 stated, tho not in identical terms, by several writers, and as the 
 principles herein suggested for the woodworker are based upon the 
 broader principles common to all space arts, the reader is strongly 
 urged to familiarize himself with them. They are well analyzed and 
 illustrated in the following books: 
 
 Arthur W. Dow : Composition. 
 
 Denman W. Ross : Theory of Pure Design. 
 
 Ernest A. Batchelder : Design in Theory and Practice. 
 
 George Lansing Raymond : Proportion and Harmony of Line and Color. 
 
 Lewis F. Day : The Application of Ornament. 
 
 The properties of the particular medium thru which art is ex- 
 pressed present to the artist certain limitations which he must recog- 
 nize. This in no way suppresses creative expression, but rather dis- 
 ciplines it. 
 
 The following, then, are the possibilities and the limitations 
 within which the woodworker may revel: 
 
 1. In the first place, the thing to be made should in itself appeal 
 to the craftsman as something worth while and interesting to make. 
 For instance, scrap-baskets, pict are-frames, desk-trays, hanging lan- 
 terns, and such familiar objects as are frequently seen or handled, 
 should call forth the worker's best effort. 
 
 2. The article to be made should be so designed and constructed 
 as to be structurally sound. Nothing is completely beautiful which 
 is poorly constructed. The joints of a frame should not open with 
 varying temperature and humidity. A chair should be so con- 
 structed as to hold the weight and strain ordinarily expected of 
 chairs, for an indefinite time, or as long as the wood lasts. A hun- 
 dred years is not too long to expect a chair to be of service. Many 
 last longer. 
 
 3. The form of the article should frankly indicate the material; 
 wood should not be made to look like metal or stone. Appropriate- 
 ness of shape to material should be so obvious that there would be 
 no mistaking a wooden candlestick for one of pottery or brass. 
 
 4. The structure of the article should be recognized or even 
 emphasized, but not contradicted. In wooden structures this prin- 
 ciple has to do primarily with the matter of joints. Joints may in 
 many cases be made obvious, as in the decorative use of fastenings. 
 
WOOD A MEDIUM OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION 23 
 
 SO that there is no mistaking the form of construction. In cases 
 where the joint is concealed, the principle stated would demand that 
 there be no pretense of a form of construction that does not exist, 
 as, for example, when a false keyed mortise-and-tenon joint is stuck 
 on where the pieces are actually doweled together. In a word, the 
 construction should be honest, and if it is obviously honest, it may 
 be all the better. 
 
 5. The article should also be convenient for use. The socket of a 
 candle stick should be of the proper size to hold ordinary candles. 
 A pen-tray should be long enough to hold pens and pencils and 
 should not be easily upset. A chair seat should be the right distance 
 from the floor, and the rail in front should be high enough to allow 
 the sitter to slip his feet under it and so rise easily. The require- 
 ments of convenience set limitations to design. Proportions must 
 conform to intended use. 
 
 6. Lastly, when an interesting object has been chosen, when 
 proper materials and sound construction have been determined upon, 
 when it has been planned for convenience in use, so that the size and 
 shape are approximately fixed, then the sense of beauty plays, as it 
 were, with these possibilities, feeling for the most satisfying propor- 
 tion of parts to whole and parts to each other, trying one arrange- 
 ment after another, studying how to secure a rhythmic repetition of 
 the same motive, how to break up an outline or a surface harmon- 
 iously into principal and subordinate parts, and how to keep it as 
 a unit well balanced. 
 
 In analyzing more particularly what it is with which the crafts- 
 man plays in creating beauty in these little wooden structures, four 
 considerations are of prime importance: (1) mass, (2) line, involv- 
 ing light and shadow, (3) color, (4) finish. 
 
 1. Mass. The first consideration is the appearance of the object 
 as a whole. It is to be thought of as a silhouette, as an object stand- 
 ing between the observer and the light, so that the general propor- 
 tions are obvious ; that is, the relation of width to height, of part to 
 whole, and of part to part, including a consideration of vacant spaces 
 as well as occupied spaces, should be clearly defined. Seen or imag- 
 ined from this point of view, the details are lost, no lights or shad- 
 ows are conspicuous, but only the general mass. It must have the 
 beauty that one sees when the trees, rocks, and hills are silhouetted 
 
24 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 in a pattern of pleasing proportions against a twilight sky. In other 
 words, the first and fundamental esthetic test and requisite is that 
 the proportions as a whole should be pleasing. 
 
 The basket, candlestick, lantern, and so on, which in the follow- 
 ing pages are suggested for making, are studied from this point of 
 view; they are planned to keep the height and width and depth in 
 pleasing relation each to each, and to so proportion open with closed 
 spaces as to secure an artistic arrangement of parts. In other words, 
 the composition made by placing the object against a lighter or dark- 
 er surface should be pleasing in dark and light. 
 
 2. Line. When these general masses and spaces are approxi- 
 mately determined, the next step is to fix the character of their 
 boundaries. The outlines are to be refined and embellished, and 
 here we may have all the variety that lies between that severity of 
 line found in the earlier European furniture — whether Scandinavian, 
 Italian, Spanish or English, and the elaborateness of carved and 
 turned and fluted styles, such as is characteristic of the later Eliza- 
 bethan or Gothic furniture. How simple or how intricate, how bold 
 or how delicate the lines shall be, depends partly upon the nature of 
 the material, partly upon the skill and the judgment and the taste of 
 the craftsman, and partly upon the use to be made of the object. 
 
 The nature of the line affects directly the high lights and shad- 
 ows that appear when the object is well lighted. Good lines will 
 produce interesting notes of light and dark. They will "catch the 
 light'' and "throw shadows" at pleasing rhythmic intervals, making 
 interesting patterns in "notan"^ This is the merit of artistic mold- 
 ings, turned work, carving, and inlay, that they make possible intri- 
 cate and diversified compositions of dark and light (and in the 
 case of inlay, of color), that are impossible in severe, plain styles. 
 On the other hand, the attractiveness of plain forms lies in their 
 very simplicity. Moreover, as the plainer early European or Japan- 
 ese styles involve fewer elements to be spaced, the chances for the 
 beginner to get better designs in them is greater than in the more 
 elaborate styles. So, until considerable mastery in handling space 
 relations in wooden structures is gained, the beginner is advised to 
 work in the spirit of these plainer, simpler styles. 
 
 ^Notan — a Japanese term meaning dark-and-light. 
 
WOOD A MEDIUM OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION 25 
 
 3. Color. Thirdly, there is the consideration of color. The nat- 
 ural hues of the woods give a considerable variety, ranging from the 
 light yellow brown of oak, chestnut, and ash, to the reds of mahog- 
 any and the purples of walnut and sweet gum. All of these can be 
 greatly modified artificially by stains or by chemical processes. (See 
 the author's Handwork in Wood, pp. 209-214.) 
 
 The problems in color, both in hue and value, is that of harmony 
 with surroundings. No piece of furniture, however small, should be 
 considered as a thing by itself. It is to be treated as one element that 
 will enter into the composition of a beautiful room, and upon its 
 harmony therewith will depend its own beauty. 
 
 As regards the color of furniture, it may be said in general that 
 the esthetic tendency is away from yellow tones. These are all the 
 harder to avoid on account of the yellowness of the common finishes, 
 varnish and shellac. The best that can be done by amateurs is to 
 gray the yellow by fuming or staining. On the other hand, a frank 
 yellow tone may be appropriate and effective, as, for instance in a 
 blue setting. 
 
 4. Finish. The fourth element of beauty in wood is finish. The 
 simplest and oldest process is rubbing with or without oil or wax, 
 Avhich only emphasizes the quality of wood as wood. The more mod- 
 ern finishes, varnish and shellac, succeed in "bringing out the grain,'' 
 but at the expense of making a surface that looks, not like wood, but 
 like glass. Unlike glass, however, varnish is easily marred. To keep 
 the shining surface perfect, demands constant protection and care, 
 and suggests that such pieces are made, not to use, but to look at. 
 
 It may frequently happen that in order to secure a desired ef- 
 fect of mass or line or color, the design or construction originally 
 adopted may have to be reconsidered and something else substituted 
 that will give a satisfying harmony. Each feature is thus to be de- 
 cided tentatively, subject to such modifications as other features may 
 demand in securing unity of design for the structure when complete. 
 
 Altho the steps mentioned seem to give the logical procedure in 
 building all sorts of things, whether foot-stools, chairs, or thrones, 
 trussed, arched, or suspension bridges, dog-kennels, cottages, or cas- 
 tles, yet a little reflection and observation will show that one or 
 another of these steps has frequently been omitted. The library of 
 one of our famous universities is a good illustration of a beautiful 
 
26 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 building poorly planned for its use. Utility is sacrificed to good 
 proportion. On the other hand, the so-called typewriter chair is a 
 model of convenience and comfort, but it will never find a place in a 
 museum as a thing of beauty. Utility has not yet been cast in pleas- 
 ing line and tone. 
 
 The following, then, is suggested as a logical method of proced- 
 ure in designing simple wooden structures. In actual experience it 
 is not necessary to decide these points in this order, or in any order, 
 but in general these are the items that should receive deliberate con- 
 sideration at some time between the conception and completion of an 
 artistic structure. 
 
 I. The fixing of essentials, or of those points that make for an 
 article's convenience in use. Under this head, such matters as the 
 following are determined : 
 
 a. The approximate or definite size. 
 
 b. The kind of wood to be used. Each has a quality that 
 
 makes its characteristic appeal for certain construc- 
 tions. See Chapter I, also Chapter III, Wood and 
 Forest. 
 
 c. The construction, including: 
 
 (1) Kind of joint or joints. 
 
 (2) Methods of opening and shutting or locking. 
 
 (3) Appliances for lifting or moving or hanging, 
 
 and so on. 
 II The refining of proportions. 
 
 a. Of the mass as a whole. 
 
 b. Of each part to the whole. 
 
 c. Of each part to each other part. 
 
 d. Of each line within itself, if it curves or is a broken 
 
 line, or is turned on a lathe. 
 
 III. Decoration. This relates to the decorative treatment of the 
 surface. 
 
 a. Carving, border or surface (all-over) patterns in 
 
 gouged lines or modeled. 
 
 b. Panels, carved in, or constructed in. 
 
 c. Inlay or veneer. 
 
 d. Designing of accessories — handles, knobs, key plates, es- 
 
 cutcheons, etc. 
 
WOOD A MEDIUM OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSION 27 
 
 IV. 
 
 Finish. 
 
 
 a. Stain. 
 
 
 b. Paint. 
 
 
 c. Oil. 
 
 
 d. Wax. 
 
 
 e. Shellac, including French polish. 
 
 
 f. Varnish. 
 
 In general, the order in designing suggested above has been fol- 
 lowed thrnout the making of the following articles. The illustra- 
 tions used are largely photographs or sketches of articles designed 
 and executed by my students. 
 
 However, the possibilities for original design that lie within the 
 range of these few objects of household use still invite the designer. 
 There is here no intention of a cut and dried series of models, but 
 rather such a presentation of what some of the possibilities of these 
 projects are, that others to whom wood appeals as a medium of ar- 
 tistic expression will be stimulated to create still more varied and 
 beautiful objects for our common every-day life. Or, feeling not 
 too sure of his ability to create, the beginner may choose from the 
 following suggestions the ones he likes best, in itself an exercise of 
 artistic judgment, and copy them. And so, little by little in the 
 effort to re-create others' designs that are known to be good, he may 
 come to create good designs of his own. Or, at the very least, which 
 is also much, thru this thoughtful copying of good things, he will be 
 helped in his desire to appreciate beauty in wooden structures. 
 
28 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 Fig-. 6. A, Mortise-and-tenon consiruciion in frame of bench; 
 B, Draw-bolt construction. 
 
Chapter III 
 EQUIPMENT 
 
 The equipment necessary for beginning to work in wood may be 
 very inexpensive, costing not more than $25. It is better to begin 
 with a few good tools, well chosen, adding to the number others as 
 they are needed. The total cost of a first class equipment need not 
 exceed $50.00. 
 
 It is rarely wise to buy the sets already made up in cabinets, for 
 the lists given often include cheap and dispensable tools, and the 
 quality is apt to be not the best. One can soon learn to make a cabi- 
 net to fit his own tools. It is wise to consult one's local hardware 
 dealer before buying as well as those firms that have made a spe- 
 cialty of handling woodworking equipments for schools and ama- 
 teurs. The latter have special facilities for furnishing the proper 
 high grade tools. The names and addresses of reliable firms may 
 be found in the advertising pages of any of the educational journal s\ 
 
 The following tools are recommended for the individual equip- 
 ment of a beginner^: 
 
 The bench. The essential features of a good bench are: (1) Ri- 
 gidity. This may be secured in a bench made with either mortise- 
 and-tenon-joints. Fig. 6,A, or draw-bolt construction. Fig. 6,B. The 
 bench should be firmly fastened to the floor by lag-screws passing 
 thru the two foot pieces. 
 
 (2.) A maple top with trough at the back. 
 
 (3) A low tool rack, that is, one not above the top of the bench, 
 which does not obscure the light and is not in the way for large work. 
 
 (4). A good vise. The strongest, most durable, and most con- 
 venient are the rapid-acting vises, with the working parts of metal, 
 which require an occasional oiling. 
 
 *For descriptions and illustrations of tools see Handwork in Wood, 
 Chapter II. Manual Arts Press, Peoria, 111. 
 
 ^For school equipment see Handwork in Wood, Chapter VI. 
 
 29 
 
30 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 The jaws of the vise should be faced with maple. Sometimes 
 there are two vises, a side vise and a tail vise. The latter is exceed- 
 ingly convenient for certain kinds of work. 
 
 There are various benches and vises on the market. Among other 
 good ones are those of the following firms : 
 E. H. Sheldon & Co., 182 Nims St., Muskegon, Mich. 
 
 The Denver model (1 rapid-acting vise), price $ 9.50 
 
 The Omaha model (2 rapid-acting vises), price 14.25 
 
 A. L. Bemis, Worcester, Mass. 
 
 Sloyd Bench No. 4, price 15.00 
 
 This has an iron vise, not quick acting, and a tail clamp. 
 Richards-Wilcox Mfg. Co., Aurora, 111. 
 
 No. 260. 1, side vise only 12.00 
 
 No. 260. 2, side and tail vise 16.00 
 
 Hammacher, Schlemmer & Co., 4th Av. and 13th St., New York,N.Y. 
 
 No. L $ 8.50 
 
 No. J 12.50 
 
 No. K 20.00 
 
 These benches at this price are all equipped with a side and a 
 tail vise, the last with a Toles rapid-acting vise. The rapid-acting 
 vise adds about $6.00 to the cost, and by special order they may be 
 attached to any standard bench. Among the many rapid-acting vises 
 on the market are the W. C. Toles, Irving Park, Chicago, 111.; The 
 Abernathy Vise & Tool Co., 233 W. 62d Place, Chicago, 111.; The 
 Herriman Co., 15 S. Canal St., Chicago, 111.; the Eichards-Wilcox 
 Co., Aurora, 111. 
 
 A very good arrangement is to have a rapid-acting side vise, and 
 w^ood-screw tail vise. 
 
 In a word, the bench and vise may cost from $8.00 to $20.00. 
 The tools": 
 
 1 Stanley jack-plane No. 5 $ 1.75 
 
 1 Stanley block-plane No. 65 1/2 80 
 
 1 Iron spokeshave. No. 54 25 
 
 ^This list is made up from Hammacher, Schlemmer & Co.'s catalog No. 
 355. For pictures of these tools consult any of the books mentioned in the 
 bibliography. 
 
EQUIPMENT 31 
 
 1 Stanley ''Bed Rock'' smooth-plane, No. 603' 1.60 
 
 *1 Stanley rabbet-plane and filletster, No. 78^ 1.10 
 
 1 Disston's Crosscut-saw, No. 9, 32" 10 points 1.15 
 
 1 Disston's Eip-saw, No. 9, 22", 8 points 1.15 
 
 1 Disston's back-saw. No. 4, 10" 95 
 
 *1 Turning-saw in frame 14", 3/16" blade 90 
 
 1 Buck Bros, firmer chisel, l", handled and sharpened.. .35 
 1 Buck Bros, hrmer chisel, ^", handled and sharpened. . .25 
 1 Buck Bros, firmer chisel, Y\\ handled and sharpened.. .20 
 1 Buck Bros, firmer chisel, J4", handled and sharpened. . .20 
 
 1 Hammond's adze-eye hammer, No. 3, 7 oz 45 
 
 *1 Bound hickory mallet. No. 4 12 
 
 1 Hardened blade try-square. No. 5^, 6" 25 
 
 1 Beech marking-gage. No. 64^^, 8" 20 
 
 1 Sloyd knife, No. 7, 2^/" blade 30 
 
 or a good pocket Imife. 
 
 1 Medium hard lead pencil (No. 2) 05 
 
 1 Boxwood rule, 2', 4-fold 12 
 
 *1 Disston sliding T-bevel, No. 3, 6" 25 
 
 *1 Pair Starrett's dividers, winged. No. 92, 8" 75 
 
 1 Veneer scraper^ No. 80 . .70 
 
 2 Molding scrapers. No. 2 and No. 7 15 
 
 1 Half-round wood file, K and F, 8", handled 20 
 
 1 Rat-tail wood file, K & F, 8", handled 20 
 
 1 Slim taper triangular file, 6" 10 
 
 1 Disston's Back-saw in frame 14", 3/16" blade 90 
 
 *1 Outside-bevel gouge. Buck Bros., firmer, No. 8, handled 
 
 and sharpened, 1" 35 
 
 *1 inside-bevel gouge, regular sweep. No. 10, Y^' 45 
 
 *1 Addis carving tool, 3/16", No. 11, round maple handle .38 
 
 1 Barber's ratchet brace. No. 33, 8" sweep 1.40 
 
 1 Miter-box, beech, 12" long, No. 00 30 
 
 Better ones are Olmstead's Patent No. 3 1.25 
 
 * Miller's Falls Co. No. 15^ .' 4.50 
 
 ^If desirable to reduce expense substitute No. 603 for both No. 5 and 
 No. 655^. 
 
 *The tools marked * are not essential for beginning work and may be 
 purchased later. 
 
32 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 Still larger ones are the Stanley No. 240, and the Langdon 
 Acme, No. 68, which cost about $9.00. 
 
 1 Set twist bits, (3/32", 4/32", 5/32", 6/32", 7/32") 64 
 
 1 Set Russell Jennings auger-bits (4/16", 5/16", 6/16", 
 
 7/16", 8/16") 1.40 
 
 *1 Clark's expansive bit, ^4" to 1>4" 57 
 
 1 Eose countersink. No. 10, ^" 25 
 
 *1 Screwdriver-bit, ^", round blade 4" long 16 
 
 4 Bradawls, handled, 1", 1^", lYz" 15 
 
 1 New Century screwdriver, 4" 16 
 
 1 0. K. Nailset, 1/16" 07 
 
 *2 Carpenter's steel bar clamps, 3' 3.20 
 
 *2 Aldrich's oiled handscrews. No. 16, 10" 80 
 
 *1 Glue-pot 50 
 
 1 Glue-brush, >^" 15 
 
 1 Glass-cutter, No. 10 27 
 
 1 Flat varnish brush. No. 54, 1^", hard, rubber-bound, 
 
 (for shellac) 30 
 
 2 Cheap tin-bound brushes, EE, 1" 10 
 
 *1 Pike Peerless junior tool-grinder 4.00 
 
 or 1 Eobertson's concave tool-grinder (The Robertson 
 
 Drill and Tool Co., Buffalo, N.Y.) 5.00 
 
 or 1 Niagara No. 10 Carborundum tool-grinder 10.00 
 
 or 1 Empire tool-grinder (The Empire Tool Co., Albany, 
 
 N. Y.)' 2.80 
 
 1 Carborundum oilstone, medium and coarse combined, in 
 
 iron box 1.15 
 
 1 quire sandpaper. No. 00 30 
 
 1 quire sandpaper, No. 1 .30 
 
 Supplementary list of metalworking tools : 
 
 1 hand-drill. No. 04 1.40 
 
 Drills, Morse's, No. 17, 1 each, Nos. 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 
 
 40, 45, 50, 55, 60 71 
 
 1 Iron vise, Parker's No. 30, oval slide 1.15 
 
 *It is well to learn to grind one's own tools as early as possible, but the 
 expense of the grinder may be saved if there is another available, in a 
 neighboring shop. 
 
8O6T0N COLLEGE LIBRARY 
 OHESTNOT H/LL. MASS. 
 
 EQUIPMENT 33 
 
 1 Pair end cutting nippers, No. 154, 5" 88 
 
 1 Pair Compton's metal snips, No. 12, 2" 63 
 
 1 Pair flatnosed pliers. No. 1806>^, 5" 58 
 
 1 Mill bastard file, 8", safe edge, handled 15 
 
 1 Mill smooth file, 8", safe edge, handled 15 
 
 Wood Stains. It is well to begin with some simple stain, already 
 prepared. Among such on the market are : 
 
 Craftsman Stain, dark brown. No. 2, 1 quart for $1.00, Syra- 
 cuse, N. Y. 
 
 Devoe & Eeynolds, Penetrating Oil Stain, 1 quart for 70c, 101 
 Fulton St., N.Y. 
 
 The Bridgeport Wood Finishing Co., Penetrating Oil Stain, 1 
 pint, 20c, 155 Fulton St. 
 
 Wax. The easiest finish to apply and repair is wax. A conven- 
 ient prepared form is: 
 
 Bridgeport Wood Finishing Company's Old Dutch Finish, price, 
 25c a pint. 
 
 Supplies. Nails, screws, etc., are now commonly put up in con- 
 venient packages, and would better be purchased as needed. Explicit 
 directions will be given in each lesson as to what to obtain. A box 
 divided into compartments, or a set of boxes so divided, which may 
 be stacked in a set of drawers, will add greatly to the convenience of 
 handling nails and screws. Until this is provided they may be kept 
 in their paper packages'**. 
 
 Glue. "Star" glue (imported) is the strongest, but it sets quickly. 
 Peter Cooper's White Glue is excellent, and comes in convenient form. 
 
 BIBLIOGRAPHY 
 
 William Noyes. Handzvork in Wood. Manual Arts Press, Peoria, 111. 
 Price, $2.00. 
 
 Hammacher, Schlemmer & Co., Tools, Catalogue No. 355, N. Y., 4th Ave. 
 and 13th St. 
 
 Ira S. Griffith. Essentials of Woodworking. Manual Arts Press, Peoria, 
 111. Price, $1.00. 
 
 "For descriptions of the various common fastenings, see Handzvork in 
 Wood. 
 
 —3 
 
34 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 Fig-. 8. Four sided basket with corners cut. 
 
Chapter IV 
 A SCEAP-BASKET 
 
 In designing a scrap-basket, matters for early consideration are: 
 
 I. The fixing of the essentials, 
 a. Of these the size must be approximately determined at the 
 beginning. For ordinary purposes a waste-basket should not be more 
 than 18" or less than 14" high, depending — so far as looks go — upon 
 
 the size of the desk beside which _^ 
 
 it is likely to stand. As to 
 breadth, it may be properly be- 
 tween 7" and 10", depending on 
 the height. The shape may be 
 square, Fig. 9, the easiest con- 
 struction ; or six sided. Fig. 7 ; 
 or eight sided; or square with 
 the corners cut, Fig. 8. 
 
 b. The next point to de- 
 cide is the kind of wood to be 
 used. Pine is easier for a be- 
 ginner to work, but it is more 
 expensive than cypress or spruce. 
 Cypress is softer than spruce 
 and hence easier to work, and 
 lias a pleasing grain. On the 
 other hand, spruce is stronger. 
 Take it all in all, cypress an- 
 swers more requirements. The 
 more expensive and harder cab- ^^^- ^- scrap-basket. 
 
 inet woods, oak and mahogan}^, are all right for the experienced 
 worker. 
 
 c. As to the construction, the simplest is the best; the slats are 
 nailed to the flat bottom and to a frame consisting of a band of cleats 
 at or near the top. If the cleat is made as in Fig. 9 this band or 
 
 lf:i 
 
 ...MMtems* 
 
 ^■4^ 
 
 *". m 
 
 ,mt, 
 
 (^m ap^-.-* 
 
 r 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 - 
 
 
 
 
 I 
 i 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 t 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ; 
 
 m 
 
 M 
 
 i 
 
 
 U 
 
 h 
 
 m 
 
 35 
 
36 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN V.OCD 
 
 rail may be boxed together very strongly with an end-lap joint as 
 described below. If the rail is outside the slats, a miter joint should 
 be used for appearance sake, Fig. 10. If the top is finished with a 
 nosing, as in Figs. 10 and 17, the frame will serve as a ready means 
 of lifting the basket. On the other hand, if the basket is finished 
 
 with the frame inside it is more 
 conveniently lifted if handles 
 of wood or copper or leather 
 are added on two opposite sides. 
 See Figs. 8 and 11. 
 
