Do it yourself Book Shelf

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Do it yourself book shelf: Coarse-grained woods make up into furniture and
take a more satisfactory finish than close-grained woods. For this reason chestnut
or oak is suggested for this shelf. Chestnut has a beautiful grain and is soft
and easily worked.
There will be needed the following pieces:
• Sides, 2 pieces, 3/4 by 7-1/4 by 16-1/2 in., S-2-S.
• Lower shelf, 1 piece, 3/4 by 6-1/4 by 30-1/2 in., S-2-S.
• Upper shelf, 1 piece, 3/4 by 4-3/4 by 30-1/2 in., S-2-S.
• Lower back, 1 piece, 3/8 by 3-1/2 by 30-1/2 in., S-2-S.
• Upper back, 1 piece, 3/8 by 3 by 30-1/2 in., S-2-S.
In this do it yourself book shelf project, the pieces have been specified 1/4
in. wider and 1/2 in, longer than the finished piece is to be to allow for squaring
up. The thicknesses are specified mill-planed exact so that all that is necessary
is to merely plane off the mill-marks from the two broad surfaces.
It is quite possible that one may have a particular space or a particular
set of books to place in the shelf. In such a case the length of the horizontals
should be lengthened or shortened to meet the particular demands when ordering
the lumber.
Begin work by squaring the horizontals to size. They are to be all of the
same length. Next shape up the end pieces. The amount of slope for the front
edges is indicated on the drawing. After all these pieces have been squared
up and the mill-marks removed, the dadoes or grooves and gains may be laid out
and cut.
Beginners are prone to underestimate the importance of getting all the mill-marks
off before putting on any finish. When boards are planed at the mill the planing
is done by means of two or four knives revolving above or below the board—sometimes
both above and below at the same time.
These knives leave the surfaces filled with little ridges and hollows across
the grain. These hollows, though they are hardly visible to the eye on the unfinished
surface, show up as ugly streaks upon the surface after it has had a finish
of stain and filler applied.
The joints of this woodworking do it yourself book shelf used are typical
and the beginner can readily find how they are to be made from any good book
on wood-working.
There are several ways of fastening the parts in this do it yourself book
shelf project. They may be fastened by means of round-head blued screws. They
may be fastened with carriage screws. The one in the illustration was put together
with ordinary wire nails and the heads of these covered with ornamental heads
to represent old-fashioned hand-wrought nails.
It will be found easier to apply the finish of stain and filler before the
parts are assembled.
A suitable finish is obtained as follows: After the parts are thoroughly sanded,
put on a coat of Filipino water stain, wiping it off with an old cloth before
it has had time to soak into the wood very much. Allow this to dry. Then sand
lightly, using No. 00 paper, after which fill the pores of the wood with a black
paste filler—directions will be found on the can. Follow this, when hardened,
with several coats of floor wax.
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