From magazine illustrations you can select
=Suitable Pictures= for each room, but if you are handy with brush and
pencil you may prefer to make the pictures yourself. These may be
mounted upon cardboard and have their edges bound with passe-partout
paper to give the effect of frames, or frames may be cut out of
cardboard and pasted to them. Hang the pictures to the picture moulding
with thread.
=A Cosey-corner= may be fitted up in the ball-room by fastening a strip
of a cigar-box in one corner an inch and one-half above the floor for
the seat, and hanging draperies on each side of it. Pillows may be made
for it out of scraps of silk stuffed with cotton.
A doll-house properly proportioned in every detail, including the
selection of its furniture, is pleasing to look at, and is to be desired
much more than some of the specimens to be found in the stores. These
very often have parlor chairs larger than the mantel, beds that either
fill two-thirds of the bedroom space or are so small they are hidden
from view by the chairs, and other furniture accordingly, all having
been selected without any thought as to size or fitness.
Care must be taken, in buying the furniture, to have the pieces suitable
to the rooms. It will no doubt require more time than to purchase the
first sets you come across, but when you have completed the selections,
the result will be a much better appearing doll-house.
By carefully searching the toy-shops you are almost certain of finding
what you want for the various rooms, as about everything imaginable in
furniture has been manufactured. Porcelain bath-tubs, wash-basins with
real faucets and running water, gilt furniture, chandeliers, and such
articles are tempting to buy. But it is rather expensive to fit up a
house in this way, for, though each piece may not amount to very much,
they count up very quickly.
The suggestions for the making of cigar-box furniture in the following
chapter, and the cork furniture in Chapter XXVIII, should give you
plenty of material for furniture and save you the expense of buying this
part of the furnishings for your house.
CHAPTER VIII
DOLL-FURNITURE
[Illustration]
The metal furniture which you can buy is very pretty when it is new, but
this new appearance does not last long after it has come into a
youngster's possession, for the pieces are very slender and delicate,
and thus easily broken.
Wooden furniture is the most durable kind, and plain and simple pieces
will generally outlast the fancy ones. The designs illustrated in this
chapter make very substantial pieces, as there are no spindle legs or
fancy arms to break off. They follow the lines of the mission furniture,
that simple style used in the early American mission schools, and which
is to-day being extensively made in handsome pieces for the furnishings
of modern homes. You will find the
=Miniature Mission Furniture=, illustrated and described in this
chapter, simple to make and something which is easy to sell, for there
is nothing like it at present upon the market.
Cigar-boxes furnish the nicest material for making this furniture, and
the various parts can be cut to the right shape and size with
=A Gig-or Scroll-saw.= Procure small brads and glue with which to fasten
the pieces together.
=To prepare the Cigar-boxes= for use, place them in a tub of boiling
water and let them remain there until the paper labels readily pull off.
Do not use a knife in removing the paper, as it is liable to roughen the
wood. The paper will come off by allowing it to soak long enough. When
the boxes are clean, set them in the sun to dry, after binding the
covers to the backs to prevent them from warping. Pull the boxes apart
when they are thoroughly dry, and throw out such pieces as have printing
upon them, for these would spoil the appearance of the furniture if
used.
[Illustration: FIGS. 119-126.--Patterns for Furniture.]
In order to simplify the matter of cutting the parts that make the
furniture, the curved pieces have been drawn out carefully on page 111,
so they can be laid off upon the strips of cigar-boxes without any
trouble, by the process of
=Enlarging by Squares.=--These drawings are shown one-quarter of their
full size (half their width and half their height). To enlarge them
procure a piece of cardboard nine by thirteen inches, or a little larger
than twice the size of the drawing each way, and divide it into squares
just twice the size of those on page 111. That will make sixteen squares
in the width of the cardboard and twenty-four in the length, each half
an inch square. In order to get the squares spaced equally, it is best
to lay off the points first with a ruler along the top, bottom, and two
sides of the sheet of cardboard, and then connect the points with the
ruler and a sharp lead-pencil. Then number the squares as in the
illustration, using the figures along the sides and letters across the
top and bottom of the sheet.
With the sheet of cardboard thus prepared it is a simple matter to
=Reproduce the Drawings= of Figs. 119 to 126 by locating the points of
the curves and corners of the pieces, as shown in the illustrations, in
corresponding positions in the squares on your cardboard sheet. The
curves may be drawn in by eye, after locating them with reference to
their surrounding squares, but the surest way of enlarging them
accurately is by laying off the points where the curve strikes each
horizontal and vertical line in the illustration, upon the enlarged
drawing. These points can then be connected with a curved line.
Make all of the lines heavy so they can be distinguished from your guide
lines, and after carefully going over the drawing, comparing it with
that on page 111 to see that no mistake has been made in locating the
points in enlarging, cut the various pieces apart. These give you
=The Patterns= with which to mark out the pieces on the wood.
We will first note the construction of
=The Chairs= shown in Figs. 127 and 128. These are four and one-half
inches high, two inches wide, and an inch and one-half deep. Cut the
back for the chair in Fig. 127 four and three-eighths inches high and an
inch and three-quarters wide, the sides by the pattern in Fig. 119, and
the seat an inch and one-quarter by an inch and three-quarters. With the
pieces cut out, fasten them together with brads and glue, placing the
seat between the arms and back so that it is an inch and one-half above
the base.
[Illustration: FIG. 127.
FIG. 128.
Chairs.]
Cut the back for the other chair (Fig. 128) four and one-half inches
high by two inches wide, the seat an inch and a quarter by an inch and
three-quarters, and the sides an inch and three-eighths wide by two and
one-half high. To get the curve in the bottom edge of the side-pieces,
use the pattern in Fig. 119.
[Illustration: FIG. 129.--A Settee.]
=The Settee= (Fig. 129) should have its sides cut by the pattern of Fig.
120. Make the back-piece three and three-quarters inches wide and three
and one-quarter inches high, and the seat three and three-quarters
inches by an inch and one-half. Fasten the seat against the back an inch
and one-half above the base.
[Illustration: FIG. 130.--A Table.]
=Tables= for the living-room, dining-room, bedroom, ball-room, and
nursery of a doll-house may be patterned after the designs of Figs. 130
and 131. These should be two and one-half inches high to be of proper
proportion for the chairs.
The pieces necessary to make Fig. 130 are a top two inches square, two
sides an inch and one-half wide by two and one-half inches high, and a
shelf an inch and one-quarter square. Fasten the pieces together as in
the illustration, placing the shelf between the side-pieces an inch from
the bottom.
[Illustration: FIG. 131.--Another Design.]
The other design (Fig. 131) will do nicely for
=A Dining-room Table=, or table for the centre of the living-room. The
top of this should be five inches long and three inches wide. Cut the
side-pieces by the pattern in Fig. 121 and, after fastening them to the
under side of the table-top four inches apart, brace them with a strip
three and three-quarters inches long by half an inch wide, as shown in
Fig. 131.
=A Side-board= similar to Fig. 132 should be made for the dining-room.
The pattern for the side pieces is shown in Fig. 122. After sawing these
out, cut a piece seven inches long by three inches wide for the back and
fasten the side-pieces to the edges of it. The location of the shelves
can be obtained best by referring to Fig. 132 and the pattern in Fig.
122. Cut the bottom shelf (_A_ in Fig. 132) three inches long by an inch
and one-quarter wide and fasten it to the side-pieces half an inch above
the base (line 24 on pattern, Fig. 122). Make shelf _B_ three by one
inches and place it at line 22. _C_ should be three and three-quarters
inches long by an inch and one-half wide, with a small notch cut near
each end with your knife, to make it fit over the side-pieces (see
illustration). Cut shelf _D_ three inches long by half an inch wide,
fastening it in place at line No. 17, _E_ three inches long by
seven-sixteenths of an inch wide, fastening it at line No. 15, and _F_
three inches long by three-eighths of an inch wide, fastening it at line
No. 13. The top shelf (_G_) is three and three-quarters inches long and
half an inch wide and is fastened to the tops of the side-pieces as
shown in the drawing.
[Illustration: FIG. 132.--A Side-board.]
The lower portion of the side-board is enclosed with two doors two
inches high by an inch and one-half wide. Small pieces of cloth may be
used for hinges, but it is better to use pins, running them through the
shelf above and below (_A_ and _C_, Fig. 132) into the doors. Stick the
pins near the edge of the doors and see that they are straight, so the
doors will open easily. A small mirror attached to the back between
shelves _C_ and _D_ will complete this piece of furniture.
[Illustration: FIG. 133.--A Mirror.]
=A Mirror= in a frame should be made for the living-room of the
doll-house. A neat and suitable design for one of these will be seen in
Fig. 133. For its construction cut two sides by means of the pattern in
Fig. 123, a piece five inches long by three inches wide for the back,
and a strip three inches long by three-eighths of an inch wide for a
shelf. Fasten the sides to the edges of the back-piece, and the shelf
between the sides about three-quarters of an inch above the base. Now
procure a mirror such as you can buy in a toy-shop for five or ten cents
(or a piece of a broken mirror cut down to the right size will do very
nicely), and attach it to the centre of the back.
=The Grandfather's Clock= (Fig. 134) makes an effective piece of
furniture for the hall or living-room, and is easily made. Figure 124
shows the pattern for the front of this clock. The back is made the
same, with the omission of the square opening cut in the front frame for
the clock-face. Cut a block of wood two by two by three-quarters inches
to fit between the frames at the top. After nailing the pieces together,
procure a face from a toy watch, and fasten it in the opening made for
it in the front frame. A button suspended by means of a piece of thread
from a tack placed in the bottom of the block forms the pendulum.
[Illustration: FIG. 134.
A Grandfather's Clock.]
It will be unnecessary to give any suggestions for
=Kitchen Furniture=, such as chairs and tables, for these can also be
made out of cigar-box wood along the same schemes illustrated in this
chapter, with perhaps a few modifications which will make them simpler.
[Illustration: FIG. 135.--A Bed.]
[Illustration: FIG. 136.--Another Design.]
Now for the making of some pieces of bedroom furniture. You will find in
Figs. 135 and 136 two designs that are easily carried out, one or both
of which may be used for
=The Beds= of a doll-house. To make Fig. 135, cut the head and foot by
means of the pattern in Fig. 125, and cut the two sides by means of the
pattern in Fig. 126. After preparing these pieces and fastening them
together as shown in the illustration (Fig. 135), cut a few strips a
quarter of an inch wide for slats and fasten them between the sides of
the bed. It is advisable to fasten these in place to prevent them from
being lost.
The side-pieces for the other bed (Fig. 136) are cut out with the same
pattern (Fig. 126). Make the head-and foot-pieces three by four and
one-half inches, cutting a piece two by an inch and one-quarter out of
the top of each as shown in the drawing (Fig. 136), and using the
pattern of the other bed for cutting the curve in the bottom edge. Nail
the pieces together in their proper places, after which cut some slats
and fasten them in the bottom.
[Illustration: FIG. 137.--A Dresser.]
=The Dresser= (Fig. 137) is made somewhat similar to the side-board. Cut
the sides by the same pattern (Fig. 122) and fasten them to the edges of
the back-piece, which should be six and one-half inches high by three
inches wide. Cut shelf _A_ three by one and one-quarter inches, _B_ and
_C_ three by one and one-eighth, _D_ three by one and three-sixteenths,
and _E_ and _F_ one-half by one and one-quarter inches. Fasten shelf _A_
between the sides at line No. 24 (see Fig. 122), _B_ at line No. 23, _C_
at line No. 22, _D_ at line No. 21, and notch the ends of _E_ and _F_ to
fit over the side-pieces at line No. 20.
Drawers to fit the lower shelves of the dresser may be made out of small
strips of cigar-boxes or pieces of cardboard, glued together. A small
mirror fastened in the position shown in the drawing will complete the
work upon this piece of furniture.
[Illustration: FIG. 138.--A Wash-stand.]
=A Wash-stand= can be made for the bath-room and each of the bedrooms
similar to Fig. 138. The sides for this should be five inches high by an
inch and one-quarter wide, and the shelves one by three inches. Fasten
the lower shelf three-quarters of an inch above the base, and the top
shelf at a height of two and one-half inches. When the stand has been
put together, fit a round stick, about an eighth of an inch in diameter,
in holes made in the sides with a gimlet (see illustration). This forms
the towel-rack. Hang a small drapery over the lower portion of the
stand.
=Finishing.=--When the pieces of furniture have been completed, they
should be rubbed down with emery-paper to remove the rough edges, and
also any rough places that may have been caused by soaking the boxes in
water. Then give the wood several coats of linseed oil. This makes a
beautiful finish for this kind of wood.
If desired, the bedroom furniture may be painted with white enamel. The
little hearts may be painted upon the pieces as shown in the
illustration, with a small brush and red paint, or may be cut out of red
paper and glued to the wood.
OTHER CIGAR-BOX FURNITURE
[Illustration: FIG. 139.--A Doll's Folding-bed.]
