length of the curve. The wood is thoroughly steamed, then fastened in
place on the curved part.
A strap of suitable length is fastened on the top for the toe, so that
the boats can be controlled with the feet.
To propel the boats along easily, a web or wing should be attached to the
under side, so that it will catch the water on the back thrust while it
will fold up when the boat is slid forward.--Contributed by Waldo Saul,
Lexington, Mass.
A Green-Corn Holder
Neat and attractive green-corn holders for table use can be made of
small-sized glass drawer knobs, having a bolt 1 in. in length. The bolt
head is cut off with a hacksaw, and its body is filed to make four sides
running to a taper, leaving enough threads to secure it in the knob. The
threads are smeared with white lead, then it is screwed into the knob and
sufficient time allowed for the lead to set before using it.
[Illustration: The Glass Knobs Make a Clean and Sanitary Holder for the
Ear of Corn]
A pair of knobs are required for each ear of corn served. The square
bolt end will hold the ear securely while the kernels are eaten from the
cob.--Contributed by Victor Labadie, Dallas, Texas.
Inflating Toy Balloons
The inflation of rubber balloons may be accomplished with manufactured gas
by using the simple pipe arrangement shown in the sketch. The connection A
is for the gas hose, which is similar to those used for a table lamp. The
gas bag B is a football or punching bag connected to the pipe as shown.
This receives the gas as it is let in by the valve A. The toy balloon
C is connected to the pipe in the same manner and the valve D used to
regulate the flow of gas. The gas is easily pressed out of the ball into
the balloon.
[Illustration: Pipe Arrangement, Punching Bag and Valves to Admit Gas to
a Toy Rubber Balloon]
As hydrogen gas is much better than the manufactured gas, it is best to
use and can be put in the balloon in the same manner.
Electric-Light Mystery
A novel attraction for a window display can be made of a piece of plate
glass neatly mounted on a wood base, and an electric light which is
placed on the top edge and may be lighted apparently without any wire
connections.
[Illustration: Electric Light Mounted on Top of a Plate Glass with Hidden
Connections on the Glass Edge]
The method of concealing the connections is to paint the edges of the
glass green, then, before the paint is quite dry, lay on a thin strip of
copper, making the connections at the base on both sides, and to the lamp
in the same manner. Another coat of paint is applied to cover the strip.
The color should be an imitation of the greenish tint of glass edges. Any
desired lettering can be put on the glass.--Contributed by O. Simonson,
Brooklyn, N. Y.
An Oar Holder
Persons rowing boats, particularly beginners, find that the oars will slip
out of the oarlocks, turn or fall into the water. This may be avoided by
turning a screweye of sufficient size to prevent binding on the lock into
the oar and placing it over the lock as shown at A, so that the pull will
be against the metal. The oars will never slip or jump out, will always
be in the right position, and it is not necessary to pull them into the
boat to prevent loss when not rowing. The locks will not wear the oars, as
the pull is on the metal eye. Place the eye so it will have a horizontal
position on the side of the oar when the blade is in its right position.
[Illustration: The Screweye in Position on the Oar and over One Prong of
the Oarlock]
Cooking Food in Paper
A flat piece of paper is much more convenient to use than a paper sack
in cooking, as it can be better fitted to the size of the article to be
cooked. Wrap the article as a grocer wraps sugar, folding and refolding
the two edges together until the package is of the proper size, then
fasten with clips and proceed to close the ends in the same way. This
avoids all pasted seams and makes the package airtight.--Contributed by
J. J. A. Parker, Metamora, O.
Washing Photograph Prints
Photographic prints may be washed in a stationary washbowl with just
as good results as if washed in a high-priced wash box, by cutting off
the upper end of the rubber nipple on a bent glass medicine dropper and
placing it on the faucet as shown in the illustration. This arrangement
causes the water to whirl around in the bowl, which keeps the prints in
constant motion, thus insuring a thorough washing.--Contributed by L. O.
D. Sturgess, Arlington, Oregon.
[Illustration: A Medicine Dropper on a Faucet Produces a Whirling Motion
of the Water in the Bowl]
Combination Lock for a Drawer
The principal parts of the combination lock are the five disks shown in
Fig. 1. These are best made of sheet brass, about 1/16 in. thick and
1-1/2 in. in diameter. The pins for turning the disks are each made a
driving fit for a hole drilled through the metal at a point 15/32 in. from
the center. Notches are cut in the disks C, D and E, Fig. 1, to receive
the latch end, and the disk B is made like a cam, its use being to raise
the latch into its keeper when the handle is turned backward. The disk A
is without a notch and has only a pin for turning the other disks.
[Illustration: The Parts as They are Attached to a Drawer Front to Make
a Combination Lock (Fig. 1)]
The disks are mounted on the inside of the drawer front in a U-shaped
piece of metal, F, Fig. 2, which carries a 1/4-in. pin, G, as their
bearing. The disks are placed on this pin with rubber washers, H, J, K,
L and M, between them. These serve the purpose of preventing the disks
from turning too freely. The disk A is fastened tightly to the end of the
rod N, which is 1/4 in. in diameter. The outer end of this rod is fitted
with a handle or turning head as desired. That shown at O is made of two
pieces of wood screwed together, with a pointer, P, placed between them.
A washer, R, is placed between the drawer end and the handle to take up
any looseness and to allow the free turning of the rod.
[Illustration: (Fig. 2)]
A dial, S, is made of paper and the division marks and numbers placed
upon it. The latch T is fitted in a U-shaped piece of metal, U, which is
fastened to the inside of the drawer end where its heel will rest on the
edges of the disks. When the right combination is made by turning the
handle first one way and then the other, the latch will drop into the
notches of the disks as they will be all in one place.
When the drawer is to be locked, turn the handle back from the last turn
made for the combination and the latch will be driven upward into its
keeper and the notches scattered so that the latch will not drop until
the combination is again set.
The numbers for the combination can be found after the disks are in place
and by turning the handle until the notch comes up to the place for the
heel of the latch. The number beneath the pointer is noted; then the next
turned up in a like manner, all being done while the drawer is open and
the disks in plain sight. The combination can be changed only by changing
the location of the pins in the disks.--Contributed by C. B. Hanson,
Fitchburg, Massachusetts.
How to Start Small Machine Screws
[Illustration]
Small machine screws are sometimes very difficult to start, especially
when used in parts of a machine that cannot be easily reached with
the fingers. A good way to start them is by means of a piece of fine
wire wound snugly around the screw under its head. They can be placed
and started by means of the wire and when the first threads have
caught the screw it can be held by the screwdriver while the wire is
withdrawn.--Contributed by F. W. Bently, Huron, S. D.
An Umbrella Holder for Display Purposes
[Illustration]
A holder that is especially adapted for use in hanging umbrellas for
display in a store can be easily made of a piece of wire wound in a
coil, as shown in the sketch, to fit over the end on the umbrella stick.
The coil at one end of the spring is formed into a hook so that the
umbrellas may be hung in screweyes or on a line, as the case may be. The
end of the umbrella is stuck into the spring, as shown, which grips it
tightly.--Contributed by Abner B. Shaw, N. Dartmouth, Mass.
Holder for a Milk Card
[Illustration]
It is the general practice of milkmen to furnish a monthly card on which
the housewife marks the needs of the day and then hangs it outside of the
door for the information of the driver. This card also serves as a record
for checking the accounts of the milk delivered during the month, and
therefore it is desirable to protect it from snow and sleet.
In order to furnish this protection and at the same time make it
unnecessary for any one to go outside of the door to hang up the card on
stormy days, one of our readers has submitted the following plan which he
has used for some time.
On the outside of the kitchen door, where the milkman is to deliver his
bottles, this man has fastened an ordinary picture frame with glass but no
backing except the door. Through the door and just below the upper edge
of the glass is cut a thin slot inclining downward and outward so that
the milk card can be easily pushed through the slot and thus be displayed
behind the glass in the frame. By this protection it is kept free from
mud, snow and ice. It is not necessary to step outside to place the card
in the frame.
Frame for Printing Post Cards from Negatives
As I desired to print only a portion of some of my 5 by 7-in. plates on
post cards and the part wanted was near the edge of the plate, I cut out
the printing frame, as shown at A in the sketch, to accommodate that part
of the card I reserved for a margin. This permitted the card to be placed
in the frame without making a bend.--Contributed by J. H. Maysilles,
Rochelle, Ill.
