INTRODUCTION: |GERIACTRICS}

Geriatrics literally means the care of old persons. Practically, geriatrics combines two elements: gerontology and chronic disease. Gerontology refers to the study of aging. It addresses all aspects of how aging affects individuals physically, socially, psychologically, and economically. Geriatrics adapts this knowledge to improve the provision of care to older persons. Geriatricians must know how diseases present in older persons and how to manage them. Because one of the hallmarks of aging seems to be a loss of reserve capacity, and hence a loss of ability to respond to stress, many older persons may fail to exhibit the characteristic symptoms associated with a given disease. Most symptoms represent the body's response to the external stress of a disease, which may be dampened with age. Moreover, most older persons suffer from several chronic conditions, making it often difficult to distinguish clearly a new symptom in the context of many existing problems. Geriatric diagnosis thus requires a substantial degree of insight and subtlety. Geriatric management is likewise complicated by the presence of multiple, simultaneously inter-active problems, which often reach across several domains of life. One must treat not only the immediate illness in the context of several others, but also address their financial and social consequences. Inadequate income may make it difficult to buy needed medications. Housing may need to be altered to accommodate physical limitations. Social support may be needed to provide both direct assistance and social stimulation. Geriatrics overlaps substantially with chronic-disease care. Most of the illnesses older people suffer are chronic. According to C. Hoffman, D. Rice, and H.-Y. Sung (1996), approximately 95 cents of every health care dollar spent on older persons goes toward a chronic illness. However, the same study notes that chronic disease is, in fact, predominant in virtually all ages over two-thirds of the money spent on health care in this country goes toward chronic illness. Yet, somehow, the medical care system has failed to adapt to this epidemiological reality. Health care continues to be organized as it was during the era of acute disease. A substantial contribution to public health would be to translate this fundamental epidemiological observation into a more appropriate system of health care one that changed the focus of care to extend over longer periods, that shifted attention from single clinical interactions to episodes of care, and that created a more meaningful participatory role for consumers of care. Perhaps the most dreaded manifestation of aging is dementia. Much has been learned about dementia. It is no longer viewed as an inevitable consequence of aging, although its incidence is likely in very old age. While new drugs are constantly being developed, no effective treatments are yet available. Some currently available agents appear to be able to slow the progression somewhat, but their overall contribution is still uncertain. Much of geriatrics involves the intersection of medicine and long-term care. For some time, these have been viewed as separate areas of endeavor, responsible to medical and social models, respectively. Here too, epidemiology has a valuable insight to contribute. Most older persons needing long-term care suffer from serious problems that have led to the loss of physical and/or cognitive abilities. The underlying conditions often require close medical attention. Thus, those in long-term care usually need more, not less, medical attention. The goal of geriatric care is to maximize the functioning of patients. Function can be viewed as the end result of several factors. The first of these is the appropriate treatment of medical conditions. The first maxim of geriatrics is to treat the treatable. This step is not always easy. One of the most difficult differential diagnoses in medicine may be distinguishing pathological change from that simply associated with aging. Good treatment is necessary but not sufficient. The next step is to recognize the potential effects of environment, both physical and social. Much of the modern health care institution (hospital and nursing home) actually serves to dehabilitate patients, especially those who are most vulnerable. The

environment is alien, the timetable suits the schedules of the providers of care, and individual patient identity is easily lost. Something as simple as a hospital bed with bedrails may create a new series of barriers for a frail older person. It is hardly surprising that delirium is common among older persons in hospitals. Perhaps most pernicious of all, the pressures for efficient care prompt staff to do many tasks for older patients, thereby creating an atmosphere of learned dependence. At the very time when they should be fostering self-reliance, institutions encourage dependency. As the advocate for vulnerable populations, public health has a duty to alter this inappropriate and dangerous system. One of the most successful accomplishments of geriatrics has been the demonstration of the value of comprehensive geriatric assessment, or, more specifically, geriatric evaluation and management. The latter term is used to emphasize the importance of adequate ongoing involvement until the problems uncovered are sufficiently managed. A long series of studies is now available to demonstrate the benefits of such interventions. This approach has been applied in various settings, from inpatient situations to home assessments. The results have been generally positive, including improvements in function and reduction in subsequent medical costs. In public health terms, this assessment represents a variation on secondary prevention. Geriatrics offers other opportunities for prevention. Primary prevention usually focuses on such elements as immunizations, especially for influenza and pneumococcal disease; but other risk factors can be addressed. The role of estrogens is still being explored. They seem to have a positive effect on delaying osteoporosis and heart disease, although they do carry an added risk for gynecological cancers. Exercise is widely touted as beneficial for both physical and social well-being. Smoking cessation is beneficial well into old age. Efforts have been made to prevent falls with only modest success. The most preventable problem among older persons is iatrogenic disease. Multiple medications, which transform older patients into living chemistry sets, are probably the most ubiquitous threats. Mention has already been made of the dangers of institutionalization. Misdiagnosis, including both overtreatment and undertreatment, is a recurrent problem. Public health has an obvious stake in the health of older persons. They are the ones who are most likely to be ill. They are the most rapidly growing segment of the population and represent some of the most difficult elements of care. Approaches that are successful with older persons should be readily adaptable to serving other subgroups. Because chronic disease is endemic among older persons, they provide the impetus to develop a more effective and appropriate approach to health care, an approach that has broad applications in the face of changing demographics and a new epidemiological reality.

Stars and Stripes

Materials:
" Wood and " Wood 1"x 2" Wood Stake 1" Mini Wood Stars (6) Scrape Piece of Grapevine Antique Maple Gel Stain Palette: Straw Navy Blue White

Tomato Red

Cutting Instructions: " Wood: Flag " Wood: Frame, heart, and star 1"x 2" Wood: Cut 3ft. For Stake Wood Burning Instructions: I always do my wood burning line work before I start to base paint my project. If paint gets in any of the burned areas don't worry, I always go back over the lines with my wood burning tool to remove any unwanted paint after I'm done painting. 1. The stripes on the flag are burned 2. The Frame around the "Stars and Stripes" Saying is burned 3. The White Frame in the middle of the heart is burned Painting Instructions Base: 1. Tomato Red: Stripes, and frame of heart

2. 3. 4. 5.

Navy Blue: Boarder of frame White: Stars, stripes on flag, inside of frame and inside of heart Straw: Big Star Antique Maple Gel Stain: Stake

Spattering: You can use a spattering tool or an old toothbrush. Dip the bristles in paint, point the bristle end of the brush toward the project, and pull your finger across the bristles to spatter the paint. 6. Navy Blue: Spatter all white areas. Finishing: 7. Tomato Red or Red Technical pen: Add words to sign and heart 8. Sand all wood edges 9. Stain all exposed wood edges with Antique maple gel stain Assembly: Gluing: (Use wood glue) 10. Glue all wood pieces together (refer to pattern for placement) 11. Glue flag and star to stake 12. Staple grapevine to sign, and around stake Nailing: I like to nail all the pieces that are glued; it keeps it from coming apart and adds a primitive look.

