WORKSHOP RECIPES AND FORMULAS
In a work of this kind, dealing with the various elements, the boy
should have at hand recipes or formulas for everything which comes
within the province of his experiments. The following are most carefully
selected, the objects being to present those which are the more easily
compounded.
ADHESIVES FOR VARIOUS USES.--Waterproof glue. Use a good quality of
glue, and dissolve it in warm water, then add one pound of linseed oil
to eight pounds of the glue. Add three ounces of nitric acid.
Leather or Card-board Glue. After dissolving good glue in water, to
which a little turpentine has been added, mix it with a thick paste of
starch, the proportion of starch to glue being about two to every part
of glue used. The mixture is used cold.
A fine Belt Glue. Dissolve 50 ounces of gelatine in water, and heat
after pouring off the excess water. Then stir in five ounces of
glycerine, ten ounces of turpentine, and five ounces of linseed oil
varnish. If too thick add water to suit.
For cementing Iron to Marble. Use 30 parts of Plaster of Paris, 10 parts
of iron filings, and one half part of sal ammoniac. These are mixed up
with vinegar to make a fluid paste.
To cement Glass to Iron. Use 3 ounces of boiled linseed oil and 1 part
of copal varnish, and into this put 2 ounces of litharge and 1 ounce of
white lead and thoroughly mingle so as to make a smooth paste.
Water-proof Cement. Boiled linseed oil, 6 ounces; copal, 6 ounces;
litharge, 2 ounces; and white lead, 16 ounces. To be thoroughly
incorporated.
To unite rubber or leather to hard substances. One ounce of pulverized
gum shellac dissolved in 9-1/2 ounces of strong ammonia, will make an
elastic cement. Must be kept tightly corked.
For uniting iron to iron. Use equal parts of boiled oil, white lead,
pipe clay and black oxide of manganese, and form it into a paste.
Transparent Cement. Unite 1 ounce of india rubber, 67 ounces of
chloroform, and 40 ounces of mastic. This is to be kept together for a
week, and stirred at times, when it will be ready for use.
To Attach Cloth to Metal. Water 100 parts, sugar 10 parts, starch 20
parts, and zinc chloride 1 part. This must be first stirred and made
free of lumps, and then heated until it thickens.
United States Government Gum. Dissolve 1 part of gum arabic in water and
add 4 parts of sugar and 1 part of starch. This is then boiled for a
few minutes, and thinned down as required.
TO MAKE DIFFERENT ALLOYS.--Silver-aluminum. Silver one-fourth part, and
aluminum three-fourth parts.
Bell-metal. Copper, 80 parts; tin, 20 parts. Or, copper, 72 parts; tin,
26 parts; zinc, 2 parts. Or, copper 2; 1 of tin.
Brass. Copper, 66 parts; zinc, 32 parts; tin, 1 part; lead, 1 part.
Bronzes. Copper, 65 parts; zinc, 30 parts; tin, 5 parts. Or, copper, 85
parts; zinc, 10 parts; tin, 3 parts; lead, 2 parts.
German Silver. 52 parts of copper; 26 parts zinc; 22 parts nickel.
For Coating Mirrors. Tin, 70 parts; mercury, 30 parts.
BOILER COMPOUNDS.--To prevent scaling. Use common washing soda, or
Glauber salts.
TO DISSOLVE CELLULOID.--Use 50 parts of alcohol and 5 parts of camphor
for every 5 parts of celluloid. When the celluloid is put into the
solution it will dissolve it.
To Soften Celluloid. This may be done by simply heating, so it will
bend, and by putting it in steam, it can be worked like dough.
CLAY MIXTURE FOR FORGES.--Mix dry 20 parts of fire clay, 20 parts
cast-iron turnings, one part of common salt, and 1/2 part sal ammoniac,
and then add water while stirring, so as to form a mortar of the proper
consistency. The mixture will become very hard when heat is applied.
A Modeling Clay. This is made by mixing the clay with glycerine and
afterwards adding vaseline. If too much vaseline is added it becomes too
soft.
FLUIDS FOR CLEANING CLOTHES, FURNITURE, ETC.--For Delicate Fabrics. Make
strong decoction of soap bark, and put into alcohol.
Non-inflammable Cleaner. Equal parts of acetone, ammonia and diluted
alcohol.
Taking dried paint from clothing. Shake up 2 parts of ammonia water with
1 part of spirits of turpentine.
Cleaning Furniture, etc. Unite 2.4 parts of wax; 9.4 parts of oil of
turpentine; 42 parts acetic acid; 42 parts citric acid; 42 parts white
soap. This must be well mingled before using.
Removing Rust from Iron or Steel. Rub the surface with oil of tartar.
Or, apply turpentine or kerosene, and after allowing to stand over
night, clean with emery cloth.
