Easy-to-build projects including: Desks ¢ Chairs © Tables ¢ Children’s furniture Coffee table ¢ Couch-bed ¢ Ottoman and tray Hi-fi cabinet ¢ Kitchen cabinet ¢ Sewing cabinet Shoreside cabana ¢ Sand box © Playhouse Camp trailer ¢ Plywood boat ¢ Plant boxes Lawn tool storage © Garden potting shedHow fo BOWL BETTER + Rules, footwork, straight, hhook and curve ball, scoring, team play (No. 362) Mechanix Ilustrated HOME REPAIRS * Furniture plumbing, masonry and electrical repairs (No. 351) Peter Basch's PHOTO STUDIES + Pinups, pore traits, nudes. Over 230 glamour photos. (No. 350) Home Workshop FURNITURE PROJECTS * TV table, storage units, garden furniture, finishes. (No. 349) Photographing The FEMALE FIGURE * Poses action, props, lighting, techniques, portraits. (No. 348] ELECTRONICS GUIDE + Kits, receivers, hifi, ampli- fiers, tape recorders, “ham” radio, gadgets. (No. 347) GOOD PHOTOGRAPHY + New! Multiple nude, out- door glamour, children, documentary, salon. (No. 346) ix Illustrated POWER TOOLS HANDBOOK + . stationary tools. Set up shop, safety. (No. 345) HOW TO MAKE CERAMICS + Molds, glaze, sirbruth, potter's wheel. Vases, bowis, files platen, {Nev S44) Alto available in herd cover edition at $2.00 per copy CAMERA IN PARIS * Landmarks, Louvre Museum, show: Girls, Metro, Moulin Rouge, Lentheric, fashions. (No. 343) HOW TO REPAIR washing machines, clothes dryers, re frigeraters, vacuum cleaners, fans, mixers, ete. (No. 342) To order direct, send 75¢ per copy fer regular editi 0: copy mailing charge end number when ordering. hard cover C De Lure edi Add 10¢ per yf Dept. 354, Greenwich, Specity WSSTAND, LE. TORE AND BUILDING MARKET, HARDWARE How To Save On CAR SERVICE AND REPAIR © Fuels, radiators, shafts, gears, wheels, ties, ete. (No. 341) PRIZE WINNING PHOTOGRAPHY + Howto articles illustrated by winners in sports, nudes, candids, (No. 340) HOW TO BUILD IT + Furniture, cabinets, workshop aids, toys, outdoor projects, add a room garage. (Ne. 339) Outdoor BARBECUE Cook Book * 125 recipes: meat, vegetables, sauces, Barbecues to build, tools. (No. 338) How To Build And Contract Your Own HOME + Save up te $10,000. Foundation, interior, exterior. (No. 337) Also available in hard cover edition at $2.00 per copy. New Way To Kill WEEDS In Your Lawn And Gerden * Control crab grass, peison ivy, dandelions, etc. (No. 336) Also available in hard cover edition at $2.00 per copy. The Complete ARCHERY BOOK * Techniques, equip. ment, hunting, fishing. Make bows, arrows. (No. 336) Also available in hard cover edition at $2.00 per copy. The New HOW TO BUILD HOT RODS * Methods, tools, build « $250 rod, customizing, best het rods. [No- 334} ‘Also available in hard cover edition at $2.00 per copy. How To Build OUTDOOR FIREPLACES And Furniture * Barbecues, smoke oven, chairs, buying guide. (No. 333) ‘Alo aveilable in hard cover edition at $2.00 per copy. Good Photography's DARKROOM GUIDE + Developing, intensification, reduction, quality prints. (No. 332) Also available in hard cover edition at $2.00 per copy. FAMOUS GUNS From Famous Collections * History of guns from colonial days. Over 300 photos. (No. 331) DING DRUG STORE, SUPER SUPPLY D. or $2.00 FAWCETT BOOKS,Sand to a perfect finish with 1 With ordinary die sanders, center aut allows oaly partial con- (act of sanding dise—enusesswitl marks, @ NOW YOU CAN sind professionally on every YOU Save time workshop project with your electric drill and the FLExAC pad. This new convenient attachment will save you hours of tiresome hand sanding on both rough and final finish opera- when... tions, The FLEXBAC pad is soft and flexible. Its cushion-type action eliminates pressure points on either flat surfaces or on complex curves and contours. Sanding discs cling to face of pad with a pressure-sensitive adhesive—no Center nut. The discs can be peeled off and replaced in seconds, You can use the FLEXBAC pad for finishes on wood, metal or plastic. Fornitore 19 joints and seoms setween point ted sanding CCushion-type resilenepad sands with smooth, even pressure iSoea ¢ 6” Cpe ® Ask your local Carborundum Hardware or Building Supply Dealer for lo fg @ PAD ASSEMBLY by CARBORUNDUMHandy Man’s Plywood ‘A FAWCETT BOOK LARRY EISINGER GEORGE TILTON HAROLD KELLY W.H. Fawcett, Jr. Roger Fawcett . Ralph Daigh . . James B. Boynton . Al Allard... Ralph Mattison Annette Packer DAN BLUE . . SILVIO LEMBO .. . Nick Carlucct . Murray Cooper Horold E, Price . . Michael Gaynor. . . Lorry Flanagan . . . John 8. Selvaggio . . Howard Katz Mike Eastman. Phyllis J. Goodman Nancy Kay ss +s MANAGING EDITOR | General Manager All About Plywood + Advertising Director NUMBER 354 EDITORAN-CHIEF Contents ART EDITOR « President « Editorial Director Growing Desk Wall-Hung Desk pio ‘Art Director Double-Duty Desk . ae T} Associate Art Director “'Big-Top"” Desk ae - Production Director Wardrobe Desk . . ue ‘Magazine Wall Rack . 40 + EDITOR | Take-Apart Furniture . 4 ASSOCIATE ART EDITOR HEF Cabinet s-<+=15 a . Asistant Art Edior ana eS es art Anociens C2llapsible Coffee Table 52 Kneeling Table 58 - Art Awodale Sig ef + Art Asociote | Co ped 66 ArtAssociote Easy Chair « «= Art Associate Ottoman and Stool + Art Associate | Upholstered Dining Chai «Art Astociate Assistant Production Editor Introduction PLYWOOD is one of the wonders of the wood industry, It comes in many sizes and forms, is easy to work with, and does a million and one jobs well. This book explains why this id provides you with many simple, easy-to-make projects which prove the versatility of plywood. First, read the special, detailed, easy-to-understand section on working with plywood. Then look through the many indoor and outdoor projects and start building. You will find that we have included everything from a lavish shoreside cabana to a simple magazine rack, All of the projects are inexpen- sive and easy-to-build. All of them will add to the beauty anid comfort of your home. Ty. se on Aas - jitore I ro] e cts eu Ua YU aC m rye Sewing Cabinet . 90 Scissors Rack . 94 Recipe File-Telephone Desk . 96 Vegetable Storage = ee Range Cabinet . 100 Oven Utensil Cabinet 102 Shoreside Cabana 104 Lawn Tool Storage 2112 Garden Potting Shed 24 Plant Boxes ..... 116 Junior Wheelbarrow 118 Hanging Storage Box +120 Patio Set .. . 122 Sectional Patio Tables. -126 Sandbox . 128 Playhouse . 130 Camp Trailer . . 132 The Pod ... . 138 Ay HANDY WAN'S PLYWOOD PROJECTS, Facet Hook Shares chases aes 000 entre ate ee PE ICSHOOLEATR a eid and cit ee Saecte) Giana site "ot oie oa eee enel tater = Sere Cains a eee rn agency eT USSR oie cr aaa habia Sasi Peas hacIKE many other manufacturing giants, the plywood industry emerged from humble origins. It has come a long way since that summer in 1905 when a few hastily assembled display panels_were made for the Lewis and Clark World's Fair Exposition in Portland, Oregon. To day you can buy plywood in five standard thicknesses, in several basic types and grades and faced with an ever-increasing array of highly attractive veneers, surfac- ing materials and textures. ‘The process that transforms giant trees into flat panels of uniform thickness is a fascinating one. After felling, the trees are cut into peeler logs. The bark is removed and the peeler block is ready to be sliced. As the block revolves againist a huge knife, ‘a continuous ribbon of wood as wide as the block runs off into 150-foot storage trays. Meanwhile, defective portions are being ‘cut out and the veneer is being cut into usable sizes for plywood. The veneer is now graded, dried, regraded and stacked. 4 all about plywood Here are the basic facts about working with plywood 1t is then ready for the glue spreader. Center plies are run through rollers which apply glue evenly to both surfaces. These plies are in turn assembled with alternate dry plies to form 3-, 5-, or 7-ply panels. At all times the grain of a ply is run counter to the plies adjacent to it, This crossgtain construction makes fir plywood strong and rigid. Panels are then placed in the hot press where they are glued up to exact thicknesses. They are then trimmed, sanded and graded to conform with very specific standards set by the ply- ‘wood industry itself. Aside from its strength, there are other advantages to using plywood: it is split- proof; there is no shrinkage, since it comes to you dry; it is easily worked, holding screws and nails well and gluing well; and it takes a variety of finishes. In addition, plywood is available in various thicknesses to suit the job at hand. Standard panels are 4x8 ft, although extra-long units areav: able for boat hulls, siding, and so on.come in 14-, 16-, and 20-ft. lengths, and must usually be ordered in advance from your lumber dealer. For the craftsman ‘whose needs may be less than a 4x8 panel, many hardware stores now carry di racks of Handy Panels which come in 2x4-ft. and smaller sheets. Fir plywood comes in two types: ex- terior and interior. Exterior-type plywood is completely waterproof. The glue, or bond, is stronger and more durable than the wood itself. It cannot be weakened by time, weather or even boiling water. Ob- iously, therefore, exterior-type plywood is ideally suited for the construction of boats, outdoor furniture, carports, signs, farm’ structures, heavy-duty concrete forms—in short, for any application in which the finished object must be ruggedly durable and completely waterproof. Interior-type plywood is made with highly moisture-resistant glue. These panels will withstand occasional wetting during construction, but should never bepermanently exposed. Interior plywood is therefore used for cabinet doors, built-ins and other furniture. Precisely because there are so many uses for fir plywood, these two basic types, interior and exterior, are themselves broken down into grades. For example, if you were building a room divider or any other unit in which a panel would be visi- ble from either side, you would, of course, want to use plywood that had good veneers on both sides, But let's assume you were going to panel a wall. Why should you pay for a good back veneer that’s going to be completely hidden from view? To anticipate every building need, there- fore, fir veneers are graded alphabetically from A toD. These grades are explained in the first set of charts. Each grade has very definite and stringent specifications that characterize it, and the entire fir ply- wood industry maintains a rigid quality control program centered on grade trade- marks owned by the Douglas Fir Plywood Association, It becomes evident that there VENEER QUALITIES Presents smooth surface. Free from knots, open aplits,pitch-pockets end other open defects, ‘Yeneer shall be well joined if more thon one place is used. ‘Admits discolorotion, sapwood ond pitch reaks, averaging not more than 3/8" width cond blending with color of wood, ‘Adnits maximum of 18 veneer patches In 4x 8 shoot. Admits shims and neotly made porel potches. Shims mey not be vied over or around ony type of patch end. multiple repairs must be limited 10 TWO patches, ‘All patches end repeirs to run parellal to Se Speed ete thor intone in str mins tc op Yo 1/38" hy i Small spin or opening vp Yo. 1/16" tw Wnot'more then 2" long: In small chipped freon or eperings not to exceed” 1/0" wide by 14" ong. Presents solid wrfoce. Free from open defects ‘except splits not wider thom 1/32". Vertical ambrosia beetle borer holes par- Initted if not exceeding 1/16" in diometer ond ‘averaging et more thon 1 per sq, fh ond ‘also horizontal tunnels 1/16" aerous, 1” length, 12 in number in 4’ x 8° panel, or proportion: ctely in other dimensions. borer holes or other open defects not to ex ceed 1/4" and 1/2" allowed, ‘Splitt—not to exceed 1/1 Solid, tight pitch-pockets, froin, minor sending defects and sander skips up to 5% of panel area edmitted, Knotholes—1"" in least dimension. Pitch-pockets ‘not wider thon 1”. Split—3/16" (must taper 1 point. ‘Worm or horer holes 5/8° x 14", Tight knot— 1". Plugs, patches, shims ond minor sending defects odmitted. oO ons-ooms BY D veneer wed only in Interiortype, plywood. Knotholes—2%". Pitch-pockels—2" " 4", ‘Splits, widths ot widest point— 1/2" yp to quorter panel length. 