Lady Liberty

Materials:
DMC colors: 221 Stripe Outlines, Nose 310 Eyes, Lashes, Mouth, Word 413 Star Deco Art Americana colors: Lamp Black............Eyes Cranberry Wine.......Nose and 3 Stripes (Each outside stripe and the center stripe.) Midnight Blue..........Star

Read through the directions before starting so that you will understand the instructions easier and enjoy making your patterns! Miss Liberty Stitchery: Cut two pieces of Muslin 7 3/4"W x 10 1/2"H. (This will also allow for shrinkage.) Tea Stain using 8-10 regular size teabags per two cups of boiling water. Add some instant coffee or filtered regular coffee to make as dark as you want it. Let hang to dry. When the muslin is completely dry. Trace around the doll pattern template on one piece of muslin using the fine pigment pen. Then trace the stitchery design, centering the two different sections appropriately under the traced pattern. Tape unto a window or use a light box to see through the material. Leave an opening at the bottom. Turn, stuff and close the opening with a whipstitch of matching thread. Stitch the design using a backstitch with four strands of floss. DMC colors are: 221 Stripe Outlines, Nose 310 Eyes, Lashes, Mouth, Word 413 Star

Color in the Stitchery, using a dry paintbrush. The Deco Art Americana colors are: Lamp Black............Eyes Cranberry Wine.......Nose and 3 Stripes (Each outside stripe and the center stripe.) Midnight Blue..........Star Dry Brushing Directions: Lightly dip the end of the dry Scrubber Brush (These type of paintbrushes have harder white bristles) into the paint. Blot well on a paper towel and brush back and forth some, removing most of the paint. Color areas inside stitching lines by using small strokes, like you would a crayon. Finish the doll by adding her hair and crown. Cut three pieces of the jute, each 8 1/2" long. Attach to the top of head, around the seam area, by sewing or using a little hot glue. Unravel each strand of jute on each side. Use a little bit more hot glue to style. Trim any ends if needed. Cut out the crown template and trace around it on a sheet of rusty tin. Cut out with scissors, being careful because the tin can be very sharp. Hole punch in three places as shown on the template. Using some of the cross-stitch floss, sew unto head by going in and out of the holes once. When you pull the floss tight, the crown will go against the head. Tie off. For extra reinforcement, you can also use some hot glue up inside after sewing. Keep away from children, decorative purposes only, because of the rusty tin.

"Oh My Stars"

Materials:

           

Wood = 1/2" plywood for body and wings Wood = 3/4" pine scrap for heart 19 ga. wire Two 3/4" screws Two 1" screws 1 1/2" grapevine star sawtooth hanger staple gun tacky glue 1/2" block stencil for wings 1/2" star stencil for wings Stencil Brush

Directions:

Trace angel body and wings pattern onto 1/2" plywood. Trace heart onto 3/4" pine. Paint sides and fronts of each piece as follows: Angel Face: Fleshtone Angel Body: Prussian Blue Wings: Parchment Heart: Sonoma Wine

After paint dries, sand sides and front edges of all wood pieces heavily and surface lightly.

Blush cheeks by lightly dipping stencil brush into sonoma wine paint. Brush most of the paint off the brush onto a paper towel and rub stencil brush over cheek area. Add two small dots for eyes with black paint. Place 1/2" block stencil on wings and stencil with trail tan. When dry stencil two large stars on wings with raw sienna. You can make your own large star pattern with the pattern provided and blank stencil material by tracing star pattern on stencil material and cutting on traced line with an exacto knife. Or you may purchase your own. Speckle black paint on angel body and wings. Make sure you cover the angel's face to avoid speckling there. ASSEMBLY: Attach sawtooth hanger to top center back of wings. Cut a piece of 19 ga. wire about 6 inches long. Form a circle for the halo and wrap end of wire from circle around itself to secure. Bend remaining wire straight down and attach with a 3/4" staple and staple gun so the end of the wire and staple will be hidden by the wings. Attach wood heart with two 1" screws. Attach wings with two 3/4" screws or attach with 3/4" nails and brad nailer. Glue grapevine star to heart and let dry completely.

Miss Helga Herbs

Materials:
 Accent Country Color Paints: Adobe Wash - Bottom of dress, wings, legs, stripes on cheeks. Light Flesh - Face Black Green - Dress Barn Red - Heart, cheeks, mouth. Soft Black - Eyes, linework. Tumbleweed - Checkerboard on bottom section of dress. Fingerberry Red - Stripes on legs.

Supplies: Checkerboard stencil 10" grapevine wreath One 'N Only - brown fanci fiber hair 19 gauge wire 3" grapevine basket (hat) Small flowers Spanish moss Sponge Brush #1 Liner brush Drill Glue Hot glue gun " pine for body, heart "pine for wings Two 9" - dowel rods for legs

Directions:
Cut and trace pattern onto wood. 1. Basecoat all parts

Light Flesh - face Black green - dress Adobe Wash - bottom of dress, legs and wings Barn Red - heart 2. Stripe legs with Fingerberry Red. checkerboard the bottom of dress with Tumbleweed. 3. Letter and dot letters with end of a 1" sponge brush using Adobe Wash. 4. Dry brush cheeks Barn Red. Dot eyes Soft Black. 5. Stripe cheeks Adobe Wash using a #1 liner. 6. Drill holes. Attach legs with 19 gauge wire. 7. Nail on heart/ 8. Sand off all edges. 9. Antique with Apple Butter Brown. 10. Glue on hair. 11. Wood glue on wings and drill holes in wings for hanging. 12. Staple on basket to head and glue on moss and flowers. 13. Tear apart a 10" grapevine wreath and staple it around Helga. This line drawing needs to be enlarged to fit an 8" by 14" paper.

Raggedy Anne Garden Tool Holder

Materials:

Paints needed: Ceramcoat by Delta Light Ivory Black Cherry Mendocino Red Charcoal Black Medium Flesh Dark Flesh Cape Cod Blue Midnight Blue Dusty Mauve Seminole Green Dark Foliage Green Black Green AC Flesh Chambray Blue Quaker Grey Hippo Grey

Raggedy Anne Garden Tool Holder copyright Lily Hadrava & Pine Country Decor 2011

1. Sand the edges on all pieces for a worn look. 2. Stain all pieces of wood with your favorite oil based stain. Let dry. Seal the wood, if desired, and let dry.

