3-15. Tops are used in all three forms of construction
previously mentioned. Most often, they are large enough
to require two or more pieces of stock to be glued
together. The pieces can be joined with glue, using
various types of joints, such as the tongue and groove.
butt, and dowel. When selecting the material to be glued
together, make the selection so that each piece has similar
grain characteristics, and glue them so that the grain of
each piece has some semblance of matching. We repeat,
the method used to fasten the top to a cabinet or piece of
furniture is an important consideration, because of the
swelling and shrinking of the top.
3-16. In your job, you will probably install laminated
plastics on some surfaces, especially cabinet tops. These
plastics are manufactured in sheets, or rolls, ready for use;
therefore, the only thing you have to do is to install them.
Laminated plastics also come in different lengths, widths,
Figure 20. Box construction.
and thicknesses. When you install this material, select the
nearest size sheet, or roll, to the size you need for your
terial for a cabinet which would be used for tools. How
particular job. After you select the correct size materials, be
the article will be finished also has a bearing on the
sure that both surfaces to be bonded are smooth, clean, and
material you will use. If your article is to be painted, use
dry. Before you open the contact cement container, read the
material with minor defects that the paint will cover. If
instructions on the container and follow them religiously,
the article is to have a clear finish, then use a better grade
because the contents in the container are extremely
of material.
flammable and harmful or fatal if swallowed. Shake the
3-11. After the material has been selected, you are
contact cement in the container vigorously before you use it.
ready to mill the stock and form it according to the
Open the container and, using a short-fibered
blueprint or drawing.
3-12. Posts or legs used in stool type construction to
support articles such as tables, chairs, and stools are often
milled to decorative shapes, using the wood lathe. Refer
to your blueprint for the size of the posts, and mill them to
these specified sizes and shapes.
3-13. Fasten posts to the rails (see fig. 18) with mortise
and tenon or dowel joints. If mortise and tenon joints are
used, mortise each a side rail, while the other side
receives one tenon of an end rail. If doweled joints are
used, drill dowel holes on the sides in place of the
mortises. When you make mortises or dowel holes, pair
off your posts; in other words, label them left and right.
As you do this, keep the best sides for the face sides. The
face sides are those which will be seen when the article is
assembled.
3-14. Rails, when assembled with posts, form a square
or rectangular-shaped frame supported by the posts. Your
blueprint will give you the dimensions for the length and
width of the rails. The material you selected must be
milled to these dimensions, using the jointer, planner, and
table and cutoff saws. When you cut the rails to length,
add the length of each tenon if mortise and tenon joints
are used. Rails that are fitted with a panel, as shown in
figure 21, must have a groove cut on the pane edge of
each rail.
Figure 21. Rails fitted with panel.
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