Rustic Carpentry :: CHAPTER II. FLOWER STANDS, VASES, ETC.

CHAPTER II. FLOWER STANDS, VASES, ETC.

The rustic-work flower stand (Fig. 17) may be 3 ft. high by 3 ft. 6 in. long by 9 in. wide. For the legs, select four curved saplings 3 ft. 3 in. long by 2½ in. in diameter; and as some difficulty may be experienced in obtaining them with the natural curves sufficiently alike, artificial methods of bending must be resorted to. Therefore get the saplings from 2 ft. to 3 ft. longer than the finished length, and bend them to shape by means of the Spanish windlass as shown in Fig. 18. Flexible six-strand fixing wire or stout hemp cord can be used; or a straining screw and link, as employed for tightening fencing wire, will answer equally well; keep the tension on till the wood is curved permanently, the time varying with the nature and condition of the wood, and the strain being applied gradually at intervals. The rails are tenoned to fit mortises in the legs, and battens are nailed to the lower long rails, to support the flower pots (see Fig. 19). The rustic work is then fixed diagonally to the rails. The ends that abut against the legs and centre-piece are pared away so as to make a neat joint, and angle boards are fitted to the under side of the lower rails to support the rustic work where it curves downwards.

Fig. 17.—Flower-pot Stand. Fig. 17.—Flower-pot Stand.

The vase shown by Fig. 20 is hexagonal in shape, with vandyked sides fixed to a base supported upon tripod legs, and stands about 3 ft. 3 in. high. Elm boards are suitable for the sides and bottom; they are 1 ft. 3 in. high by 9 in. wide at the top end, and 6½ in. wide at the bottom by 1 in. thick. Shoot the edges of the boards to a bevel of 60°, and fix them with nails driven as shown at Fig. 21. When the six sides are completed, prepare the hexagon baseboard to suit. Bore holes in it for drainage, and also bore three equidistant holes, 1¼ in. in diameter, at an angle of about 60°, for the tenons of the legs to enter (see Fig. 22). Next screw the base to the sides, and fix on the barked rustic work. The twigs for this should be seasoned at least one year before using. They are sawn in halves, straight twigs being selected for the purpose. If necessary, shoot the edges slightly, so as to obtain a closer fit when fixing them in parallel. Begin by attaching the lower border to the hexagonal base, then the upright pieces over the angles, hollowed as shown at Fig. 23; next fix the top sloping pieces, and finally the horizontal twigs. The legs are nailed at the base of the vase (see Fig. 22); and at the centre, where they cross, they are further secured with twigs, which do the duty of rungs, as shown in Fig. 20.

Fig. 18.—Method of Bending Saplings. Fig. 18.—Method of Bending Saplings.

Fig. 19.—Fixing Rails, etc., to Posts. Fig. 19.—Fixing Rails, etc., to Posts.

Fig. 20.—Vase on Tripod Stand. Fig. 20.—Vase on Tripod Stand.

Fig. 23.—Section of Twigs at Angles of Vase. Fig. 23.—Section of Twigs at Angles of Vase.

Fig. 21.—Joint of Hexagon Sides of Vase. Fig. 21.—Joint of Hexagon Sides of Vase.

Fig. 22.—Securing Sides and Legs of Vase to Base. Fig. 22.—Securing Sides and Legs of Vase to Base.

Fig. 24. Fig. 24.	Fig. 25. Fig. 25.
Figs. 24 and 25.—Side and End Elevations of Flower-pot Stand.

Fig. 26.—Joining Rails of Flower-pot Stand to Uprights. Fig. 26.—Joining Rails of Flower-pot Stand to Uprights.

Fig. 27.—Method of Supporting End Shelves of Flower-pot Stand at A and B (Fig. 24). Fig. 27.—Method of Supporting End Shelves of Flower-pot Stand at A and B (Fig. 24).

Fig. 28.—Fixing Centre Shelves of Flower-pot Stand. Fig. 28.—Fixing Centre Shelves of Flower-pot Stand.

The flower stand shown in front and end view by Figs. 24 and 25 has accommodation for sixteen pots. The two uprights are 2 ft. 8 in. high by about 2½ in. in diameter. The three rails are 2 ft. 9 in. long, and are tenoned to the posts as shown by Fig. 26; the posts are also tenoned and nailed to the sills (bottom rails), and strutted, as shown in Fig. 25. The method of fixing the shelves A and B (Fig. 24) is shown in Fig. 27, which is an under-side view; struts are also fitted, as shown in Fig. 25. The method of fixing the centre shelves is indicated at Fig. 28. The shelf, and also the struts C, D, E, and E¹ (Figs. 24 and 25), are fixed to the centre rail; then the top diagonal braces are nailed to both the shelf and the top rail, thus keeping the whole secure. The remainder of the work calls for no special instructions. Split twigs are used for the fencing around the shelves.

Fig. 29.—Large Square Vase. Fig. 29.—Large Square Vase.

Fig. 30.—Large Hexagonal Vase. Fig. 30.—Large Hexagonal Vase.

Fig. 29 shows a square vase constructed from elm boards 1¼ in. thick. A fair size for the sides will be 1 ft. 8 in. at the top and 1 ft. 5 in. at the base by 2 ft. high, including the 2½-in. plinth. The split twigs forming the decoration are 1½ in. wide, and spaced about 2 in. apart edge to edge.

Fig. 31.—Large Plant Vase with Claw Foot. Fig. 31.—Large Plant Vase with Claw Foot.