3. Basecoat the head and hands with Medium Flesh with a 1 sponge brush. (Remember to paint the sides as well as the front.) 4. Basecoat the handle of the spade in Dark Foliage Green with a 1 sponge brush. 5. Basecoat the metal part of the spade with Quaker Grey with a 1 sponge brush. 6. Basecoat the dress in Cape Cod Blue with a 1 sponge brush. 7. Basecoat the heart in Black Cherry with the #6 flat/floater brush. 8. When dry, sand all pieces with a sanding disc or fine sand paper and wipe with a tack cloth. 9. Trace the pattern onto the wood using the tracing and transfer paper and the stylus. 10. Using the #6 flat/floater brush, float around the face with Dark Flesh. 11. Using a liner brush, paint the nose with Mendocino Red. You may need two or three coats of paint. Remember to let each coat dry before applying the next. 12. Stipple the cheeks with Dusty Mauve with the stippler/scruffy brush. 13. Using the stylus, dot the tops of the cheeks with Light Ivory. 14. Using the end of the #12 flat/floater brush, make two large dots in Black for the eyes. When the Black dots are dry, use the stylus to make small Light Ivory dots in each eye. 15. Using a liner brush and Black paint, make the eyelashes under the eyes. 16. Using a liner brush and Black paint, make the stitches for the mouth. 17. Using the end of the #6 flat/floater brush, make a dot in the middle of the mouth using Mendocino Red. 18. Using a flat brush, paint the apron in Light Ivory. You may two or three coats here also. 19. Using a liner brush, make the Chambray Blue stripes on the dress first. The stripes do not have to be perfectly straight. 20. Again using the liner brush, make the dark stripes on the dress with Midnight Blue. 21. Float around the neck and the apron (floating on the blue) with Midnight Blue. 22. Make dots on the dress with Black Cherry. These dots are at random and can go over the stripes. 23. When dots have dried, use a liner brush and Light Ivory paint to dry brush on the outer edges of each sleeve.

24. Float on the edges of the apron with AC Flesh. 25. When all the paint is dry, put two 1 inch sawtooth hangers on the back of Anne. Place them in the shoulder areas. 26. Float around the edges and in the middle of the metal part of the spade with Hippo Grey. Using a #12 flat brush, dry brush on the metal part of the spade with Hippo Grey. See pattern or photo. 27. Using a liner brush and Charcoal paint, make a line down the middle of the metal part of the spade. 28. Float the bottom of the handle of the spade in Black Green. 29. Float across the top of the handle in Seminole Green. 30. Using a liner brush and Light Ivory Paint, dry brush a little across the top of the handle. See photo or pattern. 31. Float the bottom of the hands in Dark Flesh and dry brush across the top in Light Ivory. Note that the thumbs point in the same direction, so the floating and dry brushing will be the opposite on each hand. 32. Screw the hooks into the spade. 33. Glue the hands on to the spade. See pattern for positions. 34. Glue the spade to the body. 35. Glue the heart to the apron. 36. Using an old, medium bristled toothbrush, splatter the whole piece with Black. Clean and dry the toothbrush and splatter each piece with Light Ivory. Let dry. 37. Spray with a matte spray after the glue has dried, if desired. 38. Glue on the hair in two rows, alternating the pieces. Glue on the blue rag ribbon. Wait until the glue has dried on the hair before any trimming. 39. For extra strength, nail all pieces together. 40. Sign, date and enjoy!

Supplies needed to make Raggedy Anne Garden Tool Holder

Small liner brush Four 1 sponge brushes An old scruffy/stippler brush #12 floater/flat brush

 #6 floater/flat brush An old medium bristle toothbrush board & pine board (or precut wood kit) Oil base stain (I use Early American, by Ace) Wood sealer, if desired Burgundy or Wine colored broadcloth ripped into twenty 1 x 4 pieces with a knot tied in the middle. Blue broadcloth ripped into one piece of 1 x 4 and a knot tied in the middle. 3 hooks (shoulder hooks 1 overall length) Fine sanding disc or fine sandpaper Tack cloth Tracing paper Transfer paper Stylus Wood glue Scissor Clear acrylic matte spray, if desired Pencil Hammer Two 1 sawtooth hangers Small nails or brads (optional) Water bin Paper towels Paint palette

Snowman Chunky

SUPPLIES
3/4" Wood Micron Pen #005 Krylon Matte Spray Itty Bitty Buttons - Green 527 Bond Glue

BRUSHES
Loew-Cornell Angular - 1/2" and 3/4" Loew-Cornell Flat - #2 and #4 Bette Byrd Scroller Liner - 6/0 Debbie Mitchell Stipplers - 1/8", 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2"

PALETTE
DecoArt Americana Lt. Buttermilk White Country Red Lt. French Grey Blue Arbor Green Canyon Orange Uniform Blue Warm White Mink Tan Delane's Cheek Color Hilite Flesh Burnt Sienna Moon Yellow Soft Blue

Mint Julep Green Hauser Dark Green Warm Black

INSTRUCTIONS
Basecoat Lt. Buttermilk: Snowman White: White section of candy cane Country Red: Red section of candy cane French Grey Blue Lt.: Tassel and brim section of hat Arbor Green: Scarf and center section of hat Canyon Orange: Carrot nose Shading and Highlighting Uniform Blue: Shade left side of candy cane Warm White: Line on right side of candy cane Mink Tan: With a light float, shade snowman Warm White: Highlight snowman Delane's Cheek Color: Stipple cheeks Hilite Flesh: Dots on cheeks Burnt Sienna: Shade carrot nose Moon Yellow: Highlight nose with thin line Warm White: Extra highlight on nose Warm Black: Eyes and mouth lines Warm White: Highlight eyes Uniform Blue: Shade blue portion of hat and tassel Soft Blue: Stipple highlight on blue portion of hat Warm White: Stipple a small area on Soft Blue for extra highlight Mint Julep Green: Lines on scarf and green portion of hat Warm White: In a small area, stipple extra highlight on hat and scarf

DETAILS
005 Micron Pen: All outlining

FINISHING
Krylon Matte Spray: Spray piece with several light coats 527 Glue: Glue buttons to snowman's stomach

Adirondack style garden chair

Construction

Tools required: Jigsaw, drill, sander, screwdriver Wood required:

Description Back legs: Front legs: Arm rests: Front support: Qty Width Length Thickness 3/4" 3/4" 3/4" 3/4"

(2 pieces) 5 1/2" 38" (2 pieces) 3 1/2" 24" (2 pieces) 5 1/2" 25" (1 piece) 1 1/2" 22"

