MISSION FURNITURE

HOW TO MAKE IT

PART THREE

POPULAR MECHANICS HANDBOOKS

CHICAGO

POPULAR MECHANICS COMPANY

Copyrighted, 1912

BY H. H. WINDSOR

This book is one of the series of handbooks on industrial subjects being published by the Popular Mechanics Co. Like the magazine, these books are "written so you can understand it," and are intended to furnish information on mechanical subjects at a price within the reach of all.

The texts and illustrations have been prepared expressly for this Handbook Series, by experts; are up-to-date, and have been revised by the editor of Popular Mechanics.

The dimensions given in the stock list contained in the description of each piece of furniture illustrated in this book call for material mill-planed, sanded and cut to length. If the workman desires to have a complete home-made article, allowance must be made in the dimensions for planing and squaring the pieces. S-4-S and S-2-S are abbreviations for surface four sides and surface two sides.

CONTENTS

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

A PIANO BENCH

Piano Bench in Black Walnut

The piano bench shown in the accompanying picture was made of black walnut and was finished natural. The finish was applied in the following manner: First, all the parts were well scraped and sandpapered, then the surface was covered with a coating of boiled linseed oil. After this had stood several hours, or until it had had time to penetrate the wood, the surplus liquid was wiped off with a flannel cloth. After the oil had stood for 48 hours, a thin coat of shellac was applied and allowed to harden overnight. The next morning this shellac was sandpapered lightly with No. 00 paper and a coat of floor wax was applied according to the directions which are found upon every can. Two more coats of wax were applied after intervals of half an hour and the finish was completed. The effect is very pleasing. The oil brings out the rich color of the wood and the shellac and wax serve to preserve the color. The following stock is needed:

With the exception of the legs all the stock is specified mill-planed to thickness upon two surfaces. The legs are specified planed on four sides. Square the legs to length and the rails, stretcher, slats, etc., to width and length.

Detail of the Piano Bench

Lay out and work the tenons of the rails and stretcher. The slats are best made without tenons, the whole end of each slat being "housed" into the rails. The reason for this is obvious—it is a difficult matter to fit two or more pieces between fixed parts when their ends are tenoned. When the ends are housed any slight variation in the lengths adjusts itself. It is necessary, however, to chisel the sides of the mortises carefully, but this is a simple matter compared with getting the shoulders of the tenons, etc., all just alike.

Assemble the parts, using good hot glue. Put the ends of the bench together first. When the glue has hardened on these, place the stretcher and side rails. Fasten the top to the frame from the under side, either by glued blocks and screws or by angle irons.

A LIBRARY TABLE

A library table of neat appearance and correct proportions is shown in the accompanying sketch and detail drawing. This table looks best when finished in quarter-sawed oak, although any of the other furniture woods can be used if desired. If the material is ordered from the mill cut to length, squared and sanded, much of the hard labor can be avoided. Order the following pieces:

Detail of the Library Table

Start work on the legs by beveling the tops and squaring them up and laying out the mortises for the shelves as shown in section BB. Care should be taken to get the legs mortised in pairs and all cut the same height. This is best done by placing the four legs side by side with the ends square, and then laying out the mortises across all four at once with a try-square.

The Finished Library Table

The table top is made of several boards which are doweled and glued together. Be careful to get the best side of each board up and have the joints a tight fit. The corners should be cut out for the posts as shown. The posts are to be fastened to the board by means of screws. The holes can be counterbored for the heads and then plugged. The top rails are also fastened to the top board by means of screws.

The end pieces can now be made. Two or more boards will have to be glued together for these. The top corners will have to be cut to fit about the top rails. Cleats can be used in fastening them to the top board. The shelves also have the corners cut to fit into the mortises in the posts. They are held to the end boards by means of screws.

If the parts all fit perfectly square and tight, they can be glued and screwed together, which will complete the table except for the slats and drawers. The slats can be fastened on with nails, then the heads covered with fancy nails which can be secured for this purpose. The drawer supports can now be put in. They are screwed to the end boards as shown. A bottom brace should be fastened under the lower shelves to help steady the table. The two drawers are made as shown in the detail sketch. No handles are needed as the lower edge of the front board can be used for pulling them out.