In Figs. 139 and 142 will be found some pieces of furniture that are
simpler to make than that just described, and although they may not be
so pretty, they present a very good appearance when neatly made.
The author constructed many pieces of this furniture when a boy, and
found them suitable as presents, besides being something that was always
easy to sell.
The cost of making a set amounts to but a few cents, cigar-boxes being
the principal material.
They are also very quickly made, as the boxes require but little
cutting.
[Illustration: FIG. 141.--Foot.]
[Illustration: FIG. 140.--Folding-bed (open).]
For the construction of
=A Folding-bed=, such as is shown in Figs. 139 and 140, select two
cigar-boxes, one of which will fit inside the other. The smaller box
should be a little shorter than the inside opening of the larger box.
After removing the paper from each, place the smaller box inside the
larger one, as shown in Fig. 139, so that the bottom of the inner box is
flush with the edge of the outer box. Then drive a brad through both
boxes on each side, about three-quarters of an inch from the end as
shown at _A_ (Fig. 139). These brads should run through the outer box
into the bottom of the inner box, and should be driven in carefully so
as not to split the wood. The inner box should now fold down as shown in
Fig. 140, moving upon the brad pivots. Purchase a five or ten cent
mirror and fasten it to the front of the bed, after which cut two wooden
feet similar to Fig. 141 and glue the pegs on the ends of these in
gimlet holes made above the mirror. Finish the wood the same as
described for the other cigar-box furniture.
[Illustration: FIG. 142.--Dresser completed.]
=The Dresser= shown in Fig. 142 is made out of a box the same size as
the larger one used for the folding-bed. Saw the sides of the box in
half, crosswise, and remove the upper half and the end-piece. Then nail
the end across the tops of the remaining halves of the sides. When this
has been done, divide up the lower portion of the box into compartments
as shown in the drawing (Fig. 143). This should have a small drapery
hung over it. The upper portion of the dresser should have a mirror
attached to it, and some lace draped over the top and sides will add
greatly to its appearance.
[Illustration: FIG. 143.--A Doll's Dresser.]
All you will have to do in making
=A Wardrobe= will be to fasten some small hooks inside of a cigar-box,
attach the cover with a strip of linen--the same way it was attached
before you soaked it off--and hang a mirror on the front.
These pieces of furniture were designed for separate sets, and would not
do for doll-houses the size of those in the preceding chapters, unless
the boxes were cut down to smaller proportions.
CHAPTER IX
A BOY'S PRINTING-SHOP
[Illustration: Boys working at the Presses.]
Since the manufacture of printing-presses in small sizes, printing has
become so popular among boys that it is now hard to find a neighborhood
in which there is not a press.
Printing is one of the best methods of mastering spelling and
punctuation, and is thus a great help to a boy in his studies, besides
being a pleasant occupation at which he can earn money.
If you cannot afford a large press, be satisfied with a small one for
the time being at least. Get to work, learn to print neatly and
accurately, and when your friends find your work is of good quality,
they will gladly patronize you. Your profits should soon net you enough
with which to buy a larger press and increase your equipment.
After securing a press, it will be necessary to find a place in which to
keep and use it, where there will be a good light to work by and where
things are not likely to be disturbed. If you have a workshop, you may
be able to make room in it for your outfit.
[Illustration: FIG. 144.--A Boy's Printing-shop.]
When the author became the proud owner of a machine, he found it
convenient to keep it in his room with his type-cases and material
beneath the press-stand. But in the course of several years the
printing-shop required more space than the room afforded, and a new
office had to be secured. This was found in the woodshed, where a corner
was partitioned off, a double sashed window placed in the wall, and the
interior fitted up with a case-rack, imposing-table, stock-stand, and
all the necessities for an enlargement of business. Figure 144 shows the
arrangement of our shop a few years later, when it again became
necessary to increase our floor space by adding a "mezzanine" story
above, extending to the roof of the shed. This half-story was reached by
means of a ladder, as shown in the drawing.
The principal equipment of a boy's shop should consist of a number of
cases in which to keep the fonts of type; a rack in which these cases
can be kept and at which the typesetting can be done; a work-bench, one
end of which may be used for an imposing-table and the other for the
press to stand upon; and two cabinets, one for stock and the other for
ink, tools, and general supplies. The other materials required are: a
composing-stick, composing-rule, pair of tweezers, galley, leads, rules,
furniture, mitre-box, imposing-stone, quoins, shooting-stick, mallet,
planer, hand-roller, and gauge-pins, besides a can of ink, an oil-can, a
bottle of machine-oil for washing rollers, benzine for cleaning type,
and a good supply of rags.
[Illustration: AN AMATEUR'S OUTFIT.]
Small presses are usually accompanied by a few fonts of type, which
are sufficient for printing small business-cards, etc., but are of so
few letters as to make an ordinary job of printing impossible. With an
increase of capital,
=Type= should be the first addition to your outfit. In making selections
bear in mind the amount of money you have to spend, and buy only styles
which will go together nicely and which can be used for the greatest
variety of work. If possible, secure the advice of a printer in
purchasing, as by his experience he can tell what you will most require
better than you. You can probably obtain a specimen type-book from the
type foundry in your city from which to make your selections.
=Type-cases= divided into small compartments for the various letters and
characters, which can be bought for seventy-five cents or a dollar,
provide the only satisfactory means of keeping fonts. It is advisable to
spend the money for these neatly made boxes rather than attempt to make
them, for the work will amount to more than what you can buy them for.
Figures 145 and 146 show the upper and lower news-cases with the systems
of "laying" generally employed in printing establishments. It will be
seen that by this method the principal letters are grouped in the
central portions of the case where they are easily reached, while the
less important letters are scattered around the sides. The central boxes
of the lower case are also made larger than the others, "e" being
allotted the largest box as it is used more than any other letter in the
alphabet.
[Illustration: SCHEME FOR LAYING CASES.
FIG. 145.--Lower Case.
FIG. 146.--Upper Case.]
As the lettering of the spaces and quads in Fig. 145 may be confusing to
the beginner, it is perhaps well to explain that these are based upon
the "m" quads which present a square end, the "2m" and "3m" quads being
two and three "m" quads in width, and an "n" quad one-half an "m."
Likewise spaces are known by the fraction they represent of an "m" quad,
viz. "3m," "4m," "5m," and "8m" (more commonly known as hair-space).
[Illustration: FIG. 147.--The Yankee Job-case.]
The upper and lower cases provide for about every character included in
a complete font of type. For smaller fonts you will find the Yankee
job-case very convenient, the letters being arranged the same in the
lower portion, and the capitals being placed in the upper boxes (see
Fig. 147).
[Illustration: FIG. 148.--A Type-case Rack.]
It will be unnecessary to have
=A Rack for the Type-cases= until you have added several styles of type
to your outfit. Then you will find a rack such as is shown in Fig. 148
one of the best methods of keeping the type away from the dust and at
the same time in an accessible place.
This rack should be four feet in height, the width of a type-case, and
twenty-eight inches deep, which is large enough for twelve cases. It is
best made out of four-inch boards.
[Illustration: FIG. 149.]
Cut the uprights _A_ and _E_ three feet six inches long, and _B_ and _F_
four feet long. The top-pieces _C_ and _G_ should be cut similar to Fig.
149. First lay out these pieces on four-inch boards, using the
dimensions given on the drawing and being careful to get both pieces the
same. Having properly marked the pieces, they remain to be cut out with
the rip and cross-cut saws. Cut the bottom-pieces _D_ and _H_
twenty-eight inches long, and prepare twenty-two inch-strips of the
same length for cleats.
One of the most particular points to be looked after in making a rack of
this kind is the attaching of the cleats, for unless they are perfectly
horizontal and those on one side are on a level with those on the other
side, the cases will not slide in satisfactorily and will be continually
causing trouble. Plenty of space should also be left between the cleats
to prevent the cases from sticking by the cleats swelling or warping.
[Illustration: FIG. 150.]
In order to get the cleats in the right position, the heights should be
laid off on the uprights as shown in Fig. 150 and lines squared across
them. You will then have the same heights on each upright.
Having prepared the pieces above described, we are ready to put them
together. Lay uprights _A_ and _B_ upon the ground, twenty inches apart,
and with the lower ends on a line with one another. Then fasten board
_D_ to them as shown in Fig. 151, the upper edge being even with the
first divisions on the upright. Drive but one nail in each end of _D_
until the other end of the frame is fastened together. Strip _C_ should
be placed as shown in Fig. 151, so that the upper edge of one end is
even with the top of upright _A_, and the upper edge of the other end
three inches above the top of upright _B_. This gives the proper pitch
to the top of the rack. Then, after measuring the distance between
uprights _A_ and _B_ to see that it is no more or less than twenty
inches, nail _C_ firmly to them, after which drive several more nails
into the ends of _D_.
[Illustration: FIG. 151.]
When this has been done, fasten the cleats in place, so that the top of
each is even with the line squared across the uprights. This completes
the frame. The opposite frame is made similarly.
When both frames have been made, they should be fastened together by
means of the crosspieces shown in Fig. 148. Measure the width of your
cases, which varies somewhat with different makes, and set the frames
about half an inch farther apart than this width. Then cut the boards
_I_, _J_, _K_, and _L_ the correct length and nail them to the places
shown upon the drawing. Strips _M_ and _N_ should be fitted between _C_
and _G_ to help support the top.
The top of the rack is made to hold two cases at a time, the lower case
on the front part and the upper case back of it.
Cases should be kept out of the dust as much as possible, as dirt
accumulates in the boxes very quickly, and is hard to clean out. It is
therefore a good plan to tack cloth or heavy wrapping-paper to the back,
sides, and below the top of the rack, and provide a curtain to hang over
the front when the cases are not in use. When the boxes do become dirty,
the dust should be removed by means of a pair of bellows.
[Illustration: FIG. 152.--How to Hold the Composing-stick.]
In composing, or setting type,
=A Composing-stick= is necessary. This should be held in the left hand,
as shown in Fig. 152, while the right hand picks up the type one by one
and drops them into the stick, where the left thumb shoves them into
place. It will be seen by looking at the illustration that the type are
set upside down and read from left to right. This may seem awkward at
first, but with practice you will soon become accustomed to reading the
letters in this position.
=A Composing-rule=, similar to Fig. 153, should be cut out of a piece of
brass rule. In typesetting, the rule is first placed in the stick, and
the type then placed against it.
[Illustration: FIG. 153.--A Composing-rule.]
When a line has been set and there still remains a space too small for
another word, it is necessary to either place wider spaces between the
words to fill out the line, or reduce the space sufficiently to make it
possible to add the word. This operation, which is known as
=Justifying=, should be performed after each line has been set. Then
place a lead against the type, lift out the composing-rule from behind
the first line, and place it in front of the lead preparatory to setting
a new line.
[Illustration: FIG. 154.--A Home-made Galley.]
After composing a stick full of type, it should be emptied into
=A Galley.= Figure 154 shows a galley made of half-inch stuff. Cut the
pieces as shown, and fasten them together so the bottom-piece is tilted
sufficient to keep the lines from
"=Pieing="--or falling out of line--without tying them together.
Emptying a stick may prove difficult at first, but if the lines have
been properly justified and are gripped at the ends with the thumb and
first finger of each hand, there is but little danger of making pie. The
beginner will, however, doubtless pie his type a number of times, until
by experience he learns the proper handling of it.
=Proofs= are struck while the type is in the galley, by running an
ink-roller over the matter, then placing a damp sheet of paper on the
type and running a dry hand-roller over the paper. The print thus
obtained is known as the "first proof." It should be fully corrected by
means of proof-reader's marks, which can be found in the appendix of any
dictionary, after which the corrections should be made in the type and a
second proof struck off.
When the matter has been fully corrected, it should be placed upon
=The Imposing-stone=--a piece of marble or other flat stone set upon the
work table. After properly leading the type,
=The Chase=--an iron frame cast to hold the type for printing--should be
placed over it. The space between the type and chase should then be
filled out with
=Furniture=.--Metal furniture consists of hollow metal blocks of various
sizes, while wooden furniture comes in strips of different widths, which
may be cut up into the lengths required. Use a mitre-box similar to the
one described in Chapter I in cutting the wooden furniture.
=Locking-up a Form.=--The type is locked-up by means of iron wedges
known as "quoins." There are two forms of these, those driven together
by means of a "shooting-stick" and mallet, as shown in Fig. 155, and
those locked by means of an iron key, such as is shown in Fig. 156. The
latter kind is probably the most commonly used to-day. Before locking
the form, the type should be levelled with a planer, which is nothing
more than a block of hardwood with a smooth, even surface. The planer
should be set upon the type and given a few light raps on the top with
the hammer, until the face of the type is even. Then lock the form
securely, being careful to have as equal pressure as possible on all
sides, to prevent the type from springing. The form is then ready for
the press.
[Illustration: FIG. 155.--Locking-up a Form.]
[Illustration: FIG. 156.--Key and Quoins.]