 II. Proportions. With these 
 essentials fixed, we pass to the 
 refining of the proportions. 
 
 The proportion of width to 
 height should be subtle, not ob- 
 vious, as 1 to 2 or 2 to 3. The 
 width may be increased by 
 clianging the number of the 
 slats or the spaces between 
 them. To vary the width of the 
 slats themselves increases the 
 difficulty of planing which, for 
 a beginner, is better kept easy. 
 Various arrangements of slats 
 are shown in the illustrations. 
 A variety of designs is possible by changing the position and 
 v.'idth of the frame. By putting it at the very top of the slats with 
 a mitered nosing over both slats and cleats, a neat substantial fin- 
 ish is obtained. Fig. 13. If the frame is lowered, some of the slats 
 may be cut to different lengths and so shaped as to m.ake a pleasing 
 outline at top and bottom. Fig. 19. By the same method a handle 
 may be introduced. Fig. 15. 
 
 III. Decoration. Several features may be added for decorative 
 purposes as, for example, feet at the corners, perhaps with a little 
 line carving. Fig. 9 ; lacing, instead of nailing at the corners. Fig. 7 ; 
 not to speak of the handles already mentioned. For those who have 
 facilities for working in copper, well designed handles and corner 
 braces give an added charm to the appearance of the basket. 
 
 1.' ■ 
 
 w 
 
 ■■^^■^ <Mi^ 
 
 p 
 
 ,,1 
 
 ;:|f-~ 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 Fig- 10. Basket with mitered 
 frames at top and bottom. 
 
A SCRAP-BASKET 
 
 37 
 
 The use of upholstery nails, or large copper tacks (12 oz.), with 
 the heads hammered into knobs or filed square, gives an artistic touch. 
 See Figs. 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 18. 
 
 IV. The Finish. The stain chosen should make the basket har- 
 monize with its surroundings. Soft browns and grays are the safest. 
 Dull red or gray-green 
 may be suitable. Finally 
 the basket may be 
 waxed or oiled as de- 
 scribed below. 
 
 The following direc- 
 tions describe the mak- 
 ing of the basket shown 
 in Fig. 9. 
 
 The scrap basket is 
 chosen for the first pro- 
 ject because it involves 
 much sawing and plan- 
 ing, both of which pro- 
 cesses it is essential to 
 master at the outset. 
 Moreover the planing 
 is chiefly narrow-sur- 
 face planing, which is 
 easier for the beginner 
 than broad - surface 
 planing. Furthermore, 
 when the project is suc- 
 cessfully completed, it 
 is worth having. The following materials are required : 
 
 Spruce, cypress, or yellow poplar 
 
 2 pieces, %"x8"xi6" I , , -/./ o/. / // 
 
 ;, „ ^„ yor I board, /^ x8 x4 o 
 I piece, % x8 x8 \ 
 
 I piece heavy tin, 2"x2^" 
 
 I pkg. wire brads, %", No. i8 
 
 i6flathead wire nails, ^", No. i8. 
 
 8 doz. metalene upholstery nails, brown or green. No. 220 
 
 or copper tacks, 12 oz. 
 
 I small can penetrating oil stain, brown or green 
 
 I tin prepared wax 
 
 Fig, 11. A handle well designed for use and beauty. 
 
38 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 I. Getting out material. For this first project select a piece of 
 wood that is free from knots, and smoothly planed on both sides. 
 
 The first step is 
 to get 2 pieces, 
 16" long and 8" 
 wide. If you can 
 get them exactly 
 16" long at a 
 mill, do so; ex- 
 ])erience in mak- 
 ing lengths will 
 come better later 
 after some prac- 
 tice in handling 
 tools. If yon 
 must get out the 
 proper lengths 
 yourself, buy one 
 board 4' 0" long, 
 
 Fi^'-. 12. Slats and nail heads arraog-ed in rhythmic order. and prOCCcd aS 
 
 follows: Select the straightest 
 edge of the board, and with the 
 help of the try-square, draw a 
 pencil line at right angles to 
 this straight edge far enough 
 from one end to avoid any 
 "checks" (splits) that may be 
 there. Place the board across 
 two boxes or other support, let- 
 ting the marked end project. 
 Put your left knee or foot on 
 the board to steady it, and 
 with the crosscut-saw (see 
 Ilandivorh in Wood, p. 61), 
 saw off the end of the board 
 just outside of the mark. Fig. 
 20. Be careful when you near- 
 ly reach the end of the cut to 
 
 FiL*-- 13. Basket with ends of x Ji i <? ji i i 
 
 slats covered with mitered nosing SUpport tllC CUd ot the board 
 
A SCRAP-BASKET 
 
 39 
 
 with your left hand, so that you may cut clean to the edge. In a sim 
 ilar way, cut off two other pieces a little more than 16" long. 
 
 Mark one broad surface for a "work- 
 ing face.'' (See Handwork in Wood, p. 
 72.) If the board is slightly warped, 
 mark the concave side. 
 
 II. Planing the edges. The next 
 step is to plane one edge of each 16" 
 piece perfectly straight and square with 
 a broad surface. To do this proceed as 
 follows: Put one piece in the vise, long 
 edge up, and clamp it firmly. Attend to 
 the adjustments of your jack-plane. 
 (See Handwork in Wood, pp. 69-72.) Of 
 these, there are 3 principal ones. 1, the 
 cap (2)' to the cutter (1) ; 2, the Y ad- 
 justment (7) ; 3, the lateral adjust- 
 ment (9). 
 
 Let us assume that the cutter is 
 sharp. (If not, see Handwork in Wood, 
 p. 59). In the first place, the "cap" or 
 curling iron (2) should be screwed tight 
 to the cutter (1) so that the edge of the cap is about 1/16" back 
 from the edge of the cutter. Drop these two into the throat (19) 
 
 of the plane, cap up, in such a 
 way that the rectangular hole In 
 the cap fits over the end of the 
 "Y adjustment" (7). The clamp 
 (4) is now buttoned over the 
 clamp screw (5) and the thumb 
 piece or clamp lever (20) 
 pushed down tight. 'Now turn 
 over the plane and look along 
 the "sole" as in Fig. 21, and see 
 that the cutter barely projects. 
 Fig-. 15. A broad substantial basket. ^ou should scc it as a thin black 
 
 g. 14. A deep basket with feet 
 made by shortening the central 
 slats. 
 
 ^These numbers refer to the numbers of the parts as given in Fig. loi 
 of Handwork in Wood, p. 69. 
 
40 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 line across the shiny surface of the sole, Fig. 22. If it projects too 
 far, bring it back by turning the brass set-screw (8). If one cor- 
 ner projects more than the other, 
 adjust it by means of the lever for 
 lateral adjustment (9). Now try 
 the plane on the wood. Grasp the 
 handle (11) firmly in the right 
 hand, and the knob (12) firmly in 
 the left hand. Place the bottom or 
 sole (16) on the edge of the piece 
 in the vise, so that only the toe (17) 
 (the part in front of the cutter), 
 rests on the wood. Press down hard 
 on the knob and push the plane for- 
 ward. When the plane rests firmly 
 on the wood^ press equally on the 
 knob and handle and then as the 
 toe passes off the wood, press only 
 on the handle. Finish the stroke 
 with a slight upward swing of the 
 plane. Be especially careful not to 
 press down on the heel (18) at the 
 beginning or on the toe at the end of the stroke. If you do, the sur- 
 face which you are planing will not be straight but convex. Test 
 the edge with the straight arris (the external angle formed by the 
 union of two surfaces) of the plane, looking to- 
 ward the light. (Fig. 23.) If the light does 
 not come evenly between the edge of the board 
 and the arris of the plane, plane off only the 
 high part. Now test the edge for squareness, 
 pressing the head of the try-square firmly 
 against the side of the board and sliding it 
 doAvn until the blade just touches the edge. 
 Fig. 24. Do this at several points along 
 the edge, noticing which, if either, arris is higher 
 than the other. If the left hand arris is higher, 
 take off a shaving along that arris using only 
 the right half of the cutter, that is, letting the 
 
 Fig-. 16, Basket with plaia copper 
 handles and corner braces and with feet 
 of carved blocks. 
 
 w- 
 
 <L 
 
 Il¥ 
 
 u 
 
 -^^ 
 
 
 Fig-. 17. Neat finish for 
 top of scrap-basket. 
 
A SCRAP-BASKET 
 
 41 
 
 f}j 
 
 Fig". 18. Basket with copper handles and 
 copper nails. 
 
 Fig. 19. Basket with copper 
 handles and nails. 
 
 ^ 4 
 
 Fig. 20. Using- a crosscut saw. 
 
 Fig-. 21. Sighting- along the sole of the plane 
 to see that the cutter is properly adjusted. 
 
42 
 
 DESIGX AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 left side of the sole of the plane overhang the board more than the 
 right side, Fig. 25. But do not let it wobble. Eepeat these tests 
 and cuts until the edge is both straight and square. If the surface 
 
 
 
 
 1 1 .' ,1 
 
 Righ t way Wrong m/y 
 
 Fig-. 22. Adjustment of plane cutter; sighting along sole of plane, as in Fig. 21. 
 
 you are planing appears torn and not gloss}^, you are planing "across 
 the grain." In that case simply reverse the piece. 
 
 Eepeat this operation on the other similar 16" piece. Put a pen- 
 cil mark, thus =, on this edge for identification. 
 
 If you obtained your pieces from the mill exactly 16" long, and 
 sawed square, the next two steps 
 may be omitted. If you sawed 
 off the two pieces yourself, their 
 ends must be squared. To do 
 this fasten one piece in the vise, 
 end up. Cut off diagonally with 
 the knife or chisel the arris 
 (corner) away from the edge al- 
 ready planed for about ^J", as 
 shown in Fig. 26. 
 
 The surface formed by cut- 
 ting off an arris is called a 
 cliamjer. 
 
 Set your plane a little fiiier 
 than for planing with the grain, 
 and plane this end in the di- 
 rection of the arrow, observing 
 the same precautions as before. 
 This end must now be tested not only for straightness and for square- 
 ness with the surface, but for squareness with the edge already planed, 
 
 Fig 23. Testingjthe stiaightness 
 of an edge with the arris of the plane. 
 
A SCRAP-BASKET 
 
 43 
 
 Fig-. 24. Testing- an edge for squareness. 
 
 Yig. 27. ^ext measure exactly 16" from this end and, with a sharp 
 knife-point and try-square, draw a fine line at right angles to the fin- 
 ished edge. Saw off the surplus outside of this line. Cut off the arris 
 away from the finished edge and 
 proceed as before. 
 
 Finally plane the other edge, 
 taking pains to make it perfectly 
 parallel to the first edge. Repeat 
 all these processes on the other 
 16" piece. 
 
 III. Laying out the slats. 
 We are now ready to lay out 
 the slats for the basket. This 
 is done by drawing gage lines 
 on the two opposite faces of 
 both boards. To do this pro- 
 ceed as follows: 
 
 The lines are to be drawn 
 as shown in Fig. 28. The spur' 
 
 of the marking-gage should project from the beam about a quarter of 
 an inch and should be sharpened (filed) to an edge as shown in Fig. 
 29, and in FlandworJc in Wood, Fig. 212. By having the spur long 
 and turning the beam of the gage so that it rides on an arris, the 
 spur will mark smoothly and evenly. Holding the marking-gage in 
 
 the left hand, and the rule in 
 the right hand (See Handwork 
 in Wood, Fig. 213), set the dis- 
 tance from the head of the 
 marking - gage to the spur 
 at 3/16" and tighten the 
 thumb-screw. Now hold the 
 board with the left hand and 
 the gage in the right hand 
 (Fig. 214, Handwork in Wood). 
 Be careful not to grasp the 
 beam as if it were a handle, but 
 turn the wrist to the left so 
 that the thumb presses on the beam behind the spur. Do not try to 
 make a scratch at first, but run the gage up and down the board 
 
 Fig. 25. 
 
 Holding the t lane so as to square 
 up a beveled edge 
 
44 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 Fier. 26. Arris chiseled off to prevent splin- 
 tering in planing end wood. 
 
 with the beam resting on one arris, Fig. 29, and the head sliding along 
 
 the edge of the board (as in Fig. 214, Handwork in Wood). 
 
 Now little by little roll the 
 beam toward you until the spur 
 just begins to scratch. By prac- 
 ticing in this way for a little 
 while, you will soon learn to 
 gage a line parallel with the 
 edge. The difficulty that most 
 beginners experience comes from 
 trying to scratch a deep line at 
 once, and in not getting ihe 
 pressure behind the spur. The 
 finest line that is visible is best. 
 As the distance between the spur 
 
 and the head of the gage increases, so does the difficulty of hohlmg 
 
 the gage steadily. If you are not succeeding well, practice on only 
 
 one board, and if the result is 
 
 too bad, plane off the scratched 
 
 surface, and try again and again 
 
 until you can use the gage well. 
 
 ( See p. 48 for broad surface plan- 
 ing.) It is better to lose one 
 
 board than two. 
 
 Now gage this 3/16" line on 
 
 both broad surfaces from the same 
 
 edge. Then others on both 
 
 broad surfaces from the other 
 
 edge, and then others on the 
 
 other 16" board in the same way. 
 Now add ^", setting the gage 
 
 at 7/16" and gage again the 
 
 eight lines. Then add another 
 
 3/16", making ^" and gage 
 
 again. Add another ^", and so 
 
 on, until you have 28 3/16" spaces, 
 
 counting from both edges of 
 
 both boards. 
 
 Fig. 27. Testing squareness of end. 
 
A SCRAP-BASKET 
 
 45 
 
 Fig. 16. <-raged lines on piece lo be sawed 
 into slats. The saw-kerfs are to be in the 
 middle of the %" spaces. 
 
 I A'. Ripping off the slats. 
 
 When the two boards are prop- 
 erly gaged, they are next to be 
 
 rip-sawed up into slats. Tiie 
 
 sail; Jcerfs are to he down the 
 
 middle of the }i" spaces. To 
 
 be sure of making no mistake, 
 
 it is well to draw a pencil line 
 
 where the kerfs are to be. 
 
 To saw proceed as follow? : 
 
 Fasten one board in the vise as 
 
 in Fig 30, i. e., with the jaws 
 
 of the vise pressing the edges 
 
 of the board, and the board in- 
 clined back from the perpendicular. Rest the left hand on the top 
 
 end of the board with the thumb so held that it acts as a guide in 
 
 starting the saw. The saw to be 
 used is the rip-saw (see Handwork 
 in Wood, p. 63). Hold it in the 
 right hand so that the line of the 
 teeth and the surface of the board 
 make quite an acute angle: that 
 is, drop the right hand down a- 
 low as possible. Put the saw in 
 proper position for making the 
 cut, and be careful to hold up the 
 saw so that the teeth will rest 
 on the arris as lightly as possi- 
 ble. If these directions are followed, it will not be necessary to make 
 
 a false start by drawing the saw toward you, but the first stroke will 
 
 be a push and 
 
 will cut properly. 
 
 Xow saw away 
 
 the pencil line in 
 
 the middle of the 
 
 -/" space, watch- 
 
 i n g the line 
 
 closely and also 
 
 looking on the ,^_____ 
 
 Fig-. 30. Ripping- with wood held in vise. 
 
 
 <\/\ 
 
 
 
 \V 
 
 \ 
 
 
 \ '^X 
 
 / 
 
 
 
 xi^^ 
 
 \ 
 
 
 --^=- 
 
 
 How the beam ot a marking-- 
 gag-e runs on its arris 
 
46 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 back to see if the kerf is in the middle of the space. If the saw tends 
 to "run'^ to one side of the line, say the right side, pull it back nearW 
 to its point, twist the handle a little to the left, and take a few short 
 strokes until the kerf is in the proper place again. If the cut is going 
 badl}^ on the back, it may be necessary to turn the board back side 
 front, until the kerf is right there. 
 
 Saw about half way thru the board, then turn the other end up 
 and saw the other half. 
 
 After sawing off the strip, put the board in the side-vise, sawn 
 edge up, and plane it down to the next gage line, being careful not to 
 
 Fig-. 31. Device for holding thin strips for planing-. 
 
 go below it and yet to make the edge true. This is slightly more diffi- 
 cult than it was to plane it true in the first place. Then saw off 
 another strip as before, plane up the edge of the board, and so on, 
 until the necessary number of strips (28) have been sawn off. By 
 this time one should know how to rip-saw well. By cutting 14 slats 
 from each board, a part of each board will be left which should be 
 saved to be used later for the frame. 
 
 V. Planing up the slats. The slats are now to be planed on the 
 side still rough. If your bench has a tail vise, fasten one of the 
 strips between the stop in the vise and the bench-stop, placed in that 
 
A SCRAP-BASKET 
 
 47 
 
 Fig-. 32. End of slat. 
 
 hole which is at the right distance, and plane it to the proper thick- 
 ness. The same can be done between the vise-dog and the bench- 
 stop in the Sheldon vise, but since the parts are of iron, special pains 
 must be taken to prevent the plane cutter from hitting the iron. To 
 avoid this danger, put in a temporary wooden bench-stop. Another 
 device for facilitating the planing of these thin 
 strips, is shown in Fig. 31 and can be readily 
 made, as follows: 
 
 In any convenient piece of wood, 18" or so 
 long, cut a dado ^" deep, and 1" from one end, just 
 wide enough to hold tightly a thin strip of w^ood 
 (say y^" wide). Let the distance A B be ^" less 
 than the length of the strips to be planed up. In- 
 sert this device between the vise-dog and the bench- 
 stop letting the strip to be planed lie in the space 
 A-B. Eaise the vise-dog so that it will engage the 
 strip. Then tighten the vise just enough to hold it 
 firmly. Plane up all the strips to the required thickness. If any are 
 spoiled, as is likely to be the case, in this first project, make others, 
 but save the spoiled ones until the basket is done. 
 
 Next trim off the arrises (corners) at one end of each of the clats, 
 see Fig. 32. First mark carefully ^" from the end and then draw 
 
 the diagonal with a 
 sharp pencil and the 
 sliding Tee-bevel. Tlie 
 neatest way to cut this 
 angle is by slicing it off 
 with a chisel, see Fig. 
 33. Cut these angles 
 at one end only. 
 
 VI. Making the bot- 
 tom. Inasmuch as the 
 thickness of the origi- 
 nal boards and hence 
 the width of the slats 
 may not be exactly %", in order to find out the exact size of the bot- 
 tom proceed as follows: Lay seven slats close together, side by side, 
 measure their total width and add six times 3/16", (the space be- 
 
 Fig. 33. Sljcing off an arris with a chisel. 
 
48 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 Fig. 34. Testing- a planed surface for flat- 
 ness bj using the arris of the plane. 
 
 tween the slats) or 1^" in all. The total is the exact size of the 
 bottom. Let iis assume that the slats are exactly }i" wide. Then 
 the proper size for the bottom will be M" x 7^" x 7^". This is to 
 
 be made next, and this involves 
 broad surface planing. Fasten 
 the board flat on the bench, be- 
 tween the tail-vise-dog and the 
 proper bench-stop, the grain 
 running lengthwise of the 
 bench. If the board is at all 
 warped, plane the convex side 
 first. Before beginning to plane, 
 glance down the sole of the 
 plane, Fig. 31, to see that the 
 cutter projects evenl}^ and but very little beyond the sole. Test the 
 surface for flatness by placing the long arris of the plane on the 
 surface in various directions, lengthwise, crosswise, and diagonally 
 and looking toward the light, as in Fig. 34. If there are high places, 
 plane them off first. Work carefully, planing only such parts as need 
 it. When the surface is flat, plane 
 over the whole surface from end 
 to end, working from left to 
 right, and back again until the 
 whole surface is smootlied. Mark 
 this surface with a single mark, 
 thus : — . This indicates the 
 "working face." Now plane one 
 edge true and mark it with t'AO 
 marks, thus = . This indicates 
 the "working edge." It is import- 
 ant to form early this habit of 
 marking one's work. Next dravr 
 with a sharp pencil and a straight 
 edge, a line 7^^" from, and paral- 
 lel to the working edge. Since 
 this distance exceeds the number of inches on the marking-gage, 
 the most convenient method is to measure the distance near each end, 
 and at right angles to the working edge, and then to rule a light 
 
 Fig. 35. Scoring with a knife 
 along the try-square. 
 
A SCRAP-BASKET 
 
 49 
 
 Fig. 36. 
 
 How the working face looks when marked for 
 planing end AB. 
 
 line between these two points. Next score with the knife and try- 
 square, as in Fig. 35, a line near one end of the piece. The working 
 face will now appear as in Fig. 36. 
 
 Cut off the corner A, as in Fig. 36, put the piece end up in the 
 side vise, and plane off the end to the scored line. Test this end 
 with the try- 
 square, to see 
 that it is square 
 with both the 
 working face and 
 the working edge. 
 Then measure ex- 
 actly the length, 
 7^", and score it 
 with knife and 
 try-square. Cut 
 off the corner 
 outside the width 
 line, and plane 
 
 up the other end. Plane the width, 7^", to the ruled line. Use the 
 try-square constantly for testing. The piece should now be perfectly 
 square. To verify your measurement see that the diagonals are equal 
 in length. AC = BD. 
 
 With the marking-gage set at %", gage from the working face 
 both edges and both ends of the board. Now plane down the other 
 broad surface to the line thus gaged, being very careful not to plane 
 any portion too much. The best way is to plane off the high places 
 first and then by working back and forth across the board to reduce 
 the whole surface evenly. Stop when you have just split the gaged 
 line. 
 
 VII. Mahing the frame. The next step is to get ready the 
 frame, which binds the slats together near the top. From one 
 of the pieces left from making the slats, dress up one piece, %" 
 thick, 1^" wide, and 16" long. Smooth the two broad surfaces, 
 taking as fine shavings as possible. 
 
 Plane true one edge of the piece, and gage a line 1^" from the 
 edges. Saw off the surplus and plane to the line. Now gage two 
 lines, 5/16" from each broad face. Saw between these two lines, and 
 
50 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 plane up the rough surfaces. Each of the two strips should be 5/16" 
 
 thick. Cut each of these in two crosswise in the center making 4 cleats. 
 The pieces made thus far may now be sandpapered. Tear a sheet 
 
 of No. 1 sand- 
 paper into four 
 pieces. An easy 
 way to do this is 
 to place it, sand 
 down, so that the 
 middle of the 
 sheet lies along 
 the front arris of 
 the bench. With 
 the left hand 
 hold the part on 
 the bench down 
 fiat. With the 
 right hand hold- 
 ing the other 
 half give a quick 
 
 downward stroke which will tear the paper straight in two. Fig. 37. 
 
 Repeat on each half. Fold one quarter neatly around a small block 
 
 Fig-. 37. Tearing sandpaper. 
 
 Fig. 38. Method of making and joining- frame of waste-basket. 
 
A SCRAP-BASKET 
 
 51 
 
 of wood (say 3" wide) and with this tool, sandpaper tvith the grain 
 every surface of each piece, and also touch off the sharp arrises. 
 
 Villa. Making the frame (end lapped). First with a couple of 
 brads (1%" No. 15) nail all four cleats together, keeping the sides 
 and one end perfectly flush, 
 and letting the heads project 
 so that the brads can be re- 
 moved later. Then saw them 
 together in the miter-box to 
 exactly the length of one side 
 of the bottom 714". Next 
 measure carefully 5/16" from 
 both ends and draw a line half 
 across on one surface, and con- 
 nect with these lines two other 
 center lines as at A B, Fig. 38. 
 Place the bunch in the miter- 
 box again, and saw on the out- 
 side of the lines A B, and care- 
 fully chisel out these returns. Take the cleats apart and each will 
 appear as Z> in Fig. 38. Now nail the four together into a frame, 
 reversing two of them so that the projection of two of them will 
 fit into the return of the next ones as E in Fig. 38. Nail both ways. 
 
 VIII &. Making the frame (mitered). If the cleats binding the 
 slats together are fastened, not inside of the slats, but outside, as in 
 Fig. 10, the ends should be mitered. 
 