When the table is complete it should be carefully gone over with fine sandpaper and all rough spots removed. Scrape the glue from about the joints as finish will not take where there is any glue. Apply the stain preferred or the one that matches the other furniture. This can be any of the many stains supplied by the trade for this purpose.

A PRINCESS DRESSER

Dresser Made of Quarter-Sawed Oak

A design of a princess dresser that is well proportioned and of pleasing appearance is shown in the accompanying sketch and detail drawing. The cost is very moderate and if a mill is not too far away, a great amount of labor can be saved by ordering the material ready cut to length, squared and sanded. Quarter-sawed oak should be used and the material needed will be as follows:

The following pieces may be of any soft wood:

First be sure the posts are perfectly square and of equal length. Either chamfer or round the upper ends as desired. The mortises can now be laid out and cut or they can be left until the rail tenons are all made and then marked and cut directly from each tenon. The posts as well as the end rails should have grooves cut in them to take the 1/4-in. end panels.

The top board should have the corners cut to fit about the posts. The corners of the back board should be rounded as shown in the drawing.

The end sections of the dresser can be glued together first, care being taken to get the joints square and tight. When these are dry the side rails and drawer slides can be fitted and glued in place. The top board is held in position by means of screws through cleats which are fastened to the inner sides of the rails.

Detail of the Princess Dresser

The mirror frame is made by mortising the end pieces with the side pieces as shown. It is rabbeted on the back to hold a 20 by 38-in. mirror. After the mirror is securely fastened in the frame a thin wood covering should be tacked on the back to protect the glass. The frame swings between two upright posts which are securely fastened to the body of the dresser as shown.

The drawers are made and fitted in the usual manner. The drawing shows two drawers in the top compartment, but one exactly like the lower can be made and used instead by simply leaving out the 1 in. partition. Suitable handles for the drawers can be purchased at any hardware store.

The back is made of soft wood and is put on in the usual manner. Scrape all surplus glue from about the joints as the stain will not take where there is any glue. Finish smooth with fine sandpaper and apply the stain desired, which may be any of the many mission stains supplied by the trade for this purpose.

A SEWING BOX

A rather unique sewing box, and one that is quite as convenient as unique, is shown in the illustration. The material is walnut and ash. The posts are walnut and the slats and top rail ash. Both are finished in their natural colors. The following is the stock bill:

In ordering the stock it will be wise to combine the lengths of pieces having like widths and thicknesses.

If not possible to secure doweling of the diameter indicated for the verticals, it is an easy matter to take a square piece of stock, lay it off and work it into an eight-sided prism. After this, the arrises may again be planed until it has 16 and then 32 sides. The rest may be removed with sandpaper. Or it is possible that curtain pole stock will be available. Saw these posts to length and leave the ends square.

Sewing Box Made of Walnut and Ash

Square up the stock for the other parts. Work the bottom piece to a 16-in. square. The rails are not to be squared on the ends but are to be mitered each in turn. The bottom is fastened to the posts by metal brackets.

Detail of the Sewing Box

Chisel out recesses in the posts so that the bottom may be inserted. Insert the corners and use glue and nails to hold them in place. Place the lower of the two top rails, notching out the posts as is necessary to bring the inner edge of these rails in position. Fasten to the posts. Miter and place the top rails. The slats, it will be noted, are fastened to the bottom from the outer side and to the lower of the two top rails from the inner side. Brass-headed tacks such as upholsterers use are required.

In finishing, sandpaper all parts and then apply a coat of boiled linseed oil. Allow this to stand a half hour or so and then wipe the surface clean. After this has dried thoroughly apply a thin coating of shellac and allow it to harden. Sand the shellac when hard with No. 00 sandpaper and then apply several coats of wax, polishing in the usual manner.