The vase shown by Fig. 30 is hexagonal in shape, the sides being 1 ft. 8 in. high by 1 ft. 2 in. wide at the top edge, and 1 ft. 0-½ in. at the base. The sides and bottom of both vases are connected as in Figs. 21 and 22. Five 1-in. holes are bored for drainage. The short feet having been secured with screws driven from the inside, the split rustic work is bradded on in the same order as that described for Fig. 20.

The stands and vases should be given two coats of oil varnish, allowing the first coat to dry before applying the second.

Fig. 32.—Foot of Rustic Table. Fig. 32.—Foot of Rustic Table.

A big plant vase made from half a paraffin cask is illustrated by Fig. 31. An ordinary 40-gal. cask stands, roughly, some 3 ft. high, has a diameter of some 2 ft., and is made of good stout oak. Sawn through the middle, the paraffin barrel makes two admirable tubs. One such half is shown in Fig. 31. This it is proposed to render suitable for some large bushy plant, so it will have to be mounted on legs. The legs shown are simply so many pieces cut from rough branches. From a heap of stuff one can generally choose pieces sufficiently adapted to the purpose, though their exact contours will, of course, vary. Oak branches, technically known as "bangles," from which the bark has been taken to make tan, will do well; or if the bark is liked, apple-tree or elm boughs will be suitable. That these sticks should be rough and gnarled and knotted adds to their effect. As the tub will be only partly covered with rustic mosaic work, it will be well before nailing anything upon it to paint it. A good dark brown or chocolate will go well with the natural bark. The rustic pieces will have to be cut through with the saw, the lengths being too great to be safely split with the hatchet—that is, with the exception of those round the lip, which are of thicker rod than the zig-zags; say, 1½ in. as compared with 1 in. In the zig-zags the light central strip is supposed to be of peeled withy, the darker ones on each side having the bark on, and being probably of hazel. Generally speaking, wrought brads are to be recommended for fixing rustic mosaic, but where, as in the present case, the strips have to be bent over a curved surface, small wire nails will be found more secure. Groups of fir cones, as shown, will prettily ornament the triangular spaces.

A style of foot suitable for a one-leg flower stand or table is illustrated in plan and part section by Fig. 32.

Fig. 33.—Garden Plant Tub. Fig. 33.—Garden Plant Tub.

Fig. 33 shows the other half of the cask arranged for, say, a dwarf shrub, an orange-tree, or the like. In small town or suburban premises, such tubs are specially useful where there is a back court into which anything green cannot otherwise be introduced. In this, it will be seen that by way of variety the tops of the staves have been sawn to a zig-zag line, which is followed a little below by a moulding of split rods. Alternative styles of moulding are shown by Figs. 34 and 35. Half-way between this and the bottom a band of mosaic is arranged in light and dark strips of withy and hazel. The bits filling the diamond-shaped centres of this pattern are cut from thicker stuff than the rest, so that they may project as bosses beyond the general level. Over the unavoidable iron hoop at bottom, from which place short strips would, if nailed, be often detached, a rough "dry-cask" wooden hoop has been fixed. At the sides two pieces of rough branch stuff have been placed to serve as handles, and to resist strain these should be secured from within by strong screws.

Fig. 34. Fig. 34.	Fig. 36.—Ornamental Plant Vase. Fig. 36.—Ornamental Plant Vase.
Fig. 35. Fig. 35. Figs. 34 and 35.—Alternative Mouldings.

The vase shown by Fig. 36 is intended for a somewhat low-growing flowering plant—say, a large bushy geranium. In its original character it is an American lard pail. As in the last tub, the staves have been sawn to a more ornamental outline, and they have also been perforated. The ornamental strips of split rod have been arranged in straight vertical lines, to avoid the difficulty of bending and keeping them in place if bent round so small a vessel. The bottom of the pail is screwed down to an octagonal slab of wood, to the under side of which four short bits of rough bough are nailed as feet. As neither this nor the last tub is wholly covered with mosaic, they should, of course, first be painted. The slab at bottom will look very well rough, as shown, but if painted it will be improved by strips of split rod nailed round its edges.

Fig. 37.—Rectangular Garden Plant Stand. Fig. 37.—Rectangular Garden Plant Stand.

A garden plant stand, made from a soap box and mounted on legs is shown by Fig. 37. The easiest way to fix one of these legs on is to saw the piece of stuff in half to a distance from the top equal to the depth of the box, and then to cross-cut and remove one half. The corner of the box will be brought to the middle of the cross-cut, and the leg nailed on to the side of the box. The piece which has been sawn off will then be cut through (quartered), and the proper quarter replaced and nailed to the end of the box. Frets, such as those shown in these two examples, are patterns of a kind well adapted to be worked out in rustic mosaic.

Fig. 38. Fig. 38.	Fig. 39. Fig. 39.
Fig. 40. Fig. 40.
Figs. 38 to 40.—Elevation, Section, and Horizontal Section of Rustic Pedestal.

A pedestal for a sundial or flower vase is shown by Figs. 38 to 40. It is a box of 1-in. elm boards, the top being a 2-in. thick slab. Suitable dimensions are 3 ft. 6 in. high, and 1 ft. square, the top being 16 in. square.

Fig. 41.—Rustic Flower-pot Stand in Imitation of Bamboo. Fig. 41.—Rustic Flower-pot Stand in Imitation of Bamboo.

A design for a rustic flower-pot stand in imitation of bamboo is represented by Fig. 41. The height should be about 2 ft. 6 in. to the top, and the length from 3 ft. to 3 ft. 6 in. The box at the top may be about 9 in. wide and 8 in. deep. Care must be taken when putting the work together to get the frames true and square. Slovenliness in construction will completely spoil the appearance of the finished article. The box at the top is made to fit inside, and should be lined with a zinc tray. The outside may be covered with glue and brown sawdust.

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