[Illustration: Slots Cut in the Frame to Receive the Post Cards without
Bending Them]
Finger Protection on Laboratory Vessels
A simple way of protecting the fingers against being burned by laboratory
vessels in which liquids are boiling or chemical reactions producing great
heat are going on, is shown in the sketch. A rather thick cord or yarn is
wrapped around the neck of the vessel in the manner shown, the upper end
being drawn through the loop at the top and cut off, and the lower end
then pulled out and a knot tied in it close to the windings of the yarn.
[Illustration: The Ends of the Cord are Held Tightly and the Winding
Protects the Hands]
Inlaying Metals by Electroplating
Very pretty and artistic effects of silver or nickel inlay on bronze,
copper, etc., or copper on dark oxidized metals, may be obtained by means
of etching and electroplating.
The metal on which the inlay is to be used is first covered with a thin
coating of wax and the design scratched through to the metal with a sharp,
hard point of some kind. The design is then etched in slowly with well
diluted nitric acid, allowing the etching to penetrate quite deeply. The
metal is then taken out and after a thorough rinsing in water is hung in
the plating bath.
As the wax has been left on, the plating will fill the lines of the
design only, and will not touch the covered surface. When the etched
lines are filled, the object is taken out of the bath and the wax
removed.--Contributed by S. V. Cooke, Hamilton, Can.
A Novel Show-Window Attraction
This moving show-window attraction can be simply and cheaply made. The
things necessary are a small battery motor, a large horseshoe magnet and
a large polished steel ball, perfectly true and round, such as used in
bearings. The other materials usually can be found in any store. Procure
some thick cardboard and cut two disks, 8 in. in diameter, and two disks,
7-1/2 in. in diameter. Glue these together to make the wheel A, the larger
disks forming the flanges. Make a smaller wheel, B, the size of which will
be governed by the speed of the motor used. The wheel A is mounted in a
box to run with its surface close to the under side of the cover, which
should be of a thin, stiff cardboard. The wheel B is mounted on an axle
that runs in metal bearings. The magnet D is placed on the wheel A. The
steel ball E is put on the thin cover of the box, and the magnet causes
it to roll around as the wheel turns. The box inclosing the mechanical
parts should be placed out of sight when used in a window.--Contributed
by Clarence Guse, Spokane, Wash.
[Illustration: The Steel Ball is Caused to Roll Around on the Cover by
the Moving Magnet]
How to Make a Mop Wringer
A mop wringer may be made and attached to an ordinary pail in the
following manner: Two pieces of metal, A, are attached securely at
opposite sides of the edge of the pail, holes being drilled in their upper
ends to serve as bearings for the roller B. The piece of metal C, which is
duplicated at the opposite side of the pail, is pivoted on a bolt. These
pieces also carry a roller, E, at their upper ends, and have a crosspiece,
F, at their lower ends. Discarded wringer rollers can be used for B and E.
A coil spring is attached as shown, to keep the rollers separate and in a
position to receive the mop. When the mop is placed between the rollers
they are brought together by a pressure of the foot on the crosspiece
F.--Contributed by J. Dennis McKennon, New Britain, Conn.
[Illustration: The Parts may be Either Attached to a Metal or Wood Pail
with Bolts or Screws]
A Vise Used as a Caliper Gauge
Not infrequently it is desired to know the distance from one side to
another of some part that cannot be directly measured with a rule, and
when no calipers are at hand. But with a vise handy, the measurement
can be made with ease and with sufficient accuracy for all practical
purposes if the vise is not too worn. This trick is particularly adapted
for calipering threaded parts, as threads cannot be measured readily
with ordinary calipers. How this may be done is shown in the sketch,
which illustrates the method as applied to a screw. The work is gripped
between the jaws of the vise and the opening then measured with a
rule.--Contributed by Donald A. Hampson, Middletown, New York.
[Illustration: The Jaws of a Vise, If They Are True, Will Make a Caliper
Gauge Giving a Perfect Measurement]
Homemade Tack Puller
A very handy tack puller can be made of a round-head bolt. On one side of
the head file a V-shaped notch and screw a wood handle on the threads.
This makes a very powerful puller that will remove large tacks from
hardwood easily.
[Illustration: The Shape of the Head Permits a Leverage Action That Lifts
the Tack Easily]
How to Make a Radium Photograph
The radium rays, like the X-rays, affect the photographic plate, as is
well known, but it would naturally be supposed that the enormous cost of
radium would prevent the making of such a photograph by the amateur.
It is a fact, however, that a radium photograph can be made at home at
practically no cost at all, provided the amateur has patience enough
to gather the necessary material, which is nothing else but broken
incandescent gas mantles. These (especially Welsbach mantles) contain
a salt of the rare metal thorium, which is slightly radioactive. The
thing to do, then, is to collect a sufficient quantity of broken mantles
to cover the bottom of a small cardboard box--a dryplate box, for
instance--with a layer of powdered mantle substance. Upon this layer
and pressed tightly against it is placed a piece of cardboard; then some
metal objects, a button, hairpin, a buckle, or the like, are laid on the
cardboard and covered with a sensitized paper. This is again covered with
a piece of cardboard and the box filled with crumpled paper to the top.
The cover is then put on, the box tied up with a piece of string and set
in some place where it is sure to be left undisturbed.
The radium rays from the powdered mantles readily penetrate the cardboard
and paper, but not the metal articles. Being very weak, the rays must be
given four weeks to accomplish their work. After that time, however, if
the sensitive paper is taken out, pictures of the metal objects in white
on a dark background will be found on it. These pictures will not be so
sharp as ordinary photographs, because the rays are not focused, but they
fairly represent the originals and the experiment is an interesting one.
* * * * *
A good imitation mahogany stain consists of 1 part
Venetian red and 2 parts yellow lead, mixed with thin
glue size, and is laid on with a woolen cloth.
Fountain for an Ordinary Pen
Fill the hollow end of an ordinary penholder with cotton--not too
tightly--and one dip of the pen will hold enough ink to write a full
page. The cotton should be changed each day. A small piece of sponge will
answer the same purpose. It is necessary to dip the pen deeply into the
ink.--Contributed by J. E. Noble, London Junction, Ontario.
Pulling Wire through Curved Electric Fixtures
To facilitate the running of electric wires through curved fixtures,
nick a heavy shot, A, and fasten it on a cord, B, in the same manner
as a fishline is weighted. The shot will roll through the fixture tube,
carrying the cord with it. A cord strong enough to pull the wires through
can be easily drawn through the opening in this manner. The shot should,
of course, not be so large that it can possibly bind in the tube.
[Illustration: A Shot That will Pass through the Fixture Arm will Carry
a Cord for Pulling in the Wires]
An Automatically Closing Drawer
A very ingenious way to have a drawer close automatically is to attach a
weight so that the rope or cord will pull on the rear end of the drawer.
The sketch clearly shows the device which is an attachment similar to that
used for closing gates. This can be applied to drawers that are frequently
drawn out and in places where a person is liable to have the hands full.
[Illustration: The Rope and Weight Attached to the Back End of the Drawer
Pulls It Closed]
A Cork Puller
[Illustration]
The stopper of any ordinary bottle can be easily removed with a puller
such as shown in the sketch. The puller is inserted between the stopper
and the neck of the bottle until the hook end will pass under the bottom
of the stopper, then given a quarter turn and pulled upward.
The construction of the puller vents the cork as it enters and thus no
vacuum is created. The cork is pulled more easily than with an ordinary
corkscrew, and there is no danger of tearing the cork to pieces.
Uses for a Bamboo Pole
Select a good bamboo pole, about 18 ft. long, and cut it into three
lengths as follows: A piece from the top, 2-1/2 ft. long; the next length,
5-1/2 ft. long, and the remaining end of the pole, about 10 ft. long.
The 2-1/2-ft. length is equipped with a screw hook in the smaller end,
as shown in Fig. 1. This stick is useful in lowering window shades that
have a ring or screw eye attached to the lower part of the shade. When
the stick is not in use, it is hung on the edge of the window casing.
