The wall cabinet for drugs and toilet articles, where the various
household remedies may be found quickly, is illustrated in Fig. 194.
It calls for a panelled door, the construction and details of which are
given in the drawing.
After squaring up the four pieces for styles and rails, plough a
1/4-inch groove 3/8 of an inch deep on the inner edge of all the
pieces. This groove is to receive the panel which is planed down to
fit. The two uprights are to be mortised at each end, as shown by
dotted lines and edge view.
The tenons on the ends of the rails are cut with a shoulder. This
closes the space made by the plough on the uprights, as shown in the
top view.
The panel is squared up 3/4 inch larger each way than the open space
between rails and styles and a long bevel is planed on each of the four
sides, leaving the thickness of the edges just great enough to fit the
bottom of the grooves of rails and styles.
Another method of making a panel is to use thin wood which will just
fit the grooves, and to fill the joints with a simple moulding mitred
at the corners.
The raised panel is not difficult to make, however, and there is little
difference in the time consumed by the two methods.
When the five parts are ready for assembling, the mortise joints are
glued, the panel slipped into place and left free to shrink in the
grooves. The door is placed in hand screws or clamps over night.
As it is to fit a definite space, always make a door slightly larger
than its finished dimensions, to allow for planing off and fitting.
While it is drying, proceed with the building of the cabinet. The back
inner edges of the sides are to be rabbeted to receive the back, which
may be made of 1/4 or 3/8 inch white wood. Material for the cabinet
proper may be any hard wood, or even white wood.
The shelves may be 1/2 inch thick. Heavier material is not necessary,
on account of the short span. They are to be gained into the sides to
the depth of 3/8 or 1/2 inch. The spacing of the shelves should be
adapted to the sizes of bottles to be accommodated, and the dimensions
given in the drawing are merely suggestive.
The overhanging top may be made either with moulded edges on front and
sides or be left square. It is secured by screws from the under side of
the false top.
[Illustration: Fig. 194. The medicine cabinet]
The sides are shown modified at the bottom to give a pleasing effect,
and the back piece may either be brought down and cut to a curved
outline, as indicated in the drawing, or stopped at the first shelf.
In assembling, first put the false top in place and nail it to the
sides; next put the top on with screws, slip the shelves into their
respective grooves, and glue. Put on the back, nailing securely to
sides and shelves. To make the cabinet more rigid, drive 1-inch brads
into the shelves from the outside set and fill the holes.
Last of all, fit the door, and fasten it with hinges and a catch.
A lock may be used, but that is hardly advisable, as in case of an
emergency the key may be lost at the critical moment. Stain and polish.
The method of fastening is by screws through the back into the wall
studs.
Cabinets for various purposes can be designed along the lines just
described, but in each case the method of construction is similar.
A stronger cabinet would result if the top and bottom shelves were
mortised through the sides in the mission style. The only objection to
this is that if the horizontal space be limited, the projecting tenon
may be in the way.
[Illustration: Fig. 195. A filing cabinet]
The filing cabinet for papers shown in Fig. 195 is of radically
different construction. As it is designed to stand on a desk, or
independent shelf, the base may be very simple or omitted entirely, as
in the drawing.
It is divided into twelve compartments, with a clear space in each of
12-1/2 × 5-1/2 × 3-1/2 inches, these being the outside dimensions of
the drawers.
It is important in building up these compartments to use lumber that
is well seasoned and free from warp. Gain the shelves into outside
uprights, stopping the groove half an inch from the front.
Before sliding the shelves into the grooves, lay out on the four pieces
the grooves for the three vertical partitions. It will be much easier
to cut these grooves clear through from front to back, but a better
appearance from the front can be obtained by stopping the grooves half
an inch back, as on the sides.
Each vertical partition will then consist of three separate pieces
slipped in from the back. A cross section of the cabinet will appear,
as _a_. The quarter-inch back is to be gained into the sides as shown
in the top view.
The construction of the drawer is shown at _c_, the sides being cut
away toward the back. Otherwise the drawer is simply an open box made
of 3/8-inch pine or white wood, with 1/4-inch bottom put together with
brads.
The false front, made of the same material as top and sides, gives a
suitable finish, and practically covers all joints; it is secured by
flat-head screws from the inside.
In assembling the drawer, it should be made about 1/16 inch smaller
than the compartment it is to fit, to prevent binding in damp weather.
Bay wood, a light-coloured mahogany, is very appropriate for this piece
of office furniture, the edges of partitions being stained to match. A
brass drawer-pull, with a space left for a printed label, is to be put
on after the polishing is done.
Filing cabinets made by this method may, of course, be made with
drawers of different proportions and with any number of compartments,
but this size is designed to hold long envelopes, letters, bills, etc.