Playstand Assembly Instructions

You should have the following parts for each playstand:

A - Ends
B - Top bar
C - Shelf top
D - Shelf support
E - Parts bag containing biscuits, screws and nails

Tools needed for assembly:

Hammer
#2 philips screw driver
White or yellow glue (do not use School Glue or any other washable glue)

Before you start.

Please read these instructions completely and be sure that you understand them before proceeding with assembly. The task is not overly difficult, but the process of glueing is time sensitive. The biscuits used to hold the joints together are made from a wood that has been compressed so that the moisture in the glue will cause them to expand and lock the joint together. This expansion usually only takes a few minutes. Once the glue touches the surface of a biscuit, it's important to get the joint aligned and closed as quickly as possible. You may find it useful to dry assemble the unit without glue first to get a feel for how it goes together.

Step One: Assemble the shelf.

The shelf support (D) is attached to the underside of the shelf top (C) with glue and three biscuits. Using a popsicle stick, spread glue inside the slots on the edge of the support. You should use enough glue to liberally coat the sides of the slot, but not so much that you fill the slot. Smear a little glue on the sides of each biscuit as you insert it into the slot. Push it in as far as it will go, tap it with the hammer if necessary. (If glue oozes out all over the place, then you used a little too much in the slot. Just wipe off the excess with a dry paper towel trying not to get any on the surfaces that show.)

Place the shelf top, biscuit slots up, on a flat surface. Spread glue in the slots and on the exposed sides of the biscuits in in the shelf support. Now line up the ends of the support with the ends of the shelf and press the two together. Recheck the ends and make sure that they are even, adjust if necessary. As soon as the glue hits the biscuits, they will start to swell up in the slots to lock the joint together. You may need to hold the parts together for a few minutes.

Allow this assembly to dry for 2 hours before proceeding.

Step Two: Attach the ends.

Have the screws and screw driver handy. Using the same procedure as before, apply glue to the slots on one end of the shelf assembly and to the sides of 3 biscuits. Insert the biscuits into the slots.

With an end (A) lying flat on the floor, spread glue in the slots and on the exposed sides of the biscuits in the shelf assembly. Attach the shelf assembly to the end using your body weight to force the joint together.

Now lay the unit on its side and screw it together with 4 screws. The screws need to be just tight enough to keep the joint closed and pull the heads flush.

Repeat this process with the other end.

Step Three: Attach the top bar.

Match up the slots on the ends with the slots on the top bar (B). Slip the two together as far as they will go. Drive a finish nail into the pre-drilled hole at each end. Drive the nail in flush and then use an extra nail to counter sink it about 1/4" below the surface.

Step Four: Wait.

Allow the glue to dry for a day before use.