The arms are cut from the 1 by 4 by 26-in. pieces. Be careful to get them so they will pair. The outside edge can be either curved or straight as desired. The front ends of the arms are held in place by mortises which fit over the tenons on the ends of the front legs, while the back ends are held in place by round-headed screws as shown.
The chair is now ready to be glued. Be sure to get the parts together perfectly square, and when dry scrape off all surplus glue around the joints, for stain will not adhere to glue and a white spot will be the result of failing to remove it. Go over the parts carefully with fine sandpaper and remove all rough marks. Then apply the stain you wish to use. To make the seat, first fit boards in the bottom and nail them to the side rails as shown. Fill the space with hair or elastic cotton felt to about 3 in. above the edge of the rails. Bind this down tightly with a piece of burlap and tack the edges to the rails. Cut out the corners of the burlap so that it will fit about the posts. Put the leather on over this and tack the edges to the bottoms of the rails. Then finish with the ornamental nails as shown.
To finish the back, first tack a piece of burlap over the opening, then place a layer of hair or cotton felt on this about 1 in. thick. Stretch the leather over this and fasten with ornamental nails. The back side is finished in the same manner, except that the hair is omitted.
A WALL SHELF
Coarse-grained woods make up into furniture and take a more satisfactory finish than close-grained woods. For this reason chestnut or oak is suggested for this shelf. Chestnut has a beautiful grain and is soft and easily worked.
There will be needed the following pieces:
- Sides, 2 pieces, 3/4 by 7-1/4 by 16-1/2 in., S-2-S.
- Lower shelf, 1 piece, 3/4 by 6-1/4 by 30-1/2 in., S-2-S.
- Upper shelf, 1 piece, 3/4 by 4-3/4 by 30-1/2 in., S-2-S.
- Lower back, 1 piece, 3/8 by 3-1/2 by 30-1/2 in., S-2-S.
- Upper back, 1 piece, 3/8 by 3 by 30-1/2 in., S-2-S.
In making out this stock bill the pieces have been specified 1/4 in. wider and 1/2 in, longer than the finished piece is to be to allow for squaring up. The thicknesses are specified mill-planed exact so that all that is necessary is to merely plane off the mill-marks from the two broad surfaces.
It is quite possible that one may have a particular space or a particular set of books to place in the shelf. In such a case the length of the horizontals should be lengthened or shortened to meet the particular demands when ordering the lumber.