Years ago I visited Monticello and was impressed by the bookstand that Thomas Jefferson had designed for his library. It folds down into a one-foot cube and opens to hold up to five books simulataneously. My woodworking skill was not up to tackling such a project at the time, but commercial replicas cost between $1,000 and $2,000, way beyond my means. Now, 10 years and many projects later, I finally gave it a shot. This is the result. I made it from solid oak, with a commercial lazy-susan bearing and brass hinges (the only metal in the project).

 

- Ron Abler, Chestertown, Maryland