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You Can Own
a Business

Bob first began working with tools when he was in the lower grades. He then had a small tool kit which had been given to him. When he reached the seventh grade in the Lowe school in Sullivan, Illinois, his home, he took woodworking and learned in the school shop the use of power tools.

During this time Bob turned out bird houses, and tables, a book case, and other small pieces of furniture.

When he reached high school he received a jig saw and a table saw as Christmas presents. He saved money from his jobs of lawn mowing and working in a notion store, to buy motors for his equipment.

After adding motor driven equipment to his basement workshop, Bob built a veneered speaker cabinet of walnut and a turntable for his phonograph. He then assembled a high fidelity phonograph and AM-FM radio combination for his room. He learned to work with radio from a young man, older than himself, who was skilled in that field. Bob now plans to build a console for this outfit.

BOB'S FIRST idea for building picnic tables came when he visited a local woodworking company and saw the manager, Glen Kite, turn out some "kiddy" tables for use in the Sullivan park. Bob examined the tables, took measurements, and decided to build some.

He first built the "kiddy" tables and when they were finished he displayed them in his yard and found they attracted customers. Later he also built adult sized tables as well and found a market for them too.

The smaller tables are built four feet long, thirty-six inches wide, and twenty-two inches high. The frames are made of redwood and the tops of fir. In assembling the small tables Bob uses thirty-six screws and 100 nails. These are sturdily built tables with tops and braces being screwed on. They make fine picnic tables for the yard, or work tables for children. They do not tip easily and the child can get onto the seat easily.

The adult sized tables are six feet long, forty inches wide and thirty-three inches high. They require twenty-eight bolts and twenty-four screws. The frames are screwed together and top and braces are bolted.

Bob uses an electric saw and an electric joiner in building the tables. When they are constructed, he smooths and paints them, using white, green, or natural finish.

When warm weather rolls around, and the picnic bug begins to appear, Bob displays his wares in his side yard "show room" and runs a classified advertisement in the local newspaper. During the last two seasons Bob has sold between thirty and forty tables. He gets $8 for the small table and $16 for the larger ones.

A PICNIC table is always a useful project, and this one is very easy to make. The circular saw with mitre gauge or portable electric saw is the basic tool needed to build this project. A jointer for dressing the edges and surfaces of the two-by-fours, and either a drill press, or portable electric drill for drilling the bolt holes will speed up the job. Redwood is excellent for this job, although white pine or cypress will work very satisfactorily. Another attractive feature about this bench is that it can be taken apart for winter storage in the garage or basement.

1. Cut all pieces of wood to exact lengths given in drawing.
2. Run all pieces through jointer to dress edges and surfaces if necessary.
3. Match up boards for top and lay out bolt holes as shown in drawing.
4. Drill ⁵/16" holes for bolts in top.
5. Set mitre gauge on saw at 30° and cut angle on ends of top and bottom cross beams of horses.
6. Set mitre at 20° and saw angles at each end of legs.
7. Lay out bolt holes for legs and cross beams.
8. Drill ⁵/16" holes for bolts.
9. Layout bolt holes on top cross beam to line up with holes in top and drill ⁵/16" holes.
10. Assemble horses, bolting cross beams to legs as shown in the drawing. Place a flat washer under the nut on each bolt so that it will not cut into the wood.
11. Attach top to horses with carriage bolts, nuts and washers.
12. Locate holes for screws in seat boards (two screws in each end).
13. Place seat boards in proper position on lower cross beam.
14. Select a ³/32" drill and drill the pilot holes through the seat boards and into the cross beam to a depth of approximately 1".
15. Drill the shank clearance hole through the seat boards only with ³/16" twist drill.
16. Countersink shank hole on top side of seat boards. Countersink to a depth that will allow head of screw to seat itself approximately ¹/32" below surface of board.
17. Screw seat boards to cross beam.
18. Break all the sharp corners of table with a plane or sandpaper.
19. Sand all rough surfaces.
20. Warm linseed oil in a double boiler and apply four or five coats to table. Brush linseed oil well into the wood. Allow twenty-four hours drying time between each coat. This is all the finish needed; however, if you so desire, table may be varnished with a flat varnish.

MATERIALS NEEDED:
3 pcs. Redwood—2" x 10" x 72" (top)
4 pcs. Redwood—2" x 4" x 35" (legs)
2 pcs. Redwood—2" x 4" x 28" (top cross beam of horses)
2 pcs. Redwood—2" x 4" x 50" (lower cross beam)
6 pcs. Redwood—2" x 4" x 72" (seats)
12 Carriage Bolts—⁵/16" x 5¾"
16 Carriage Bolts—⁵/16" x 3¾"
28 Flat Washers
24 Flat Head Screws—No. 10—2½"
Boiled Linseed Oil
Sandpaper—Medium and Fine