 Mitering is done in the miter-box. If you have a simple wooden 
 one, fasten it in the vise so that it will be rigid, as in Fig. 39. Place 
 
 
 / 
 
 Wter- r 
 Box \ 
 
 
 -_=^ 
 
 Bench 
 
 Fig-. 39. Miter-box in vise. 
 
 Fig. 40. Cross-cleats for scrap-basket. 
 
 one of the cross-cleats in the trough of the miter-box, edge up, and 
 with the back-saw slid into one of the 45° kerfs, cut off the cleat 
 
52 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 Fig". 41. Triraniingf a miter. 
 
 near the end. Do this for all 4 cleats. Now measure accurately 
 the length (7%" outside length), put the saw in the other 45° kerf 
 and saw off the other ends. Each cleat will now be of the shape 
 
 shown in Fig. 40. Test each 
 cleat to see that the end is square 
 with the edge, and that all are 
 of the same length. If not, the 
 ends can be trimmed with a chis- 
 el. A convenient way to do this 
 is shown in Fig. 41. Place the 
 cleat, long side down, on bench- 
 hook, the acute angle against 
 cleat of the bench-hook. With 
 chisel pare off sawn mitered sur- 
 face until it is true. See that 
 all four cleats are alike, 7%" long, and with a true 45° miter at 
 each end. In order to test this, set your sliding Tee-bevel at an 
 angle of 45°, as follows: Measure accurately both ways from the 
 corner of a known right angle. Set the head of your sliding Tee- 
 bevel against one 
 edge and set the 
 blade so that it 
 will just touch 
 these two points, 
 as in Fig. 42. 
 The acute angle 
 will be 45°. If 
 you have an ac- 
 curate iron mi- 
 ter - box, cut a 
 true 45° angle on 
 a piece about 3" 
 wide, and set 
 your Tee-bevel 
 by this. In case 
 
 the cross-cleats are mitered, as in Fig. 40, it is necessary to rein- 
 force the joints by means of tin or copper angles. These are made 
 
 Fig-. 42. Setting- a sliding Tee-bevel to an ang-le of 45°. 
 
A SCRAP-BASKET 
 
 53 
 
 thus: With the scratch awl or a 
 sharp nail draw a center line (di- 
 ameter) thru a piece of tin 
 2" X 2^". On this center line lay 
 off four }i" spaces. With the 
 scratch awl and sliding Tee-bevel 
 set at 45°, draw oblique lines 
 both ways from the center line as 
 shown in Fig. 43. With the snips 
 (or a pair of strong scissors) cut 
 out the four braces in the shape 
 shown in Fig. 44. Each one 
 should be just less than 5/16" 
 wide. With a small nailset punch 
 
 four holes in each piece as shown rig.43. Lay-out of Hie tin braces. 
 
 in Fig. 44. The best way to do this is by placing the tin on a piece of 
 
 lead, but a piece of hard wood will do. Do not use the top of the 
 
 bench. Then flatten out the tins. 
 Next nail together the frame 
 by means of the tin braces and 
 the ^" flat head nails as shown 
 in Fig. 45. The joints may also 
 be strengthened by driving brads 
 iJi", No. 18) at ABC, Fig. 45. 
 To do this fasten one piece X 
 firmly in the vise, end up, start 
 the nails A and B in the other 
 
 piece (Y). Force the end of piece Y a little beyond the end of X, so 
 
 that when the brad is driven home the outer arrises of the miter will 
 
 just meet. Do this with all the 
 
 corners, and lay aside. 
 
 IX. Assembling. The parts 
 
 are now ready to be assembled. 
 
 On one long arris of one of the 
 
 slats, lay out with a sharp pencil 
 
 and a rule, the position of the 
 
 slats as in Fig. 46. Using this as 
 
 a pattern, lay out the same dis- ,..^,^^ Tm brace nailed to cleats 
 
 Fig-. 44. Tin brace. 
 
54 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 tances on all the upper arrises of the bottom, and on the correspond- 
 ing arrises of the frame. Next, nail the slats to the bottom piece, as 
 in Fig. 47, driving only one brad (J^" No. 18) thru each slat, and 
 that one a little away from the center, so as not to interfere with the 
 
 ¥' -^'J6'^W^% 
 
 Fig. 46. Position of slats. 
 
 upholstery nail, which will be driven in later, and yet near enough 
 to the center so that it will be covered by the head of the upholstery 
 nail. The lower end of each slat will be just flush with the lower 
 surface of the bottom. 
 
 The next step is to nail the slats to the cross-cleats which have 
 already been joined together into a frame. 
 
 Measure 1^" from the top end of the four corner slats on the 
 inside. Lay the basket on its side and drive brads from the inside 
 of the basket thru the cross-piece just far enough into the corner 
 slats to hold the frame in place. Later these brads are to be removed. 
 See that the basket stands square in all parts. Now with upholstery 
 nails, nail each slat in its proper place to the frame. These nails 
 should be in two rows, so disposed that the point of each nail is in 
 the vertical center of the slat, and half an inch from one edge of the 
 frame, as shown in Fig. 48. 
 
 In order to have something solid to nail against, open the vise 
 wide enough so that the inside of the basket can rest on the outer 
 jaw. Or cut a 
 stick of wood 
 just the length 
 to fit snugly be- 
 tween two oppo- 
 site cross-cleats, 
 and fit i t between 
 them. Or, some- 
 thing heavy like 
 
 a hammer or a flat iron, may be held inside with one hand, while 
 the other drives the nail. If the point of the upholstery nail pro- 
 jects thru, clinch it; that is, drive it against a piece of iron. Pro- 
 ceed until all the nails are driven. 
 
 Fig- 47. Afangement of slats. 
 
A SCRAP-BASKET 
 
 55 
 
 X. The feet. The construction of the basket may now be con- 
 sidered done, but it will be improved in looks by the addition of 
 little feet at the four corners, see Figs. 9 and 49. They may be 
 made in this 
 way: From a %" 
 board, 16" long, 
 saw off and plane 
 two pieces to y%' 
 thick. In the mi- 
 ter-box cut these 
 into 4 equal rect- 
 angular pieces 
 7" long. From 
 the rectangular 
 end, cut out with 
 the back-saw and 
 trim with the 
 chisel returns as 
 A in Fig. 49. Cut 
 each of these in 
 two in the miter- 
 box at an angle 
 of 45°, making 
 
 the shape shown in Fig. 49. Holding the piece in the vise for con- 
 venience, with the veining tool, or the sharp point of a knife, cut 
 out the decoration and chamfer off the long outer arris. {See Hand- 
 worh in Wood, p. 184.) These feet may now be nailed in pairs on 
 
 Fig-. 48. Arrang-enient of upholstery naib 
 
 Fig. 49. Feet of scrap-basket. 
 
56 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 the corners of 
 the bottom, pro- 
 jecting outside 
 of the slats just 
 the width of the 
 chamfer. See 
 Fig. 7. 
 ,^....... .^ ._ I XI. Finish- 
 
 Fig-. 50. Letter tray made of slats. ilig. The baskct 
 
 is now ready to be stained. First see that all surfaces are smooth and 
 clean and free from pencil marks. Pour a little of the prepared 
 
 Fi|r- 51. Box screen for flowerpot. 
 
A SCRAP-BASKET 
 
 57 
 
 brown stain in a cup, and begin to apply with a brush on the inside 
 of the basket. After staining a portion and before it dries, wipe the 
 stain off with cotton waste (obtainable at a paint store) or with an 
 old cloth. In this way stain 
 and wipe the entire surface. 
 Then let the st^in thoroly dry, 
 24z hours, before waxing with 
 "Old Dutch Finish." If the 
 wax is hard, soften it by plac- 
 ing the can in hot water. 
 Smear it over the surface with 
 a brush, and let it dry over 
 night. Then rub with a piece 
 of soft cloth, cheese cloth, for 
 instance. The more rubbing 
 the better will be the polish. 
 N"o more wax is needed. 
 
 The principal processes in this 
 first project are the sawing and 
 planing of a number of cleats. 
 
 Other projects involving the Fig.sz. Leaf press, 
 
 same processes are (1) the letter tray shown in Fig. 50. The slats 
 on the sides and bottom are rabbeted into the ends and nailed in place 
 with brads. (2) The box screen in which a flower-pot may stand. 
 Fig. 51. The construction of this is the same as that of the scrap 
 basket. (3) The leaf-press. Fig. 52. This consists of a pair of 
 frames each made of seven slats nailed to four cleats. These are 
 tied tight together with a buncli of newspapers between. 
 
58 
 
 DESIGX AND CONSTKUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 
 ^'BiiWiinii '^"Vi^tiiitnttiiuamJI 
 
 '■^^'^^'hiiiUtt.i* 
 
 FU^. 53. Picture-frame-clanip. 
 
 Fig. 54. Picture frame-clamp. 
 
Chapter V 
 PICTURE-FEAME-CLAMP 
 
 Design. A picture-frame-clamp is of good design when it serves 
 its purpose well. As shown in Fig. 53, this clamp meets this re- 
 quirement. In Fig. 54, the details of its construction are made 
 plain. The two long arms, A, A, by pivoting on a hinge, and by 
 means of a series of holes in them, make it possible to adjust the 
 clamp to frames varying in proportions and sizes, while the two 
 small pieces, C, G, into the 90° angles of which the frame fits, are 
 made adjustable by pivoting at these holes. A pair of these clamps 
 is necessary for gluing up one frame. When set up as shown in Fig. 
 53, the joints of the frame are pulled tight into place by means of a 
 handscrew. As here designed, 
 this clamp will serve for frames 
 from 6"x9" to 18" x 24". To 
 be of use it must be accurate, but 
 there is no necessity for mak- 
 ing it over-nice. 
 
 The woods selected are yel- 
 low poplar (medium strength Plg. 55 Method of perpendicular chiseling. 
 
 and easy to work) and maple 
 
 (very strong). But if the clamp is to be used often, maple should 
 
 be used thruout. 
 
 Finish. To prevent the glue in the picture-frame from sticking 
 to the clamp, a coat of boiled linseed oil is applied all over the clamp. 
 
 The following materials are required: 
 
 Yellow poplar, or other medium strong wood, J/8"x65^"xi7", 
 
 Maple or oak, %"xi^"x26", 
 
 8 round-head screws, lYi" No. 12, 
 
 And a little boiled linseed oil. 
 
 I. Making the arms. First see that your plane is sharp and 
 otherwise in good order (See Handwork in Wood, pp. 76 and 58). 
 The long pieces (arms) are to be of yellow poplar and each is 
 
 59 
 
60 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 ^"xiy2"xl6' 
 
 111 
 
 size. To get them out, first smooth one broad 
 
 surface, if it needs it, then plane one edge of the board straight and 
 square. Gage a line 1^" from this edge, rip-saw it off, dress up the 
 edge again, and repeat, until you have the four required pieces. 
 Plane these pieces to V/z" wide. With the back-saw saw off one end 
 
 of each piece square in the mi- 
 ter-box. With the dividers^ lay 
 out a quarter-circle on the broad 
 side of the other end of each 
 piece. Fig. 55. Next trim off the 
 waste by sawing off the corner 
 and then by means of "perpen- 
 dicular chiseling" {Handivork 
 in Wood, pp. 56-58). Or chisel- 
 ing alone may be employed. Pro- 
 ceed as follows : Lay one of the 
 pieces flat on a piece of waste 
 wood or a cutting board. Grasp 
 the handle of the 1" chisel, in 
 the right hand, thumb up. Fig. 
 56, {HandivorJc in Wood, Fig. 
 72) and let the blade of the 
 chisel pass between the thumb 
 and the first finger of the left 
 hand, which rests, back down, 
 on the work, and holds it in 
 place. The right hand pushes 
 the chisel downward, and the 
 left hand controls its position. 
 Trim off the waste outside the 
 Fig. 5b. Perpendicular chiseling, quarter circlc, a little at a time. 
 
 If more force is required push with your chest against the end of 
 the chisel handle. If still more force is needed, use the mallet in 
 your right hand, grasping the blade of the chisel in your left hand 
 (Handwork in Wood, Fig. 76). Always work around from the side 
 to the end (Fig. 75, Handwork in Wood) ; otherwise you are likely 
 to split the piece. When you have cut nearly to the line, set the 
 piece up diagonally in the vise so that the quarter circle is up, and 
 
PICTURE-FRAME-CLAMP 
 
 61 
 
 pare off shavings with the chisel, flat side down (as in Fig. 74, 
 Handwork in Wood). The right hand pushes the chisel forward 
 while the left thumb pushes it sidewise, thus giving a diagonal 
 cut. Trim all the pieces 
 in this way. Another 
 method of trimming a 
 curve is by means of the 
 spokeshave. This is in 
 reality a plane with a 
 short sole, so made in 
 order that the cutter 
 can follow curves. It is 
 held in both hands as 
 in Fig. 57, and it may 
 be either pushed or 
 pulled. Before begin- 
 ning to use it, see that Fig. 57. using the spokeshave. 
 
 the cutter is sharp and properly set. In the kind recommended 
 above (p. 30) the width of the throat may be adjusted by means 
 of the thumb-screw. This also alters the depth of the cut. With 
 
 this too] trim 
 off the quarter 
 circle. By turn- 
 ing the blade 
 diagonally to the 
 direction of the 
 cut, it will be 
 found to work 
 more easily and 
 reliably. 
 
 Next gage a 
 center line from 
 end to end on 
 both broad sides 
 of each piece. 
 Then set the di- 
 
 Fig. 58. Stepping off distances with the dividers 
 
 viders at 1>4" between points and beginning at the square end, step 
 oft' and prick in this center line 7 points. Fig. 58. Eepeat this process 
 
62 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 Ri^hr 
 
 f o 
 
 Wron(] 
 
 Fig. 59. Shape of holes in picture-f rame-clamp. 
 
 on the other side and do it on all four pieces. Then set the compass 
 at Yz" between points and starting from each point already pricked, 
 prick 7 other points toward the rectangular end. Also make a mark 
 on the center line 1J4" from the other (quadrantal) end. 
 
 Now bore the holes, 
 first the 7/16" holes at 
 the points first pricked, 
 then the Y\" holes, at 
 the points Yz" from 
 these. To insert the bit 
 in the brace, hold by 
 the left hand the sleeve of the chuck, pointing it upward, and revolve 
 the handle with the other hand until the jaws open enough to receive 
 the tang of the bit entire. Drop in the 7/16" bit, and reverse the 
 motion until the bit is firmly gripped (Fig. 186, Handwork in ^Vood). 
 Fasten one of the 16" pieces in the vise (Fig. 137, Handivorh in 
 Wood) flat side up, taking care to have it parallel with the top of 
 the bench in order to help bore straight. Take the brace in the right 
 hand and the bit in the left, and insert the point of the bit in the 
 prick 15^" inch from the end. Now grasp the knob of the brace in 
 the hollow of the left hand. Set the try-square upright near the work 
 
 Fig. 60. Plane cutter and cap. 
 
 and sight from two directions, at right angles to each other, so as to 
 see that the bit is perpendicular (Fig. 137, Handwork in ^yood). 
 Revolve the handle clockwise, bore about half way thru, then bore the 
 next hole (1.^" from the first) and so on, till all the holes in one 
 
PICTURE-FRAME-CLAMP 63 
 
 side are bored. By counting the revolutions while boring, you can 
 quickly learn when to stop. Turn the piece over and bore in the cor- 
 responding pricks on the other side. Bore the holes in all the pieces. 
 Kemember that unless the work is accurate, the clamp will be of no 
 use as a clamp. Then insert the ^" in the brace and bore the other 
 set of holes in the same way. Bore a %" hole at the mark which i.> 
 1^" from quadrantal end. 
 
 The next step is to cut out the space between each )^" and j4" 
 hole, making a buttonhole shaped opening, Fig. 59. Lay one piece 
 down flat on the cutting board. Grasp the chisel as for perpendicu- 
 lar chiseling (see above), cut out an opening between the two holes, 
 which shall be V-shaped in cross-section, but tangent to the outside 
 of the small hole; that is, parallel to the sides of the piece. Gradu- 
 ally deepen this cut. Turn the piece over and repeat until you can 
 cut clear thru it. Cut till the opening is tangent to the outside of 
 the ^" hole all the way thru, as in Fig. 59. There are 28 of these 
 openings to cut. 
 
 II. Making the blocks. Next prepare the small pieces of hard 
 wood. They are all %" thick, 1^" wide, so plane them while they 
 are all in one piece. In planing this hard wood, be content with tak- 
 ing quite fine shavings. Otherwise your plane is likely to be "choked.'' 
 But if it does choke, do not try to pick the shavings out of the throat 
 with another tool. This is likely to injure the cutter. Rather take 
 the cutter out of the plane by first removing the clamp. If the shav- 
 ings are wedged between the cutter and the cap, loosen the screw 
 which holds them together using the edge of the clamp as a screw- 
 driver, and remove the shavings and reset the cap, placing the edge of 
 the cap quite close to the edge of the cutter (1/32"). See Fig. 60. 
 Re-insert the cutter in the plane, adjust it carefully and proceed. 
 
 When the piece is properly 
 planed up, saw it up into the 
 right lengths; namel}^, 6 pieces, 
 3^" long. 
 
 Set the sliding Tee-bevel at 
 45° (see p. 52) and mark 
 out 2 internal angles on both Fig. 6i. Method of sawing stop blocks of 
 
 ends of 4 of the pieces, as Picmre-frameciamp. 
 
 shown in the drawing. Set these diagonally in the vise; trim of! 
 with the chisel a little of the arris across the thickness, and with the 
 back-saw, saw out the angle as accurately as possible. Fig. Gl. 
 
64 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 If an accurate miter-box is available (like the Stanley or Lang- 
 don) these notches may be accurately cut thus: Cut a 45° angle on 
 a piece of wood 4" wide, and clamp this to the fence of the miter-box 
 
 in such a position that the saw 
 will just rest on the end arris 
 of one of the 3^" pieces as in 
 Fig. 62. Saw to the center and 
 repeat. 
 
 Smooth up the cuts with a 
 sharp chisel, testing them to 
 see that they are square with 
 the broad side and make a true 
 90° angle with each other. 
 
 On each of these four blocks 
 locate a point 1^" from one end 
 and in the center sidewise, with a No. 5 gimlet-bit (number stamped 
 on the tang), bore a hole partly thru, and screw in a round-headed 
 screw (1/4" No. 12) until the head is %" from the surface, as shown 
 in the drawing. You should be able to button this firmly into one of 
 the openings which j^ou have made in the long pieces. 
 
 Next prepare the hinge pieces (%"xl^"x3^"). Bore a hole 
 (with No. 5 gimlet-bit) }i" from each end, part way thru. Slip a 
 round-head screw (1/4" No. 12) thru the hole at the quadrantal end 
 of one of the long pieces and screw it into the hole just made in the 
 hinge piece. The hinge piece should be screwed firmly down to the 
 long piece but the joint should turn easily. 
 
 Insert screws in all 4 of these holes, making two hinged parts. 
 Now oil all the parts with a coat of boiled linseed oil and wipe off 
 with cotton waste. 
 
 Other projects involving the boring of holes are shown in Fig. 63. 
 
 Fig-. 62. Cutting- notches in 
 
 ends of blocks in the 
 
 miter box. 
 
 a. Compass holder. 
 
 Fig. 63. Projects involving- boring-. 
 /?. Bit holder. c. Nailset holder. 
 
 d. Pencil holder. 
 
Chapter VI 
 THE MITEEED PICTURE-FKAME 
 
 I. THE FRAMING OF PICTURES 
 
 The first thing to do in making a picture-frame is to select the 
 picture, because such details as the use of a mat, the size, proportion, 
 tone, and decoration of the frame, all depend upon the character of 
 the picture. Furthermore, the picture should be one well worth 
 framing. To select a picture that is not beautiful^ is but to honor 
 what should be ignored. 
 
 To be able to frame good pictures well, then, is the ideal to be 
 kept in mind in learning to make picture-frames. 
 
 The suggestions here given are intended to apply only to the 
 selection and the framing of comparatively small pictures, such as 
 photographic and chromolithographic reproductions and Japanese 
 color prints. In these days of cheap reproduction, good pictures of 
 this class are inexpensive and readily secured. In the periodicals 
 are to be found excellent reproductions of the work of some of the 
 greatest living artists, such as Maxfield Parrish, Jules Guerin, John 
 W. Alexander, Edwin Abbey, Frank Brangwyn, Gari Melcher, Pamela 
 Colman Smith, and Jessie Wilcox Smith, to mention a few. Also 
 Japanese color prints as well as photographic reproductions of univers- 
 ally recognized European and American masters may be procured at 
 the best art stores. 
 
 For the novice, a sufficiently safe guide to the choice of good pic- 
 tures, is to select from the works of these artists. However, a study 
 of Prof. Arthur W. Dow's ''Composition," would go a long way 
 toward enabling the student to select wisely his own pictures for 
 framing. 
 
 When it is remembered that the frame is made for the picture 
 and not the picture for the frame, then it follows that the frame is 
 to be so designed as to set off the picture to the best advantage. 
 
 As to the adaptation of the frame to the picture, in the first 
 place, the mat may properly be considered as a part of the frame. It, 
 
 65 
 
 — s 
 
66 
 
 designs' and construction in wood 
 
 p 
 
 Fig- 64. The mat makes possible the introduction of interest- 
 ing' proportions in the framing. 
 
 like the frame, is a device to give a setting to the picture. Whether 
 or not a mat is to be included in the framing of the picture, depends 
 somewhat on the location of the picture in the room, as well as the 
 
 idea one has in 
 
 mind in fram- 
 ing the picture, 
 and the charac- 
 ter of the pic- 
 ture. 
 
 In favor of 
 the mat, it is to 
 be remembered 
 that an ordi- 
 n a r y mitered 
 frame by itself 
 
 involves the necessity of having all the margins around the picture 
 equal in width; whereas, by the use of a mat, this monotony can be 
 avoided and a subtle and pleasing variety produced, as in Fig. 64. 
 As to the size of the mat: If there is to be a mat it should be 
 large enough to be effective. A mat that is only 
 a little larger than a picture looks as tho it were 
 a mere device for splicing out the picture to fit 
 the frame. On the other hand the picture should 
 not look lost in the mat. 
 
 As to the width of the margins of the mat : 
 one consideration to be borne in mind is the 
 shape of the entire frame resulting from' the in- 
 troduction of a mat. As a general rule it is safe 
 to say that the margins should not be such as to 
 produce a square frame for an oblong picture. 
 See Fig. 65. A little observation will show that 
 squareness in either picture or frame is com- 
 monly avoided by artists. An oblong is less 
 monotonous and hence more pleasing than a 
 square, just as an ellipse or other varied curve 
 is more pleasing than a circle. As to the proportions of the oblong, 
 simple multiples are to be avoided ; that is, the ratio of the short side 
 to the long side should be not simply 1 to 2 or 2 to 3, but a more 
 subtle relation. 
 
 Fig. 65. The upper 
 arrangement of spaces 
 is good because it con- 
 forms to the propor- 
 tions of the picture. 
 The lower one is not 
 g-ood because the 
 squaie frame is out of 
 harmony with the 
 long- picture. 
 
THE MITERED PICTURE-FEAME 
 
 67 
 
 If the margins around a picture are widened uniformly on all 
 sides, what was originally a pleasing rectangle will lose its good 
 proportions, but they may be kept good by increasing the length of 
 the mat more than its width, Fig. 65. It is a 
 safe rule for the amateur never to place a picture 
 elsewhere than in the vertical center of the mat, 
 nor to place a horizontal picture in a vertical 
 frame, as in Fig. QQ. Such arrangements are in 
 danger of appearing like affectations. 
 
 J 
 
 r 
 
 Fig-. 60. These ar- 
 
 rang-ements are likely 
 
 m 1 • 1 n 1 • ji to look like affecta- 
 
 lo secure harmonious color and value m the tious. 
 frame, the same tones and values that predominate in the picture 
 may be repeated in the frame; for instance, for Maxfield Parish's 
 
 '' Auliimn," Fig. 
 ()7. The frame 
 is finished in 
 yellows match- 
 ing the color in 
 the picture. Or 
 the harmony de- 
 sired may be se- 
 cured by the in- 
 troduction of a 
 strong contrast, 
 as a blue mat for 
 a picture pre- 
 dominating in 
 orange. Or, for 
 a contrast in 
 values, for in- 
 Ftance where 
 grays are used 
 as in photo- 
 graphs, a white 
 mat with a black 
 frame is effec- 
 tive. 
 