1/4" vp to half ponel length. 3/16" up to full penel length, ‘All must toper to point. Plugs, patches, shims, worm or borer holes fond miner sanding defects admitted, PART OF treo from which veneer is eut and the ‘way the cut is made determines grain pattern. Imaginary tree by Hardwood Plywood Institute helps to Identity various plywood patterns,EXTERIOR PLYWOOD t00x warerrroor civ FoR OUTDOOR USE Veneer Quity* Standard Stock Sizest ey es THES ar TYPICAL USES ms | ne ee Ke KT ‘i whore approenc of bth aids ttm fporont fees, cpr endowrey some | AT A} C|4 8 ]x x x x x x Cera FEXEDR AB) [Paraiso wr | AB] C1] 4 8 lx x x x x x Fides Jone ie orate fr dig, tm trem ALC) Cc] 4 Bix xxx x x EXAM nc) | Mr ction bette vomet Forme | BP Co] C14 8 [x x KK x (EX-DFPA DOORN] ee ee Saf ©] [4 8 [x xx xx (EXI-DEPASMEATION-c-c]] marine jwmwreion weet wih weer | ©] C) C14 8 xX KKK Case oom god, eavinon ren Con EXT-DFPA pane es [sseete i erteers coed (ed eed cd es xe Sah fa asd nl ehervne seed INTERIOR PLYWOOD moisture-resistai INT GLUE FOR INDOOR USE ‘Veneer Quality*| Standard Stock Sixest race | wack | inwer | width Lgth. mC hel GRADE-TRADEMARK TYPICAL USES mele ee |My CATR -RUM | veirsesbenet seem | AT A) D [34 8 |x x x x x Se e(MTERIOR EBD | wins et cororne, sorte sas | A | B | D [34 8 |x x x xK x remanne Fig [ommtcametmnmsme| a] | o faa efx x x x x oATRIOR-B-DTEM | tees totiogs ead | B| OD | D|4 B jx x x x x cs rerusee FT [oi |Eoa| telex ieee asa] roncome clol{o]4 a xx XK xX x INTERIOR alesis ES ey eaaes Prone Se [Reet | alc fas | “All gredessended beth sides ancapt EXT.OFPA Shesthings and Interior PyScrd. OTHER SIZES then thar shown in tables are stnderd but not sormely sched. About tres qvertrs of llr plywood comes in 4x8 shes 1" to ‘Mknaues ore most popular. Kagalze perl (12, 14, 18, 20" ond lenges) ‘Penels 4" and thinner, hove miaimom ef 3 py W" to 3" ncve ore Spy {vane nant foc Co batter tes avait ty thicker ponele have. Tl minim, Information eourary of Doulas Fie Plywood Aunce A eg Piste TC ee lO Te Apply in warm be Comes in flakes to be heated in water, or in liquid form; very strong. iining; clamp Shours. Needs well-fitted jeints, tight Make sure joints are ‘wood gluing; first i tight; mix ond choice for work that must stand some ‘apply thin coat; cllow 16 hours eying time, Ready to use at venta Fee een Not suffi temperature, but clean-working and pers desired sistant preferably above quicksetting; strong nr eracte oe Netty enough for most work, but not quite es tough as hide glue. surfaces, clamp at ‘once; sets in 11% water; dark colored; very strong: work to be exposed completely waterproof. unsuitable for jobs where waterproof glue is not required. hours drying time. Infermetion courtesy of Oovelas Fir Pywoed Aasn, ees ene comet e acetone earlcep ete npg pp gh Sa TD tar ait wereis a plywood veneer—and a combination of veneers—for every purpose. Making boat hull? ‘Then you want exterior-type A-A plywood (waterproof glue, grade A face, grade A back). Building a desk toy for the den? Interior-type A-B will suf- fice. Need exterior sheathing for that new room addition? Use exterior C-C because this unsanded construction panel with a waterproof glue will not even be visible. These are only a few of the combinations possible. Although fir is the best-known plywood veneer, even this familiar standby has un- dergone some startling face-lifting to make it unusually attractive. Here are a few typical ones: Plyweave, a plywood with a fabric-like texture, is available in full-size panels and in the five standard thicknesses. It may be finished in several attractive ways. ‘Shadowood is a plywood in which the surface softwood has been wire-brushed away, leaving the hard, swirling growth patterns in a dramatic relief pattern. Sea ‘Swirl and Surfwood are similar products; the latter permits open and sound knots that add to the natural appearance of pan- ling. Weldtez is a striated plywood, cut with deep grooves that lend an interesting tex- tured finish of parallel, random-width lines running the length of each panel. These TEXTURE ONEELEVEN is a waterproof plywood Paneling with shiplopped edges, used as a siding, OVERLAID fir plywood is an exterior type plywood. te smooth surlace is @ fine base for paint job.IT'S EASY to cut dadoes with @ power saw or « router and make neat, sturdy, tightfilting shelves. FLUSH CLAMP produces strongly glued joint: Pressure (right) makes @ poor joint, IN CAREFUL WORK, where nails are close to an edge, it is always bes! lo pre-drill the holes. TO FINISH an edge, you can cut a V-groove and then giue in a matching strip of wood, as shown. grooves break up the flat surface and cre~ ate unusual highlights and shadows. (Weldtex patterns are available not only in fir, but also in Philippine mahogany and gum.) Texture One-Eleven is an exterior-type fir plywood with deep parallel grooves cut in the face to create a rhythmic stylized de- sign effect. Panels are available in either 8- or 10-ft. lengths of 16- and 32-in. widths. Full-sized panels, 48-in. wide, may also be ordered. On the narrower panels, the grooves are 2-in, apart; on the wider ones, 4-in, The long edges of the panels are shiplapped so that no special vertical joint treatment is needed. In addition to these unusual textural treatments, fir plywood is widely used as the backbone for various facing materials. 10 Overlaid plywood, made by several manu- facturers, is an exterior-type base pancl, to which has beri bonded a smooth resin- impregnated fiber coating. This gives the plywood a smooth, check-free surface that’s easy to paint and to keep clean. Overlaid plywood is recommended for many interior or exterior installations: siding, built-ins, partitions, gable ends, outdoor furniture, and so on. There is also! Armorply (plywood bonded to metal), Pore-Lin-Ply (Weather- proof, porcelain-faced panels), plywood faced with Micarta and Formica and even ‘one plywood-based product that’s used for blackboards. Novoply is a three-ply board consisting of a dense outer surface of specially pre- pared wood veneer flakes, a lower densityNAILS SHOULD be spaced about six inches apart, closer in thin plywood which might buckle. LIGHT PRESSURE adheres matching Woodtape to ‘edge, warm iron bonds Weodtape permanently. - core of medium-sized chips, and another high-density layer of flakes. The flakes and chips (California redwood and mix- tures of pine and fir are currently utilized) are resin-coated and impregnated and the three plies are simultaneously fused under heat and pressure. Since Novoply has no ‘wood grain direction, it is very flat and practically free from warp. Therefore, aside from its wide use in sliding and other door construction, it is finding extensive application as a backing material for plastic laminates like those named above and for hardwood-veneered plywood pan- els, ‘Hardwood Plywood: No one will dispute the usefulness, in fact the indispensability, of fir plywood. This material has more than proved its worth in economy, effi- ciency, and speed of application. But it’s when you become acquainted with the hardwood plywoods that you really appre- ciate plywood construction. Just about every veneer can be had—from rich, gold- en native oak to dark, glistening’ rose- ‘wood imported from South America, Many craftsmen are probably unaware that more than 85 per cent of all wooden furniture in this country is made of hardwood plywood. Take a close look at your TV console, or at that new headboard your wife is so proud of. Chances are it’s hardwood ply- ‘wood of one kind or another. Hardwood plywood has wrought a revo- lution in the nation’s living rooms by making available pre-finished, easy-to- install ‘panels of mahogany, birch, oak, peat and other facings at surprisingly low cost. Like fir plywood, the hardwood varieties are composed of cross-laminated slices of genuine wood. But along with the familiar laminated or veneer core material, hard- wood plywood also comes in what is called lumber core. The center composition of a plywood panel, regardless of its type, is called a core. On 5- and 7-ply panels, the plies adjacent to the insides of the faces and the core are called crossbands. Hard- wood plywood may be made either entirely of veneer or of veneer bonded to a solid core. The latter is composed of narrow strips of solid wood which are edge-glued PLYWOOD SCREW CHART Cierr red Pilot Maur ced Hole 3/4" No.8, 1-1/2" 5/32” 5/8” No.8, 1-1/4" 5/32" wr No. 6, 1-1/4" 3/8" No. 6, 1-1/4” a" No. 4, 3/4” PLYWOOD NAIL CHART ommended ein 6d casing or 6d finishing 6d or 8d finishing 4d or 6d finishing 3d or 4d finishing 3/4” or 1" brads; 3d finishing; 1” blu: lath nails uFINISHING TECHNIQUES FOR FIR PLYWOOD Boeri) ‘A. PANELS Cree Tour rr erect '5. 000 and finer sandpaper 6. 00 steel wo 1. White Firzite 2. Enamel undercoat 3. Flat, eggshell or gloss yamel 4. 000 and fin oe (Interior) |. Clear Firzite 2. White Shellac 3. Wax or varnish /4. 000 and finer sandpaper Sere Pe aca Rents coreg |. Clear Firzite 2. House paint primer 3. Exterior house paint 4. Sandpaper Cray (orca) together. This type of hardwood plywood is generally employed for construction of furniture, built-ins and when edge treat- ment of the wood is desired. Lumber core material is easier to edge-treat than ve- neer core because, when it is ripped, the longitudinal grain of the core is evident and is easy to blend into a finish that will match the facing veneer. Since hardwood plywood is used for projects where appearance is highly im- portant, a stringent grading system has been evolved by the Hardwood Plywood Institute in consultation and agreement with major producers and distributors. Custom Grade: Includes special selec- tions and types produced by individual mills. Architectural plywoods, technical types and matched grain panels for special uses are included in this category. 