=Distribution= consists in replacing the types in their respective boxes
after the form has been printed, and is no longer desired. The matter
should first be thoroughly washed, then unlocked. The distributer lifts
out several lines of the type, holding them in his left hand, with the
nicks uppermost and the letters facing him. One or more words are
picked from the top line with the right hand, and each letter is dropped
into its box, after which several more words are picked up and similarly
distributed.
A few pointers in regard to presswork may be helpful to the beginner.
=The Tympan=, or metal bed upon which the paper to be printed is placed,
should be padded well with paper to make a firm impression, the number
of sheets required depending upon the character of the form. These
sheets are held in place by means of the iron clamps which slip over the
ends of the tympan (see Fig. 160).
The first print struck off probably will be imperfect, that is, some
portions will be lighter than others, due to uneven impression. This is
overcome by what is known as
=Overlaying= the form. Make several impressions, including one on the
top tympan-sheet. Then cut out the light portions of a print and paste
them directly over the corresponding printing on the tympan-sheet (see
Fig. 160). Thin tissue-paper will be found good for building up portions
requiring but little increase in pressure.
=Underlaying= consists in pasting strips of paper to the back of type or
cuts which print unevenly, to make the low portions higher.
When the form prints satisfactorily, you must prepare the marginal
lines before running off the job. The margins can easily be marked off
upon the tympan-sheet, as you have the impression upon it for a guide
(see Fig. 160). When this has been done,
=Gauge-pins= of some sort should be stuck into the tympan-sheet along
the marginal lines as guides for placing the paper in the press for
printing. Two forms of these pins, which can be bought for twenty-five
or thirty cents a pair, are shown in Fig. 157. These pins must be so
placed that there will be no danger of them mashing the type.
[Illustration: FIG. 157.--Two Forms of Gauge-pins.]
[Illustration: FIGS. 158-161.--Home-made Gauges.]
There are several forms of home-made gauges which may be used, three of
which are shown in Figs. 158, 159, and 161. The first (Fig. 158)
consists of an ordinary pin bent into the shape shown. The second (Fig.
159) is made out of a strip of cardboard scored and bent as in the
drawing. It must be pasted in place and held in position until dry, to
prevent it from slipping (see Fig. 160). The third form of home-made
gauge-pin consists of a quad (Fig. 161), or thin piece of furniture,
pasted to the tympan-sheet.
=In Inking the Press= be careful to spread the ink evenly over the disk,
and apply just enough to make a clear, clean copy. Too much ink will
clog the type and produce a smeared print.
Ink should not be left upon the form after the latter has been removed
from the press, but should be washed off immediately with benzine. The
disk and rollers should also be washed after use, as the ink will not be
good when hard and will become dirty.
=The Life of a Roller= is greatly increased by using machine-oil rather
than benzine for washing it. Benzine is too drying for the composition
of a roller (which is glue and molasses) and takes the elasticity out of
it, causing it to crack. Keep the rollers in a cool place in the summer
and not in too cold a place in the winter, for extremes in temperature
also affect the composition.
=Neatness= is absolutely necessary in printing, and to secure this you
must keep your hands clean so as not to finger-mark your prints. Care
must be taken in throwing off printed sheets to see that they do not
fall upon freshly printed ones if these are wet enough to mark them.
=Materials= should be put away in their proper places after use. Do not
throw type, leads, and furniture carelessly about, as they are likely to
be lost or broken by doing so. Cigar-boxes make handy receptacles for
pied type, until you have an opportunity to sort out and distribute it.
These are useful also for keeping leads, furniture, and rules in, and a
cabinet similar to that described in Chapter I (Fig. 15), or the
curio-cabinet described in Chapter IV (Fig. 59), should be made to hold
them.
The young printer should see to it that
=Proofs and Scraps of Paper= are thrown into a waste basket and not
scattered about, as they accumulate rapidly, and not only make a shop
look very untidy, but increase the danger of fire.
=Oily Rags= should be kept in a covered tin can, for they are liable to
ignite spontaneously when exposed to the air; and of course oils,
gasoline, and benzine should be handled away from fire and corked up
after use.
CHAPTER X
AMATEUR JOURNALISM
[Illustration: Boy Journalists.]
Amateur journalism is by no means a new pastime, but probably at no time
in its long history has it been thought as much of as at present.
It would be a difficult matter to even roughly estimate the number of
papers which have been issued in the amateur world. Mr. Edwin Hadley
Smith of New York City has the largest collection now in existence. This
at present consists of 22,600 amateur papers, 500 amateur books, 800
photographs of amateur journalists, 800 professional clippings, and
2,500 miscellaneous printed relics dating as far back as 1845. The
collection, which is the result of many years' work, is sorted and
catalogued, and will soon be placed in one of our large libraries, where
the public may inspect the work that has been turned out by amateurs for
the past half century.
[Illustration: A GROUP OF AMATEUR PAPERS.]
It is said Benjamin Franklin published an amateur paper in 1723, when a
lad of seventeen years; and in tracing the history of amateur journalism
down to the present time, a person would be surprised to find what a
large number of the most successful statesmen, writers, and scientific
men this country has had were amateur journalists in their younger
days.
There are at present in the neighborhood of two hundred amateur papers
published in the United States. A few of these papers, representative of
amateurs from all parts of the country, have been grouped together and
reproduced opposite page 142, and several others are shown in Figs. 162,
163, 164, 165, and 166. It is to be regretted that lack of space forbids
a larger display of these papers, many of which are quite unique and
reflect credit upon their publishers.
[Illustration: FIG. 162.--A School Paper. 32 pages. Size 2-1/4" ×
2-3/4".]
During the centennial at Philadelphia in 1876, the National Amateur
Press Association was formed for the purpose of spreading amateur
journalism and bringing amateurs into closer relations with one another.
The United Amateur Press Association was formed in 1897, and, while it
is a younger organization than the National Amateur Press Association,
has a large membership of amateurs.
Every boy aspirant to the field of journalism should join one of these
associations as soon as he has the proper credential--a copy of his own
paper, or an original article of his published in an amateur paper. By
becoming a member and getting acquainted with other amateurs through
exchange of papers, a boy is greatly benefited. He has a chance to see
what other amateurs are doing, finds out through the other papers what
the members think of his work, and learns through these friendly
criticisms wherein he can improve his publication. He also has a chance
to enter his writings for the prizes awarded annually by the
associations for the best poems, sketches, essays, histories, and
editorials.
A great number of the members of these two associations are interested
in smaller organizations, among which are the Interstate
Association--consisting of the members of the East--and the Western.
Again, a large number of amateurs have formed state organizations, and
in large cities, where there are enough members to do so, local clubs
have been formed. The city clubs hold frequent meetings, at which it is
customary for the members to take part in literary programmes. The state
and other organizations generally hold semi-annual meetings, and the
National Amateur Press Association and the United Amateur Press
Association meet annually in some city chosen the preceding year, and at
this convention elect their officers, make awards of prizes for the
year, and have a general good time.
The boy who is owner of a printing-press is almost certain to get the
publishing fever and commence the publishing of a small paper. If his
press is too small for such an undertaking, it will of course be
necessary for him to do such job printing as he can get to do until he
has earned sufficient money to buy a larger press and such materials as
he will need in publishing a paper.
But it is not always the boy who has had a taste of printing who becomes
interested in amateur journalism. There are few boys nowadays who pass
through their school life without devoting some of their time to this
interesting and instructive work. A paper started by one boy is
generally followed by several more, and in this way the number of
amateur papers sent out in a town very rapidly increases.
Nothing daunts the ambitious boy. If he has not a press, and there are
no prospects of him earning one for some time, he will not allow this to
interfere with his plans. It only means he must devise some other way of
printing. Many boys have already proven that a press is not an absolute
necessity, by issuing papers printed with rubber type, written by pen
and on typewriters, and printed by the mimeograph and such duplicating
machines. These are all more or less tiresome operations, but ways in
which the boy determined to publish a paper may start. A few examples of
papers printed by these methods are shown in Figs. 162, 163, and 164.
It might be interesting to know a little something about how these
papers were run. The one shown in Fig. 162 was lettered by hand, and
while only one copy of an issue was made, and that passed about in the
school at which the publishers attended, there was a good deal of work
required to get it up.
[Illustration: FIG. 163.--Another School Paper.]
The paper shown in Fig. 163 is also a school paper, published at the
Lake High School, Chicago. The copy for this was first written off on a
wax sheet by means of a typewriter, and this sheet placed on the
cylinder of a machine known as a "neostyle," the cylinder then being
revolved and the papers printed from the wax sheet.
[Illustration: FIG. 164.--Printed with Rubber Type.]
The paper shown in Fig. 164 was the writer's first attempt in the
publishing line, and was indeed a sorry specimen of typography. A box of
rubber type, a four line holder, and ink-pad constituted the printing
outfit. The paper was a twelve-paged two-column affair, requiring six
impressions of four lines each to the column. The column ruling was done
with a pen, and, after printing the copies, each had to be gone over
and retouched with pen and ink. It was a long and tedious job, and so
wearing upon the type that they were practically useless by the time
the second issue had been printed. But by this time the publishers
became owners of a press with which they were able to turn out more
satisfactory work.
The first thing for a boy to consider is
=The Character= of his paper--whether it shall contain news of the
athletic field, the school, or the neighborhood, entirely, or be devoted
to amateur journalism entirely, or be made up of a little of each.
The schoolroom presents so much of interest to those in and out of it,
that papers managed and edited by several pupils, with the articles
written by the different classes, are generally successful. Athletic
news is always interesting to boys, and to have at least a portion of
your paper given up to this subject might be a good plan.
[Illustration: FIG. 165.]
The paper shown in Fig. 165 is an example of a small paper, the size of
the sheet being three by four and one-half inches. It was published a
few years ago by six boys living in Lexington, Kentucky. The staff, the
oldest of whom was but ten years of age, consisted of the
editor-in-chief, who attended to the general management, editing, and
printing of the paper, and five other boys, known as the associate
editors, who gathered the news and did the hustling. This paper
contained mostly neighborhood news, and had a large local circulation.
The paper shown in Fig. 166 consists of twelve pages printed upon a
press with a form capacity four by six inches, and is given up entirely
to the publication of original stories and poems.
[Illustration: FIG. 166.]
Some boys who do not own presses have the printing done by
professionals, but simply to edit a paper gives them but half the
pleasure and experience derived from executing all the work
themselves,--editing, printing, binding, mailing, etc.
=In Naming= a paper be sure to select a suitable title for it, a name
with a meaning, such as will denote the character of the publication,
being desirable.
=The Frequency of Publication= will depend largely upon the size of
sheet, number of pages, the amount of time that can be devoted to the
work, and the facilities for printing. Whether weekly, monthly,
semi-monthly--twice a month, bi-monthly--once in two months, or
quarterly, try to place each issue in the hands of subscribers as
nearly on time as possible.
=The Size of Page= will depend largely upon your press. However, a small
sheet is most desirable for an amateur paper.
The first page should be headed with the name of the paper set up in
rather large type. You will find
=A Stereotyped Heading= cheaper to buy than a font of large type, and
easier to handle on account of its being in a solid block. Below the
heading should appear the volume number, date, and number of issue, on
one line, followed by the title of the article and body of type.
=The Choice of Type= may be made by examining the sheets shown opposite
page 142 and in Figs. 165 and 166, many of which are good specimens of
typography. These should also help you to formulate your ideas as to the
style of your paper.
The second page should be headed with the page number and name of
paper--or title of story--in small caps, this line to be separated from
the body of type by means of a pica brass rule.
Great care should be used in publishing a paper to have the proof
thoroughly corrected before the form is printed, for typographical
errors spoil the appearance of the paper and are always disgusting to
the reader. Also see to it that the marginal lines correspond on each
sheet, and try to get uniform impressions throughout the paper.
=A Cover= is desirable for a small paper, as it adds to its appearance
and size. If you have one, set it up in somewhat the same style as those
shown opposite page 142. The cover sheets should be cut a little larger
than the inside sheets, so they will cover the latter when they are
bound together.
With the printing of an issue completed, the sheets are ready for
=Binding=.--They may be fastened together by means of wire staples,
paste, or thread.
Figure 167 shows a scheme of stitching much employed in printing-offices
and which is simple for an amateur to do. The sheets are first folded
inside one another, as in the drawing. Then, starting at _A_ with a
needle and thread, run the needle through the sheets; carry the thread
underneath the sheets from _A_ to _B_, from _B_ to _C_ above, from _C_
to _A_ beneath, and up through the sheets at _A_. Then tie the two ends
of _D_ and _E_ in a hard knot, with the portion of the thread marked _F_
between them.
[Illustration: FIG. 167.]
The cover may be bound with the rest of the sheets, or pasted to them
after the sheets have been stitched.
Few amateurs bother with
=Advertisements=, probably because it is hard to find merchants who have
confidence in results from magazines with small circulations; but with
cheap rates you should be able to secure enough ads. to more than defray
the expenses of publishing a paper.
Before soliciting these, cut a sheet of paper the size of a page and
divide it into small spaces with a pencil and ruler, making what is
known as
=The Advertisers' Dummy=.--Show this to your prospective advertisers and
let them pick out the space they wish, charging so much per inch, the
rate varying according to the position the ad. will occupy.
