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Constructing

ED EVAL U NITU • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 27"

PLANS

and INSTRUCTIONS

with STORICAL NOTES • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Daniel Diehl

Qonstructing Nlrdirual Furniturr • Plans and Instructions with Historical Notes

Daniel Diehl

STACKPOLE BOOKS

Copyright © 1997 by Stackpole Books

Published by STACKPOLE BOOKS 5067 Ritter Road Mechanicsburg, PA 17055

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. All inquiries should be addressed to Stackpole Books, 5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055. Printed in the United States of America 109876543 FIRST EDITION

Coverdesign by Caroline M . Miller

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Diehl, Daniel. Constructing medieval furniture: plans and instructions with historical notes / Daniel Diehl. - 1st ed. p. em. ISBN 0-8117-2795-5 1. Furniture-Drawings. 2. Furniture-Reproduction. 3. Furniture, Medieval. 4. Measured drawing. I. Title. TTI96.D54 1997 684.1-dc20 96-28404 CIP

To my mother, who had great faith in me throughout her life, but did not live to see this book published.

•

qontcnts • Acknowledgments

ix

11. Curule Chair

81

Introduction

xi

12. Candlestand

91

1. Woodworking Notes

1

13. Monastic Canopy Bed

101

2. Metalworking Notes

7

14. Fifteenth-Century Window Frame

111

3. Finishes

17

15. Wine Cabinet

119

4. Fifteenth-Century Bench

19

16. Gothic Cradle

131

5. Painted Wall Hanging

25

17. Fifteenth-Century Door

141

6. Fourteenth-Century Reading Desk

35

18. Glastonbury Chair

151

7. High Table

43

19. Mirrored Wall Sconce

161

8. Oxford Chest

51

Appendix A: Furniture Locations

173

9. Vestment Chest

63

10. Ambry Cupboard

73

Appendix B: Sources of Medieval Accoutrements

177

Index

179

vii

•

acknowledgments • To accomplish truly worthwhile things, one must learn to work and play well with others. Certainly a project of this scope could never be accomplished by one person. lowe a tremendous debt of gratitude to all of the people and institutions who generously allowed me access to their property and records: Dr. William Wixom of the Metropolitan Museum, Daniel Kletke at the Cloisters, John O'Brien at Haddon Hall, Dave Clodfelter of English Heritage, Dr. Sarah Bendall and the Warden and Fellows of Merton College, Oxford, Dr. Dean Walker of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Dan Mehn, and Nick Humphrey at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Without their cooperation, this book

would not exist . Special thanks go to Bob Rich, who provided background information and the artwork for the chapter on painted wall hangings, as well as continuing assistance in research. Thanks also to Sally Atwater and Kyle Weaver, my editors at Stackpole Books, for their faith in this project; to Allison Leopold, who has helped in more ways over the years than I can count; to 0. Tyler Huff, my photographer; to my father, for a quarter century together in the workshop; and especially to my friend and literary partner Mark Donnelly, who corrected my manuscript, clarified my construction notes, and is the driving spirit that keeps the dream alive.

ix

•

Introduction • I did not set out to write a book about the construction of medieval furn iture. It was only whe n I realized th at one did not already exist th at I determined to und ertake the project. I was amazed, th roughout the cou rse of my research, at how little documentation on medieval furniture and its construction exists. Even many of the better furniture encycloped ias pay little atte ntion to the medieval period . From the furni shings of the ancient Egyptian s, Greeks, and Roman s, the literature leaps int o the Italian Ren aissanc e. Ar e we then to believe tha t no one sat down for more th an eigh t hundred years? Despite archaeo logical and documentary evidence to the contrary, historians of the decorative arts would have us believe th at our med ieval ancestors had no life beyond building castles and but chering their neighbors. History needs to be more th an dates, places, and names of famous people. Only by und erstanding the daily lives of the people who populated it can we really appreciate th e past as a living place where people were very much like ourselves, but at the same tim e made very different by their social and political surroundings. Although I can no t imagine anyone wan ting to recreate the political cond itions of th e Middl e Ages, th e social atmosphere of the age of chivalry still has a simplistic , roman tic appeal. Tournaments, courtly love, and great feasts continue to capture our imagination centuries after th ey have ceased to exist. Though there is an endl ess flood of books on various aspects of life in the Middl e Ages, there has not , to my knowledge, been anything written on the most visible surviving remn ants of domestic life of the periodhousehold furniture. Here, then , is a collection of

medieval furniture representative of almost every room and use in the castle and man or house. The furni shings in thi s book are among the finest surviving examples from the golden age of ch ivalry. These origina l, priceless pieces are housed in public and private collections th roughou t th e United Sta tes and England. Accomp anying each photograph is a description of th e item and its current location, in many cases still in th e English castl e or cathedral for which it was origina lly made. A few pieces, however, are probably from a north European country ot he r th an England . C on sidering the cultural interc ha nge, peaceful and otherwise, th at took place among England, Fran ce, and the Low Coun tries th roughout much of the Middl e Ages, similar furn iture styles must have appeared simulta neously th roughout thi s part of the world. The measured drawings th at accompany the phot os of each piece of furniture will be of interest to scho lars, amateur histori an s, and woodworkers alike. Here for the first time the reader can see how medieval furn ituremakers produced furniture that ha s withstood a th ousand years of service with out the benefit of glue, screws, or, sometimes, even nails. The illustration s show the methods used in con structing th e origina l furn ish ings. With few excep tions, the drawings were taken directl y from the or igina l pieces of medieval furniture. Because of th e methods used in making the origina l furniture, and the wear and tear of th e centuries, most of th e origina l pieces are not in square, or even symmetrical. Consequently, I have been forced to standard ize d imensions and remove many of the sligh t variations in herent in primitive construction techniques. I have included the grain

Xl

pattern of the wood wherever possible, both to add interest to the drawings and to indicate the direction of the grain. In the accompanying text, there are occasional suggestions for alterations that will make reproduction easier for the modern woodworker. A few of the drawings differ slightly from the way the piece of furniture appears today. These changes have been made to reverse alterations that were made to some of the furniture over the years. I have also made a distinction between marks from primitive construction techniques and signs of wear and age, allowing the former to remain but removing signs of the latter. There should be virtually no difference in a finished reproduction and the original from which it was copied, except for the lack of six or seven centuries of wear and tear. The drawings have all been done to accurate scale. When there are complex bits of carving or other detail shown on the drawings, they can be enlarged on a photocopier to the size called for and used as a pattern to be transferred directly onto the surface of the wood. The level of skill required to execute the projects in this book ranges from basic to fairly complex. The chapters appear in order of complexity, beginning with

the simplest. The construction notes may at times seem simplistic to advanced woodworkers, but they should provide clarity for those who are still honing their shop skills. On several pieces, the amount of work required to produce the piece can be significantly reduced simply by eliminating the ornamental carving. In no instance, however, is an elaborately equipped workshop required to produce this furniture. Remember, originally all of these pieces were made with hand tools and without the benefit of electricity. Before beginning any project, read the introductory chapters on woodworking, metalworking, and finishes, as well as the entire assembly instructions for the project. A firm understanding of the entire project will help you avoid unnecessary problems along the way. Several projects in the book are not, strictly speaking, furniture. They are, however, items that probably would have been found in the homes that contained the furniture represented here. For anyone planning to execute an entire room in medieval style, these pieces will give the room a historically authentic look. Appendix B lists places that sell all kinds of medieval accessories to provide the finishing touches necessary to outfit any well-appointed castle.

xii

1

•

{ijoodmorkjng notes • Here are a few general observations and suggestions about woodworking methods and materials th at hold true for most of the project s conta ined in thi s book.

were felled, the workers avoided havin g to carry excess wood to the final destination, thus avoiding needless labor.

