THE accompanying figure shows you a very useful but rather peculiar
piece of furniture quite simple to make; if you are ever ill in bed
yourself or any one in the family is obliged to lie in bed and have
meals brought to them, I think you will say it is a handy thing to have
instead of a waiter that joggles and tips on one’s lap in the bed,
instead of even a table at the side of the bed that compels one to
twist round uncomfortably in order to reach.
It explains itself, almost; but a few directions and dimensions will
help you.
As you can see, it is a tray with legs to set over the lap in bed,
with a rim to keep things from sliding off, and is light enough to be
carried by the side handles; a tempting breakfast for the invalid can
be arranged neatly upon it instead of a waiter.
It can be made of any kind of wood, but black walnut is as pretty as
any and enough can be bought for it, for about fifty cents.
You will need two boards, each two feet long; one should be one foot
wide and one half inch thick, the other one and a half foot wide and
one half inch thick.
[Illustration: BED TABLE.]
Take the first one; plane nicely, being careful to have the ends and
edges square. Set this aside for the top of tray.
Plain one edge of second piece (the one and one half feet wide); with
splitting saw cut off strips twenty-four inches long by four inches
wide: square ends and plane edges of piece left. Measure one foot from
end, square and cut off. You will have two pieces alike for the ends or
legs, and one strip two feet long, four inches wide, for back.
Round off one edge of top (the piece two feet long by one foot wide)
with small plane, and sandpaper smooth. Take two side pieces; find
points nine inches from bottom and respectively four and eight inches
from side of leg; bore holes with largest bits, split out piece
between, enlarge and smooth with gouge or knife to fit the hand. These
are to slip the fingers through to hold the tray.
Draw a line parallel with, and ten inches from, bottom of legs and
fasten one leg on either end of the two foot by one foot piece, using
three one inch screws for each leg.
Fit the back piece neatly on to square edge of top and fasten with four
screws; put a screw on upper corner of each of the sides, through into
end of back to make it steadier.
If the corners of the sides are rounded as in picture, it will look a
little better.
You can make this bed table even more useful by attaching a simple
book rest which will be a great comfort to an invalid who is able to
read yet finds it fatiguing to hold a book.
Cut two pieces one quarter inch thick, one wide and seven inches long,
and one piece nine inches long; one half inch from bottom of the two
seven inch pieces, bore holes large enough for seven-eighths inch
screws to play in.
One half from ends of nine inch piece, make some smaller holes, and
also two holes one inch from top of back (on inside) and eight inches
apart.
Screw ends of seven inch pieces into these holes and the nine inch
piece into the other ends of the seven inch pieces; of course the
screws must play easily. When not in use the rack will fold over and
lie inside the back as shown by dotted lines.
To keep the book from slipping forward insert two movable pegs about
three and a half inches apart in front of middle of back.