With at least four regular issues a year, and not less than fifty per
cent of the circulation paid subscriptions, you will be able to enter
your paper in the post-office of your city as
=Second-class Matter=, which makes it possible for you to mail your
papers to out-of-town subscribers at the rate of one cent per pound.
To secure these privileges write to the third assistant
postmaster-general of your city for an entry blank, together with full
particulars concerning second-class matter. Return the application with
a copy of your paper; and when it has been passed upon, the postmaster
will issue you a certificate entitling you to these rates and
authorizing you to print upon your paper "Entered at the post-office at
(name of town) as second-class matter."
CHAPTER XI
A BOY'S DARK-ROOM
[Illustration: A Boy Photographing his Dog.]
There is no reason why an industrious boy cannot do a profitable
business with a camera, when he has learned to operate it successfully,
does careful and neat work, and charges a reasonable price for his
pictures. The many monthly photographic competitions in the magazines
should be a great help in showing where his faults lie, and when he has
overcome these he should be able to make considerable money from the
cash prizes offered.
An amateur should master as much of the work as possible. One of the
most interesting parts is missed if you pay a professional to develop
your plates, and you never know where your faults have been made in
taking the pictures, by not seeing the manner in which the image appears
on the negative during the development. Even though you spoil one or two
plates in your first attempts at developing, your results on the whole
will probably be as good as those obtained by a professional, who is
very often careless with amateurs' work.
No discussion of photography has been included in this book, as a
complete treatise would be too lengthy, and a condensed description
impractical. There are a number of excellent publications which
describe the subject in detail, making it so clear that a boy cannot
help but understand the principles with a little study. Few of these
books, however, dwell upon the equipment of the dark-room, and none give
a fellow any ideas for the making of his apparatus, generally an
important item to a boy.
=The Necessary Equipment= for a dark-room is not large, about all you
require besides your chemicals being a ruby lantern, printing frame,
three trays,--one for developing, another for fixing, and a third for
toning,--a two-inch camel's-hair brush for dusting plates, a
drying-rack, glass graduate, funnel, set of scales, bottles for
solutions, and a cabinet in which to keep your apparatus and supplies.
=A Dark-room= is not a necessity, although it is a great convenience,
especially if you are doing much work. With the shades pulled down, you
will find that your bedroom serves the purpose very well in the evening,
and many boys do their work in this way.
[Illustration: FIG. 168. A HANDY DARK-ROOM.]
[Illustration: FIG. 172. A WASHING BOX AND DRYING RACK.]
Figure 168 illustrates how developing is carried on in a bedroom of an
old-style house, where the wash-stands are set in recesses in the wall.
Here a shelf made up of several boards fastened together with battens is
set upon the marble slabs around the basin. In this shelf an opening
four by six inches is made as shown in Fig. 170, the edges of the
opening being rabbeted to receive a five-by-seven camera plate. This
arrangement is very complete, for the developing is performed on the
shelf, the fixing on the stand below, and the washing in the basin,
while light from the lantern is projected through the glass in the
shelf, making it light underneath.
This scheme can be used for any wash-stand, by nailing the shelf to two
pieces of board twelve inches long by the width of the shelf, these
pieces being set firmly upon the wash-stand.
Some boys use
=The Bath-room= for their dark-room, darkening the window and shutting
out any rays of light that may come through the key-hole and cracks
about the door. This works splendidly, there being running water at hand
and the tub in which to wash the negatives. The work-table is made out
of several boards battened together, and should be set across the edges
of the tub.
Figure 169 shows
=Another Scheme=--a dark-room fitted up in a closet, or by partitioning
off a corner of the attic or cellar. In the latter case the inside of
the partition should be covered with black paper or cloth to prevent
light from entering cracks in the boards. The room should be provided
with
=A Work-table= about three feet high. This should be built against the
wall and strongly braced, as shown in the sketch (Fig. 169). Fasten a
shelf to the wall about nine inches below the table, and under this make
a rack with three divisions in it for trays. The rack should be
fastened to the braces, as shown in the drawing.
=Running Water= is a great convenience in a dark-room, as it saves the
bother of having to carry water in pails, or transferring your plates to
a tub or wash-basin for the final bath after development.
If it is impossible to locate your dark-room where it will be supplied
with running water, the best scheme is
=A Water-tank= with hose attachment. This is shown in Fig. 169. To carry
it out, procure from your grocer a "half-barrel," such as is used for
the shipment of salt mackerel, etc., and, after thoroughly cleaning it,
bore a hole in the side about two inches from the bottom. Buy at a
drug-store several feet of rubber tubing, a rubber stopper with a hole
cut in the centre, two pinch-stops, a six-inch piece of glass tubing
bent at right angles, and a small glass funnel. Slip one end of the bent
piece of glass tubing into the rubber stopper, and stick the latter in
the hole made in the barrel. Then slip a short piece of the rubber
tubing over the glass tubing, and place one of the pinch-stops on it to
be used in regulating the supply of water from the tank (see Fig. 171).
Set the barrel on one end of the table, and run the rubber tubing
through a hole cut for it in the work-table.
[Illustration: FIG. 170.
FIG. 171.
FIG. 169.--A Well-equipped Dark-room.]
It is advisable to filter the water used from the barrel, that you may
be sure it is free from dirt, so an arrangement similar to that shown in
Fig. 171 should be fastened below the work-table. It consists of a glass
funnel set in a hole bored in a block of wood (see _A_ in Fig. 171),
which is suspended from the bottom of the work-table by means of a stick
(_B_), one end of which is nailed to block _A_ and the other end to the
work-table. Keep a piece of filter-paper in the funnel. The rubber
tubing should be cut just long enough to reach the funnel, and the
bottom of this filter should come within an inch or two of the sink,
which will be set in the shelf below.
You will find an iron drip-pan about as cheap
=A Sink= as can be had, considering that one twelve by seventeen inches
will cost you just fifty cents--twenty-five cents for the pan and an
equal amount to pay a tinsmith for soldering a three-eighths inch pipe
in a hole cut in the bottom for a drain. Either fasten the sink on the
shelf, boring a hole for the pipe to fit in, or set it in an opening cut
in the shelf, as shown in the drawing, supporting it by the rim around
its top. Slip a piece of rubber tubing over the lower end of the drain
pipe and to this attach the second pinch-stop as a regulator for
emptying the sink (see Fig. 169).
As the water supply would be insufficient to wash the plates thoroughly
after taking them from the hypo bath, it should be used for rinsing
only, and
=A Washing-box=, after the scheme of Fig. 172, made to hold the
negatives while washing them. This box will stand on the shelf beside
the sink until you are through developing. The rack is made up of strips
of wood fastened together with wire brads. Figure 173 clearly shows its
construction. Strips _A_, _B_, _C_, and _D_ should be placed three and
three-quarters inches apart for four-by-five plates, and kerfs should be
cut in their edges as shown. _A_ and _D_ are mounted upon short stilts,
and _B_ and _C_ are nailed to the uprights supporting the handle. The
plates rest upon strips nailed across the bottom pieces.
[Illustration: FIG. 173.--A Washing-rack.]
This tray was made to hold two dozen plates, but may be made smaller if
you wish.
The box should be just large enough for the tray to fit in. Fill all the
cracks and joints with white-lead and give the box several coats of
paint to make it perfectly water tight. Then make a hole in the side
near the bottom to let the water out, and procure a cork to fit it (Fig.
174).
[Illustration: FIG. 174.--The Washing-box.]
Before developing, cork up the washing-box, fill it with water, and set
it in one end of the sink where the plates can be set in it after being
taken from the fixing bath. When you are through developing, place the
box and plates in the wash-basin or the bath-tub; remove the cork from
the box and allow the water to run in at the top and out through the
hole near the bottom. When the negatives have been thoroughly washed,
the tray can be removed from the washing-box and used as
=A Drying-rack=.
Another scheme for a drying-rack easily made is shown in Fig. 175. For
the construction, two pieces of wood twelve inches long by four inches
wide will be needed (_A_ and _B_ in Fig. 175), also two blocks (_C_ and
_D_) four inches square. Mitre one edge of _A_ and _B_, and cut a
right-angled bird's-mouth in _C_ and _D_ to receive _A_ and _B_. With
the pieces prepared, fasten them together as in the illustration. Then
procure some corrugated straw-board, such as is used for packing
glass-ware, etc., cut two pieces four by twelve inches, and tack them to
_A_ and _B_ in such a way that the corrugations on one strip coincide
with those on the other. For a simple rack this cannot be surpassed.
[Illustration: FIG. 175.--A Negative-rack.]
For chemicals, supplies, and apparatus, make
=A Cabinet= similar to the one described for tools in Chapter I, or the
curio-cabinet in Chapter V. This makes it possible to keep everything in
order and in places where they can easily be reached. Such a cabinet is
shown on the wall in Fig. 169.
The best scheme for a dark-room
=Ruby-light= is shown in Fig. 169. This is practicable, however, only
when you build the dark-room itself and can cut a window in the
partition. It makes it possible to have your source of light outside of
the room, and does away with the heat caused by having a lamp within,
where you are working.
First, cut a ten-by-twelve-inch window opening in the partition on a
level with the top of the work-table. Then make a frame a little larger
than this opening and either set a piece of ruby or orange glass in it,
or paste a sheet of ruby or orange paper over it. Build a track above
and below the opening for the frame to slide in, doing the work neatly,
so there will be no possibility of light leaking through.
The light, which may be a candle or lamp, should stand upon a shelf
supported upon a bracket outside of the window. It is convenient to have
the window slide, as it enables you to open it and have white light to
work by when a ruby light is not necessary.
This window furnishes light for developing, which will be done upon the
table, but none for the shelf below, where the sink is located and where
the fixing tray should be kept (that there will be no danger of getting
hypo into the developer). In order to have light for this shelf, you had
better follow the scheme shown in Fig. 170. Cut an opening four by six
inches in the work-table directly in front of the window, and make a
half-inch rabbet around its upper edge to receive a five-by-seven camera
plate (see Fig. 170).
[Illustration: FIG. 176.--A Home-made Dark-room Lantern.]
If it is not possible to have outside light for the dark room,
=A Home-made Lantern=, such as is illustrated in Fig. 176, will be found
very satisfactory. It is made out of a wooden box about ten by ten by
twelve inches. Cut two openings six inches square in two sides of the
box and cover one with one sheet and the other with two sheets of orange
or red paper, spreading paste over the entire surface of the paper to
make it stretch tightly over the openings as it dries. The orange and
red wrappers of some makes of printing papers and developing powders can
be used for the covering of these openings.
For a chimney, procure a long slender baking-powder can, remove the
cover and bottom, and insert it in a hole cut for it in the top of the
box. Then an arrangement must be made, as shown in Fig. 176, to prevent
light from emitting from the top of the can. This consists of a
tomato-can placed over the baking-powder can, bottom side up, with its
edge fastened in kerfs cut in the ends of four wooden stilts (see
illustration). Drive the stilts firmly into holes bored for them in the
top of the box. The edge of the tomato-can should now be about an inch
and one-half above the box, and its bottom an inch or more above the
baking-powder can.
[Illustration: FIG. 177.]
Below the chimney attach a wooden stilt to the bottom of the lantern,
and tack a can cover to the top of it, as shown in the drawing. This
forms a cup holder for the candle, which not only catches the drippings,
but also makes the lantern fire-proof should the candle burn down to the
end before you notice it. Bore a number of holes in the bottom of the
box, and nail two strips to the under side, as shown.
The lamp is now completed with the exception of the door, which should
be made in three pieces, with the edges cut and bevelled as shown in
Figs. 176 and 177. Nail strips _A_ and _C_ to the back of the box, and
slip _B_ between them. A screw-eye near the bottom of _B_ will serve as
a lift in opening the lantern. As the edges of the strips are cut on a
slant and bevelled, a joint which cannot possibly leak light is obtained
when _B_ is slipped into place. All cracks in the box should be
carefully filled with white lead.
In offering this lamp to his boy readers, the writer knows they will
find it most satisfactory and a solution to the problem of making a
perfect dark-lantern. The air admitted through the holes in the bottom
of the box carries the heat and smoke straight into the chimney, and out
through the space between the tin cans, making it impossible for the
flame to ignite the wood.
If you use
=A Plate-lifter= you will find an old tooth-brush handle tapered at the
end by means of a file one of the best that can be had.
It is well to have some scheme for
=Classifying and Preserving Negatives=.--To keep them in their original
boxes is not a good idea, as there is always danger of scratching them
and no satisfactory way of keeping track of their description, date of
exposure, etc.
=Manila Envelopes=, with a printed form to be filled out, on the
outside, are invaluable holders, as they not only make it possible to
file away negatives in alphabetical order, but preserve them from dust,
scratches, etc.
[Illustration: FIG. 178.--A Negative-case.]