 As to the width of a frame, it is difficult to make any rules that 
 will definitely and easily solve all cases, but a few suggestions may be 
 
 Fig. o7. Plain oak frame, stained a g^olden brown to har- 
 monize with the predominant yellow lone of the picture. 
 Maxfield Parrish's "'Autumti.''' 
 
68 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 found serviceable. The width of a frame and its value bear a close 
 relation, in their effect on a picture, as follows : 
 
 A wide frame finished dark is appropriate for a picture predomi- 
 nating in darks and massive in treatment, as in Fig. 68. 
 
 Or a wide frame finished light (Fig. 69) sets off well a picture 
 light in value and broad in treatment, and so on, thru all the inter- 
 mediate grades from very dark to very light. 
 
 A narrow frame finished very dark, looks well around a picture 
 where darks are used sparingly and delicately, as in some Japanese 
 
 prints. See Figs. 70, 
 71, 72. 
 
 So, in like manner, a 
 narrow and very light 
 frame would be used 
 only for a picture in a 
 very light key and of a 
 very delicate treatment, 
 as in Fig. 73, 1 and 3. 
 Where a mat is part 
 of the framing of a pic- 
 ture, the frame and mat 
 may vary in tone and 
 value, in such a way as 
 will not only not inter- 
 fere with the unity of 
 the picture, but will 
 still further enhance its 
 beauty. It is often pos- 
 sible further to unify 
 the picture and its frame by repeating in the frame some character- 
 istic feature of the picture. If severe straight lines and flat spaces 
 predominate, these are easily reproduced in the plain unbroken sur- 
 face of the frame. Sometimes the representation of carving in the 
 picture can be repeated in the frame, or a certain treatment or pat- 
 tern in the picture may be echoed by a suitable treatment of the 
 frame. Often an appropriate beading or other molding may give 
 the desired effect, see Fig. 74. Sometimes a touch of bright color, 
 as that of the pirate's cap in Fig. 75, can be repented with good ef- 
 
 Fig-. 68. Wide dark frame for a picture w ith broad dark 
 masses; frame toaed to duU brown of photo. 
 
THE MITERED PICTURE-FRAME 
 
 69 
 
 feet in a fine line in the frame. In a word, the frame must be con- 
 sistent with the color, notan, and general character of the picture. 
 
 In selecting the wood for a picture frame, it is well for a beginner 
 to choose some soft wood like white pine or yellow poplar, until he 
 is used to working the necessary tools and can make the joints well. 
 These woods can be stained in a great variety of ways. Later it is 
 better to make frames of hard wood. Oak is the most common. 
 Maple is good 
 for a '^silver 
 gray" effect to 
 be obtained by 
 staining with 
 the water stain 
 Df that name. 
 Mahogany is ex- 
 cellent where tlie 
 color can be 
 made to har- 
 monize. V a r (' 
 must be taken 
 not to select 
 woods having 
 such a promi- 
 nent "grain" as 
 to divert atten- 
 tion from the 
 picture itself. 
 
 Concerning the 
 materials to be 
 used for mats, 
 
 "cover paper" is one of the most suitable. Ash gray will be found to 
 tone well with a great variety of prints. Dull toned wall paper which 
 has no pattern is often good. Grass-cloth comes in various colors, 
 and this or raw silk stretched on cardboard makes a very effective 
 setting especially for some Japanese prints. 
 
 Mounting the picture on the mat may be done in one of two 
 ways: (1) The picture may be pasted directly on the mat. In most 
 cases it will be found sufficient to fasten it in place by means of a 
 
 with alum inn 111 dust. 
 
 ), siaiiu'd .uray, oiled and i'uV)bed 
 Max field Pairish's "P; />/<:,• Ao/li." 
 
70 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 line of paste, say ^" wide, on 
 the top margin of the back of 
 the picture. Before pasting the 
 picture on the mat, locate it 
 carefully and mark its location 
 with fine pencil dots at the two 
 upper corners. If the picture 
 is to be mounted on the mat 
 with paste all over the back, 
 the mat must be of stiff enough 
 material to hold its shape. If 
 this method is used, the picture 
 should first be dipped in water, 
 the surface moisture dried off, 
 paste applied uniformly over 
 the back, the picture carefully 
 laid in place and pressed un- 
 
 der 
 
 wei2: 
 
 ht. 
 
 Fig-. 70. A narrow dark frame with 
 gray mat. 
 
 (2) An opening the size of the picture, may be cut in the mat. 
 
 and the picture ])laced under this. 
 giving a soft border line formed 
 by the shadow of the mat. 
 
 II. The Framing of a Jap- 
 anese Print. The picture chosen 
 to be framed, according to the 
 following directions, is a Jap- 
 anese print, Fig. 76. The frame 
 is to be perfectly plain. The 
 size of the picture is 9^2"xl3i/<". 
 The frame is to be 1" wide and 
 ^" thick. The materials re- 
 quired are as follows: 
 
 ^^White pine, %"xi"x4'o." 
 Picture backing, the same size as 
 the picture, or mat, if the picture 
 is to be mounted. The backing 
 comes %" thick. 
 
 I sheet manilla paper. 
 
 1 light, picture glass, 0^2x13^". 
 
 2 doz. brads, %" No. 18. 
 
 2 screw eyes, Brooks No. 214, 
 W (these have ^" hole). 
 
 Maple veneering, 6" square, if 
 available. 
 
 This "cut out" has the advantaofe of 
 
 Fig. 
 
 Narrow black frame 
 williout mat. 
 
 "White pine is chosen for first frame because it is easiest to work accu- 
 rately. After making a few frames in pine, others m.ay be made in harder 
 wood. 
 
THE MITERED PICTURE-FRAME 
 
 71 
 
 Fig. 72. 
 The blacks id the 
 print balanced by 
 the black in the 
 
 frame. 
 
 Plane up the strips in two pieces, each long enough to make one 
 long side and one short side of the frame. To determine the length 
 of the mem.bers of 
 a frame, add to 
 the length of each 
 dimension of the 
 picture twice the 
 width of the 
 frame. In this 
 ease there will be 
 needed two pieces 
 abont two feet 
 long; thns, 9^" 
 (width) + 3" + 
 ISy/' (length) + 
 2" = 23". Plane 
 both pieces per- 
 fectly straight and the angles square, so 
 that they will be 1" wide and %" thick. 
 Test the straightness by sighting along 
 
 the length, as in Handwork in Wood, Fig. 107. Be sure that the 
 thickness and width of both pieces is uniform thruout. Unless the 
 members are accurate the frame will not come together right. The 
 
 next step is to 
 plow out a rab- 
 bet (or rebate) 
 along one arris 
 of each piece, to 
 receive the glass 
 and the picture 
 the back- 
 This should 
 done with 
 rabbet-plane 
 (See Handworh 
 in Wood, p. 79). 
 This rabbet 
 should be J^" 
 
 Fig". 73. Japanese prints framed with mats and narrow frames. wide and /^" deep. 
 
 Fig. 74. Japanese print 
 framed with mat and narrow 
 dark frame with bead. 
 
 and 
 ing. 
 be 
 the 
 
72 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 Figf. 75. Broad frame in yellow, m 
 liatit than the sail. Maxfield 
 
 iddle value, a little less bril- 
 Parrish's "-The Pirates." 
 
 To use the rab- 
 bet-plane on a 
 narrow piece of 
 wood, it is first 
 necessary to 
 make a device 
 like that shown 
 in Fig. 77. On 
 a piece X, say 
 2" or 3" wide 
 and slightly 
 longer tlian the 
 long members 
 of the frame, 
 nail a strip 
 about 1^" wide, 
 y^" from one 
 edge. Into the 
 internal angle 
 formed by these 
 pieces and near 
 one end, drive a 
 small nail or 
 ) so that its head 
 This device when 
 
 screw (A in Fig. 7 
 will project about 34 
 used is to be fastened on the bench be- 
 tween a bench-stop and the tail-vise-dog. 
 Set the rabbet-plane so that the fence al- 
 lows but Yi' of the cutter to cut, and 
 set the depth gage so that the plane can 
 cut 3/^" deep. The cutter should be ad- 
 justed so as to cut as in an ordinary 
 plane. Along the right arris of the sole 
 is a removeable spur which scores the 
 wood so that the cutter will not tear out 
 but cut out the shavings clean. Before 
 beginning to plane see that this spur is 
 sharp and that the right corner of the 
 cutter is in line with the arris of the 
 sole. Now cut a trial rabbet on a waste 
 
 Fiff. 76. Black frame 
 to match the crow. 
 
THE MITERED PICTURE-FRAME 
 
 73 
 
 piece of wood, which has a straight edge. At the first stroke the spur 
 will mark the width of the rabbet. Be careful to hold the plane flat, 
 tilting it neith- 
 er to the right 
 nor to the left. 
 The beginner in 
 his effort to 
 keep the fence 
 close up to the 
 edge is apt to 
 tilt the plane to 
 the right. This 
 makes the spur 
 cut in obliquely, 
 as in Fig. 114, 
 Handworh in 
 Wood. 
 
 If the plane 
 
 is not runnino" ^'^S- ~''^- Device for holding strips when rabbetinK"^. 
 
 true, stop planing and with a chisel trim out the recess clean and 
 square and then proceed with the plane to the proper depth. After 
 sufficient practice on waste pieces, plow the rab- 
 bets on the members of the frame, as in Fig. 78. 
 Cut the 24" piece of stock in two, so as to make 
 one long and one short member of the picture- 
 frame. Fasten the device already made between 
 a bench-stop and the dog in the tail-vise. Lay 
 one member of the frame, narrow edge up, in 
 this device, abutting against the nail. Plow out 
 the rabbets in all four members. The next 
 step is to cut the pieces to their proper lengths with a miter at each 
 end. Fig. 79 shows the shape. The picture and glass are 9J/2" x 
 13^"; the frame is an inch wdde and the rabbet ^" wide. Hence the 
 
 Fig". 78. End view of 
 rabbeted strip. 
 
 Fig". 79. Rabbeted and mitered member of picture-frame. 
 
74 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 finished outside length of each member of the frame will be Y^' -{-V^" 
 or ly^" greater than the length (and width) of the picture and of the 
 glass. Then allow ^" for play and the outside lengths of the long 
 members of the frame will be 14%" (13>4" + 1>4" + Y^') and 
 the outside length of the short members 10%" (9}^" + 1^4" + %"). 
 Place one member face up in the miter box, that is, so that the 
 rabbet is down and front, as in Fig. 80. With the back-saw cut off one 
 end at an angle of 45 degrees, taking care that the side which is to 
 be the outside of the frame is the longer, as in Fig. 79. Do this to 
 one end of all the pieces. Now cut the other end of one piece in the 
 
 same w^ay, except that the saw is 
 laid in the other 45° kerf of the 
 miter-box. Cut the other member 
 of equal length, using the first 
 member as a measure, and repeat 
 with the second pair. Now test 
 these angles Avith the try-square 
 from what will be the face side of 
 the member when in the finished 
 frame, and again test with the 
 bevel set at 45 degrees from what 
 will be the edge of the frame. 
 (See above, page 52.) If ne- 
 cessary trim on the bench -hook with the chisel (as above, page 52), 
 or fasten the piece in the vise at an angle of 45 degrees and carefully 
 plane toward the acute angle. This acute angle may be supported by 
 a piece, X, also fastened in the vise, as in Fig. 81. Be sure the oppo- 
 site members have equal lengths. 
 
 Now set up the picture-frame clamp (Fig. 53), adjusting the small 
 parts to their proper holes, put the members in place, face up, and 
 clamp the whole together in a handscrew. If any corners do not make 
 a close joint, either the angles are not square or the opposite mem- 
 bers are of unequal lengths. Make them right before you proceed. 
 
 When everything is ready, take the frame apart, put a little glue 
 (see Handwork in Wood, p. 128) on all surfaces that are to join, and 
 reclamp. Test the corners with a try-square, and if they are not right 
 angles, adjust the handscrew by sliding one jaw sideways, one way 
 or the other, until the angles come up right. Be sure that the faces 
 are flush. Leave the frame in the vise for 6 hours to dry. When 
 
 Position of moldirifr in 
 miter-box. 
 
THE MITERED PICTURE-FRAME 
 
 75 
 
 Fig. 81. 
 
 Holding- member of picture frame 
 in vise to trim the miter. 
 
 the frame is taken out of the vise it should be handled carefully, for 
 
 the joints still need to be reinforced. A common way to do this is 
 
 with brads. If brads are used it 
 
 is a safe precaution to make a 
 
 hole before gluing with a brad- 
 awl thru one piece. Fasten the 
 
 frame in the bench vise, so as to 
 
 grip only one member at a time, 
 
 and that vertically. Bore the 
 
 hole and drive in the brad with 
 
 great care. 
 
 A better reinforcement is by 
 
 means of a spline or slip-feather 
 
 (see Hanclworh in Wood, Fig. 
 
 268, No. 55). A convenient 
 
 way to insert these is as follows : 
 
 Get, if possible, some maple ve- 
 neer 1/28" thick and cut it with 
 
 a knife into 8 pieces about ^" x 2". Fasten the frame in the vise 
 
 diagonally, so that one corner will project, and with the back saw cut 
 
 two saw-kerfs, A and B, as in 
 Fig. 82 and Fig. 83. The pieces 
 of veneer should fit snugly into 
 these kerfs. If the veneer is too 
 thick, scrape or sandpaper it un- 
 til it slips into the kerfs. If the 
 veneer is too thin, use two pieces 
 with glue between them for each 
 kerf, thinning them if necessary. 
 Put glue on both sides of 
 each piece of veneer, slip it into 
 ])hice and set the frame away to 
 dry. When dry, cut off the 
 superfluous veneer with a chisel 
 or knife. With the plane, set 
 very fine, smooth up any sur- 
 faces that need it, and sandpaper 
 
 the whole. Sand off the sharpness of all arrises. Be very careful to 
 
 leave no glue showing. 
 
 Fig-. 82. Sawing a kerf in wliich 
 to insert a spline. 
 
76 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 The next step is to stain the frame. As this frame is to be black, 
 a simple method of staining it is to dissolve a little nigrosine in alco- 
 hol, and apply with a brush. Directions for a more penetrating black 
 stain are to be found in Handwork in Wood, p. 211. 
 
 A good finish for picture-frames, which are handled but little, is 
 
 wax. Apply as before directed. (See Handwork in Wood, p. 214). 
 
 Next cut the picture backing, so that the grain will run the short 
 
 way of the picture. It can be cut 
 
 conveniently with a sharp knife 
 and a straight edge. If neces- 
 sary, cut on both sides and then 
 break. Cut enough, and in as 
 large pieces as possible, so as to 
 cover the entire surface of the 
 picture and mat as they lie in 
 the frame. Next cut the glass to 
 fit the frame, in this case 9^"x 
 13^". A glass cutter with 
 hardened steel revolving disc can 
 be bought for 10 cents. It is 
 well to practice on a piece of 
 waste glass. To cut the glass, 
 proceed as follows : Make marks 
 on the glass near the edges at the 
 proper length. Lay a straight- 
 edge of wood one-eighth of an inch to the left of these marks (to al- 
 low for the distance of the cutting disc from the face of the glass 
 cutter). Hold the glass cutter perpendicular, and with one firm 
 stroke scratch the glass from edge to edge. Fig. 84. Be sure that 
 the extreme edges are scratched. Then holding up the glass in the 
 left hand, tap the underside of the glass near the near edge with the 
 glass cutter, until the edge just cracks. Fig. 85. Now take hold of 
 the portion of the glass to the right of the scratch between the thumb 
 and first finger of the right hand, and with a slight pressure the glass 
 will break clean along the line of the scratch. Fig. 86. If the scratch 
 is so near the right edge that there is not room to hold it so, as de- 
 scribed above, with a pair of pliers, carefully snap off the waste a 
 little at a time. Fig. 87. Mark and cut the width in the same way. 
 
 --.A^ 
 
 Q^ 
 
 V 
 
 Ww- 
 
 ^^^ 
 
 '^X:.. 
 
 '1 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 \ 
 
 Fig. 83. Kerfs cut in corner of picture- 
 frame to rece ve slip feathers. 
 
THE MITERED riCTURE-FRAME 
 
 77 
 
 Then wash the glass. An easy way to do this is with Bon Ami 
 soap, rubbed on with a damp cloth, allowed to dry and polished off. 
 Xow lay the frame, face doAvn, on the bench. Place the glass in posi- 
 tion, the picture on top of it, and the picture back on top of that, 
 fitting the pieces of it in place. Now nail all down in place, using 
 
 Fig. 84. Cuttinjsr glass. (Stepl.) 
 
 Fig. 85. Tapping under the scratch 
 in the glass to start a crack. (Step 2.) 
 
 /s' brads, No. 18 as follows: Lay a brad flat down on the backing, 
 point to the frame. Press it down with one finger, and tap the head 
 with the hammer sliding on the backing. It will facilitate matters 
 to let the frame rest against a bench-stop or a weight. 
 
 The next step is to paste a piece of Manilla paper over the back 
 of the frame to keep out dust. Spread a thin film of liquid glue over 
 the back of the frame, near the outer edge. Dampen one side of the 
 Manilla paper with a wet cloth passed over it. Lay the dry side down 
 
 Fig. 86. Breaking 11 
 (Step 3.) 
 
 Fig. 
 
 87. Breaking off a narrow piece 
 of glass with the pliers. 
 
 on the back of the frame, as flat as possible. When it dries it will 
 be stretched taut and the superfluous paper can be trimmed off with 
 a sharp knife. 
 
 Next locate the screw-eyes in the back of the frame, sa} 3" from 
 the top. Start a hole with a brad awl, and screw home the screw- 
 
78 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 eyes, (Brooks No. 214^".) Stretch a flexible wire straight between 
 the screw-eyes, twisting it back around itself, and the frame is done. 
 III. Additional Suggestions for Frames. The frame just de- 
 scribed is the i^lainest and simplest one possible. With but little dif- 
 ficulty, however, before cutting the miters, it may be considerably 
 
 C7 b 
 
 
 Fii^r. 88. Sections of moldings for picture-frames. 
 
 embellished. For examples see Fig. 88. Chamfers can be planed on 
 the front arrises of the members of the frame, as at a, or the front 
 surface may be rounded, as at 6. Instead of making the frame flat, 
 it can be bevelled in or out, as at c and d. This should be done with 
 the plane after the rabbet is plowed. A thin line may be grooved near 
 the inner edge so as to make it, in cross-section like e. This is done 
 by means of a veining tool after the frame is joined together. Draw 
 the line to be grooved carefully with a pencil. Lay a straight edge 
 along this line and with the veining tool running along the straight 
 edge, cut out the groove. Take care to keep the depth as even as 
 possible. See Fig. 176, p. 130. 
 
 A considerable variety of beads and flutings may be made by 
 means of the Universal Hand Beader, (Stanley's No. 66) a tool which 
 costs about 75c. See Fig. 89. 
 
 More complicated moldings, such as that shown in Fig. 90 may be 
 made with a cabinet scraper, filed to the desired shape, and clamped 
 between a pair of blocks of wood by means of screws as shown in 
 Fig. 91. The two edges A and B 
 serve as guides sliding along 
 both edges of the molding. 
 
 x\ nosing may be added to the 
 outside of a molding, as in Fig. 
 88, /, as follows: 
 
 Prepare thin strips of wood, say 
 the frame is thick. Eound off one edge as follows : — Fasten the jack 
 plane upside down in the vise, hold the strip at an angle and pull it 
 over the plane cutter so as to plane off an arris, Fig. 92. Do this for 
 both the arrises on one narrow edge. Finish it round with sand- 
 
 Fig. 89. Hand beader with cutters. 
 
 V^' thick and V^' wider than 
 
THE MITERED PICTURE-FRAME 79 
 
 paper. Or better, round this with the hand header, Fig. 89, or the 
 cornering tool {Handwork in Wood, Fig. 124.) Drive thru these 
 strips several little brads, so that the points project slightly and fit 
 them exactly in place on the outside of the members of the frame. 
 Prepare several handscrews so as to clamp these strips to the mem- 
 
 Fig. 90. A frame with delicate moldings, in keeping with the delicate handling of the 
 painting. See also Fig. 91 
 
 bers, taking care to protect the inner edges of the members by waste 
 strips of wood. Fig. 93. When all is ready glue the strips in place, 
 clamping them firmly with the handscrews. The brads will keep 
 them from slipping out of place. Wipe off superfluous glue carefully 
 with a rag moistened with very hot water. When dry, remove the 
 handscrews and pull out the brads. The brad holes can be closed up 
 by wetting them and placing a hot iron on them. This, by the way, 
 is a good method of closing up all surface bruises where the fibers 
 themselves are not broken. Finally cut the miters and proceed as 
 before. 
 
80 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 A frame can be made to look lighter by plowing out a narrow rab- 
 bet on the outer edges of the members as in Fig. 88, g. This can 
 best be done before the miters are cut, but it may be done after as- 
 
 Fig-. 91. Improvised molding scraper. 
 
 sembling. In this case, before rabbeting take care to trim off with a 
 chisel the arrises at the corners of the frame so that they will not 
 splinter off. See above, p. 44, Fig. 26. 
 
 Of essentially the same construction as a picture-frame, are the 
 glass bottomed trays, shown in Fig. 94. They are made with mitered 
 
 Fig. 92. Method of planing off chamfer 
 on a thin piece of wood. 
 
 Protecting 5//p 
 
 93. Method of clamping nosing on 
 outside of picture molding. 
 
 molding, and the joints are mitered with a slip-feather inserted. A 
 Japanese stencil is laid between the two sheets of glass, fastened into 
 the rabbet with thin strips tacked in place. 
 
THE MITERED PICTURE-FRAME 
 
 81 
 
 Fig-, 94. Glass bottomed trays made with mitered frames. 
 
82 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTKUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 r 
 
 n 
 
 hi 
 
 £Jl 
 
 A =r:7i2izi_II^5^'< 
 
 
 T 
 
 f 
 
 '7 ~qv w 
 
 ^=^3rz 
 
 ua 
 
 c5:>i t-ci> 
 
 Fig-. 95. Candlesticks. 
 
Chapter Vil 
 THE CANDLESTICK 
 
 Altho the essential features of this project set fixed limitations to 
 its design, yet a great variety of forms and embellishments are pos- 
 sible; see Fig. 95. The success of the design depends, primarily, on 
 the harmonious unity of the parts. If the design be good, the piece 
 is worth much painstaking labor. 
 
 This project consists of two parts, the copper socket and pan, and 
 the wooden base supporting these. 
 
 I. The essential features to be fixed are: 
 
 1. The size of the candle to be used. (Common sizes are M" 
 or lyk"-) This determines the diameter of the socket. 
 
 2. The pan, of such a shape as to catch the drip well. This is 
 to be soldered to the socket. 
 
 3. A base, large enough to be stable. The construction sug- 
 gested for this base is a cross-lap joint. 
 
 4. A convenient means of handling. This may be either a loop 
 for the forefinger. Fig. 96, or a column to be grasped. Fig. 97. 
 
 5. The kind of wood. The piece does not require much ma- 
 terial and is worth while making in wood of a good species and qual- 
 ity. Mahogany, black walnut, and sweet gum are not difficult to 
 work, can be finished handsomely and their colors harmonize well 
 with the copper parts. 
 
 II. The refinement of the proportions. The candlestick without 
 the column may well be quite small, each member of the joint being 
 not more than 4" or 5" long and 1^^" or more wide. 
 
 With a column, Nos. 2, 4, 6, 8, Fig. 97, the size of the base will 
 naturally increase; the higher the column, the broader the base. The 
 candlestick must seem as well as be stable. 
 
 If feet are added, Nos. 2, 7, Fig. 97, the effect of stability will 
 be increased. 
 
 III. Embellishments. These include modifications in outlines by 
 modeling. Fig. 97, No. 5, chamfering. Fig. 97, No. 8, coving Fig. 98, 
 
 83 
 
84 
 
 DESIGX AND COXSTKUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 No. 8, beading, Fig. 98, No. 1, or even carving, Fig. 96. Sugges- 
 tions for such treatment are also given in other pictures. Whatever 
 is done, the treatment should be harmonious thruout. 
 
 Fig-. 96. Low candlesticks. 
 
 An appearance of lightness ma}^ be given to the column by con- 
 structing it as in Fig. 99. 
 
 The best finish for a candlestick that may be frequently handled 
 and is liable to be smeared with wax or tallow, is boiled linseed oil, 
 thoroly rubbed. If made of mahogany, the color may be darkened 
 with bicliromate of potash. See below, p. 92. 
 
