New subjects: Wedged construction. Router plane.

Wood: Oak, elm, or cherry.

Preparatory: Same as in Fig. 1, applied to all pieces.

Exercises.

1. A. Work ends to desired shape. Do not plane the ends.

B.   Select the best sides for the outsides, and lay out carefully the exact location of the grooves which are to receive the shelves. Be sure that the grooves are a little smaller than the thickness of the shelves. Mark with a knife.

C.   Locate the mortises through which the tenons of the shelves

are to pass, and from the lines denoting the grooves, square across the edges of the piece to the outside. Knife lines should now be made across the top and bottom of the mortise, but not across the rest of the outside of the end, as they will show when the piece is finished. The top and bottom of the mortises on the outside of the end must be exactly square with the corresponding lines of the grooves on the inside.

D.   Cut the mortises nearly through from the outside, beginning by boring with a bit about 1/8" less in diameter than the thickness of the shelf. Be sure that the wood in the mortises is cut away so that the tenons which extend through will bear only upon the inside and outside of the ends. See C, Topic 90 A.

E.   Cut the grooves in the inside of the end 1/4" deep. Do not allow them to extend within 1/2" of the front edge of either piece. Use a router plane to insure accurate depth to each groove.

F.   Cut the rabbets to receive the backboards in the inside corners of the ends.

2.   A. Cut shelves to the required width and length, including tenons.

B.   Block-plane the ends square with the edge and sides.

C.   Mark sides of the tenons on the ends of the shelves by laying their ends against the mortises in the ends of the rack into which they are to fit with the front edges of the shelves in their exact relation with the front edge of the ends. Number the shelves and mortises so that the pieces may be returned to the places for which they are fitted. Mark with a knife, and saw a little outside of the marks, to allow for smoothing the edges of the tenons.

3.   A. Lay the shelves together with edges and ends flush.

B.   Hold them with hand screws.

C.   Measure the required distance between the insides of the ends of the plate rack, and lay it off equidistant from the ends of the shelves.

D.   Make the knife line by a try-square across the front edges of the shelves as they are held in one bunch. This is important, as it is necessary that all the shelves should be exactly the same length between the lines which indicate the shoulders, or the visible part of the connection between the shelf and the end.

E.   With a backsaw, make the cut for the shoulder, square with the face edge, and to a depth of 1/2' from it. See C, Fig. 139.

F.   Take off the hand screws. Measure about 7/32' beyond the shoulder of each end of each shelf, from which point make a line from the front to the back of the shelf. This line, where it does not cross a tenon, indicates the end of the shelf that rests against the bottom of the groove. G. Cut carefully to this line with a saw, and no more finishing will be needed.

4.   A. Plane shelves and ends.

B. Cut grooves in shelves between the ends. Use a gouge for this purpose.

5.   A. Mark holes in the tenons for wedges.

B.   Make the outside of the holes in the tenons of the same slant as the wedge that it is to receive; the inside of the holes, or the side nearest the base of the tenons, should be about 1/8" inside of the ends when they are in place. See section. This is to allow the force of the wedge to pull the shoulder of the shelf against the end, to assist which, the part of the shelf which enters the groove is 1/32" less than the depth of the groove.

C.   Make the wedges about three times as long as they should be, so that they may be fitted, and afterward cut off to their correct length.

6.   Fit the tenons to the mortises for which they have been cut. If they are too tight, take a little from the mortise, being very careful that no more is taken off than will allow the tenon to come through snugly.

7.   Plane, scrape, and sandpaper all pieces.

8.   A. Set up case permanently. Use glue on the shoulders only.

B.   Hold joints together with clamps until wedges are fitted.

C.   After the wedges are fitted, they should be cut off so that they will project about 7/8" above and below the shelf.

D.   Sandpaper wedges.

E.   Place a little glue on the end of the rack where the wedge will cover it, - not enough to squeeze out, - and drive the wedge into its permanent place.

9.   Fit back rails, smooth, scrape, and' sandpaper, and nail them in their places from the back.

10.   Examine for defects and remedy them.

11.   Stain and finish as desired. If it is thought best to fill this model, see W, Topic 69.