At this desk four persons may work, each having individual narrow and wide closets, with shelves for stationery and book compartments.

Requirements

Bodies. 8 Soap Boxes (8 in. deep, 13 1/4 in. wide, 27 3/4 in. long).

Shelves. 27 Pieces 1/2 in. thick, length and width equal to the inside width and depth of the box.

Top. 1 Piece 3/4 in. thick, 52 in. square (five boards wide).

Tie Strips. 4 Strips 5/8 in. thick, 3 in. wide, 52 in. long.

Corner Trim. 16 Strips 1/2 in. thick, 1 1/4 in. wide, length equal to the outside length of the box. 16 Strips 1/2 in. thick, 13/4 in. wide, length equal to the outside length of the box.

Facing Strips. 8 Strips 1/2 in. thick, 1 3/4 in. wide, length equal to the outside length of the box.

Doors. Made from the covers and sides removed. Door Cleats. 8 Strips 1/2 in. thick, 1 1/2 in. wide, 10 in. long. Hardware. 16 1 3/4 in. hinges (butts) and screws. 8 brass pull-knobs. 8 brass buttons.

Construction

Make the corner trim as long as the outside length of the box. Remove the covers from four of the boxes and one side from each of the other four boxes. Fit and nail the shelves in the first four boxes, placing the lower one 6 inches from one end of the box. Space the other five evenly between the first shelf and the other end of the box, giving a space of about 3 inches between them. Use 1 1/2 inch brads to fasten the shelves, driving them from the outside through into the edge and ends of the shelves. Fit and nail the shelves in the other four boxes from which the sides were removed, placing the lower shelf 14 inches from one end of the box, and space the other two evenly between this first shelf and the other end of the box.

Place one of the last four boxes bottom down on the floor, with the long compartment at the right-hand end as the open side is faced. Place one of the first four boxes, bottom down (open compartments facing up), upon it, the larger end compartment being at the right-hand end as the open side of the lower box is still faced. Match their edges and nail them together by driving the nails between the shelves, through the bottom of the top box and into the top of the lower box. Use flat-head wire nails, 11/4 inches long, and clinch their points in the lower box. Put the corner trim and the facing strips on. Join the other six boxes together in pairs in the same way. Set each pair of boxes about 20 inches apart, forming a square, all of the closets of a kind at the left hand as you face any side of the square. Miter each end of the four tie strips; lay each one flat side down across two pairs of closets, keeping its ends even with the outside end face of each pair and its outer face even with the front face of each pair, forming a perfect square. Match their mitered ends and nail them to each pair of closets. These strips hold the sets of closets together and the proper distance apart, and upon them is laid the top. Make the top, planing the edges of the boards true and straight. Lay them upon the tie strips. Put hot glue on their edges, and press them tightly together and nail to the tie strips. The top should project 1 1/2 inches over the outer edge of the tie strips on each side. Drive the nail heads slightly below the upper surface of the top and plane smooth the entire top surface of the top.