[Illustration: A Bamboo Pole Cut in Three Pieces Makes a Window-Shade
Stick, Duster Holder and Clothesline Pole (Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3)]
The 5-1/2-ft. length makes the long handle for a duster. Procure an
old-style lamp-chimney cleaner, wind a cord around the wires a few inches
below the point where they begin to spread to keep them from coming apart,
then cut or file the wires off 2 in. below the winding. This leaves a
straight shank, over which a ferrule is slipped before it is inserted into
the small end of the pole. Fill the remaining space in the pole end with
plaster of Paris, and when it has set, slip the ferrule into place on the
pole end. If a ferrule is not at hand, a fine wire can be wound around
the end to prevent the pole from splitting. When using this pole to dust
hardwood floors, tops of doors, window casings and picture frames, put a
dusting cloth into the claws and slide the ring into place, as shown in
Fig. 2.
The longer and larger end of the pole is used as a clothesline pole. One
end of this pole is fitted with a yoke made of No. 6 gauge galvanized
wire, as shown in Fig. 3. The wire for the yoke is 10 in. long, and after
bending it in shape, the two upper ends should be 2 in. wide at the top
and 2 in. deep. Insert the straight end of the wire into the smaller
end of the pole and set it in firmly with plaster of Paris. The end
of the pole should be securely wound with wire to keep the bamboo from
splitting.--Contributed by Gertrude M. Bender, Utica, N. Y.
Making Common Lock Less Pickable
The ordinary lock can be readily changed so that it will be quite
impossible to pick it with a common key. The way to do this is to cut
off the small hollow portion of the key that fits over the pin. This part
is placed on the pin of the lock and soldered, or fastened by any other
means, so it cannot come out of the lock. This will prevent any ordinary
key from entering the keyhole.--Contributed by A. J. Hamilton, Benton,
Ark.
[Illustration: The Small End Cut from the Key is Fastened on the Pin of
the Lock]
To Color Tan Leather Black
An inexpensive and effective way to blacken tan leather is as follows:
The leather is first rubbed with a 10-per-cent solution of tannic acid,
which may be purchased at any drug store. This treatment should be applied
and the leather well dried. It should be rubbed with a cloth hard enough
to produce a polish, then apply a 10-per-cent solution of iron sulphate.
A chemical reaction takes place as the last solution is rubbed into the
leather, making it black. After this is dry, the leather can be polished
in the usual way.
To Prevent Corks Sticking in Bottle Necks
[Illustration]
Corks will always adhere to the necks of bottles containing glue or
other sticky liquids, with the result that it becomes necessary to cut or
dig the cork into small pieces in order to remove the contents from the
bottle.
A simple and effective way to prevent a cork from sticking is to place a
small piece of waxed paper on the bottle opening so that when the cork is
pressed in, the paper will be between the cork and glass, as shown.
To Remove Rust Stains from Clothing
Many times when working around machinery, the clothes will come in contact
with iron and get rust stains. These may be removed by using a weak
solution of oxalic acid which must be applied carefully as it is highly
poisonous. Sometimes the stain can be removed by washing the spot in
buttermilk, in which case rubbing is necessary.
* * * * *
Small bits of onion placed in a room will absorb the
disagreeable odors of paint and turpentine.
Eraser Holder
Any small piece of steel with a point, similar to that shown in the
sketch, will make a good eraser holder. The saving of erasers is nothing
compared to the convenience of having a small eraser with a chisel edge
or point when delicate erasing is required. It is not clumsy as the usual
chunk of rubber with a blunt point, for the person erasing can see what
he is doing. I use a leg of an old pair of dividers and cut my erasers
in four parts in shapes similar to that shown in the sketch by the dotted
lines, and can use them easily until they are about the size of a pea. The
friction between the rubber and steel, after the point has been inserted
into the rubber, holds the two together nicely.--Contributed by James F.
Burke, Lakewood, O.
[Illustration: A Very Small Eraser can be Held on the Point and Used for
Delicate Erasures]
Bleaching Ivory
A good method to bleach ivory ornaments is to rub on a solution made of
a small quantity of unslaked lime, bran and water. The mixture should
be wiped off after the ivory has become sufficiently bleached, and the
surface then rubbed with sawdust or magnesia, which gives it a brilliant
polish.
A Soap Shake
[Illustration]
To utilize scraps of soap, make a soap shake of a medium-size
baking-powder can, as shown in the sketch. Punch holes in the can with
an ice pick or some other sharp-pointed instrument, and attach a large
wire to the center, twisting the ends to form a handle.--Contributed by
Elizabeth P. Grant, Winchester, Virginia.
Ear Repair on a Bucket
[Illustration]
A broken ear for a bail on a metal pail or bucket can be replaced with a
window-shade fastener, such as shown at A in the sketch. The base of the
fastener is turned down flat and attached with screw bolts or rivets, as
shown at B.--Contributed by Harold Robinson, Suffern, N. Y.
Cleaning Dirt from Tufts in Upholstering
[Illustration: (Fig. 1, Fig. 2)]
A handy device for cleaning furniture upholstering and vehicle-seat
tuftings may be easily made as follows: Take an ordinary round paintbrush
and cut the handle off, leaving it about 1-1/2 in. long, then saw a
V-shaped notch in it, as shown in Fig. 1. Attach the brush to the ratchet
screwdriver, Fig. 2, by inserting the screwdriver blade in the notch
of the brush handle, and secure it by wrapping a strong cord around the
handle. Place the brush in the tuft and work the screwdriver handle, as
in turning a screw. A few quick turns of the brush will throw out the dirt
which is impossible to remove with a straight brush.
Painting Lead Pipe
The paint applied to lead pipes will chip and peel off, and to prevent
this I first cover the lead surface with a thin coat of varnish, then
apply the paint on the varnish. A lead pipe painted in this way will
retain its coating.--Contributed by F. Schumacher, Brooklyn, N. Y.
Attaching a Vise Jaw to a Bench
Procure a toothed metal rail or rack, A, such as is used for small ladder
tracks, and mount it on the lower edge of the guide rail for the lower
end of the vise jaw. Provide a slot, B, in the leg of the bench, through
which the rail can run with plenty of play room. A beveled plate, C, is
attached to the face of the bench leg at the bottom of the slot, so that
it will engage the teeth of the rack.
[Illustration: The Rack on the Lower Guide Rail Provides a Means to Keep
the Vise Jaws Parallel]
In use, when opening the vise by means of the screw, the rack will drag
along the plate, and stop and engage a notch when the opening operation
ceases. When it is desired to reduce the opening, it is only necessary
to lift the rail by means of the string D. A button is tied to the upper
end of the string on top of the bench, to keep it handy for changing the
jaw.--Contributed by Harry F. Lowe, Washington, District of Columbia.
Removing Vegetable Stains
To remove stains of vegetables or fruits of any kind from cloth or wood,
the following method is very good: The stained piece is first moistened
with water and then placed in a jar or pail that can be covered. A lump
of sulphur is ignited and dropped into the jar. Place the sulphur on a
fire shovel when lighting it to avoid burns. The burning sulphur should
be placed in the receptacle on the side where the stain will be exposed
to the fumes. The sulphur burns slowly so that the articles will not be
harmed.
After the sulphur has burned away, the jar should be kept closed for a
few minutes and when the articles are removed, the stains will be gone.
This is harmless to try, and the cloth will not be injured if it is in
a dry condition. The articles should be washed and dried as soon as they
are taken out of the jar.
Picture-Frame Corner Joints
Very often the amateur craftsman comes across a picture which he would
like to have framed, but the difficulty and insecurity of the ordinary
miter joint for the corners discourage him from trying to make the frame.
A very easy way to construct a rigid frame is shown in the illustration.
The size of the frame must be determined by the picture to be framed. The
width, A, of the pieces depends upon one's own taste.
Four pieces, the desired length and width and 1/2 in. thick, should be
dressed out of the material intended for the frame. Four other pieces,
3/8 in. thick and 1/2 in. narrower than the first four pieces, are next
made ready and fastened with glue and flat-head screws to the back of
the first pieces, as shown. This allows 3/8 in. for glass, picture and
backing, and 1/2 in. to lap over the front of the picture on all edges.
[Illustration: Square and Mitered Lap Joints for Making Rigid Picture
Frames in Natural or Stained Woods (Fig. 1, Fig. 2)]
By arranging the pieces as shown in Fig. 1, a strong corner lap is
secured. A miter lap joint which is not so strong is shown in Fig. 2. The
latter gives a mitered-joint effect. This method does away with the use
of the rabbeting plane and miter box, both of which are difficult to use
with accuracy. Two screws should be used in each joint to reinforce the
glue.--Contributed by James Gaffney, Chicago, Ill.
