The Brackets

Lay out a design for the end brackets. This design should be laid out carefully on a piece of paper before you attempt to draw it on your material. The suggestion for original designs will give you a number of ideas from which you should be able to work out something of your own. This design should be drawn freehand, or with the use of a ruler and compasses. It might be well to cut out one bracket, and use it for a pattern in laying out the other one to make sure that the two are exactly alike. These brackets may be cut with a coping saw. The edges and surfaces must be made perfectly smooth with a wood file and sandpaper.

The Front Strip

Plane one edge perfectly straight and smooth (Chapter II., Paragraph 4), gauge the width with the marking gauge (Chapter II., Paragraph 6). Carefully plane to the gauge line. Cut it the proper length and shape the ends.

Assembling

The brackets are to be fastened to the back piece with glue and brads from the back side. Test with a try-square and be sure that the brackets stand straight up and down, and exactly the same distance from each end. The front piece is to be put on with two round head screws. You should bore a hole through the front piece for the screws. Make the holes just large enough to receive the body of the screw. With a brad awl, make holes to start the screws into the brackets. When the screws are tight, they should stand with their eyes either straight up and down or straight across. Whenever screws are used as a part of the decoration of a piece of work, care should be taken to have the screw slots all stand parallel or in straight lines.

Finishing

You may stain your necktie rack a desirable color (Chapter IV., Paragraph 54). Be sure to stain the back side as well as the front side on all pieces. In this way you can prevent warping. It also makes the work much neater in appearance. Finish with shellac (Chapter IV., Paragraph 57) or wax finish (Chapter IV., Paragraph 56). Insert the two screw eyes, as shown in the drawing.

Optional and Home Projects Employing Similar Principles.

Ribbon Rack

1. This same idea might be used to make a very pretty ribbon rack; if desired the back might be shaped or carved with some decorative design.

Towel Rod

2. By constructing the back and sides of heavier material, possibly 5/8" or 3/4", and using a round rod, which might be a piece of 3/4" dowel, a very satisfactory towel rod could be made.

Towel Roller

3. By making a round tenon on each end of the rod and making the holes in the brackets large enough for it to turn easily, a towel roller may be constructed.

Paper Rack

4. By making the side brackets considerably longer, and using two or three strips across the front, and providing a bottom, this same plan can be used in making a paper or magazine rack to hang on the wall.