Letter (A) represents the covering, (B) the moss or hair filling, (C) the bolt which fastens the horn to the stool brace, (D) the tap of said bolt, (E) the wooden base of stool, (F) a small rod or nail set in the plaster paris, (G) a rivet through the horn, (H) head to bolt, (J) plaster paris in the horn.
DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING THE STOOL
Take three cow horns of good shape and size; rasp them and sand-paper down, as hereafter directed in Article XII; then, after deciding what height you want the legs, make a frame to saw them off on, as illustrated and directed in Article XII, cut No. 6. After sawing off, drill a hole through in the horn about three-quarters of an inch from the large end. This hole should be large enough to take in a ten-penny nail. Put the nail through and file it off even with the horn on both sides, and rivet it with a small riveting hammer. Now level up the ends of the horns where they were sawed off, by taking a coarse piece of sand-paper, and laying it on a level board, rub the ends of the horn round and round on it until it is perfectly level. Now take the bolt C, of size and length to suit the horn, put it down in the horn to see that it will suit; sometimes it has to be bent in the shape of the horn; after fitting it to the horn, leaving about 1¼ inches projecting out to go through the wooden base E and leaving room for the tap D. Now mix some plaster paris and water until about as thick as it will run; pour this in the horn until nearly full, put in the bolt, as shown, and while the plaster paris is yet soft, take an eight-penny wire nail and push it down head first in the plaster paris, leaving about half an inch sticking out; this nail and the bolt should both come straight up from the level of the end of the horn. When the plaster is partially dry, level up around the bolt and nail at the end. The horn should now be polished as directed in Article XII. The next is the wooden base E; have a board turned or cut round, say twelve inches across and one inch thick. This should be made of walnut, or some other hard wood, but when the hard wood can not be procured pine will do. If pine is used it should be painted, or stained and varnished on the under side, and if walnut it should be sand-papered, filled and varnished. Now strike a circle within about two inches of the outer edge and bore three holes at equal distances apart and set in the bolts; when you get them in the position you want them, press down on them to get the imprint of the nails F, then remove the horns and bore a hole the size of the nails F. Now put the bolts in again and screw the top on tight. The nail F is to keep the horns from turning around and getting out of place. See that the butt of horn fits tight to the wooden base E.
UPHOLSTERING FOOT-STOOL.
Go to a saddler and get either curled hair, deer hair, or moss sufficient for a heavy pad; lay it on the floor and beat all the dirt out of it, then pick it all apart to get all the matted lumps out, lay it on the stool top and pile it up about a foot high while loose, take a piece of muslin or drilling, lay it on top of the moss or hair and draw all the four corners down tight, tacking them about the center of the edge of the wooden base E, then draw it all down and tack in the same manner, drawing very tight, being careful to get it round and even and leaving no wrinkle. In case the moss is not evenly distributed, take a long awl and run it through the covering and carefully distribute it.
Next in order is the outside covering, which should be a fine piece of silk plush or velvet. Get a piece large enough to work some fine flower or motto in the center, then put it on in the same manner as the first, only tacking it down near the lower edge of the wooden base E; by being careful you can get it on without wrinkling it. The tacks should be small and very close together. Put a piece of braid around the edge and tack it on with upholstering tacks and the stool is completed.
SAWING OFF HORNS.
No. 6.
Cut No. 6 is to illustrate a frame on which to cut horns to be used for footstool legs. Without a frame of this kind it is almost impossible to cut them to set level with stool and floor. In fact, it is more difficult than it would be for a carpenter to cut molding to fit corners, etc., without a mitre box. It is very simple and is made as follows: For a frame large enough to cut four horns, take a fencing board and cut off a piece from it two feet long. The board is supposed to be about six inches wide and one inch thick. Saw off another piece the same length and nail it to the edge, as shown in cut. This we will call the back of frame and the other the bottom. The back then is five inches high, measuring from bottom board up. This completes the frame as shown. The horns are now placed on the frame and nails driven around them into the frame to hold them firmly in place. Place the horns close together in setting on the frame and pour plaster paris over the points of all, as shown in cut horn A. After the plaster paris has thoroughly hardened, saw off another piece of the same board and nail it to front edge of bottom board, and proceed to saw off the horns level with the upper edge of back and front boards, as in horn A. Should you want the legs longer or shorter, take wider or narrower boards for back and front of frame. After taking the horns from the frame, proceed to put in the wire through the butt of horn and rivet it; then put in the bolt and nail F (as directed in a former article) and fill the horn with plaster paris, as shown in the above cut (C). The horn is now ready, after polishing, to be placed on the stool. It can also be placed on a board and used for a hat hook, or for holding back window curtains, etc.