Two pairs of castors will add to the ease with which the box may be moved about.

A FERN STAND

When making the fern stand shown in the accompanying sketch use quarter-sawed oak if possible, as this wood is the most suitable for finishing in the different mission stains. Considerable labor can be saved in its construction by ordering the stock from the mill ready cut to length, squared and sanded. Order the following pieces:

The legs are made first. Be sure they are square and of equal length. The mortises can be laid out and cut or they can be left until the tenons on the side rails are all made, then marked and cut from each tenon. The top rails and the slats are exactly alike for the four sides, as the table is square. In addition to the tenons on the rails, grooves should be cut in each for the ends of the slats to fit into as shown in the cross section in the detail drawing. Holes should be cut in the slats as shown.

Detail of the Fern Stand

The top board should have the corners cut out to fit around the posts. It is held in place by means of screws through cleats which are fastened to the inner sides of the top rails.

The bottom board or shelf rests upon two rails that are mortised into the posts as shown. The top and bottom boards should be of one piece if possible, otherwise two or more boards will have to be glued together.

Before gluing up the joints see that all the pieces fit together square and tight. The posts and rails should be glued and assembled, then the top and bottom boards put in place to hold the frame square when the clamps are put on.

Finished Stand in Quartered Oak

Leave to dry for about 24 hours before removing the clamps. Fasten the top and bottom boards in place and then go over the stand with fine sandpaper and remove all surplus glue and rough spots.

A WARDROBE

The wardrobe or clothes closet shown in the accompanying sketch and detail drawing will be found a great convenience in a bedroom where closet space is limited or where there is no closet at all. It provides ample room for hanging suits, dresses and other wearing apparel, as well as space for boots and shoes. It can be made of any of the several furniture woods in common use, but quarter-sawed oak will be found to give the most pleasing effect. The stock should be ordered from the mill ready cut to length, squared and sanded. In this way much labor will be saved. The following pieces will be needed:

The Wardrobe Complete

First be sure the posts are perfectly square and of equal length. The upper ends can be chamfered or rounded if desired. The two front posts are alike, as are the back ones. The mortises should be laid out in each pair of posts and then cut with a sharp chisel, or they can be left until the tenons are all made, and then marked and cut from each tenon. Grooves should be cut on one side of all the posts to take the end panels.

The front and lower back rails are plain except for the tenons at each end, but the end rails and the center uprights should have grooves cut for the panels the same as the posts. The top back rail serves as a top back board and should have the corners rounded as shown in the detail drawing.

The frame can now be assembled. Glue should be used on all the joints as it makes them much stiffer. Be careful to get the frame together perfectly square, or it will be hard to fit the doors and the shelves.

The top and bottom boards should have the corners cut to clear the posts. The closet is divided into two compartments by a partition. This can be made of plain boards or panels similar to those in the ends, as desired. Place the shelves in position as shown. They are held in place by means of cleats and screws. The one shelf has a partition in its center with a door on one side and two small drawers on the other. Drawers should be fitted to three of the other compartments. They are made in the usual manner except that the front boards should be cut out at the top for a handhold as shown.

The doors are fitted by a tenon and mortise joint at the ends. They have a centerpiece and panels to match the ends of the closet. Suitable hinges and a catch should be supplied. These can be purchased at any hardware store.

Detail of the Wardrobe

The backing is put on in the usual manner. It should be finished on the front side.

When complete, the closet should be carefully gone over with fine sandpaper and all glue and rough spots removed. Apply stain of the desired color. This may be any of the many mission stains supplied by the trade for this purpose.

A FINISH

An appropriate finish is obtained as follows: First thoroughly scrape and sandpaper the various parts, then apply a coat of brown Flemish water stain. Allow this to dry well, then sand it lightly with No. 00 sandpaper to lay the grain. Again apply the Flemish stain, but this time have it weakened by the addition of an equal amount of water. When dry, sand again as on the first coat. Upon the second coat of stain apply a thin coat of shellac. This is to protect the high lights from the stain in the filler which is to follow. Sand lightly, then apply a paste filler of a sufficiently dark shade to make a dark field for the brown Flemish. Clean off the surplus and polish in the usual manner.

