This convenient and useful table will be much appreciated by any woman.
It has two drawers for sewing material, and two drop leaves to spread
the work upon.
The following list of material will be needed for its construction. The
sizes given are exact, so if the stock cannot be bought at a mill ready
planed and squared, a slight allowance must be made for this.
4 posts, 1-1/4 by 1-1/4 by 27 in., S-4-S.
9 rails, 7/8 by 2 by 14-1/2 in., S-2-S.
1 top, 7/8 by 18 by 18 in., S-2-S.
2 leaves, 7/8 by 10 by 18 in., S-2-S.
2 drawer fronts, 3/4 by 5 by 13-1/2 in., S-2-S.
4 drawer sides, 3/8 by 5 by 13 in., S-2-S.
2 drawer backs, 3/8 by 4-1/8 by 13 in., S-2-S.
2 drawer bottoms, 3/8 by 12-3/4 by 13 in., S-2-S.
4 drawer slides, 7/8 by 2 by 13 in., S-2-S.
3 panels, 3/8 by 9-3/8 by 14 in., S-2-S.
2 brackets, 7/8 by 3 by 4 in., S-2-S.
Have the surfaces of the legs exactly square with each other. The ends
must be square with all surfaces, but need not be planed smooth as
neither will be seen in the finished table.
[Illustration: Sewing Table in Plain Oak]
Arrange the rails in position. The two rails in each side and back are
placed with the 2-in. surface out, while the three in the front have the
2-in. surface up for the drawers to slide upon. Mark the tenons, 1 in,
by 3/8 in., with a knife and gauge lines on each end of the rails for
the sides and back. Mark the tenons, 3/4 in. by 7/8 in., as shown in the
sketch, on each end of front rails. Cut all the tenons with a backsaw
and smooth them with a chisel.
[Illustration: Detail of the Sewing Table]
Carefully mark the mortises in the legs, taking measurements for each
mortise from the tenon which is to go into it. Fit together all rails
and legs without glue to detect any errors.
See that the panels for sides and back are squared up true and the
surfaces smooth. Mark the grooves for the panels in the side and back
rails and legs. Cut the grooves with a chisel or plow plane to a depth
of 1/4 in.
Glue up the joints and clamp the two table sides first. While the glue
is setting, square up and smooth the top and two leaves perfectly.
Now glue up the whole table, having set in the front and back rails and
panel. The drawer slides, two on each side, should next be put in. A
nail through them and into each leg will hold them, as there is only the
weight of the drawers resting on them. Fasten the top with screws
through the rails from the under side. The leaves are attached with two
2-in. butt hinges which must be set in flush with the under surface to
prevent a crack showing between the table top and leaf when the latter
is raised. The small bracket hinged to the panel supports the open leaf.
[Illustration: Construction of the Drawer]
The drawers are now made. Allow the side to lap over the front 1/2 in.
as shown in sketch and fasten it with nails. The bottom should be let
into the sides and front 1/4 in., but must not be nailed to them,
because this would cause the drawer to stick, when the bottom expands.
Metal rings or wooden knobs will do well for the drawer pulls.
Stain to any desired shade and finish with a wax if a dull gloss is
wanted, or with one coat of shellac and two coats of varnish for a
highly polished surface.