The four-by-five size can be bought for about twenty-five cents a
hundred from a dealer in photograph supplies; but you can get them much
cheaper by going to a paper house and asking for their four-by-five
coin-cut manila envelope, which sells in half-thousand lots at about one
dollar per thousand. If the quantity is more than you will need, you can
probably dispose of a portion of them to your boy friends. With a
printing-press or rubber type, the following form should be printed upon
the outside, with a rule or space to the right in which to place the
descriptions:--
NO.
DESCRIPTION
DATE
REMARKS
=A Wooden Case= to hold the envelopes is desirable, and such a one may
be made similar to Fig. 178. For four-by-five negatives the inside of
the box should measure twelve inches long, five and one-quarter inches
wide, and three inches deep. It will hold about six dozen negatives.
Very light wood, about three-eighths of an inch thick, should be used
for the construction of this case. Cut two pieces twelve and
three-quarters by three and three-eighths inches for the sides, two
pieces six by three and three-eighths for the ends, and one piece twelve
by five and one-quarter for the bottom. In cutting the side-and
end-pieces, mitre the edges of each so they will make neat corners. The
mitre-box should be used for this purpose. Nail the pieces together with
small finishing nails, after which fasten the bottom-piece between them,
driving the nails through the side-pieces into it. The cover is made of
a board twelve and three-quarters inches long by six inches wide, with a
rim made of four inch-and-one-quarter strips nailed around its edge, as
shown in the illustration. Two of the strips should be twelve and
three-quarters inches long, and the other two six inches long. Their
ends should be mitred and fitted together as the sides of the box were
done, and the top should be nailed to their top edges. This cover fits
over the plates, which project an inch above the sides. Hinge it to the
back of the box, and attach a hook to the front.
If you do not keep your plates in envelopes, the sides of the box should
be lined with corrugated straw-board to separate them. This may be
tacked or glued to the wood.
By rubbing down the outside with emery-paper, oiling, shellacking, or
varnishing the wood, a very pretty case will be obtained.
You will find it a simple matter to pick out a negative by having them
filed in the order of their exposure, and catalogued alphabetically in a
note-book.
CHAPTER XII
A WINTER ENTERPRISE
[Illustration: Boys with Snow Shovel and Broom.]
Boys who keep their eyes open for opportunities to make money are not
long in finding that the coming of snow means money in their pockets if
they are willing to do a little hustling.
A number of years ago a few boys undertook the job of keeping the walks
of their neighborhood free from snow, and constructed
=A Snow Plough= with which to do their work. The plough proved so
satisfactory that others were made, and before long every boy in the
neighborhood had enlisted in the company.
By several boys joining forces in this way, and making contracts with
property owners to keep their walks and steps free from snow, a good
deal of ground can be covered in a short space of time, and a neat sum
of money realized during the season. The work can be done before and
after school, and be so divided that while several are ploughing the
walks the others are cleaning the steps.
A plough such as is illustrated in Fig. 179 is made in two sections,
four feet long by two feet wide. After battening the boards together at
_A_ and _B_, as shown in the drawing, fasten the sections in place, with
two ends together and the other two ends two feet apart. Nail them
firmly together at the angle and brace them at the open end with strips,
as shown at _C_ and _D_ in the illustration.
[Illustration: FIG. 179.--A Snow Plough.]
The bottom edge of the plough should be covered with tin, to prevent it
from wearing or becoming broken. Bore a hole an inch in diameter in each
section at _E_, and fasten a broom-handle in them from which to attach
the rope tugs. This being done the plough is ready for use.
=A Scraper= is about the best appliance that can be had for cleaning
snow from the steps, especially when the snow has turned to slush. For
the making of one of these, prepare a seven-eighths inch board sixteen
inches long by four inches wide. Bevel the lower edge and nail a two
inch strip below the top, as at _A_ in Fig. 180. Bore a hole through
both thicknesses of wood at _B_ and fit a broom-handle in it, bracing
the handle with a piece of wire run from a small hole bored in the
handle at _C_ to the ends of the scraper.
[Illustration: FIG. 180.--A Scraper.]
Figure 181 shows a scheme for
=A Snow Shovel= that is easy to make, and one which will stand a good
deal of wear. For this, secure two barrel staves, cut them in two, and
plane up the curved edges until they are straight. Then taking three of
these pieces, lay them side by side and nail a two-by-two inch strip
across the top edges, as shown at _A_, to bind them together. The
bevelled ends of the staves should be placed at the lower end of the
shovel and bound in place by a strip of galvanized iron bent over the
edges and tacked to the staves (see _B_ in drawing). Another iron strip
should be nailed across the staves at _C_, to fasten them more securely
together. Clinch the nails upon the under side of the shovel and drive
their ends well into the wood. Procure a broom-stick for the handle and
place it in a bevelled slot cut at _D_ (Fig. 182), fastening down the
end with iron pipe-straps, as shown in Fig. 181.
[Illustration: FIG. 182.]
[Illustration: FIG. 181.--An Easily Made Snow Shovel.]
With the addition of brooms to the plough, scrapers, and shovels, your
outfit will be complete and ready for business.
[Illustration: Two Boys with Fishing Pole.]
Part II
Outdoor Pastimes
[Illustration: IN CAMP FOR THE SUMMER.]
CHAPTER XIII
A BACK-YARD CLUB-HOUSE
[Illustration: Boys in Discussion, Boys Work on the Club-house.]
For many years there stood in a city back-yard a shanty in which the
boys of the neighborhood gathered after school and during vacation, to
hold their club-meetings. Many a pleasant hour was spent within the
walls of this little building, and it had to be enlarged year after year
to hold the ever-increasing number of members.
If, during the week of school preceding the summer vacation, the boys
were seen making plans and talking seriously about something evidently
in connection with the house, it might well be imagined that the annual
alterations were about to begin. At the close of school the neighbors
were made aware of it by the appearance of half a dozen boys upon the
roof of the shanty, who, with hammers and hatchets in their hands, were
easily recognized as the wrecking crew.
Perhaps the roof was to be raised a foot or given a different pitch, a
window changed here or a door placed there, a side extended or a
partition built through the centre; but no matter whether the
alterations bettered the building or not, they gave the owners a chance
to use their ingenuity in working out their schemes, and practice in
carpenter work.
The boys' greatest difficulty was found in obtaining large enough
material with which to build. The woodshed was the lumber-yard, and as
this contained only a few old boards, several packing-cases, and
kindling-wood, a great deal of splicing was required and many pounds of
nails were necessary to fasten the many small pieces in place.
After remodelling the club-house one year, the members in way of a joke
placed a "For Rent" sign upon the door, and were greatly surprised to
receive the following mysterious letter:--
MISTER AGENT: i sea u hev a house Fur rent what u want
furit im a wider with 12 children six pigs 5 chickens a mule
three dogs 7 cats and ten ducks i hop the house is big enuff
it dont matter bout the children but i wont crowd the pigs.
i soppose will paint outside an in and put awnins at the frunt
winders i'd like terry cotty shades and a stun sidewalk iF
u'll put a piassie on and reduce the rent till after wurlds
Fair i'll take it what you want furit please let me know soon
iF u dont find me hum im like to be at mis whatnots if u
dont know the way to her house just ask mis jones next door
but one to me she'll tell u Good by.
MARY JANE JOHNSTONE.
The letter was answered immediately and sent to the general delivery but
was returned from the Dead Letter Office, and no trace of the large
family could be found.
[Illustration: The Back-yard Club-house.]
Knowing that many boys who would like to build themselves a club-house
have not the money in their treasury with which to buy new lumber, this
chapter will describe the manner in which a rough-and-ready house may be
built. It will not be attempted to show the correct methods of putting
up a framework, such as would be built if the right-sized lumber were
obtainable, but the simplest way in which boys can make use of the
material at hand.
=Draw the Plan= of the building upon a piece of paper, and before
commencing work figure out exactly what material will be required. If
you haven't enough lumber you will find it a great deal easier to alter
the plans at first than when the work is half completed. It is best
first to place in one pile all
=The Material= you can find; then, after drawing the plans, sort out the
boards according to their lengths. Use the short boards whenever
possible, so that the long pieces may be kept for places requiring long
boards. Several two-by-fours should be secured for the framework. If you
do not happen to have these, you can easily get what you want at some
alteration job or where some frame structure is being torn down. Short
two-by-fours may be spliced, or, more correctly speaking, "fished." This
is very often resorted to in building when studding of a sufficient
length cannot be procured. Figure 183 shows the method of
=Fishing Studs=.--Two fish-plates, _A_ and _B_, are nailed to the sides
of the studs, covering the joints, while the face _OD_ remains on a
level to receive the siding.
By building the club-house in a corner of the yard, against the fence,
house, or barn, it is necessary to build but two walls. Less material is
required, and a much firmer structure obtained by doing this.
[Illustration: FIG. 183.]
=Stake out= the length and width of the house upon the ground, and sink
a stone or a couple of bricks at the corner to support the corner post.
Then cut two two-by-fours the length of the greatest inside height of
the house. Set one upon the corner stone, bracing it temporarily with
boards run from it to the fence, and spike the other to the fence on a
line with the corner post (see _A_ and _B_ in Fig. 184). Cut the
end-plate _C_ the correct length and spike it to _A_ and _B_, after
which cut a two-by-four the length of the shortest inside height, and
spike it to the fence rails at _D_. Nail the boards _E_, _F_, _G_, _H_,
and _I_ to the places shown in Fig. 184.
=The Studs= should be placed from two to three feet apart, according to
the length of boards used for siding, and additional studding should be
set in where it is necessary. Fasten the ends of the studs to the boards
_E_, _F_, _G_, _H_, and _I_. Studding should be placed around the window
and door openings, as shown in the illustration.
[Illustration: FIG. 184.--Framework of Club-house.]
After completing the framework,
=Board up the Sides=, fitting the boards around openings and corners as
neatly as possible.
=The Roof= is a very important factor in a building of any kind, and
care should be taken to make it of water-proof material, for a leaky
roof will not only ruin the interior but make it damp and thus
unhealthy. Tar-paper will be found a good roofing material, inexpensive,
and easily put on. First cover the roof with boards placed about one
inch apart. Then cut the tar-paper into lengths equal to the width of
the roof. Commencing at the lower edge of the roof tack one strip in
place. Lap a second strip two inches over the first, a third two inches
over the second, and so on until the entire roof is covered. Figure 185
shows a tin cap and nail made especially for this kind of work. The cap
is punched to fit over the nail, and prevents water from running into
the hole made by the latter. It will be unnecessary to coat the paper
with tar, as there is sufficient in its preparation to keep it water
proof a long time--probably longer than the house itself will be allowed
to stand.
[Illustration: FIG. 185.]
=The Floor= should not be laid directly upon the ground, but be
supported upon four-inch sleepers set as shown in Fig. 186, with cinders
rammed in between them. The bed of cinders should not be more than three
inches thick, so there will be an inch of air space between them and the
floor. This will help to keep the floor free from dampness. Four-inch
boards stood on edge will do very well for the sleepers.
[Illustration: FIG. 186.--Construction of Floor.]
You can probably make a bargain with a carpenter for
=A Window-sash.=--They very often have a number taken from old
buildings, which they will gladly sell for a small sum. There are two
ways in which you can easily fasten the sash in place, either with
hinges so it will swing in, as shown in Figs. 187 and 188, or in tracks,
to slide as described for the dark-room window in Chapter XI and
illustrated in Fig. 169. If the window is made in the front of the
building, as shown in the sketch of the finished club-house, the sash
will necessarily have to be hinged, as there would not be room for it to
slide sideways. We will therefore hinge it to swing in as shown in Figs.
187 and 188. The studding which was placed around the window opening
when you erected the framework of the house forms a frame for the sash
to set in. The window-sill is made out of a seven-eighths-inch board cut
the width of the opening, and should be nailed to the bottom piece of
the frame so it pitches slightly outwards and its edges project a little
beyond the wall inside and out (see Fig. 188). The pitch of the sill can
be obtained by blocking the inner edge with a very thin strip of wood,
as shown in the section drawing. The sash should fit the frame with but
enough space around it to allow it to open freely. Place the sash in the
opening with its inside surface on a line with the inside face of the
two-by-four frame, as shown in Fig. 188, and nail a seven-eighths-inch
window-stop around the frame outside of the sash to keep the rain and
wind from entering.
[Illustration: FIG. 188.--Section through Window.]
[Illustration: FIG. 187.--Inside of Window.]
By hinging the sash to the top of the frame as shown in the
illustration, it can be swung up out of the way when opened. A
spring-catch should be screwed to the bottom rail of the sash with the
latch-pocket counter sunk in the window-sill, and from the knob of the
catch a cord should be attached and run through a screw-eye placed in
the wall near the ceiling. The sash can now be opened by pulling the
cord, and may be held open by looping the end of the cord over a nail.
Wooden buttons should be screwed to the inside edge of the jambs for
additional locks (see Fig. 187).
A sill should be set in the bottom of the door frame, and a
seven-eighths inch stop nailed to the top and to the jambs in the same
way as you finished the window opening.
[Illustration: FIG. 189.--A Batten Door.]