For Removing Ink Stains from Silver. Use a paste made of chloride of
lime and water.
To clean Silver-Plated Ware. Make a mixture of cream of tartar, 2 parts;
levigated chalk, 2 parts; and alum, 1 part. Grind up the alum and mix
thoroughly.
Cleaning a Gas Stove. Make a solution of 9 parts of caustic soda and 150
parts of water, and put the separate parts of the stove in the solution
for an hour or two. The parts will come out looking like new.
Cleaning Aluminum. A few drops of sulphuric acid in water will restore
the luster to aluminum ware.
Oil Eradicator. Soap spirits, 100 parts; ammonia solution, 25; acetic
ether, 15 parts.
DISINFECTANTS.--Camphor, 1 ounce; carbolic acid (75 per cent.), 12
ounces; aqua ammonia, 10 drachms; soft salt water, 8 drachms.
Water-Closet Deodorant. Ferric chloride, 4 parts; zinc chloride, 5
parts; aluminum chloride, 4 parts; calcium chloride, 5 parts; magnesium
chloride, 3 parts; and water sufficient to make 90 parts. When all is
dissolved add to each gallon 10 grains of thymol and a quarter-ounce of
rosemary that had been previously dissolved in six quarts of alcohol.
Odorless Disinfectants. Mercuric chloride, 1 part; cupric sulphate, 10
parts; zinc sulphate, 50 parts; sodium chloride, 65 parts; water to make
1,000 parts.
Emery for Lapping Purposes. Fill a pint bottle with machine oil and
emery flour, in the proportion of 7 parts oil and 1 part emery. Allow it
to stand for twenty minutes, after shaking up well, then pour off half
the contents, without disturbing the settlings, and the part so poured
off contains only the finest of the emery particles, and is the only
part which should be used on the lapping roller.
EXPLOSIVES.--Common Gunpowder. Potassium nitrate, 75 parts; charcoal, 15
parts; sulphur, 10 parts.
Dynamite. 75 per cent. nitro-glycerine; 25 per cent. infusorial earth.
Giant Powder. 36 per cent. nitro-glycerine; 48 per cent. nitrate of
potash; 8 per cent. of sulphur; 8 per cent. charcoal.
Fulminate. Chlorate of potassia, 6 parts; pure lampblack, 4 parts;
sulphur, 1 part. A blow will cause it to explode.
FILES.--How to Keep Clean. Olive oil is the proper substance to rub over
files, as this will prevent the creases from filling up while in use,
and preserve the file for a longer time, and also enable it to do better
cutting.
To Renew Old Files. Use a potash bath for boiling them in, and
afterwards brush them well so as to get the creases clean. Then stretch
a cotton cloth between two supports, and after plunging the file into
nitric acid, use the stretched cloth to wipe off the acid. The object is
to remove the acid from the ridges of the file, so the acid will only
eat out or etch the deep portions between the ridges, and not affect the
edges or teeth.
FIRE PROOF MATERIALS OR SUBSTANCES.--For Wood. For the kind where it is
desired to apply with a brush, use 100 parts sodium silicate; 50 parts
of Spanish white, and 100 parts of glue. It must be applied hot.
Another good preparation is made as follows: Sodium silicate, 350 parts;
asbestos, powdered, 350 parts; and boiling water 1,000 parts.
For Coating Steel, etc. Silica, 50 parts; plastic fire clay, 10 parts;
ball clay, 3 parts. To be thoroughly mixed.
For Paper. Ammonium sulphate, 8 parts; boracic acid, 3 parts; borax, 2
parts; water, 100 parts. This is applied in a liquid state to the paper
surface.
FLOOR DRESSINGS.--Oil Stain. Neats' foot oil, 1 part; cottonseed oil, 1
part; petroleum oil, 1 part. This may be colored with anything desired,
like burnt sienna, annatto, or other coloring material.
Ballroom Powder. Hard paraffine, 1 pound; powdered boric acid, 7 pounds;
oil of lavender, 1 drachm; oil of neroli, 20 minims.
FOOT POWDERS.--For Perspiring Feet. Balsam Peru, 15 minims; formic
acid, 1 drachm; chloral hydrate, 1 drachm; alcohol to make 3 ounces.
For Easing Feet. Tannaform, 1 drachm; talcum, 2 drachms; lycopodium, 30
grains.
Frost Bites. Carbolized water, 4 drachms; nitric acid, 1 drop; oil of
geranium, 1 drop.
GLASS.--To cut glass, hold it under water, and use a pair of shears.
To make a hole through glass, place a circle of moist earth on the
glass, and form a hole in this the diameter wanted for the hole, and in
this hole pour molten lead, and the part touched by the lead will fall
out.