Front support (top): (1 piece) Seat slats: Back support: Back slats:

5 1/2" 23 1/2" 3/4" 3/4" 3/4" 3/4"

(13 pieces) 1 1/2" 22" (2 pieces) 3 1/2" 22 (5 pieces) 3 1/2" 26"

Take the two front legs and designate one end of each one as the top. Cut out a notch 5 1/2" long and 3/4" deep out of the front edge of each leg. This notch should begin 9 1/2" from the bottom of each leg. (So, measuring from the bottom, the notch should begin at 9 1/2" and end at 15"). This notch is used to slot in the Front Support (top) which runs along the front of the chair (behind your legs once sitting in the chair). Before fastening the Front Support (top) in place, you should cut out a curve, or some other shape, as leaving it as a solid 5 1/2" wide block looks rather ugly. I usually just cut a simple curve, although a more ornate shape would undoubtedly look nicer. Once this is done, glue and screw the Front Support (top) into the notches cut into the two front legs. Ensure the squareness of these before putting the screws in. Next, take the two back legs pieces. Cut out the shape of the legs, as shown in diagram one. Note: the back support connects with the back legs 17" from the front of the chair. I have not supplied a more detailed representation of the back leg's shape as it is really up to each individual how it is shaped. Suffice to say that 17" from the front, the shape should have angled upwards. Once these back legs have been cut to shape, attach them to the inside of the front leg construction. At this point, the seating slats should be attached, thus forcing the back legs to angle correctly. To attach the seat slats, pre-drill each end with a screw hole, and then screw the slats onto the back legs. Work from the front of the chair backwards, until you have completely covered the 17" seating area.
The Back Rest

To build the backrest, you should first construct the bottom back support. Take the 3 1/2" x 22" piece of wood and cut a notch out of each end that is 3/4" deep and 2" high (see diagram opposite). Then screw and glue the five back slats onto this back support, keeping them 2" above the bottom of the back support (so they overlap the back support by 1 1/2"). Once this is done, screw and glue the other back support onto the back slats at a height of 13 1/2" to 17" above the bottom of the back slats. Once this is dry, use the jigsaw to cut the back into a nice curve. the highest point of the curve should be 26", while the lowest part (at each side) should be about 18" (obviously, the exact dimensions are up to the individual). Before the back can be fastened onto the body of the chair, it is necessary to cut the armrests to shape (see diagram right).

Cut the armrests to a shape as shown in the diagram opposite. Again, the exact shape is up to you. Attach a small block of wood to the underside of each armrest at the back (see photo). Screw the armrests into the top of the front legs, leaving about 1" sticking back beyond the front legs. Then, attach the backrest by putting a screw through each back leg into the notched part of the back support. Finally, put a screw through the small lump of wood under the armrest into the upper back support. All that is then needed is to cut a small shaped piece of wood to support the front of the armrest (where it meets the front leg) -thus stopping it from bending when pressure is placed on it. The chair should be given at least two coats of marine varnish before being placed outside.

Oh, and for anyone feeling a little bit more adventurous, there are many variations that can be made, such as the two-seater adirondack rock chair shown below.

Wooden Luminaries

Materials: Note: This material list is for one luminary. One 3-foot 1" x 6" pine board (actual size 3/4" x 5 1/2") 1 1/2" finishing nails Waterproof carpenter's glue Glue stick (optional) Exterior polyurethane gloss One large-mouth 1-quart canning jar One candle Recommended Tools Table saw Power drill Scroll saw or coping saw 1. Cut all the pieces from a 3-foot 1" x 6" (3/4" x 5 1/2") pine board. It's best to make these luminaries from 3/8"-thick boards because they look more proportional. (Plane the board down to this thickness before cutting the pieces.) If making from optional 3/8" stock, cut the sides 4 5/8" wide. However, if you want to use regular 3/4" stock, make the sides 5" wide.

In either case, the base of the lantern is 4 1/4" square. 2. Select a side free of knotholes for the front of the luminary. Choose one of the patterns provided, or create one of your own. Photocopy the patterns at 200%, or draw them using the grid to help. Then trace or glue (with a glue stick) the design onto the wood. (Position the design about 1/4" to the left of center.) 3. Cut out the pattern with a scroll or coping saw. 4. Glue and nail the sides together with 1 1/2" finishing nails. Drill pilot holes so you don't split the boards. 5. Sand the sides. We suggest rounding off all the edges for a softer look. Apply two or three coats of exterior polyurethane gloss inside and out, lightly sanding between each coat. 6. Put a candle inside a large-mouth 1-quart canning jar and set the jar inside the box. Now find a nice spot for your luminary and let it warm up your front porch or backyard!

Puzzle box

Construction

Tools required: Router, sander, miter saw (not necessary power version), table saw (optional) Wood required:
Description Sides (Cherry) Ends (Cherry) Lid (Cherry) Lid End (Cherry) Base (Cherry) Qty Width 2 2 1 1 1 2" (51 mm) 2" (51 mm) Length Thickness

11 3/4" (298 mm) 1/2" (13 mm) 4" (102 mm) 1/2" (13 mm) 1/4" (6 mm) 1/2" (13 mm) 1/4" (6 mm)

3 1/4" (83 mm) 11" (279 mm) 1/2" (13 mm) 4" (102 mm)

3 1/4" (83 mm) 11" (279 mm) 1/2" (13 mm) 1/2" (13 mm)

Middle strip sides (Cocobolo) 2 Middle strip ends (Cocobolo) 2 Top strip sides (Cocobolo) Top strip ends (Cocobolo) Corner pieces (Birch) 2 2 4

11 1/4" (286 mm) 1/2" (13 mm) 3 1/2" (89 mm) 1/2" (13 mm)

9/16" (14 mm) 11 3/4" (298 mm) 1/4" (6 mm) 9/16" (14 mm) 4" (102 mm) 1/2" (13 mm) 1/2" (13 mm) 1/4" (6 mm) 1/2" (13 mm) 1/8" (3 mm)

Locking mechanism (Cherry) 1

7/16" (11 mm) 1" (25 mm)