12 eerie Sand the wood thoroughly; apply a coat of dust off; apply @ second coat of clear ish, let dry, rub with steel wool, dust off jain, apply oil stain and let dry; thin coat of fresh white shellac and let dry; sand or rub with steel wool, dust off and wax. (For a varnish finish, apply a coat of dull or gloss varnish over the # Sand the wood thoroughly; apply a coat of white Firzite and let dry overnight; sand thoroughly and apply a coat of high-quality enamel undercoat; sandpaper when dry ‘and finish with 1 or 2 coats of enamel. ‘Apply @ coat of clear Fi oughly (at least overnight in good drying weather); sand thoroughly and apply good quality exterior house paint primer and paint. Good Grade (1): The face is made up of tight, smoothly cut veneer containing the natural character marking inherent in the species. If made of more than one piece, veneers are matched at the joints to avoid sharp contrasts in coloration and grain. Knots (other than pin knots), worm holes, splits and other forms of decay are not permitted. Sound Grade (2): ‘The face is free of open defects to provide a sound, smooth surface. Veneers are not matched for grain or color. It may contain mineral streaks, stain, discoloration, patches, sapwood, sound tight knots up to %-in. average diameter, sound smooth burls up to 1-in. average diameter. Rough-cut veneer and splits are not permitted. Utility Grade (3): All the above defects are permitted, including splits or openFINISHING TECHNIQUES FOR FIR PLYWOOD Eee) B. STRIATED PLYWOOD eeu ei BE 2. Paste wax 1, Clear Firzite 2. White Firzite 3. Satinlac or other clear finish 4, Paste wax 5. 00 steel wool Cee a ona] Pent 1, Flat walll paint 2. White Firzi 3, Pale dull varnish 4. Steel wool Pere) Poa Ret Caceres) ‘spar varnish joints not exceeding y in. and not ex- ceeding half the length of the panel, cross breaks to a length not greater than that of the permissible knotholes, and small areas of rough grain are permitted. Several types of decay are not permitted. Backing Grade (4): Veneer is unse- lected for grain or color. Knotholes no larger than 2-in. maximum diameter and no groups of knotholes in any 12-in, square exceeding 4-in. diameter and splits no wider than 1 in. are admitted. Other de- fects are permitted in this least expensive grade—provided they do not seriously im- pair the strength or serviceability of the panel. Incidentally, it is often among the ess expensive grade that you will find the most interesting and dramatic grain pat- terns. Dimensions and Types: Veneer core con- to remain i ht and cor and let dey sh lightly and dust off; apply two coats of paint. ‘Apply @ coat of clear and tet dry overnight; brush lightly and dust off; finish with two coats of pale spar varni NOTE how « clear finish like Satinlac accentuates and heightens the grain of mahogany paneling.struction panels in 3-, 5-, 7- and 9-ply are generally available in these thicknesses: aply 8" bats ee 5- & T-ply—%” T- & 9-ply—%4” Unlike fir plywood, which comes in two basic types, hardwood plywood is available in three: Type 1 is a fully waterproof bond. ‘Type 2 is water-resistant bond. Type 3 is dry bond, suitable for use where it will not be subjected to water, dampness or high humidity. In addition, technical and marine hardwood plywoods are made from veneers to fit specific applications. Veneers and Cuts: Since the hardwood plywoods are used primarily for fine fur- niture, paneling, and other applications in which’ the surface will be in full view, special effort is made to obtain especially handsome veneers. Unlike most fir pl wood, which is rotary cut and conse- quently has a rather wild grain, a good deal of hardwood veneer is plain-cut, flat- cut or quartered. This means that the ve~ neer is not peeled off the log like paper towels off a roll. Instead, the log is care- fully cut, longitudinally ‘into flitches of various shapes and sizes, The veneer is then sliced from flat surfaces of the fliteh or from an arc of the tree, rather than from its entire circumference. The result is that the veneer more closely resembles a natural grain. The tree itself is also care- fully considered to take advantage of burl growths and branch crotches. Layout: One of the most evident ad- vantages of using plywood for furniture projects is that a single panel can be sub- divided into smaller, though sizable, pieces that offer continuous grain patterns and uniform thickness without the trouble of jointing, gluing, planing and sanding in- dividual boards. But before you begin cut- ting your full-size sheet, spend some time laying out exactly where your cuts will be. Pay attention to grain; wherever pos- sible, have it run the long way of your unit. You'd be surprised how much time and material you'll save if you seale out the best cutting arrangement on a piece of paper. Be sure to allow for the thickness of your saw blade between adjacent pieces. "utting: In all likelihood, one veneer face will be better than the other. Your job, at this stage, is to continue to protect this good surface that you have chosen and stored with such care. If your cutting tool is a hand saw and your project will neces- sitate many cuts, your best bet is to look for 4 a lumberyard that has a radial or table saw large enough to make the major cuts. In fact, this is advisable even if you have a power saw. You gain two important ad- vantages: (1) much less storage space will be required for two or three pieces than for the whole panel; (2) the remaining pieces are more easily workable with the tools in your own shop. If you use a circular saw or a hand saw, cut your plywood with the good face up. If you have one of the increasingly popular portable power saws, cut with the good face down, With a radial saw, the good veneer should be up for crosscutting, mitering and similar operations. However, it should face down when you rip, because the blade’s position to the work is reversed when you swivel the yoke from the cross- cut to the rip position. With any power saw, use a combination blade or a fine-tooth blade without too much set. Let the blade protrude above your material just the height of the teeth. Boring: When making holes % in. or larger, never permit your drill to penetrate all the way through a piece of plywood. ‘This results in a badly splintered hole. In- stead, back up your work with a block of serap; turn your brace slowly, and stop as soon as the drill point becomes visible on the underside. Then reverse your work, start the drill through the small hole al- ready begun and bore until the hole is completed. With a drill press you can make even larger holes in a single operation by clamping the work tightly over a piece of scrap. Be sure to set your depth gauge so that your bit or circle cutter penetrates at least % in. into the scrap. Use of Joints Joints: All the joints commonly used with stock lumber are also employed with plywood, plus a few specialized ones. The common’ butt joint is the simplest, of course, for forming corners. With %-in. plywood, simply place one piece against the other at right angles and attach them. For thinner work, use a nailing block on the inside of the joint to provide additional strength. In both instances, glue will greatly increase the strength of the joints. Dadoes and rabbets are, of course, easy to make with power tools and are widely used by craftsmen who work with plywood. In addition to these standard joints, there are several unique corner treatments whose function is to hide or to reduce the exposure of laminated edges. While a standard rabbet joint will leave about half of the top member exposed on the side, thisexposure can be lessened by cutting deeper into the top so that only % in., or even less, remains. Cut the rabbet wider, too, so that the excess can be sanded flush with the side members. Top and sides may then be jointed with glue blocks and screws. ‘Another method involves mitering the corners of the top and side members of a unit, cutting grooves along the miters and assembling the components with splines and glue. This produces a very handsome effect, especially if the top and side mem- bers are cut from the same panel and have ‘continuous grain pattern. The exposed front edges may then be covered by one of the several methods which are dis in the section on edging. Fasteners: The best fasteners you can use with plywood are flathead wood screws. Shown in a chart are the five standard thicknesses of plywood and the minimum-sized screws that should be used with each. Use longer screws where work permits, "Never attempt to, put a screw into a piece of plywood without boring a pilot hole first. It's wise to countersink your holes so that the screw heads can be driven below the surface of the wood. This simplifies finishing, too, because you can fill the countersink recess with composition when es hold red, jolding power is required, nails may be used. Pre-boring pilot holes is recommended if you're nailing close to an edge; otherwise you're liable to splinter or chip the veneer. Nails should be spaced about 6 in. apart in plywood % in. thick or more. Gluing: Plywood may, of course, be glued like any other wood. Since there are many types of glue now on the market, consult the glue chart for the variety that best suits your needs. Before applying any glue, be sure that your pieces fit well and are free of dust. Glue is best applied with a stick or brush. Since end grain absorbs glue rather quickly, apply a preliminary coat, allow it to soak in for a few minutes and then apply your second coat before joining the parts. Tighten all joints firmly with clamps or with improvised weights (sandbags, books, ete.) and always protect your work by placing pieces of scrap under the jaws of your clamps. Wipe off all excess glue while it is still pliable, for if it is permitted to harden on the surface, it may stain your wood and prevent a uniformly attractive finish. Allow glue to’set for as long as its manufacturer directs. Even if a joint seems tight after a shorter time than is recom- mended, do not remove the clamps. KITCHEN UNIT is covered with high-density over- laid fr plywood. which has hard, durable surlace. 