MEDIEVAL WOODWORKING Most of the furn iture made dur ing the Middle Ages was made from freshly cut, or green, wood. The process of aging and curing wood was unknown , and working with freshly cut wood was labor efficient . Because the wood was worked green, the methods of const ruction differed from those used when working with air-dried or kiln-dried wood. For example, during the Middl e Ages, sections of furn iture th at were to be joined with dowel pins were drill ed so th at the holes were sligh tly out of line. As the wood dried and sh rank, the pieces were pulled tightl y together. Today, because the wood will not shr ink with the passage of time, pieces to be doweled are clamped together and holes are drill ed in a straigh t line. Medieval woodworkers often set up temporary manufacturing communities in the forest, where the y could fell trees and immediatel y turn them into lumber and then into furniture. Woodsmen would fell the trees, and sawyers would cut them into boards either with saws or by splitting them off the logs with wedges and sledgeha mmers. Craftsmen of all types would immedi ately go to work turning the fresh lumber int o useful items, coopers making buckets and barrels; carpenters producing furniture and construct ion timb ers; and wright s building carts and wheels. Working the wood in its green state was easier for a variety of reasons. Freshly cut wood may foul modern power tools, but it is much easier to work with primi tive hand tools. By manufacturing the pieces of lumber or finished furnishings at the locati on where the trees

REPRODUCTION TECHNIQUES Though it may not be practi cal to set up shop in some remot e forest to make copies of med ieval furni ture, some of the period techniques can be adopted by the modern woodworker. Most of the furn iture in th is book will look better- or more authent ic-if the work is executed with hand tools wherever possible. For example, ch amfering th e edges of a board with drawkn ives and spokeshaves , rather th an with an electric router, will give you not on ly a more accurate looking finished product, but also a far better appreciation for the way the original pieces were made. If you are not famili ar with hand too ls, it will require some practice to get th e han g of using them. Practice on scrap lumber, not on th e custom milled oak you just ordered for a project. GENERAL CONSTRUCTION Most of th e construct ion techniques in thi s book are extremely basic. Because of th e limit ed ran ge of too ls and technology available to the woodworker of the Middl e Ages, it was essential th at construction be quick and simple. The on ly procedure th at would not be considered elementary is the use of dovetail joints on a few of these pieces. Doweling Regardless of the type of wood used in making any piece of furniture in thi s book, I recommend the use of birch or maple dowels to hold it together. Maple is by far the strongest wood for thi s purp ose, and it is the

carving very difficult and the results unpredictable. White oak is also closer to the English oak used in the origina l furniture. If the project requires pine, choose a good-quality, straigh t-grained fir. The straigh ter the grain in th e wood , the better the finished project will look and the less ch ance of the boards warping over time. The major differen ce between the wood used today and th at used eight hundred years ago is not the species of tre e from which the boards are cut , but how they are cut. In medieval times, when lumber was plen tiful and tools were primitive, the boards used in the production of furniture tended to be much heavierboth thicker and wider-than tod ay's mill-cut lumber. For many of the project s in thi s book, it will be necessary to have the lumber custom milled to obtain boards of the correct thickness, which will, of course, be more expensive than simply purch asing standard-dimension lumber. In some cases, the difference between makin g an item from standa rd mill-cut lumber and using custommilled lumber will be purely aesthetic, to give your furniture an authent ic medieval look. In other cases, the heavier lumber is necessary to the structural integ rity of the piece, or at least to make it fi t together as shown in th e drawings. An opt ion to having the oversize boards specially milled is to use old lumber. There are several companies th at recycle old construction materials such as planks and beams salvaged from barns and houses th at have been demolished. This wood is often available in dimension s larger th an can be found in new material. One of the largest of these companies in th e United States is North Fields Restor ation, Hampton Falls, NH 03844, (603) 926-5383; ano ther is Architectural ber & Millwork, 35 Mt. Warn er Rd., P.O. Box 719, Hadley, MA 01035, (413) 586-3045. To find th e location of othe r such companies, look under "salvage" in the yellow pages, or check with local historical or preservation groups. Another solution is to glue together standarddimension boards to produce thi cker or wider stock. Many lumbermill s and most cabinet shops will glue up sta ndard-dimension lumber to provide boards of any width and thi ckn ess. Profession ally executed joints will be as strong as the wood itself and barely noticeable once th ey are incorporated into the furniture . You can glue boards together for extra thickness fairly easily yourself by spreading a thin, even coat of cabinetmaker's glue on th e faces th at are to be glued

wood from which most comm ercial dowelin g is made. You can purchase maple or birch doweling at any lumberyard or hardware or hobby sto re. To fasten a wood joint with a dowel, begin by aligning the two pieces to be join ed and clamp th em into posit ion so th at they do not sh ift. Se lect a drill bit the same size as the dowelin g called for in th e materials list, and drill holes in the location s called for in th e const ruction not es. Prepare the dowel to be insert ed in the hole as follows: C ut a len gth of dowel no more th an 1 inch (25mm) lon ger th an the depth of the hole into which it is to be seated. Slightly round the end of th e dowel th at is to be driven into the hole to allow ease of en try. If th e hole has been drill ed to the actual size of the dowel, the dowel may need to be sand ed lightly so th at it can be tapped smoo thly int o place. The dowel sho uld tap into the drill ed hole with a wooden mallet with out undue force. A 2-in ch (51mm) dowel sho uld seat itself with four or five light stro kes. If the dowel fits too tightl y, it may break off before it is seated, or it may split th e surround ing wood over tim e. If it is too loose, it will not hold the piece of furn iture together. Clamps The construction not es in thi s book frequently call for clamps to be used to hold pieces together while the project is being assembled. Lon g bar clamps, or cabine t clamps, are best for thi s purp ose. They will gene rally open up far eno ugh to hold even the largest pieces of furniture in thi s book. When applying clamps to a piece of furniture, pad the jaws of the clamp with a small piece of wood, such as a shim. Padding the clamps will prevent the metal jaws from biting into th e wood and leavin g deep scars tha t will need to be sanded out later.

um-

WOOD During the Middl e Ages, th e woods most commonl y used for the con stru ct ion of furniture were oak and pine, which still holds tru e to day to a great exten t. A ny wood othe r th an oak or pin e used in th e furn iture in th is book is not ed on an indi vidual basis in the materials lists. If a project calls for oak, 1 stro ngly suggest using white oak rather th an red . Although it is more expen sive, whit e oak has a much finer and straigh ter grain , will cut smoo ther, and is a better cho ice if carving is involved. The unevenness of the grain in red oak makes

2

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DOVETAIL JOINT

4

together, letting it set for three or four minutes, and then pressing the glued surfaces together and clamping tightly. Be careful when you are pulling the clamps tight; the boards will tend to slide around as they are being pulled together and if the layer of glue is too heavy, large amounts may squeeze out. Have an assistant help with this process, and have a wet rag handy to wipe off excess glue. After the glue has set overnight, remove the clamps. The resultant board will be as strong as if it were a single ,board . Gluing boards together for additional width is trickier. Joining boards along an edge can be done in several

ways. The simplest is by gluing the edges and clamping as described above. The boards must be not only clamped tightly together, but also held absolutely flat while the glue dries. The seam where the boards are joined will never be as strong as the boards themselves, and they may fracture along this seam as they age or if subjected to stress. To strengthen this seam, the boards can be joined with dowels or splines. This is not particularly difficult, but it does require the proper tools and a bit of practice. Refer to a guide on basic cabinetry to learn the procedure, and then practice a few times before using it for your project.

