See chapter on mechanical drawing for laying out hexagon. This form
will appear crude unless the legs are modified, and two or three
suggestions for this are shown.
The construction consists in fastening to the under side of the top
piece a hexagon of 7/8-inch pine eight inches in diameter, making sides
four inches long. Every alternate side of this under piece should be
made with a sloping edge to conform to the slant of the legs, of which
there are only three. Drill or bore four holes in each leg, two 7/16
inch from the upper edge, and two to hold the hexagonal shelf. The top
edge of the legs should be bevelled with a block plane to fit snugly
against the under side of the top. Three sides of the shelf--every
alternate one--should be bevelled in the same way to fit against the
inside of the legs.
When ready to assemble, fasten pine hexagon to the under side of the
top with six 1-1/4-inch screws.
Attach the legs to the three sloping edges of this under hexagon
lightly with round-head screws. Leave the screw heads projecting about
1/4 inch until the shelf has been fastened in position, then drive them
home with the screw-driver. This is one of the simplest of tabourettes
to make, but it is open to criticism. The sloping legs give it a wide
base so that it is less easily upset than the other forms; but the
pressure from above tends to spread them and pull the structure apart.
This tendency must be counteracted by a tie piece, which in this case
is only a shelf held by screws, some of which are in end grain.
[Illustration: Fig. 178. Two styles of tabourettes]
Of course any form may be criticised. The most beautiful of all, the
Turkish or Moorish, on account of its overhanging top and small base,
is the most easily upset, and in designing new forms all these points
must be considered.