Upon the filler, after it has hardened overnight, apply a coat of orange shellac. Successively apply several coats of some good rubbing varnish. Polish the first coats with haircloth or curled hair, and the last with pulverized pumice stone, mixed with raw linseed or crude oil.

AN OAK TABLE

The accompanying illustration shows another style of a mission table. The stock for this table if ordered as follows and sanded will require only the work of making the joints and putting them together:

This table may be made with mortise and tenon joints or with dowels as desired. If dowels are used, the upper and lower rails should be made 2 in. shorter than shown in the drawing.

Be sure to get the pieces for the posts with their surfaces square to each other and their ends sawed square off. This will simplify the assembling a great deal. Make the posts exactly the same length, 30-1/2 in., and chamfer a 3/8-in, bevel on their tops.

Square up the four upper rails, 6 by 22 in., marking the working face and edge to work from when laying out the tenons later. Square up the two lower rails, 2-1/2 by 22 in. These must be exactly the same length as the upper rails. The two ends of the table having the slats should be glued up first. Lay out the tenons on the upper and lower rails for these two ends and be sure to work from the marked face and edges, using a knife line. Cut the tenons, and, by placing them against the posts in the exact position they are to occupy, mark the places for the mortises. These joints should be numbered so that each mortise may be cut to fit its own tenon.

Detail of Construction

Finished Table

Square up the slats, 3 by 15-1/8 in., and cut mortises in the upper and lower rails 1/4 in. deep to let them in. The number of these slats, their size and spacing may be arranged to suit one's own idea. Put the posts, upper and lower rails, and slats together without glue first to determine if the parts fit properly, and then glue and clamp them together. Hot glue will hold best, if the room and lumber are warm; if not, it is best to use ordinary liquid glue. While the glue on these two ends of the table is setting, the other upper rails, top, and stretcher may be finished.

The top will have to be made of two or three pieces joined together with dowels and glue. If possible, use only two boards and be sure the grain in both pieces runs the same way when they are put together.

After the ends which were glued have set at least 24 hours, the clamps may be taken off and the other two upper rails tenoned and mortised in place. The stretcher may be held with two 3/8-in. dowels in each end, or with two round-head screws put through the lower rails. When gluing up the whole table, be sure the sides are square to each other. The top may now be squared up 24 by 24 in. and the corners cut out for the top of the posts. The top may be fastened as shown at A and B in the drawing, or by cleats screwed to the inside of the upper rails and top.

Before staining, be sure that all surplus glue is scraped off and the surfaces sanded clean. A weathered or fumed oak stain is suitable for this table. A good weathered oak stain may be made by mixing a little drop black ground in oil with turpentine and a little linseed oil. Put this stain on with a brush and allow to stand until it begins to flatten or dull, then rub off across the grain with a rag or piece of cotton waste. When thoroughly dry, apply one coat of very thin shellac. After this has dried, finish with two coats of wax. The shellac prevents the turpentine in the wax from rubbing out the stain. To get a good wax finish the work should dry until it will not show finger marks, before rubbing.

BOOK TROUGH

Detail of Book Trough

A very cheap but attractive book trough is shown in the accompanying photograph. This piece of mission furniture will be found useful in the home or office and can be made by anyone who has a slight knowledge of tools. The material should be either oak or chestnut, which can be secured from the planing mill dressed and sandpapered ready to cut the tenons and mortises. The stock needed will be as follows:

Book Trough Complete

The two end pieces should be made first with the top corners rounded off and the lower end, which is of simple design, can be cut out with a bracket saw and smoothed with a wood rasp. The mortises should then be laid out according to the sketch and cut, by first boring 3/4-in. holes and finishing with a chisel, being careful to keep all edges clean and free from slivers.

