FIG. 68. PORCH CHAIR WITH BACK AND SEAT WOVEN WITH SPLINTS.
Suitable wood forms are easily made for bending stock. Their construction needs no elaboration. When the pieces are removed from the chest, clamp them over the forms immediately, and allow them to remain clamped in this manner for several days in a dry, warm room. If steam coils or hot air registers are handy the forms may be placed over or near them to expedite the drying.
Rock elm is a good material from which to construct such a chair. The wood may be procured in the round, of different diameters. The tenons on the straight pieces may be made on the wood lathe; on the curved ones with spokeshave or draw knife. The short thin pieces on the sides should be fully housed. On a chair of this description it is good policy to assemble the sides first. Finish both the frame and the splints with a good paint composed of white lead and oil.
Another excellent material for chairs of similar design and purpose is hickory. It is the best material for the construction of furniture for lawns and porches where weathering is constant, and it is peculiarly adapted to splint and inner bark weaving. If a person lives in the right locality he may gather young second growth hickory saplings in the fall. An instructor could very readily take his classes out on such a wood-gathering expedition. The educational gain in gathering raw materials to be fashioned into finished articles of use and beauty will justify all efforts. In the fall the bark of the saplings will adhere firmly to the wood. Trim and assort the different pieces in accordance with plans, cut them into approximate lengths, and steam and bend those desired. Sand each piece smooth, and proceed to construct the chair according to previous plans. Glue and nail all important joints to prevent any possibility of separation under any weather condition. No finish of any description is necessary or desired on hickory furniture. Weathering will naturally darken both frame and splints, but will not detract in any way from the rugged, pleasing appearance of the article.
Sassafras is a very desirable wood for rustic furniture, and well adapted to splint weaving. The methods of gathering and finishing are identical to hickory. It is much lighter in weight than hickory, but is quite as serviceable. No finishing agent is necessary, altho the worker may oil or varnish it at his discretion.
A Woven Table.—The table illustrated in [Fig. 69] is a commercial product, evidenced by the machine turned posts and crosspieces. In school shops the posts may be made of rock elm rounds previously mentioned, or square tapered, and the rails of rounds or squares. The posts mortise in a frame underneath the top. The framework of the top is made of ⅜ in. dowel rods housed in a 6 in. round piece of ¾ in. wood, and radiating from it equal distances apart. The number of spokes needs to be odd, and cut to even lengths. The weaving is done with about a No. 6 reed, running over one, under two, over one, under two, and so on. The odd spoke permits the weaver to run continuously without skipping a spoke. A new strand is begun underneath the spoke where the last strand ends. When the top has been woven to the ends of the spokes a strip of braided No. 2 reed is nailed to each spoke with a round head, galvanized nail. The braid is made in the usual manner, as in basketry, with three series of strands of four each. When the shelf has been constructed in the same manner as the top, and both top and shelf have been fastened in their respective places, the table may be stained with naptha by pouring the stain over it. This method has been described in [Chapter VI]. Commercially, such articles are sized before staining. However, staining direct is the proper procedure in school shops. Use no shellac if the table is to be used on the porch or in the open where exposed to the weather.
Willows.—Willows are imported normally from Germany, Holland, Belgium and France. Because of their scarcity and demand for them, willow growing is fast becoming a thriving industry in the United States. Many experimental farms are under the direct supervision of the federal government. These have demonstrated that willows can be grown to advantage in many localities in this country. In many instances manufacturers have abandoned rattan in favor of willows for certain articles of furniture where rattan was formerly used exclusively. Willow possesses all the attributes necessary for such furniture, being light in weight, durable, and strong; and it takes a good finish.