1sPlaning and Smoothing: Planing ply- wood edges with a hand plane or a power jointer is unnecessary if you have cut your Piece with a sharp blade. However, it will sometimes happen that you will have to trim an edge with a hand plane. Work from both ends of your working edge toward the center to avoid tearing out plies at the edges. Use a plane with a sharp blade and take very shallow cuts. Like- wise, if you're trimming a plywood edge with a jointer, do not run the work straight through. Instead, feed the piece about half way through, reverse it and complete the pass from the opposite end. If you have made good cuts with your saw or jointer, your plywood will have rather sharp edges. On shelf fronts or other inside edges that are likely to be touched, it's wise to break these sharp edges with a wood file or sandpaper. Edging: Several furniture manufac- turers‘make no attempt to hide a plywood edge and will leave a highly polished lam- inated edge completely exposed. This is Partially due to a feeling among designers that materials should be used honestly; are ee ice eas oar be disguised as something else. However, it is often necessary to hide an edge that would be unattractive otherwise and sev- eral handy techniques may be used by the home craftsman. If you have power tools, there are some ingenious methods at your disposal. With the appropriate cutting head on your saw ; you can cut a V groove along the edge of your plywood and glue in a match- ing strip of stock. ‘The same effect can be achieved more easily by simply butt-gluing a strip of stock from ¥4 to 1 in. thick to the edge. For added strength, use a few finishing nails or brads. A refinement of this technique is to cut a %4-in. groove along the entire length of the center of your edge, then insert a tongue strip of stock. The edges of your strip may be slightly rounded. If you have a shaper or heads for your saw arbor, you can minimize the Jaminated look of a plywood edge by cut- ting a beaded surface along it. But it's also possible to do a good edging job without power tools, thanks to strips of veneer now on thé market. These are ex- actly % in. wide and come in both strips or rolls, depending on the manufacturer. They are available in mahogany, birch, walnut, oak and other woods. Then there are plastic surfaces like Micarta or Formica which can be applied to the edges of tables with special cement. Extruded edging material of steel or aluminum is also avail- 16 able, However, the simplest way of hiding plywood end grain is to paint it. To insure a perfect job, it should be filled. Use wood composition filler or plaster spackling, sand smooth when dry and finish as de- sired. Too often even the skilled woodworker will rush through the finishing process as if he were unaware that the care he brings to this final operation will determine the actual appearance of his project. Impa- tience has ruined more projects than care- lessness, so take your time. The first step is to prepare your surface. ‘This means sealing all nail holes, counter- sinks and defects with composition wood filler. Since some commercial fillers have a tendency to shrink when they dry, apply fillers so that they form a small mound over the depression. When dry, sand flush. Make sure your unit is as free of dust as you can get it. If you're building an enclosed piece like a cabinet or chest, go over all surfaces and especially the inside area with a vacuum cleaner. Clean all edges, too, like tops of doors. The vacuum is especially useful to remove grit, dust and kinks after you sand or steel-wool be- tween coats. If you are using a finish with which you are unfamiliar, test it on a scrap of the same plywood in your project or on an Sen ve eles petlent esses pate and finishes dry completely before you de- cide to use or diseard them. Finishing Problems Fir; The finishing of fir plywood and other soft woods with pronounced soft spring and hard summer growths has pre- sented some special problems. A product developed by the United States Plywood Corporation makes possible a satisfactory painted or finished job on these woods. Known as Firzite, this product helps solve (1) grain rise, (2) hairline checking in Painted jobs and (3) a wild grain appear- ance on stained work. Firzite penetrates deeply and in effect brings the soft growth to approximately the same uniform density as the hard summer growth. It holds the grain of the wood in a tight grip that largely stops its movement, thus reducing the possibility of face-checking or grain- rising on painted or enameled jobs. Firzite comes in two types: clear and white. ‘The clear is recommended as a pre- sealer for stain jobs to control the vastly different penetrations of stain on hard and soft growths. It may also be used on any soft wood as a pre-sealer prior to painting to eliminate face-checking and wild grain.For painted work, white Firzite is recom- mended. This is a pigmented variety which, in addition to sealing the wood pores, serves as an undercoat over which a-minimum number of coats is required. White Firzite is also adapted to secure “blond” or “pickled” effects. It may also be tinted with colors-in-oil to obtain any light pastel shade desired. In addition, the United States Plywood Corporation has developed a product called Satinlac, a light natural finish which pro- duces a soft effect and which wears well. Satinlac is water-clear in color and will not yellow or darken with age. It may be brushed or sprayed and is recommended for interior use only. Finishing procedures Hardwood Plywoods: To utilize the full beauty of the hardwood veneers, one of several finishing techniques may be used, Clear Natural: Apply a prime coat of sealer or a thin coat of white shellac mixed with an equal portion of denatured alcohol. When dry, rub with No. 00 steel wool or 00 sandpaper. Apply a second coat of clear sealer or varnish. An alternate method to obtain a lighter appearance is as follows: After the first application of sealer or shel- lac, apply a coat of white pigmented sealer, like white Firzite, covering an area of not more than 30 square feet, allow it to set for two or three minutes and wipe off to the desired tone. In spots where wood is darker, allow more pigmented sealer to re~ main, ‘Thus a general color tone is held uniform. After allowing the second coat to dry 24 hours, rub with steel wool or fine sandpaper. Apply your third coat of dull varnish, which may be buffed to a velvety sheen when dry. A final coat of wax may now be applied, but if you require a durable finish, either a varnish or a third coat of lacquer is recommended. ‘No matter how you finish plywood doors, be sure to apply the same number of coat to both surfaces and to all edges. This pre- vents the possibility of warpage due to un- even moisture absorption. Lacquer Finish: Apply a coat of sealer to open-pored wood like oak and ma- hogany and sand lightly when dry. Apply two or three coats of lacquer, steel-wooling between coats. Buff and wax. Fabulon, a plastic resin finish, has proven extremely useful for hardwood plywood. It brings out the grain beautifully and, as it can be exposed to hot liquids and alcohol without ill effects, makes an excellent finish for coffee tables and other furniture. *- FOR PROJECTS that do not require full-size 4x8-Joot sheets of plywood, many hardware and lumber carry racks of Handy Ponels in 2x¢-foot and ‘sizes. These are easy to handle, work with, CRO ere eee Smee as acer eee eeoc engrowing desk Its height can be altered from 24 to 29 inches ‘QU seldom find student furniture that “grows” with the user. This desk will do that. Construction is simple, straight- forward and sturdy, so it should serve well for years, as the writing surface height can change from 24 up to 29 inches, Select joint details to be followed from alternates given. Cut parts as required for rabbeted or butt joint construction, Check cabinet parts to insure fit before assem~ bling. All joints should be glued and nailed. Join sides with top and bottom shelf after relieving for hinge, than nail back in place. ‘Nail through bottom and back into drawer ports at lower edge as shown. Nail through upper shelves “I” into partitions “N” and Install with partition “J? and intermediate shelf. Check fit of drawer parts in place and as- semble as shown to meet in center, hiding drawer divider panel. Drawer fronts pro- ject past bottoms for finger pull. Drill six holes in sides at heights given, spaced according to bolt holes in steel frame you can have made to this drawing by practically any welding or metalwork ing shop. Sand the entire unit carefully. Then paint and finish it as desired. Final product will be this beautiful growing desk. ® PARTS SCHEDULE Par IDENTIFICATION ar Desk lid 16°22" Side T'x30A" Top Six SA Drawer Front PARISH" Inside Drawer Front PHIM Drower Bock SRA Divider Between Drawers 15)4"x30%4" Bottom Shelf aah Shelf Hn 5" Vertical Divider 22°30" Bock of Unit 13M'X13%" Drawer Bottom WHS Drawer Side woM Drawer Supports See Drawings Wrought Iron Frome 32" Long Piano Hinge As Requived Chain of Lid-Support ivider “G” after attaching drawer sup- ‘Cope a . . of .2) mi a € 5 os Ts] cme? aft re? delelrle chy ee es S/4tea-0%x 8-0" La CUTTING DIAGRAMS eee ALL PLYWOOD INTER te mh 2 Wr 9 Li. Ft ml 1 Only K we 1 Pe. ] 1 Only aL | vere sor 0" Miscellaneous— 6d Finish Nails ond Ge 3/16" Mochine Bolls os required 9INDOOR PROJECT No. 2 wall-hung writing desk fae ee oe Cece ee THIS ATTRACTIVE wallbung desk has convenient pockets in the writing leat for paper and envelopes. HIS compact, yet roomy, piece of fur- niture has many uses. In the kitchen, it’s fine for keeping household accounts. On the living room wall, it's handy as a place to carry on busy correspondence yet folds away to occupy little space. Your youngster will find that it takes some of the pain out of doing his homework in his room. Make it of any attractive hard or soft wood and finish it with three coats of water-white lacquer or any finish of your choosing, This is what you'll need to build your desk: 10 feet of 1x10-inch lumber. A panel of ¥4-inch hardboard 18x29 inches. A panel of %-inch plywood to match the lumber 27x38 inches with the grain running the 27-inch dimension. Eight 1%4-inch No. 8 flathead screws and %-inch caps or pieces of dowel to cover them. Twenty-eight inches of %-inch piano hinge and a pair of 10-inch chest lid supports. Actually, you can build this entire unit from scrap plywood of any kind if you wish, Merely follow the instructions given on the next four pages and adapt. © a(CUT THE four boards shown: one 1x7¥4x29 in. one 1x6x30 in, (bevel one edge of this at a M1" degree angie) and two pieces 1x20x8- 1/32 in. at one end and 10 in, at the other. (You'll waste less wood to get the last two boards by gluing up Lin, stock to 1x16 x20 in and tipping it at a diagonal from a point 8% in. along one 16%4in. edge to 6% in. from opposite comer of other 16%in, edge.) RABBET both ends of 30n. board ¥4 in. deep and 1 In, wide on the 6.in, surface. Plow a groove i in. doop and I In. wide 2 in. along Joint with the 291n, boord and should be the reverse of each other. Square up end of cut with chisel or mortising attachment. Cut a rabbet 4 in. deep and %4 in. wide in one edge of 28.in. board. Cut the same rabbet in the straight edge of the 90n. board and ‘both 20.in. boards. These rabbets are to take the back of the desk as shown in photo- graph at top of next page, should be on same side of wood as previous grooves cut. NOW ASSEMBLE box with glue and screws. Put two screws in each joint, Counter hote for screw heads and cover with caps.TURN THIS trame over and glue in the back of Yin, hardboard 18x29 in. Use Lin. finish Ing aatis or In, blue lath nails as shown. CUT TWO ploces 1x2420 in, Trim one end of each at a 12 degree angle. Remove 1 in. of wood from both pieces beginning 3% in. from the wide angle comer as shown, Make one pair of grooves the reverse of the other. Pieces are ends of your desk leat. CUT A PANEL of ¥4 in, plywood 20x27 in. and glue this into the long grooves cut in photo above. Use