One of the most valuable projects for a beginner in woodwork to make, looked at either from the point of view of the discipline of technique or from that of design, is a tray for pens or cards, trinkets or pins, clips or collar buttons, or whatsoever. For varieties of trays see Fig. 165.

The first matter to decide is, of course, the use of the tray. If it is to be for penholders and pencils, the trough must be long and wide enough to receive them, and the tray must be stable, so as not to be easily upset. If for cards, or crackers, it must be so designed as to be easily picked up. A suitable wood for this project is sweet gum, because it is of close even texture, moderately soft, cuts clean, polishes well, and has a handsome color and figure. The fixing of the essentials is an easy matter.

Fig. 166. Trays.

The beauty of the tray will depend upon the refinement of its proportions and such embellishments as there are in the way of carving. These are very closely related in this project. That a pen-tray should not be bulky or clumsy goes without saying. But its lightness and grace may depend as much upon the carved embellishments, Fig. 166, Nos. 1, 2, 3, as upon the modeling of the edge, Fig. 167.

A few suggestions may be offered as to the use of line decoration. It is the simplest form of carving and yet lends itself to endless variety. See Figs. 168, 169. One danger in line design is that the lines be too "wiry" or "wormy". This can be corrected by breaking the lines and modifying the ends. It should also be remembered that the blank spaces, that is, those uncarved, should make a pleasing pattern, as well as the carved lines themselves. The rosette design, shown in Fig. 170, is a pure line design, so arranged that the blank spaces make a rosette. An interesting discussion of the breaking up of spaces will be found in Ernest A. Batchelder's Design in Theory and Practice.

Fig 167. Tray with surface and edge modeled.

In making the tray itself the processes are few and simple, but like all good carving, require careful control of the hand, and call for considerable variety of manipulation.

Taking for illustration a typical tray, the pen-tray with rosettes, shown in Fig. 170, first, with the plane, true up the working face, working edge, length, width, and thickness. If the design is not rectangular, but has curved outlines, it is necessary to true up only working face, working edge, and thickness.

To lay out the design, draw on the working face, center lines, one lengthwise, one crosswise, at exact right angles to each other. Draw similar lines on the design.

Lay the design already drawn in paper on a piece of glass, and with a sharp knife point, make a clean cut stencil of one quarter of it. Where necessary to prevent the stencil from becoming too weak or falling apart leave little bridges to hold the parts together, as A A, in Fig. 171.

Fig. 168. Varieties of line carving.

From this stencil, lay out the design on each quarter of the working face of the board. If it is necessary to pin it in place, do so in places where the pin pricks will afterward be cut away. This is more important in a fine textured wood like gum than in a coarse textured wood like oak.

As to when the outline is to be cut, that depends upon its shape. If it is nearly rectangular, it may be shaped before the trough is dug, but ordinarily, and especially if it is curved, it is better not to touch it, until trough and decoration are finished. In this rectangular shape, the edges will not be bruised while handling and it will be easier to hold the piece between the bench-stop and vise-dog. For directions for shaping the outline, see below.