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Umbrella stand
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Full-length dimensions and a solid walnut frame make a practical dressing-room addition
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By Rick Campbell, photos by Tracy Cox, illustration by Len Churchill
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Quartersawn oak's distinctive grain makes this umbrella stand an attractive addition to your front entrance
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The problem with umbrellas is that you often can't find one when it's raining. Put an end to that soggy situation by building this functional and attractive Mission-style umbrella stand for your front hall. I used quartersawn white oak to build mine, a traditional material for Mission furniture, although any lumber you choose will work fine.
Begin by cutting out blanks for the legs, rails and slats from 3/4"-thick wood. The plans show how the bottom of the legs are tapered to form feet, and the edges are mitered 45º where they meet in the corners. Mill a 3/8"-wide x 1/2"-deep groove along the edge of each rail to accept the vertical slats, then run the slat blanks through the surface planer until they slide smoothly into the grooves. This kind of operation is one of the hidden advantages of owning a planer. It gives you the ability to bring the thicknesses of parts down to fit precisely into precut slots, grooves and channels, making it easier to create tight joinery.
I used #20 biscuits to reinforce the corners of the L-shaped legs and #0 biscuits to make the connection between the legs and rails. You'll find 5/16" x 1 1/2" fluted dowels are an excellent alternative if you don't own a biscuit joiner. Either way, prepare all the biscuit slots or dowel holes now. Before final assembly, you'll need to notch the corner of the #0 biscuits where they protrude into the rail slots.
Sand all the parts, then you're ready to assemble the base. Start by sliding the slats into the rail grooves with a dab of glue applied to the centre section of the slat ends to stop them from moving. By only gluing the centre, you allow the wood to move laterally as it expands and contracts with the seasons. Next, dab glue on the ends of the rails and connect them to the legs to form four separate panels. When the parts are dry, bring the frames together and secure the entire assembly with biscuits using two or three web clamps. Check for square, tight corners before setting the base aside to dry. You can close small gaps in the outside tip of the miters by drawing the shank of a screwdriver up and down the corner with moderate pressure while the glue is wet, which bends the wood inward, closing tiny flaws.
After the clamps are removed, tack cleats to the lower rails, creating a ledge to support the bottom panel. Glue and finishing nails work well. Cut the bottom panel to fit and slide it into position from the top of the base. Apply glue to the top of the cleats to secure the bottom panel.
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