brads to hold pane! until glue sets if you haven't adequate clamps.CUT TWO pieces 1x114x28 in, Tum leaf assembly over and glue one of these flush with notch. Cut Yéin, slots in the 1%in, surface of tho other at § in. from one end and 44 in. and 9% in. from the other. Glue this piece into the tramo 12 in. from the edge of plywood. Rip three plecos ¥4x1¥2x12¥2 in. and glue these in ‘as shown, The desk leaf is now ready for the writing surface. Cut « panel of ¥4-in. plywood 16x27 in. and Glue this to the parts you've just assembled. Sand box and desk leat for the finish coat you wish to give it. RIP TWO pieces from stock Vaxtx28 in, and two Yéx4x8 in. Cut Yin slots half the width of the 284in. pieces, spacing thom to divide it equally. Cut same width and depth of slot in @.in, pioces, Make one 1 in. from end and the other dividing the remaining distance. Then cul two strips Yéx1x4 in. and glue and nail these to inside ends of desk box 7 in, from the top, as shown in second Photograph above. Do neat job. 4INDOOR PROJECT No. 3 double-duty desk ea SEM nd oe Coad both a typing table and a serving buffet THERE'S an air of luxury about this double-duty desk designed by George Daniels of modern fir plywood. Ordinarily, you'll use it for typing, correspondence and paper work; then swing out the cabinet, and you have a handsome buffet and re- freshment center when you entertain. Lux- ury? Total outlay for this attractive piece of furniture is less than $20. Of course, you make it yourself, all from one standard 4x8 sheet of fir plywood In addition to plywood sheet, % inch thick, you'll need 44 feet of edging strips, eight’ feet of Yex4-inch stock, seven-foot length of 1x2 inch, and a three-foot length of 2-inch closet pole, all of plywood. Hard- ware includes: nails and screws, snap-type door catch, two-foot length of piano hinge. Use ordinary fix-it tools: crosscut saw, coping saw, hammer, brace and bit, block 2% plane, crank drill, nail set, try square, serew driver and yardstick. Place the best side of the panel up for measuring and cutting. Following chart and photograph, plot out desk parts care- fully. Cut out with sharp crosscut saw, planing edges to fit flush. Driving nails in only halfway, put cabinet parts together. Set in 4-inch length of pole in top panel, ¥ inch from side. Do not glue. Next, cut holes for closet-pole peg in three d-inch squares of plywood. Drill starting holes with bit and brace, finish with coping saw. Now cut hole in cabinet top for peg (on which table top pivots) Sand peg for easy fit in plywood squares. Next, lightly hammer seams of cabinet apart, keeping aligned and assembled, and coat both joining surfaces with glue, work- ing glue into seams with brush. If edgesare frayed, mix fine sawdust with casein- type glue which hardens well, fills gaps. Now, you're ready for trim; the thin molding edge gives your pivot desk a pro~ fessional finish. To make perfect diagonal comer cuts, use miter box, or mark squares and pencil diagonals across them to guide saw. Trial-fit mitered trim around cabinet top and smooth with garnet paper to fit snugly. Tack lightly, or if fit is not perfect, glue edging in place, leaving trim slightly raised from plywood surface. Plane trim level when glue has hardened. Cut ends of table unit so they conceal ends of sides. To add legs, cut tiny wedge-shaped pieces from narrow ends of legs to make them fit at center joint. Glue outer legs to inside of table top. Glue four-inch plywood ‘squares with holes together, then to un- derside of table top. Plane closet-pole to MODERN doubleduty desk made from sheet of plywood has handsome proportions, look of custom furniture. OPEN CABINET brings to view the typewriter, correspondence supplics. Table is anchored by closet-pole pes. CABINET readily detaches and stor ‘age pedastal swings down to provide @ spacious buflel for entertaining. tapered shape for removable pivot. Add shelves to cabinet by making cleats from leftover plywood; shelves slide right in to hold typewriter and supplies. Finish in one of three ways. For a new light-stain glaze that brings out the full beauty of the wood-grain, prime with thin white undercoat of one part turpentine or thinner to one part paint. If desired, wipe or dry-brush for effective grain sho through. Sand lightly when dry. Seal with one coat thinned white shellac or clear resin sealer (omit this coat for deeper color). Sand lightly when dry. For color, apply one coat interior undercoat or enamel thinned with equal part thinner or tur- pentine. Wipe or brush to desired shade. Sand when dry. For long-lasting outer surface, apply one coat of flat varnish, hand-rub with steel wool when dry.u YOUR TOOLS and moterials include: crosscut saw, coping saw, hammer, brace and plane, crank dill. nail sot, try square, screw driver, yardstick, bags of nails ond screws, snap-type door catch, and a 4 VITA Sad ay ez ‘ DO ALL your sawing with the good side of ply- LIGHTLY NAIL paris of cabinet, leaving nails halt wood up, using @ very sharp crossqut saw. True out, Fourinch Iength of pole is sot in half an up edges with a plane so that parts will fi fush. inch from the side of the top panel, unglued. 28THE PARTS of your desk. Meas. ture the areas carefully and mark them before cutting; select best side of panel for easier finishing. USE COPING SAW to cut holes for the closet pole BEFORE gluing begins, cut hole in cabinet top peg in 4inch squares of plywood. However, first for closet pole peg on which table lop pivots. Gril q starting hole with your bit and brace, Sand peg fer easy fit in squares with the holes. »CABINET is ready for gluing. Top the seams © WORK glue into seams with brush, It edges are Highly apart, but keep aligned and astembled. at all frayed, mix fine sawdust with a casein- and coat with glue both surfaces to he joined later. type gluo which fills the gaps and hardens well, UNLESS you have a miler box for the moking of GIVE milered edging a trial ft around the top perfect diagonal comer cult, mark squares and of cabinet, Smooth cul edges with gamet paper Pencil diagonals across them to guide the saw. if they do not fit snugly. Tack down lighlly. 30fa vel GLUE edging in place when Gt is not perfect. CUT the ends of the table unit ao that they will leaving edge slightly raised from plywood surface. conceal the ends of the side pieces. The wide When hard and firm, plane the surfaces level. piece is for the end which will rest on a peg. of wood with round holes are glued underside of the table top. The tapered 1g is closet pole planed to this shape, CUT tiny wedge-shaped pieces from the narrow fends of legs to make thom fit at center joint. Glue the outer legs to the inside of the table top. 31Eats. READY-TO-ASSEMBLE parts of desk include drawers, plywood, hardware. Note holes drilled in sheltpanel corners fer easy ‘mounting on angle brackets of Jeg-iron. Angle-iron legs with shelf brackets attached are ready for mounting to side and drawer panels. Holes punched ot intervals In legizon made at steel shop.INDOOR PROJECT No. 4 “big top’’ desk ae Rc a a ell aa arte) 'VER longed for a desk surface big enough so you could lay out all your papers when you're working on bills, in- come tax, scrapbooks or writing a paper for your next club meeting? Or wanted a surface to cut out a new dress? Or has Dad wished for a desk on which he-could really roll out blueprints for some pet project of his? Here's the answer to that need: a desk with a full 30x60-inch table surface, complete with roomy file drawer, three utility drawers, space for handy typewriter, magazines or reference books, and all of it in the pleasing, airy design of today’s modern furniture. Cost for lum- ber is well under $20. ‘This designer's desk, which you'll find everyone in the family will clarnor to use, is yours in a weekend, using simple home tools and modern fir plywood. Directions and material-lists are all here: ‘You will need two 4x8-foot sheets of ply- wood, one %-inch thick, and one %4-inch thick, cuts of 14-inch white pine for drawer sides and ends, legs, hardware and paint. Tools necessary are block plane, hand saw, Grill, square, hammer, screwdriver, tape measure, pliers, and brush or roller for painting, To save time, drawers can be made-to- order by cabinetmaker, cost over that of materials being approximately only seven dollars. Or you can make your own. OVERSIZE table surlace makes this modern firplywood desk highly desirable for all family use. Good design, balance and pro- portion distinguishes easily-constructed, in- expensive furniture-piece, Appearance is enhanced by lightweight but sturdy modern plywood in airy furniture design preferred In contemporary interiors. Photo right, shows individual units, Desk surface fits on top of these two units. Instructions in text, photos.Angle iron or legs can be cut and matched to length at your steel supplier, 48 required holes punched at steel fabricator’s for a nominal charge. For drawer sides and ends, necessary white pine cuts include: two 16%4x3%4- inch, two 23x314-inch, two 16%x2%-inch, two’ 23x2%-inch, two 16%x5-inch, two 23x5-inch, two 26%x10-inch, two 1344x10- inch cuts, and ten 24x%%x1%-inch shelf- guide strips. Hardware includes: 4 handles, 8 cap screws, 74x%; 24 Unistrut shelf-hanging brackets No. P6026; 16 chrome bolts and nuts, Lx inch; 6/10, 24 chrome bolts and nuts, %x% inch; 7/10, and 24 chrome bolts and nuts, ¥%x% inch; 6/10, lengths of 1- inch angle iron for legs. If deep file drawer is to hold heavy materials, a drawer-roller is recommended. Paint and hardware, in- cluding punching of angle iron, should total 4 A-HOLE 1S marked, then drilled in the panel in ‘order to allow for mounting onto the angle bracket. LEG HAS BEEN removed to show how bracket fits ‘onto panel. Note notch on panel for neat, close Drawer-roller approximately ten dollars. is extra. With materials at hand, start your desk ‘by laying out cuts on plywood panels, measuring each panel accurately accord- ing to charts for %-inch and %-inch ply- wood. Make sure square angles are square. Cut out, sanding edges of all 34- inch panels. ; Key to plywood sheet patterns is as fol- lows: For %4-inch plywoods: (A) desk top, 30x60-inch, (B) drawer fronts, two 20x4¥2- inch cuts, (C) drawer fronts, 20x6%-inch, (D) top and bottom for 3-drawer box, two 20x28-inch cuts, (E) top and bottom for I-drawer box, two 16x28-inch cuts, and (®) drawer front, 16x11-inch For %-inch plywood: (A) drawer box sides of 1-drawer box, two 28x10%-inch cuts, (B) drawer box’ sides of 3-drawerSIDE PANEL for three-drawer box. Strips of wood hold the two shelves, algo serve as drawer guides. MANY LUMBERYARDS carry ready-grooved drawer stock in several widths at no extra cost. CLOSE-UP of me strips which perform function of guide and support, FINAL STEP. aside from pointing, is to attach the legs to the top by moans of an angle bracket. box, two 274x14-inch cuts, (C) drawer box back panel for 3-drawer box, 19¥4x14- inch, (D) drawer box back panel for 1- drawer box, 15%x10%-inch, (E) big drawer bottom, 14x26%-inch, (F) smaller