Cut the sides and ends to the correct dimensions. As a part of this process, miter the ends to a 45 degree angle, so that when joined together, the four pieces will form a box. Mitering is used so that no end wood will be on display in the finished product. This is important because if the end of, say, one of the sides were to show, the grooves that hold the base and top in place would be evident. Once all four pieces have been cut to size, cut a groove on the inside of each piece to accommodate the base. [Remember, the inside of each piece is the shorter side -- with the mitered edges showing.] This groove should be 1/8" (3 mm) deep, 1/8" wide, and should be 1/8" in from the bottom of each piece. The easiest way to cut this groove is to use a circular saw or router. Once you have made this groove on all four pieces, match it by creating a new groove that is 1/8" (3 mm) from the top of each piece, except for one of the two end pieces. This second groove will accommodate the sliding lid. On one of the two end pieces, instead of creating this second groove, cut off the top of the end so that the end piece is now only 1 3/4" (44 mm) high -- the same height as the distance to the beginning of the groove from the bottom. Removing this 1/4" (6 mm) of the end block provides a way for the top to slide in and out. Take this shortened end piece (from now on referred to as the "locking end") and rout out a space for the locking mechanism on the inside (shorter) of it. See the diagram for the exact dimensions of this routed area. The routed area should be cut to a depth of 1/4" (6 mm), leaving a remaining 1/4" (6 mm) of wood. Next, take the base and rout a lip all the way around it. The area to be routed out should be 1/8" (3 mm) deep and should cut up to 1/8" in from the edge. The result should be a lip that slots into the groove running around the bottom of the sides and end pieces. Having routed the lip all the way around the base, repeat this for the lid as well. This lip around the lid will allow it to slide in and out of the box. At this point, glue the sides and end pieces together around the base piece, remembering to place a small amount of glue in the groove, thus gluing the base into place. Clamp overnight until dry, having first ensured that the box is square. While the main box is drying, rout out a groove down the underside of the lid. The purpose of this groove is to allow the lid to slide over the locking mechanism (once the box is unlocked). To determine where this groove should be, elect one end of the lid to be the lock end. Looking at the underside of the lid, with the lock end furthest away from you, the groove

should be 1/2" wide, 1 1/2" from the left side (and 1 1/4" from the right side). This groove should be 3/16" deep. Once you have cut this groove, cut out an additional niche to the left of the main groove (the same depth). The niche accommodates the locking mechanism when the box is locked. This additional niche should be 1/2" wide and should cut in 1/8" from the lock end (see diagram). The lock end of the lid needs an additional piece of wood to be added to it so that it matches the other sides. This "lid end" should be 1/2" (13 mm) wide, 1/2" thick and 4" (102 mm) long. The ends of this length should be cut at a 45 degree angle, so that (when attached to the lid) the lid end fits into the box neatly (see diagram). Once the lid end has been cut to size, rout out a lip on the underside that is 1/8" (3 mm) deep and 1/8" wide. This allows the lid end to match up with the lock end of the lid. In addition to this lip, rout out an additional niche to accommodate the locking mechanism. This additional niche should be 1" from the left (when looking at the underside of the lid end -- and the measurement is based on the narrower length) to 1 1/4" from the right and should cut 1/4" from the inside edge. Once the main box is dry, it is time to rout out the groove for the decorative strip that runs around its middle. This groove is cut using a 14 degree, dovetail router bit. The use of a dovetail bit means that the groove has a cross profile of a wedge, and thus holds the cocobolo strip in place. This is important because the lock end cocobolo strip is not glued in place, as it must be free to slide (without falling out!). Cut the groove at a height of 7/8" to 1 1/4" from the bottom of the box, to a depth of 1/4". The end result should be a groove that is 3/8" wide at the surface (but considerable wider -- 1/2" -- further into the depth of the side). Rout this groove on all four sides of the box. Once this groove has been routed out, it is time to neaten up each corner of the groove. Using a chisel, increase the size of each groove end to a height of 1/2" (13 mm) (basically, the same width as the groove is at its deepest. This widening should only be done for 1/2" in from each corner. This means that the square birch corner pieces should just fit into each of the widened corners. Now cut the two side strips of cocobolo to the correct cross profile. These should be wedge-shaped (see diagram) so that they will slot into the grooves made above. At this time, also cut the two end strips to the same profile. If you have a table saw, this is certainly the easiest way to cut these strips, although you can also plane them down to the correct profile (or even rout them). Test that the strips will slide into the middle

grooves. While they should be a reasonably tight fit, don't make these strips too tight a fit -- otherwise the end piece won't slide freely. Before you glue the strips into place, sand down the main box, and round off the corners a little. Then, glue the two side strip pieces and the non-locking end strip piece into the correct grooves. At the same time, glue three of the corner pieces into place. The one corner piece that should not be glued into place is the one at the right hand end of the locking groove (when facing this end). Slide the final (locking end) strip into place and glue the final corner piece onto this strip. Be very careful to make sure that the glue only makes contact with the corner piece and locking end strip, as this piece must be able to slide out freely. Leave to dry overnight. Once dry, remove the locking end strip (with the attached corner piece) and apply wax to the groove. This will help the strip to slide more easily. Then, replace the strip back into the groove and ensure that it is pushed in all the way. Glue and screw the locking mechanism to the inside edge of the sliding cocobolo by placing the locking mechanism wood in the space that you routed out for it in the locking end piece. The locking mechanism should be attached at a distance of 1 1/2" from the left hand side (when looking at this from the front, not the inside) and should stick up proud of the locking end by a height of 1/8" (3 mm). Double check that your particular version of this box agrees with this position -- it should position the locking piece in the niche cut in the lid, NOT the main groove cut in the lid. When applying the glue, take care to ensure that it only makes contact with the cocobolo and the locking mechanism (otherwise, the sliding piece may be glued fast to the box by mistake). Once this is dry, test out the mechanism. The box should be locked when the locking end middle strip is pushed in all the way, and should be unlocked (so that you can slide the lid out) when this strip is pushed to the right (i.e. juts out from the side).

Japanese Style Lamp

Construction

Wood Type: Cherry.

Description Legs Inner verticals Qty Width Thickness Length 4 8 1 1/2" 3/4" 1/4" 1/4" 1/4" 1/4" 1/4" 1/4" 17" 14" 5 1/2" 3 1/2" 7 1/2" 6" 1/2"

Inner horizontals 8 Inner cross beams 8 Top Lamp connector Triangles 1 1 8

7 1/2" 1/2" 1" 1/2" 1/4" 1/4"

Building the inner frames 1. Take the eight inner verticals and cut a niche out of each vertical 2" to 2 1/2" from the top and bottom of each length. This niche should be 1/8" deep (see diagram). 2. Take the eight inner horizontals and cut a niche out of each horizontal 1/2" to 3/4" from each end. Again, the niche should be 1/8" deep. 3. For each of the eight horizontals, cut each end to a 45 degree angle so that the shorter side is the side that has the niches in them from step 2. (See diagram).

