Mission Furniture Volume II Part 6

ARTS-CRAFTS MANTEL CLOCK

The clock shown in the ill.u.s.tration was designed especially for rooms furnished in mission style. The clock, however, may be made of mahogany or other wood to match the furniture in any room where it is to be placed. If the mission effect is desired, an oxidized or copper sash should be used. Movements can be bought at the salesroom of a clock company. A movement should be selected that is wide enough from the front to the back to allow the clock case to be made sufficiently deep for standing without being easily upset.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Mantel Clock with Wood and Copper Front]

Quarter-sawed white oak is the best material for this clock, but any other wood which works easily and takes a stain well may be used. Two pieces, 3/8 in. thick, 6-1/2 in. wide, and 8-1/2 in. long, will be needed for the front and back. One piece, 5 in. wide, 6 in. long, and with a thickness sufficient for the clock movement, is needed for the middle part. The thickness of this piece depends on the movement secured.

After the front and back pieces are finished, and a piece of hammered copper screwed on the front as shown in the drawing, the middle piece must be made just thick enough to make the whole distance from the front of the copper to the back of the clock equal to the depth of the movement. Plane one edge on both front and back pieces. Lay out the design and the centers for the circular holes from this planed edge.

Use a plane and chisel to cut the outside design. The hole can be bored out with an expansive bit, or sawed out with a scroll saw, and filed perfectly round with a half-round wood file. The bit will give the best results. If the bit is used, bore holes in a piece of sc.r.a.p wood until the exact size is found.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Details of Mantel Clock]

The outside design of the piece of copper is made to correspond to the design of the clock. The circular hole in the copper can be cut with the expansive bit by first punching a hole in the center to receive the spur of the bit, placing on a block of wood and boring through a little way.

The spur on the cutter will cut out the copper. Fasten the copper to the front with copper nails or round-headed screws.

If good glue can be had, the three pieces of wood may be glued together.

If the glue cannot be relied upon, put in two flat-headed screws from the back.

The clock can be finished with a dark stain and waxed, or, as it is small, it can be easily fumed. If stain is used, stain and wax the pieces before putting them together. The fuming process is more easily done after the clock is a.s.sembled. Secure a bucket, a peck measure, or any receptacle large enough, when inverted, to put over the clock. Pour about 2 oz. of strong ammonia into a saucer or small pan. Support the clock above the saucer and cover both with the inverted bucket. Allow it to stand for three or four days--the longer it stands the darker the fumed finish will be. Finish with two coats of bleached wax. Do not use ordinary uncolored wax, as it will show in the unfilled pores of the wood. The works of the clock should not be in the frame while fuming.

A MUSIC STAND

The attractive and useful piece of mission furniture shown in the accompanying ill.u.s.tration is made of quarter-sawed oak. Considerable labor can be saved in its construction if the stock is ordered from the mill ready cut to length, squared and sanded. The stock list consists of the following pieces:

1 top, 3/4 by 16 by 20 in., S-2-S.

1 shelf, 3/4 by 11-1/2 by 15 in., S-2-S.

1 shelf, 3/4 by 12 by 15 in., S-2-S.

1 shelf, 3/4 by 14-1/2 by 15 in., S-2-S.

1 shelf, 3/4 by 16 by 15 in., S-1-S.

4 legs, 3/4 by 5 by 41 in., S-2-S.

2 lower crosspieces, 3/4 by 3 by 9 in., S-2-S.

2 upper crosspieces, 3/4 by 2 by 9 in., S-2-S.

4 end slats, 5/8 by 2 by 34 in., S-2-S.

20 R.H. screws, 2 in. long.

The four shelves and the top are so wide that it will be necessary to make them from two or more pieces glued together. The top should have a 1/4-in. bevel cut around the upper edge as shown in the drawing.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Details of Music Stand]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Music Stand Complete]

The curve of the legs can be cut with a bracket saw or a drawknife, care being taken to get the edges square and smooth. The four crosspieces are fastened to the legs by means of tenons and mortises.

The end slats are joined to the crosspieces in the same manner. The legs can be a.s.sembled in pairs with the slats and crosspieces in place. They can be glued in this position, and when dry they should be carefully gone over with fine sandpaper to remove all rough spots. The shelves can now be put in place. They should be fastened to the legs with round-headed screws. The top is also fastened on with screws. When applying the finish, remove the top board and the shelves and finish them separately. The stand can be finished in any one of the many mission stains supplied by the trade for this purpose.

This handsome piece of furniture can be used as a magazine stand as well as a music stand, if desired, and, if it is made and finished well, it will prove an ornament to any home.

MAKING SCREWS HOLD IN THE END GRAIN OF WOOD

[Ill.u.s.tration: MAKING SCREWS HOLD IN END GRAIN]

It is often necessary to fasten one piece of wood to the end of another by means of screws. Wood being a fibrous material, it can be readily understood that when a screw having sharp threads is put in the end grain parallel to these fibers the threads cut them in such a way that, when an extra strain is put upon the parts, the screw pulls out, bringing with it the severed fibers. The accompanying sketch shows how this difficulty may be overcome, and at the same time make the screw hold firmly. A hole is bored and a dowel, preferably of hardwood, glued in it, the grain at right angles to that of the piece.

The size of the dowel, and its location, can be determined by the diameter and the length of the screw. The dowel need not extend all the way through the piece, but should be put in from the surface where the grain of the dowel will be least objectionable.

When putting screws in hard wood much labor will be saved by applying soap to the threads.

A WALL CASE WITH A MIRROR DOOR

The wall case shown in the accompanying picture will serve well as a medicine case. Having a paneled door in which is set a mirror, it serves equally well as a shaving case. It is best made of some hard wood, though a soft wood such as pine or yellow poplar will work up easier and look well finished with three or four coats of white enamel paint.

There will be needed the following pieces:

2 sides, 5/8 by 6 by 32-1/2 in., S-4-S.

1 top and 1 bottom, 5/8 by 6 by 18 in., S-4-S.

1 top of back, 1/2 by 4 by 16-1/4 in., S-2-S.

1 bottom of back, 1/2 by 3 by 16-1/4 in., S-4-S.

1 shelf, 5/8 by 5 by 16 in., S-4-S.

1 back, 1/4 by 16 by 21 in., S-2-S.

DOOR

2 stiles, 5/8 by 3 by 20-1/2 in., S-4-S.

1 top rail, 5/8 by 2 by 11 in., S-4-S.

1 bottom rail, 5/8 by 4 by 11 in., S-4-S.

1 backing for door, 3/16 by 10 by 15 in., S-2-S.

First shape the ends of the two side pieces as shown in the drawing.

Next square the top and bottom pieces of the case to size, and lay out and cut the tenons on the ends. Lay out and cut the mortises in the side pieces, also the groove for the shelf, having first squared the shelf to size. Cut and shape the top and bottom pieces of the back as shown. Cut the rebates in the side pieces into which these pieces are to rest their ends. Cut the rebate for the back. Thoroughly sc.r.a.pe and sandpaper these parts and a.s.semble them. Cut and fit the back in place.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Wall Case Details]

The door is to be made next. Plan the different parts of the door so that the edges may be planed to fit the opening; that is, make the door a good quarter larger at top and bottom than the opening. In cutting the rebate the easiest way is to use a rabbeting plane and cut the full length of the pieces. By using a tenon on the rails in which one shoulder is as much longer than the other as the rebate is deep there is no resulting groove showing at the corner.