Among the many useful articles which can be made with the knife in thin
wood, with carving as enrichment, are the numerous desk accessories,
such as envelope holders, letter racks, stamp and pen boxes, pen trays,
blotting pads, etc. The boys, after exhausting the subject of pencil
boxes for school use, took up the design and construction of letter
racks. These, they decided, should be in two compartments for answered
and unanswered letters. This called for three uprights, or partitions,
and a base. They decided to make them of about uniform dimensions,
as shown in the blank form (Fig. 67). The problem of the outline was
somewhat affected by the fact that the front was to be carved. This
called for a simpler outline than would have been the case had they
expected to leave the surface plain. Some of the designs they worked
out are shown in Fig. 68.
The form marked _a_ was selected as a beginning, the three partitions
cut out exactly alike, and the front piece carved as shown in Fig. 69.
The middle partition and back piece were left with plain surfaces.
[Illustration: Fig. 67. Parts of letter rack]
The cutting of the grooves in the base was a new problem, and Harry
was allowed to try his skill with a chisel. The method used was first
to make the drawing shown at _a_, Fig. 67. The long side lines of each
groove were scored with the point of the knife, going over each line
several times, to make the cut as deep as possible. An under cut was
then made, as shown in the figure.
[Illustration: Fig. 68. Boys' designs for letter racks]
The wood in the centre was removed with a 1/4-inch chisel, and the
process continued until a uniform depth of 1/4 inch was reached. After
all three grooves had been cut, the edges of the base were bevelled
with the plane. This bevelling could have been done readily with the
knife, but much time was saved by using the plane, always doing the
long sides first.
In all the letter racks shown in the illustrations the construction
was the same. First, the three blank partitions were made, then
finished in their outlines with knife and sand-paper. The carving was
always drawn carefully on the surface of the front piece. Third, came
the making of the base, and last, the gluing of the partitions into
the grooves. To increase the strength of a letter rack, 3/4-inch brads
can be driven from the bottom into the partitions, but where this is
done it is safer to draw pencil lines on the bottom directly under the
centre of each partition. Place the point of the brad exactly on the
line before hammering.
[Illustration: Fig. 69. Form "A"]
Although the forms of the letter rack are endless, the one which our
boys found most interesting was based on the ellipse. It called forth
a very instructive drawing lesson. Ralph showed Harry first how the
figure could be drawn by a string, with two pins to represent the foci
of the ellipse. The figure has two dimensions called the major axis
and minor axis. (Fig. 70).
[Illustration: Fig. 70.]
The combined length of the two lines drawn from any point on the
ellipse to the two foci must always be the same and equal to the length
of the major axis. This is readily seen with the two pins and string.
(Fig. 71.)
[Illustration: Fig. 71. Drawing the ellipse with string and pins]
The pencil point as it traverses the ellipse represents any point,
and the string remains the same length. Where it is required to draw
an ellipse of definite size, say two by three, it becomes necessary
to find the foci before the string can be used, and as it requires
considerable skill to get the string the exact length, Ralph showed the
boy another way, called the trammel method. (Fig. 72.)
Suppose the problem is to construct an ellipse 6 inches × 2-1/2 inches.
First draw the two lines _a b_ and _c d_ at right angles, intersecting
at the exact centre. Take a straight piece of paper, lay it along _a
b_ with one end at _a_. Make a dot on the edge of the paper where the
lines cross, and mark it _x_. Next, lay the same strip of paper along
_c d_, with the original end at _c_, and again mark a point where the
lines cross. Mark this point _y_. At any position of this strip of
paper when the points _x_ and _y_ touch the two axes _a b_ and _c d_,
the end of the paper strip will be on the ellipse. By shifting this
paper trammel and keeping the two points on the axes a series of points
may be made at the end of the paper. Connecting this by a pencil line
will complete the ellipse. This is a very simple method and a very
accurate one.
[Illustration: Fig. 72. The trammel method]
[Illustration: Fig. 73. The ellipse used in carving designs]
Our boys drew this figure, 6 × 2-1/2 inches, with a trammel and
then worked out the design from it shown in Fig. 73. It made a very
satisfactory form for the letter rack, and gave an elliptical space for
carving, a new problem in chip carving design.
[Illustration: Fig. 74.]
Two more of these elliptical designs are shown in Fig. 74.
Another feature of this rack was a change in the middle partition; the
form is shown at Fig. 75. The making of the base and gluing into the
grooves were similar to the earlier designs.
The next design was characterized by an outline composed largely of
straight lines.
The middle partition was lower than the front and back pieces, as shown
in Fig. 75.
[Illustration: Fig. 75. A neat design for a letter rack]
The boys found a great deal of pleasure in working out a decorative
scheme for the carving. Having discovered how easy it is to carve
the long flowing curves, they introduced them wherever possible. The
general shape of the carved section must of course conform to the
outline of the wood, but while filling in these flowing curves they
soon learned to sketch them in free-hand.
[Illustration: Fig. 76. A letter rack decorated with the veining tool]
To a person who has not tried this work or who has not begun with
simple cuts it appears very difficult, but when it is remembered that
only one cut can be made at a time and that each chip is a triangle,
even if its sides are slightly curved, it actually proves very easy,
and within the power of any normal boy to accomplish.
[Illustration: Fig. 77. The pen-holder]
Harry was introduced at this time to the use of the veining tool, a
fine gouge with a cross section almost V-shaped. This was used to
emphasize the outlines of the designs by simply pushing ahead directly
on the lines. When veining straight lines, it may be guided by a
ruler or other straight edge, but for curves, a free-hand movement is
necessary. A very good practice piece is the design shown at Fig. 76.
This may be applied to the front of the letter rack design. (Fig. 69.)
The pen-holder shown at Fig. 77 is one of a large number which were
made by the boys. The pieces were cut out with a knife to the blank
forms shown. On all pieces like these, afterward to be assembled, the
edges were made straight and square on the shooting board, and the
carving done before assembling. This pen-holder was put together with
3/4-inch brads with the exception of the front, which was glued, as
it was thought best not to have nails showing on this important side.
(Fig. 78.)
[Illustration: Fig. 78. Pieces composing pen-holder]
[Illustration: Photograph by Arthur G. Eldredge. Using the Veining Tool]