Hunting-Knife Handles
Very artistic handles for hunting knives and carving sets can be made
by using disks of horn. Procure some cowhorns from a slaughter house and
split them with a saw, using only the large portion of the horn. The split
horn is then heated by dry heat--an oven is best--then pressed between two
cold plates to a flat piece. If well heated, it is surprising how easily
this can be done. The piece is then cut into squares of suitable size
which are marked and perforated in the center, the hole being a trifle
smaller than the tang of the blade. The tang should be flat and a little
longer than the desired handle, with the end made round and threaded for
a nut.
[Illustration: The Finished Handle, If the Work is Well Done, is Easily
Mistaken for Agate]
A suitable washer is placed on the tang, which is then heated sufficiently
to burn its way through the pieces of horn as they are put on the metal.
When a sufficient number of disks are on the tang a washer should be
slipped on and followed by a round nut. Pressure is applied by turning the
nut and repeated heatings of the disks will force them together to make
perfect joints. Only a moderate pressure should be applied at a time.
The handle is now to be finished to the shape desired. If black and
colored pieces of horn are interspersed, the finished handle will have
the appearance of agate. The blade and handle can be lacquered and the
ferrules nickelplated.--Contributed by James H. Beebee, Rochester, N. Y.
Holding Wood in a Sawbuck
Anyone who has used a sawbuck knows how inconvenient it is to have a stick
roll or lift up as the saw blade is pulled back for the next cut. With the
supplementary device, shown in the sketch, which can be easily attached
to the sawbuck, these troubles will be eliminated. It consists of two
crosspieces hinged to the back uprights of the sawbuck and a foot-pressure
stirrup fastened to their front ends as shown. Spikes are driven through
the crosspieces so that their protruding ends will gouge into the stick
of wood being sawed. The stirrup is easily thrown back for laying a piece
of wood in the crotch.
[Illustration: The Holding Attachment Easily Adjusts Itself to the Stick
of Wood Placed in the Crotch]
A New Pail-Cover Handle
The handle of the cover, instead of being attached to the center, is
placed near the edge and bail of the pail. On the bail and just above the
handle of the cover there is formed a loop large enough to accommodate
the thumb. With this arrangement, the cover may be removed with the use
of but one hand.
[Illustration: The Bail Loop and the Handle Make It Easy to Remove the
Cover with One Hand]
Drip-Pan Alarm
The trouble caused by overflowing of the drip pan for an ice box or
refrigerator can be overcome by attaching a device that will sound an
alarm when the water reaches a level safely below the overflow point.
A device of this kind may be attached to the back of the refrigerator
as shown in the sketch. A float, A, is attached to the lower end of a
rod, B, which slides through staples CC. At the upper end of the rod, a
V-shaped copper sheet, D, is soldered. This makes the contact points in
the electric wiring. The battery E can be placed under or back of the
refrigerator as desired. The method of wiring is clearly shown.
[Illustration: The Float in the Pan, and Contacts for Closing the Circuit
to Ring the Bell]
A Live-Bait Pail
[Illustration]
Every fisherman knows that live bait will soon die if they do not
receive sufficient air. I have succeeded in keeping bait alive and
healthy by using a pail of my own construction, which is provided with
a compressed-air space to force air to the surface of the water. The air
space A takes up one-fifth of the interior at the bottom of the pail, and
an ordinary hand bicycle pump is used to fill it through a bicycle-tire
valve, B. The pipe C from the air space extends up along the side of the
pail and the upper end is bent so that it just touches the surface of the
water. The pipe contains a valve to regulate the flow of air.
After the pail has been standing for an hour or more, the bait will rise
to the top. The valve is then opened for a few minutes, and the minnows
will soon swim around in the water as when this was fresh.--Contributed
by T. Whelan, Paterson, N. J.
A Mouse Trap
[Illustration]
After using various means to catch the mice in my pantry, I finally
decided I could not catch them in the ordinary manner. Knowing that mice
are not afraid of dishes but will run all over them, while they will stay
away from other things, I took a dinner plate, a bowl that held about 1
qt., a thimble, filled with toasted cheese, and arranged the articles as
shown in the sketch, balancing the bowl on the thimble. When the mouse
nibbled the cheese, the bowl came down on it, making it a prisoner. The
whole was then dropped in a pail of water. Scald the dish and bowl before
using them again to remove all traces of the mouse.
Quickly Made Rheostat
A short time ago I found it necessary to melt some silver, and in setting
up an arc light to obtain the heat I made a rheostat by winding wire
around a large earthenware jar. As the jar is a conductor and would not
burn, it served the purpose perfectly. In winding the wire, be careful to
keep the coils from touching each other.--Contributed by P. D. Merrill,
Chicago, Ill.
[Illustration]
Sunlight Flasher for the Garden By Claude L. Woolley
The following apparatus is likely to be novel, and certainly very striking
when erected on country estates, particularly on high lands, hillsides,
and along the seashore, where the flashes may be seen for many miles out
at sea.
It is not unusual in country gardens to see a large hollow glass globe
silvered on the inside, mounted on a pedestal, brilliantly reflecting
the sunlight. The apparatus described is an elaboration of the idea. The
drawing shows in diagram the general construction, exact measurements
not being given. However, a convenient height is 3-1/2 to 4 ft., and the
circular frame, carrying the mirrors, may be 10 to 14 in. in diameter.
[Illustration: The Flasher as It Appears on the Stand and the Details of
Its Construction]
The supporting frame, of galvanized sheet iron or sheet copper, may be
either circular or hexagonal in shape. Mounted upon a vertical shaft is
a skeleton circular frame, carrying a double row of small mirrors, or
ordinary flat mirror glass, mounted in grooves provided for them; the
upper row inclined slightly upward, and the lower row slightly downward.
If a greater number of angles of reflection are desired, the mirrors may
be smaller, and arranged in four circular rows instead of two, each row
being inclined at a slightly different angle.
The shaft is pointed at the lower end and rests in a bearing drilled
with a V-shaped depression, the bearing being supported by soldering or
riveting at each end to the inner sides of the pedestal shell. The upper
portion of the shaft passes through a bearing which is also soldered or
riveted at the ends, to the inner surfaces of the pedestal shell.
The mirrors, mounted on the shaft, thus are free to revolve vertically
with very little friction. Upon the lower end of the shaft is fastened a
light gear wheel of rather large diameter, and this in turn is geared to a
smaller gear mounted on the end of the armature shaft of a small electric
motor of the type that may be driven with a few dry cells; the relation
of the sizes of the gears being such as will cause the mirrors to revolve
slowly, when the motor is running at normal speed.
Connected to the motor are two or more dry, or other suitable batteries,
a small door being provided on the side of the lower part of the pedestal
to enable the batteries to be replaced, or turned off, and to give access
to the motor. A circular shield is erected over the mirror carrier,
surmounted by an ornamental ball, to protect from the weather and to
provide a more finished appearance. A waterproof canvas cover may be
slipped over the whole in rainy weather.
As new mirror faces at varying angles are constantly being presented to
the sun, vivid flashes are constantly occurring when viewed from almost
any angle or position on the side where the sun is shining. The circular
shield on top is supported in position by four metal strips secured by
soldering to the shield and the supporting pedestal.
Such a device may be constructed without much expense, producing a most
brilliant effect over miles of territory. The small driving motor may
be replaced with a suitable spring or weight-driven clockwork; or four
hollow hemispherical metal cups may be mounted on arms, or placed at right
angles, and the arms in turn mounted upon a vertical shaft and arranged
above the mirror carrier and geared in such manner that the mirrors will
revolve slowly, while the cups are revolving with comparatively high speed
by the force of the wind.
The mounted revolving cups are similar in form to the apparatus used by
the U. S. Weather Bureau for measuring the speed of the wind. They will
respond to a good breeze from any point of the compass.
