The problem, how to house one or more cycles, often gives trouble to the occupiers of small premises. The hall-way, which in many cases has to serve as stable, is sadly obstructed by the handles of a machine; and if one is kept there, the reason generally is that no other storage is available.

If accommodation is needed permanently for two or three cycles belonging to the house, and occasionally for the machine of a visitor, and if room is obtainable in a backyard or garden in direct communication with the road, the question of constructing a really durable and practical cycle shed is well worth consideration. I say constructing, because, in the first place, a bought shed costing the same money would probably not be of such good quality as a home-made one; and secondly, because the actual construction, while not offering any serious difficulty, will afford a useful lesson in carpentry.

Cycle sheds are of many kinds, but owing to the limitations of space it is necessary to confine attention to one particular design, which specifies a shed composed of sections quickly put together or taken apart--portability being an important feature of "tenants' fixtures"--and enables fullest advantage to be taken of the storage room. As will be seen from the scale drawings illustrating this chapter, the doors extend right across the front, and when they are open the whole of the interior is easily accessible. The fact that the cycles can be put in sideways is a great convenience, as the standing of the machines head to tail alternately economizes room considerably.

I ought to mention before going further that the shed to be described is very similar, as regards design and dimensions, to one in a back issue of

Cycling. By the courtesy of the proprietors of the journal I have been permitted to adapt the description there given.[1]

Dimensions And General Arrangements

The shed is 8 feet long over all, 5 feet 6 inches high in front, 5 feet high at the back, 3 feet deep over all, under the roof, which projects 3 inches fore and aft, and 2 inches at each end. It consists of seven parts: two sides, roof, back, front frame and doors, and a bottom in two sections.

The reader should examine the diagrams (Figs. 16 to 24) to get a clear understanding of the disposal of the parts at the corners. Fig. 16 makes it plain that the frames of the back and front overlap the frames of the sides, to which they are bolted; and that the covering of the back overlaps the covering of the sides, which in turn overlaps the front frame.

All corner joints are halved. In order to allow the doors to lie flush with the front of the doorframe uprights, the last must project the thickness of the door boards beyond the frame longitudinals; and to bring the front uprights of the sides up against the uprights of the door frame, the longitudinals

Fig. 15. Cycle shed completed.

Fig. 16. Plan of corner joints of cycle shed.

[1: By Mr. Hubert Burgess. ] are notched, as shown (Fig. 16), to the depth of the set-back for the doors.

Materials

The question of cost and the question of materials cannot be separated. A shed even of the dimensions given consumes a lot of wood, and the last, that it may withstand our variable and treacherous climate for a good number of years, should, as regards those parts directly exposed to the weather, be of good quality. Yellow deal may be selected for the boards; pitch pine is better, but it costs considerably more. For the frames and non-exposed parts generally ordinary white deal will suffice.

The scale drawings are based on the assumption that matching of one of the forms shown in Fig. 17, and measuring 4 inches (actual) across, exclusive of the tongue, and 5/8 inch (actual) thick, is used.

As advised in the case of the carpenter's bench, (p. 15) the prospective constructor should let the wood merchant have the specifications, so that he may provide the material in the most economical lengths. The following is a rough estimate of the wood required, allowing a sufficient margin for waste:-

Fig. 17. Types of match boarding: (a) square joint; (b) double.-V; (c) single-V.

4-1/2 (over tongue) by 5/8 inch (actual) yellow match boarding for sides, roof, back, and doors:

1-1/2 squares = 150 sq. feet. = 450 feet run.

White 4-1/2 by 3/4 inch square-shouldered flooring:

1/4 square = 25 sq. feet. = 75 feet run.

3 by 1-1/2 inch battens = 88 feet run.

4 by 1-1/2 inch battens = 26 feet run.

3 by 2 inch battens = 27 feet run.

5 by 1-1/2 inch battens = 8 feet run.

2 by 1-1/2 inch battens = 21 feet run.

There will also be required :Twelve 6-inch bolts and nuts.

Two pairs 18-inch cross-garnet hinges.

Two door bolts.

One lock (a good one).

Four yards of roofing felt.

Two gallons of stoprot.

Three lbs. wire-nails

A few dozen 3-inch and I-1/2-inch screws.

The total cost of the materials will come to about 2 pounds, 2s.