James Hunter

In a residence having fireplaces in which wood is used as the fuel, the storing of a suitable supply of wood near the fireplace is attended with dirt and chips unless some receptacle is provided for the wood. An investigation at several stores of what the market afforded in the way of wood boxes did not disclose anything that met my wishes, and as the making of a simple rack did not seem a very difficult operation, I purchased the necessary wood and constructed the holder here described, which has proved entirely satisfactory for the purpose intended and has also been commended by in-

The perspective illustration, Fig. 1, plainly shows the design, and Figs. 2 and 3 the dimensions of the several parts with a few exceptions, and these will be given in the text. Carefully selected oak was used throughout, the desire being to get pieces as finely figured as possible. The sides were made first. Eight pieces 15 in. long, and 1 3/4 in. square, and eight pieces 9 3/4 in. long, 2 in. wide and 1/2 in. thick are needed. Four of the square pieces form the corners and the other pieces run horizontally along the sides as shown in Fig. 2. Mortises are cut in these latter piecese 1/4 in. deep for the slats, and the ends are cut down to form tenons to fit in mortises cut in the coiner pieces.

About the only thing to be noted in cutting the tenons and mortises in the sides and corners is the way the tenons on the lower sides and corners is the way pieces, Fig. 3, are carried by each other, those on the side pieces being cut on the upper part and on the end pieces on the lower part. The two end pieces are 16 in. long; the tenons on the ends are 4 in. long, 1 in. wide and 1 1/2 in. high. The board forming the bottom is 18 in. long, 2 in. wide and 7/8 in. thick. The corners are beveled off to avoid being marred by the logs. The inverted brackets on the tenons at the corners were cut out with a compass saw and smoothed with a spoke dulgent friends. I therefore submit the following de scription, with the hope that the more critical audience it is now to meet will not find it unworthy of their ap proval.

shave. It would save considerable work if these pieces could be cut on a band saw. They are held in place with glue. The board forming the bottom is fastened with three large screws at each end, the holes for them were out with a 1/2 in. bit for about 1/4 in., then countersunk for the screw heads, and after the screws are in, covered with buttons cut out of waste pieces, with a knife and set in with glue. Any unevenness is then taken off with a sharp chisel and finished with sandpaper.

When completed, a coat of "fumed oak" stain was put on, and finished with a mixture of linseed oil, paiaf-fine wax and turpentine, three coats of the latter being needed before the result was satisfactory. It is quite probable that many readers will see ways whereby this design and the method of construction can be much improved, but if what has here been said shall be found of any value, the writer will feel amply repaid for having submitted this too imperfect description.