An Automatic Blowpipe
A fine-pointed flame can be used to advantage for certain work, and the
alcohol flame and blowpipe have become a necessity, but these may be
improved upon so as to make the apparatus automatic in action and more
efficient in its work. A bottle or receptacle, A, having a large bottom to
provide a sufficient heating surface, is supplied with a cork and a tube,
B, bent at right angles. The receptacle, A, is supported on a stand so
that it may be heated with a small lamp, C. The light D may be a candle,
alcohol lamp, or any flame set at the right distance from the end of the
tube B.
[Illustration]
The receptacle A is partly filled with alcohol, and the heating lamp lit.
The heat will turn the alcohol into gas and cause a pressure, driving it
through the tube B, so that it is ignited by the flame from D. The flame
will have a fine point with sufficient heat to melt glass.--Contributed
by W. R. Sears, St. Paul, Minn.
Homemade Steam-Turbine Engine
Select a tomato can, or any can in which vegetables or fruit is sold, and
carefully unsolder the small cap on the end when removing the contents.
When the can is empty, clean it well and solder the cap in place again.
Procure a strip of brass, bend it as shown at A and solder it to the can
top in the center. Cut a piece of about No. 14 gauge wire, the length
equal to the opening between the uprights of the U-shaped piece of brass,
with about 1/2 in. added for a small pulley wheel. The uprights are
punched or drilled at their upper ends to admit the wire which is then
adjusted in place.
[Illustration: The Boiler is Made of a Fruit or Vegetable Can and the
Turbine of Thin Metal Strips]
Two strips of tin are cut to fit in between the standards and are notched
in the center, as shown at B, and slightly bent to fit over the wire
shaft. These are soldered to the wire between the uprights. A small hole
is punched on one side in the top of the can so that it will center the
paddle of the wheel. On the opposite side of the top another larger hole
is punched and tightly fitted with a wood plug. This is the opening for
filling the boiler with water. The can should be filled about two-thirds
full and set on a stove. The steam, coming under pressure from the small
hole, strikes the paddles of the wheel with considerable force and causes
it to revolve rapidly. Be careful not to set the boiler on too hot a fire.
Electric Switch for Exposing Photographic Printing Papers
The proper time to expose a printing paper under a negative should be
determined and the negative marked for future printing. When this time has
been found some means should be provided for making the exposure exactly
the same, then the prints will be perfect and of a good tone at all times.
For this purpose the instrument shown in the illustration was designed
and used with entire satisfaction.
[Illustration: Time Switch for Operating an Electric Light in Printing
Photographic Developing Papers]
The device consists of an ordinary cheap watch, a standard, or support,
for an adjusting screw, a small coil, a movable armature, a knife switch,
and a trip arrangement. A neat box or case, about 5 in. square and 3 in.
high, is first constructed. A round recess, 1/8 in. deep, is cut in the
center of the top, to admit the watch. The standard A is made of brass,
1/8 in. thick and 1/2 in. wide, bent as shown, and a 3/16-in. hole is
drilled in the end of the long arm where it will exactly center over the
pivot holding the watch hands. A 3/16-in. rod, B, is closely fitted in
the hole and supplied with a knurled wheel, C, on the upper end, and an
L-shaped arm, D, is fastened to the lower end. The end of this arm should
be filed to a point, or a very thin piece of brass soldered to it, so that
the end will just touch the minute hand of the watch. The tip end of the
point should be bent slightly from the perpendicular toward the direction
in which the watch hands are moving, so that, when it is set, the moving
hand will easily break the contact.
The magnetic arrangement consists of a 3-ohm coil, E, mounted, as shown,
to one side of the case, where it operates the trip levers. The armature
parts consist of an L-shaped piece of brass, F, pivoted at G, to which a
square piece of soft iron, H, is attached. Two small parts, K, are bent
and attached as shown, to furnish a limit stop for the piece F and a
support for a spiral spring which holds the armature H away from the coil.
The knife switch L is fastened to the bottom of the case so that the
handle will project through a slot in one side of the box. A trip piece,
M, and a small eye for attaching a spiral spring, N, are soldered to the
knife switch. These two attachments for the switch are insulated from the
other parts.
Two binding posts are mounted on top, one being connected to one terminal
of the coil E and the other to the watch case. The other terminal of the
coil is connected to the standard A. The two binding posts are connected
in series with one or two dry cells, and the switch L is connected in
series with the lamp used for printing.
The operation is as follows: The arm D, being set for a certain time, the
lever of the switch L is set and the light remains lit until the minute
hand strikes the point on the arm D, when the battery circuit is closed
causing the coil to draw the armature H and allowing the spring N to open
the switch L. The lamp is then extinguished.--Contributed by James P.
Lewis, Golden, Colorado.
How to Make a Wing Nut
[Illustration]
Finding that I needed some wing nuts and not being able to purchase them
in the size I wanted, I made them from the ordinary nuts. A hole was
drilled through opposite corners of each nut and a staple made of wire
riveted in the holes as shown in the sketch. The staple should be long
enough to admit the end of the bolt.--Contributed by Clarence L. Orcutt,
Buffalo, N. Y.
Cork-Covered Clothes Peg
[Illustration]
When screws or nails are used to hang clothes or other articles on, run
the nail or screw through a bottle cork as shown. The cork will prevent
the nail or screw from tearing the article and also insure the cloth
against rust marks, should the article be wet.
Shaping an Old Broom
A broom, having the straws bent and out of shape, yet not worn out, can be
fixed up like new in the following manner: Slightly dampen the straw with
water and wrap with heavy paper, then place a weight on it. After standing
under pressure for several days the straw will be restored to the shape
of a new broom. Paint brushes can be treated in the same manner, but in
that case linseed oil should be used instead of water.
[Illustration: Method of Straightening the Straws]
How to Make a Bolster
[Illustration]
The sketch shows a simple bed bolster which I have made and which can be
constructed at very little cost. Three circular pieces of poplar or pine,
10-1/2 in. in diameter, are required. These may be made in one cut by
nailing the pieces together. Then nail on ten 3/8 by 2-in. strips, 52 in.
long, or as long as the width of the bed, leaving about 1/2 in. space
between the strips. These strips will thus go about two-thirds of the
way around the circle, leaving room to insert the pillows when the bed is
not in use. Cover the bolster with building paper or any other suitable
material, and it is ready for the pillow shams.--Contributed by C. Martin,
Jr., Chicago.
A Fish-Scaling Knife
A useful fish-scaling and skinning knife can be made of an old broken
hacksaw blade. This must be at least 6 in. long and will make a knife with
a 3-in. blade. Grind the blade to the shape shown and make a handle for
it by using two strips of maple, 1/4 in. thick and 4 in. long. These are
riveted together with 3 in. of the blade between them.--Contributed by
John L. Waite, Cambridge, Mass.
[Illustration: Scaling Knife]
To Prevent Moles from Damaging Growing Seeds
The food most liked by the ground mole is the sprouts of peas and corn. A
way to protect these growing seeds is to dip them in kerosene just before
planting. The mole will not touch the oil-covered seed, and the seeds are
not injured in the least.--Contributed by J. W. Bauholster, Gresham, O.
[Illustration: The Heliograph as It is Used by Neighboring Boys to Send
Messages on a Clear Day by Flashing the Sun's Rays from One to the Other,
Which can be Read as Far as the Eye can See the Light]
How to Make a Heliograph By R. B. Huey
The heliograph which is used in the army provides a good method of sending
messages by the reflection of the sun's rays. In the mountains there
are stations from which messages are sent by the heliograph for great
distances, and guides carry them for use in case of trouble or accident.
The wireless telegraph delivers messages by electricity through the air,
but the heliograph sends them by flashes of light.
The main part of the instrument is the mirror, which should be about 4 in.
square, set in a wood frame and swung on trunnions made of two square-head
bolts, each 1/4 in. in diameter, and 1 in. long, which are firmly held to
the frame with brass strips, 1/2 in. wide, and 3 in. long. The strips are
drilled centrally to admit the bolts, and then drilled at each end for a
screw to fasten them to the frame. This construction is clearly shown in
Fig. 1.
[Illustration: Detail of the Parts for Making the Mirror and Sight Rod
Which are Placed on a Base Set on a Tripod Top, the Whole being Adjusted
to Reflect the Sun's Rays in Any Direction Desired (Fig. 1)]
A hole is cut centrally through the backing of the frame and a small hole,
not over 1/8 in. in diameter, is scratched through the silvering on the
glass. If the trunnions are centered properly, the small hole should be
exactly in line with them and in the center.
