H. H. Windsor

“ What is mission oak stain? There are many on the market, with hardly two alike in tone. The true mission oak stain may be said to show a dull gray, the flakes showing a reddish tint, while the grain of the wood will be almost a dead black. To produce such a stain take 1 lb. of drop black in oil and 1/2 oz, of rose pink in oil, adding a gill of best japan drier, thinning with three half-pints of turpentine. ”

“ Each coat of the shellac should be rubbed when thoroughly dried with curled hair or fine steel wool or fine oiled sandpaper. Rub the first coats of varnish with hair-cloth or curled hair and the last coats with pulverized pumice stone and crude oil or raw linseed oil.
Cushions for the chair can be made at home. They may be made of art leather such as Spanish roan skin and the top and bottom parts fastened together by lacing leather thongs through holes previously punched along the edges of the parts. A very pretty effect is obtained by using thongs of a different but harmonious color. ”

“ The rails should next have the tenons cut on their ends. It may not be out of place to remind the amateur that the lengths of the various like pieces can best be laid off by placing them on the bench, measuring off the proper distances on one of them and then with try-square marking across the edges of all of them at once. This not only saves time in that but one set of measurements need be made, but it insures all the pieces being similarly laid off. In measuring off for the shoulders of the tenons, begin at the middle of the length of the rail and measure half of the distance each way. ”

“ Next apply a coat of filler colored to match the stain. Directions for its application will be found upon the cans in which the filler comes. After the filler has hardened put on a very thin coat of shellac. [26]
What step is taken next will depend upon what kind of a surface is desired. Several coats of polishing wax may be put on. This is easily done—directions will be found on the cans—and makes the most satisfactory finish for mission and craftsman furniture. It is the easiest to apply. Several coats of shellac or of varnish might be put on instead of wax. ”

“ Spring the frame until they measure alike, using a brace to hold the frame in position until the glue can harden.
Before staining, scrape off any surplus glue, for [41] stain will not adhere to glue and a white spot will be the result of failing to remove it. Fasten cleats to the front and back rails with screws. To these cleats fasten the slats as shown in the drawing. A cushion of Spanish leather, such as is shown in the photograph, can be bought at the furniture store or the upholsterer's. It can be made by the amateur quite easily, however. ”

“ The slats and legs are fastened to the shelves with 2-in. round-headed brass screws. These can be purchased from any hardware store. One screw is used at each joint of a slat and shelf which calls for 32 screws in all. Holes should be bored into the slats and legs in which to insert the screws. This will keep the wood from splitting. The dimensions are given in the diagram sketch, although these may be changed to suit the requirement of the builder. If no glue is used on the joints when setting up, the rack can easily be taken apart and put in a small bundle for moving. ”

“ If it is considered too severe and the worker has had some experience in woodwork, it can easily be modified by adding vertical slats in back and sides. These should be made of 1/2-in. stock and their ends should be "let into" the rails by means of mortises.
Either plain red oak or quarter-sawed white oak will do. Begin by squaring up one end of each leg, marking and cutting them to length and planing up the second ends so that they shall be square. Both the top and bottom of each leg should be beveled or rounded off about 1/4 in. so that they may not splinter or cause injury to the hand. ”

“ HOW TO MAKE A MISSION SHAVING STAND
This attractive and useful piece of mission furniture will be appreciated by the person that does his own shaving. The shaving stand can be made at home by a handy man in his spare time as the stock can be ordered from a mill ready for making the joints and attaching the few pieces of hardware. The following is a stock list of materials:
4 posts 1-1/2 in. square by 50-1/2 in. 4 slats 7/8 by 1 by 32-1/2 in. 2 cross rails 1 by 1-1/2 by 15 in. 2 end rails 1 by 1-1/2 by 13 in. ”

“ After applying a coat of filler, let stand until it turns gray, which requires about 20 minutes, depending upon the amount of japan in the filler, when it should be rubbed off with cotton waste or whatever you use for the purpose. A filler must be rubbed well into the wood, the surplus only being removed. ”

“ A very good hardwood filler for oak, either for a natural or golden effect, may be made from two parts of turpentine and one part of raw linseed oil, with a small amount of good japan to dry in the usual time. ”

“ The coming of spring and summer calls forth various kinds of porch and lawn furniture. A porch or lawn swing to accommodate two or more persons is a thing desired by most people. The lawn swing as shown in the picture is portable and does not need stakes to hold it to the ground. ”