drawer bottoms, three 17x24%4-inch cuts, and (G) drawer shelves, two 18%x24-inch outs you want the satisfaction of con- structing the entire desk yourself, you may wish to purchase ready-grooved stock for drawers, available at many suppliers. Only drawback is that this provides ¥4 inch less room in drawer interior. ‘With drawers made and plywood cut and sanded, you are ready to mount shelf brackets onto angle-iron legs with ¥2-inch bolts and nuts. Then put 34-inch shelves into place with ;-inch bolts and nuts. After drilling through holes for legs with ferinch drill, fit side and back 44-inch panels of drawer boxes into place with ¥xtg-inch bolts. ‘Now dismount sides of 3-drawer box and place drilled strips in position. Tack and glue (Wilhold is recommended as an easy type to use). Remount after both sides are assembled and glue is dry, hold- ing positioning strips firmly in place. Re- move one front leg to slip drawer shelves into place. Mark and drill nail pinholes and replace leg. Fit all drawers to unit. Accurately set desk top in position and secure with cap screws. Check desk for any final fitting. Disassemble unit for painting. Fill, sand, and paint plywood in finish desired. For over-all look of single decorative unit, paint legs, too, With paint dry, re-assemble your desk, and there you have it—your new family desk with the “big top” you've longed for! ® 35INDOOR PROJECT No. 5 wardrobe desk SPC eee CS Centre ae Cie pert HIS handsome built-in puts waste space under a sloping upstairs ceiling to good use. With shelves and racks for accessories and spacious, full-length closets for hanging apparel, it’s an all-in- one wardrobe that will double your bed- room storage space. Because it replaces the usual dresser and chest, it actually will make a cubby-hole bedroom look larger. Altering dimensions, you can adapt the wardrobe to fit any location, slant-ceil- inged or not. For the built-in shown in the plan you'll need eight panels of %4-inch thick plywood pi and six panels of 34-inch thick plywood, A-A grade Interior-type panels for doors, ends and partitions and Ply-Panel (A-D) for back, bottom and sloping top. Cut COMPLETED UNIT looks ike this. 1t will them in your shop to minimize muss up- provide muchneeded storage space for aan SESE Sa Assembly is easy. First lay the base and bottom. Next set up ends, backs and di- viders, Then fit the interior joinery and hang the doors. Butt-join plywood strips for base and block behind joints in long top facing. If the ceiling above the unit gets hot in summer, bore one-inch diameter ventilat- ing holes along the top and base. Finish BUILDING this wardrobe desk is « sim- your built-in to harmonize with your ple Job. Read instructions and stndy room scheme. Paint the inside a light plans carefully, then get out the tools. color, perhaps clean white. *‘uns Swot om U} ew Yonu eas ti sTy) Hoefod Burxoyepun exojeq ATyerns sunjd Xprig “Dem ‘Suydoqs 4epun on io} pesuD[d uN eBDz018 LrI[mG of s\usWeMsDeW SuIPIINY MOGs SAVUDVIC ISTH conan BONO 47/6 s3no wAvad .2/¢ omen! wouos .r/e : 4 ob[el¥ r/ sia ales [ | tn om | Be “ p==—— a I 08 com” “goa aoom Rs _4 s3Ks 30v0OM ,7/¢ === remy Scoaey mere & ley = eR ae Fae u rs as sy = Ks a ava ia Preae sovoom } a4] ee, mile jae z 1 santas ,a/¢ 7 oI Tie oor Sioa ane wee 7 the |sspem Sua, AjoiDy exyupsioe: ‘ejosoepe: ‘Tepomer o} oounyp D nok eAyb [km UPA MRL “sones =) Aq suoquewyp sais Bod eqsoddo opm “obpd sqy uo waoRs sf WON ernie Jo HOLTNS GATIVIAT INS OL SBATHS GNY SOW Ss i awed | 000 z/ | | nea | WA 7 ‘Onova a/tESIGNED to fill up those bare spots ‘on your foyer or study wall, this rack will hold the largest of magazines with a minimum of space. Any type plywood can be used as the basic material. The shelves and guard rails INDOOR PROJECT No. 6 magazine wall rack This plywood unit will hold all kinds of magazines in the very minimum of space are made from do-it-yourself aluminum which can be bought at most hardware and dollar stores. Follow the drawing below for correct size and assembly pro- cedure. Wood screws, spaced 16 inches apart to catch the studs, hold unit to wall. swewves, 4 Rcop. Wier x sre" x24 ‘ALUMINUH: THE RACK IS HELD BY TWO WOOD SCREWS, SPACED 16" APART TO CATCH WALL STUDS, SECURING RACK TO WALL. 40INDOOR PROJECT No. 7 [SING the dimensions in the drawings, make one full-size pattern of each of the parts on heavy wrapping paper, Check dimensions for accuracy and then lay out all the parts on a full sheet of plywood as shown in the cutting diagram. Allow for take-apart E2 Now cut each plywood part to size, The quickest and simplest method is to use a e saber saw. If one is not available, all out- 0] ig n he 0] re side cuts and accessible inside cuts can be made with a sharp hand saw. Remaining cuts can be done with a keyhole saw. When ; cutting the parts out of the panel leave all BC ee outside corners square. Then round cor- : ners where indicated to %-inch radius UU LC with a wood rasp. ‘To gain rigidity after assembly, the slots AT SCC ENACT in each piece must be accurate. “These can be made by drilling a %-inch hole at the bottom line of each slot and cutting into each side of the hole. ‘Trim corners with 41ALL SLOTS 3/8” WIDE 9 U2" ‘ALLOWANCE. FOR PAINT’ OR NATURAL FINSH DETERMINE ANGLE OF ‘TWiS SLOT AFTER ALL a sharp chisel. Cut all slots % inch wide plus y-inch allowance for paint or natural finish. Note that the horizontal slot in part “F” is not an angular cut. It must be made at least 5% inch wide to provide access for the tongue of the seat which intersects at an angle. In part “G” note also that the angle of the top slot must be determined after assembly. With the blade of the table saw set at 17 degrees off the vertical, make a sloped cut along the top edge of the 1x2-inch table cleat. Cut to length with ends sloped at 2 rf 98" DOWEL TO LocK Leos. To Top ‘TABLE: THREE PIECES TO LOCK CHAIR: 17 degrees also. Drill a %-inch diameter hole at the center of each cleat. Assemble table legs and frame and mark position of 1x2-inch cleats. Then fasten to underside of top with glue and screws. Mark and drill a hole in each leg frame for %-inch dowel. Now assemble the chairs. Mark and drill holes for dowels through three pieces to lock as shown on drawings. With part “D” in position, mark location and angle of slot to be cut into part "G Disassemble and sand all edges with 1-0paper on a wood block. Fill blemishes with spackle or wood paste and complete finish sanding with 3-0 paper. Paint in a number of bright harmonizing colors if you wish or apply a natural finish. Follow manufacturer's recommendations for best results. Simple lock joints made possible by the use of fir plywood holds the various parts rigidly together while in use; will slip apart easily for storage. Parts can be stored flat in a minimum amount of space and will withstand rough treatment, * CUTTING DIAGRAMS Whe eon ea" INTERIOR OR EXTERIOR « DFPA + AA PARTS SCHEDULE ds SIZE PART IDENTIFICATION 1 Tee 2 2 see 2 DRAWINGS 2 FoR 2 DIMENSIONS Chair Legs (Rear) 2 hair Frame 2 hair Legs (Front) 2Uin Cleats Bin. Dowals MISCELLANEOUS—1" No, # FH. screws Glue & fishing materialsINDOOR PROJECT No. 8 hi-fi cabinet This beautiful model is easy on the budget 'HIS unit not only fills the corner nicely, but provides ample space for storage of records, books, magazines and virtually any combination of hi-fidelity component on the market. ‘The plan is flexible so that a television set may be easily included. In one version of the wall, a television picture tube may be mounted in the exact corner of the installation. Or, the TV set can be installed on the right side. There is still plenty of room for the tuner, amplie fier, speaker, and record player. The entire unit is constructed with Ys- and %-inch panels of fir plywood. These are strong and easy to work with. ‘The wall stands 6 feet 9 inches high. Its left “arm” extends out 5 feet 9 inches along one wall, and the right arm covers 25 inches along the other wall. It protrudes either 10% or 14% inches from the wall, according to which version is installed. The music wall may be finished in any color desired to match the decor of the room. *¥y 4 a ‘ : : me WY ws 4 PLAN at €-c" 2 Le ; Pens eer aa % ie Bee" coae Pr cue t sceew > te as etre Tere e. PLANS Seates Paronr vnuwien, + ir lee, “t aeons Li books 18 fchao = | jy nceweee, j series PP eve tt Aa Ma ePIC is = | “O90 # ve |rechacd open SECTION DD ~ SECTION E-ESTUDY THESE detailed drawings for full instructions on building hi‘ unit, Do not undertake construction until thoroughly familiar with plans,'HIS handsome music center has many fine features, one being that the TV set can be swiveled around so that it can be seen from either the kitehen or the li ing room, Dimensions given make it possible to cut all parts before assembly, but minor varia tions that generally crop out in a project this large make it advisable to cut and fit as you go. Identical dimensions on mating or matching parts still should be cut at the same time without changing saw setting for perfect fit. Glue and nail all joints. Start at the base. Nail the mitered plywood legs to the rab- beted 2x3-inch frame. Dado bottom panel 24 for record album partitions and notch edges for 2x2-inch posts, 1x2-inch stiles ‘and speaker mounting board before nail- ing to base. Nail all posts and stiles, divider panels 14 and 20, and ends 13 and 17 in place next. Notice that a diagonal section is removed from the four posts about 18 inches above the base. Exact length of these segments depends on the height of the TV chassis your turntable must accommodate, as they are used later for corner posts in the sub- assembly for the TV turntable. Before installing shelves, construct the airtight speaker enclosure shown in Sec- tion C. Dimensions and form shown were specified for the 10-inch speaker used in this installation. To modify for a 12-inch, 15-inch or co-axial speaker, consult your high-fidelity supplier. Line all surfaces of the enclosure completely with 1-inch glass fiber sound absorbing blanket, to control resonance. “You now are ready to install fixed dadoed shelves with panels 16 and 26. Note that. an are is cut out of tuner shelf 11, to let the TV turntable swing. ‘Nail through 26 into back edge of maga- INDOOR PROJECT No. 9 music center Combine radio, TV and hi fi in one beautiful, compact unit made from easy-to-handle plywood zine rack shelves 8. Beveled cleats, maga- zine rack panels, hardwood edge and ¥%4- round stop can be installed any time. Leave space open behind panels 33 and 34, to run wiring. Cut, fit and drill your ‘tuner control panel and install with diago- nal masks 40 and partition 21. Assemble record changer carriage after checking model you are installing to be sure you allow ample clearance for its en- closed mechanism and to pass center stile, with sliding hardware in place. Cut, fit, drilland attach fixed shelf 28 be- low TV turntable, Face the upper surface with a disc of stiff plastic laminate to pro- vide a smooth, hard track for rollers. As a sub-assembly, join turntable top, bottom and