THE CANDLESTICK 
 
 85 
 
86 
 
 DESIGN AND COXSTHUCTION IN WOOD 
 
THE CANDLESTICK 
 
 87 
 
 IV. Direclions for making cross-lap joint. In order not to waste 
 good wood in learning how to make the cross-lap joint, it is well to 
 make first a practice joint of pine or other soft wood. 
 
 Select a piece of straight grained pine, and carefully plane it to 
 the size, ^"xl^"xll", finishing all surfaces. For the order of plan- 
 
 Fig-. 99. Column of candlestick lightened. 
 
 ing surfaces, (see Handwork in Wood, page 72.) Be careful that the 
 piece is of uniform width and thickness thruout, and finish both ends 
 clean and square. Mark a point 5" from each end of the piece, score 
 with a sharp knife all around the piece at both these points, cut a 
 little groove on the waste side of the lines, on one broad surface, (see 
 Handwork in Wood, page 66, and Fig. 91), saw off the waste and 
 trim the ends with the block-plane. Now make the half-lap joint as 
 described in Handwork in Wood, page 155. 
 
88 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 A. 
 B. 
 C. 
 
 Directions follow for making the candlestick shown in Fig. 100. 
 The materials required are, mahogany or black walnut : 
 
 I piece, %"xi^"xii. 
 I piece, ^"x2^"x8^". 
 I piece, i^"xi^"x3". 
 
 Brads M" No. i8. 
 
 Copper, gage No. 20, i piece lY^^ynY^" . 
 
 One piece i"x3". 
 
 I. The Base. When the practice joint has been satisfactorily made, 
 proceed in the same way with the more valuable wood for the base. 
 
 It is better not to sandpaper the members until they are glued to- 
 gether, as an otherwise tight joint may thus be made loose. Put a 
 
 >\ 
 
 'J 
 
 Fig. 100. Candlestick. 
 
 little glue in the joint and clamp tight in the bench vise or in a 
 handscrew, protecting the surfaces by means of pieces of soft wood 
 When dry, clean up and dress the faces flush. 
 
THE CANDLESTICK 
 
 89 
 
 Fig-. 101. The way the grain should and 
 should not run in jointed column of candle- 
 slick. 
 
 With a gouge of the correct 
 
 curve, carve out the coves along 
 
 the upper arrises. Sandpaper. 
 II. The Column. If there is 
 
 to be a column, make that next. 
 
 If you have no wood thick 
 
 enough, (1^") to make it of 
 
 one piece, face off a piece of ^" 
 
 stock long enough so that it can 
 
 be cut in two, and the two pieces 
 
 glued together so as to make one. 
 
 Be very careful to make this a 
 
 close joint, and. to put them to- 
 
 getlier so as to have the grain running in the same direction when 
 
 glued together, .see Fig. 101. Dress up this piece true and square, 
 
 l^"xl^"x3". 
 To taper the 
 column proceed 
 as follows : With 
 the marking- 
 gage, gage lines 
 on the upper end 
 as on Fig. 102, 
 E F and G H. 
 On two opposite 
 sides rule fine 
 pencil lines, as 
 
 Fig. 102. Lay-out of column for candlestick. P J and H J, 
 
 Clamp the piece on the bench between the bench-stop and the vise- 
 dog, and plane down to these ruled lines. Plane off from what is to 
 be the narrow end first, so as to 
 get a surface parallel to the de- 
 sired line as vsoon as possible. 
 When these two sides are cor- 
 rectly tapered, lay out the other 
 two sides in a similar way, draw- 
 ing lines at L J and M K, Fig. 
 102, and plane to shape. If for 
 lack of a tail-vise, it is necessary 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 J 
 
 
 ^—^ 
 
 — 
 
 1 
 
 
 rz 
 
 — =^=7 -J 
 
 
 1 
 
 Fig-. 103. Wedg-ed-shaped pieces make 
 it possible to hold the tapered piece in 
 the vise. 
 
90 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 A 
 
 o 
 
 I 
 
 1 ■ 
 
 1 
 
 Fig-. 104. Drill holes 
 in pedestal for brads. 
 
 to hold, this piece, already tapered on two sides, sidewise in the vise, 
 two blocks of soft wood need to be made first, having a similar taper, 
 and between these the column can be held without injury in the vise 
 as in Fig. 103. These blocks will also be useful 
 in holding the column while adding chamfers or 
 other embellishments. 
 
 The column is now to be jointed to the ped- 
 estal. The simplest way to do this is with a butt 
 dowel joint. Bore with a number 40 twist drill 
 two holes in the pedestal as at A, A, Fig. 104. 
 Put a touch of thin glue on the large end of the 
 column, fit it exactly in place and drive two brads thru the holes A, A, 
 Fig. 104, letting the heads project slightly. If the joint is not close, 
 clamp the base tightly to the col- 
 umn with a handscrew. When 
 dry, remove the handscrew, 
 gently pull out one brad, bore 
 a 5/16" hole in its place, work 
 some glue into the hole and drive 
 in a dowel. Repeat with the 
 other brad. 
 
 Trim off the ends of the dow- 
 els. Or the column may be mor- 
 tised into the base, making what 
 is called a '^three-way joint." For directions, see Handworh in Wood, 
 pp. 160-161. 
 
 III. The Capital. One piece, %"xl^"l^". If this is to be 
 
 Figr. 105. Cutliiiff copper with 
 snips. 
 
 Fig-. 106. Ends of strip for socket beveled so as to butt well. 
 
 simply a flat rectangular piece of wood, dress it to the proper size 
 and sandpaper it and dowel it or screw it to the column with two long 
 
THE CANDLESTICK 
 
 91 
 
 Fig-. 107. Stake for hammering- 
 copper socket. 
 
 screws (1^", No. 4). See Handwork in Wood, p. 126. If the socket 
 
 and pan are to be made as in Fig. 113, the capital should have in it a 
 
 hole into which the socket may 
 
 fit. For a ^" candlestick, this 
 
 hole should be %" in diameter. 
 
 Take for the capital a piece of 
 
 wood several inches long. The 
 
 extra length makes it easier to 
 
 plane, and lessens the danger of 
 
 splitting Avhen the hole is bored. 
 
 Plane it with sqaare edges to the 
 
 proper width and thickness and bore a %" hole into it, gripping it 
 
 sidewise in the vise. This also is to prevent splitting it. If the piece 
 
 is Ys" thick the hole should be about ^" deep, bored with a Foerstner 
 
 bit. Next saw off to the proper 
 length and finish the ends of 
 the piece neatly with the block- 
 plane. It may be glued and 
 screwed securely to the column, 
 driving the screws thru what 
 wood is left at the bottom of 
 the hole. 
 
 IV. The FeeL Four pieces 
 ^%"x2"x2". Plane up one strip 
 of wood to the desired thick- 
 ness; in this case }i" thick, 2" 
 wide and 8^" long, and if the 
 arrises are chamfered or other- 
 wise shaped, this should also be 
 done before cutting up into 
 small pieces. After cutting up, 
 finish what are to be the outside 
 ends of each piece harmoniously 
 M'ith their sides. That is, have 
 the shape continuous around 
 each foot. 
 To fasten on the feet, drive from the underside of each foot two 
 
 or three small brads, ^", No. 18, until the points just prick thru. 
 
 1 
 
 .^mj 
 
 
 li 
 
 ^ 
 
 '-«iii^ 
 
 ^» V. 
 
 li 
 
 fe 
 
 ^^^^ 
 
 '^i^^^B/p 
 
 m 
 
 Fig. 108. Hammering a strip 
 into a cylinder. 
 
92 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 Fig. 109. 
 
 Method of hammering a cylinder 
 out of a strip. 
 
 Put a little glue in the middle of the upper surface of each foot, ad- 
 just and press it to its proper place, and drive the brads home. The 
 piece is now ready to be cleaned up and finished. After carefully 
 sandpapering, wet the surface with water in order to "raise the grain,'' 
 
 and when dry sandpaper once 
 more. Then when the water stain 
 is applied, the grain will not 
 rise again. 
 
 If the piece is made of ma- 
 hogany, it may be darkened with 
 a solution of bichromate of 
 potash crystals, to be obtained at 
 any druggist's. Make a satu- 
 rate solution. It dissolves read- 
 ily in hot water. If this is ap- 
 plied full strength, the color of 
 the wood will be a dark brownish 
 red. A good proportion is one 
 part of the saturate solution to 
 three parts of water. Apply with a brush and wipe off the surface 
 at once with cotton waste. If, after a little exposure to the light, 
 this does not appear dark enough, another coat may be added. 
 
 Eub down the surface with steel wool. A simple and effective 
 method of finishing this piece is to oil it with a mixture of boiled 
 linseed oil, one part, and turpentine, two parts. This should be wiped 
 dry and rubbed hard many times with a little of the oil on a rag. 
 
 If more gloss is desired, give the piece a coat 
 of wax. (See Handwork in Wood, page 214.) 
 
 Y. The Metal worh. For the socket and pan 
 for the candlestick, sheet copper, gage No. 20, is 
 needed. To get the proper size for the socket or 
 cylinder, wrap a piece of paper around the candle 
 to get its circumference, and add to this four 
 times the thickness of the copper. With the 
 snips, Fig. 105, cut a piece of copper this length, 
 and as wide as the depth of the socket, say 1". Hammer the piece 
 flat with the mallet on the bench. File the long edges straight and 
 parallel and square, and the end edges square to the side edges, but 
 
 Fie-. 110. Cvlinder 
 wired to hold joint 
 in place. 
 
THE CANDLESTICK 
 
 93 
 
 .- /# V- 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 (@ @\ 
 
 a 
 
 
 1 
 
 b 
 
 
 Fig". 111. Pan for candlestick. 
 
 with a slight bevel toward what is to be the inside of the socket, so 
 that when the piece is curved into cylindrical shape, the ends will 
 butt well, as in Fig. 106. 
 
 To hammer this strip into shape, you need a cylinder of iron ^" 
 thick with flat surfaces filed at one end, as in Fig. 107, so that it can be 
 held firmly in the iron vise. A piece of 
 gas pipe, with one end crushed together 
 will do. For the hammering, use a small 
 wooden or horn mallet, so as not to mar 
 the surface of the copper. See Fig. 108. 
 To curve the copper strip on this im- 
 provised anvil, hold one end of it so 
 that it projects slightly to one side of 
 the anvil, (cylinder) and hit this pro- 
 jecting end with the mallet. Push out 
 the copper a little more and hammer 
 again. See Figs. 108 and 109. Con- 
 tinue this process until the strip be- 
 comes a cylinder. If any part has been 
 bent too much lay that part directly on the anvil and hit there. 
 If any part needs bending more to make the circle perfect, lay that 
 part on the anvil and hit just off the point of contact. Be particu- 
 larly careful to curve the extreme ends, and see that they butt ex- 
 actly thruout, in order that they may be soldered well later. 
 
 Now wrap and twist a piece 
 of binding wire. Gage No. 24, 
 to hold the butted edges tight 
 together. Fig. 110, and solder 
 the joint. *A simple way to do 
 this is as follows : Touch the 
 joint thruout its length with a 
 little stick dipped in soldering 
 fluid. (This may be bought 
 prepared at a hardware store, 
 either in fluid form, or as solder- 
 ing salt, (Yager's) to be dissolved in water according to the direc- 
 tions given, or may be made by digesting zinc in muriatic acid.) 
 
 Fig. 112. Socket and pan wired together 
 for soldering. 
 
 ■See Simple Soldering, by Edw. Thatcher. Pub. by Spon & Chamberlain. 
 
94 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 Fig. 113. Pan encircling socket. 
 
 On the joint lay a small piece, say j4"j of wire solder. By means 
 
 of a pair of pliers, hold the cylinder, joint down, over the gas flame 
 
 of a bunsen burner or gas stove, till the solder melts. With a small 
 
 stick wipe the solder back and forth in the joint and set aside to cool. 
 
 To make the pan proceed as follows: With the snips cut out a 
 
 square of copper, IS/g" square, 
 snip off the sharp corners, and 
 file the edges square and 
 smooth. See Fig. 111. Use 
 fine sandpaper or emery cloth 
 to polish up the surface. Turn 
 up the edges slightly all around 
 as follows: Set a bar of iron, 
 say 34" thick and ^" wide, up- 
 right in the iron vise. File the 
 end so that it will be slightly 
 rounded and smooth, and with the horn hammer, hammer the edges 
 over this "stake", as it is called. See Fig. Ill & for the cross-section 
 of the pan. Be particularly careful to make the corners all alike, and 
 to keep the bottom of the pan flat. If it becomes concave turn it 
 upside down on a flat surface and tap the bottom gently with the 
 horn hammer. 
 
 With a twist-drill, held in a hand-drill, (see Handworh in Wood, 
 p. 106, Fig. 187,) bore and countersink two small holes in the 
 bottom of the pan to fit ^" N"o. 2 screws, as in Fig. 111. These 
 holes should be inside a circle ^" in diameter at 
 the center of the pan, so as to be included in 
 the socket. 
 
 Scrape the surface to be soldered together 
 bright and clean, and tie the socket already made, 
 firmly to the pan with binding wire as in Fig. 112. 
 Cover the joint of the socket with rouge made into 
 paste with water. This is to prevent its unsolder- 
 ing when the pan is heated. 
 
 Apply soldering fluid to the joint from the inside of the socket, 
 lay a couple of pieces of wire solder next the joint, hold the pan and 
 socket over the gas flame just until the solder melts, and then quickly 
 wipe the melted solder into place, as before. If the joint is close and 
 
 Fig. 114 Lay-out for 
 pan shown in Fig-.113. 
 
THE CANDLESTICK 
 
 95 
 
 the soldering fluid is carefully 
 applied, the solder will hardly 
 sliow on the outside. If it does, 
 it can be cut off with a sharp 
 knife. 
 
 Polish the surface with a 
 fine emery cloth and then with 
 a cloth smeared with tripoli, or 
 on a buffing wheel, if that is 
 available. To darken, dip in a 
 solution of liver of sulphur, 
 (potassium sulphide) and coat 
 with turpentine. 
 
 A slightly more difficult - — 
 
 Fig. 115. Using- a coping-saw. 
 
 Fig. 116, Wood notched to hold copper 
 while sawing-. 
 
 form of socket and pan is 
 
 shown in Fig. 113. For this form, after the pan has been shaped, cut 
 
 a hole in it thus : Find the exact center of the square by drawing the 
 
 diagonals, and with the com- 
 passes draw a circle just the 
 outside size of the socket, as in 
 Fig. 114. Drill a hole some- 
 where within this circle, and 
 with a coping-saw. Fig. 115, 
 saw out the circle, sawing al- 
 ways within the line. While 
 
 sawing, the pan may be conveniently held over the notch of a piece 
 
 of wood cut in the shape shoAvn in Fig. 116. Then file the hole to 
 
 exactly fit the socket. Tie the two in place with 
 
 iron wire, and solder from the under side. This 
 
 socket may also have a bottom soldered to it, but 
 
 this is not absolutely necessary. 
 
 The rim of the socket may be embellished 
 
 by having a ring of copper wire (^" thick) 
 
 soldered to it as shown in cross-section in Fig. 
 
 117. The photographs given show a variety of designs for the pans. 
 
 An easy way to hammer out the shape shown in Fig. 118, Nos. 1 
 
 and 3, is to gouge out of a block of maple a mold of the desired shape, 
 
 tack down with carpet tacks the copper over this mold, as in Fig. 119 
 
 Fig-. 117. Wire ring- 
 around edg-e of cup. 
 
96 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
THE CANDLESTICK 
 
 97 
 
 ^^ ®- 
 
 ^ 
 
 and hammer it into the mold with the pecn of the horn hammer. The 
 depression thus made may be set into a corresponding depression cut 
 
 in the wood of the candlestick 
 and the whole fastened in place 
 with copper tacks, the heads of 
 which are filed square. 
 
 In some of the designs cop- 
 per handles are shown. See 
 Fig. 96. They are shaped in a 
 way similar to that of the cups, 
 and in some cases are screwed 
 to the wood under the rim of 
 the saucer, and in some cases 
 soldered to the socket and pan. 
 Other simple projects in- 
 the flowerpot stands, shown in 
 
 Fig. 119. Rim pan tacked 
 down over mold. 
 
 volving the cross-lap joint are 
 
 Fig. 120, having either one or two joints. 
 
 Fig-. 120. Flowerpot-stands, made with half-lap joint. 
 
 The same joint is used in the taboret. Chapter VIII. 
 
 —7 
 
98 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 Fig. 121. Sniokiiig-lable. 
 
Chapter VIII 
 
 TABOEET 
 
 In order to keep the construction of this project as simple as pos- 
 sible, the limitations imposed are that the frame shall consist of two 
 cross-lap joints made of boards imder one inch thickness, to which 
 are butted and doweled the legs, 
 having approximately the same 
 thickness. To this frame is at- 
 tached a board top. 
 
 Even under these limita- 
 tions, great variety is possible, 
 as shown in the accompanying 
 photographs. The size may vary 
 from a tea or smoking table. Fig. 
 121 or 123, to a low stand, a few 
 inches in height. Fig. 122. 
 
 The wood suggested is chest- 
 nut or C3^press, because of their 
 easy working qualities, but soft 
 mahogany or baywood may be 
 used with great success. 
 
 The refinement of propor- 
 tions includes the consideration 
 of such items as the width and 
 thickness of the legs in propor- 
 tion to their height, the dispo- 
 sition of the stretchers, whether 
 they shall be on edge or flat. Fig. 122. Lowtaboret. 
 
 and where located, the amount of projection of the top beyond the 
 legs and the shape of the legs and of the top. 
 
 The attractiveness of the project depends largely upon its good 
 proportions and upon the beauty of the grain of the wood. The 
 rounding of the dowels into projecting buttons, plainly indicating 
 
 99 
 
100 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 JC 
 
 ■ . "iM 
 
 
 ^^^^^^^^^^HMbu '^M 
 
 i«\ 
 
 the structure, the use of 
 chamfers, or coves, and 
 the addition of feet, as in 
 Figs. 121 and 123 are 
 suggested. The color 
 depends largely upon 
 its intended environment. 
 Chestnut turns to a 
 heautiful hrown when it 
 is exposed to ammonia 
 fumes and then oiled. 
 
 Since a taboret is to 
 he used to hold a potted 
 plant, the finish should 
 be such as will stand 
 moisture best. That is 
 boiled linseed oil. 
 
 The process of mak- 
 ing the typical form, 
 Fig 121, will be described first, and the changes later. The drawing 
 with dimensions is shown in Fig. 125. Either chestnut or cypress is 
 
 Fig-. 123. Tea-table. 
 
 Fig-. 124. Simple type form of taboret. 
 
TABORET 
 
 101 
 
 Fig. 125. Taborct. 
 
102 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 good for this project. Chestnut has rather a coarse texture, and is 
 liable to split along the annual rings on account of the presence of 
 many pores. Cypress is likely to contain many fine checks, produced 
 in seasoning. 
 
 Choose if possible wood with a pleasing grain, especially for the top. 
 
 The materialsjiecessary are as follows: 
 
 A. 4 pieces ^"x2%"xi7". 
 
 B. 2 pieces ^"x2"x8^". 
 
 C. 2 pieces ^"x2i/^"x8^". 
 
 D. I piece ^"xi3"xi3". This may be made of two pieces jointed 
 
 together, as shown later. 
 i6 dowel-pins 5/i6"x 1}i". 
 4 brass mending straps ^^"x2", No. 6o. 
 12 screws ^i" No. 4. 
 16 brads No. 13, 2]//', No. 12. 
 
 Plane up four pieces, A, to proper size. In order to true the ends 
 exactly, all four pieces may be clamped together in a handscrew and 
 the bench vise, and block-planed at one time. First plane one set of 
 ends, then reverse and plane the other set. Great pains must be 
 
 taken to keep the whole block square, or 
 all the pieces will not be of the same 
 length. 
 
 Plane up the stretchers, B and C, in 
 a similar way, all four to exactly the same 
 length. Make a cross-lap joint with 
 pieces B and with pieces C according to 
 directions given in Handwork in ^Yood, 
 p. 155. 
 
 The difference between the joints in 
 pieces B and pieces C is that in B the 
 edges lap, whereas in C the faces lap. 
 With this difference however the process 
 of making is the same, the flat joint being slightly more difficult. 
 
 Glue these joints together and leave in a handscrew to set, testing 
 the joint to see that it is a perfect right angle. 
 
 To fit the lower stretchers to the legs proceed thus: All around 
 the legs, 3%" from the bottom of each, draw a fine pencil line, and 
 on the inside of the legs, at 3/16" from the edges, mark points as in 
 Fig. 126. On this line on the outside of all the legs place a mark 
 
 Fitr, 126. Lay-out 01 joint ol 
 lower stretcher with leg. 
 
TABORET 
 
 103 
 
 Fig-. 127 Center lines AB and 
 CD marked on stretchers. 
 
 •)4" from each edge to indicate the centers of the holes for the dowel- 
 pins, with which the joints are to be fastened together. See Fig. 12G. 
 Mark center line on the edges of stretch- 
 ers C at the ends, as at A B, Fig. 127. 
 
 To fit the upper stretchers B to the 
 legs, proceed as follows : Draw a fine pen- 
 cil line across the center of the top ends 
 of- the legs and continue this line down 
 both outside and inside of the legs for 
 2>^" from the top, as in C /) E, Fig. 128. 
 On this line on the outside of the leg in- 
 dicate points A B, Yz" and 1^" from the 
 top for centers of holes for the dowel-pins. 
 Mark center lines on the edges of the 
 stretchers B at the ends, C D, as in 
 Fig. 127. 
 
 If the legs are to be shaped, as in Fig. 129 the following method 
 may be used : 
 
 Clamp two legs side by side and bore a %" hole at tLe proper 
 point A, in Fig. 130, setting the spur of the bit directly in the crack 
 
 between the two legs. Bore half-way 
 through, reverse, and finish boring. Re- 
 peat on all the edges. The surplus wood 
 may then be worked out with a saw and 
 spokeshave or small plane. 
 
 Next prepare 16 dowel-pins, each 
 1^" long and 5/16" diameter. When 
 there are a number of pins to cut off, it 
 saves time to use a miter-box, fastening a 
 stop at the proper distance, (1^" in this 
 case) from the kerf, and so being able to 
 cut each one off without stopping to 
 measure, Fig. 131. 
 
 N"ext test the size of the dowel-pins in 
 a 5/16" hole bored in a piece of waste wood. The fit should be snug. 
 If the dowel-pins are too large to drive in easily, reduce their size by 
 driving them with a mallet, not a hammer, thru the 5/16" hole in the 
 dowel-plate. Fig. 132. 
 
 Fig. 128. Lay-out of joint of up 
 per stretcher with leg. 
 
104 
 
 DESIGX AND COXSTRUCTIOX IX WOOD 
 
 Point one end of each pin with a dowel-pointer, {Handwork in 
 Wood, p. 83), to insure their entering the holes readily and round off 
 the other end into a button shape as in Fig. 133. This may be done 
 conveniently with a ^harp knife and sandpaper, or better still, of 
 
 course, on a 
 lathe. 
 
 Next the legs 
 and stretchers 
 are assembled as 
 follows : With 
 t h e hand-drill 
 (Hand work in 
 lFooJ,p.l06,Fig. 
 187), holding a 
 No. 40 twist-drill 
 which is slightly 
 smaller than 
 the brad to be 
 used (2>^^ No. 
 12), bore holes 
 thru all the legs' 
 at the points in- 
 dicated for the 
 dowel-pins, four 
 in each leg. Take 
 especial pains to 
 bore at right 
 angles to the 
 surface, because 
 these holes will 
 afterward deter- 
 mine the direc- 
 ^", No. 12) into 
 
 these holes so that their points just come thru. Start the brads 
 (2^", No. 12) into tliese holes, and placing each leg at its proper 
 place on each stretcher, drive the nails into the stretchers about yi" 
 and take apart. The dents thus made by the nails in the ends of the 
 stretchers will make it easy to locate them in place when gluing up. 
 
 Fig-. 129. Taboret wiih shaped legs. 
 
 tion of the holes for the dowels. Drive the brads (2 
 
TABORET 
 
 105 
 
 Have ready two carpenter's bar clamps, {Handworlc in Wood, 
 p. 103), two large (Aldrich's No. 5, 18") handscrews (Handworlc in 
 Wood, p. 101), and eight blocks of soft wood, three or four inches 
 long and just large enough to fit between each 
 pair of nails. 
 
