Fig. 42.—Square Table.
A small rustic table which may, if desired, be used as a flower-pot stand, is illustrated by [Fig. 42]. The top may be made of ¾-in. stuff, and should have two ledges nailed underneath to prevent twisting. The table may be 1 ft. 10 in. high, with the top 15 in. square, or, if a larger size is required, 2 ft. 1 in. high, with the top 18 in. square. The design is not suitable for tables of a larger size.
Fig. 43.—Hexagonal Table.
The legs may be secured to the top by boring holes in the ledges and driving them in. The cross bars must be firmly secured to the legs, and, for the joints, the mortise and tenon shown at [Fig. 6] (see p. 14) would be suitable. If the sticks used to form the legs are rather small, it will be better if the cross bars are kept a little higher on two of the sides, so that the mortises do not meet each other.
The top is covered with a Swiss overlay pattern, made of split sticks. The design may be set out by drawing lines from corner to corner on the top, and across the top in the centre of each side. A smaller square is then drawn in the centre of the top, with diagonals at right angles to the sides of the top. Lines drawn from the corners of the small square to the corners of the top will form a four-pointed star. The pattern should be clearly outlined with a pencil. In nailing on the sticks, those round the outer edge of the top should be put on first and mitred at the corners. Next the outside sticks of the small square should be nailed on, then the eight pieces from the corners of the small square to the corners of the top.