4. You can now join the verticals and horizontal pieces together at the point where the niches have been made, forming a rectangle with protruding ends. Glue this unit together. 5. Glue the two inner cross beams into the rectangle (step 4), spaced 1" apart form one end of the triangle (see diagram). Clamp overnight. 6. Once the inner frames are glued, attach the rice paper to the inside of each rectangle (this is the longest dies (i.e., without the 45 degree taper showing). To glue the rice paper onto the frame, lay the rice paper down on a flat surface, smear glue onto the frame and then press down on the paper. Place several books on top of the frame and leave overnight until glued. Then trim the rice paper to fit. Building the legs 7. Cut the legs to shape (see diagram). Note that the inside curve of the leg begins 3 1/2" from the bottom of the plank. Any higher and it would interfere with the attachment of the inner frame. 8. Once cut to shape, cut out two niches, 1/4" wide, 1/4" deep, 2" to 2 1/4" from the top and 11 3/4" to 12" from the top, on the inside of each leg. This niche will be used to connect the inner panels to the legs. Check these measurements carefully, in case you made any slight variation to the previous cuts/dimensions. 9. Sand the legs, rounding their edges a little. Joining the frame to the legs 10. Before joining the panels to the legs, cut out eight small triangles of wood, 1/4" thick, with two (perpendicular) sides 1/2" long. 11. Glue the inner panels into the leg niches. Use the small triangles cut out in step 11 to strengthen each joint (see diagram).The best way to clamp the lamp is to use rubber bands or string. 12. Once the glue is dry, attach the lamp connector to the base of the two of the inner frames using small, thin screws. However, before attaching this piece to the frame, drill a hole for the bulb holder and wire the unit.

Building the lamp top 13. The top is a square piece of wood 7 1/2" x 7 1/2". Round the edges of the top to suit your personal taste. 14. Drill a 2 1/2" hole in the center of the top. This will allow the light to shine upwards, as well as allowing the heat to dissipate more effectively. 15. Finally, attach the top to the legs by drill small holes into the top of each leg (and matching holes in the underside of the lid) that will accommodate small dowels. These will hold the lid in place. However, do not glue the lid in place -- you need to take the lid off to change the light bulb.

Wine Rack Plans

Materials: Attached wine rack pattern 2 lengths, 24" x 10" x 3/4" surfaced lumber 6 lengths, 23" x 2 1/2" x 3/4" surfaced lumber 24 8 guage, 1 1/2" flat-head screws stain, paint or clear varnish 2 paintbrushes tracing paper transfer paper hard pencil jigsaw or coping saw coarse and medium sandpaper sanding block ruler drill and 1/16", 1/8" and countersink drill bits screwdriver Preparing the Wood

1. Using tracing paper and a pencil, trace the patterns of the scallop-edged racks and the heart-shaped cut-out from the master pattern. 2. Using transfer paper and hard pencil, transfer the scallop shape onto the six racks. Then transfer the heart shapes to the end panels, placing them in the positions shown. 3. Using the jigsaw, cut out the scalloped edges. 4. Within the heart shape to be cut out, drill an access hole greater than the width of the jigsaw blade. Place the blade of the jigsaw in this hole and carefully cut out the heart shape. 5. Wrap coarse sandpaper around the sanding block and sand the edges of the end panels so that the square outside edges are slightly beveled. 6. Sand all surfaces completely smooth with medium sandpaper. Assembling the Wine Rack

1. Following the dimensions shown, mark the positions of the racks on the end panels, noting that the racks are spaced 8" apart vertically and the top of the upper rack is positioned 1/4" from the top edge of the end panel. The outer faces of all racks should be flush with the vertical edges of the end panels. 2. Mark the positions of the screws on both the end panels and the ends of the racks. The center of each screw should be 3/8" from the

outer edge and 3/8" from the top and bottom edges of each rack. 3. Using the 1/16" drill bit, drill holes for the screws right through the end panels and about 5/8" into the ends of the racks. Use a vise or clamping system to help you to hold the panels and racks in position each time you drill through. 4. Using the 1/8" drill bit, redrill all the holes in the two end panels. 5. With the countersink bit, countersink the outside face of each hole in the two end panels. 6. Screw the racks to one end panel. Place the other panel in position and screw it to the racks. Finishing 1. Lightly sand all surfaces with the medium sandpaper. 2. Apply stain, clear varnish or paint to all the surfaces.

Herb Garden Window Box

( Indoor Window Sill )

Materials Needed:
y

Wood for Box: (We used poplar wood

boards that are available in the precut wood trim department at most major home improvement stores. The boards you need should be precut into the following measurements before going to the instructions below.) o One piece: 1/2" thick - 3.5"

y y y y y y y y y y y y

wide - 36" long Six pieces: 1/4" thick - 1.5" wide - 24" long Basswood for Decoration: (Basswood
o can be found at most major craft or hobby stores. It is a soft light wood that is great for wood burning. Because it is light and soft, care must be taken when cutting.) o One piece: 1/8" thick - 2" o

wide - 24" long One piece: 1/8" thick - 3" wide - 24" long

Pattern for HERBS wood burn decoration. - Click Here Wood Burner Hand Saw Exacto Knife / Sharp Utility Knife Fine-Medium Sand Paper Ruler and Pencil Drill with 1/16" drill bit Panel Nails: 25 mm thick - 1" long Hammer Wood Glue Varnish and Brush Wood stains: o Red Chestnut o Colonial Maple o Dark Walnut

Cuts needed to prepare wood pieces:

y y

y y y y y y y

Take the large piece of wood that is 1/2" thick - 3.5" wide and 36" long. Measuring from one end of the board, mark a line at 6" from that end and then at 12" from that same end. Carefully saw through the wood along these lines. (You will now have two 6" long pieces - the sides and one 24" piece - the base.) Take the larger piece of basswood that is 3" wide and 24" long. Measuring from one end of the board, mark lines every 3" from that end all the way across the board. Turn the wood over and do the same thing on the other side measuring from the same end of the board. Very carefully, score into each of the lines on both sides of the wood with your exacto knife or sharp utility knife. Continue to score one line at a time until you have cut all the way through the wood creating 3" square pieces. Take the smaller piece of basswood that is 2" wide and 24" long. Measuring from one end of the board, mark lines every 2" from that end 5 times. Turn the wood over and do the same thing on the other side measuring from the same end of the board. Cut along these lines carefully just as you did for the other piece of basswood creating 2" square pieces. Sand the cut edges of all your wood pieces.

Drill holes needed to prepare wood for assembly:

y

Using a 1/16" drill bit, drill the following holes into the following pieces to make assembly easier. o Drill 2 holes on each end of the 1.5" x 24" long pieces about .25" from the edges. o Drill 3 holes on each end of the 3.5" x 24" long piece at about .5" from each of the edges and one in the center.

