(This exercise may be omitted at the option of instructor.)
It will not be necessary to give many directions for this exercise, as
the student by this time should have learned the sequence of operations
in preparing material. The special points to be noticed in the working
out of this exercise are that the sides are cut out with the rip-saw;
the ends cut with the back-saw; the sides to be finished with the
plane, using the rabbet plane to plane the corners at the stops at the
ends, and the jack-plane for the rest of the surfaces. Surfaces are to
be finished with sand paper and shellaced.
In Fig. 112 will be seen the working drawing. The thickness of stock
required is 1¾ inches. The angle at which to set the bevel for the
ends is ½ inch in 4 inches. All the other dimensions are found on the
drawing.
After the piece is cut out and finished with sand paper, give it a coat
of shellac varnish and let it dry from 8 to 10 hours. Then with No. 00
sand paper smooth the shellac (but do not cut through). After which
give another coat. To obtain a glossy surface the pores of the wood
must be filled with the varnish; by repeating the operation with the
sand paper and giving another coat of shellac, a very good surface will
be obtained.
[Illustration: FIG. 112.]
Care must be taken in putting on the shellac varnish not to put it on
too thick, as it sets or dries quickly and an uneven coat of varnish
is unsightly. Spread it quickly; see that plenty of shellac is on the
brush; do not go over it after it has once been spread evenly, as it
will roll up in small lumps which will have to be left to dry before
anything can be done to it, and then it will take a great amount of
labor to smooth it.
This is one method of finishing with shellac varnish.
To prepare shellac varnish see note.