The shelf can now be made by cutting a double-key tenon at each end to fit the end pieces. The space between the two tenons at each end can be cut out with a bracket saw and finished with a rasp. The key holes should be mortised as shown in the sketch. The trough pieces are made in a similar manner, care being taken to have all tenons and mortises perfectly square and a good fit, so the trough when assembled will have a neat and workmanlike appearance. The trough can be finished in any one of the many mission finishes which are supplied by the trade for this purpose.

AN OAK SERVING TABLE

The serving table is another useful piece of furniture that can be made in mission style. This table should be made in quarter-sawed oak and stained very light. The stock order is as follows:

Serving Table Complete

The four posts are ordered 1 in. longer than necessary for squaring to length and the two back posts should be chamfered 1/4 in. on top, as they are the longest and project above the back panel. All of the posts are cut tapering for a space of 4 in. from the bottom ends. Mortises in the posts and tenons on the rails are laid out and cut as shown by the dimensions in the drawing. These parts are then well glued and put together. The top, which should be of well seasoned wood, is cut to fit around the back posts so the back edge and the back side of the posts are flush. The back panel is placed in mortises cut in the corners of the back posts. This is done so the back surface of the panel will be flush the same as the edge of the top. The slat is fastened with round-headed brass screws on the front of the two back posts about half way between the top and the ends of the posts.

Detail of Serving Table

The top may be fastened to the rails by one of two methods. One way is to use a small button made of wood and so mortised as to set in the rails and then fastened to the top with screws. About six of these buttons will be sufficient to hold the top in place. The other method is to bore a hole slanting on the inside of the rails, directing the bit toward the top, which will make a seat—if not cut too deep—for a screw that can be turned direct into the top.

The glue must be removed from about the joints and the surfaces smoothed over with fine sandpaper before applying the stain. The directions for staining will be found on the can in which it is sold. The grain of the wood will show up well if the surface is given a dull waxed finish after staining.

AN UMBRELLA STAND

Umbrella Stand

Detail of Umbrella Stand

The umbrella stand shown in the accompanying illustration will be found quite appropriate for the hall or reception room that is furnished in mission style. It can be made of any of the furniture woods, but quarter-sawed oak gives the best results. The stock necessary to make this stand can be secured from the mill ready cut to length, squared and sanded, and is given in the following list:

First square up the posts and bevel the tops as shown in the detail sketch. Place them side by side, on a flat surface with the ends square and lay out the mortises with a try-square on all four pieces at the same time. This will insure your getting them all straight and of the same height. Now lay out the tenons on the rails in the same manner and cut them to fit the mortises in the posts. Mortises should also be cut in the rails for the ends of the side slats as shown. Try all the joints and see that they fit tight and square. Glue two sides of the stand together and let them dry for at least 24 hours, then glue the remaining parts, being careful to get everything together perfectly square.

The bottom board can now be fitted in place. It should have a hole cut in it for the drip pan. The pan should be about 6 or 7 in. in diameter. One suitable for the purpose can be purchased in any hardware store. The bottom board can be fastened to the rails with nails driven from the under side, or cleats can be nailed to the rails for it to rest upon.

When the stand is complete, scrape all glue from about the joints and go over the whole with fine sandpaper, removing all rough spots. Apply the finish you like best, or the one that will match your other furniture.

Should the builder want an entire hand-made stand, the drip pan may be beaten into shape from sheet brass or copper. This kind of work is known as repoussé. After beating the pan into shape, it can be finished in antique, old copper or given a polished surface, as desired.

A CHAFING-DISH BUFFET

The chafing-dish buffet is something very convenient and attractive for the dining room. For the best effect it should be made of quartered oak, stained brown or weathered and trimmed with brass hardware.

Buffet in Quartered Oak

To save a great deal of uninteresting labor, secure the following pieces of stock, surfaced on four sides and cut to length:

Begin the work on the rails for the sides of the stand. Have them all squared up to exactly the same length and to the correct width and thickness. Mark the tenons on the ends of each and cut them with a saw and chisel.

