Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 92.djvu/940

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��Popular Science Monthly

��Constructing a Convenient Table for the Porch

PORCH furniture to be worthy of a place on the bungalow porch should

���Pleasing design of a porch table that can be made of any sound wood and coat- ed with white enamel

possess individuality of type. The table de- scribed here is different from the conventional porch table and has a distinction of its own. The following bill of material gives the re- quired pieces in lengths to make a cutting fit.

��Details of the parts for making the porch table in a convenient size

��4 legs 27 in. long by 2 in. square.

2 lower pieces 25 in. long, 2% in. wide and 2 in.

thick. 2 cross-pieces 22' 2 i"- long by 2J4 in. wide and

134 in. thick. 4 top pieces 25 in. long by 6j^ in. wide and l^g

in. thick. 12 J/^-in dowels 3 in long. 4 No. 8 flat head screws 1 in. long. 8 No. 14 flat head screws 23^2 in long. 4 No. 12 flat head .screws 2 in. long with wa.shers. 4 casters. Small qiuintity of 2j/2 in. finishing nails.

Saw out the two lower cross-pieces first and fit them together in the center with a cross lap joint, fastening them with two No. 10 screws. Next proceed to cut out the legs by squaring them up to size and cutting the ends to the correct angle. This can be found by drawing the table full size on a piece of wrapping paper and

��then obtaining the angle with a bevel.

The top pieces should also be cut and fitted together with a cross lap joint. Fasten these together with the two No. 8 flat head screws. It is best to glue the top up, using about four pieces to overcome any tendency to warp- ing. Join the edges with glue and dowels, using about four dowels to each joint. While the glue in the top is drying, assemble the supporting part. Bore }i-\n. holes in the top and bottom cross-pieces where the legs are to be fastened, and countersink the holes. Before fastening the legs with screws nail them in place with the finishing nails and then insert the screws. Draw the screws up as tight as possible, and the table parts will be held together solidly.

The top should be planed and then scraped and cut out to size on a band-saw. Smooth up the edges and surfaces care- fully with sandpaper. The top is then fastened to the table with screws run up through the cross-pieces. The holes for the screws had better be slotted and a washer put under the screw heads so that the top can shrink and expand readily. After the entire surfaces of all parts have been well smoothed with sandpaper it is ready for finishing. White enamel makes a very fine finish for porch furniture. It is applied as follows: First put on two coats as a base, allowing time for drying thoroughly between coats; then apply the finishing coat. Allow three days for the last coat to dry. Then the table is ready for use on the porch. As the wood used in its construction may be of any soft variety it is not difficult to make and join the parts snugly together so that there will be no seam to show after the surface is coated with the enamel. The same table can be made in quartered oak and stained to match furniture for a room, or constructed of mahogany or birch stained mahogany and used with other furniture to match for the home. The design is such that it will adapt itself for use in either case. Haury W. Anderson.

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