5

2

•

~ttalmorking

l10tts

• Most of the hardware used on the furniture in this book falls into one of several categories: hinges, banding straps, lock plates, forged nails, and several styles of pulls and handles. Since the procedure for making these items remains the same from project to project, general metalworking instructions are provided in this chapter. Any changes, alterations, or guidelines for nonstandard work are covered in the individual chapters.

provide great amounts of heat quickly and make the job of working the metal fast and easy. A single-tank acetylene gas torch will provide enough heat for most of the work described in this book, but it will take considerably longer for the metal to reach malleability. (The small, hand-held propane torches simply will not provide sufficient heat.) You will also need a pair of welder's gloves to protect your hands from the hot metal. For shaping the metal, you will need a mandrel, a jig around which a piece of metal can be bent into decorative shapes. If you do not already have a mandrel, it is easy to make one. A mandrel is nothing more than two round metal pins, each 1/ 8 inch (3mm) in diameter and 2 inches (51mm) in length, inserted into a metal base. The best material for making the mandrel is stainless steel or cold rolled steel, as these metals will not soften when exposed to the heat of the torch. Following the diagram, cut a base of steel, 1 inch (25mm) thick and 4 or 5 inches (102-127mm) in length, to a width that will fit into the jaws of your vise; 1 inch (25mm) wide is sufficient. Using a drill bit the thickness of the metal pins, drill three holes into the mounting block, I/ Z inch (13mm) in depth. Two of the holes should be spaced 1;4 inch (6mm) apart and the third Vz inch (13mm) from the second. The metal pins should set firmly into these holes but remain loose enough that they can be removed and repositioned if necessary. If you do not have access to metalworking equipment or feel that you do not have the skills to undertake the metalwork necessary, contact a local blacksmith or ironmonger to make the metal findings for your furniture.

TOOLS The type of metalwork used for medieval furniture would have been executed by a blacksmith working with forge and anvil. Although it is certainly possible to reproduce this hardware by the original methods, most of us do not have access to a forge. The same look can be achieved with the aid of modern tools, however. All of the metalwork in this book can be executed with just a few simple tools. For cutting the metal, a band saw with a metal cutting blade is ideal. A jigsaw or reciprocal (saber) saw with a metal cutting blade also will work. In addition to a saw, you will need a heavy vise and two shaping hammers. The shaping hammers should be ball peen hammers rather than claw hammers. One should have a 10- to 12-ounce head and the other a 16- to IS-ounce head. For finishing the metal, you will need coarse and fine steel files in each of three shapes: flat, round, and triangular. Having both medium and small sizes of each shape will also be a great help. To heat the metal so that you can work it into shape, you will need a welding torch. There are two types that can be used for these projects. By far the best is a combination oxygen-acetylene torch. It will

7

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MATERIALS

three times directly at the angle of the bend where it lies against the surface of the vise. This will give it a good, sharp corner that will fit snugly against the edge of the wood. This may take some practice, but the results will be worth the effort.

Most of the metal used in these projects is of a type called flat stock, which comes in straps or sheets that are wider than they are thick. Metal also comes in round stock and square stock. Round stock is a round bar of steel and square stock is a square bar of steel. All of these types of metal stock are commercially available in all of the sizes necessary for the projects in this book. For our purposes, the thickness of the metal will usually be given in standard dimensions of inches and millimeters. The amount and dimensions necessary to manufacture the hardware for each piece of furniture are given in the materials lists in each chapter.

Using the Mandrel The primary use of the mandrel is in forming the loops on each half of the hinge by which they are joined together with a pin. It is also used in forging ornamental curls on hinges and straps. To practice using the mandrel, heat 2 or 3 inches (51-76mm) at the end of a length of flat stock, and insert the tip between two mandrel pins that are set as close together as possible. While continuing to apply heat, gently pull on the free end of the bar and tap on the heated portion of the metal with a forging hammer. The metal can slowly be pulled into loops of any size desired . The hotter the metal, the more easily it can be bent. With a little practice, you will be able to form loops that fit snugly around the mandrel pin, a perfect size for accepting hinge pins. The ends of hinges, and their accompanying straps and bands, are often forged into decorative shapes. To reproduce these shapes, you will need to cut the hinge out of a larger piece of flat stock than the overall width of the hinge might seem to indicate. This is taken into account in the materials list. To illustrate how to cut and forge these decorative shapes, let's look at the hardware on the Oxford Chest and the Vestment Chest. The decorative Tshaped ends on many of the metal bands on the Oxford Chest are relatively easy to form. From flat stock Ya inch (Jrnm) thick and 11,4 inches (32mm) in width, cut the basic length of the hinge as shown in the hinge pattern. Split the end of the strap into two tongues of equal width to a depth of approximately 3 Yz inches (89mm), as shown in the Oxford Chest hardware diagram. The stock can be either cut with a metal saw or heated and split with a chisel. The second method is how it was historically done, although it involves quite a bit more labor. If the end of the strap is sawn rather than split, you can cut a 3 1,4 (82mm) long, V-shaped wedge from the end of the strap to form the tapering ends. Once cut or split, bend the tongues into semicircles, using the mandrel with the pins spaced I/ Z inch (l3mm) apart. Be careful when bending the metal outward; it will break rather easily if not given enough heat. If you chose to split the metal rather than saw it, you will need to narrow the tips of the tongues as you stretch and pull them

FORGING METAL If you are unfamiliar with forging metal, make several practice pieces before you attempt any of the finished hardware . A good place to begin is by bending a piece of flat stock 11;4 inches (32mm) wide and Ya inch (3mm) thick into a right angle . This is a stock size common to many of the hinges and bands on the furniture in this book. I suggest bending a right angle; this is a simple procedure, and you will have to execute it every time a hinge or band goes around a corner on a piece of furniture .

Bending Right Angles Place a section of flat stock, at least I foot (305mm) in length, vertically into the jaws of the vise. Two or 3 inches (51-76mm) of stock should be below the jaws of the vise and the remaining stock should project above the vise. The stock must be at right angles (90 degrees) to the top of the vise, or the finished bend will be crooked . Heat the first 2 inches (5Imm) of the stock immediately above the jaws of the vise. Do not hold the point of the flame in one spot on the metal. Move it around on the area being heated, or the stock may melt at the point of contact with the flame. When the metal begins to glow a pink-red, it is ready to be formed . It is best to have two people working on this project, one heating the metal and the other doing the actual forging. In this way, the metal will retain its heat and can be shaped more quickly and easily. To shape the stock into a right angle, use the heavier hammer to strike it at the point where the stock meets the jaws of the vise while pulling the free end of the stock gently toward the forging surface (the top of the vise) with your other hand. When the metal has been bent to a right angle, strike downward onto it two or

9

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12

•

qandlcstand • steel bar stock, available from machine shops or ironmongers. Three kinds of metal, referred to as stock, are used for this piece. The legs, decorative ornamentation, and support pieces in the crown are made of flat stock; the main shaft is made of 3/.!-by-%-inch (l9-by-19mm) square stock; and the drip pan and decorative ring in the crown are made of sheet metal.

Heavy wrought-iron candlesticks and hanging chandeliers similar to this were used to bring brilliant, shimmering illumination to the dark, cavernous interiors of churches, manor houses, and castles throughout England and Europe during the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance. This candlestand is unusual in that the candles are not held in cups or stuck on spikes; rather, they sit inside free-standing rings that stand between the drip tray and the inner decorative ring. Though this candlestand does not hold as many candles as some others that survive, all of the side candles would have had to be nearly 2 feet (61Omm) in length and the central candle would have been nearly 3 inches (76mm) across, an extravagant use of expensive wax. The entire piece is forged metal, mostly wrought iron, and has a rather bulky look. Standing over 6 Yz feet (Zm) high, it is a most impressive piece of work. This piece probably dates from the sixteenth century, but its place of origin is unknown. It is now located outside of the Fuentiduena Chapel in the Metropolitan Museum's Cloisters.

