There's a bonus for your efforts when you turn out a piece of handsome furniture that you can "borrow" from the children for your own occasional use—like this modern night table.

Photos by Edward DeLong

A piece of do-everything furni­ture, this versatile night stand will find frequent use as an occasional table—and is equally desirable for Junior's room, or Susie's, or even the oldsters'.

Some of its features are plenty of storage space, clean lines that harmonize with a wide variety of furniture styles, and sim­plicity of construction. To give the night stand a "youngish" appearance, Nakora plywood—which is similar to ash—would be an excellent and inexpensive choice.

The job requires one 4x4-foot piece of 3/4-inch plywood (see the material list). Cut out all pieces from it as indicated in the cutting diagram.

After cutting the pieces, on each of the two sides (A) draw lines on the outside surface parallel to and 3/8 inch in from the back edge and the bottom edge. Make a mark on these lines 11/4 inches from each end, and two more equally spaced between. Bore 1/2-inch holes on these marks, 5/16inch deep; then bore 3/16-inch holes in the center of these holes, all the way through. On the same surface, bore three holes along a line parallel to and 41/8 inches from the top edge. Locate the holes 21/2 inches, 71/2inches, and 13 inches from the back edge. Bore the holes in the same manner as you did the previous ones.

On each side of platform shelf (D), make 3/4-inch cut 133/4 inches long. 4'1/2 inches from the front edge. Cabinet sides (A) will fit into the cuts. Culling dimensions for plywood parts are shown in diagram below; letters key up with those on drawing on preceding page and in material list.

ALL PARTS FROM ONE 3/4" X 4" X 4'PANEL OF WELDWOOD OR NAKORA PLYWOOD

Alter cut shown on the opposite page is carefully made, cut off the 3/4-inch strip with back saw.

Platform shelf (D) is fastened to cabinet sides (A), then the bottom (E) is attached with screws.

Attach recessed front spacer on CD), then mount 3/4-inch square drawer runners snug against sides.

For decorative top ledge, bore 1-inch holes 1/2inch deep in top of piece (C), prefer­ably before mounting top (C) on cabinet.

On the better surface of back panel (B), mark a line parallel to and 41/8 inches from the top edge. Bore four holes along this line, 11/4 inches in from each end with the two remaining holes spaced equally be­tween; again, these are 1/2-inch holes 5/16 inch deep, followed by 3/16-inch holes all the way through.

Bore similar 1/2- and 3/16-inch holes on the better surface of central platform (D), locating them 3/8inch in from each short side edge at the wider front portion; there are two holes on each side, 1 inch from the back and front of the wider portion of (D).

Assemble back (B) and sides (A), using 11/4-inch No. 8 flathead screws and glue.

To assemble drawer, attach sides into rabbet in drawer front (F), using glue, 1-inch No. 6 screws,-add drawer back and Insert bottom. Check fit of drawer in cabinet before mounting lop (C) in place.

Make sure the edges of (A) are flush with the outside surface of back (B). Then put platform shelf (D) between sides (A) and fasten with 11/4-inch No. 8 flathead screws after gluing.

Fasten bottom (E) to the completed as­sembly with glue and l1/4-inch No. 8 screws. The bottom edges of (A) should be flush with (E).

On the outside surface of table top (C), draw lines parallel to and 3/8 inch in from the shorter side edges, and mark for holes along this line: two holes 11/4 inches from the front and back, and two spaced equally between those. Similarly, mark for four holes 3/8 inch in from the back- edge, with the end screws located 2 inches from the end and the others spaced between. All holes are to be 1/2inch diameter, 5/16 inch deep, with 3/16-inch holes drilled all the way through the center of these.

Mount a 3/4x2xl51/4-inch recessed spacer onto platform shelf (D), 51/4 inches from the front edge, with the cutout edge facing the front. Then fasten 3/4-inch square drawer slides snug against the sides and spacer, using glue and nails.

Now attach table top (C) to the above assembly with glue and l1/4-inch No. 8 flat-head screws. Make sure that all edges are flush with the cabinet. Cover all edges with matching Weldwood Wood-Trim; use Weldwood Contact Cement for this.

Fill all bored holes in the cabinet with 1/2-inch long-grain wood plugs (as dis­cussed in the chapter on construction tech­niques) , using glue. When the glue is dry, plane and sand the plugs flush and, at the same time, sand the entire cabinet well.

Turn the cabinet upside down and mount four 14-inch ready-turned brass-tipped legs to the bottom, 4 inches from the out­side.

The next construction step is to make the drawer. Rabbet out both ends of drawer front (F) to 3/8x1/2 inch. Then channel out a groove for the 1/4-inch plywood drawer bottom, locating the groove 3/8 inch from the bottom: edge, on the inside. Repeat this for drawer sides (I). Bore 1/8-inch holes and countersink for flathead screws.

To assemble the drawers, mount the sides into the rabbets of the drawer front and place the back of the drawer between the sides, holding them flush in the back. All top edges must be flush also. Fasten with glue and 1-inch No. 6 flathead screws. Next, slide the drawer bottom in through the back and nail it on with a few 3/4-inch head nails. Sand all drawer parts both be­fore and after assembly.

Fit the drawer into the night stand. If it is too loose, place ordinary thumbtacks on the inside of sides (A), near the front. If it is too tight, plane or sand off the high spots. In either case, place large amounts of paraffin on the inside of the table and drawer runners.

If you wish to add the decorative top piece (T), cut out the piece as shown in the plywood cutting diagram. On the bot­tom surface of (T), draw four equally spaced lines parallel with the ends, starting 21/2 inches from each end. Transfer the lines to the top surface of top (C), against the back edge. On these lines, 13/4 inches from the back edge of top (C), bore 1-inch holes 1/2 inch deep. Repeat this in the center of the lines on the bottom surface of piece (T).

Cut four pieces of 1-inch diameter dowel (preferably of matching hardwood); make each piece 4 inches long. Then cover all edges of piece (T) with matching Wood-Trim, using contact cement. Sand piece (T) and top (C).

Glue dowels into the holes in piece (T) and then mount the assembly to top (C), making sure that the dowels are straight.

Refer to the chapter on painting and finishing for various methods of treating the completed night stand. •

Left, all 1/2-inch holes over screw heads are filled with long-grain wood plugs. Chisel off excess plug and then sand down Hush.

Decorative top ledge, with hardwood dowels in place, is mounted after cabinet has been sanded. Holes in ledge and (C) must match.

Bottom photo, tapered brass-tipped legs are mounted 4 inches from outside edges. Buy type whose mounts allow legs to slant out.

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