 If no clamps or handscrews are available, sub- 
 stitutes may be made thus: Cut two boards and 
 tw^o wedges, as in Fig. 131. These improvised 
 clamps can be hooked over the blocks which are 
 placed between the nails, and then the wedges 
 driven in to draw the joints up tight. 
 
 Put a little hot glue on the end of a stretcher, 
 B, locate it by means of the marks already made 
 in it by the nails in the leg, and drive in the nails, 
 leaving the head of the brad projecting half an 
 incli, so that it can be easily withdrawn later. In 
 the same way nail stretcher C in place to the same 
 leg. Then nail the opposite leg to the other ends 
 of these two stretchers. Proceed in the same way 
 with the other two legs, working as speedily as 
 accuracy will permit in order that the glue may 
 not set before the clamps are applied. The clamps 
 are applied to these joints as shown in Fig. 135. 
 angles to see that they are square. 
 
 Fig. 130. Method of 
 shaping legs. 
 
 Test the interior 
 If not, adjust the clamps on a 
 slight diagonal, so as to pull 
 the piece into shape as in the 
 diagram Fig. 136, in which the 
 distortion is exaggerated. Set 
 aside six hours to dry. 
 
 While the glue in these 
 joints is hardening, the top 
 may be made, according to di- 
 rections given below, p. 109. 
 
 When the glue in the frame 
 joints is hard, take off the 
 clamps, pull out one nail at a 
 time (see Handwork in Wood, Fig. 163, p. 96) and bore with a 5/16" 
 bit a hole 2" deep. Fig. 137. To gage the depth, use the auger-bit- 
 gagc, (Handwork in Wood, p. 116) or improvise one by boring a hole 
 
 
 
 
 X-- 
 
 // 
 
 
 A 
 
 
 
 </;y^ 
 
 // 
 
 V 
 
 ■^ 
 
 
 
 
 Fig. 131. A stop A^ in miter-box for use in 
 cutting the dowels of equal length. 
 
106 
 
 DESlGxNT AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 lengthwise thru a piece of wood of such a length that when this piece 
 is slipped up to the jaws of the brace, two inches of the bit will pro- 
 trude. See Fig. 138. 
 
 As each hole is bored, work 
 some glue into it by means of a 
 small dowel-pin (say Y^" diame- 
 ter) and insert one of the 5/1 6"x 
 1^)4" dowel pins already pre- 
 pared. In order to keep the work 
 clean put no glue on the pin it- 
 self. With a mallet, drive in 
 the pin leaving ^" projecting. 
 In order to make sure that all 
 the pins project an equal amount 
 lay a strip of wood, y^" thick, 
 next the pin as you drive it in, so that the mallet head will hit the 
 strip on the final blow. 
 
 The reason why the dowel pin is not made long enough to drive 
 it clear to the bottom of the two inch hole is be- 
 cause the glue at the bottom of the hole may act 
 like a cushion, which, if the pin is driven home, 
 may force open the joint between the joint and 
 the stretcher. 
 
 In case it is not convenient to round off the ends of the dowels 
 before dri\ing them, or in case they are not driven in so that the pro- 
 jections are all equal, proceed as follows: Saw off the protruding 
 
 Fig- 132. Driving dowel thru 
 dowel-plate. 
 
 TT- 
 
 /f4 
 
 Fig. 133. Dowel-pin 
 for taboret. 
 
 
 
 ^ /- " 
 
 
 V 
 
 
 
 '4 l" 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 <5P 
 
 < /L 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 "A;: :; 
 
 
 -< 
 
 /8" 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^^3^ 
 
 Fig 134. Improvised clamp. 
 
 parts of the dowels to within ^" of the surface, thus: Holding the 
 frame in the vise, as in Fig. 139, lay a piece of wood ^" thick next 
 each pair of dowels, and resting the face of the back-saw on this, saw 
 off the dowels. Then round up the ^" projections into buttons thus: 
 
TABORET 
 
 107 
 
 
 Fig. 135. Taboret, nailed, glued, and clamped. 
 
 Fig. 137. Boring- the holes for the dowels. 
 
108 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 Fig. 136. 
 
 Method of squaring- up 
 angles. 
 
 Fold a piece of sandpaper, sand side in, 
 hold it near a dowel as a buffer, and with 
 a chisel, bevel side down, resting on this 
 sandpaper, slice off the arris of the pro- 
 jecting dowel as in Fig. 140. When the 
 arrises are neatly trimmed, sandpaper the 
 end of the dowel into a button shape, hold- 
 ing the sandpaper over the thumb. Finish 
 the remaining dowels in the same manner. 
 Instead of shaping the protruding dowel 
 pins into buttons, an easier w^ay to finish is 
 to drive the pins flush with the face of the legs, smooth off the sur- 
 face, and drive upholstery nails. Fig. 141, of the appropriate color 
 into the surface of each dowel. The taboret 
 shown in Fig. 142 is finished in this way. 
 
 If the processes so far have been neatly done, 
 there should be very little superfluous glue to 
 clean up. If there is any, clean it off with a 
 chisel and scraper. This process may sometimes 
 be facilitated by dampening the glue with a little 
 hot water on cotton waste. Use as much heat 
 and as little water as possible. 
 
 If any bruises appear on the surface in which 
 the fibers of the wood are crushed but not cut, 
 wet such places, cover with a piece of paper, and 
 lay on them a flat-iron, sizzling hot. This will swell the fibers back 
 into shape. Finally sandpaper all over. 
 
 Xext cut out the recess for 
 the brass plates with which 
 the top is to be fastened to the 
 frame, as in Fig. 125. This 
 dado is cut at both the ex- 
 treme ends of each upper 
 stretcher, and is Yi" wide and 
 as deep as the thickness of 
 the plate. 
 
 To fasten the plates to the frame, it is first necessary to bore 
 holes, with a twist-drill, in the middle of the plates and countersink 
 
 Fig. 138. Im- 
 provised bit-gage. 
 
 Fig. 139. Sawing off project! 
 end of dowel-pin. 
 
TABOR ET 
 
 109 
 
 this hole on the side opposite to the other countersinks. It may 
 then be screwed into place, using ^" No. 4 screws, Fig. 125. 
 
 The top is made as fol- 
 lows : Assuming that it is 
 to be made of two boards 
 jointed together, cut them 
 slightly longer than wanted 
 (13 y/'). If they are warped 
 at all, joint them so that the warp will be reversed in the two pieces, 
 as in Fig. 143. Then proceed as in the directions for a rubbed joint 
 given in Ha7idworh in Wood, p. 172. When dry, plane the board to 
 
 Fig-. 140. Method of trimming- 
 arris on dowel-pin. 
 
 the proper 
 square and 
 
 size, 13 
 ^" thick, 
 following the order 
 given in Handwork in 
 Wood, p. 72. 
 
 To lay out the octa- 
 gon, either the 8- 
 square measure on the 
 steel square may be 
 used {Handwork in 
 Wood, p. 1U8) or the 
 following method: 
 Draw the diagonals of 
 the square (13") as in 
 Fig. 144. With the 
 compasses take the dis- 
 tance from any corner, 
 (say A) to the center, 
 E, and lay this off 
 along A B and A I), 
 getting the points F 
 and F' , G and G', etc. 
 Connect F and G, F' 
 and G' etc., and the 
 octagon is drawn. Saw 
 off the corners and plane true. If the design calls for it, the chamfer 
 may be taken off at this time from each upper arris. 
 
 Fig-. 142. Dowel ends covered with upholstery nails. 
 
110 
 
 DESIGX AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 Fig-. 144. One method of laying- 
 out an octagon. 
 
 To fasten the top to the 
 frame, lay the top, bottom side 
 Fig. 143. Method ot jointing- two boards. up, OH the bench, taking care 
 that there is nothing rough on the bench to mar the top, and accu- 
 rately locate the frame on it. Be sure that the grain of the wood of 
 the top runs parallel to one stretcher. 
 Screw it firmly in place. If the top has 
 become slightly warped, do not try to 
 force it flat by means of the screws, but 
 clamp it carefully in place first with hand- 
 screws and then drive the screws home. 
 
 The taboret is now ready for staining 
 and finishing. If it is made of chestnut, a 
 very handsome seal brown can be obtained 
 by shutting it up in an air tight box with 
 one-half pint of strong ammonia (28%) 
 in an open disli. Let it stand for 24 hours or more, and then oil it 
 with a mixture of one part boiled linseed oil and two parts of turpen- 
 tine. Wipe off care- 
 fully. Inasmuch as 
 the taboret is likely to 
 be used as a stand for 
 a flower-pot, it should 
 not be shellacked or 
 varnished, for shellac 
 and varnish are apt to 
 discolor under water, 
 but it should simply be 
 oiled and rubbed again 
 and again, but prin- 
 cipally rubbed. This 
 can be done very eas- 
 ily with a buffing wheel 
 on a lathe. 
 
 If made of cypress, 
 the taboret should be 
 stained so as to bring 
 out the contrast be- 
 
 Fig. 145. Legs doweled directly into lop. twCCU the yclloW Spring 
 
TABORET 
 
 111 
 
 Fig-. 146. Locating position of 
 end of stretcher on leg. 
 
 wood and the red summer wood of the annual rings. See Wood and 
 Forest, pp. 11 ^. For this purpose oil stains are the most satis- 
 factory. See HandworTc in Wood, p. 209. 
 
 An agreeable modification of the de- 
 sign described above is to set the lower 
 stretchers edgewise, not flat, omit the up- 
 per ones, and fasten the upper ends of 
 the legs directly to the top, into which 
 they are notched, as in Fig. 145. 
 
 In this case the lower stretchers are 
 located in the legs by perpendicular cen- 
 ter lines on the legs, as in Fig. 146. For 
 fastening the legs to the top after it is 
 glued up and dressed to size, if the legs 
 are to be perpendicular, not slanting, lay 
 out on the top the notches for the legs so 
 that the distance from opposite ones shall 
 be exactly equal to the length of the lower stretchers. Do all the lay- 
 ing out from the working edge {Handwork in Wood, page 72). See 
 also Fig. 147. Lay out on both sides of the piece in order to insure 
 
 accuracy in chiseling later. 
 
 If the top is to be circular, 
 lay out the notches first. Then 
 lay out and cut the circle and 
 finally cut the notches. This 
 order prevents the sides of the 
 notches from splitting off in 
 dressing up the circumference. 
 
 Lay out the circle 10^" in 
 diameter. Then the top will 
 project slightly beyond the out- 
 side of the legs, as in Fig. 147. 
 The circle is to be cut out with 
 a turning-saw. (Handwork in 
 Wood, p. 67,) and dressed up 
 with the spokeshave. To cut out the notches, use the back-saw, cut- 
 ting just inside the lines, and chisel out the waste. In chiseling out 
 the parts that run parallel to the grain, {A and B, Fig. 147) cut 
 
 Fig-. 147. Lay-out of taboret with legs 
 doweled into circular top. 
 
112 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 Fig. 148. Starting- to 
 cuL out the notches. 
 
 only a little at a time for fear the wood may undersplit. In chisel- 
 ing out the parts across the grain, {C and D) lay the piece down 
 fiat on a piece of w^aste wood on the bench and fasten it firmly with 
 a handscrew or between bench-stop and vise-dog. 
 First place the edge of the chisel (a broad one) 
 exactly on the line, hold it perpendicular and tap 
 it lightly with the mallet. Then holding it 
 obliquely, cut out a triangular groove, as in Fig. 
 148. With this groove once fixed, you can proceed more rapidly and 
 with heavy strokes. When about half-way thru the piece, reverse it 
 and cut from the other side. Take care to keep the bench top free of 
 chips or the wood will be marred. Trim out the sides of the notches 
 so that the legs will fit exactly. 
 If arrises are to be chamfered 
 or rounded, do it now. 
 
 In assembling, proceed as be- 
 fore, page 101:, nailing first, and 
 then substituting dowels for nails. 
 A more elaborate six legged 
 taboret is shown in Fig. 149. 
 In this case there is no half-lap 
 joint, but the legs are doweled 
 into two boards, top and under, 
 both of which are notched to re- 
 ceive them. The process of as- 
 sembling is as described above, 
 nailing with glue, extracting the 
 nails, and substituting glued 
 dow^els. The one shown in the 
 figure was made of cypress, 
 stained brown, and oiled and 
 rubbed repeatedly. 
 
 If the legs of the taboret are 
 to be not perpendicular but 
 slanting, as in Fig. 150, the 
 proper "batter'' or angle at the Fig. ho. Taboret «vith six legs, 
 
 ends of the stretchers may be obtained by means of the steel square, 
 a straight edge, and the bevel. See Fig. 151. Suppose the distance 
 
TABORET 
 
 113 
 
 from the top of the upper stretcher to the bottom of the lower 
 stretcher to be 13" and the bottom of the lower side of each arm of 
 the lower stretcher to be 1" longer than the top of the upper surface 
 of the arm of the corresponding upper stretcher. Lay the steel square 
 on a board with a straight edge, placing the 13" mark on the blade 
 and the 1" mark on the tongue exactly on the straight edge. With a 
 pencil scribe on the board the angle which the tongue makes with 
 
 Fig-. 150. Taboret with slanting- legs. 
 
 the straight edge. This is the angle needed for the ends of the stretch- 
 ers, and also the angle for the tops and bottoms of the legs. (See 
 Handworh in Wood, 3rd edition, p. 201, note.) Transfer this angle by 
 means of the sliding T-bevel. See Handtuork in Wood, p. 113. 
 
 Fig. 152 shows a foot stool made of mahogany with a woven reed 
 seat, stained to match the mahogany. The top is a frame made with 
 end-lap joints, each member 3^" wide so as to give plenty of sur- 
 face for gluing. 
 
114 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 Fig. 151. Obtaniing- the batter 
 lor slanting- legs. 
 
 :^ ' ^ ^ "-y^i 
 
 Fig 152 Mahogany stool with woven reed seat. 
 
Chapter IX 
 
 MALLET 
 
 The excellence of design in a mallet depends primarily upon its 
 utility. The "fixing of essentials" is paramount in importance. 
 Whatever grace of form or refinement of proportions it may have are 
 the result of adaptation to use. In an object of such hard usage, dec- 
 
 Fig-. 153. Mallet 
 
 oration too must play a minor part. As to essentials, a mallet must 
 be of proper weight, must "hang" well in the hand; the head must 
 be of the hardest wood available, that will not easily split, as maple; 
 the handle must be of a tough elastic wood, as hickory, and its form 
 
 115 
 
116 
 
 DESIGN" AXD CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 Fig. 154. Working drawing of mallet. 
 
MALLET 
 
 117 
 
 should be oval, so that the worker can feel, without seeing, that the 
 face of the head wall strike square. The handle should be joined 
 firmly to the head, as with 
 the round mortise-and-tenon, 
 wedged, and there should be a 
 convenient method for hanging 
 it. A coating of shellac helps 
 to keep the wood clean, and 
 improves the looks. Some pre- 
 fer to have tool handles left 
 unvarnished, because of the no- ^'^'i^^- Mapie block for maiiet-head. 
 
 tion that raw wood does not blister the hand. The design here given. 
 Figs. 153, 154, stands all these tests. 
 
 The materials required are : 
 
 I piece maple, 2i^"x2i/^"x5". 
 I piece hickory, %"xi^"xii". 
 
 The head, maple. Plane up true the working face, working edge, 
 the width and the thickness. With the try-square, carry a fine pencil 
 
 Fig-. 156. Boring- hole in head of mallet. 
 
 line across the center on all sides as in Fig. 155, A B C. Notice care- 
 fully how^ the annual rings run in the piece. Like most al] woods, 
 
118 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 Fig. 157. How the handle hole tapersout. 
 
 maple is less likely to split with the annual rings than across them. 
 (See Wood and Forest, p. 53.) Therefore plan to make the hole for 
 the handle as nearly as possible along the annual rings, as in Fig. 155. 
 
 To determine the location 
 of the handle hole, mark with 
 the marking-gage the center 
 point on the cross lines already 
 drawn, on two opposite sides. 
 Fasten the block, thus marked, 
 firmly in the bench vise, as in 
 Fig. 156. Put a ^" auger-bit 
 in the ratchet-brace, hold the 
 knob of the brace in the hol- 
 low of the left hand and hold 
 the body firmly against it so 
 that it will change position as 
 little as possible; with the try- 
 square, see that the bit enters 
 the wood at right angles, both horizontally and perpendicularly, and 
 when the hole is once started, use only a down stroke with the ratchet 
 brace. The brace is thus held steadier and works easier than when 
 it is swept round and round. If two persons can work together at 
 this process, one can test the bit with the try-square, while the other 
 bores. Bore half-way thru and repeat from the opposite side. 
 
 With reasonable care, the holes should meet exactly. If they do 
 not, chisel off the projecting 
 shoulders inside the hole with 
 an inside bevel gouge {Va")- 
 
 In order that the handle 
 may be firmly held in the head 
 by means of a wedge, as de- 
 scribed below, it is necessary to 
 enlarge with the inside bevel 
 
 gouge (M") two sides of the Fig-. ISS. Lay-out of sides of mallel-head. 
 
 hole in the head at what is to be the outer (curved) edge. Make 
 these cuts so as to have the hole oblong in the direction of the length 
 of the head, that is, y%" wide on the long axis and taper it inwards 
 for Va". See Fi^. 157. 
 
MALLET 
 
 119 
 
 Next lay out, according to the dimensions given in Fig. 154, the 
 shape of the head on the broad side. The curve for the outer edge 
 can be obtained by making a templet of cardboard or thin wood, thus : 
 The curve is the 
 4^" arc of a 
 circle whose rad- 
 ius is 22". Set 
 this templet ex- 
 actly in place, 
 as at A B C, 
 Fig. 158, and 
 scribe the curve. 
 Or let one per- 
 son bend and 
 hold a thin 
 spline of w^ood 
 at the proper 
 place, and an- 
 other scribe with 
 a pencil along it. 
 To lay out 
 
 the bevel of the ends (faces) of the head, set the T-bevel at the angle 
 of the inner edge with the faces, and by means of this and of the try- 
 square, score lines all around with a sharp knife. Make a groove for 
 sawing on the outside of the bevel lines B D and C E, Fig. 158. (See 
 Handwork in ^Yood, p. QQ, Fig. 91), and saw off the waste. 
 
 To guide the saw, another 
 block of wood with true square 
 edges may be set along the scored 
 line and clamped down with a 
 handscrew on the bench. Fig. 
 159. Take the precaution, how- 
 ever, to protect the bench by a 
 Fi^i6o. Block chamfered to avoid splint- Piece of a waste board uudcr- 
 
 ering when end planing. j^^.^^j^ ||^g l^l^^j, ^^ 1^^ g^^^^^ g^^^ 
 
 wdth a crosscut-saw, just outside the scored lines. Eepeat at the 
 other end. 
 
 Sawing the bevel on the mallet-head bj' means of 
 a block clamped on as a guide. 
 
120 
 
 DESIGN" AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 Fig. 161. 
 
 Lay-out for beveled sides. 
 from below.) 
 
 (Seen 
 
 To plane these ends, fasten 
 the piece upright in the vise. 
 Avoid splintering by cutting 
 chamfers at the outer arris, as 
 in Fig. 160, and plane the ends 
 flat and smooth. For this pur- 
 pose the jack-plane is best, well 
 sharpened and set fine. The 
 block-plane is too light. 
 
 Next plane the waste off the 
 
 curved outer edge. To rough off, plane across the grain. Finish 
 
 with the grain for smoothness, using a circular plane if handy. 
 'Next lay out on these planed ends and on 
 
 the inner lower edge the bevels of the sides, as 
 
 A B C, m Fig. 161, and plane off the waste. 
 With a pencil lay out the chamfers, which 
 
 are ^" on the arrises of the curved surface and 
 
 1/16" on the rest, and plane them off. 
 
 The Handle. True up the piece to a 
 
 ^"xl5^"xll", full. Draw, with a pencil, a fine 
 
 center line on both broad sides and on the ends. 
 
 On both broad sides lay out the plan of the 
 
 handle, working from the center line. Bore a 
 
 y^" hole, 1" from the hand end thru the short 
 
 axis, for convenience in hanging up the mallet. 
 Eip-saw off the waste, working from both 
 
 ends. In order to start the saw on the tapering 
 
 cut, clamp a piece of waste wood to the handle, 
 
 avS A, in Fig. 162, and start the saw at B. Save 
 
 one of the pieces thus sawn off to be used later 
 
 to wedge the handle into the head. Spokeshave 
 
 to the lines drawn, keeping the piece rectangular. 
 
 Draw center lines on both edges and on the ends. 
 Lay out with a sharp pencil the chamfers 
 
 which are to make the piece eight-sided, and on 
 
 the large end draw as exact an ellipse as pos- Fig-. i62. Method of 
 
 • IT c\ ^ ^ j_i 1 J? n ji starting saw on a taper- 
 
 sible. Spokeshave these chamfers and then ingcut. 
 
MALLET 
 
 121 
 
 m 
 
 ^, 
 
 V 
 
 iy 
 
 <^-> 
 
 round the small end till it fits closely the hole in the mallet head. Be 
 
 careful in using the spokeshave to keep the piece of even diameter 
 
 thruout. In cutting the very end the 
 
 spokeshave is likely to taper it. To avoid 
 
 this, hold the spokeshave, not at right 
 
 angles to the axis of the piece, but 
 
 diagonally. 
 
 Spokeshave the large end to an 
 
 elliptical section. The shape should i^ig.i63. wedge for handle. 
 
 change smoothly into the rounded small end. Scrape smooth and 
 
 sandpaper. 
 
 In the small end cut with the back-saw, a kerf 1" deep, Fig. 154. 
 
 Be careful to cut this parallel with the short axis of the ellipse 
 
 at the other end. This is to re- 
 ceive a wedge, which may be 
 made from one of the pieces 
 sawn off in making the handle. 
 The wedge should be %" wide, 
 y^' at one end and tapering to 
 an edge, and 1" long. Fig. 163. 
 
 Fig. 164. Method of cutting a wedge. pj-^^e OUC end of this picCC OU 
 
 the bench-hook against the cross-cleat, and chisel this end to an edge. 
 See Fig. 164. Drive the handle in the head, letting the small end 
 project y^' . Dip the wedge in glue and drive it in place. Saw off 
 the projecting part of the wedge, clean up, and sandpaper. 
 
 Give the head a couple of coats of shellac and rub down with 
 steel wool. 
 
 
 
 ^sS^^ 
 
 
 
 1 -^>^ —1 
 
 
 
 Bench - hooK ,.==-■-—::— 
 
 -=- 
 
 ^-^-- ^^^=- 1 
 
 
 
 
 
122 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 ^Sfc^'. 
 
 Q 
 
 li= 
 
 Fig. 165. Trays. 
 
ClIArTER X 
 
 TEAYS 
 
 One of the most valuable projects for a beginner in woodwork to 
 make, looked at either from the point of view of the discipline of 
 technique or from that of design, is a tray for pens or cards, trinkets 
 or pins, clips or collar buttons, or whatsoever. For varieties of trays 
 see Fig. 165. 
 
 The first matter to decide is, of course, the use of the tray. If 
 it is to be for penholders and pencils, the trough must be long and 
 
 Ir^^SJ^ 
 
 ii 
 
 Fig-. 166. 
 
 Trays. 
 
 2 
 
 wide enough to receive them, and the tray must be stable, so as not 
 to be easily upset. If for cards, or crackers, it must be so designed 
 as to be easily picked up. A suitable wood for this project is sweet 
 gum, because it is of close even texture, moderately soft, cuts clean, 
 polishes well, and has a handsome color and figure. The fixing of the 
 essentials is an easy matter. 
 
 123 
 
124 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN AVOOD 
 
 The beauty of the tray will depend upon the refinement of its 
 proportions and such embellishments as there are in the way of carv- 
 ing. These are very closely related in this project. That a pen-tray 
 should not be bulky or clumsy goes without saying. But its lightness 
 and grace may depend as much upon the carved embellishments, Fig. 
 166, Nos. 1, 2, 3, as upon the modeling of the edge, Fig. 167. 
 
 A few suggestions may be offered as to the use of line decoration. 
 It is the simplest form of carving and yet lends itself to endless 
 variety. See Figs. 168, 169. One danger in line design is that the 
 lines be too "wiry" or 'Svormy". This can be corrected by breaking 
 
 Fig- IbT. Tray with surface and edge modeled. 
 
 the lines and modifying the ends. It should also be remembered that 
 the blank spaces, that is, those uncarved, should make a pleasing pat- 
 tern, as well as the carved lines themselves. The rosette design, 
 shown in Fig. 170, is a pure line design, so arranged that the blank 
 spaces make a rosette. An interesting discussion of the breaking up 
 of spaces will be found in Ernest A. Batchelder's Design in Theory 
 and Practice. 
 