When this is finished, try the legs to see that they are all the same length and that their surfaces are square with each other. Next mark the mortises in the legs for the tenons of the rails. To make the mortises, first bore to depth with a bit 1/8 in, smaller than the width of the mortise and cut to the line with a chisel.

Method of Fastening with Screws

Before gluing up the sides, cut the mortises in two lower rails for the tenons on the ends of the shelves. These tenons, with the smaller mortises in them for the keys, should be cut first. Square up the two side panels and cut grooves 3/8 in. wide and 1/4 in. deep for them in the rails and part of the legs.

Make the eight slats 8 in. long, 1 in. wide and 3/8 in. thick, and cut mortises for them in the two upper rails.

Detail of the Chafing-Dish Buffet

The two sides of the buffet are now ready to be glued up and clamped. While the glue on these is setting, make the door. The rails are mortised into the stiles 1/2 in. and both are grooved to receive the panel. It is best to get the stock a little full for the door so that it may be made up a little larger than necessary and planed down to fit.

There only remains to fit in the shelves and fasten the top and back. The top and back are held with screws as shown in sketch.

Taper the keys only slightly, otherwise they will keep working loose.

Stain with two coats of weathered oak, give one coat of thin shellac to fix the stain and two coats of wax for a soft-gloss finish.

A WRITING DESK

The desk shown in the illustration was made of plain-sawed white oak. The copper lighting fixtures were made by the amateur as were the hinges and the drawer pulls. The doors are fitted with art-glass panels. The following stock list is needed:

Square the legs to length and lay out and cut the mortises thereon. Lay off the tenons on the rails, after having squared the rails to length and width, and cut them.

Work up the top of the table and then the drawer stock and cabinet. Assemble the ends of the frame first, using good hot glue and enough clamps to hold the parts together properly. After the glue has hardened on these, the clamps may be removed and the front, back rails and the stretcher assembled.

Writing Desk Made of Plain-Sawed Oak

While the glue is hardening on the main frame the top cabinet may be built and assembled. This cabinet is detachable from the table proper and is to be held in place by means of cleats upon the back. These cleats are not specified in the bill; they may be obtained from scrap stock.

Detail of the Writing Desk

For a piece of woodwork of this style some of the softer browns of the mission stains will be most appropriate. After all parts have been thoroughly cleaned by scraping and sandpapering, a stain may be applied. Allow this to dry, then sand it lightly and apply a thin coat of shellac. Sand the shellac lightly and apply a filler of a color to match the stain, but darker in tone, of course. Clean off the surplus in the usual manner and then apply a coat of shellac. Sand this lightly and apply several coats of some good polishing wax.

MUSIC RACK AND BOOKSTAND

The illustration shows a very handy music and bookstand, which also can be used at the bedside as a reading stand. The following list of material will be required for construction:

Complete Stand

Cut a tenon on the lower end of the upright and make a mortise in the center of the long crosspiece to receive the tenon. The horizontal has tenons cut on both ends which fit into mortises cut in the sides of both crosspieces. The upper corners on the ends of both crosspieces are cut sloping on a 45-deg. angle. The blocks for the feet are attached to the under side and at the end on each crosspiece with screws and hot glue, the screw heads being sunk so that they will not catch on carpets or mar the floor. The braces are attached with round-head screws after they are cut on each end to fit the standard and crosspiece.

Detail of the Stand

The book rest is cut from the board. The openings are made by sawing the pieces out with a coping saw, and the edges are dressed up with a sharp chisel. The lip strip is then glued to the lower edge of the board.

One end of the board is now fitted into a slot cut in one of the gauge clamps. The slot must be cut at the right angle to give the desired slope to the book rest. The gauge clamps are joined with two small square strips of oak as shown. The small rod brace is flattened at both ends and a hole drilled in each to fasten it with screws as shown. The brass strip is bent in the middle at right angles and drilled to receive screws for fastening it in the corner of the upright and horizontal pieces.

