THE HANDY MAN’S CORNER.

Otago Witness, Issue 3768, 1 June 1926, Page 10

THE HANDY MAN’S CORNER.

MAKING A HANGING BOOKCASE.

(Special.—For the Witness.)

Simple but effective bookcases can be made without difficulty by anyone able to use a saw and drill. The best way to make these articles is actually to suspend the structure from stronj hooks driven into the wall, somewhat in the manner shown in Fig. 1. This scheme is admirable for small shelves which do not exceed 36in in length, ai d when three, or at the most four, shelves are provided. More elaborate structures are possible, bur, naturally call for a greater number of suspension cables with a corresponding number of appropriate hooks. Hooks of the kind shown in Fig. 2 are very suitable as a means of attachment for the suspension cables, ar.d can usually be obtained from the local ironmongers. They are made in various sizes generally with a brassed flange and hook, although some patterns are in oxidised silver and have a better appearance. The hooks can be used on walls of brick, coke breeze, coi rete end the like, by making a hole in the wall, plugging it with soft wood and then driving the hook into position. Tile flange covers any roughness around the ping, which should be cut off flush with the wall surface.

square is not available a practical substitute is a photograph mount or a sheet of good notepaper. These are always machine cut and are quite square at the corners. The card is held with one edge in register with the edge of the board, and a line drawn along the other edge of the card at the appropriate Dosition. A ruler is generally necessary when using notepaper, to hold the edge

The shelves can be made from any wood of suitable size, convenient dimensions beiAg 36ins in length, 9ins in widt v and a nominal thickness of lin. Timber of his size can be purchased from any timber yard. Ask for “9in x iin prepared deal” and the timber merchant will know exactly what is wanted. Three shevels of 36in will require a little over 9ft, as a margin must be left for cutting. Being prepared, they are machine planed, and should not require further finishing. Prepare the shelves by marking off the length on the board, squaring off the cutting line to the edge by means of a carpenter's set square. If such a

of the paper flat. The board is then sawn at the correct nlaces, and the rough edges cleaned up with a rasp or sandpaper, if a jack plane and shooting board are not available.

The best way of spacing the holes for the passage of the suspension cords is to make a template such as that shown in Fig. 5. This saves a lot of time and trouble in marking out the boards, is

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more accurate, and results in a neat, work man like appearance. Any strip of wood about 2in wide and or so in thickness will serve, and is prepared by milling a block on the under side at one end, while another block is milled to the edge of one side. Holes about £in in diameter are the drilled at the desired positions, locating them from the end and edge to which the blocks have been attached. Convenient places for these holes are lin from the edge and lin from the ends. This enables the decorative blocks of the cords to come inside the ‘line of the shelf.

To use the template, place it on the end part of the shelf, pressing the blocks into contact with the edge and end of the shelf simultaneously. The holes in the template then act as guides for the drill and ensure every shelf being alike. After drilling the holes, clean off any rough edges with sandpaper, and stain the shelves any desired colouring.

Fix the hooks to the wall at the same distance apart as the holes in the boards, and then prepare the suspension cords. These may be composed of stout twin electric lighting flexible wire, o- any suffi ciently stout cord, preferably brightly coloured. The cord is first cut into suitable lengths and an eye formed by tying the cord together at about the middle of its length. The eye is ma. 1 .) to form a secure ring for slipping over J ’ hooks. One part of the cord hangs down straight and the other inclines towards the front set of holes in the upper shelf and then goes straight. The cords are covered with large beads or similar decorations, which may be gaily coloured. The cord is knotted beneath each shelf to prevent it slipping down, and terminates with a tassel or some similar adornment.