=Make a Batten Door=, fastening the boards together on the inside with
battens as shown in Fig. 189, with the nails driven through from the
outside face and clinched upon the battens. Hinge the door to the inside
face of the jamb with strap-hinges, and either buy an iron latch for it
or make the old-fashioned
=Wooden Latch= described and illustrated in the following chapter.
With the carpenter work of the house completed,
=Calk up the Cracks=, of which there will doubtless be a great number,
unless matched boards have been used for the walls. This may be done by
rolling pieces of newspapers into wads and wedging them into the cracks
with a pointed stick. Several thicknesses of wrapping-paper tacked over
the inside walls will help to prevent the wind from entering, and will
also make a good foundation for wall-paper should it be placed upon the
walls.
Earth should be banked up around the outside of the house to keep away
the water. Vines trained over the outside will help to hide the
roughness of the boards.
The club-house interior may be fitted up with furniture such as is
described in Chapter IV, "Suggestions for a Boy's Room."
CHAPTER XIV
HOW TO BUILD A LOG-CABIN
[Illustration: Boy Cleaning Dishes and Boy Cooking outside the Cabin.]
The log-cabin marks what might be called the beginning of American
architecture, for it was the first form of building built by white men
upon American soil. The introduction of saw-mills was very slow, and
lumber so scarce that cabins were the best shelter the colonists could
build to withstand the cold winters and the merciless attacks of
Indians. With the building of saw-mills, the cabin gradually gave way to
the frame building, which could be more quickly built, and which was, of
course, a more comfortable lodging. But this change first took place up
and down the large rivers, where the mills were located, and did not
extend into the interior until some time later, owing to the difficulty
of hauling lumber to great distances from the mills.
To-day the log-cabin is still to be found in the timber regions and
among the mountains, but mostly for temporary residences, such as summer
homes, camps, and play-houses.
[Illustration: FIG. 190.--Plan for a Boy's Cabin.]
You boys who spend the summer in the woods should not miss the
opportunity of building yourselves a small cabin. Several boys can join
forces, and in this way make the work easier and quicker to perform.
=Select a Site= on high ground, as near to your source of timber as
possible, and then decide upon
=The Design and Size to build it=, which will be determined largely by
the size and amount of timber you can procure. A plan for a cabin simple
in construction is shown in Fig. 190, and while the details have been
carefully worked out in this chapter for a cabin of this size, you will
find it a simple matter to make such alterations as you wish. For the
building of more pretentious cabins, the writer would refer his readers
to "Log Cabins and Cottages" as the most practical book published upon
this subject. In this volume its author, Mr. William S. Wicks, has not
only written upon the construction and treatment of cabins, but also
brought together a number of sketches showing a great variety of clever
designs that have been built in different sections of the country. In
carrying out the details of construction for the cabin described in this
chapter, the writer has made use of a number of ideas from this book,
through the courtesy of Mr. Wicks and his publishers.
Of course the most of
=The Material= for the cabin will be secured near at hand, but for a
good roof, and the finishing of the door and window openings, a few
boards should be taken along, together with several pounds of nails.
[Illustration: A BOYS' LOG CABIN.]
While it is customary to lay up the walls of a cabin and then cut the
door and window openings, you will find it a very much simpler matter to
leave the spaces for them when laying up the logs, as it greatly
decreases the number of long logs required to build the cabin. As the
inside dimensions of the cabin shown in the plan of Fig. 190 are ten by
twelve feet, the full-length logs--that is, those above and below the
window and door openings--should be thirteen feet long for the ends of
the cabin and fifteen feet for the front and rear walls.
=To start the Cabin=, stake out its length and breadth upon the ground,
clear the space of all trees and brush, and make the ground as nearly
level as possible. You will find it unnecessary to have a foundation for
a cabin of this size, as it will not settle to amount to anything.
[Illustration: FIG. 191.--The Lock-joint.]
Probably the most simple way of joining the logs together is what is
known as
=The Lock-joint.=--As shown in Fig. 191, a notch is cut in the logs
twelve inches from each end, so the surfaces of the logs will be brought
together when the ends are fitted over one another, as shown in the
drawing.
Select two fifteen-foot logs for
=The Sills=, and set them an inch or so into the ground, parallel to
each other and ten feet apart. Then after cutting the notches in two
thirteen-foot logs, fit them over the sills twelve inches from the ends.
The opening for the fire-place must be left in one end of the cabin, so
mark out upon the end log the width of this opening, which should be
five feet, and cut out this section of it. Then cut two boards three
feet long, the height of the fire-place opening, and nail them to the
ends of the log just cut. These boards form the jambs of the opening.
Locate a three-foot door opening in the centre of the front sill-log,
and saw along these lines to within two inches of the ground, cutting
out the piece between. The remaining two-inch piece will form the
door-sill. Two pieces of board six feet six inches long, the height of
the door opening, should now be cut for the door-jambs and nailed to the
ends of the sill-log in the door opening.
After testing the jambs with a plumb, such as is shown in Fig. 14,
Chapter I, to see that they are perpendicular, continue laying the side
and end logs alternately. Fit the logs between the jambs and nail the
latter to their ends, being careful not to get them out of plumb in
doing so. Above the fire-place the logs will, of course, be of full
length, and at a height of four feet four inches the windows will start.
Locate the window openings twenty-six inches wide upon the logs laid at
this height, the one opposite the fire-place in the centre of the wall,
and the others twelve inches from the corners. Cut the jambs twenty-six
inches long, and, after setting them in place, continue laying up the
logs, fitting the shorter lengths between the jambs as before.
[Illustration: FIG. 192.--Interior of Cabin.]
When the desired height of the walls has been reached, which need not be
more than seven feet, you will be ready
=To construct the Roof.=--There are several ways of doing this, but as
simple as any is that shown in Fig. 192, and in the illustration of the
finished cabin. In laying this form of roof the end logs are placed one
above the other, but each tier of front and rear logs is set in a little
farther than the preceding pair, until they finally meet at the peak of
the roof. The roofs of cabins are generally thatched or covered with
bark, shingles, or boards. The thatched roof is the most artistic, and
will last from ten to fifteen years when properly made; but unless the
straw is put on very thickly and closely woven, it is likely to leak. If
you use shingles and expose each four and one-half inches to the
weather, you will require about seven quarter-thousand bunches for a
roof of this size.
Boards will make the most simple and inexpensive covering. They should
be put on as shown in the drawing of the completed cabin, and in Fig.
192. A layer of boards is first nailed across the roof-supports four
inches apart, and other boards then lapped over these spaces and nailed
in place. The roof boards should project a few inches over the side
walls and gable-ends of the cabin. When all of the boards have been put
in place, it will be necessary to finish off the ridge with
=Ridge Boards=, to prevent water from leaking through the roof at that
point. As shown in Fig. 192, these consist of two boards nailed along
the ridge, and the edge of one nailed to the edge of the other.
It is not advisable to build
=A Log Chimney and Fire-place= with the intention of using it, for
unless the work is very carefully done and kept in repair, there is
always danger of setting fire to the cabin. But, nevertheless, it should
be built, as it belongs to a cabin and adds greatly to its picturesque
appearance.
With large logs build up the chimney to a height of five feet, or two
feet above the fire-place opening, in the same manner as you did the
cabin walls, fitting the ends against the logs of the main structure.
When this has been done sink a number of stones in front of the
fire-place for a hearth, as shown in Figs. 190 and 192, and also line
the bottom of the fire-place with them. Then mix up some clay and line
the back, sides, and jambs of the fire-place with it from ten to twelve
inches thick, packing the clay until it becomes solid. The upper part of
the chimney should be made of smaller logs and sticks, and the inside of
the flue lined with clay as the work proceeds. The exterior of the
chimney will be seen in the illustration of the finished cabin.
When the construction of the cabin has been completed,
=Calk all the Spaces= between the logs with clay and moss, to keep out
the weather, using a pointed stick for this operation; and grade the
ground up to a point just below the line of the door-sill all around the
cabin, so that no surface-water will run within.
The finishing of the interior of the cabin now remains to be done. By
omitting a wooden floor the cost of material will be reduced
considerably, and there is really nothing objectionable to
=A Mud Floor= if it has been properly prepared. The earth should be
thoroughly dried out and packed down until hard and compact, and
slightly banked up around the walls.
The sills and heads of
=The Window Openings= and the head of the door opening should be cased
with boards the width of the jambs. If you can secure sash for the
windows, hinge them to the inside edges of the jambs as shown in Fig.
190, and nail a seven-eighths-inch window-stop around the jambs outside
of them, to prevent the wind and rain from getting in around the sash
(see Fig. 193). If sash cannot be obtained, wooden shutters made to fit
the opening will do very well, as they can be used at night and whenever
you wish to close up the cabin, and when you are within the cabin in the
summer you will want the windows open.
[Illustration: FIG. 193.]
After cutting boards of the proper length for
=The Cabin Door=, fasten them together with battens placed at the top,
bottom, and centre (see Fig. 194). Then hinge the door to the inside of
the jamb with either iron strap-hinges or
=Wooden Hinges= such as are shown in Fig. 194. To make a set of wooden
hinges, first cut three blocks of wood four or five inches long and nail
them to the cabin wall on a line with the three door battens (see _A_,
_B_, and _C_ in Fig. 194). Then prepare three pieces of wood eighteen
inches long and two inches wide, and bore a small hole through one end
of each, as shown at _D_ in Fig. 195. When these have been made, nail
them to the door above the battens so that when the door is put in place
their ends will rest on blocks _A_, _B_, and _C_. Locate the holes in
the eighteen-inch strips upon _A_, _B_, and _C_, and bore holes through
the blocks at these points, after which set the door in place and fasten
the arms of the hinges to the blocks, either with bolts, as shown in
Fig. 194, or with hardwood pegs cut to fit the holes.
[Illustration: FIG. 194.--The Cabin Door.]
[Illustration: FIGS. 195-199.--Details of Cabin Door.]
You will find the old-fashioned
=Wooden Latch= and latch-string a very good and serviceable fastening
for a cabin door, the details for the making of which are shown in Figs.
194, 196, 197, 198, and 199. It consists of three pieces of wood,--a
strip two feet long and two inches wide for the latch, with the ends
rounded and a hole bored through it at _E_ and another at _F_, as shown
in Fig. 196; a guard cut similar to Fig. 197, with a slot in it about
three and one-half inches long and one inch deep; and a catch similar to
Fig. 198, with its upper edge rounded so the latch will easily slide
into the slot. With the pieces thus prepared you will find it an easy
matter to fasten them in the places shown in Fig. 194. The catch is set
into the jamb of the door as shown in Fig. 198, the latch is screwed to
the door at _E_, and the guard is fastened over the latch in the
position shown in Fig. 194.
=The Latch-string= is fastened to the latch at _F_, and run through a
hole bored in the door above the top batten. To the outside end of the
latch-string attach a weight of some kind to keep it from pulling
through the hole (see Fig. 199). To lock the door from the inside, you
will find a wooden button screwed to the door at _G_ (Fig. 194) very
good, as it prevents the latch from being lifted, when turned against it
as shown in the illustration. As in the case of the windows, a
seven-eighths-inch stop should be nailed to the door head and jambs
outside of the door, for the door to swing against, and to keep out the
rain and wind (see Fig. 193).
You will have need of but few pieces of furniture within the cabin, and
those can be made very simple, out of material at hand.
=A Mantel-shelf= out of a board five feet long should be fastened above
the fire-place by means of three triangular brackets, and it is a good
idea to make your
=Provision Cupboard= to sit upon this, as shown in the drawing of the
cabin interior (Fig. 192). Use a couple of the boxes in which you bring
your camping outfit for this. Set them side by side, as in the
illustration, place a shelf or two within them, and, after battening the
cover boards together, attach them to the ends of the boxes with hinges
cut out of leather.
On each side of the fire-place a comfortable
=Rustic Seat= should be built in as shown in Figs. 190 and 192. The
drawings clearly show the construction of this. The two legs are driven
well into the ground, and a crosspiece is nailed to their tops to
support the sticks forming the seat. Make the top of the seat about
eighteen inches above the ground.
While a very comfortable bed may be made upon the ground out of pine
boughs, it is well to have at least
=Two Bunks= for guests, who are almost certain to pay you a visit to see
what kind of a time you are having, and perhaps test your cooking. These
bunks may be double-decked and placed in the corner where they will be
pretty well out of the way (see Figs. 190 and 192). Two six-foot poles
should be driven into the ground about thirty inches from the wall, and
two cross poles notched and fitted on to them as shown in Fig. 192, one
six inches above the ground and the other three feet above that. Cut a
number of sound sticks about three feet long and drive one end of each
between the logs of the wall and fasten the other end to the crosspiece
opposite. These sticks should be placed about three inches apart. In
putting up this framework make everything very strong and solid, to
prevent any mishaps to the occupants. The bunks should now be covered
with pine boughs, cut into small pieces and spread over the sticks
evenly and to a depth of two inches. When these have been properly
placed, spread a doubled quilt or blanket over them, and the bunks will
be completed.