Legs The first step in forging the legs is to make the feet. Place one end of a piece of leg stock into your vise to a depth of 1Yz Inches (38mm), and bend it to a 90degree angle. Repeat for the other two legs. Then flatten and splay the ends of the feet by reheating them and forging them with a forging hammer. Now bend each leg to a 90-degree arc-a quarter circle 10 inches (254mm) in height and in width. To ensure that all three legs arebent to the same arc, first cut a wooden pattern against which they can be fitted . Do not try to forge the hot metal against this pattern; simply use it as a gauge of your progress in shaping the stock. When all three legs are bent, the next step is to join them together. The legs on the original piece were heat-forged onto a flat iron disk the same thickness as the legs, at the center of which was a Va-inch (l6mm) hole. For reproduction purposes, you can weld the legs to a large, flat metal washer. You may, however, have to manufacture a washer to the necessary specifications. Arrange the ends of the legs onto the surface of the washer, spaced so that the three legs form an equilateral triangle at their juncture. The outer ends of the legs should be equally spaced. Clamp the legs into position on the washer using a Cvclamp, and weld the legs onto the washer. The completed leg unit should

CONSTRUCTION NOTES This room-size candlestand is constructed entirely of hand-forged iron. Reconstructing it in a home shop will require a few adaptations and a little time, but the results will be impressive. To shape and bend the various parts of this candlestand, use the methods described in chapter 2. The joints and seams that were originally heat forged can be welded or brazed together. Materials All of the basic pieces of the candlestand are constructed from standard-dimension sheet metal and

91

stand 10 inches (254mm) off the floor and scribe a circle 24 inches (61Omm) across at the tips of the feet.

Main Shaft The main shaft of the candlestand is formed from a length of square stock. The bottom of the shaft must be forged to fit through the hole at the juncture of the legs. Heat 1 inch (25mm) at the end of the shaft and forge it to as near round as possible. When the forged portion of the shaft can be fitted into the washer on the leg unit, weld it to the top and bottom surfaces of the washer, first ensuring that the legs are resting on a level surface and that the shaft is standing as vertical as possible. The top of the shaft head holds the drip tray and crown. To provide a stable seat for the frame of the drip tray, this end of the shaft must be larger than the bottom end. To simulate the heavy forged head on the original shaft, weld a piece of 13i4-inch (44mm) round stock to the top of the shaft, making certain that the head is in a parallel line with the body of the shaft so that the crown will sit straight on the completed candlestand. Once the head is welded into place, turn the entire unit upside down, so that the head is on the ground and the legs are in the air. To create the wedge-shaped taper between the shaft and the shaft head shown in the drawings, build up a l-inch (25mm) high pyramid of weld around the shaft. When it has cooled, work the sides of the pyramid smooth with a grinder and files to simulate the sloped shoulders beneath the head. At the center of the shaft head, drill a hole '/s inch (3mm) in diameter and a Vz inch (l3mm) deep. Into this hole, insert a piece of Vs-inch (3mm) steel rod 1 inch (25mm) in length. If you heat the area around the hole in the shaft head until it begins to glow slightly, the rod should tap into place easily and, once cooled, will never come out. This rod will eventually hold the drip tray and crown in place. Drip Tray Frame The four-armed frame of the drip tray is made in much the same manner as the leg unit. The frame can easily be made in three pieces: one main arm that runs the entire width of the tray and two shorter arms welded to either side of the main arm to form a cross. First, bend 1Y4-inch (44mm) tabs on both ends of the main arm of the drip tray frame. Bend similar tabs on one end of each of the short arms. Flatten and splay the ends of these arms in the same manner as the feet. In each

CANDLESTAND, EUROPE, SIXTEENTH CENTURY. IRON;

H. 77".

CLOISTERS COLLECTION, METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF

ART, NEW YORK CITY. COURTESY METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART.

92

Now bend th e top Yt-inch (6 mm) of the sides of the drip tray outward to a 60- or 70-degree angle by resting th e outer edge of th e side of the dri p tray against th e edge of a workben ch or an anvil and gently h ammering it outward. Do not hammer too hard, or the solder joints might break. This flared edge is very uneven on th e origina l piece, so don 't worry if it looks a little irregular.

of the four tabs, drill a hole large eno ugh to receive a rivet, as shown in the drawings. Lay the three arms onto a welding surface so th at the short arms rest against th e main arm at its center point. The arms sho uld touch each othe r, but not overlap. The pieces now form a cross like th e one shown in the drawing of th e bottom of th e drip tray. When th e pieces are in position , weld the sho rt arms on to the lon g arm unit, and then file th e weld joint flat. When finished you sho uld have a four-armed frame with an inn er diameter of about 16 inches (406mm). At th e point where th e four arms cross, dr ill a 3/ 16inch (5mm) hole so th at th e drip tray frame will fit over th e pin on the shaft head.

Inner Ring Support Legs Bend th e three legs that suppor t th e deco rative in ner ring according to th e dim en sion s provided in th e drawin gs. When all three legs have been bent , drill two 'Is-inc h (3mm) holes in th e sho rt side (the foot). Rivets will be placed through th ese holes to att ach th e legs to th e bottom of th e drip tray. Drill ano the r 'I s-inch (3mm) hole 1 inch (25mm) from th e end of th e lon g side of each leg. These holes will receive the rivets th at hold th e decorat ive ring in place .

Drip Tray The drip tray is made in two pieces. The bottom is simply a circle of shee t metal, and th e sides are made from a band of the same shee t metal. To make the bottom of th e tray, mark out a circle of sheet metal1 6-Y-! inches (425mm) in diameter. Mark another circle 1 inch (25mm) smaller th an th e first, or 15 314 inches (400mm), inside the first circle. The smaller circle is th e actual size of the bottom of the drip tray; th e larger circle will provide tabs with which to atta ch th e bottom of th e tray to th e sides. C ut th e large circle out of th e sheet of metal stoc k. At li z-inch (l 3mm) intervals around th e circumference of th e large circle, cut V-shaped notches Vz inch (l 3mm) deep. The inn ermost point of th ese notches sho uld just touch the in ner circle. If properly spaced, th ere sho uld be approximately one hundred notches cut around th e circle. Using pliers or a hamm er, bend th e tabs at right angles to th e circle. You sho uld wind up with a shallow tray 15 -Y-! inches (400mm) in diameter and 'Iz inch (l 3mm) deep. To form th e side of the drip tray, take a piece of th e same sheet metal, 3 Yt inches (82mm) in width by 52 inches (lm321mm) in len gth , and form it int o a circle around the outside of th e sha llow drip tray. Where th e ends overlap, clamp them together with a C -clamp. Drill a hole large enough to receive a rivet throu gh the lapped ends of the circle. Without removin g the C -clamp, slip the band of metal off the bottom of th e tray. Insert a rivet int o th e hole and peen th e end of th e rivet until it is tightly in place. Now remove th e C-clamp. Fit th e band back over th e bot tom of th e tray and solder the tabs on th e bot tom tray to th e inner face of the band . Do not atte mpt to weld th ese pieces together; th e heat from th e torch may melt th e metal.