end panels with segments from 2x2-inch corner posts, after checking fit in place and notching, drilling, mortising and installing rollers and pivots as shown. Attach strips shown on either side of the picture tube opening and blocks shown above and below. Lift sub-assembly over posts into socket for pivot tube. Drill socket in underside of top panel 9 for upper turntable pivot and attach top to posts, dividers and end 13. Nail front panel 3 in place; the amplifier can be installed through back before you install corre- sponding perforated panel. Using 4d finish nails and glue, attach mitered hardwood edge around top and bullnose casing around base. These do not extend around left end in front elevation, since cabinet was built to project from wall Finish unit completely as recommended. Slip partitions in place-and hinge doors. ‘Move into position and slip TV set into turntable compartment through back. In- stall and connect speaker, amplifier, tuner and changer. Apply grill cloth with pre- finished molding. Attach back panels to aluminum angles for ventilation. * 9° 2 i r s s 0 3 0 BANAT" Ya AROTK TED ae ‘ALL PLYWOOD PLYPANEL A-D \ CUTTING DIAGRAMS. i it ecmINDOOR PROJECT No. 10 collapsible coffee table ACRE eee RC ie eee eee SINGLE 2x4-foot “handy panel” of %-inch plywood makes not only this palette-shaped coffee table, but the modern. lamp as well. Even the table legs are cut from the same piece of plywood. The only extras you need are three 14-inch butt hinges for the folding legs of the table, and a standard socket, plug, mounting nipple, and cord for the lamp. Total cost of both table and lamp (without shade) was $4.69. The shade illustrated cost $1.19. ‘Although you can do the job in an after- noon with ordinary hand tools, using a compass saw to cut the curves, one of the new workshop type portable ‘saber saws lets you cut out all the parts in less than half an hour. (‘The one used in the photos is a Whiz Saw, designed by. Forsberg with feminine workshoppers in mind—it's about the size, shape, and weight of a portable kitchen mixer, and it's as easy to use, Just switch it on and push it along the line to be cut, curved or straight.) Your first step is copying the squared drawing on wrapping paper, using four- inch squares. Don’t worry about exact- ness here. If your outline is a little bumpy just smooth it out frechand. The hole in the tabletop is five inches in diameter to fit the bowl shown in the finished photo, but you can vary this to fit any bowl you happen to have that’s near this size. The easiest way to outline the hole is by stick- ing an icepick through the center of the circle on the pattern, Then draw the cir- cle on the plywood with a compass. If you're using a compass saw (hand tool) you'll have to bore a hole inside the circle to start your saw cut. With the little saber saw, start as shown in photos, without bor- ing a hole. ‘The legs are cut over-length, as shown on the squared drawing, in order to allow for squaring the wide ends and trimming off the points to bring all three to approx- imately 16-inch length. Their outward angle holds them firmly in position when the table is in use. When folded flat against the underside of the tabletop they let you store it in the back of a closet or even hang it on the wall as a free form, if your decor is modern. * MATERIALS NEEDED for this collapsible coffee table are shown in the photo below: a 2xt-oot panel of S4-inch plywood; lamp socket with switch: three 1Yiinch butt hinges; lamp cord: snap-on plug for cord.COFFEE TABLE is handsome piece of furniture, If you want surface veneer of pine or birch rather thon fir, you probably can't buy it in 2x4foot handy panel size, but many lum! ryards will cut @ two-oot ond off larger panel (as long as remcinder is saleable size). Here's what it looks lke in'birch, cul from end of larger panel. Finish is three coats of spar varnish for a surface that won't be stained by spilled bever- ‘ages, hot or cold, Plywood edge is trimmed with stick-on edging, Bow! filted into hole holds fruits, auts, ‘candy. Bowl must have outer lips rimming it, 40 that it can rest on edge of hole, as shown in photo above. TO MAKE fullaized pattem for lamp and table parts make freehand approximation of this draw. {ing on large sheet of wrapping paper, using four- inch aquares. Draw freehand oulline 0 it cuts through large squares af about the same points as ‘mall outline on this drawing. Upright of lamp is ‘at right, table Togs at upper right, halves of lamp ase at left comers. Heavy short lines in squares show position of leg hinge pins when legs are attached to tabletop. Draw the ouiline very neatly. -T | 53FOR FAST JOB, a litle workshop type port able sober saw cuts out all the parts In half an hour. It weighs about samo as lichen mixer shown above it, culs wood, ‘metal, plastic. With special untoothed blades it con also cxt foam rubber, leather, ot a frozen steak, Cuts through a 2x4 in seconds. FIRST STEP: Draw enlarged outline of table- top on wrapping paper. using fourinch squares. Draw curved line so it cuts through latge squares the same way as oulline on small squared drawing. Cut out outlined tabletop pattern and trace around it with soft pencil directly on the plywood piece. TO CUT OUT tabletop simply along pencil line as shown here. If you're sawing it by hand, use a compass saw. TO CUT OUT circular hole, stand saber saw note down, as shown, with front of foot plate resting on wood and 8p of saw blade resting on wood. Switch it on and gradually ease blade inte wood by tipping back of saw slowly down toward normal positio Blade cuts all the way through wood. WHEN BLADE has cut through and foot plate of saw is flat on plywood surlace. simply swing saw around as shown, to cut out complete circle. Ife only saw that can do this jab without bored hole to start from.FIRST PARTS cut from leftover plywood (alter cut- fing out tabletop) are the table legs. If you use fine-toothed blade on saber saw. the cut edges will, he satin-emooth, require no sanding. If you're ‘working with hand fools you can use a cross cut saw for this part of job as leg edges azo straight, TO SQUARE wide ends of logs, draw line down, center first, then draw line across it at right angle. ‘You can use comer of sheet of typewriter paper cs tightangle guide. Angle of leg tops is drawn by measuring down % inch on one side, drawing ‘angled line os on center leg in photo. Set leg on edge, run saw across it along line, ax at top. Use thamblack (center) to level footplate of saw. ATTACH legs to underside of tabletop with butt ‘hinges, locating them as shown on squared draw- ing. Important: try them in folded position belore fastening to make sure they don't extend beyond edge of tabletop. Use Yé-Inch or S-inch fathead screws lo make sure tips don't go through tabletop, THEN TABLE is not in use and you wish ore It away and save space, simply turn it over, and fold the legs up against the bottom. os shown here. Entre unit can bo stored easily and simply this way. Il closet is crowded, you can hang table on the wall, use It as @ free-form wall pattern. 55SECTION lett over after cutting out legs, forms up- Fight of lamp. Cut out the outline from squared ‘wrapping paper and ace around it carefully. HALVES of lamp base are noiled, glued with household coment (like Duce) to the bottom of up- Hight, one on each side, Allow hour for hardening. (= & a INSERT threaded nipple with nut on top. Then thread the cord through it, as shown. Socket hat been attached to cord belore insertion ie mad SEO li\. TWO HALVES of lamp base are alike, made from cutolt comers of other ond of plywood panel. For perlect match, clamp two cutoif comers together. WHEN HALVES of base are firm, stand lamp with upper end supporied. bore hole for threaded nip- ple for socket, Hole is 1¥2 inches from upper end. TIGHTEN nut and drew cord taut down back of Jamp upright, anchoring near bose with an insu. lated staple. Then paint cord to match color of lamp.COMPLETED lamp with conical aluminum shade is modern in form. You can make the shade or standard Kodaflector bought at photo shop, as has been done in pholo above. Lamp sols on table. Tips on Plywood Edge Treatment ‘As the saber saw leaves the cut edges of the plywood smooth they may simply be given a natural finish, if desired, after wiping on a little filler to take care of any prominent end grain that might otherwise prove overly absorbent in finishing. If you prefer to conceal the ply edges you can apply any of the stick-on edgings now available, running the edging all the way around the table. If you do this it will be best to start so that the joint in the edging will occur on the inside curve near the hole, as it will show the least at that point. A third treatment calls for cutting the table from the panel with the saw tilted to produce a bevel. To do this, simply cut a wedge-shaped piece of wood the size of the saw’s foot plate, with a slot for the blade to pass through. The wood wedge should be attached to the foot plate so as to tilt the blade sideways at about 30 degrees. Fasten the wedge to the foot plate with a flat head bolt running upward through a hole drilled in the plate, and countersink the bolt head flush in the wood wedge. (The hole will prove handy for other adaptations, such as wood shims to control depth of cut, etc.) Mount the wedge so that the blade cuts with a bevel inward at the underside of the tabletop. Beveled in this manner. the plies of the edges are not readily apparent, een eee eee | | | | | | 7INDOOR PROJECT No. 11 kneeling table It changes from a dining room table to a coffee table ‘ERE'S a table to build that will serve you full time—and then some. It is a table that stands to full dining or serving height when you need it. Between times it bends its knees to become a coffee table; and does this, moreover, without losing its graceful lines, There are no gears to shift, no pins to pull, no clamps to loosen, no parts to re- move. As you can see from the photo- graphs, it folds from one working position to another with no ado and in a matter of seconds. ‘You can build it in small scale for serv- ing duty where space is limited. For din- ing, make it as big as you like. The HERE'S the kneoling table, raised to helght of 30 photographs show a five-footer that is right for buffet serving, large enough for small- family or supplementary guest dining. The slight modifications necessary for making it wider or narrower or longer are indicated at the right, ‘Lumber and finish are up to you. Use any kind of plywood. Used here is 1%-inch shop-grade pine for the top. For the legs we chose stout cheap Douglas fir because it is easily had in the 2x3 lumber needed. If you use pine or fir, by all means give ita wire-brush finish. Go over the legs and upper surface of the top with a wire brush or scratch brush until you get a texture you like. Then apply a coat of white resin EACH pair of legs, hinged as unit, is swung into second position to raise table to full height. wr :sealer (such as White Rez), wiping it down ‘with a rag