[Illustration: (Fig. 2)]
A U-shaped support is made of wood strips, 3/8 in. thick and 1 in. wide,
the length of the uprights being 3-1/2 in. and the crosspiece connecting
their lower ends a trifle longer than the width of the frame. These are
put together, as shown in Fig. 2, with small brackets at the corners. A
slot, 1/2 in. deep and 1/4 in. wide, is cut into the upper end of each
upright to receive the trunnions on the mirror frame. Nuts are turned
on the bolt ends tightly, to clamp the standard tops against the brass
strips on the mirror frame. The cross strip at the bottom is clamped to
the base by means of a bolt, 1-1/2 in. long. The hole for this bolt should
be exactly below the peephole in the mirror and run through one end of
the baseboard, which is 3/4 in. thick, 2 in. wide and 10 in. long.
[Illustration: (Fig. 3)]
At the opposite end of the base, place a sighting rod, which is made as
follows: The rod is 1/2 in. in diameter and 8 in. long. The upper end is
fitted with a piece of thick, white cardboard, cut 1/4 in. in diameter
and having a projecting shank 1 in. long, as shown in Fig. 3. The rod is
placed in a 1/2-in. hole bored in the end of the baseboard, as shown in
Fig. 2. To keep the rod from slipping through the hole a setscrew is made
of a small bolt with the nut set in the edge of the baseboard, as shown
in Fig. 4.
[Illustration: (Fig. 4)]
[Illustration: The Parts in Detail for Making the Tripods... (Fig. 5, Fig.
6)]
The tripod head is formed of a wood disk, 5 in. in diameter, with a hole
in the center, and three small blocks of wood, 1 in. square and 2 in.
long, nailed to the under side, as shown in Fig. 5. The tripod legs are
made of light strips of wood, 3/8 in. thick, 1 in. wide and 5 ft. long.
Two of these strips, nailed securely together to within 20 in. of the
top, constitute one leg. The upper unnailed ends are spread to slip over
the blocks on the tripod top. These ends are bored to loosely fit over
the headless nails driven part way into the block ends. One tripod leg is
shown in Fig. 6.
[Illustration: ...and the Shutter for Flashing the Light,... (Fig. 7, Fig.
8)]
The screen, or shutter, is mounted on a separate tripod and is shown in
Fig. 7. Cut out two slats, 3/8 in. thick, 2-1/2 in. wide and 6 in. long,
from hard wood, and taper both edges of these slats down to 3/16 in. Small
nails are driven into the ends of the slats and the heads are filed off
so that the projecting ends will form trunnions for the slats to turn
on. Make a frame of wood pieces, 3/4 in. thick and 2-1/2 in. wide, the
opening in the frame being 6 in. square. Before nailing the frame together
bore holes in the side uprights for the trunnions of the slats to turn
in. These holes are 1-3/4 in. apart. The frame is then nailed together
and also nailed to the tripod top. The shutter is operated with a key
very similar to a telegraph key. The construction of this key is shown in
Fig. 7. A part of a spool is fastened to a stick that is pivoted on the
opposite side of the frame. The key is connected to the slats in the frame
with a bar and rod, to which a coil spring is attached, as shown in Fig.
8. Figure 9 shows the positions of the tripods when the instrument is set
to flash the sunlight through the shutter. The regular telegraph code is
used in flashing the light.
[Illustration: ...and Diagram Showing the Location of the Tripods to
Direct the Light through the Shutter (Fig. 9)]
To set the instrument, first turn the cardboard disk down to uncover the
point of the sight rod, then sight through the hole in the mirror and
adjust the sight rod so that the tip end comes squarely in line with the
receiving station. When the instrument is properly sighted, the shutter
is set up directly in front of it and the cardboard disk is turned up
to cover the end of the sight rod. The mirror is then turned so that it
reflects a beam of light with a small shadow spot showing in the center
made by the peephole in the mirror, which is directed to fall on the
center of the cardboard sighting disk. It will be quite easy to direct
this shadow spot to the disk by holding a sheet of paper 6 or 8 in. in
front of the mirror and following the spot on the paper until it reaches
the disk. The flashes are made by manipulating the key operating the
shutter in the same manner as a telegraph key.
Twine Cutter for Use at a Wrapping Counter
[Illustration]
A cutter for use at the wrapping counter in a drug or confectionery store
may be easily made from a double-edged razor blade and a piece of thin
board--a piece of cigar box will do. Cut the wood in the shape shown, with
a protecting piece over the edge of the razor. Screws are turned through
the holes in the blade and into a support on the paper holder or any other
convenient place.--Contributed by T. F. Managhan, Philadelphia, Pa.
Frosting Brass
A very fine ornamental finish, resembling brushed work, may be applied
to brass articles by boiling them in a caustic-potash solution, then
rinsing in clear water, whereupon they are dipped into dilute nitric acid
until the oxide is removed, then rinsed quickly and dried in sawdust. The
surface should be lacquered while the metal is hot.
A Cupboard-Door Spice-Box Shelf
To keep the spice boxes in a handy place where they would be together
and not behind larger articles on the cupboard shelves, I made a special
spice-box shelf, as shown, to hang on the inside of the cupboard door.
The shelf swings out with the door as it opens, and is made of two
bracket ends to which a bottom board and front crosspiece is nailed. The
size of the shelf and its capacity are only limited by the space on the
door.--Contributed by Austin Miller, Santa Barbara, California.
[Illustration: The Shelf will Hold All the Spice Boxes and Keep Them Handy]
Starting a Siphon
[Illustration]
It is often necessary in a laboratory to siphon acids and poisonous
liquids. If a pump is used there is always danger of the liquid entering
the pump and damaging it, and, besides, a pump is not handy for this
purpose. To fill a siphon by suction from the mouth, great care must be
taken to keep from drawing the liquid into the mouth. One of the best ways
to fill a siphon is to procure a large dropper and having pressed all the
air out of the bulb insert the end in the siphon. Releasing the pressure
on the bulb will cause it to draw the liquid into the siphon.--Contributed
by Bedell M. Neubert, Newtown, Conn.
A Window-Seat Sewing Box
The combined window seat and sewing box shown was made by using a
shoe-packing box for the foundation. This was covered with matting and the
edges and corners finished with wood strips, 1/2 in. thick and stained a
dark red. Three trays were provided on the inside at the top part of the
box, each of the two upper ones occupying one-fourth of the box opening
and sliding on a pair of guides fastened to the sides of the box while the
lower tray is one-half the length of the box and slides on guides placed
far enough below the upper trays to allow it to pass beneath these. The
three trays were used for keeping sewing materials, such as buttons, hooks
and eyes, etc. When the trays are all moved to one end it gives access to
the lower part of the box where the work or mending is kept out of sight.
[Illustration: A Window-Seat Workbox for Sewing Materials, Made of an
Ordinary Shoe-Packing Box]
The inside of the cover is 1-1/2 in. deep and shelves are arranged for
thread and silk spools on either side, the center space being used for
the shears, thimbles and scissors. The little shelves are made of two
pieces each half as wide as the depth of the box cover. The first half of
the shelf is fastened in place, then a row of cotters attached with wood
screws whereupon the other half of the shelf is put in place. The edges
of the cover are rounded on the outside to make an attractive seat.
[Illustration: The Spindles for the Spools are Made of Cotters Fastened
with Screws in the Shelves]
While no dimensions are necessary, as the box can be of any size to suit
the maker it may be mentioned that the one shown is 28 in. long, 12 in
wide and 16 in. deep.--Contributed by R. B. Thomas, Lowell, Mass.
Cutting a Glass Bottle
[Illustration]
It is sometimes necessary to cut a heavy glass bottle or cylinder. Four
methods are in use. A carborundum disk having a thin edge, if kept wet
and rotated at a high speed, will cut heavy glass, but the cylinder must
be fed against the wheel very gently. A better way is to make a file
mark--clean, but not very deep--around the cylinder and heat it with a
long slender flame while slowly rotating the cylinder all the time. It
is very important that the gas flame should not spread over the surface
of the glass, for it is only the file mark that should be heated. A mere
glancing touch is sufficient. Usually the glass will crack off in a very
clean cut.