Inner Ring Support Brackets These three brackets stabilize th e decorati ve inner ring by attach ing it to th e large candle holder at th e center of th e crown. Bend both ends of th e bar stock to 90degree an gles to form feet, th e foot on one end bein g -Y-! inch (l 9mm) lon g and th e other 1Vz inches (38mm) lon g. These feet sho uld face in opposite dir ecti ons. Central Candle Holder Form three legs from bar stoc k as called for in the materials list. Bend a 1114- inch (32 mm) foot at one end of each leg. At th e other end , bend th e last 4 inc hes (l02mm) of th e stock in th e opposite directi on from th e foot , at about a 30-degree angle, to form th e flaring top of th e candle h older as shown in th e drawings. Drill a 'Is-inc h (3mm) hole in each of th e three legs of th e candle holder 1 inch (25mm) below th e point where it begins to flare outward. Drill ano the r hole about 6 inches (l5 2mm) up from th e bottom of th e leg. To position thi s hole exac tly, temp orarily bolt together an inner ring support leg and one of th e inner rin g support brackets. Set th ese pieces next to one leg of the central candle holder so th at th e three pieces are in th e position the y will be in when th e candlestand is completed. Mark the location of th e rivet hole on the inside foot of th e inner ring support bracket at th e point where it rests against th e candle holder leg. Mark each part so th at you can fit th e same pieces together for final assembly. Sligh t variations in th e pieces may not allow th em to be int erch an geable.

93

MATERIALS METAL All metal is h o t rolled for easy shaping .

PART

N UMBER O F PIECE S

THICKNESS

WIDTH

legs

3

V8" (3mm)

X

1 1/4" (32 m m)

leg washer

1

V8" (3mm)

X

2" (5 1mrn) roun d /

shaft

1

%" (19mm)

X

%" (1 9mm)

sh aft head

1

sh aft pin

LENGTH X

17" (432 m m)

%" (l 6mm) hol e X

44 " (Lm l l Sm m)

13;41' (44mm) ro un d

X

I Ijz'I (38m m)

1

WI (3 m m ) round

X

I" (25 m m)

d rip tr ay

1

.3 2 ga

X

16" (407mm)

X

16" (40 7m m)

d rip tr ay rin g

1

.3 2 ga

X

3" (7 6mm)

X

52" (lm3 21 m m)

d rip tray fra me , long ar m

1

V8" (3mm)

X

1l;4" (32 mm)

X

20 "(508mm)

d rip t ray frame, sh o rt arms

2

'/ 8" (3mm)

X

1 ';4" (32 m m)

X

9 %" (238mm)

and dri ll 'Is-inch (3m m) holes thro ugh the floor of the drip tray as marked. Rivet the in ner ring support legs into place.

Join the th ree legs of the cent ral cand le holder at the base by welding them on to a washer as you did for the large leg unit. The washer sho uld be on the inside, not the outside (bottom), of th e candle holder. Heat-forge two rin gs of the same bar stock used to form the legs of the central candle holder. These rings sho uld form circles just large enough to slide inside the legs of the central candle holder. When each ring fits into the candle holder, weld th e ends of the ring toget her. Drill three holes in each ring to correspond with the holes in th e legs of the candle holder. Rivet the rings into place.

Inner Ring This decorative ring is made in much the same man ner as the sides of the drip tray. The material is slightly heavier, beca use it carries the weigh t of twelve decorative loops, but the construction technique is the same. Bend th e metal into a circle th at fits inside the inn er ring support legs. Where the ends of the ring overlap, clamp them with a C -c1amp. Remove the ring from inside the legs, drill, and rivet it toget her. Then remove the C-c1amp and fl are out the top 1!4 inch (6mm) of the ring as you did the side of the drip tray. Set it into position inside the inn er ring support legs. Position the riveted joint in the ring so th at it is located equidistant between two of the support legs. Mark the locat ion of the rivet holes in

Assembly At this point you are ready to und ertake the first stage of the assembly of the crown . Position th e three inner ring support legs around the inside edge of the drip tray at equal int ervals. Mark the location of the holes in the feet ont o the floor of th e drip tray, remove th e legs,

94

PART

NUMBER O F PIECES

THICKNESS

LENGTH

WIDTH

inner rin g support legs

3

W' (3mm)

X

Ys" (1 6mm)

X

9ljz" (241 mm)

inner rin g support brackets

3

I/ S"

(3 m m)

X

Ys" (1 6mm)

X

6ljz" ( 165 m m)

ce ntral ca nd le h old er

3

Vs" (3 m m)

X

Ys" (1 6mm)

X

21ljz" (546mm)

Vs" (3 m m)

X

2" (51 mm) ro un d /

Vs" (3mm)

X

Ys" (16mm)

X

9ljz" (24 I mm)

.32 ga

X

2'14" (57mm)

X

39" (99 1m m )

centra l ca nd le h old er washer ce n tra l ca nd le rings

2

decor ative ring

3/16"

(5mm) h ol e

decorat ive loops

12

.3 2 ga

X

1" (25mm)

X

6" (1 5 2mm)

ce ntral shaft decoration

4

Vs" (3mm)

X

314 "

(1 9mm)

X

8" ( 203mm)

bottom sh aft decoration

4

W' (3 m m )

X

W' (1 9mm)

X

4 ljz" ( Ll -lmrn)

leg decorat ion

3

l/ S" (3 m m)

X

1" (25mm)

X

7" (1 78 mm)

rivets

50

X

1;4" (6mm)

I/ S"

(3 m m) d iame ter

the support legs, remove the decorati ve ring, and drill the holes.

if the loops are not perfectl y round; the loops on the origina l piece are far from perfect .

Decorative Loops The twelve loops around the decorative ring appear to be purely orna mental in nature. They are made from strips of the same metal as the decorati ve ring into which they are moun ted (see materials list ). To shape these loops, cut away enough material from each end of the strips to leave a pin of meta l 1 inch (2Smm) long and no more than a '!4 inch (6mm ) wide at the point where it joins the body of the strip of metal (see detai l A in the drawings). Bend the pins at right angles to the strip of metal so that both pins point in the same direct ion. Then bend the strips of metal int o rings. You can heat the metal sligh tly to make the process easier, but thi s is not necessary, as the metal is lightweight eno ugh that it sho uld bend easily with pliers and a hammer. Do not worry

Small Candle Holders The frame of the three small candle holders are made from a single piece of flat stoc k. The spearhead-shaped decorati ve device at th e top of the cand le holder is easiest to make before the frame is ben t to shape. Following the dime nsions in the drawings, cut the point to shape with a jeweler's saw or band saw, or simply file it to shape. The origina l piece seems to have been made by a combination of heat forging and cutting the hot metal with a chisel. When the deco rative work has been completed, measure 11 inches (279mm) from each end of the stock and mark the location of the base of the candl e holder. Bend th e holders into their bracket shape , working as closely to the lines as possible to ensure th at the two sides of the frame are equal in height.

95

Attaching the Crown Drill a Yl6-inch (5mm) hole th rough the drip tray directly in line with th e hole in th e washer at th e base of th e central candle holder. Set the drip tray int o the drip tray arms. The li z-inch (l3mm) long pin protruding from th e head of th e shaft should pass throu gh the holes in th e drip tray frame, the drip tray, and th e washer at th e base of th e cen tral candle holder. Drill four holes thro ugh th e sides of the drip tray in line with th e holes in th e drip tray arms. Insert rivets int o th ese holes so th at the heads face th e inside of the drip tray and th e peened ends are exposed. Peen th e end of th e pin th at sticks up th rough the central candle holder by resting th e end of a steel rod against it and tapping th e rod with a hamm er. You may heat th e pin with your torch to make it easier to peen, but be careful not to melt a hole in th e thin metal of th e dr ip tray.