[Illustration: TWO SIMPLE CABINS.]
As we decided not to use our fire-place for fires, owing to the danger
of setting fire to the cabin through some defects in the workmanship, or
the cracking of the clay lining, build your camp fire-place outside of
the cabin. You will find it more enjoyable to also eat in the open when
the weather permits, so build
=A Camp-table= between the trees for this purpose. It may be made out of
two eight-inch boards fastened together on the under side with battens,
and supported at one end on a cleat nailed across the trunk of a tree
and at the other on two poles driven into the ground. The height of this
table will be determined by the height of the boxes, stools, or whatever
you use for seats. It is a simple matter to make a long rustic seat on
each side of the table, and if this is done make them eighteen inches
high and the table twelve inches higher.
Those of you who have camped have probably had enough experience to know
what utensils and provisions are required, but
=A Few Pointers= may be profitable to the boy who has never been
initiated into camp life.
=Utensils= of the commonest kind should be taken along. An old
frying-pan, a coffee-pot, two water pails, a tin pan and wash-basin, tin
plates and drinking cups, some old spoons, knives, and forks, a
can-opener, and a jack-knife are about all you will be in need of. Among
=Other Necessities= are blankets, towels, dish-cloths, rags, soap, rope,
and string, matches, a lantern, and an axe, a saw, and nails.
=For Provisions=, take as much canned food as possible, as it requires
but little preparation, is easily carried, and not likely to spoil.
Bacon and eggs are, of course, to be included in your list, as they
belong to a camper's bill o' fare, are very satisfying to a fellow's
appetite when he has returned to camp hungry after a day's tramp through
the woods, and a boy will have but little trouble in cooking them. Be
sure you know how to prepare whatever food you take along to cook,
before starting for camp, and don't experiment upon dishes you have
never attempted, or you will probably make a mess of your materials, as
is generally the case, the result of which will not be fit to eat.
Should there be fishing near the site of your camp, learn the proper
preparation of fish for your table.
CHAPTER XV
HOW TO BUILD A CANVAS CANOE
[Illustration: Boys Canoeing.]
Canoeing is a most delightful outdoor sport, and one of the healthiest
in which a boy can indulge during his vacation days. Its popularity can
plainly be seen by visiting any lake or stream, and noting what a large
percentage of the small craft dotting its surface are canoes of various
shapes and sizes, paddled by boys of all ages.
For speed and the ease with which it can be carried about, the
birch-bark canoe has no equal, but very few boys own them, as they are
expensive, and their construction is more difficult than those of other
material which will satisfy a boy fully as well.
The canvas canoe is more widely used at the present time than any other
form, which is no doubt due to the fact that it is very simple to make
and keep in repair, and the cost of its material is small.
In building a canvas canoe there are two important things to
consider,--its weight and strength. These depend upon the material used.
The framework must be made stiff enough to hold its shape, as the canvas
adds but little to its strength, and at the same time the wood should be
as light as possible. There are a great variety of
=Materials= from which to choose for building the framework, among which
basswood, ash, spruce, and pine may be classed. The canoe described and
illustrated in this chapter may have its ribs, ribbands, and gunwales
made out of lattice-strips and barrel-hoops, which will save the cost of
having them cut to the right size at a mill. Pine or fir lattice-strips
of good sound stuff are generally easy to obtain in all locations.
SIZES OF STRIPS AND PIECES REQUIRED
1 piece of 2-inch by 8-inch plank 6 feet long for bow and stern pieces.
15 2-inch by 3/8-inch lattice strips 12 feet long for ribbands,
gunwales, keel, and bilge-keels.
20 barrel-hoops for ribs and deck braces.
1 strip 8 feet long, 2 inches wide, and 1 inch thick for keelson.
2 strips 4 feet long, 2 inches wide, and 5/8-inch thick for deck ridge
pieces.
2 strips 8 feet long, 4 inches wide, and 1/4-inch thick for cockpit
frame and coaming.
Several 6-inch and 8-inch boards from which to cut deck beams, patterns,
etc.
Copper nails and brass screws should be purchased for fastening the
framework together, and copper tacks for putting on the canvas. Iron
nails will rust and break off, and therefore should not be used in any
part of the canoe's construction. Use nails only where their ends can be
clinched, and screws in all cases where this cannot be done. For
covering the framework, three and one-half yards of canvas forty inches
wide will be required for the lower portion, and the same amount thirty
inches wide will be required for the deck. Boiled linseed-oil should be
purchased for filling the canvas and the best grade of mixed paint for
painting it. A drab, or cream color and white trimmings, are both
suitable for a canoe. If the latter is used, buy white paint, and, after
pouring out enough to cover the finishing strips, mix the rest with
enough yellow ochre to make a pretty shade of cream.
Below will be found a bill of the material required to build a canoe
such as this chapter describes, and although the prices of canvas and a
few of the fittings are likely to fluctuate somewhat, the price of the
canoe should not exceed this amount, and there are locations where it
may be less.
BILL OF MATERIAL
3-1/2 yards No. 10 Duck, 30 inches wide, 27 cents $0.95
3-1/2 yards No. 10 Duck, 40 inches wide, 36 cents 1.26
1-1/2 pounds 1-inch Copper Nails,30 cents .45
2 pounds 3/8-inch Copper Tacks, 35 cents .70
2 dozen 3/4-inch Brass Screws (Flat Heads), 7 cents .14
6 dozen 5/8-inch Brass Screws (Flat Heads), 6 cents .36
3 dozen 5/8-inch Brass Screws (Round Heads), 6 cents .18
1/2 gallon Boiled Linseed-oil .25
1/2 gallon Best Quality Mixed Paint .75
15 Lattice-strips, 12 feet long .90
1 Piece of 2-inch by 8-inch Plank 6 feet long .20
Miscellaneous Strips and Pieces (see page 202) .50
----
Total cost $6.64
[Illustration: FIG. 200.--Bow and Stern Pieces.]
[Illustration: FIG. 201.]
Having procured the necessary material for the canoe, the first things
to make are
=The Bow and Stern Pieces= (see Fig. 200).--The proper way of laying
these out on the eight-inch plank is shown in Fig. 201. First cut the
plank in half, and then place these two pieces side by side upon the
floor or work-bench as shown in the drawing one piece upon which to draw
the pattern, and the other upon which to locate the centre for drawing
the curves. Then square the line _AB_ across the planks, and locate the
points _D_ and _E_ on either side of it, by means of the measurements
given upon the drawing. The most satisfactory scheme for
=Drawing the Curves= is with a piece of cord, to one end of which a
pencil has been tied (see Fig. 201). With this as your compass, hold the
end of the cord at _D_ for a centre, and with a radius of ten and
one-quarter inches strike an arc cutting the line _AB_ as at _C_. _C_ is
now the required centre for drawing the curves. Drive a small nail into
the plank at _C_, and wind the end of the compass cord around it until
the correct length of radius is obtained (see drawing). Describe the arc
_DE_ with a radius equal to _CD_, or ten and one-quarter inches.
Then with a ruler lay off along the line _AB_ the distances for the
other arcs, as shown in the drawing. _FG_ will be two inches from _DE_,
_HI_ an inch and one-half from _FG_, and _JK_ an inch and one-quarter
from _HI_. Having located these points and described the arcs, draw the
lines _CD_ and _CE_, extending them so as to cut off the arcs, as in the
drawing. At the upper end of the pattern draw the line _LM_ one inch
from and parallel to _FD_. With a radius of an inch and three-quarters
and the centre _N_ describe an arc as shown in the drawing. At the lower
end of the pattern draw the line _OP_ two inches from and parallel to
_GK_, and the line _QR_ one inch from and parallel to _PK_. Having
carefully drawn out this pattern, turn over the plank and draw the same
thing upon it, locating the points exactly opposite one another, by
squaring lines across the sides and edge. Prepare the other piece of
plank similarly. To cut out the patterns, place them in the vise of your
work-bench, one at a time, and rabbet the surfaces between _DE_ and
_FG_, and _FG_ and _HI_, as shown in the section drawing, Fig. 202. This
done reverse the piece and do the same to that side. When these surfaces
have been trued up carefully, remove the piece from the vise and saw the
pattern from it. In doing this, first saw along the lines _DJ_ and _EK_,
and cut out the corners _FLMD_ and _PQRK_. Then follow roughly the
curves of lines _DE_ and _JP_, after which place the work in the vise
and trim them off nicely with a draw-knife, rounding the outer curve as
shown in Fig. 202. The portion _OQRG_ should be cut down to a plain
surface as shown in Fig. 200.
[Illustration: FIG. 202.--Section through Bow and Stern Pieces.]
With the bow and stern pieces completed, the most difficult part of your
work has been accomplished.
Now pick out the eight-foot strip procured for
=The Keelson=.--Square off the ends so that it is exactly eight feet
long, and then, commencing six inches from one end, lay off mortises for
the ribs (see Fig. 203). These mortises should be cut half an inch deep
and the width of the barrel-hoops, and their centres should be spaced
twelve inches apart.
[Illustration: FIG. 203.--The Keelson.]
In order to give the correct shape to the canoe in putting the framework
together, it will be necessary to make
=A Mould= similar to Fig. 204. Fasten together two boards about two feet
long with battens, as shown in the drawing, and with a piece of cord to
which a pencil has been attached describe a semicircle upon it, using a
radius of eleven and one-half inches. Saw out the mould carefully, and
in the centre of the bottom cut a mortise two inches by one-half for the
keelson to fit in.
[Illustration: FIG. 204.--The Mould.]
Everything should now be in readiness
=To put the Framework together=.--In order to give the keelson the
proper slope of one inch between its centre and ends, nail two blocks of
wood one inch thick to the work-bench eight feet apart, and rest the
ends of the keelson upon them. Then fasten the ends of the keelson in
the mortises cut in the bottom of the bow and stern pieces. Set the
mould which you have prepared over the exact centre of the keelson, and
fasten it in place temporarily. When this has been done take two
lattice-strips for
=The Gunwales=, and after locating the exact centre of each, screw them
at this point to the ends of the mould just below the top. Drive these
screws but part way in, as the mould is to be removed later on.
Commencing at the bow end of the canoe, draw the end of one gunwale to
the bow piece, and, after marking it the correct length cut it off so it
will fit nicely in the rabbet cut in the side of the bow piece. Then
screw the other end to the stern piece, after which attach the gunwale
on the opposite side in the same way (see Figs. 200, 205, and 206).
Now take the barrel-hoops which are to be used for ribs, and fasten them
in the mortises cut for them in the keelson, bending their ends until
they come inside of the gunwales. Then fasten them to the gunwales and
trim their ends so as to be even with the top of the canoe (see Figs.
205 and 206).
[Illustration: FIG. 205.--Top View of Canoe, showing Gunwales, Ribs, and
Ribbands in place.]
[Illustration: FIG. 206.--Side View of Canoe, showing Framework
completed.]
[Illustration: FIG. 207.--Top View of Canoe, showing Framework
completed.]
After fastening the ribs in place,
=The Ribbands= should be put on. Pick out eight of the soundest
lattice-strips you have, and fasten these at their centre to the sides
of the mould, placing four on each side of the keelson and spacing them
at equal distances. As the mould is only temporary, do not fasten the
ribbands to it securely, but drive in the nails part way.
Then, beginning at the bow, draw the ends of the ribbands to the bow
piece one at a time, and cut them off so they will fit neatly into the
rabbet. Screw them in place, being careful to space them as equally as
possible, after which attach the stern ends in the same way. Figure 205
shows the top view of the canoe at this stage of its construction.
[Illustration: FIGS. 208-211.--Details of Deck Beam and Ridge.]
=The Deck Beams= should now be made and put in place, one each side of
the cockpit, or fourteen inches from the centre of the canoe (see Fig.
207). At this point measure the exact distance between the gunwales, and
lay it off upon a four-inch board (see Fig. 208). The top of this piece
should be curved as shown in the drawing, and a mortise two inches wide
by five-eighths of an inch deep should be cut in the edge for the deck
ridge pieces to fit in. As a means of preventing the gunwales from
spreading, it is best to dovetail the ends of the deck beams into them
(see Fig. 207). Cut a tongue half an inch long and half an inch thick on
each end of the beams, as shown in Fig. 209, undercutting it slightly,
as in the drawing, to make it wedge-shaped. Then, having prepared the
ends, place the beams in the positions they will occupy in the
framework, and mark upon the top of the gunwales the shape of the
tongues. Mortise the gunwales at these points (Fig. 210), so the tongues
can be slipped into them and fastened in place. By examining the corners
of a drawer you will see clearly how the dovetail joint is made.
=The Ridge Pieces= are strips running from the deck beams to the bow and
stern pieces (see Figs. 206 and 207). For this canoe, they should be
made out of a strip two inches wide by five-eighths of an inch thick.
Cut them of correct length to reach from the mortises in the tops of the
deck beams to the mortises cut in the tops of the bow and stern pieces.
Mortises two inches wide and a quarter inch deep should be cut along the
top of these ridges, as shown in Fig. 211, to receive the deck braces.