A DICTIONARY AND MAGAZINE STAND

The accompanying picture shows a stand that is intended primarily for holding a large-size dictionary. The shelves may be utilized for holding books, magazines or sheet music. It will stand wear best if made of some hard wood, such as oak. Of the soft woods chestnut has the best grain for finishing, being hardly distinguishable from red oak.

The following pieces will be necessary:

Begin work on the sides by preparing a joint edge on each piece and from this square up the lower ends and square lines across the inner surfaces to indicate the positions of the lower edges of the shelves.

Next, smooth off the mill marks from the broad surfaces of the shelves and square them to size on one edge and the two ends.

Detail of the Dictionary and Magazine Stand

Stand Made in Oak

Return to the side pieces and lay out the outline, but do not cut to these lines until the gains and mortises which are to receive the ends of the shelves and their tenons have been laid out and cut. Laying out these outlines at this time is done so as to give the exact width the shelves are to have. These dimensions can be determined by measuring across the sides between the outlines at the points where the shelves are to be placed.

The shelves which have no tenons are to be let into the sides 1/4 in. They should be shouldered 1/2 in. back from the edge so that the groove will not show on the face.

The lip on the front of the top shelf may be fastened by means of very small brads, the heads of which should be covered with putty, colored to match the finish.

A suitable finish may be obtained as follows:

First see that all the mill marks are removed, using a smooth plane and steel scraper and sandpaper, then apply a coat of cathedral-oak water stain. When dry, sandpaper lightly, using No. 00 paper. Apply a second coat of stain, diluting it by the addition of an equal volume of water. This is to produce a stronger contrast. Sand this lightly and put on a very thin coat of shellac to bind the filler and to prevent the stain in the filler which follows from discoloring the high lights. Sand this lightly and put on a coat of paste filler according to the directions that will be found on the can. This filler should be colored in the following proportions: Light paste filler, 20 lb.; Van Dyke brown, 1 lb. After the filler has hardened, sand it lightly and put on a coat of orange shellac. Follow this with several coats of some good rubbing varnish. The first coats should be rubbed with haircloth or curled hair, and the last with powdered pumice stone and raw linseed or crude oil.

A LEATHER BACK ARM CHAIR

Arm Chair Complete

Detail of the Arm Chair

A mission arm chair of simple design and construction is shown in the accompanying illustration. This chair is suitable for any room of the house and can be made of wood to match other furniture. Quarter-sawed oak is the wood most generally used, and it is also very easy to obtain. The stock can be ordered from the mill, cut to length, squared and sanded. Following is a list of the material that will be needed:

Start with the front legs. Cut a tenon 1-1/4 in. square and 3/4 in, long on one end to fit the arm rests. The mortises for the side rails are cut 1/2 in. wide and 7/8 in, deep. The tenons on the rails are cut to fit these mortises, care being taken to get them all the same length between shoulders. The back legs are cut with an offset of 2 in. as shown in the detail drawing and also have mortises cut in them for the back crosspieces. The upright pieces in the back are fastened into the crosspieces by means of tenons and mortises, and should be in place when the crosspieces are fastened to the legs.

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:

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.

Complete Wall Shelf

Begin work by squaring the horizontals to size. They are to be all of the same length. Next shape up the end pieces. The amount of slope for the front edges is indicated on the drawing. After all these pieces have been squared up and the mill-marks removed, the dadoes or grooves and gains may be laid out and cut.

Beginners are prone to underestimate the importance of getting all the mill-marks off before putting on any finish. When boards are planed at the mill the planing is done by means of two or four knives revolving above or below the board—sometimes both above and below at the same time. These knives leave the surfaces filled with little ridges and hollows across the grain. These hollows, though they are hardly visible to the eye on the unfinished surface, show up as ugly streaks upon the surface after it has had a finish of stain and filler applied.

The joints here used are typical and the beginner can readily find how they are to be made from any good book on wood-working.

Wall Shelf Detail

There are several ways of fastening the parts. They may be fastened by means of round-head blued screws. They may be fastened with carriage screws. The one in the illustration was put together with ordinary wire nails and the heads of these covered with ornamental heads to represent old-fashioned hand-wrought nails.