Form th e I Y4-inch (3 2mm) support ring for th e candle holder following th e procedure for makin g th e rings in th e cent ral candle holder. Then drill th e ring and bracket for rivets, insert th e rivets, and assemble the piece. Drill an additiona l Vs-inch (3mm) hole th rough th e center of th e base of th e bracket so th at it can be riveted to th e drip tray. Crown Assembly Begin assembly of th e crown by attach ing th e candl e holders to the bottom of th e drip tray. They sho uld be positione d between th e decorati ve ring and th e side of the drip tray, at points equid istan t between the inner ring support legs. When you have locat ed thi s point for each of th e three candle holders, drill a li s-inch (3mm) rivet hole th rough th e bottom of th e drip tray. The easiest way to rivet th e candle holder to th e drip tray is to drop the rivet downward th rough th e candle holder and then th rough th e hole in th e floor of th e drip tray. Drop a steel rod th rough th e candle holder unt il it rests against th e head of the rivet , and then peen the rivet int o place from th e bot tom of th e drip tray. The next step is to attach th e decorati ve loops to th e inner rin g. To locat e th e points at which th e loops are to be atta ched, temporaril y set th e ring into position on th e support legs. The point at wh ich th e ring is lapped and riveted sho uld be locat ed behind one of th e th ree candle holders. Mark locati ons for four decorative loops bet ween each of th e three ca ndle holders. Then remove th e inner rin g from its frame, and drill holes in the ring large eno ugh to accommoda te th e pins on th e back of th e loops. Both pin s on a loop sho uld go th rough a single hole. Insert th e pin s on each loop int o a hole, and gen tly spread the end s of the pin s outward until th ey rest against th e inner face of the inner ring. Now attach th e in ne r ring suppo rt brackets to th e cent ral cand le holder, which has not yet been installed in th e crown. Place th e heads of th e rivets on th e inside of the candle holder and peen th e rivets over against the outer face of th e suppor t bracket . Next, place th e inner ring inside th e inner rin g support legs. Place th e central candle holder, which has th e inner ring suppo rt brackets att ached to it, inside th e inner ring. Ali gn th e three rivet holes in the inner ring with th e holes in th e support legs and th e support brackets. The decorative ring sho uld now be sandwiched between th e support legs and the support brackets. Place th e rivets so th at th e heads face th e central candle holder and th e peen ed end is exposed to view.

Decorative Work The decorativ e orna mentation at the middle of the cen tral sha ft and at the poin t where the shaft joins the legs can now be form ed. Form th e curls with th e use of a mandrel as described in ch apt er 2. The large curling orna ments on top of th e legs are made from the same bar stock used for th e legs. Sha pe th e decorati ve curls first, then curve th e body of thi s piece in th e same way th at th e legs were formed. Use either th e legs th emselves or th e wooden pattern against wh ich th e legs were shaped to ach ieve the correct curve. The sma ll orna mental curls at th e base of th e shaft and th e double-curl ed orna men t in the cen ter of th e shaft are sha ped in th e same way the leg decorations were formed. When th ese orna mental pieces have been formed, clamp th em into place at th e locations shown on the drawings and spot-weld th em onto th e legs and the central shaft. File away any excess weld to provide a smoo th seam where the orna ments meet th e struct ure of th e candlestand. Finish The original candlestand is made of wrought iron and has a uniform black surface. A similar finish can be obta ined with old-fash ioned stove polish or flat black spray paint. The drip tray would origina lly have contained a bed of sand about liz inch (l3mm) deep to catch th e dripping tallow or wax from th e candles.

96

o

CROWN 19" (483mm)

II " (279mm) TOTAL HEIGHT 77" (955mm)

8 1;4" (209mm) ~\\"

...

\\, ,\\\\

...'\\\\ '

T

\\\,\" ,. o

3" (76mm)

...J:'..~ 16" (406mm)

--+--1--+----------;11

21Yz" (546mm)

W' (l9mm) BASE

W z" (l40mm) 17Yz" (444mm)

+

11;4" (32mm)

10" (254mm)

I ljz" (38mm)

~W

24" (6IOmm)

97

DECORAT IVE LOOPS

r

2" (SImm) L

-§)=-

~

S" (l 27mm)

I" (2Smm) ~

TIIW IJ,m m II

l

i

IW'

(J2mm)

~ ~ 3" (76mm)

SMALL CANDLE HOLDER

~

CENTRAL CANDLE HOLDER

l' 9" (229mm)

2" (SImm)

~

Yz" ( l Jmm) -,,;-

!!.I" (I9mm)

f

19" (483mm) II " (279mm)

6" (IS2mm)

1 I W'

(J2mm)

~

2',-4" (S7mm)

W (l9mm)

4" (102mm)

-

-

II I

7Yz" (l90mm)

1

S" (l27mm)

1

1 2"

~

(SImm)

"\. W (l9mm)

98

3" (76mm)

DRIP TRAY WITH DRIP TRAY FRAME, BOTTOM VIEW (Smm) hole in frame and drip tray

3/16"

16" (406mm) 11;4" (3 2mm)

DRIP TRAY AN D CROWN , TOP VIEW

DRIP TRAY 2" (Slmm)

16" (40 6mm) /I \ \ \\ \ \"\\ \\

--1 ,\\ \\\'"

%" (I 6mm)

f 3" (76mm)

o

99

13

•

~onasti(

Ganopy :Bcd •

Severity, humility, and dedication to God were the corn erstones of medieval monastic life. The furnishings in monk s' cells reflected their Spartan existence. This monk 's bed is part of a re-created cell at Mount Grace Priory in North Yorkshire C ounty. Mount Grace was a monastery of th e Carthusian order, where monks lived in almost tot al isolation, unlike th e majority of monastic orders, where th e brothers lived communally. Each monk's cell at Mount Grace was actually a small house th at contain ed all th e brother would need to live and carry out his appointed work. The cell had an entry passage, a living hall, study, work room, and bedroom. In the bedroom were a simple can opy bed , sto rage chest, and stool. The bed was no more than a box made of oak with a floor on ly 3 inches (76mm) above the plank floor of the cell. The int erior of the bed was fitted with a large, rough-woven cloth sack filled with straw. The can opy, with its coarse cloth curtains, would help keep out the biting winter winds and snow that undoubt edly swept through the shutt ered , glassless windows of th e cell during the cold North Yorkshire winters. With th e dissolution of th e monasterie s during the reign of Henry VIII , virtu ally all physical remnants of English monastic life disappeared, along with the monastic structure itself.

Materials The monk's bed is made of oak, altho ugh th e pegs may be maple or birch. Do not use oak veneer plywood for th e panel s; th e raised surface of th e panel s face toward th e outside of th e bed, and th e layers of th e ply would be plainly visible. Most of th e wood called for in th e materials list will be readil y obta ina ble th rough a lumbermill, th ough it may have to be specially planed to width and thickness. The raised pane ls, however, will probably have to be glued up from two or three boards. Only th e overall dim en sion s of th e floor of th e bed are given in th e mat erials list. This is not to say th at it is one solid board. It would have been construc ted of what ever width boards were lying around th e sho p. The goal is simply to provide a level floor. Getting Started Cut the four upright corner posts, th e lon g bottom rails, and the long top rails to len gth. Because th e top and bottom rails are different dimension s, the ten on positi ons need to be marked out carefully to prevent making any mistakes in cutting. Lay two corner posts, a top rail, and a bottom rail in a simple rect an gular sha pe on a level work surface. The ends of the top and bot tom rails sho uld fit inside th e corne r posts. The top rails sho uld be situa ted so th at one of th e 3-inch (76mm) sides is lying facedown on th e work surface. The bottom rails are square, so the ir orien tation does not matter. Viewed from above, th e surface of th e posts and rails falls on three different plan es. This uneven face will be th e inside of th e bed frame. The bottom of th e rectan gle, th e face lying on th e work surface, will be th e exterior face of th e bed.

CONSTRUCTION NOTES This monk 's bed is no more th an a panel ed box chest without a lid, and its con struction is approached as th ough it were a simple chest. This bed is made completely of wood and is put together without th e use of either glue or metal fasteners.