Sometimes a fine platinum wire is wound around in the file mark and heated
by an electric current. Less common is the trick of wrapping a strand of
yarn soaked in turpentine around the mark and burning it. The principle
is the same in each case. The unequal heating of the glass causes it to
break.--Contributed by Harry H. Holmes, Richmond, Ind.
To Clean Painted or Frescoed Walls
Use a paste made of vinegar and baking soda with a small amount of salt
added. The ingredients should be mixed in a large dish and applied to
the wall with a cloth. The grease and fly specks as well as the carbon
deposits from kitchen smoke are quickly removed. The mixture is harmless.
After the wall is thoroughly cleaned, it should be washed with warm water
and soap, then dried with a cloth. The mixture works equally well on
enameled baths and glass or white porcelain.
Securing Papers in a Mailing Tube
The illustrations show two methods of securing papers or photographs in a
mailing tube. In Fig. 1 the mailing tube A is shown in cross section and
the manner of running the string through the pasteboard walls illustrated.
The ends of the string are drawn up and tied over or under the label. If
the label is pasted over the string or string ends as they are tied, it
makes a sealed package which is rated as first-class matter.
[Illustration: The String in Either Case Prevents the Papers from Slipping
Out of the Mailing Tube (Fig. 1)]
The second way is to run the cords in a cross form through holes near the
ends, as in Fig. 2, then tie the knots as at BB. In each instance even
if the papers fit the tube loosely, they will be held securely and can be
easily extracted when the knots are untied.
[Illustration: (Fig. 2)]
Cooling Tube for a Laboratory Still
A simple and very effective device to replace the cumbersome cooling or
condensation coil of a still for the amateur's laboratory can be easily
made as follows:
Procure an ordinary straight glass tube of fairly large diameter and heat
it in the flame of an alcohol lamp with the use of a blowpipe or in a
Bunsen burner with a very reduced flame so that only a small spot of the
tube is brought to a red heat at one time Then, with a previously pointed
and charred stick of wood--a penholder for instance--produce a small
recess in the wall by pushing the charred end gently into the glowing
part of the tube. This procedure is repeated until the whole tube is thus
provided with small recesses. The indentations should be made in spiral
lines around the tube, thus increasing the surface that is in contact with
the cooling water. The operation of making the recesses is shown in Fig.
1. The walls of the recesses should have a regular and uniform slant.
[Illustration: Method of Indenting the Walls of the Glass Tube and Its
Application as a Still (Fig. 1)]
The tube thus produced can either be used as a rectifier (Fig. 2)
above a vessel, for fractional distillation because it will allow the
most volatile parts to pass out first, or as a condenser (Fig. 3), the
arrangement of which needs no explanation. The amateur will find it much
easier to make this tube than to coil a very long one.
[Illustration: (Fig. 2, Fig. 3)]
A Comb Cleaner
[Illustration]
A good comb cleaner that does the work easily and quickly can be made
from a worn-out varnish brush. The brush selected should not be over
2 in. wide; it should be thoroughly cleaned with benzine and the bristles
cut to a bevel, as shown in the sketch. In use, brush across the comb
parallel with the teeth, and the dirt between them will be easily
removed.--Contributed by John V. Loeffler, Evansville, Ind.
Scraping Off Surplus Water on a Grindstone
When using a grindstone, an ample flow of water is desirable in order
to insure good cutting, and the objectionable spattering may be overcome
by fastening a piece of leather to the grindstone frame so that its edge
will bear lightly upon the stone just below the point where the work is
held. This will scrape off all surplus water from the grinding surface
and prevent spattering.--Contributed by Thos. L. Parker, Wibaux, Mont.
A Paper Drinking Cup
The cup is readily made of a piece of paper 8 in. square. Lay the paper
on a flat surface, turn the point A over to meet the point B and crease on
the dotted line CD, Fig. 1, then turn the corner D up to meet the line BC,
Fig. 2, making sure that the new edge DE is parallel with the lower edge
and crease. Turn the corner C in the same manner, that is, fold it over
to the point E and crease. Fold the two corners at B outward and down,
and crease, and the cup is complete as shown in Fig. 3.--Contributed by
W. Douglas Matthews, Chappaqua, New York.
[Illustration: Several Cups can be Nested Together and Carried in the
Pocket or Hand Bag (Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3)]
Homemade Brush for Cleaning Upholstered Furniture
A durable brush for cleaning upholstered furniture can be made in the
following manner: Procure a piece of haircloth, which is made of horsehair
woof and linen warp. Strips of haircloth, cut lengthwise and 1-3/4 in.
wide, are laid out smooth on a table and a strip of wrapping paper,
1/2 in. wide, is firmly glued to one edge. When this has dried, take out
the warp that is not covered by the paper. Brush the fringe of horsehair
until it is straight and even, and before commencing to wind, measure
6 in. from one end and glue this portion to the side of a strip of soft
wood, 6 in. long, 5/8 in. wide and 1/16 in. thick. When dry, wind the
glued length of haircloth and paper around the wood strip, applying glue
to each separate turn of winding. The turns should be kept flush on the
side that has been glued and the fringed part brushed and straight.
[Illustration: Brush Made of Strip of Upholsterers' Haircloth with the
Warp Removed and Fastened to a Handle]
The part to be glued to the handle must be perfectly even in its windings
and held firmly in place while the glue is hardening. The winding should
be continued until the brush is 1-1/2 in. thick.
The handle is made of a piece of wood, 14 in. long, 1-3/4 in. wide and
1/2 in. thick. Wood that takes a cherry or mahogany stain is preferable.
Shape it about as shown in the sketch and round off the edges. The
part to which the brush is to be attached must be given a light coat of
glue. When that has dried, glue the back of the brush to it, and after
the glue has hardened, glue a piece of gimp around the brush part, then
drive upholsterers' tacks into the gimp and wood, 3/4 in. apart. Stain
and varnish the handle. The back of the handle can be used as a beater,
and the brush for removing the dust.--Contributed by Gertrude M. Bender,
Utica, N. Y.
Removing Calcium Deposits on Glass
A good way to clean glass vessels in which hard water is boiled is to use
the following mixture to remove not only the calcium deposits, but also
rust or sulphur stains that may be present. The solution is a mixture of
ammonia water and a few ounces of salt. This should be placed in the glass
vessel and boiled until the deposits disappear. The ammonia water may be
made of any strength by diluting if necessary.
A Cold-Chisel Guide
When making long cuts with a cold chisel, it is almost impossible to guide
the chisel edge along a line made with a scriber or pencil and have a
straight cut. I find that it is much easier to use a guide, as shown in
the sketch. The guide is made of a piece of wood, about 1 ft. long and
1-1/2 in. wide. A slot is cut in the center, wide enough to receive the
chisel edge snugly, and about 9 in. long. The guide is clamped to the
work, and the cold chisel slipped along in the slot as it is successively
hit with a hammer.--Contributed by G. H. Holter, Jasper, Minn.
[Illustration: The Guide Makes It Easy to Follow along a Straight Line
When Cutting with a Cold Chisel]
Care of Paintbrushes
[Illustration]
When laying aside paintbrushes, the usual custom is to place them in
water and then forget all about them until needed again, with the result
that the water usually is found more or less evaporated and the brushes
hardened. If a quantity of oil, A, is poured on the water B, it will
prevent this evaporation and keep the brushes in good shape.
Filter in a Pump Spout
[Illustration]
The sketch shows how to place an ordinary sponge in a pump spout, to
filter out sand and dirt particles that may come up with the water as
it is pumped. A wire is fastened in the sponge so that it can be easily
taken out for washing. When washing the sponge give the pump handle a few
strokes so that the dirt collected in the spout will be washed out. Do not
press the sponge too tightly into the spout, as this will stop the flow
of water.--Contributed by Chas. Homewood, Waterloo, Iowa.
Brown Stain for Wood
Bichromate of potassium gives a lustrous, rich, light to dark brown stain
on woods. The crystals are first dissolved into a saturated solution,
which is then diluted with water. The stained surface needs no rubbing,
as the stain leaves the wood perfectly clear for any desired finish. The
satinlike appearance of wood treated by this stain cannot be produced with
any of the pigment stains.--Contributed by August Meyer.
An Egg Boiler
In boiling eggs the usual method of dropping the eggs from a spoon into
the boiling water often results in a burn, as well as in cracking of the
eggs by the fall. In removing the eggs from the hot water and taking one
out at a time, no two will be cooked alike. To overcome these difficulties
I constructed an egg boiler as illustrated.