Apply the wood burned design:

y y y y

y y

Print out the HERBS Pattern - Click Here Cut out each of the letter squares. Rub the back of the pattern with a pencil (or get some carbon paper). Lay the letter pattern on one of the 2" square basswood pieces (if using carbon paper, put it between the pattern and the wood) and then trace the lines of the design. Preheat your wood burner and test on an extra piece of basswood. Follow the lines with your wood burner for each of the letters and the additional

corner decorations. You may want to adjust these designs or add to them as you like. Stain the wood pieces:
y

Stain (or paint) all the wood pieces for the window box and decoration pieces in your desired colors. The colors we used are listed here. One coat only unless specified differently. o All pieces for the main window box are stained in Red Chestnut. o All 2" square letter burned pieces are stained in Colonial Maple. o Five of the 3" squares of basswood are stained in Dark Walnut. o Three of the 3" squares of basswood are stained in Colonial Maple, 2 coats. (You may choose to apply one coat of clear varnish at this time to get the best coverage of each pieces of wood or you can varnish the completed box at the end.)

Assemble the window box:

y

First, assemble the 1/2" thick end pieces onto the 1/2" thick bottom piece through the pre-drilled holes as shown.

y y

Turn the box onto it's side. Next, starting from the bottom and working up, nail each of the 1/4" thick boards one at a time onto the side of the box through the pre-drilled holes.

y y

Turn the box over and do the other side. You will need to apply at least one coat of clear varnish to the entire box if you did not do this step earlier. This will help protect the wood from moisture.

Add the wood decorations:

y

Use wood glue to put together the square pieces as shown in the photo but do not glue them to the box yet. Let dry.

y y

Apply one coat of clear varnish to each letter decoration and let dry. Lay each finished letter decoration along one side of the herb window box and

adjust to center them. Glue each piece in place and let dry.

Place you Potted Plants into the Box:

y

To add your plants be sure that you plant them in 4" square pots and include some sort of water catch at the bottom. (Many plants come in plastic 4" square pots from your local nursery or garden store.) You can make a water catch by cutting a generous piece of aluminum foil and covering the bottom of the pot with it or jar lids turned upside down and placed below the pot also work

Curved bedside cabinets

Construction

Tools required: Plane (or belt sander), sander (for finishing), drill, jigsaw, circular saw (or router or some other device used for making a groove -- this tool is not completely necessary, as the groove can be avoided). Wood required
Description Main Unit Sides Top Shelf Front base Back panel 2 1 1 1 1 16" 20" 3/4" 3/4" 3/4" 2 1/4" 1/4" (plywood) Qty Width Length Thickness

18 1/2" 24" 17" 1 1.2" 21" 3/4" 22" 22" 20"

Shelf runners 4 Draw Units Sides 4

14 1/2" 1/2"

5 1/2" 14 1/2" 3/4"

Back Front Base

2 2 2

5 1/2" 18 3/4" 3/4" 6 14 22 19 2 1/4" 1/4" plywood

Note: the drawer unit quantities include the wood needed to build both drawers. Also, to create some of the widths described above, it will be necessary to join two or more planks of wood together: refer to the dowel joint in the Joints section.

The Main Unit

Firstly, the two side pieces should be cut to shape in the following way. The front edge of each side piece should have a notch cut out of it that is 3/4" deep and runs from the bottom of the side piece up to a height of 13 1/2" (see diagram on left). This notch is taken out to accommodate the drawers, thus ensuring that the drawers fit flush to the unit. A groove should then be cut unto the inside of each side unit, from front to back, at a depth of 1/4". This groove should start 13 1/2" from the bottom of each piece and should be 3/4" wide. This groove is used to slot in the shelf (see joints section for more details on creating a slotted tenon joint). Another slot should be cut, from top to bottom of each piece (again, on the inside) that is 1/4" wide and 1/4" from the back of each side unit. This slot is used to join the back piece of plywood onto the side pieces. To create this slot you will typically need a circular saw. However, this can be avoided by simply nailing the back piece onto the side units, rather than slotting it into place (not as nice, but if it saves you from buying a circular saw...). Finally, nail and glue the shelf runners into place: the bottom of the lower runner should be 4" from the bottom of the side unit, and the lower part of the higher runner should be 10" from the bottom of the side unit. It is important to ensure that these runners are level (not sloping towards the front or the back) in order to ensure that the drawers work correctly. It is now time to cut the top and the shelf to the correct shape. These should be curved on one side (the front) and flat on all others. The top should be 16 1/2" deep (from front to back) at the sides, but in the center it should be a total depth of 18 1/2". Mark

out the two side depths, and the center depth and then sketch out a smooth curve between these three points. The easiest way to do this is to attach a length of string or cord to a pencil and then, holding the cord at one fixed point along the center line, draw the curve. Keep experimenting until the curve makes contact with both side marks, as well as the mark in the center. Once this curve has been sketched out, cut the curve using a jigsaw and then sand smooth. The shelf curve is the same proportions as the top (in order to match neatly). The side depths should be 15 1/2" and the center should be 17". Again, sketch out this curve and then cut, using a jigsaw. However, the shelf is slightly more complex than that and it is necessary to cut a long notch out of each side of the shelf. This notch should be 1/2" out of each side, and should run from the back to almost the very front of each side: indeed, up to a point level with the beginning of the curve (see diagram). Once the shelf has been cut, it is time to make the Front Base unit. This is made out of a strip of wood 22" long and 1 1/2" wide. Note that this piece of wood is 2 1/4" thick (commonly made out of three pieces of 3/4" stock glued together. The idea is to make this piece of wood appear to be curved and this is done by planing (or band sanding) the wood into a curve that is the full 2 1/4" thick in the center, but only 3/4" thick at each side. As with the shelf unit, firstly sketch out the curve on the piece of wood. However, a jigsaw will not be able to cut this piece of wood and instead it should be planed into a curve. personally, I prefer to use a band sander, but whichever way you pick, this will take some time! Once the front base is shaped correctly, all the components for the main unit are ready and it is now just a matter of gluing them together. Firstly, glue the shelf into place, followed by the front base unit. I recommend also screwing the shelf into place by placing a screw through each side piece (this screw hole can then be filled and will be fairly well hidden). It may also be necessary to use small square triangular pieces to help attach the front base to the side pieces. Once these pieces are in place, slide the back sheet of plywood into the back slot, and glue in place. Finally, attach the top piece, using dowels to attach the top to the side pieces.
The Drawer