To Frost Glass. Cover it with a mixture of 6 ounces of magnesium
sulphate, 2 ounces of dextrine, and 20 ounces of water. This produces a
fine effect.
To imitate ground glass, use a composition of sandarac, 2-1/2 ounces;
mastic, 1/2 ounce; ether, 24 ounces; and benzine, 16 ounces.
IRON AND STEEL.--How to distinguish them. Wash the metal and put it into
a solution of bichromate of potash to which has been added a small
amount of sulphuric acid. In a minute or so take out the metal, wash and
wipe it. Soft steel and cast iron will have the appearance of an
ash-gray tint; tempered steels will be black; and puddled or refined
irons will be nearly white and have a metallic reflection.
To Harden Iron or Steel. If wrought iron, put in the charge 20 parts, by
weight, of common salt, 2 parts of potassium cyanide, .3 part of
potassium bichromate, .15 part of broken glass.
To harden cast iron, there should be added to the charge the following:
To 60 parts of water, add 2-1/2 parts of vinegar, 3 parts of common
salt, and .25 part of hydrochloric acid.
To soften castings: Heat them to a high temperature and cover them with
fine coal dust and allow to cool gradually.
LACQUERS.--For Aluminum. Dissolve 100 parts of gum lac in 300 parts of
ammonia and heat for an hour moderately in a water bath. The aluminum
must be well cleaned before applying. Heat the aluminum plate
afterwards.
For Brass. Make a compound as follows; Annatto, 1/4 ounce; saffro, 1/4
ounce; turmeric, 1 ounce; seed lac, 3 ounces; and alcohol, 1 pint. Allow
the mixture to stand for three days, then strain in the vessel which
contains the seed lac, and allow to stand until all is dissolved.
For Copper. Heat fine, thickly liquid amber varnish so it can be readily
applied to the copper, and this is allowed to dry. Then heat the coated
object until it commences to smoke and turn brown.
LUBRICANTS.--Heavy machinery oils. Use paraffine, 8 pounds; palm oil, 20
pounds; and oleonaptha, 12 pounds. Dissolve the paraffine in the
oleonaptha at a temperature of 160 degrees and then stir in the palm oil
a little at a time.
For Cutting Tools. Heat six gallons of water and put in three and a half
pounds of soft soap and a half gallon of clean refuse oil. It should be
well mixed.
For high-speed bearings. Use flaky graphite and kerosene oil. Apply this
as soon as there is any indication of heating in the bearings.
For lathe centers, one part of graphite and four parts of tallow
thoroughly mixed and applied will be very serviceable.
For Wooden Gears. Use tallow, 30 parts; palm oil; 20 parts; fish oil, 10
parts; and graphite, 20 parts.
PAPER.--FIRE PROOF PAPER.--Make the following solution: Ammonium
sulphate, 8 parts; boracic acid, 3 parts; water, 100 parts. Mix at a
temperature of 120 degrees. Paper coated with this will resist heat.
Filter Paper. Dip the paper into nitric acid of 1.433 specific gravity,
and subsequently wash and dry it. This makes a fine filtering body.
Carbon Paper. A variety of substances may be used, such as fine soot or
ivory black, ultramarine or Paris blue. Mix either with fine grain
soap, so it is of a uniform consistency and then apply to the paper with
a stiff brush, rubbing it in until it is evenly spread over the surface.
Tracing Paper. Take unsized paper and apply a coat of varnish made of
equal parts of Canada balsam and oil of turpentine. To increase the
transparency give another coat. The sheets must be well dried before
using.
PHOTOGRAPHY.--Developers.
1. Pure water, 30 ounces; sulphite soda, 5 ounces; carbonate soda, 2-1/2
ounces.
2. Pure water, 24 ounces; oxalic acid, 15 grains; pyrogallic acid, 1
ounce.
To develop use of solution 1, 1 ounce; solution 2, 1/2 ounce; and water,
3 ounces.
Stock solutions for developing: Make solution No. 1 as follows: water,
32 ounces; tolidol, I ounce; sodium sulphate, 1-1/2 ounces.
Solution No. 2: Water, 32 ounces; sodium sulphate.
Solution No. 3: Water, 32 ounces; sodium carbonate, from 4 to 6 ounces.
Fixing bath. Add two ounces of S. P. C. clarifier (acid bisulphate of
sodium) solution to one quart of hypo solution 1 in 5.
Clearing solution. Saturated solution of alum, 20 ounces; and
hydrochloric acid, 1 ounce. Varnish. Brush over the negative a solution
of equal parts of benzol and Japanese gold size.
PLASTERS.--Court Plaster. Use good quality silk, and on this spread a
solution of isinglass warmed. Dry and repeat several times, then apply
several coats of balsam of Peru. Or,
On muslin or silk properly stretched, apply a thin coating of smooth
strained flour paste, and when dry several coats of colorless gelatine
are added. The gelatine is applied warm, and cooled before the fabric is
taken off.