 In making the tray itself the processes are few and simple, but 
 like all good carving, require careful control of the hand, and call for 
 considerable variety of manipulation. 
 
 Taking for illustration a typical tray, the pen-tray with rosettes, 
 shown in Fig. 170, first, with the plane, true up the working face, 
 working edge, length, width, and thickness. If the design is not 
 rectangular, but has curved outlines, it is necessary to true up only 
 working face, working edge, and thickness. 
 
TRAYS 
 
 125 
 
 To lay out the design, draw on the working face, center lines, one 
 lengthwise, one crosswise, at exact right angles to each other. Draw 
 similar lines on the design. 
 
 Lay the design already drawn in paper on a piece of glass, and 
 with a sharp knife point, make a clean cut stencil of one quarter of 
 
 Fig. 168. Varieties of line carving. 
 
 it. Where necessary to prevent the stencil from becoming too weak 
 or falling apart leave little bridges to hold the parts together, as A A, 
 in Fig. 171. 
 
 From this stencil, lay out the design on each quarter of the work- 
 ing face of the board. If it is necessary to pin it in place, do so in 
 places where the pin pricks will afterward be cut away. This is more 
 important in a fine textured wood like gum than in a coarse textured 
 wood like oak. 
 
 As to when the outline is to be cut, that depends upon its shape. 
 If it is nearly rectangular, it may be shaped before the trough is dug, 
 but ordinarily, and especially if it is curved, it is better not to touch 
 it, until trough and decoration are finished. In this rectangular 
 shape, the edges will not be bruised while handling and it will be 
 
126 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 easier to hold the piece between the bench-stop and vise-dog. For 
 directions for shaping the outline, see below. 
 
 Next gouge out the trough of the tray with a large (1") outside 
 bevel gouge. Work both with the gi'ain and across it, noting care- 
 
 Fig. 169. Trays with line grooving-. 
 
 fully any dips in the grain, and taking particular pains at those 
 places. Do not attempt to work within ys" of the margin of the 
 trough, until the main part is well gouged out. That is, leave the 
 
TKAYS 
 
 127 
 
 finest work till later, because with every added stroke greater control 
 of the hand is gained. For use of gouge on ordinary cuts, see Hand- 
 work in Wood, p. 60. 
 
 For delicate cuts learn to use the twisting motion i. e., while push- 
 ing the handle with the right hand, gently twist the gouge on its 
 
 Fig. 170. Tray and blolter-holder with pattern 
 of rosettes. 
 
 axis. This motion is particularly useful when approaching an out- 
 line, as of the trough. Twist away from the outline, then if tne 
 tool slips no harm is done. 
 
 Particular pains must be taken with the corners of the trough if 
 there are any. In general they look better rounded. The arc of the 
 round should not be greater than the arc of the gouge which you have 
 to use. The sharper the corner, the harder it is to cut it out well. 
 
 For very accurate work, and where the cross-section of the tray 
 is uniform for some distance, as in Fig. 172, it is well to make a 
 
 templet of thin wood with 
 
 ^//M/M/////M/y////////////^ //////^y/////y ^//y'////^^ 
 
 
 which the work can be gaged 
 as one proceeds. 
 
 But in many trays (as in 
 Fig. 170) all that is necessary 
 is to have a depth-gage. For 
 this purpose a nail driven into a strip of wood having a straight edge 
 will suffice. Fig. 173. With this it is easy to detect variations which 
 make the work look slovenly. The curve of the edges of the trough 
 
 Fig. 171. Stencil, showing bridges at yl, A. 
 
128 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 ma}^ be often be determined by the curve of the gouge in use. Be 
 sure to keep the gouge sharp at all times. For the method of whet- 
 ting the gouge, see Handwork in Wood, p. 60. 
 
 In some designs (see Fig. 174) the piece is finished with the tool 
 marks frankly shown. This is, on the whole, better suited to large 
 
 Fig-. 172. Tray aad blotter: simple outline decoration. 
 
 pieces made of coarse textured wood. For the sort of designs shown 
 herewith, a smooth perfect finish is recommended. 
 
 After chiseling with the gouge as accurately as possible, scrape 
 the surface of the trough with a cabinet scraper. No. 2 and No. 7 are 
 the most useful. First see that the scraper is well sharpened. The 
 method of sharpening is described on page 92, of IlandivorJc in Wood. 
 
 By tilting and turning the 
 
 Fig 173 Depth-gage: nail in a strip 
 of wood. 
 
 scraper in various directions, 
 the curve can be made to fit the 
 triangle. 
 
 It is often possible to de- 
 test unevennesses on the sur- 
 face which are not visible to the e^'e, by means of the touch. If nec- 
 essary, shut your eyes while you feel. Make the surface as perfect as 
 possible with the scraper. Preserve the edges of the trough sharp. 
 
 Next sandpaper the trough of the tray, using the tip of the thumb 
 as a cushion for the sandpaper. It frequently happens that in sand- 
 
TRAYS 
 
 129 
 
 papering, irregularities in the surface undetected before will appear. 
 If .so, go back to the scraper, or even the gouge. Bat remember that 
 the fine particles of sand rubbed into wood, will quickly dull edge tools. 
 Next cut out whatever decoration there is in the design. If this 
 is a mere line design, as in Fig. 165, Nos. 2, 6 and 11, one tool is 
 
 Fi J-. 174. Tray and blotter with tool marks of g-oug-e left sliowiiij 
 
 sufficient to cut it all out. This tool must be sharp, so sharp that it 
 will cut soft wood across the grain clean without any tearing. Ordi- 
 narily no scraping or sandpapering will follow line decoration. 
 
 Be careful at the ends of the lines. Do not let them fade away, 
 as A, in Fig. 175, but finish clean and round, as at B. 
 
 For quite fine lines, as in Fig. 172, a veining tool, so callel, is 
 used. This is simply a very small gouge, and has to be whetted with 
 a slipstone having a knife edge. Such a design 
 as the rosette is made with a veining tool. The 
 especial danger in using the veining tool, is that 
 it will slip beyond control and mar the wood. 
 Curved lines must be followed by hand, but 
 straight lines may be kept straight by running 
 along the edge of a rule or other straight edge held firmly in place. 
 Fig. 176. 
 
 Once the gouging is finished, the outline of the tray may be 
 shaped. If the curves of the outline are large, use the turning-saw 
 
 Fig-. 175. How to 
 finish ends of line 
 carving-: a, wrong; b, 
 right. 
 
130 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 (Handivorh in Wood, p. 67) and the spokeshave {Handwork in 
 Wood, p. 118) ; if small, use the chisel {Handwork in Wood, pp. 56, 
 57). Concave cnrves should be trimmed out with the inside bevel 
 gouge and if quite small should be bored out with a bit of the proper 
 diameter, before the lines adjoining them are cut with the saw or 
 
 Fig. 176. Guiding a veining tool along a 
 straight edge. 
 
 chisel. For example, in Fig. 177, bore out A and B, locating their 
 centers accurately, from the working face, X, before cutting out the 
 longer curves. 
 
 If necessary, use a file or even a ra^^p to bring the line to shape. 
 But if this is done, be careful to remove every trace of the tool marks 
 afterward with the chisel and sandpaper. 
 
 In many of the designs shown, the edges of the oulJine are mod- 
 eled, so as to give an appearance of lightness to the tray and to make 
 
 it easier to pick up. In de- 
 signing this feature, remem- 
 ber to keep the tray stable, 
 that is, not to undercut the 
 edges so far that the tray will 
 tip over at a slight touch. 
 Make the base therefore at 
 least as large as the trough. This may be done effectively by carving 
 out a cove with the gouge as in Fig. 178. This in most cases would 
 be wider at the ends of the tray than at the sides to correspond with 
 
 tJ- 
 
 Fig. 177. Laying out curves. 
 
TRAYS 
 
 131 
 
 the design on the upper side. In this case let the side cove run 
 
 smoothly into the end cove. 
 
 Or, the cove may be turned into an ogee by rounding with the 
 
 chisel the lower angle, as in Fig. 178, h. Then the whole surface 
 
 should be scraped even, and 
 smooth, and sandpapered. Be 
 very careful while working 
 on the underside not to mar 
 the upper surface. 
 
 Next rub the whole sur- 
 face carefully with steel wool 
 (No. 00) to get it as smooth. 
 
 Fig. 178. Forms of cross-sections of trays. gg T)ossible 
 
 To bring out the grain of sweet gum, nothing is so good as a coat 
 of boiled linseed oil (oil, 1 part, turpentine, 2 parts). Apply with 
 a brush, rub well with cotton waste, and set aside to dry. 
 
 Then apply successive coats of white shellac, letting it dry for 
 6 hours or more, and rubbing it down with steel wool between each 
 coat. Be very careful to avoid gobs, and to have each coat thin and 
 even. Shellac is not to be smeared on. 
 
 Finally the whole may be polished on the buffer, or better still, 
 by the process of French polishing, directions for which are given in 
 Handworh in Wood, p. 217. 
 
132 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 Fig". 179. Rolling blotter-holders. 
 
Chapter XI 
 EOLLING BLOTTER-HOLDER 
 
 The essential features of a convenient rolling blotter-hoJder are 
 that it be the proper size and shape, say an oblong not larger than 
 3^"x6>4"; that it be easily grasped; that the blotter be so fastened 
 as to be easily changed; and that the blotter be properly cushioned. 
 
 In the device shown in Fig. 179 these requirements are met. The 
 construction is as follows : A dowel on which a thread has been cut, 
 is screwed and glued into the knob, while the part projecting from 
 the knob passes freely thru a hole in the cover, Y\" thick, and screws 
 into the rounded part, Fig. 180. 
 
 The wood suggested is sweet gum, like the pen-tray described in 
 the preceding chapter. 
 
 The proportions are largely determined by its use, the knob alone 
 admitting of great variety in outline. The knob as well as the back 
 may well be decorated with a pattern in harmony with that of the 
 tra}^ See Fig. 181. 
 
 The making of the blotter shown in Fig. 182 will be described. 
 
 The materials needed are of sweet gum as follows : 
 
 A. I piece, M"x3"x5" (full). 
 
 B. I piece, K"x3"x5" (full). 
 
 C. I piece, i"xi"x2" and 
 I dowel-rod, y%' . 
 
 The new tool needed is a screw-box and a wood tap, size V^" . 
 
 True up to size and dress carefully the two larger pieces A and B. 
 Locate the center of each of these pieces. Bore a ^g" hole thru B, 
 and a 5/16" hole thru A, and a 5/16" hole into and nearly thru 
 at the center of one side. Take great pains to bore perpendicularly 
 to tlie surface. With the tap, cut the threads in the holes, in A and 0. 
 
 Select a straight grained piece of dowel-rod ^" diameter, and 
 on one end by means of the screw-box cut a thread for two inches or 
 more. If the box tears off the thread instead of cutting it clean, take 
 
 133 
 
134 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 it apart, see that the cutter is sharp, reassemble, and try again. A 
 little adjustment of the cutter back and forth may be necessary to 
 get the best cut. Cut oft* two inches of the screw thus formed, work 
 a little glue into hole — the 1" square piece, and screw in the dowel. 
 
 Fig. 1«0. RolUng- blotter holder. 
 
 N'ow shape up the knob to the form desired. A piece 2" long was 
 selected at the start in order to avoid the danger of splitting it while 
 boring into it the 5/16" hole. Cut oif the surplus ^" from each end, 
 lay out the form on the two opposite sides, and with the chisel, gouge 
 it and (or) file it and bring it into shape. If it is angular, it must 
 be shaped by hand; if it is round, it may be turned on a lathe, if 
 one is available. Shaping the knob by hand, is very difficult. Some 
 may find it easy to whittle it into shape with a penknife. 
 
ROLLING BLOTTER-HOLDEPt 
 
 135 
 
 If one is a novice at the latlie, do not try the wood turner's tan- 
 gential cuts, but be content to scrape this piece into shape. Wrap a 
 thickness or two of stiff paper around the projecting part of the screw 
 and fasten it firmly but not violently into a three jawed chuck, and 
 
 Fig-. 181. K 
 
 then with sharp chisel and gouge, scrape it into shape, that is, hold 
 the tool on the rest at right angles to the axis of the spindle. Use 
 high speed on the lathe. See Fig. 183. 
 
 TsText shape the roller part of the blotter. Lay out the curve on 
 the two long edges of A with a templet of thick paper, cut to the 
 proper shape. Saw off surplus with rip-saw. With chisel or draw- 
 knife shape roughly and then plane to the line mostly across the 
 grain, as in shaping the mallet head. (See p. 120). 
 
136 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 Take care not to bring the curve to a knife edge with the upper 
 face, but finish it as in Fig. 180, A, A. 
 
 Now carve the pattern designed to fit it. If the cut (groove) 
 on the knob runs clear around it, as in Fig. 184, it can best be added 
 
 Fig. 18^. KoUing blotter-holder. 
 
 while the knob is in the lathe. For this purpose use a 1/16" chisel 
 ground to a round nose. 
 
 Add the decoration, if an}^, to the cover, B. 
 
 Finish in the same manner as the tray (p. 131). 
 
 A pad of felt, fastened to the rounded surface by means of thick 
 shellac, gives a softer blotting surface. The pieces of blotting paper 
 
 Fig-. 183. Scraping the knob on the lathe. 
 
 Fig. 184. Turned 
 knob 
 
 should be as wide as the blotter holder and long enough to fold well 
 into the space between the roller and the cover. They are held in 
 place by tightening the screw. 
 
Chapter XII 
 SMALL BOXES 
 
 Tlie size of such a box as is contemplated in this project is de- 
 termined by its use. If it is for gloves it should be approximately 
 4"x5"xl2". If for men's handkerchiefs, about 6" square and 4" or 
 5" deep. If for stationery, then to fit the stationery. In any case, 
 the only safe way is to measure the proposed contents and make the 
 box to fit. 
 
 The wood suggested is mahogany or black walnut or oak, all 
 strong, handsome woods. For the joints possible, see Handwork in 
 Wood, pp. 187-190. 
 
 In refining the proportions, sometimes even a slight modification 
 from the dimensions which mere utility requires will give a more 
 pleasing effect. Looking at each outer surface separately it may be 
 said that oblongs are more pleasing than squares, or looking at the 
 box as a whole, that cubes or multiples of cubes are to be avoiderl. 
 
 For embellishment the modifications suggested are: 
 
 (1) Extended tops and bottoms, as in Fig. 185, Xo. 3, with the 
 edges modified by moldings. 
 
 (2) A simple outline of inlay. 
 
 The main esthetic reliance, however, should be on good propor- 
 tion, accuracy of workmanship, and beauty of finish. 
 
 The directions following are for the construction of a trinlcet box, 
 3" deep x4" wide x7" long, outside measurements, of stock 5/16" 
 thick when hand dressed. Fig. 185, Xo. 4. 
 
 The material may be black walnut or mahogany, and the follow- 
 ing pieces are required : 
 
 2 pieces ^"x3"x7^", 
 
 2 pieces ^/i"x3"x4", 
 
 2 pieces ^"x4^"x7i^". 
 
 (Or roughly speaking, a board ^" thick, 8" wide, and 20" long ) 
 
 2 brass butt hinges, i", narrow. 
 
 8 brass screws }i" No. 2. 
 
 137 
 
138 
 
 DE81GX AXD CONSTRUCTION" IN WOOD 
 
 The grain of the wood in the four sides of a box should always 
 run parallel, that is it should run either around the box or up and 
 down. The reason is that with equal conditions of grain, any shrinkage 
 that takes place will be even. In general the grain runs the long way 
 of each piece. In this case of a long box, the grain should run around. 
 
 Fig-. 185. SmaU boxes. 
 
 When not working on the pieces keep them clamped together in 
 handscrews, (as in Fig. 5, p. 19) or at least keep them wrapped up 
 in a paper to prevent them from uneven exposure and consequent 
 warping. 
 
 In dressing up the pieces, proceed as follows : Cut from the wood, 
 two pieces about 3^" wide and 12" long. Each will serve for one 
 side and end, and each is to be kept in one piece thru as many proc- 
 esses as possible. Plane up the working face, the working edge, one 
 end, the width, 2%", and the thickness, 5/16". The width should be 
 3" if the top is to be put on with a double rabbet joint. Fig. 186 B. 
 
 To fix the length of the end pieces, from the dressed end of each 
 12" piece measure off 3^4", score all around with a sharp knife and 
 a try-square, cut a groove for the saw, {Handwork in Wood, Fig. 91,) 
 but do not cut off. First plow the rabbets. 
 
SMALL BOXES 
 
 139 
 
 ^ 
 
 > 
 
 So 
 
 V V 
 
 > 
 
 "L 
 
 ^ 
 
 ii6 
 
 B 
 
 K 
 
 < 
 
 
 A 
 
 With the rabbet-plane plow the rabbets, 3/16" deep and 5/1 G" 
 
 wide, on what will be the lower inside edge of the sides and ends. This 
 
 is to receive the bottom. For di- 
 rections for rabbeting, see p. 72. 
 If the top of the box is to be 
 
 affixed with its full thickness 
 
 showing, as in Fig. 186, A, no 
 
 rabbet is cut on the upper edges 
 
 of sides and ends. But a neater 
 
 and stronger joint is the double 
 
 rabbet joint shown in Fig. 186, 
 
 B. If this is to be used, rabbet 
 
 out the upper edges of the 12" 
 
 pieces with a rabbet 3/16" 
 
 •deep and 3/16" wide. 
 
 Next saw off what will be the 
 
 €nd pieces of the box and block- ^'^^' '^^- Methodsof affixing top of box. 
 
 plane them true. Be careful that both ends are of exactly the same 
 
 size, 5/16"x2%"x3^", and all angles square. On both ends of each 
 
 side piece, cut rabbets, {Handivorh in Wood, page 179, No. 24) with 
 
 the shoulders 6^" apart, the 
 rabbet 3/16" deep, and let the 
 surplus length remain for the 
 present. It can be trimmed off 
 after the box is put together. 
 See Fig. 187. 
 
 Make these end 
 follows : Score and 
 shoulders with the 
 and knife. From 
 score across the edges for 
 proximately 3/16". With 
 
 rabbets as 
 groove the 
 try-square 
 this line 
 ap- 
 the 
 marking-gage, gage on the 
 ends and on the edges beyond 
 the shoulders, a fine line, 3/16" 
 from the side scored and 
 grooved. With the back-saw, saw in the groove down to the gaged lines. 
 Eemove the surplus wood with a chisel, being careful to keep angles 
 
 Fig. 187. Rabbetted side of box. 
 
140 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN AVOOD 
 
 square and surfaces flat. The squareness of the box depends absolutely 
 upon the accuracy of this rabbet joint. The sides and ends may now be 
 assembled. Start brads (^" No. 20) in lines J4" from the ends of the 
 
 box ends, as in Fig. 188. 
 
 The reasons for this careful 
 location are : at the double dot- 
 ted line Ys" apart, the box is to 
 be cut in two, the upper part 
 making the lid and the lower the 
 box proper, and hence no brads 
 must be in the way of the saw; 
 and, second, the lower brad can- 
 not safely be less than y/' from 
 the lower edge on account of 
 the inserted bottom. Start the 
 brads so that they will be driven 
 slightly outward, as in Fig. 189. 
 Drive the brads until the 
 points just prick thru. Put a 
 little liquid glue on the joints, 
 Location of brads in end of box. p^^^ the parts together accu- 
 rately, draw the sides up to the ends with a handscrew, being care- 
 ful to place them so as not to buckle the sides, drive the brads home 
 and set them carefully with a nailset. Test the inside angles to see 
 
 Fig. 189. Method of driving- brads in box. 
 
 that they are exactly square. If instead of liquid glue, hot glue is 
 used, everything must be in readiness beforehand, so that the work 
 may proceed as fast as possible, before the glue sets. Set aside to dry. 
 
SMALL BOXES 
 
 141 
 
 
 / 
 
 
 i 
 
 The neatest way to conceal the holes made by the brads is this: 
 
 Sharpen the end of a splinter of the same kind of wood as the box 
 
 itself, so that it just fits a brad 
 
 hole, dip the end in glue, tap it 
 
 lightly into the hole with the 
 
 hammer, cut it off with a sharp 
 
 knife or chisel, sharpen the 
 
 splinter again and so proceed 
 
 till all the holes are plugged up. 
 While the frame is drying 
 
 the top and bottom may be 
 
 worked up according to the di- 
 rections given below. 
 
 When the frame of the box 
 
 is dry, test the upper and lower 
 
 edges on a face plate, or some 
 
 perfectly flat surface. If it 
 
 rocks at all, note where and 
 
 carefully plane it flat. In doing 
 
 so, take care not to bump the 
 
 toe or the heel of the plane into the inner arrises of the sides or ends, 
 
 as at A and B, Fig. 190. 
 
 Another way to bring the edges into plane, is to lay a sheet of 
 
 sandpaper (Ko. 1) on a perfectly flat surface and rub the box back 
 
 and forth on it. 
 The danger here 
 is of rounding 
 over the cor- 
 ners, as at A 
 and B, Fig. 191. 
 Next plane up 
 the top and the 
 bottom of the 
 box, remember- 
 ing to choose the better looking piece for the top. 
 
 If the top is to be affixed with a butt joint, as in Fig. 186 A, it 
 
 may well be thinned to ^" or even 3/16", because if thin, it is more 
 
 easily kept from warping by the boxed part of the lid. Do not try 
 
 Fig-. 190. Take care not to bump the 
 plane into the inner arrises of the box, 
 as at yl, B. 
 
 Fig. 191. Danger of rounding the corners, as at A., B. 
 
142 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 to fit the butt jointed top to the exact size of the box, but plane only 
 the two faces. It can be dressed off after it is glued on. 
 
 If the top is to be rabbeted into the sides and ends, as in Fig. 
 186, B, these rabbets in the top may now be plowed. Plane up the 
 top square, but slightly larger than it will be when the box is fin- 
 
 Fig. 192. Gluing the top on to the box. 
 
 ished. Plow out the rabbets 3/16" deep, and wide enough, just over 
 y%\ so that the top will fit easily into its place. The bottom is to 
 be 5/16" thick, and to be fitted exactly into the space rabbeted for it. 
 Clean out any dried glue that there may be in the corners, apply a 
 
SMALL BOXES 
 
 143 
 
 thin film of glue to the joints, brad the bottom firmly into place, 
 driving the brads thru the bottom up into the sides, and then set 
 their heads. 
 
 Fasten the top without brads using only glue, hot glue, if pos- 
 sible. Since it has not yet been dressed to exact size, take care that 
 the edges overlap all around. 
 
 In gluing on the top protect both it and the bottom by placing 
 between the box and the hand screws other boards, otherwise the 
 pressure of the handscrews may bend and even crack the top and 
 bottom. Use plenty of handscrews. (See Fig. 192.) 
 
 When dry, say in six hours, dress off, sawing, if necessary, the pro- 
 jecting ends and edges. Take care not to splinter the corners. 
 
 Next, cut the box 
 in two thus: With the 
 marking-gage, gage two 
 parallel lines, ^4" and 
 J^" respectively, from 
 the upper surface of 
 the top. Between these 
 two lines saAv the box 
 apart with the back- 
 saw. Fig. 193. For a 
 larger box, the rip-saw 
 would be used. 
 
 Now plane each set 
 
 of edges separately, first ^ig"- l^^- sawing- the box apart. 
 
 to the gaged line, and then test on a face plate, (flat surface) to see 
 that they are in a plane. Finally test the cover thus : Lay it in place 
 and tap each corner with the finger to see if it rests firm there. Ex- 
 amine the crack all around and correct any errors. Eound the external 
 arrises if desired (See Fig. 194) but in any case do not leave them 
 sharp, except where the box and its lid meet. Clean up and sandpaper. 
 Setting the hinges. (See Handworlc in Wood, pp. 131-133.) The 
 hinges should be set about the length of the hinge from the ends of the 
 box. Mark with the knife the length of the hinge on the edge of the 
 back of the box, taking the length of the hinge from the hinge itself, 
 by superposition. {HandworJc in Wood, p. 204). Square across the 
 edge with the try-square and knife. Do this for both hinges. Hold the 
 
144 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 lid of the box in its proper place on the box as it will rest when shut, 
 and mark the places for the hinges on the edge of the back of the lid, 
 and square across for both hinges. Between these lines on both the in- 
 side and outside of the box and of the lid, gage the proper depth of the 
 notch, i. e., one half the thickness of the knuckle of the hinge. 
 
