[Illustration: A knock-down bookcase]
_The Design._--The problem of design was to plan a simple, inexpensive
bookcase which could be easily transported and set up in a student's
room and which would hold approximately two hundred books. The drawings
show how these requirements were met in the design. When in use it is
held together by keyed shelves at the top and bottom. The necessary
stiffness is given to it by the base pieces which are fastened both
to the sides and to the bottom shelf by screws. Additional stiffness
is given by drawing up the three middle shelves to the sides by
means of screws. Upon removing the screws and the keys the bookcase
is easily taken apart so that it may be crated in compact form for
transportation. It is equally easy to set it up again. It has no back
and may therefore stand away from the wall as well as against it. Its
contour is plain, with few curves, giving a simplicity which will
harmonize with modest surroundings and yet not bar it from keeping
company with more pretentious furnishings.
The original of this design was actually made up in white wood, stained
and finished to harmonize with black walnut furniture; but it may
be made up in oak, ash, cherry, or any of the common woods used for
furniture. For one bookcase the stock required is as follows, the sizes
allowing for finishing to the dimensions as given in the drawing: For
the ends, two pieces 7/8 inch × 10-1/4 inches × 4 feet 2-1/2 inches;
for the short shelves, three pieces 7/8 inch × 10-1/4 inches × 3 feet
1 inch; for the long shelves, two pieces, 7/8 inch × 10-1/4 inches ×
3 feet 5 inches; for the base pieces, two pieces 7/8 inch × 6-3/4 ×
inches × 3 feet; for the keys, one piece 7/8 inch × 7/8 inch × 1 foot.
In addition to this there should be two dozen No. 10 round-headed
blued screws, and one half dozen 1-1/2 inch No. 10 flat headed blued
screws.
The tools needed are as follows: Rip saw, cross cut saw, back saw,
compass, jack-plane, smoothing plane, block plane, spokeshave, try
square, steel square, rule, knife, hammer, mallet, screw-driver, 3/4,
1/2, and 3/16 inch bits and bitstock, and 1/2 and 3/4 inch chisels,
gauges, and sand-paper.
[Illustration: Details and dimensions for a knock-down bookcase]
_Construction._--All the stock should be jointed, planed to width,
and smoothed with sand-paper. The two end pieces should be squared to
length, the top corners rounded, and the curve at the bottom cut as
shown in the drawing. Care should be exercised in sand-papering not
to round the edges. The correct spacing for the shelves should then
be marked off on the end pieces and squared across, care being taken
to have both ends spaced alike. To do this plane the ends together,
with their edges flush; and, beginning at the bottom, measure off each
of the spaces with correct allowance for the thickness of the shelf
and mark these spaces across the edge. Then, separate the end pieces
and with the marks on the edges as a guide, square across each of
the end pieces on the inside and mark with a knife. In allowing for
the thickness of the shelves it should be remembered that the stock,
though originally 7/8 of an inch in thickness, has been planed and
sand-papered, some of the shelves perhaps having been finished down
more than others. It will therefore be necessary to measure and allow
for the thickness of each shelf separately.
[Illustration: Method of gaining-in the shelves]
The three middle shelves are "gained" in--_i. e._, set into grooves in
the upright ends--1/4 of an inch deep, as shown in the sketch. It will
be better craftsmanship if the grooves are not carried across the full
width of the end pieces but stopped, say, one inch from the edge, the
shelves being cut to fit, as shown in the drawing. If this be done, the
grooves should be cut out carefully with a chisel. If the grooves be
carried across the full width of the end, they may be cut down with a
back saw and then chiselled out. To insure a good fit in either case
care should be exercised not to cut outside the knife lines. Chisel the
bottom of the grooves carefully so that they will be uniformly 1/4 of
an inch deep.
The next step is to cut the mortises for the top and bottom shelves.
The dimensions for these should first be laid off on the stock by
means of a gauge. They should then be bored well inside the marks and
carefully chiselled out. Before this chiselling is done, however,
knife lines should be marked on the outside of the end pieces exactly
opposite the gauge lines. In mortising, as in cutting the grooves, the
greatest care will need to be exercised that the chisel does not cut
outside the knife lines. In working for a close fit it is better to
err on the side of removing too little stock at first, if one must err
at all, since it is quite easy to remove a little more in the final
fitting. It is quite impossible to replace stock once removed.
In measuring for the length of the shelves it should not be overlooked
that the top and bottom shelves are to carry the tenons to be keyed
through the end pieces. These tenons should be cut out accurately with
a rip saw, and the stock between them removed with a chisel after
a deep knife line has been made. After fitting these tenons to the
mortises and finishing them, the mortises for the keys should be cut,
using a small chisel. It should not be overlooked that the outside
face of each key mortise is cut on an angle, as illustrated. The three
middle shelves are then cut to length, the ends squared by means of a
block plane, and corners cut out to fit the grooves.
[Illustration: Details of the keys]
The parts are now ready to be put together temporarily and squared up
in order to fit in the base pieces more perfectly than could be done by
mere measurement. It will add a pleasing detail to set back these base
pieces 1/4 of an inch from the front and back faces.
After all the parts are carefully fitted they should be assembled
and the key and screw fastenings inserted. When this is accomplished
the bookcase is ready for finishing. As this is a distinct part of
furniture making it is reserved for treatment in a later chapter.