PLATING.--Bronze coating. For antiques, use vinegar, 1,000 parts; by
weight, powdered bloodstone, 125 parts; plumbago, 25 parts. Apply with
brush.
For brass where a copper surface is desired, make a rouge with a little
chloride of platinum and water, and apply with a brush.
For gas fixtures. Use a bronze paint and mix with it five times its
volume of spirit of turpentine, and to this mixture add dried slaked
lime, about 40 grains to the pint. Agitate well and decant the clear
liquid.
COLORING METALS.--Brilliant black for iron. Selenious acid, 6 parts;
cupric sulphate, 10 parts; water 1,000 parts; nitric acid, 5 parts.
Blue-black. Selenious acid, 10 parts; nitric acid, 5 parts; cupric
sulphate; water, 1,000 parts. The colors will be varied dependent on
the time the objects are immersed in the solution.
Brass may be colored brown by using an acid solution of nitrate of
silver and bismuth; or a light bronze by an acid solution of nitrate of
silver and copper; or black by a solution of nitrate of copper.
To copper plate aluminum, take 30 parts of sulphate of copper; 30 parts
of cream of tartar; 25 parts of soda; and 1,000 parts of water. The
article to be coated is merely dipped into the solution.
POLISHERS.--Floor Polish. Permanganate of potash in boiling water,
applied to the floor hot, will produce a stain, the color being
dependent on the number of coats. The floor may them be polished with
beeswax and turpentine.
For Furniture. Make a paste of equal parts of plaster of paris, whiting,
pumice stone and litharge, mixed with Japan dryer, boiled linseed oil
and turpentine. This may be colored to suit. This will fill the cracks
of the wood. Afterwards rub over the entire surface of the wood with a
mixture of 1 part Japan, 2 of linseed oil, and three parts of
turpentine, also colored, and after this has been allowed to slightly
harden, rub it off, and within a day or two it will have hardened
sufficiently so that the surface can be polished.
Stove Polish. Ceresine, 12 parts; Japan wax, 10 parts; turpentine oil,
100 parts; lampblack, 12 parts; graphite, 10 parts. Melt the ceresine
and wax together, and cool off partly, and then add and stir in the
graphite and lampblack which were previously mixed up with the
turpentine.
PUTTY.--Black Putty. Whiting and antimony sulphide, and soluble glass.
This can be polished finely after hardening.
Common Putty. Whiting and linseed oil mixed up to form a dough.
RUST PREVENTIVE.--For Machinery. Dissolve an ounce of camphor in one
pound of melted lard. Mix with this enough fine black lead to give it an
iron color. After it has been on for a day, rub off with a cloth.
For tools, yellow vaseline is the best substance.
For zinc, clean the plate by immersing in water that has a small amount
of sulphuric acid in it. Then wash clean and coat with asphalt varnish.
SOLDERS.--For aluminum. Use 5 parts of tin and 1 part of aluminum as the
alloy, and solder with the iron or a blow pipe.
Yellow hard solder. Brass, 3-1/2 parts; and zinc, 1 part.
For easily fusing, make an alloy of equal parts of brass and zinc.
For a white hard solder use brass, 12 parts; zinc, 1 part; and tin, 2
parts.
SOLDERING FLUXES.--For soft soldering, use a solution of chloride of
zinc and sal ammoniac. Powdered rosin is also used.
For hard soldering, borax is used most frequently.
A mixture of equal parts of cryolite and barium chloride is very good in
soldering bronze or aluminum alloys.
Other hard solders are alloyed as follows: brass, 4 parts; and zinc, 5
parts. Also brass, 7 parts; and zinc, 2 parts.
Steel Tempering-.-Heat the steel red hot and then plunge it into sealing
wax.
For tempering small steel springs, they may be plunged into a fish oil
which has a small amount of rosin and tallow.
VARNISHES.--Black Varnish. Shellac, 5 parts; borax, 2 parts; glycerine,
2 parts; aniline black, 6 parts; water, 45 parts. Dissolve the shellac
in hot water and add the other ingredients at a temperature of 200
degrees.
A good can varnish is made by dissolving 15 parts of shellac, and adding
thereto 2 parts of Venice turpentine, 8 parts of sandarac, and 75 parts
of spirits.
A varnish for tin and other small metal boxes is made of 75 parts
alcohol, which dissolves 15 parts of shellac, and 3 parts of turpentine.
SEALING WAX.--For modeling purposes. White wax, 20 parts; turpentine, 5
parts; sesame oil, 2 parts; vermilion, 2 parts.
Ordinary Sealing. 4 pounds of shellac, 1 pound Venice turpentine, add 3
pounds of vermilion. Unite by heat.