“ No stock need be ordered for the keys, as they can be made out of the waste pieces remaining after the legs are shaped.
Begin work on the four legs first. While both sides of each leg slope, it will be necessary to plane a joint edge on each leg from which to lay out the mortises, grooves and to test the ends. It will be necessary to have a bevel square to use in marking off the slopes and for testing them. To get the setting for the bevel square, make a full sized "lay out" or drawing of the necessary lines in their proper relation to one another and adjust the bevel to those lines. ”

“ It influenced the Roman style and the Pompeian, and all the Renaissance styles, and all styles following the Renaissance, and is still the most important factor in decorations today.
Roman.—750 B.C. to 450 A.D. Rome took her art entirely from Greece, and the Roman is purely a Greek development. The Roman style "revived" in the Renaissance, and in this way is still a prominent factor in modern decoration.
Pompeian.—100 B.C. to 79 A.D. Sometimes called the Grecian-Roman style, which well describes its components. The style we know as Greek was the Greek as used in public structures. ”

“ When each pedestal is put together the lower back panel is fastened to them with screws turned into the pieces provided as stated in making the end panels. The top board is now adjusted with equal edges projecting and fastened in position with finishing nails. As the top panels cover directly over where the nails are driven, the heads will not show. The upper back panel is fastened to the curved ends and the whole top held to the top board with cast corner brackets that can be purchased at any hardware store. ”

“ Whatever shape is used, the important thing to keep in mind is that the size of the key and the slant of its forward surface where it passes through the tenon must be kept the same as the mortise made for it in the tenon. ”

“ Each end of the apron pieces extends 4 in., and a hole is bored at A into which the hanging ropes or chains are fastened. If ropes are used, bore the holes to fit the rope and when the end of each rope is put through a hole it is tied in a knot to keep from slipping out. Chains can be fastened with eye bolts. Small carriage or stove bolts are used to hold the slats on the framework and cross pieces. The arm rests are fastened with wood screws.
Details of Seat
The drawing for the stand gives all the dimensions for its construction. ”

“ There is to be a 5/8-in. bevel on the under side of the top. Scrape and sandpaper these edges and secure the top to the stretchers with screws.
Tabouret as Completed
Much time can be saved and a better result obtained if the wood finishing is done before the parts are put together. Especially is this true if stain and filler are used.
A very pretty finish and one easily put on even [21] after the parts are put together is obtained as follows: Take a barrel and stuff up the cracks or paste paper over them so as to make it as near airtight as possible. ”

“ Then it is given a coating of dilute nitric acid which is rubbed well into the wood fiber. Then it is stained with a mixture made by dissolving 1-1/2 oz. of dragon's blood in a pint of alcohol, this solution being filtered, and then there is added to it one-third of its weight of sodium carbonate. Apply this mixture with a brush, and repeat the coats at intervals until the [77] surface has the appearance of polished mahogany. In case the luster should fail it may be restored by rubbing with a little raw linseed oil. ”

“ If everything fits perfectly, the basket is ready to be glued. For best results hot glue should be used. First glue up two opposite sides with the slats in place. Clamps must be used. When these have set for at least 24 hours, the other rails and slats may be glued in place and clamped. It is a good idea to pin the tenons in place with two 1-in. brads driven from the inside.
The handles are then glued in place, using hand screws to hold them until the glue sets. ”

“ Spanish Renaissance.—1500 to 1700. A variation of the Renaissance spirit caused by the combination of three distinct styles—the Renaissance as known in Italy, the Gothic and the Moorish. In furniture the Spanish Renaissance is almost identical with the Flemish, which it influenced.
Dutch Renaissance.—1500 to 1700. A style influenced alternately by the French and the Spanish. This style and the Flemish had a strong influence on the English William and Mary and Queen Anne styles, and especially on the Jacobean. ”

“ It is well to cut each piece a little longer than required so that the ends which are imperfectly formed may be cut off. These rods should fit tight and may be fastened in addition with a small screw or nail from the under or back side. ”

“ Japanese.—1200 B.C. to 1906 A.D. A style probably springing originally from China, but now absolutely distinct. It has influenced recent art in Europe and America, especially the "New Art" styles.
Italian Gothic.—1100 to 1500. The Italian Gothic differs from the European and English Gothic in clinging more closely to the Romanesque-Byzantine originals.
Tudor.—1485 to 1558. The earliest entry of the Renaissance into England. An application of Renaissance to the Gothic foundations. Its growth was into the Elizabethan. ”

“ Mirror-backing pieces equivalent to 1/4 by 18-1/2 by 36 in., S-2-S. 2 cleats, 3/4 by 2 by 10 in., S-4-S. 4 drawer-support frame pieces, 3/4 by 2 by 29 in. 7 drawer-support frame pieces, 3/4 by 2 by 15 in. ”