Construction Work for Rural and Elementary Schools Part 6

_Problem_--Curve-cutting.

_Material_--One piece of ba.s.swood, 6-1/21-1/41/4 inches.

One piece of sandpaper, 13-1/8 inches. Glue. Stain.

On the wood place points three and a quarter inches from each end, at A and B, and connect them by line A-B. Place points G and H half an inch from C and D. Start your curve at G, pa.s.s through I, and end at H. In the rectangle A-B-F-E draw a handle as indicated in the diagram. Shape the other end by removing s.p.a.ces G-C-I and H-D-I. Sandpaper thoroughly.

Shape one end of the 13-1/8-inch piece of sandpaper as curve G-I-H, and glue it to the wood. Stain the wood and polish it by rubbing it with a soft cloth.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PENCIL SHARPENER]

4 Match Scratch

_Problem_--Curve and cross-grain cutting.

_Material_--One piece of ba.s.swood, 3-3/431/4 inches. One piece of sandpaper, 2-1/23 inches. Glue.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MATCH SCRATCH]

Place a point at the center of line A-B and of line C-D. Place a point on line A-C and line B-D, one and one-quarter inches from A and B.

Connect these points by a pencil line, and draw another line one-eighth of an inch below. Score these two lines with the point of the knife, making a tiny groove. Draw curves A-E and B-E, the highest point of the curve being half an inch from the edge A-E-B. Draw curves G-F and H-F.

Remove s.p.a.ces 1, 2, 3, and 4. Sandpaper thoroughly the edges and sides.

Shape the piece of sandpaper, two and a half by three inches, to fit the s.p.a.ce G-F-H, allowing a quarter-inch margin, and glue it on. Bore a hole at 5. Do not stain.

[Ill.u.s.tration: KITE STRING WINDER]

5 Kite-String Winder

_Problem_--Cross-grain cutting.

_Material_--One piece of ba.s.swood, 5-1/22-1/21/4 inches.

Measure and lay off as shown in the diagram, and cut out all s.p.a.ces indicated by dotted lines. Sandpaper the wood until it is smooth. Stain the winder or not, as is preferred.

6 Thermometer Back

_Problem_--Beveling and grooving. (See page 62.)

_Material_--One piece of ba.s.swood 631/4 inches. Stain.

For the thermometer back the measurements need be placed on but one side of the wood.

Mark off a quarter-inch from the edge all around and draw a line. Place a second line a quarter-inch within this. Using the line nearest the edge as a guide, cut off the sharp edges on the face of the strip of wood until the slant surface is reached between the line and the back edge. This makes the bevel. The inner line is a guide for s.p.a.cing the design. Originate a simple design, and lay it off on the board in pencil. Then, using the point of the knife, with the greatest care groove out the design. Place a hole near the top of the strip by means of which to hang it. Notice that the design fits around the hole.

Sandpaper, stain, and polish the wood.

The design given here is the simplest that can be made. It is suggested that until the child becomes accustomed to working with the knife, all designs for grooving had better be confined to straight lines. Combine in a design a vertical, a horizontal, and an oblique line, and some beautiful patterns may be originated.

7 Pocket Pin-Cushion

_Problem_--Circular cutting, grooving, stenciling, and coloring. (See page 63.)

_Material_--Ba.s.swood: two pieces, 331/4 inches. One piece of heavy felt 331/4 inches. Glue. Water-color paints.

Stain.

Find the center of each square of wood by drawing the diagonals. With the compa.s.s at the radius of one and one-half inches, describe a circle on each piece of wood (on one side only). Remove s.p.a.ces A, B, C, and D with the knife, and you have a circular block. Remember to cut with the grain. Bevel the edges. Make an original design and apply it to your wood. With the knife groove the outline of this design. There should be a s.p.a.ce three-eighths of an inch wide between the edge of the wood and the outer edge of the design. When the design is grooved in, color it. Red, green and yellow are the best colors. Their ident.i.ty is not lost in staining. Lastly, stain and polish the face of the blocks. Cut the felt the size of the blocks, cover the back of each block with glue, place the felt between the two, and keep the whole in press for several hours. The model here suggests two designs. These are given simply as ill.u.s.trations. Use the same design for both backs of the cushion.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THERMOMETER BACK--(For description see page 61.)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: PIN CUSHION]

[Ill.u.s.tration: DESIGNS FOR PIN CUSHION]

8 Picture Frame

_Material_--Ba.s.swood, sweet gum, walnut or oak. One piece, 861/4 inches, for frame; one piece, 5-1/441/4 inches, for back; one piece, 4-1/231/4 inches, for supports; two pieces, 3-1/43/81/4 inches, and one piece, 5-1/43/81/4 inches for cleats. Glue. Half-inch brads.

Should ba.s.swood be used it must be stained. Sweet gum, walnut, or oak may be left in its natural state, and oiled to bring out the grain and finish.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PICTURE FRAME]

On the 861/4-inch board mark off with a pencil a center s.p.a.ce 2-3/43-3/4 inches in size. With a gimlet bore holes at points A, B, C, and D. Connect these holes with a pencil line as a guide for cutting.

Along the line make a groove which may be broadened and deepened until the board is cut through. By working around the square in this way, the center will soon be opened. Trim the wood as smoothly as possible with a knife; then use sandpaper to level and finish off. Bevel the edge of the opening if you wish.

Cut in half the 4-1/231/4-inch piece of wood, and make two supports, as in Figure 2. With a pencil draw the shape of these supports on the wood; in whittling work very carefully, as they are small and will easily split. As far as possible, hold the pieces so that the knife will shave with the grain of the wood. In crosscut work from the opposite side. In straight cut, keep notches at opposite ends, so that if the knife should slip and the wood split no serious damage will be done.

Place the cleats on the back half an inch from the opening, the longer fitting in between the two shorter ones. Glue them on, then nail them.

Against these cleats glue the back (1) before nailing it. Next glue and nail on the two supports against the back and on a level with the lower edge (Figure 4). On the fourth side, where there is no cleat, is the opening through which the picture is slipped. When the frame is satisfactorily sandpapered, oil and polish it.

9 j.a.panese Box

_Problem_--To construct a box having lid and bottom extend beyond sides.

_Stock_--Ba.s.swood: two pieces, each 8-1/23-1/21/4 inches, for lid and bottom; two pieces, each 821/4 inches, for sides; two pieces, each 2-1/221/4 inches, for ends; two pieces, each 2-1/21/41/4 inches, for cleats. Glue.

Half-inch brads. Stain. Wax.

[Ill.u.s.tration: j.a.pANESE BOX]

On the 8-1/23-1/21/4-inch pieces of wood, cut a bevel a quarter of an inch wide.

Place the two ends between the two sides; glue and nail. Set this rectangular frame on the under side of the bottom, equally distant from each edge, and trace the shape with a pencil. Remove the frame; the pencil line indicates where the nails are to be driven to secure the frame to the base. Now set the frame on the upper side of the bottom; aim for the same s.p.a.cing as on the under side, and mark off. Carefully cover the lower edge of this frame with glue, place it on the base and press the two until the glue is dry. Drive the brads through from the under side of the base an eighth of an inch within the guiding line.

Having beveled and sandpapered the lid, trace a design on it, and outline this design by grooving.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Nail the 2-1/21/41/4-inch cleats to the under side of the lid, five-eighths or an inch from each end and half an inch from each side.