C. D. Shreck

This table is intended for the amateur who desires to construct his own table at a small cost, and have when completed one that will answer ail requirements and be satisfactory in every respect. It is intended to be set up in front of a window, the casing of the window, in fact, acting as the front supports. It may be set in front of any window, but a north window would be preferable, owing to the fact that the sun hardly ever reaches it and the light would be more nearly uniform.

Procure at a lumber yard a smooth, dry, soft, white pine board, 8 feet long, 12 in. wide and 7/8 in. thick; also two strips of the same material, each 10 feet long, 2 in. wide and 1 in. thick. This material will cost you about 50 cents. By sawing the board crosswise through the middle you will get two boards, each four feet long. Lay these face downward, side by side, and fasten them together by the means of three cleats cut from one of the strips. Each cleat should be one foot, three in. long and located as in Fig. 1. Then on three edges of the table fasten, by the means of wire finishing nails or round-headed screws, strips cut from the 2 x 1 material. These strips serve to keep the table from warping, hold the back supports in position and add greatly to the general appearance of the table. These strips should be mitred at the ends where they meet each other so as to form a neat joint.

The table should be suspended to the window casing by the means of hangers, such as are employed in hanging window screens. You can procure them from any hardware dealer and the pair will probably cost fifteen cents, screws included. The hangers should be mounted on table and casing, as shown in drawing. The parts of the hangers that go on the casing should be located 46 1/2 in. from the floor and at a distance apart so that the window curtain, in being pulled down, will clear them.

All that remains to complete your table are a pair of supports, each 4 ft. long, cut from the 2 X1 material. To suspend the table to the casing, slip the hangers together, raise the lower end and place the supports in position, the lower ends resting on the quarter round and floor and the upper ends on the under side side of the table in the corners, between the cleats and strips.

Owing to existing conditions it may be convenient or even necessary to deviate from the instructions here given as, for instance, if you cannot obtain the hangers described, you may substitute hooks and screw-eyes and get practically the same results. But if the general scheme is followed the results will be satisfactory.