Issue No. 12 - Published June 8, 1889

Dear Friend Whose Name Eludes Me For The Moment,

Here is the issue of Work I mentioned. I hope you find it to be of some assistance with that mobile Victorian greenhouse project you were telling me about.

The instructions are fairly straightforward, and the design is indeed elegant whilst remaining highly portable (certainly as greenhouses go). Even if the exact design fails to suit your purposes, I have no doubt much of the joinery will be applicable to your goal.

Like many of the articles found in Work, this one is serialized. Nevertheless, the meat of the construction is seen to before the author promises to continue his treatise in some forthcoming issue.

If you'd like any further interesting reading to tide you over, do look over the conveniently subsequent section, "On Cutting Rebates" by David Denning. It's sure to become required reading for all who intend to aspire to proficiency in the mystery of carpentry.

I recall from our brief conversation that you aim for your wandering conservatory to be something of a spectacle. Should the current design be found wanting in the way of flourish or embellishment, allow me to direct you to previous issues of Work that address elements of the decorative arts.

The sections on sign writing and repoussé will be most inspiring, and if you should choose to be so bold, the installment concerning papier-mâché found in this issue properly obliterates all contemporary notions of the craft by integrating pearl inlay with the gilder's art.

I do admit to a good deal of embarrassment about not being able to recall your name. To be clear, I remember speaking, quite recently, with one of my friends about portable Victorian greenhouse designs, I simply can't remember which one.

As if to mock my clumsy recollection and deepen my humiliation, the text at hand goes on at some length about bells that fail to ring.

Obviously my mental burglar alarum has been tested and found wanting. By way of apology, please accept this image of the new and exciting "Monarch" play chair. Taking the engraving below as evidence, I have it on good authority that this novel contrivance supplies no end of joy to its gleeful conductor.

–TIM

ARTICLES FOUND IN THIS ISSUE:
THE TENANT'S GREENHOUSE • ON CUTTING REBATES
BURGLAR ALARUMS • SOME LESSONS FROM AN OLD BUREAU (PART 2)
PAPIER-MÂCHÉ (PART 3) • NOTES AT THE ARCHITECTURAL AND
BUILDING TRADES' EXHIBITION, 1889 (CONTINUED)
WROUGHT IRON AND STEEL GIRDER WORK
OUR GUIDE TO GOOD THINGS • SHOP: A CORNER FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO TALK IT

• Click to Download Vol.1 - No. 12 •

Disclaimer: Articles in Work: The Illustrated Weekly Journal for Mechanics describe materials and methods that would not be considered safe or advisable today. We are not responsible for the content of these magazines, and cannot take any responsibility for anyone attempting projects or procedures described therein.

The first issue of Work was published on March 23rd, 1889. The goal of this project is to release digital copies of the individual issues starting on the same date in 2012, effectively republishing the materials 123 years to the day from their original release.

The original printing was on thin, inexpensive paper. There are many cases of uneven inking and bleed-through from the page behind. Our copies of Work come from bound library volumes of these issues and are subject to unfavorable trimming, missing covers, etc. To minimize harm to these fragile volumes, we've undertaken the task of scanning the books ourselves. We do considerable post processing of the scans to make them clear but please bear with us if a margin is clipped too close, or a few words are unreadable. We would like to thank James Vasile and Karl Fogel for their help in supplying us with a book scanner and generally enabling this project to get off the ground.

You are welcome to download, print, and pretty much do what you want with the scan for your own personal purposes. Feel free to post a link or a copy on your blog or website. All we ask is a link back to the original project and this blog. We are not answering requests for commercial downloads or reprinting at this time.