It will be found easier to apply the finish of stain and filler before the parts are assembled. A suitable finish is obtained as follows: After the parts are thoroughly sanded, put on a coat of Filipino water stain, wiping it off with an old cloth before it has had time to soak into the wood very much. Allow this to dry. Then sand lightly, using No. 00 paper, after which fill the pores of the wood with a black paste filler—directions will be found on the can. Follow this, when hardened, with several coats of floor wax.

A PEDESTAL

The pedestal shown in the accompanying illustration is another piece of furniture that can be made in the mission style. It is very simple in design and construction, and can be made by anyone who has a few simple tools and a slight knowledge of their use. It is best to make it of quarter-sawed oak as this is the most easily procured wood and also looks the best when finished. If you order the material from the mill ready cut to length, squared and sanded, much hard labor will be saved. Following is a list of the material needed:

Having the boards for the post cut to the proper length and square, nail them together as shown in the detail drawing. Use finishing nails, then set the heads and fill the holes with putty. Next, nail the 3/4 by 6-in. piece on one end of the post leaving the edges projecting even on all sides. Pick out the best board for the top. On the under side and 1/2. in. in from the edges, nail four of the 3/4 by 2 by 11-in. pieces which have been previously mitered as shown in the plan view. Now fasten this top to the post by nailing through the projecting edge of the top piece into the top board. Be careful to get this top on square with the post and exactly in center.

The bottom board is made in the same manner as the top board and is nailed to the lower end of the post as shown. Four 1-in. square blocks should be fastened to the bottom for the pedestal to rest on.

When complete, sandpaper smooth and apply any one of the many mission stains that are supplied by the trade for this purpose.

Detail of Pedestal

Completed Pedestal

After staining the wood, the surface can be given a polished or dull finish, as desired. Mission furniture requires a dull finish, and this may be obtained by applying a coat of wax, well rubbed on the wood.

MAGAZINE RACK

The accompanying cut shows a magazine rack that will find favor with many amateur wood-workers on account of its simplicity in design and its rich, massive appearance when properly finished. It is so constructed that each piece may be polished, stained and finished before it is finally put together. Quarter-sawed oak is the best wood to use. Plain-sawed oak looks well, but it is more liable to warp than quarter-sawed and this is quite an element in pieces as wide as the ones here used. Following is a list of the material needed:

Considerable labor can be saved if the material be ordered from the mill ready cut to length, squared and sanded. The corner posts should be made first. The most convenient and accurate method of laying out the mortises is to square one end of each post and lay them on the bench flat, with the squared ends even with each other; then clamp them securely and lay out the mortises on one side across all four pieces at once; then loosen the clamp and project the marks to the other side with a try-square. Now saw along these marks, making each cut just deep enough to bring the mortises diagonally across the piece from one corner to the opposite corner as shown in the detail sketch. Be careful not to get the mortises wider than the shelves are thick. Bevel the tops of the posts as shown.

Detail of the Magazine Rack

Magazine Rack Complete

See that the ends of the shelves are square and smooth, then set a scratch gauge so that the scriber is just 2 in. from the face of the block and mark this distance off each way from the corner of the shelves. Saw these corners diagonally across as shown, being careful not to saw off too much.

The parts can now be assembled. Place all the parts in position, then pass a rope around each end and twist it up tightly with a small stick. If this is properly done, you can now pick up the rack and handle it in any way you wish. The screws can now be put in the corners. You can use flat-head screws and plug the holes, or you can use round-head blue screws and let the heads project. After the screws are all in, dress off all unevenness where the shelves are mortised into the posts, then mark each shelf and post so that you can put it together again after the parts are finished. Take the rack apart and transfer the marks to some part of the mortises and shelves that will not be covered with the finish you intend to put on. Apply the finish you wish to use and when the parts are thoroughly dry they can be reassembled and your rack will be complete.

A HALL TREE