Take the side pieces and mark one side of each one as being the inside to save confusion later. The outside face of each side piece should have a groove just over 3/4" wide cut into it, running along the length of each piece with the lowest point of the groove being 2" from the bottom of the side piece. This groove should be 1/2"

deep and is for the shelf runners to slide into. Each side and end piece should then have a 1/4" groove (1/4" wide and deep) cut into the inside face. This groove should be 1/4" from the bottom of each piece and is to slot the plywood shelf base into. Once all of this has bee done, glue and screw the side pieces into the back piece. Note the side pieces should run the entire length of the drawer, with the back piece being sandwiched in-between (the total depth of the drawer from front to back, not including the drawer front, should be 14 1/2"). Once these have been glued and screwed, slide the plywood base into the groove and glue it in place. Ensure that everything is square. To make the curved fronts of the drawer we use the same technique as was used on the front base. Mark the curve and then use a band sander to round off the wood. Again, the center of the drawer front should be a depth of 2 1/4" while the two ends should only be 3/4" deep. Once this is done, it is time to attach the drawer fronts to the drawer units. To do this, slide the drawer into the main unit and then place the drawer front carefully on top. Mark the correct placement of this drawer and the glue and dowel into place. There should be just room for both drawer fronts to co-exist and it is important to be very accurate when doing this. Once done, attach handles to the front of the drawers and then wax everything, with particular attention being given to the shelf runners

Breakfast Bar

Construction

Tools required: Router, sander, belt sander Wood list: (white oak)
Description Top Qty Thickness 4 Width Length 72" (1829 mm)

1 1/16" (27 mm) 4" (102 mm)

Top Decorative molding 1 Side of Skirt Side of skirt 2 Front of skirt Drawer fronts Back of Skirt Mounting blocks Bracing (plywood) 2 2 1 3 1 1 1

1 1/16" (27 mm) 1 1/2" (38 mm) 71 1/2" (1816 mm) 3/4" (19 mm) 3/4" (19 mm) 3/4" (19 mm) 3/4" (19 mm) 3/4" (19 mm) 3/4" (19 mm) 3/4" (19 mm) 3 1/2" (89 mm) 6 3/8" (162 mm) 3 1/2" (89 mm) 11 1/2" (292 mm) 3 1/2" (89 mm) 52 3/4" (1340 mm) 2" (51 mm) 2" (51 mm) 3/4" (19 mm) 4" (102 mm) 12" (305 mm) 67 1/2" (1715 mm) 78 3/4" (2000 mm) 40" (102 mm)

The first thing that I had to do was to decide on the overall length and width of the side shelf. My friend Dan and I decided on a shelf that was 72" long and 16" deep. I elected to use 5/4" stock for the top (which is actually 1 1/16" thick) in order to get both the strength and the look that I wanted. To get this width, it is necessary to join several planks together. I chose to join four boards that were 4 1/8 x 1 x 72" and once these were joined, I cut it down to the required width of 16". To connect the boards together, it is best to use dowel joints, or biscuits joints as these will give additional strength over basic gluing and clamping. Once you have glued the planks together, cut the 45 degree angle on each end. Once this is done, give the panel a rough sanding with a belt sander to roughly smooth off the plank. Once this is done, rout the edges of the panel (not the back though) to get the edging profile that you desire. It is best to experiment on some scrap wood before beginning the rout, just to make sure that you are happy with the depth and profile of the chosen cut.
The skirt

Miter one end of each of the five skirt pieces (the four side skirt pieces and the front skirt piece) to a 22 1/2 degree angle. Then, set up the stop block to the exact length of each board and cut the boards to the proper length. Join the skirt pieces (at a 22 1/2 degree angle) using either a biscuit joiner, or dowel joints. Then, cut the back piece of the skirt. the main reason for this piece is to aid in the gluing process of the skirt. I drilled pocket holes on the end of the back piece to join it and secured this piece to the 3 1/2" x 6 3/8" side of the skirt prior to gluing. The easiest way to clamp the skirt while it is gluing is using band clamps.
Drawer Fronts

The drawer fronts are relatively basic. Just cut to the correct dimensions and use the router to add a neat edging. You should always rout the end grain first to eliminate any possible tear out. Once you have cut the drawer fronts, rout the top decorative molding to match the drawers.
Assembly

Cut the 3/4" x 3/4" stock and pre-drill clearance holes for mounting the top panel. Next mount the 3/4" x 3/4" blocks to the top inside of the skirt with glue and small nails. Then, drill clearance holes into the drawer fronts for the hardware (the drawer knobs) and into the front of the skirt. The holes in the skirt are to install and tighten up any hardware that may work loose over time and to possible change the style of the hardware to match or fit a different need. Attach the top decorative molding with glue and small nails. Cut the angle braces to the proper dimensions and attach with glue and nails. Make sure you don't cover the access holes that you drilled into the front of the skirt. The project was finished using a golden oak color, followed by three coats of varnish.

Paper towel holder

Construction

Tools required: jigsaw, router Wood required: Cherry (almost any hard wood will suffice)
Description Sides** Base Main rod dowel End dowels Qty 2 1 1 2 Width 3" 3" 1 1/4" 5/16" Thickness 3/4" 3/4" 1 1/4" 5/16" Length 5 1/4" 11 1/8" 11" 1"

** Note that it is easier to treat this as one large 10 1/2" piece until stage 3 (see below). 1. Prepare base To make the paper towel unit look less blocky, we need to round off the base of the paper towel holder. The easiest way to do this is to use a router with a concave curve bit and run it down the length of each side (see diagram). 2. Cut mechanism groove into side pieces.

The side pieces hold the key to the paper towel mechanism. Each side piece needs a groove added in it (as shown in the diagram) that will allow the main dowel rod to slot in (by pushing straight back) and then drop down into the final "locked" position. To make this groove, use a 3/8" router bit, cutting the groove to a depth of 1/4". There is no easy way to make this slot (although a router table helps) and the key is to cut the groove slowly, with patience, having first marked the path of the slot. When cutting the slot in the second side piece, remember that this should be a mirror image of the first, not a direct replication. 3. Cut curve in side pieces Once the slots are cut, round off the top of each side into a curve (diameter 3") with a jigsaw or a bandsaw. Once done, cut the single length of wood (10 1/2" long) into two separate side pieces (if you did not do this earlier). 4. Attach sides to base Attach the side pieces to the ends of the base unit using either a biscuit join or dowels (thus hiding the joint) 5. Prepare Rod Drill a hole 3/4" deep and 5/16" diameter in the center of each end of the main rod dowel. The easiest way to find the center of this 1 1/4" diameter dowel is to cut out a 1 1/4" by 1 1/4" square of paper and draw a line from each corner (thus forming and "X"). Place this square of paper over the end of the dowel, and the center of the X is the center of the dowel end. Once you have drilled the holes, glue the small dowel ends in to them, so that the small dowels protrude 1/4". This dowel until should now slot into the side grooves made earlier, completing the project. 6. Sand and polish To finish the project, sand and varnish it.