Figure 45.—Plan for making benches.
Peeled pine or birch is ideal material for building a dining table ([fig. 44]). Make a tight saddle joint between B and the legs. Cross poles to impale the legs tightly. Notch E for the cross poles. Upper surface of C should be slab-faced and fitted between D and cross poles, all rigidly braced together. Top pieces of tables should be doweled at places indicated in the drawing with ½- by 4-inch wood dowels, glued and clamped to insure tight joints. Notch top pieces A 1-inch deep to receive B and D. Top outside edges of A, C, and E should be hewed.
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Figure 46.—Plan for a book rack.
Table, Bench, Book Rack, and Wood Hod
Well-seasoned lodgepole or eastern pine, tamarack, cedar, or birch are suitable for benches ([fig. 45]). The joints should be glued. Countersink any screws, then conceal the heads with false wooden dowel-like plugs. If the furniture is to be painted, use plastic wood. A book rack may be made of the same material used for the bench, except cedar, which is unsuitable ([fig. 46]). The sides and bottom shelf should be rabbeted and thoroughly glued. The two intermediate shelves can be made adjustable by boring 3 holes in each side-piece 2 inches apart, above and below the position shown for the shelves in [figure 46], into which loose wooden pins may be inserted for their support. Screw the top in place, countersink screwheads and insert wood cover plugs or false dowels for concealment where stained finish is used. If painted, plastic wood may be used.