_The Design._--This is to be a table designed on simple lines and of
good proportions. It is to have no drawer but as much shelf room as
conveniently possible. The under shelf is designed to be cut out to
allow a chair to be drawn up on either side. The end shelves may be
regarded as designed to combine a bookcase with the table, thus adding
much to its usefulness.
_Materials and Tools._--For a table of this kind oak is very
appropriate. The following list gives the stock required for one table.
The widths and the thickness are as called for in the drawing, but the
lengths are given a little long to allow for cutting. A board not less
than 9 inches wide and 10 feet long will be needed as stock for the
top, the dimensions of which are 7/8 × 26 × 39 inches. A 10-inch board,
4-1/2 feet in length, will also be required for the shelves. There will
also be needed four legs 1-3/4 × 1-3/4 × 30 inches; eight slats 1/2 ×
1-1/2 × 18 inches; two back pieces 1/2 × 2 × 20-1/2 inches; two rails
7/8 × 3 × 32 inches; and two rails 7/8 × 3 × 20 inches.
[Illustration: A light library table]
The same tools will be required as in the foregoing problems excepting
that a 1/2-inch bit and a 1/2-inch chisel will be required for
mortising, and two 3-foot clamps.
_Construction._--The first step in the construction is to dress the
stock, smoothing, scraping, and sand-papering it, and working the
various parts to size. The lengths, however, of all parts excepting
the legs are not cut accurately until, in the process of construction,
these parts are needed. The legs are at once cut to length and the
mortises laid out, bored, and cut. A gain should also be cut in each
leg, into which the bottom shelf is to be fitted, glued, and bradded
from the under side. The end and side rails may then be laid off for
shoulders and tenons, and cut. In this case the tenons should be made
1/2 of an inch wide.
[Illustration: Construction details and dimensions (a) front; (b) end]
In gluing up, the top should receive attention first, in order to allow
the longest possible time for testing the work under the inevitable
changes due to continued seasoning. Great care must always be exercised
in making the glued joints. It is often necessary to make them over
on account of the development of cracks. Proper care, however, will
prevent this. The general directions for gluing, given at the beginning
of this chapter, will be of service.
As soon as the top has been glued the four short side pieces may be
glued to the shelf, taking pains to make good joints before applying
the glue. It should be noted that the inside ends of these short
pieces are to be 15 inches apart, and it is important that the ends
on opposite sides should be exactly squared across, as indicated in
the drawings. This may be accomplished by first locating the centre
of the shelf, at the intersection of lines, marked c in the drawing,
and measuring 7-1/2 inches each way to the line of the back pieces,
which are to run across the whole bottom shelf. As soon as the glue is
hardened the ends should be squared and made true to set into the gains
when the table is assembled. Finally, the legs, the rails, and the
shelf may be assembled, glued, squared up, clamped, and set aside to
harden before the clamps are removed.
It is a good plan to brad the shelf in from the under side before
the glue hardens. After standing a few hours the table will be ready
for the 1/2-inch strip which forms the back of the shelf. This is to
be fitted and bradded in. Then the slats may be cut to length. They
project slightly below the shelf, and are fastened in position by
screws. The top may be cut to length and its ends smoothed, after which
it may be fastened on the frame by means of screws and buttons, as
already described in the early part of this chapter.