101

102

REPLICA OF FIFTEENTH~CENTURY ENGLISH CANOPY BED. OAK, IRON, AND WOOL. PRIORY, N ORT H A LLERTON , E N G LA N D. COURTESY E N G LI SH H ERITA G E. PHOT OG RA PH BY

103

D. T YL ER H U FF.

COLLECTION OF M OUNT GRACE

Top Rails Keeping this arra ngeme nt carefully in mind, remove the top rail from between the corne r posts and mark the location of the tenon s so that they will in tersect the corner posts in th e manner show n in detail C in the drawi ngs. The ten ons sho uld be centered on th e top rails so tha t th ere is a %-inch (l 9mm) wide tenon cen tered on th e 2-inch (5 Imm) wide face of th e rail. T he re shou ld be a Va-inch (l 6mm) wide sho ulder on eithe r side of th e tenon. C ut th e tenons to thi s width and trim them to th e heigh t indi cated in details A and B. Repeat this process on both ends of all four top rails.

Frame Assembly When all of th e morti ses and tenons have been cut and finished to a snug fit, assemble th e frame of the bed. Because th e bottom rails are wider th an the corne r posts int o whic h th ey are tied, you will have to cut a not ch into an inside edge on one of the bottom rails at each corne r (see drawing labeled botto m rail from above). C ut th ese not ches in th e sho rt rails on th e ends of th e bed rather th an in th e long side rails. When th e bed has been assembled, you sho uld have what is essen tially th e wooden outline of a sixsided box. Stiles Set th e bed frame on a level surface, and check th at th e struc ture is square and plumb in all directions. Locate th e panel dividers, or stiles, on th e long sides of th e bed frame. The stiles are 2 by 3 inches (51 by 76mm) and sho uld be positioned so th at th eir exterior face is 3 inches (76mm) in width. In -this position , the stiles sho uld be th e same th ickn ess as the top rail, 2 inches (5Imm). Mark th e locat ions of th e stiles on the top face of th e bottom rail and on the botto m side of th e top rail. Inside th e outlines of the stiles, mark the locati ons of th e mortises as show n in detail C. Cut the ten on ends on all four st iles. Disassemble th e bed frame and cut the eight mortises that will receive the stile tenons. Again, fit each st ile int o place one at a time and mark its location , with cha lk or on masking tape, so th at you will be able to easily reassemble th e entire structure. When th e mortises and tenon s have been cut for th e stiles, reassemble the ent ire bed frame. There sho uld now be a tot al of sixteen componen ts, all of which must join square and plumb with each other.

Bottom Rails The tenon s on th e bot tom rails are situated off-cen ter. Here, as on th e top rail, th e ten ons are % inch (l9mm) wide and have a Va -inch (l 6mm) wide sho ulder on th e outer face , but beca use of th e width of th e bottom rail, there is a 2 Va-inch (54mm) wide sho ulder on th e inner side of each tenon. The tenon s on th e bottom rails should be the same 1lA-inc h (32 mm) len gth as th ose on the top rails. Unlike th e tenon s on th e top rail, however, they are not step ped down from th e height of the rail and are th e 3 li z-inch (89 mm) height of th e rail. O nce they have been laid out , cut th e ten ons on bot h ends of all four bottom rails. Corner Posts Into th e top and bottom ends of each corne r post, cut mortises to receive th e ten ons of th e top and bottom rails. A ltho ugh th e tenon s on th e top rails are centered, th e mortises in th e corne r posts will be sligh tly off-center because th e top rails and th e corner posts are different widths (see detail C ). Mark all posts and rails as to th eir position, and also mark th e outside faces (those th at fit flush with each other) of the rails and posts. It is wise to mark each mortise and ten on joint as it is finished, as th e parts will not be interchan geable. If th e parts are not marked, it ca n take h ours to relocate each piece in its proper place . Make all markings with ch alk or on pieces of masking tape so th at th ey can easily be removed from th e wood. Be certai n th at th e tenon s fit snugly into th e mortises. You sho uld be able to seat th e tenon int o th e morti se with several firm taps with the palm of th e hand or with one or two taps of a wooden mallet. The joints must also fit squarely.

Locating the Panels A round th e interior circumference of all eight panel frames, scribe locator lines to mark th e rabbets th at will hold th e raised panels (see detail D). These lines sho uld be marked in pencil and run conti nuously around th e edge of each panel. O ne line sho uld be li z inch (13mm) from th e outside edge of th e frame, and th e other line sho uld be Vz inch (l 3mm) inside th e first line, or 1 inch (25mm) from the outside edge of the frame. Now disassemble th e frame. C ut a J!4- inch (l 9mm) deep rabbet between each pair of lines scribed on th e frame. Rabbets may be cut with mallet and chisel or on

104

a table saw. The rabbets can run th e ent ire length of the top and botto m rails with out regard for th e location of th e stile mortises. They sho uld also run the enti re length of th e stiles. If th ey clip away a bit of th e tenons on the top and bottom of th e stiles, thi s will have no effect on th e final assembly of th e bed. When cutt ing th e rabbets into th e corne r posts, however, th e rabbets sho uld not extend above th e mortise for th e top rail; in other words, do not cut th e rabbet th rough th e top of th e corne r posts. Panels The panel sizes called for in th e materials list allow an extra Y4 inch (l9mm) in both height and width on all of the panels to provide the ton gue th at seats into th e rabbeted groove in the bed frame. The cha mfered edges on th ese panel s were origina lly shape d with a drawknife. Though th ey are easier to cut on a table saw or with a plan e, using a drawknife will give the cha mfers the irregular surface found on the origina l furn iture. Before you begin to cut th e cha mfer, mark off th e port ion of th e panel th at will be cut away. Mark the fi nished width of th e panel around its outer edge and the width of cha mfer around th e face of th e pan el. The face of th e cha mfer is 2 inc hes (51mm) wide, includin g th e area th at seats int o th e rabbet. The oute r face of th e rabbets may need to be angled sligh tly with a chisel and mallet to accommodate the cha mfered edge of th e panel s. Do not cut away more th an is necessary, in order to maintain a snug fit.

Floor Boards Now cut th e floor boards. For th e greatest support , th e floor boards sho uld run across th e width of th e bed , rather th an its len gth. The boards need not rest tightly against th e backs of the panel s, but th ey sho uld be wide eno ugh th at th ey can not fall off th e bottom rail. Not ch th em to fit around th e corne r posts and st iles. There is no need to attach th e floor boards to th e bot tom rail. To adapt th e bed for a modern mattress, you can raise th e floor to about 10 inches (254mm) below th e top edge of the bed frame. To do so, attach 2-by-2-inc h (51-by-51mm) support rails, th e len gth of th e interior of th e bed, to th e inside of th e bed frame at th e stiles and corner posts. These supports are on ly necessary along th e lon g sides of th e bed. Use modern wood screws to att ach the se supports. Lay th e floor boards on top of th ese support rails. Finish When assembly is complete, sand th e bed and give it an oil finish. Canopy Frame . The metal ca no py is a simple welded frame of round steel stock. Working on a level surface, arrange two long and two sho rt len gths of 1j2-inch (l 3mm) round stock in a rect an gular sha pe 71 inches (lm803mm) by 35 1/ 2 inches (90 2mm). At each corne r, sta nd one of th e 21j2-inc h (63mm) pieces of 1j2-inch (l 3mm) round stock as a corne r post at th e jun cture of th e frame members (see th e detail drawin gs of th e canopy frame) . Check that th e pieces are all at 90degree an gles to each other, then weld th e corners of th e frame together. At the center of each lon g side of th e frame, weld an other 21j2-inch (63mm) lon g post to th e inside face of the frame. Onto one of the 71-inch (lm803mm) lon g, %-inch (9mm) rods, slide twenty of th e l-inch (25mm) ch ain links, and clamp the rod to th e free ends of th e corne r posts on one of the lon g sides of th e can opy frame. Arran ge the ch ain links so th at th ere are ten links on either side of the central divider post. Weld th e rod to th e corner posts and th e cent ral divider post. Repeat th is process on the other lon g side of th e cano py frame. Slide twelve, l-tnch (25mm) cha in links on to one of th e sho rt, %-inch (9mm) rods, and weld th e rod between the support posts on one of th e sho rt end s of th e canopy frame . Repeat th e process on the other end

Final Assembly As the panels are chamfered and fitted into th e rabbets, begin assembling th e bed. Working on a level surface, assemble one of the sho rt end s of the bed first, then assemble the lon g sides, and finally th e remaining sho rt end of the bed. When th e frame and all of the panels have been assembled, check th at th e bed is level and square. Pull the entire structure of th e bed together, using strap clamps or bar clamps, and begin to drill pilot holes for the dowels. Do not drill all of th e dowel holes at one time. First dowel th e top and bottom rails to the corne r posts. When the corners of th e bed are secure, drill and dowel th e stiles to the top and bottom rails. Taperin g th e ends of the dowels will allow them to seat int o the pilot holes more easily.

