8. Glue into the holes in the ends pieces of dowel long enough to
project out about half an inch.
9. Allow the glue to harden over night, and saw off the dowels next day
to the proper length. Cut a slight bevel on the end of each dowel with
the knife.
If any carving is to be done on the ends, it must be cut before they
are screwed to the back piece.
[Illustration: Fig. 162. The towel roller]
This method of producing a cylinder without a turning lathe can be
used in a number of ways. For example, boys living in the city, where
a pull-up bar has to be located in the house, can easily make one in
this way, and fasten it between the door jambs at a convenient height.
The blocks for supporting it can be made, as shown in Fig. 163, three
inches each way and 1/2 inch thick. Oak is the best wood for this
purpose. It is strong enough, and can be stained to match the door
frame.
Bore and countersink four holes for 1-1/4-inch flat-head screws.
[Illustration: Fig. 163. The pull-up bar]
To prevent the bar turning, after it has been planed round and about
1/8 inch shorter than the space between the jambs, lay out a one-inch
square on each end. Cut out with a back saw, and chisel until it just
fits the square opening in the blocks. This bar can be taken out and
stored in a closet, when not in use, and the blocks will never be in
the way.
If the bar is so loose in the blocks that it has a tendency to spring
out when you jump for it, a flat piece of oak can be screwed across the
top, as shown in the illustration.
[Illustration: Fig. 164. The hatchet handle. An example of spokeshave
work]
This is an excellent, if limited, gymnasium for those who get little
exercise and whose time and space are limited. Every boy ought to be
able to "chin the bar" at least six or seven times without letting go.
Round objects with a taper, such as pointers and musicians' batons, can
be made by this method, always getting the taper in the square form
first, then planing off corners, etc. It is really work for a turning
lathe, but one must work with such tools as he can afford to purchase.
[Illustration: Fig. 165. The hammer handle]
Many useful articles of oval or elliptical cross section can be made
at a bench which could not be made on an ordinary lathe. The hatchet
handle shown in Fig. 164 is a good example. The wood used should be
strong and tough, such as hickory or maple. After squaring up the stock
to the over all dimensions, the outline is drawn on both flat faces,
and sawed close to the lines with turning saw, finished with drawing
knife and spokeshave. The oval or elliptical forms are then drawn on
the ends, the corners rounded with spokeshave to these curves, and the
whole finished with sand-paper.
The hammer handle (Fig. 165) is made in the same manner.
[Illustration: Fig. 166. Sugar scoop]
The woodworkers of Northern Europe make many household utensils in this
way. The sugar scoop and the wooden ladle, shown in Figs. 166 and 166
_a_, are familiar examples. In these two cases, the bowl is work for
the gouge, while in rounding, some of the surfaces are done with the
file. On general principles, it is not wise to get into the habit of
using a file on wood, except in rare cases where the material is very
hard, such as maple, beech, and similar woods.
[Illustration: Fig. 166 _a_. Wooden ladle]
The towel rack shown in Fig. 167 is suitable for the bath or bed room,
and can readily be made by any boy.
[Illustration: Fig. 167. The towel rack]
The back piece is made with plane and chisel. The straight bevels are
cut with the smoothing plane, and the curves with the chisel. The two
openings or mortises should be laid out and cut before the ends are
rounded. The wood is removed by boring several small holes within
the lines, and finishing to line with a chisel and mallet. The two
supports, or brackets, involve nothing new, and after being finished
are glued into mortises.
The towel sticks may be ten inches or more in length, squared up to 7/8
inch × 1/2 inch. The taper begins two inches from the bored end, and
from this point is planed in a straight line to 3/8 inch square at
the small end. The rounding is done in the same manner as in the towel
roller, the tips rounded with a knife, and the whole piece sand-papered
smooth.
The three sticks are held between the two supports and a 3/8-inch dowel
passed through the five holes, which should of course be in line.
The ends of this dowel can be split before they are placed, and then
in the final position small thin wedges can be driven in with a little
glue.