Securely screw the ridges in place. Then cut twelve pieces of
barrel-hoops for
=The Deck Braces=, and fit them in the mortises made in the ridge
pieces. Screw these in place and bend their ends until they can be
fastened to the inside face of the gunwales. The curve of these braces
should be the same as that of the deck beams, so it will be possible to
put on the deck canvas neatly (see Figs. 206 and 207).
The space between the deck beams is left for
=The Cockpit=, the frame for which we are now ready to prepare. First
remove the mould, being careful that the framework does not spread in
doing so. Then cut two two-inch strips to fit between the deck beams,
and fasten one on each side of the cockpit two inches from the gunwale
(see Fig. 207). When this has been done take the strip eight feet long,
four inches wide, and one-quarter inch thick, procured for the cockpit
frame, and bend it around the opening, fastening it to the sides of the
deck beams and the side strips. The top edge of the frame should now be
shaved off with a draw-knife, so that it will be on a line with the deck
braces at every point (see Fig. 206). This is necessary in order to make
the curve of the deck around the cockpit the same as elsewhere.
The framework of the canoe is now completed, and should be painted and
left to dry before you go on with the rest of the work.
It is no easy matter to stretch
=The Canvas Covering= over the framework without having it wrinkle, but
with the help of a boy friend it can be stretched fairly even, and with
care and patience may be made to look neat.
Turn the framework bottom side up and, after finding the centre of the
forty-inch strip of canvas, lay it along the keelson from bow to stern.
Smooth it over the surface with your hands, and start a few tacks along
the keelson to hold it in place. As a means of keeping the canvas
stretched over the bottom of the framework while working upon it, attach
several weights to the edges; then, with your helper on the side
opposite you, commence at the middle rib and stretch the canvas down
that rib to the gunwales, starting a couple of tacks in the gunwales to
hold it in place. Then work along each rib from the centre of the
framework toward the bow, and then from the centre toward the stern,
stretching the canvas as tightly as possible, and driving tacks along
the gunwales not farther than one inch apart. You will find that the
only way to get the canvas on smoothly is by removing the tacks wherever
any wrinkles appear and, after restretching it, replacing the tacks. As
the tacks will probably have to be removed a number of times during the
operation, it is advisable to drive them in but a little way at first.
It is most difficult to make a neat job at the bow and stern, and a few
wrinkles will probably remain, no matter how much pains are taken in
fitting the canvas, on account of the narrowing of the canoe at these
points. Fill the outer mortise made in the bow and stern pieces with
paint, and, after folding the edges of the canvas, tack it in these
mortises. Place the tacks as close as their heads will permit, which,
together with the paint, will make a joint that water cannot penetrate.
Now examine the canoe carefully, and, if you have smoothed out the
wrinkles as much as possible, drive home the tacks and trim the canvas
close to the gunwales.
=The Deck= is much easier to cover. Spread the piece of thirty-inch
canvas over it from bow to stern, with the centre of the canvas running
along the centre of the deck, and place a tack in it at the bow and
another at the stern. Stretch the canvas in the same manner as when
covering the bottom of the framework, and lap it over the gunwales,
tacking it along the outer edge. Cut through the canvas at the cockpit,
and trim it off so there will be just enough to lap around the cockpit
frame. Trim the canvas along the gunwales so that it does not project
more than an inch.
After the deck has been covered, the canoe is ready for
=Painting=.--A coat of linseed-oil should first be applied to the
canvas, to fill the pores and make a good foundation for the paint. Then
allow the canvas to dry thoroughly, after which give it a coat of
paint,--cream, or whatever color you have selected. When this has dried,
rub it down with pumice-stone or fine emery-paper, and apply a second
coat.
All that now remains to complete the canoe is the attachment of the
cockpit coaming, the keel, bilge-keels, and the outside gunwales. Take
the strip eight feet long, four inches wide, and one-quarter inch thick,
which you procured for
=The Cockpit Coaming=, bend it around the frame of the pit, and cut off
the ends so they will join neatly. Then fasten it to the cockpit frame,
allowing two inches to project above the deck, and shave off the top
edge the same as you did the cockpit frame, so it will be two inches
above the deck at every point.
For a small canoe built for paddling only, it is unnecessary to have
anything more than a strip fastened to the bottom for
=The Keel=.--So cut a lattice-strip eight feet in length, and screw it
along the bottom of the keelson (see Fig. 212).
=The Bilge-keels= are lattice-strips fastened along the sides of the
canoe as a protection to the canvas, and should be attached directly
over the ribbands. One of these on the centre ribband of each side will
be sufficient (see Fig. 212).
[Illustration: FIG. 212.--The Canvas Canoe completed.]
For a finish to the upper edge of the canoe,
=Outside Gunwales= should be attached outside of the present ones. These
will cover the joint between the canvas of the deck and the lower
portion of the framework. All of these outside strips should be fastened
in place with the round-headed screws, after which they should be
painted. Figure 212 shows the canoe completed.
=A Seat= is desirable for the bottom of the canoe, for comfort as well
as to prevent your feet from wearing out the canvas. This seat should be
movable, so it may be taken out to drain the water from the bottom of
the canoe, and may be made as shown in Fig. 213. Batten together two
six-inch boards upon their under face and notch the two side edges to
fit over the ribs of the framework (see Fig. 207).
[Illustration: FIG. 213.--Seat.]
In order to keep your canoe in good condition, do not allow it to remain
in the water for any length of time when not using it, as the canvas
would soon rot by doing so. After a spin, pull it out of the water, and
turn it upside down to dry; then put it away under cover to remain until
again wanted for use.
With the greatest of care a boy will puncture his canoe once in a while,
so it is a good idea for him to know
=How to mend Punctures=.--There are several ways of doing this, but the
best is by either sewing a piece of canvas over the puncture and then
painting it with white lead, or daubing the canvas around the hole with
varnish, and then laying a canvas patch over it and varnishing it.
The making of a well-shaped paddle is no easy matter for an amateur to
accomplish, so it is advisable for a boy to procure
=A Hand-made Single Paddle=, such as can be bought for a dollar and a
half. This is generally made of selected spruce, with a copper-tipped
end, and is nicely finished. The length of the paddle will depend upon
the size of the boy who is going to use it, but should be between four
feet six inches and five feet.
It may be well to warn those who build canvas canoes about the ease with
which they are overturned. As long as the boy remains seated he is
perfectly safe, but the moment he attempts to change his position, he
need not be surprised if he receives a ducking. Upsets are common in
canoe-racing, and especially in a close finish, where one paddler after
another overbalances himself in his efforts to beat out his companions.
But these only add to the fun of such a race, and no harm is done if the
canoeist prepares for them beforehand by putting on his bathing suit.
CHAPTER XVI
HOME-MADE TRAPS
[Illustration: Boys Trapping.]
Trapping and trap-making is, and probably always will be, a pastime
which every boy enjoys. If he lives in the country or near the woods he
is sure to grow fond of the wild creatures around him, and spend some
time in following their tracks and watching their ways and habits. If he
is a city boy he may not have these advantages, but is probably just as
much interested in the study of birds and animals as his country cousin
is, and when the opportunity presents itself will slip off to the
nearest woods to spend the day with his little friends, and perhaps
carry one or two back home to share city life with him.
When boys wish to trap animals for pets, or for eating while camping, or
when they have become so numerous in a locality as to be a nuisance, it
can be considered clean sport; but as soon as they begin to trap and
kill them just for the fun of it, without deriving any good whatever
from the act, they are guilty of a great cruelty.
The various forms and schemes for home-made traps that have been
devised, and which are to be found in use by boys all over the country,
are countless, but there are of course a number of these which are more
effective than others, and some which have gained more favor among
boys. Several years ago the author wrote an article upon traps, and has
since been more than pleased to note the success boys have had in making
and using them. With a few additions, the same schemes have been
embodied in this chapter, and it is hoped that the several kinds of
snares and traps will prove as satisfying to the majority of boy
trappers. They are all simple to make, require but the material
ordinarily at hand, and are effective for most of the smaller species of
animals, and many varieties of birds.
[Illustration: FIG. 214.--Stick for the Figure-four Trap.]
[Illustration: FIG. 215.--The Figure-four.]
[Illustration: FIG. 216.--The Figure-four Trap set.]
One of the oldest forms of traps, and one of which every boy should
understand the construction, is
=The Figure-four Trap=.--It is about the simplest example, and its
principle will be found in the schemes of a great many of the more
complicated traps. For this the preparation of three sticks, such as are
shown in Fig. 214, will be necessary. These sticks may be made of any
length you wish, but their proportion should be about as shown in the
drawings. The illustrations show clearly how the sticks should be
notched, and how one end of the trigger should be tapered for the bait.
Fig. 215 will explain the manner in which these sticks are placed
together in the form of a figure-four. The rest of the trap consists of
a soap-or cracker-box with the cover hinged to it.
To set the trap, place the box upon the ground, cover down, and rest its
upper edge upon the top of the figure-four, as shown in Fig. 216. When
putting the figure-four together, it is necessary to hold the sticks
until the box is set upon them, as the weight is required to hold them
in position. For squirrels and rabbits, for which this trap is very
good, bait the trigger with a carrot, piece of apple, or cabbage leaf.
It is easy to see that the slightest nibble at the bait will disarrange
the sticks, and cause the box to drop over the game.
[Illustration: FIGS. 217-219.--A Box Trap.]
In Fig. 217 is shown an invention of the writer's, a simplified form of
the much-used
=Box Trap=, having the principle of the figure-four involved in its
trigger. This trap has proven exceptionally good for rabbits and
squirrels.
A small box about the size of a cracker-or soap-box should be procured
for the making of this trap. Remove one end, and, after nailing it to
the cover boards, hinge the latter to the end of the box, as shown in
the illustrations (Figs. 217 and 218). With no hinges at hand, the
writer has found several nails driven through the ends of the cover
boards sufficient to hold the cover while opening and closing it. Bore
two holes, one over the other, in the back of the box, and cut out the
space between. This makes a rectangular slot (see _D_ in Fig. 218). When
this has been done, take a stick about eighteen inches long, and, after
tapering one end, nail it to the box cover, allowing the tapered end to
project about nine inches. Then prepare a trigger twelve inches long,
similar to Fig. 219.
The trap is now ready to set, which is done by slipping the trigger into
the slot at _D_ and, after baiting it at _C_, catching the notch _B_ on
to the box at the top of the slot, at the same time fitting stick _E_
into the notch at _A_ (see cross section, Fig. 218). The weight of the
cover will now hold the trigger in place until "bunny," or some one of
his neighbors, attacks the inviting bait. Then the trigger will loosen
its hold at _B_, and cause the cover to fall over the intruder. A few
holes may be bored in the side of the box for ventilation, but these, as
well as the slot in the back, should be protected with tin, to prevent
your captive from gnawing the openings large enough to escape.
=The Dead Fall= is a trap commonly used for skunks, minks, muskrats, and
coons, and probably cannot be excelled as a means of killing off
destructive and annoying animals. Figure 220 shows a form of this trap
which has been successfully employed.
First make a pen out of stakes driven well into the ground in the form
of a wigwam. This is a guard for the bait, and should be open on one
side only, as shown in the illustration.
Place a short log in front of the opening, and at both ends of this
drive a stake against the outer face of the log, as shown in the
drawing. Then procure a log of the same diameter, and about six feet
long, and slip it between these stakes and the wigwam, so it falls upon
the first log. Cut a forked stick about twelve inches long for the
bait-stick, notching one end and tapering the other, as shown in Fig.
221, and cut another stick twenty-four inches long and flatten it at
both ends.
[Illustration: FIG. 221.--The Bait-stick.
FIG. 220.--The Dead Fall.]
To set the dead fall, raise an end of the upper log and slip one end of
the flattened stick under it, resting it upon the top of the stake
outside of the log. Place the bait-stick, point downward, inside of the
pen upon a chip of wood, and set the other end of the flattened stick in
the notch (see illustration). The bait-stick should now be in such a
position that the log above it will fall when the bait is tackled, and
strike its victim on the head or neck with sufficient force to kill it.
For baiting this trap, use some food of which the animal is particularly
fond.
[Illustration: FIG. 222.--The Coop Trap.]
=The Sieve Trap.=--This is a most simple form of trap, consisting of a
sieve and a short stick with which to prop up one side of it. Fasten a
long cord to the stick, and, after scattering grain beneath the sieve,
carry the end of the cord to a place of concealment to await the
appearance of some birds. As soon as these are attracted by the grain,
and begin feeding under the sieve, pull the cord and they will be your
prisoners.
=The Coop Trap=, shown in Fig. 222, can be used for trapping the larger
variety of birds. This is well known as an effective trap for wild
turkeys. It consists of a number of sticks piled up in the form of a
pyramid and tied together as shown in Fig. 222. Dig away enough of the
ground under one side of the coop to allow a bird to enter, and then
scatter some grain inside and a little in the entrance to attract the
birds.
[Illustration: FIG. 225.
FIG. 226.
FIG. 224.
FIG. 223.