Cabinets, Bookcases and Wall Shelves - Hot to Build All Types of Cabinets, Shelving and Storage Facilities for the Modern Home - 77 Designs with Compl. Milton Gunerman
with 1″ brads.
The doors of the side compartments are made of 3/4″ stock and should be fitted to the openings. These doors should have splines inserted in the ends to help prevent them from warping. This is done by cutting a groove 1/4″ wide and 2″ deep in each end, then gluing a hardwood spline, 1/4″ × 2″ × 5″, in the groove.
The door of the main section is made of 3/4″ × 1 1/2″ stock, cut to the lengths given in the bill of materials. The rails are joined to the stiles with mortise and tenon joints. The mortises in the stiles are 1/4″ wide, 7/8″ long and 1″ deep. They are placed in the center of the stile, with the end of the mortise 1/4″ from end of the stock. These mortises may be cut on the drill press, set up as a hollow mortiser, or they may be cut by hand, using a 1/4″ auger bit and a chisel. The rails and stiles are rabbeted to take a glass. These rabbets are wide and 1/4″ deep. After the rails have been rabbeted, tenons should be laid out on the ends. The outside face of the rail has a shoulder that is 1″ from the end, while the inside face has a shoulder 5/8″ from the end. The outside edge has a shoulder 5/8″ from the end, while the inside edge has a shoulder 1″ from the edge. The tenon itself measures 1/4″ thick and 7/8″ wide and is located 1/4″ from each face.
Bill of Materials
Spraying the cabinet in two colors—the inside of the center section in a lighter color than the rest of the cabinet—called for masking with paper and Scotch tape where the two colors met in a sharp line
The base viewed from above shows a filler block inside the front, and cleats added with screw holes for attaching to the floor
When the joints have been cut and the members fitted together, the pieces may be sandpapered and prepared for gluing. When applying the clamps, make certain that the frame is not forced out of square. Check the corners with a try-square and as an additional pre-caution measure the diagonal distance from corner to corner.
The base is made of 3/4″ × 2 1/2″ stock, cut to the sizes given in the bill of materials. The base under the main section should be assembled first. The forward corners should be mitered, glued, and fastened together with 1 1/4″ brads. This unit is then fastened to the back member with 1 1/2″ No. 8 flat head wood screws. The pieces that form the base under the side compartments are mitered, glued and fastened together at the outer corner with 1 1/4″ brads. These are then attached to the main section of the base with 1 1/2″ brads. A filler piece must be added inside the main section of the base at the front, to allow for the space taken up by the door. Cleats of 3/4″ × 3/4″ stock are cut and fitted inside each of the boxes formed by the base members. These strips are used to take the screws which fasten the base to the cabinet.
The gun rack is made of a piece of 3/4″ × 1 1/2″ stock, shaped as shown in the detail or altered to fit special requirements. This piece is mounted to the back, 36″ above the bottom with three 1″ screws driven through the back panel and into the rack. Each stock rest is made of three members. The main block is made of 1 1/2″ × 2″ × 4″ stock, cut to the shape of the end of the gun stock. The 1/4″ pieces that are fastened to each side of the main block have the same contour of the block but project 1/4″ beyond the top. These three pieces are glued together. They are fastened to the base with 1 1/2″ wood screws, driven through the bottom and into the block.
The shelves are cut to size and fitted in place. The number of these will depend on the individual’s requirements. The side compartment doors are hung with 2″ brass butts mortised into the side and edge of the door. The center door is hung with the same size butts, mortised into the inside face of the door frame and the edge of the side piece. Locks are advisable on all doors.
The glass for the center door measures 10 3/4″ × 54 1/4″ and is held in the rabbet with a small quarter-round molding. Door stops, 1/4″ square and 5″ long, are fastened inside the small compartments at the top and bottom.
The finish of the cabinet will depend on the place where it is to be kept. It may be stained and varnished or it may be enameled or lacquered. In any location the guns will be displayed more advantageously if the center cabinet interior is finished with a light colored lacquer.
CONCEALING UNSIGHTLY RADIATORS
Attractive radiator covers go a long way to improve any room. Not only do they hide or at least camouflage the heating coils, but they also provide additional shelf space if suitable insulation is used under the wood tops. Studies have proved, too, that well-designed radiator covers or cabinets do not interfere with the over-all efficiency of the heating system
RADIATOR covers go a long way toward dressing up those unsightly radiators that are found in most homes provided with central heating. If insulated on the under face with asbestos, Celotex or rock wool, the covers will provide a surface for books and other appointments that help improve the appearance of a room. In the summertime, of course, radiator covers provide an excellent place for the display of plants and flowers.
The accompanying photographs show two radiator covers. The modern design is rather formal and requires a fair amount of skill for its construction; the other is well within the capabilities of any home craftsman to build without any difficulty.
The cover with the rounded ends does not require the use of a grille, but uses the radiator itself to produce the effect shown. Mahogany plywood is used for all surfaces that are visible, and any hardwood for the interior framework that cannot be seen.
Construction is started with the end units as shown in Fig. 3. The framework of each unit consists of four forms and two posts. The posts are made of 1/2″ × 1 1/2″ stock and, as shown in Fig. 5, should be 3/4″ longer than the overall height of the radiator. The forms are made of 3/4″ × 4 1/2″ stock at least 15″ long.
The layout of the form, as shown in Fig. 1, is based on a radiator the front of which is located no more than 10 1/2″ from the wall. Should it be necessary to make a cover deeper than this, the 2″ dimension can be increased accordingly without changing the 9″ radius. A full-size pattern of the form should be laid out and then traced on the stock. The forms are then cut to shape. The posts are fastened to the forms with 1 1/4″ No. 7 flathead screws as shown in Fig. 2.
The 1/8″ mahogany-faced plywood panel should be the same length as the post. The width can best be determined by actually measuring with a steel tape the area to be covered and then cutting the panel at least 1″ wider. The back of the panels may be scored slightly on the bench saw to facilitate bending around the forms.
The panels are glued to the forms. Glue is spread on all butting surfaces; then the panel is placed over the form and clamped to the posts as shown in Fig. 4. The panel is later trimmed flush with the form. As shown in Fig. 5, the surface which comprises the end of the panel and the edge of the post is faced with mahogany veneer.