 Chisel out the notches, set the hinges in place, drill or brad-awl the 
 holes for a tight fit and drive the screws. Lubricate tliem with soap 
 
 Fig- 194 A stationery box, external arrises slightly rounded. 
 
 before driving; otherwise they may break. If rightly done the lid 
 should shut tight all around with no springing back. If it does spring 
 back, the hinges are set too deep, and it is necessary to loosen the screws 
 and set in a shaving under the hinge. If there is a gap between the 
 box and the lid at the back, the hinges need to be set in a little more 
 deeply. If the sides of the lid do not lie flush with the sides of the 
 box, one hinge is set further toward the outside side of the box than 
 the other. If this difference is very slight, it may be corrected by loos- 
 ening the screws a little and gently but firmly twisting the lid around 
 in the right direction. If the discrepancy is great, notice carefully 
 
SMALL BOXES 145 
 
 where the error is, take out the screws that are wrongly placed, cut little 
 plugs of wood, dip in glue, drive into the screw holes, and bore new 
 holes for the screws. 
 
 If a lock is needed for the box, see Handwork in Wood, p. 134, for 
 directions for inserting it. 
 
 If the box has been made of mahogany it may now be stained in the 
 same way as the candle-stick. See p. 92. 
 
 It looks well to stain only the outside including the edges where 
 the lid meets the box, and to leave the inside unstained, as in Fig. 191:. 
 
 When the stain is thoroly dry, and the surface well rubbed down 
 with steel wool, give the outside a coat of Wheeler's Patent Paste 
 Wood Filler, No. 7, (see Handivorh in Wood, p. 213). Mix this filler 
 with enough turpentine to make it the consistency of thin paste, 
 apply with a brush with the grain, and as it dries, but before it sets 
 hard, rub off the surplus carefully across the grain. The object of 
 the filler is to fill up the pores of the w^ood and give a smooth even 
 surface. The filler should dry for twenty-four hours. Then apply 
 successive coats of shellac, rubbed down with steel wool, and, if de- 
 sired, French polish it. (See Handwork in Wood, p. 217.) 
 
 If the box is of walnut, no stain is needed. A black filler 
 (Wheeler No. 10) will darken it a little. 
 
 If the design of the box calls for a projecting bottom and top, as 
 in Fig. 185, No. 3, several parts of the construction are different. 
 The sides and ends are not rabbeted to receive either bottom or top, 
 which are glued and nailed directly on their edges. 
 
 In gluing on a top which has been finished to size, and perhaps 
 made with molded edges, pains must be taken not to let it slip when 
 the pressure of the handscrews is applied. One method of prevent- 
 ing this is as follows : drive four brads into the upper edges of the 
 sides, bite off the heads with the nippers and sharpen the projectino' 
 points. Set the top exactly in place and press it down so that the 
 brads will penetrate. When the glue is applied see that the brads 
 enter the same holes, and the top will remain true in place. 
 
 If the box frame is not to be cut in two, but the cover consists of 
 only a top board suitably molded or otherwise decorated, care must 
 of course be taken to select a w^ell seasoned piece without any in- 
 clination to warp. The hinges in this case should be set entirely into 
 the edges of the back. 
 
 10- 
 
146 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 Instead of the rabbet joint described, which has the disadvantage 
 of the brad holes showing, several others are feasible as described in 
 Handwork in Wood, page 187. 
 
 Box construction of a more simple form may be made use of in 
 making bird-houses, as shown in Fig. 195. The necessity for mak- 
 ing opposite sides of exactly the same size holds here as in all rect- 
 angular boxes. 
 
Chapter XIII 
 
 LANTEENS 
 
 This project consists essentially of a frame covered with translu- 
 cent paper or cloth. Fig. 196. It may be worked out in two dif- 
 ferent ways, either as a hanging lantern, Fig. 197, suspended by 
 chains, or a lantern supported on the wall by a suitable hook, or on 
 a bracket. Fig. 196, Nos. 1 and 4. 
 
 Either form may be so designed as to be lit either by a candle 
 or by an electric light. The electric light is, of course, safer. In 
 case a candle is used, a suitable socket and pan for the candle are 
 essential, and the lantern mu^ be large enough so that the flame of 
 the candle cannot set fire to it. In the case of the wall lantern, the 
 wall may be protected by a metal screen. Aside from these considera- 
 tions, considerable latitude is possible. 
 
 The wood chosen for this project is yellow poplar because it is 
 not likely to be split by the fastenings used. It has, besides, a 
 smooth even texture that finishes well. 
 
 In a project as nearly rectangular as this, the chief consideration 
 is to have a satisfying relation of height to width; that is, the faces 
 are to be pleasing rectangles rather than squares. 
 
 The embellishments may take various forms. In Figs. 197 and 
 198, both the hanging lantern and wall lantern have the simplest 
 possible frame with the interest centering in the stencils cut on the 
 paper. In Fig. 196, Nos. 2 and 3, the pattern is made by the slats 
 cross-lapped. The chain instead of being simple, as in Fig. 197, may 
 have links of varying lengths. 
 
 Since in Fig. 196, Fos. 1 and 4, the lantern consists of a screen 
 set on a bracket which also holds the candle, the design of the 
 bracket should harmonize with the screen. (See Handwork in Wood, 
 page 185). 
 
 147 
 
148 
 
 DESIGX AXD COXSTIfUCTIOX ]N WOOL) 
 
SMALL BOXES 
 
 149 
 
 Fig-. 1%, Lanterns. 
 
150 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 I. The suspended lantern with the wood fret, Fig. 190, No. 2. 
 
 The wood selected for this is yellow poplar, 5/16" thick. The 
 following sizes are required : 
 
 For the corners, which may be called stiles, 
 
 4 pieces, 5/i6"x^"x8", 
 
 4 pieces, 5/i6"x7/i6"x8". 
 For the cross-pieces, which may be called rails, 
 
 4 pieces, 5/i6"xi5^"x4^" (upper rails), 
 4 pieces, 5/i6"xi^"x4^" (lower rails). 
 All to be of exactly the same length and properly shaped before assembling. 
 
 For the horizontal cross slats, 
 
 4 pieces 5/i6"x^"x4^". 
 For the muntins (vertical slats), 
 
 8 pieces 5/i6"x^"x5i4". 
 
 Prepare all these pieces, remembering that it is easier to work 
 with, as long pieces as it is convenient to plane and then to cut these 
 up to the proper lengths afterward. Since there is a considerable 
 number to be cut to the same length, fasten a stop at the proper place 
 in the miter-box and saw off the pieces, measuring mechanically by 
 that means. See Fig. 1-31. 
 
 If these are carefully cut it will not be necessary to dress the 
 ends of the rails or slats. The ends of the stiles should be carefully 
 smoothed. Shape the rails with chisel and spokeshave. 
 
 Next lay out and cut and fit the cross-lap joints of the slats. 
 (Directions for making this joint are given on p. 155 of Handwork in 
 Wood). Glue these together. 
 
 Next make up the corner posts by gluing together, as in Fig. 190. 
 
 When dry, dress off the outer surfaces of the joints so that they 
 will be quite flush. The whole may now be assembled. 
 
 On a flat board, leaving a space about 1" wider than the entire 
 width of the lantern, nail strips of wood about 9" long parallel to 
 each other, as A, A, Fig. 200. Prepare two wedges, B, B, 8" long, 
 5/16" thick, and tapering from ^" wide to a point, and a buffer 
 strip, C. 
 
 Lay the pieces of one side, outside down, in their proper position 
 in this space. Put in the strip C and drive in the wedges B, B, mak- 
 ing all true and square, and seeing that there is no buckle. 
 
 At all the joints drive in 3/16" corrugated fasteners. Repeat 
 on all sides. Stain the whole with brown oil stain and rub welh 
 
LANTERNS 
 
 151 
 
 Find some brown or manilla paper which gives a pleasing color 
 by transmitted light, and glue on the inside of the four sides with 
 liquid glue. Eaw silk and grass cloth are also very effective. 
 
 Fasten with glue 
 and brads two nar- 
 row cleats 5/l(>" 
 square, and 3" long, 
 on the inside of two 
 opposite sides near 
 the bottom, as at a. 
 Fig. 301. 
 
 On these fasten 
 with brads a strip, h, 
 running across the 
 lantern inside. To 
 the middle of this is 
 to be screwed a cop- 
 per candle holder 
 (socket and pan), 
 made as described on 
 p. 92. The simplest 
 saucer to make is 
 round and ham- 
 mered convex w^th a 
 horn hammer into a 
 mold cut out of hard 
 wood. 
 
 Screw four small 
 sere w-e y e s ( No. 
 214>4) (14 gage 
 wire, 3/16" hole) in- 
 to each of the upper ^''"8" l'''^ Hanging- lantern. 
 
 inside corners, by means of which and a copper chain or wire the 
 lantern may be hung. 
 
 The hanging lantern shown in Fig. 197 is simpler still in con- 
 struction, since there is no fret-work. In this style of lantern Jap- 
 anese stencils are used. In making it, buy the four stencils, first," 
 
 ^'These can be obtained in New York of O. Shima, 20 East 33rd Street, 
 at a cost of about 25c each. 
 
 ^^^^^^^H —'"———— nrnrm III i. ■ ii,i 
 
152 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 and make the lantern to fit them. The paper of which these stencils 
 are made is almost opaque. If a more translucent effect is desired, 
 oil the stencils. Or, the stencils, as shown in Fig. 198, may be traced 
 
 from the original Jap- 
 anese stencil on brown 
 writing paper or other 
 suitable material, and 
 then cut out wdth a 
 sharp knife point on a 
 piece of glass. In this 
 way, fine clear edges 
 can be obtained. 
 
 II. Wall lanterns. 
 In making the screen 
 and bracket, shown in 
 Figs. 198 and 202, 
 make the screen first. 
 The stiles and upper 
 rails are all of the 
 same thickness 
 width, 5/16"x3^". 
 l)ottom rails are 
 wide. On the whole 
 
 Fig. 198. Wall lantern. -j-|^g simplcst joiut for 
 
 such small pieces is the end-lap. Dress up all the parts and cut to 
 the desired lengths, (stiles Sy/' long, rails 3^"). The fitting to- 
 gether is a fine delicate job, requiring twelve distinct joints. If the 
 lantern is made larger, say twice as large, the joints may be butt 
 joints and doweled together. (For directions, see 
 Handivorh in ^Vood^ p. 152, No. 8). Or, it may be 
 put together with corrugated fasteners, as in the 
 hanging lantern (Fig. 200). 
 
 To make the end lap joint see Handwork in 
 Wood, p. 156, Mo. IG. When the parts are glued 
 together and dry, the 30° bevel should be planed off 
 on both long edges of all the panels. Make the bottom of the screen 
 j^" thick in the form shown in the plan in Fig. 202, i. e., half a hexa- 
 gon, so that its sides shall be just equal to the short (inside) width 
 of the panels. 
 
 and 
 The 
 
 5/8" 
 
 I — n 
 
 « 
 
 Fig-. 199. Cor- 
 ner posts of 
 
LANTLRNS 
 
 153 
 
 To lay out the hexagon, with a compass, draw a circle whose 
 radius is equal to the desired length of one of the six sides. As only 
 half the circle is required place one leg of the compass on the edge 
 of the board. From the point where the circumference touches the 
 
 A 
 
 
 /VsA 
 
 h^ 
 
 
 ills. 
 
 A-s/\ 
 
 ^T 
 
 /SVN 
 
 fl 
 
 B 
 
 B 
 
 ^ 
 
 Qi 
 
 Cb 
 
 Fig. 200. Method of clamping up the parts. 
 
 edge of the board, step off on the circumference a distance equal to 
 the radius. Eepeat from the opposite point of the circumference, 
 and connect by straight lines the points thus obtained, a, h, c, d, and 
 the half-hexagon desired is drawn. Also inscribe a smaller circle of 
 2^" radius to make room for the candle-stick which is fastened to 
 the bracket. See Fig. 202. Saw and plane out this shape. 
 
154 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 For gluing the panels together, prepare a few forms of the shape 
 shown in Fig. 203. Put a thin film of glue (liquid glue will do) on 
 those edges of the panels which are to be jointed, and with small 
 brads, (1" No. 18) nail the panels in place to the half hexagon bot- 
 tom. Clamp the panels together with small handscrews, using the 
 
 Fig, 201. Working drawing- of lantern shown in Fig. 1%. 
 
 forms just made. See Ilandworlc in Wood, p. 171, Fig. 258, and 
 p. 170, 2nd paragraph. When dry, clean up. 
 
 The frame should be stained and finished before the stencils are 
 put on. Hence it is better to make the bracket next, so that all the 
 staining may be done together. See below for directions for making 
 the bracket. 
 
 The stencils are cut out of sheets of brown paper which fit the 
 insides of the panels. (See p. 152.) 
 
 Cut three pieces of silk of the same size as the stencils, and of an 
 harmonious tint, and tack both paper and silk, (silk toward the 
 
LANTERNS 
 
 155 
 
 candle) to the inside edges of the panels by means of thin strips of 
 wood and small brads, say ^", No. 20. Tack these strips all around 
 the inside of each panel. 
 
 The shelf of the bracket should conform in design to the lantern. 
 The material for the bracket mav also be 5/16" thick. If possible 
 
 Fig. 202,. Working- drawing- of lantern shown in Fig. 198 
 
 make all the parts, shelf, back, and two supports, out of one board, 
 planing first the working face and working edge, and the exact thick- 
 ness. Lay out the plans on this and cut out roughly. The shelf over- 
 hangs the back when assembled. The back and shelf can now be 
 finished exactly to shape by means of the plane, or if irregular in 
 
156 
 
 DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION IN WOOD 
 
 shape with the spokeshave and chisel also. In order to make the two 
 supports exactly alike, glue them together thus: Put a touch of glue 
 
 at several points on one piece, 
 press a piece of paper over it, 
 put glue on the other side of 
 the paper at the points oppo- 
 site those already glued, lay on 
 the other piece and clamp to- 
 gether. When dry, proceed as 
 if they were one piece, finishing carefully. When shaped, they may 
 be pried apart with a chisel, and what little glue adheres may be 
 planed off. Or, the two pieces may be handscrewed together, while 
 
 Fig. 203 Block for clamping lantern 
 panels together. 
 
 ^ f\ <i> (^ 
 
 U 1 '* 1 
 
 u 1 1 1 
 
 Fig. 205. Methods of hanging the bracket. 
 
 they are shaped. Assemble the parts of the bracket as in Fig. 204. 
 First draw light pencil lines on the top of the shelf and on the back 
 of the back, to indicate where the brads (1" No. 18) are to be driven 
 into the supports, start two brads along 
 each of these lines, driving them thru 
 the boards until the points prick thru, 
 and also driving brads thru the shelf 
 to go into the back. > 
 
 Kow, holding one of the supports in 
 the vise, lay the back on it in its proper 
 place and drive in the brad nearest the 
 shelf. By means of the try-square hold 
 the back exactly in place over this sup- 
 port, and drive in the other brad. Ee- 
 peat with the other support. 
 
 Next brad the shelf and back 
 gether, having the shelf overhang 
 back. See that the supports 
 squarely in place and drive home 
 brads thru the top into them 
 
 to- 
 tlie 
 are 
 
 ,, Fig 204. Location of brads. 
 
 the 
 Stain the bracket to match the screen. 
 
LANTERNS 157 
 
 For hanging the bracket, gain into the back small copper or brass 
 strips with holes in them, as shown in Fig. 205, or insert small screw- 
 eyes (No. 214^) at the back edge of the shelf. Place these hang- 
 ers so as not to interfere with the screen. 
 
 If electricity is available it is of course much safer to have a 
 small electric light bulb take the place of the candle. 
 
INDEX 
 
 Ammonia, 100, 110. 
 
 Ash, White, 4, 18. 
 
 Auger-bit-gage, 105. 
 
 Bastard board, 15. 
 
 Batchelder, Ernest A. Design in 
 
 Theory and Practice, 22, 124. 
 Batter, 112. 
 Beads, 78. 
 Beauty, 23. 
 Bench, 28, 29. 
 Bird-houses, 146, 147. 
 Bit holder, 64. 
 
 Blotter-holder, 132, Chap. XI, 133. 
 Board foot, 16. 
 Board measure, 16. 
 Boring, 62, 64, 91, 103, 104, 108, 117, 
 
 118. 
 Boxes, Chap. XII, 137. 
 Bracket, 155. 
 Brads. See nailing. 
 Bruises in wood, 108. 
 Dowel-plates, 103, 106. 
 Candlestick, 82, Chap. VII, 83. 
 Carving, 68, 124. 
 Chamfer, 42, 80, 91. 
 Chestnut, 9, 99. 
 Chiseling, 47, 60, 63, 111. 
 Clamps, 105. 
 Color, 25, 67, 68. 
 Comb-grain, 15. 
 Combustibility of wood, 13. 
 Compass holder, 64. 
 Composition, 22, 24. 
 Construction, 21, 22, 35, 133. 
 Convenience, 23. 
 Copper, 9, 40, 83, 92. 
 Corrugated fasteners, 150. 
 Cove, 89, 130. 
 Cut-iout, 70. 
 Cylinder, copper, 93. 
 Cypress, 3, 9, 17, 35, 99. 
 Day, Lewis P. The application of 
 
 ornament 22. 
 Decoration, 26, 36, 78, 83, 124, 129, 
 
 133, 137. 
 Depth-gage, 127. 
 Design, 9, 10, 21, 22, 125. 
 Dow Arthur W. Composition, 22, 65. 
 Dowel-pins, 103, 106. 
 Dowel-rod, 133. 
 
 Embellishments, 83, 149. 
 
 Emery cloth, 94, 95. 
 
 Equipment, 29. 
 
 Essentials, Fixing of, 26, 35, 83, 115, 
 
 123, 133, 137, 149. 
 Figure, 16. 
 File, 130. 
 Filler, 145. 
 Finish, 25, 27, 37, 56. 
 Flower-pot stands, 97. 
 Fuming, 100, 110. 
 Gaging, 43. 
 Glass cutting, 76, 77. 
 Glue, 33, 74, 79, 102, 105, 108, 140, 
 
 142, 143, 145, 150, 156. 
 Gouge, 89, 126. 
 Grain, 16. 
 
 Gum, Sweet, 4, 9, 19, 83, 123, 133. 
 Handscrews, 19, 105, 110, 138. 
 Handwork in wood, 17, foot note 25, 
 
 29, 33, 38, 39, 43, 44, 45, 55, 59, 60, 
 
 61, 62, 71, 73, 74, 75, 76, 79, 87, 91, 
 
 92, 94, 102, 104, 105, 109, 111, 113, 
 
 118, 119, 127, 128, 130, 131, 137, 138, 
 
 139, 143, 145, 146, 149, 152, 154. 
 Hexagon, Laying out, 153. 
 Hickory, 9, 115. 
 Hinges, Setting, 143. 
 Inlay, 137. 
 
 Japanese prints, 65, 70. 
 Japanese stencils, 151. 
 Joints, 22. 
 Joint: 
 
 B^utt, 9, 90, 141. 
 
 Cross-lap, 9, 83, 87, 99, 102, 150. 
 
 Draw-bolt, 28. 
 
 End-lap, 9, 51, 152. 
 
 Ledge, 9 
 
 Miter, 9, 51. 
 
 Miortise and tenon, 28, 90, 117. 
 
 Notched, 111. 
 
 Rabbet, 142. 
 
 Rubbed, 9, 109. 
 Lanterns, 148, Chap. XIII, 149. 
 Lathe, 104, 135, 136. 
 Leaf press, 57. 
 Letter-tray, 56, 57. 
 Line, 24. 
 Mahogany, 4, 9, 14, 19, 69, 83, 88, 
 
 137. 
 
 158 
 
INDEX 
 
 159 
 
 Mallet, 10, Chap. IX, 115. 
 
 Maple, 9, 69, 115. 
 
 Margins, 65, 67. 
 
 Marking- gage, 43, 44, 45, 49, 61, 143. 
 
 Mass, 23. 
 
 Mat 65, 66, 68, 69. 
 
 Material and form, 22. 
 
 Miter box, 51, 55, 64, 74, 103, 105, 150. 
 
 Moisture in wood, 14. 
 
 Mold for hammering copper, 97. 
 
 Moldings for pictures, 78, 80. 
 
 Mounting of pictures, 69, 70. 
 
 Nailing, 14, 51, 53, 54, 75, 90, 91, 104, 
 
 140, 145, 156. 
 Nail set, 53. 
 Nail set holder, 64. 
 Nosing, 78. 
 Notan, 24. 
 
 Oak, White. 3. 9, 14, 18, 69, 137. 
 Octagon, Laying out, 109, 110. 
 Ogee, 131. 
 
 Oil, 9, 25, 64, 84, 100, 110, 131. 
 Pan, 92, 94, 151. 
 Paper, Cover, 69. 
 Pencil holder, 64, 
 Paper, Manilla, 77, 151. 
 Picture frame. Chap. VI, 65. 
 Picture-frame-clamp, 10, 58, 59, 74. 
 Pine, White, 3, 9, li, 17, 70, 87. 
 Pith ,rays, 14. 
 
 Plane, Adjustment of, 39, 41, 42. 
 Planing, 39, 41, 42, 46, 48, 63, 102, 
 
 120, 141, 150. 
 Plates, Brass, 109. 
 Polish, French, 131. 
 Poplar, Yellow, 4, 9, 18, 59, 149. 
 Properties of wood, 13, 14. 
 Proportions, Refining of, 26, 36, 83, 
 
 99, 124, 137. 
 Quarter-sawing, 15. 
 Rabbeting, 71, 73, 138, 139. 
 Raymond, Geo Lansing. Proportion 
 
 and Harmony of Line and Color, 
 
 22. 
 Rift board, 15. 
 Rings, Annual, 14, 117. 
 Sandpaper, 50, 75, 88, 108, 128. 
 Saw, Back, 63, 74, 75, 108, 111, 121, 
 
 139, 143. 
 Saw, Coping, 95. 
 Sawing, Cross cut, 38, 41, 119. 
 
 Sawing, Rip, 45, 60, 120. 
 
 Saw, Turning, 111. 
 
 Scoring, 48. 
 
 Scrap-basket. Chap. IV, 35. 
 
 Scraper, 128. 
 
 Screw, 64. 
 
 Screw-box, 133. 
 
 Screw eyes, 77, 151, 157. 
 
 Shellac, 9, 25, 117, 131. 
 
 Shrinkage of wood, 14, 15. 
 
 Skill, 9. 
 
 Slash-grain, 15. 
 
 Slip-feather, 75. 
 
 Snips, 92, 94. 
 
 Socket, 92, 95, 151. 
 
 Soldering, 93. 
 
 Soundness of construction, 22. 
 
 Spline, 75. 
 
 Spoke shave, 61, 120, 121, 130. 
 
 Spruce, 3, 17. 
 
 Square, Steel, 112. 
 
 Stain, 9, 33, 56, 76, 92, 110, 145, 150. 
 
 Steel wool, 121, 131, 145. 
 
 Structure and design, 22. 
 
 Structure of wood, 14. 
 
 Supplies, 33. 
 
 Tables, Small, 98, 100. 
 
 Taborets. Chap. VIII, 99. 
 
 Tapering, 89. 
 
 Tee bevel, 52, 63, 119. 
 
 Templet, 119, 127, 135. 
 
 Tools, 29, 30. 
 
 Trays, 122, Chap. X, 123. 
 
 .ray, Glass, 80. 
 
 Try-square, 40, 43, 44, 49, 117. 
 
 Turning saw, 111, 129. 
 
 Upholstery nails, 55. 
 
 Utility and beauty, 26. 
 
 Varnish, 25. 
 
 Vise, 29, 30. 
 
 Walnut, Black, 9, 83, 88, 137. 
 
 Warping of wood, 15. 
 
 Wax, 9, 57. 
 
 Wedge, Method of making, 121. 
 
 White wood, 9. See Poplar, Yellow. 
 
 Wire, Binding, 93, 94. 
 
 Woiod, 13. 
 
 Wood and Forest, 16, foot note 26, 
 
 118. 
 Woods, Common. 3. 4. 
 
39o 
 
 7 
 
 06 
 
BOSTON COLLEGE 
 
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