Another piece of work that can be made by the amateur, who exercises carefulness and patience, is the wall bracket, as shown in Fig. 276.

The shape of a wall bracket can be made up by any number of pieces; but that in the figure is partly octagonal, the three front and two side pieces together forming five sides of an octagon.

The whole number of parts in the bracket will be seven, three front, two side, and the top and back pieces.

Any convenient section for the moulding can be chosen, either simple or complex, to suit the skill of the operator in working up, and for the bracket to give the best effect when hanging from a wall.

Wall Bracket 311

Fig. 276.

The setting out of the various patterns is shown in Fig. 277. The section of the moulding is first set out. A base line is drawn square to the centre line; and as the article is octagonal in shape, a joint line will be set off, making an angle of -

360 / twice number of sides = 360/ 16 = 22 1/2o

This angle can be set on either side of the base line, whichever is most suitable. The section line of moulding is then divided up into any convenient number of parts, and figured as shown by the numbers 0 to 23. Perpendiculars to the base line are then drawn through each point and along to the joint line, as seen by the dotted lines.

The pattern for one of the three front strips will be marked out by first laying down the girth line, the lengths being taken step by step between the numbers from the section line. Through these points lines square to the girth line are drawn, and their lengths on each side cut off equal to the corresponding line between the base and joint lines. Thus, to give an illustration, lines 0 0 and 3 3 on the pattern will be respectively equal to lines 0 0 and 3 3 as indicated between base and joint lines.

It will be seen that the cut on a side strip is exactly the same as that for a front piece, and marked out in precisely the same way. The width of the strip is obtained by making the top line equal in length to the top line of a front strip or twice the length of line 0 0 between base and joint lines, and then drawing a line parallel to the girth line. Perhaps the most convenient and accurate way of marking out the strips would be to set out the shape of a side piece first, and then use this for a pattern from which to obtain the shapes pf the other four pieces.

The pattern for the back can be easily drawn out, for the exact shape of half of it is as shown by the figure which is bounded by the top line, centre line of back, and moulding section on Fig. 277.

Wall Bracket 312

Fig. 277.

The shape of the top plate is also shown on the same figure, the dotted lines representing the exact shape around the inside of top of bracket. The lengths as marked being obtained from the lines with the same number on the section of bracket.

The top and back can be made in one piece; but this will cause some inconvenience in soldering, as all the joints should be soldered down the inside, the top plate being soldered on last of all.

To hang the bracket from the wall, a good plan will be to solder or rivet a plate on the inside of the back and to put two key-shaped holes right through the two thicknesses of metal, as shown in Fig. 277.

The bracket can be made out of sheet zinc or other suitable material, and after all the joints are carefully scraped, painted some colour that will harmonise with its surroundings.