105

MATERIALS WOOD

All wood is oak, except dowels, which may be maple or birch. PART

NUMBER OF PIECES

THICKNESS

WIDTH

LENGTH

top rail sides

2

2 11 (51mm)

X

3 11 (76mm)

X

68'1211 (lm740mm)

top rail ends

2

2 11 (51mm)

X

3 11 (76mm)

X

34 11 (864mm)

bottom rail sides

2

3 1/2 11 (89mm)

X

3ljz" (89mm)

X

68'1211 (lm740mm)

bottom rail ends

2

3 '1211 (89mm)

X

3ljz" (89mm)

X

34 11 (864mm)

corner posts

4

3 11 (76mm)

X

3 11 (76mm)

X

20ljz" (521mm)

stiles

4

2 11 (51mm)

X

3 11 (76mm)

X

16 '1211 (419mm)

side panels

6

111 (25mm)

X

15 '12 11 (394mm)

X

21 '1211 (546mm)

end panels

2

111 (25mm)

X

15ljz" (394mm)

X

31 11 (787mm)

111 (25mm)

X

32 '12 11 (825mm)

X

69 11 (lm753mm)

X

130 11 (3m302mm)

bottom dowel

1

lAII (6mm) round

of the frame. You should now have a frame similar to the one shown in the drawings . Turn the frame so that the chain link rings are resting on the work surface. The frame will now be in the position it will assume when it is hung above the bed . On top of each of the four corner posts, weld a l-inch (25mm) chain link. The canopy will be suspended from these rings. Installing the Frame . Place the assembled bed into its permanent location before attaching the canopy. The canopy can be hung at any height. The figures here show it at 96 inches (2m438mm) above the floor. Attach eye bolts into the ceiling joists directly above the corners of the bed . If there are no joists at these locations, use toggle bolts instead of eye bolts. Tying directly into the ceiling joists will provide the best support, however. From the bolts, suspend lengths of chai n or rope,

attaching one end securely to the bolts. If you are using chain, cut each to the desired length and hook the bottom links through the rings on the corners of the canopy frame. If you are using rope, thread the ends through the four support rings on the canopy frame. Lift the frame into position and tie off the first rope. Tie off successive ropes, ensuring that the canopy frame is level, until all four corners have been tied. It will take a bit of patience to get the frame level. Drapes. The length of the drapery material in the materials list is given for a bed canopy frame that is suspended 96 inches (2m438mm) above the floor. If the height is more or less, adjust the length of material accordingly. You will need a total of six drapery panels. Leave the machine edges exposed as the edges of the draperies; medieval monks would not have made hems un necessarily. Hem the top and bottom of each panel, however. Along the bottom edge, sew a l -inch

106

METAL NUMBER OF PIECES

PART

DIAMETER

LENGTH

canop y side, to p rail s

2

Y2" (1 2mm) ro un d

X

71 " (Im803mm)

ca nopy end , top rails

2

Y2" (l2mm) round

X

35ljz'1 (902mm)

ca nopy posts

6

ljz'1 (12mm) round

X

2"(51mm)

canop y h angers and dr ap ery rings

68

I" (25mm) chain links

ca nopy side , bottom rail s

2

3jg'1 (9mm) round

X

71" (Im803mm)

ca nopy en d , bottom rail s

2

3jg'1 (9mm) round

X

34ljz" (877mm)

FABRIC Fabr ic is coarse, ope n -weave wool, dye d gray- brown . PART side pa ne ls ca nopy

N UMB ER O F PIECES

WIDTH

6

5 2" (lm3 21mm)

X

96" (2m438mm)

46" (lmI 68mm)

X

82" ( 2m83mm)

(25mm) wide, double-turned hem. At the top end of the drapery, sew a I li z-inch (38mm) wide, doubleturn ed hem. Sew the draperies to the drapery rings on the canopy frame. O ne drape will go at the head of the bed, one at the foot, and two on each side. The drapes on the side are opened and closed as required, and the single pan els on the ends of the bed are usually left extended. Cover. Make a cover for the canopy frame using a single piece of fabric the length and width indicat ed in the materials list. C ut a 4 Vz -inch (Ll-lmm) square from each corner of the unhemmed canopy cover. This will allow the canopy to extend beyond th e hanging ropes and drop down around the sides of the canopy frame.

LENGTH

Hem the edges of the canopy cover, includin g around the cutout s, with a liz -inch (l 3mm) wide, doubleturned hem. Tie light string or heavy thread across the open top of the canopy frame to serve as a temporary support for the canopy cover. Only four or five stri ngs are necessary in each directi on -just eno ugh to support the canopy. Place the canopy cover over the top of the frame and adjust it so th at it han gs straigh t and even on all four sides. Use heavy thread to sew the canopy in place around the top edge of the canopy frame with a loose wh ipstitch. When all four sides have been sewn to the frame, cut away the string support.

107

SIDE VIEW 72" (lm829mm) -L-

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4" (l02mm)

END VIEW 14" (356mm)

20 '/ z" (521mm)

20 Yz" (521mm)

72" (lm829mm) 14" (356mm) 3" (76mm» ).

- - -1

1

68" (lm727mm)

35 Yz', (902mm)

31 Yz" (800mm) .... 2" (51mm)

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108

35 '/ z" (902mm)

SIDE VIEW, CUTAWAY

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3" (76mm)

_

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3" (76mm)

3" (76mm)

DETAILS A AND B, SHOWING JOINTS

DETAILS A AND B

2Vz" / lis" (9mm) 114" (6mm) (

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126

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I

45" (lmI43mm)

61" {lm5 49mm)

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3 liz" (89mm)

CABINET WITH FRONT REMOVED

REAR VIEW

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SIDE WALL, CROSS SECTION

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2" (5Imm)

3" (76mm)

SIDE ASSEMBLY

BACK ASSEMBLY inside

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inside

DETAIL D n

I

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7" (I 78mm0

I. t v:

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++ 7 Yz" (I90mm)

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I"

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I" (25mm) \

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8" (203mm)

71.~Yz"

30 " ( 762 mm)

148

J/" 14

v, " \

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IW' (44 mm)

~

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I"

(25mm) (25mm)

I I \

(I9mm)

r

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'\!: Yo" (6mm)

DOOR MOUNTIN GS 1" (2Smm) \ .

1',4" (32mm)

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WOODEN NAIL

'/1" (l I mm)

6"

W (I9mm)

J

6" (IS2m m)

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END VIEW

~

W' (I 3mm)

VB" (I6mm)

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1'/ 1" (38 mm)

TOP, CU TAWAY VIEW 1" (2Smm)

1" (2Smm)

\.1-1 '/ 2" (38mm)

SIDE, CUTAWAY V IEW

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