Part 23 (2/2)

_Wall Brackets._ (1) There are three essential parts, the shelf, the support or supports, and the back: the shelf to hold the articles, the support to hold up the shelf, and the back to hold all together, Fig. 276, _a_. The grain of the wood in the shelf should run left and right, not forward and back, because thus it rests on the support in such a way as not to break easily, and it also acts as a stiffener for the back. In case the back extends above the shelf, as in Fig. 276, _a_, the shelf can be secured firmly to the back, since there is side grain in which to drive nails or screws. As to the direction of the grain of the support and the back, this should run in the direction of the largest dimension of each. Where the back is long horizontally, for security in hanging, it is better to have two supports.[10]

[Footnote 10: See the School Arts Book for Nov., 1906, ”Design in the Woodworking Cla.s.s,” by Anna and William Noyes.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 276. Wall Brackets, Double-Hung: _a_. Single Support. _b_. Double Support.]

_Wall book-shelves_, Fig. 277, _plate-racks_, etc., are simply compound brackets. The shelf is the essential piece, the sides take the place of the supports, and the back is often reduced to strips merely wide enough to give rigidity.

The shelves may be either gained into the supports, Fig. 266, No. 28 or No. 29, p. 179, or a keyed mortise-and-tenon may be used, Fig. 277.

In the latter case the back strip may have a short barefaced blind tenon which is mortised into the upright, Fig. 278. It also fits into a rabbet on the upper back side of the shelf. Made in this way the shelves can be knocked down easily.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 277. Wall Book-Case.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 278. Construction of a Knock-Down Book-Shelf Seen From the Back.]

_Foot Stool or Cricket_, Fig. 279. The grain of the supports should run up and down, because pieces with the grain horizontal would be likely to break under pressure. Braces or a rail give additional support. The top should not be larger than the base of the legs; otherwise a person standing carelessly on the stool is in danger of being upset.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 279. Cricket.]

_A Drawing-Board_ is made up of narrow boards, with glued joints, with the boards so laid that the annual rings will alternate in direction, Fig. 280, _a_. It must be made so that it can shrink and swell and yet remain flat. For the purpose of giving lateral stiffness cleats are added. They may simply be screwed on the underside, the screw holes being large enough to allow for shrinkage, or they may be dadoed in with a dovetail dado, Fig. 280, _b_, or they may be grooved to admit a tongue on the end of a board, Fig. 280, _c_. In this case screws pa.s.sing thru large holes in the cleats hold them in place.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 280. Drawing-Board Construction: _a._ With Cleats Screwed on Beneath; _b._ With Cleats Dovetail-Dadoed in; _c._ With Cleats Matched on Ends.]

_Taborets._ The term taboret originally meant a little tabor or drum, and was therefore used to designate a small stool, the seat of which consisted of a piece of stretched leather. The term now includes small, tablelike structures for holding flowerpots, vases, etc. It might more properly be called a ”table-ette.”

When made up with boards having their long edges mitered, it has from four to eight sides. A six-sided one is shown in Fig. 281. In making, it is best to fit the joints exactly first, while the board is stiff, and then to cut out the pattern of the legs. Directions for gluing are given on p. 169.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 281. Taboret.]

_Sc.r.a.p-boxes_, Fig. 282, _and flower-pot boxes_ may be made with the same construction.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 282. Sc.r.a.p-Box.]

_Rectangular Boxes._ There are various methods of joining their sides.

The b.u.t.t joint, Fig. 264, No. 11, p. 177, is plain, simple, and good for coa.r.s.e work. This joint may be reinforced as in packing boxes, Fig. 283.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 283. Reinforced b.u.t.t Joint in Box.]

Mitered joints, Fig. 268, No. 52, p. 181, are neat but weak, unless reinforced by a spline, Fig. 268, No. 54.

The rabbet or ledge joint, Fig. 266, No. 24, p. 179, is both strong and neat. It can be glued and also nailed if desired.

The rabbet and dado joint, Fig. 266, No. 26, can be glued without nails and is good for small boxes.

The housed dado, Fig. 266, No. 25, is good for water-tight boxes.

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