after afew minutes. Repeat this process, after the first coat is dry, but this time use White Rez tinted with raw umber. Finish with one or two coats of clear resin sealer, If this gives more gloss than you like, rub down the final coat with powdered pumice in oil, or glue up hard~ wood to make the top, using walnut, oak, Philippine mahogany, cherry, or ‘some other wood of your ‘choice. Give it a stained or bleached finish, or simply use water-white lacquer or synthetic varnish. Material you'll need to make the table as shown here is: top, 1¥%4x22x60 inches; 18 feet of standard 2x3, or other lumber about 1% inches thick and 2% inches wide; 38 inches of piano hinge % inch or wider, with screws. * HINTS . . . If you make a table with a top narrower than 22 i ‘az much shorter than the for them. If you make a wi increase the longth of the erosspieces by about half the ‘amount giv rtor table, you can follow directions exactly. Make the top somewhere between 4 and 8 feet long. For 2 longer table—5 to & feet in length —you can fellow the instructions exactly. But you'll get a better balanced coffee table if You move the hinge points further apart so they are about 14 in. from the endt of the 59CUT stock 1% in. thick and 2% in. wide into 10 pieces. Make four long legs, like one at bottom in photo below. by setting miter gauge at 80 degrees and culling to length of 28 in. With same 80-degree setting, make four legs 14 in. long. Then set gauge back to regular 80 degree cutol and make one plece 17 is. Jong and one 20% in.; these are the crosspieces. Line up the four long legs, with two of them upside down so that their angle culs do not parallel those of the frst two, With a short leg ax guide, mark a line on each (as shown in photographs) parallel fo the end and at a distance from it equal fo the width of short leg. ‘MARK the opposite end of each short leg for rabbeting on the opposite side—tike this. But this time hold the marking piece on edge so rabbet will be only 1% in. wide. Complete the joint as before, removing stock to half the thickness of the lumber. Do this to all four short legs. Drill two screw holes at each end of each short leg. Space the holes in « staggered pattern as shown in the photograph. (Fer a suggestion about treatment of screw holes, see Photograph 11. I's the photograph on top of page 63, shows screw plugs. 60HALF-LAP joint long legs to short legs. Do this by removing stock 10 the line, culling exactly hall way through the leg and doing PLACE a short leg on each of the two cross plecos and trace a pair of lines like this. Make each line begin at a corer of the momanioces Be 3p of leg between BEVEL the two crosspieces to there lines: Do this with drawing first and second line to do this. plane, jointer or saw. With saw, use bevel setting of 10°, 6‘MAKE a top for your table. This can be a single piece of wide lumber or can be glued up from plywood stock. Make it 1% ‘im, thick, 22 in. wide, 60 in. loné You'll now have completed the ploces ‘shown in photo at the left: top, two cross Pieces, four long legs, four short Jegs. NOW glue and scrow each short leg to cone long leg, to give the set of four leg ‘ascomblies shown here, Note that two ‘assemblies are the opposite of the other two, that angles formed by the legs in each case are larger than right angles. FASTEN each pair of legs to one of the crosspieces, using glue and two 2 in. No, 12 flathead screws at each joint, Note how workmen sets the crosspiece back an cmount equal to the thick: ness of the barrel of the piano hinge.‘THIS IS an optional touch for « neat finish to your Job. When drilling screw holes, first counterbore fo @ depth of 4 In. with a %4 in. bit. After driving screws, cover heads with a plug or bit of Y4in, dowel. Giue it in and then sand flush with sur face. The screw heads that would show enough to make this particularly worth while are those where short lege join beveled crosspieces, Do a neat, tidy job. ANOTHER easy way to position the leg parts on the under side of the table top i by firet tying them together with twine 4s shown. Then center the whole bus! ness by measuring from ends and sides, CUT OFF lengths of continuous hinge to same lengths as the crosspieces. Fasten to beveled pieces and under side of top. Uso only three screws in each leat of each hinge. Remove twine and test ac- fion of legs, then put in other screws. ROUND OFF sharp edges and comers, and sandpaper the wood clean and ‘smooth, Table is now ready for Gnishing.'HERE'S hardly a home where this simply constructed step caddy won’t prove useful, whether it be used to reach high shelves’ in modern overhead closets, dusting the ceiling, or hanging curtains and drapes, It is also handy when washing and cleaning lower windows of a home from the outside, First step in constructing the caddy is to draw a grid of one-ingh squares on which you can scale off the patterns for the vari- ous parts, as shown in the accompanying drawing. Make the patterns out of paper and merely superimpose them on plywood panels. Draw the pattern outline on the plywood with a pencil, and then it becomes an easy matter to cut the plywood to de- sired shape and size. Note that 3/16-in. ply- wood is used for some parts, while others call for 44-in. stock (see drawing). 64 INDOOR PROJECT No. 12 step caddy This three-step homemaker's aid makes it easy for you to reach high places without any physical pain The two lower shelves of the caddy are boxed in on the front side, while the rear edges are fitted with bracing strips, mak- ing it possible to store a few small tools in the space between steps without danger of their falling out when the caddy is car- ried by its handle. The triangular-shaped back leg sections are hinged so they can be folded back when the caddy is carried. In making this project, as in making all the projects in this book, study the dia gram carefully before undertaking any construction. A few extra minutes spent studying the diagram can mean the dif- ference between a good job and a bad one; also the difference between time well spent and time wasted, not to mention the lumber and hardware involved. ‘The photos shown on this and the oppo- site page show how the step eaddy works.ACE, vee seais-s/0 FLAP 1/2x 7x16" PLY,» SS. es \raen yan x88-178" Rea inccienen ee JOT SHOWN STEP 172"x 421/2"x15-1/2" H Gi ANGLE BRACKET 4 ‘OREQD. ‘TOP SHELF NOT SHOWN. SIDES V2"xiiet2"x 25-172" LY PLYWOOD. STEP 172% o"xi5-172" GLUE ALL JOINTS: SHELF ariextoms-ie BRACE V2"x 2-1/28% 15-578" THE TOP PIECE is attached with angle hinges WITH THE TOP PIECE in the seat position and the ‘wh'ch enable if fo be swung in a 180 degree arc, bracing legs folded back. the step caddy can be 3 convenienily carried simply by grasping handle. LAP-JOINT66 THIS couch-bed is very easy to ‘make, very comfortable to use. Tt moiches the Easy Chair which Is next project in book. TO MARE into bed. just lift off the back of couchbed and it becomes @ comfortable sleep: ing unit, as photo leit shows.INDOOR PROJECT No. 13 couch-bed A space-saving, double-duty unit designed especially for small apartments HIS couch-bed was designed to match the Easy Chair, which is the next proj- ect in this book. “You'll find the making of it similar. The only difference is in the length of some of the parts and in the placing of some of these parts. ‘Arms for this couch, if you wish to put arms on it now or later, are exactly the same as for the Easy Chair. Buy the ma- terials listed for arms under the Easy Chair section. Materials needed for couch base, springs, back and upholstery are at the end of this story. ® CUT two boards 1x344x29 inches and two ASSEMBLE this frame with glue and YéxlYi-inch 1xi¥4x72 Inches, Rabbet both ends of 72. dowels. Make two plocos of %4dnch material, inch pieces ¥4 inch deep and I inch wide. 2x70 inches and two, 2x27% inches, Glue and nail Drill Y4inch holes through there tobbets these to the inside of the assembled frame, % sand into ends of 29inch pieces for Yeinch inch from top edge. This top edge ls the one dowel joints, (Same ax Easy Chair) Bore nearest the bolt holes for the arms. On the follow- Yainch holes in the 284iach pleces for arms. ing six pages you will find further instructions. oIN ONE 72inch side of this frame bore Yeinch holes 12% Inches and 15% Inches in from each end and 1% inches in from each side as shown here. These holes are for bolts to hold back supports, FROM 2x2.inch stock tum six tapered legs. (Same ax for Easy Choir.) Make three boards %4x5 or %4x6 by 27 inches. Bore one-inch holes ia the center of those boards one inch in from each end. Glue and wedge leg dowels into these holes. Fasten these assomblies to under side of couch base with glue and nails or screws, Place one pair at each end and place the third pair in the center of baxe, MAKE two back supports 1x9¥x22 inches. Clamp one end of each 12% inches in from each end of the couch on the side you have drilled for the back support bolts, Mark bolt holes in the {frame on to the supports. Drill these holes ‘and bolt supporis to frame with ¥4x3 inch carriage bolis. Heads of bolis go on out side of supports. as the workman shows. MAKE two 2x's 29% inches and two 2xt's 71% inches. Rabbet the ends of each of these for halfap joints. Assem- Ble this frame with glue and nails. Make sure nails are no closer than 1% inches to oulside edge of frame, as shown here.CUT a rabbet % inch deep and 1 inch wide around the outside edge of this frame, as shown in the photo at right. Workman here is using o multi-purpose power tool to do this very simple job. IF YOU use nosag springs, start them 1% inches from each end and space them 4% inches apart the length of the frome. For webbing, use five strips lengthwise, and ax many as you can get 1% Inches apart crosswise. Attach springs and webbing securely to frame. PUT this spring frame on the couch base aand staple or tack two layers of plastic screen over the springs. If you use web- bing, you can eliminate this covering which is to protect foam rubber. Take {Your fime doing this job and do it care- fully. Ws @ vilal part of construction.COT one panel of Y-inch plywood 1194x72 inches; ‘one 12x72 inches and two S¥ex1] inches. Make board ¥%4x2¥4x72 inches: three tapered boards ‘Yaxt¥s inches one end and 2% inches at other fend x 11 inches; amd four pieces ¥4xlx11 inches. GLUE and nail the straight side of one tapered board to each end of the above assembly and one in the center. Make wide end of boards flush with the same edge of the plywood as in previous photo, ‘Take time, do each section of couch-bed carefully. 70 GLUE and nail the 5¥4x1lLinch plywood to the Yeinch edges of the Y4x1x11inch strips. Glue and nail these to the 11%4x72:inch plywood, 11¥4 inches from each end, Make ends flush with one side, Let %4 Inch of plywood stick beyond the other end. PUT the %4x244x72.Inch board across narrow ends ‘of tapered boards, Fasten with glue and nails. Glue and nail the Y-inch ip of plywood to edge of it Glue, nail 12x72-Inch plywood panel to open side of box. Next step: photo one, opposite page.