Hat and coat rack in turned work

ORIGINAL TEXT:

There is usually difficulty in finding accommodation in a narrow or small lobby for hats and coats. The general arrangement consists of a row of common iron or brass hat-hooks, screwed to a belt of wood, which is fixed to dooks in the wall; but this has its drawbacks.

The belting is sometimes placed so high up that it is almost necessary to call a ladder into requisition when one wants to hang a hat up, and, to say the least, that is certainly inconvenient. But apart from the height of the belting, it never has - and, indeed, never can have - any pretension to beauty or to artistic merit. It is essentially a useful arrangement, and can never appear decorative, unless by the ornamentation of the brass hooks and that is a very little detail in the matter at issue. This want of decorative power is perhaps the reason, at any rate, it is one reason, why so many hat racks are to be found throughout the country; they combine utility and beauty by holding garden cap or hard felt as well as the comfortable overcoat, and at the same time, when not quite hidden altogether, forming a pleasant little feature of interest in what is perhaps otherwise a dull blank wall space.

The hat-rack illustrated herewith has, however, a peculiarity which most of these articles do not enjoy. It is entirely made up of turned work; there is not a square corner to be found in it, so that it is particularly well adapted for those who have a turning lathe and like to use it in some profitable way, while not caring to have much joinery work, in using their turnings to advantage. They may not be so accustomed to using the saw and the plane as the turning gouge, and they may not like them so well. Leisure hours ought to be spent in whatever direction affords most pleasure - at any rate, as regards the manufacture of articles for home use or otherwise; and this little hat rack will suit admirably.

Another advantage this design may claim over others is the fact that there are no expensive fittings required for which hard cash must be forthcoming. The only requisite is a pair of rings to screw into the top bar, to hold the article on the wall, and this will not be grudged by anyone when the rack is finished.

The wood to be employed should be oak or mahogany; if the latter, get it as straight-grained as possible, because cross-grained wood would be so ready to split away. Then you do not need to pay any attention to the figure of the wood, as the turning is designed to be sufficiently decorative in itself. If cheapness be an object, birch would do nicely, and it could afterwards be stained to imitate any particular wood.

All the various parts are fitted tightly and glued firm, except the parts C and F. These are fitted tightly but not glued, so that they may turn freely on their pins. They also, it is true, might be glued fast, standing with their arms at right angles to the walls, but it is preferable to have them so that they can be folded flat against the wall when not in use.

If anyone wishes more accommodation than is shown in this article, with two hat-hooks and four coat-hooks, he can make two of them. If he would like them made all in one piece, next plan will show him the best way to go about it. There will, then, be an open space left in the centre, which may be suitably filled up with other spindles.

One word in closing is this - there may seem to be a lot of time in the many members shown in this design. That is true; the design might be made with fewer beads and hollows, and serves its purpose as a hat-rack equally well. But when a turner is making such a thing for his own home, or as a present, perhaps, to some friend who is "taking unto himself a wife" he will be wise in spending some extra time over the work, and will certainly never regret it in after years.

I do not think that anyone reading this paper will require further instructions in what is, after all, a very simple matter, but, if necessary, I shall be pleased to render assistance.

Parts 1,5,6,7,8,9,10,11 and 12 are the same in shape and size as parts labeled with same numbers in previous plan.