Turned Cane with Snakes Inlaid
The making of a cane is a favorite job for the home craftsman, especially the veteran who finds himself in need of such a support and has the leisure to make it. A novelty in constructions of this kind is a turned cane built up of dark and light-colored woods with snakes inlaid. That shown in the illustration was made of black walnut and birch, with a walnut knob. It is made as follows: Glue up a piece of walnut and a piece of birch, ⁷⁄₈ by 1³⁄₄ by 3 ft. long, as shown at A. Mark out the snake on the birch surface, and cut it out very carefully on the band saw, or with a fine hand turning saw. The snake portion will drop out and is then separated into a walnut and a birch strip, making two similar snakes. Bore holes for the eyes and plug them with the opposite kind of wood. Replace the snakes in opposite positions, the one of birch in the walnut side, and the walnut one in the birch side. Glue them carefully into place, removing a small portion of the wood at the ends of the sawed pieces to make a close fit.
This Novel Cane can be Turned in a Lathe or Planed from the Square Stock, and Arouses Curiosity as to its Construction
The stock then appears as at B, and is ready for turning in the lathe. If desired, circles may be laid out on the ends of the stock, and the piece planed down to the rounded and tapered form of a cane. This is a more tedious job, but if carefully done with sharp tools will give good results.
Turn down the shaft to the desired thickness, as shown at C, the upper end being about 1 in. and the lower end ¹⁄₂ in. in diameter. Turn a knob of walnut as suggested, and after sandpapering the work carefully, finish it with shellac. Tip the bottom of the cane with a suitable ferrule.—E. K. Wehry, Cedar Rapids, Ia.