[Illustration: The Eggs are Prevented from Becoming Cracked and All are
Easily Handled in One Operation]
A pan was procured--tin or aluminum as desired--about 1 in. deep and
5-1/2 in. in diameter, and holes were drilled in the bottom having
dimensions as shown. A handle was attached to the center with washers and
nuts. The small ends of the eggs are set in the 1-3/8-in. holes and the
whole pan set in a vessel of boiling water. When the boiling is completed,
the entire lot of eggs are removed at the same time. As the device with
its load of cooked eggs is quite pleasing in appearance, it may be set on
a plate and the eggs served from it on the table.--Contributed by W. E.
Crane, Cleveland, O.
Removing Black Deposit an Bathtubs
A good way to remove the black deposit left on bathtubs by the water is
to use a strong solution of sulphuric acid. The acid should be poured
on the discolored enameled surface and washed around with a cloth. The
acid should not touch the hands so it is best to use a stick to move the
cloth. Neither should it be allowed to touch the metal parts, but if this
happens, no harm will result if it is quickly rubbed off with a cloth and
water then applied.
In using this acid never pour water into the acid, but always pour the
acid into the water.--Contributed by Loren Ward, Des Moines, Iowa.
A Stocking-Stretcher Form
A simple as well as inexpensive device for preventing the shrinking of
stockings, more particularly those of children, after they have been
washed, thus saving great wear and tear on the fabrics and increasing
their length of life, is shown in the illustration. The stretcher can
be made by anyone, a knowledge of woodcraft or art being unnecessary. If
used, the device will prove to effect quite a saving in money, labor and
worry in the course of a year.
[Illustration: The Spring of the Two Parts Tends to Hold the Yarn and Keep
It from Shrinking]
Place a new and unused stocking, that properly fits the foot, flat on
a heavy piece of cardboard or a wood board, if desired, and mark an
outline of the stocking on the board with a pencil. Cut out the design
with a penknife or heavy pair of scissors and smooth the edges. A design
having the same shape and size as the stocking results. Duplicate boards
can be easily made. Place a spool, such as used to hold the finest silk
thread, near the upper end of the first form and on top of this place
the second. Then drive a nail through the boards and spool and clinch
it, or better still, use a small bolt. When the stockings are washed and
the dampness wrung out as well as possible, stretch them over the boards
and hang them up to dry. They will retain their shape and are easily
ironed.--Contributed by Wm. P. Kennedy, Washington, D. C.
Stick Holder for a Chopping Block
Having a lot of branch wood, from 1/2 in. to 1 in. in diameter, to saw,
and not wishing to bother with a sawbuck, I rigged up a chopping block,
as shown in the sketch, by fastening a piece of board to one side of
the block with small lag screws. The piece to be sawed was laid across
the block in the notch. If the piece is held down on the block with one
foot, the wood is very easily sawn.--Contributed by Wilfred B. Sylvester,
Reading, Mass.
[Illustration: The Notched Board Fastened to the Chopping Block Turns It
into a Sawbuck]
Cleaning Gold and Platinum
A good way to clean gold or platinum jewelry is to first brush with
soapsuds, then dust magnesia powder over the article and allow it to dry.
A few rubs with a cloth makes the article shine with great luster. As
magnesia powder is highly inflammable, it must be kept away from fire.
A Twine Spool
The pieces of twine used in tying parcels delivered to a residence are
either thrown away or tied together and wound into a ball for future use.
The method I use for keeping the pieces of twine is to wind them over a
discarded photographic-film spool. The spool was slipped on a finishing
nail driven into the wall. The crank for turning the spool was made of a
piece of wire, bent as shown and slipped into the slot end of the spool.
One end of the first piece of string was tied to the core and then wound
around it, the next piece tied to the first and wound up, and so on, as
the strings were taken from the packages from time to time. When a string
is needed for any purpose I always know where to find it, and it is easier
to take it from the spool than from a ball.--Contributed by W. Resseguie,
Susquehanna, Pa.
[Illustration: The Film Spool as It is Attached to a Wall, and the Crank
for Turning It]
Reinforcing Chair Bottoms
Embossed-leather-board chair bottoms can be made as serviceable as leather
in the following manner: Turn the chair upside down and fill the hollow
beneath the seat with excelsior, soft rags or fine shavings, then nail a
1/4-in. wood bottom over the filling with brads. Make the wood bottom 1/2
or 3/4 in. larger than the opening. It will thus not be seen, and the seat
will last as long as the chair.--Contributed by J. H. Sanford, Pasadena,
California.
A Novelty Chain
An inexpensive chain for hanging painted glass panels, transparencies or
photographs can be made by joining paper clips together to form the links.
A box of 100 clips will make a chain about 10 ft. long. Such a chain can
be made in a few minutes and a length of 10 ft. will hold about 4 lb.
[Illustration: The Paper-Clip Links may be Joined to Make a Chain of Any
Desired Length]
If the chain is to be used for holding photographs, each inner loop end
is bent out slightly.
Closet Holders for Linen
A combination drawer and shelf for a linen closet is much better than a
shelf or a drawer. It is constructed in the manner of a drawer with sides
and a back, the front being open and the ends of the sides cut rounding.
A clip is attached to the under side of the bottom, near the front edge,
to provide a means for pulling out the holder.
[Illustration: The Holder can be Pulled Out Like a Drawer and is as
Accessible as a Shelf]
Sheets, towels, table cloths, napkins, etc., can be neatly piled on
the holder and can be seen without digging down to the bottom. It has
the advantage over the shelf that it can be pulled out without anything
falling off, and the linen on the back part can be easily reached as well
as that in front. The closet may contain as many holders as is necessary
and should be provided with a door for keeping out dust.--Contributed by
H. A. Sullwold, St. Paul, Minn.
Preserving Dry Batteries
The life of dry batteries, which are to be used in wet or damp places,
may be considerably lengthened by being treated in the following manner:
The batteries are placed in glass jars a little wider and higher than
themselves. A layer of dry sawdust is placed in the bottom, for the
battery to rest on, and the sides are packed with sawdust to within
1/2 in. of the top. Waterproof wires are connected to the binding posts
and melted paraffin poured over the battery to the top of the jar.
The carbon and zinc terminals should be marked to avoid trouble when
connecting several cells together. Batteries treated in this manner are
waterproof and can be submerged in water if necessary.--Contributed by
Olaf Tronnes, Evanston, Ill.
A Cleaner for Brass
In some recent laboratory experiments the following solution was found
to cleanse brass very quickly without harm to the hands or the metal. An
ounce of alum was put into a pint of boiling water and the solution rubbed
on the brass with a cloth. Stains as well as tarnish were quickly removed.
The solution is inexpensive and easily prepared.--Contributed by Loren
Ward, Des Moines, Iowa.
Homemade Graduate
[Illustration]
If a certain quantity of liquid is to be frequently measured out, it is
best to have a graduate marked for this amount without any other markings
upon it. To make a graduate for this purpose, procure a pickle or olive
bottle of the type shown in the drawing and file a vertical line, A, on
each side. These lines should be at least 1/8 in. wide. Place the bottle
on a level surface and pour in the amount desired to be measured. Mark on
each vertical line with a lead pencil and connect this mark or marks with
lines, filed as shown at BB.--Contributed by James M. Kane, Doylestown,
Pa.
Mending a Break in Felt
A good way to mend partially broken felt or a felt hat is to hold a
lighted match under the break and smooth out the crevice with the hand.
The shellac in the felt is melted by the heat and runs together, mending
the felt in such a way that the break is hardly noticeable. This method
may also be used to mend felt articles in the laboratory.
Imitating Ebony on Oak
The wood is immersed for 48 hours in a warm solution of alum and sprinkled
several times with the following mixture: One part of logwood of the best
quality is boiled with 10 parts of water, then it is filtered through
linen and the liquid evaporated at a low temperature until its volume is
reduced by one-half. To every quart of this bath are added 10 to 15 drops
of a saturate of soluble indigo entirely neutral in reaction.
Smaller pieces may be steeped for a time in this solution, then the wood
is rubbed with a saturated and filtered solution of verdigris in warm,
concentrated acetic acid, and this operation continued until a black color
of the desired intensity is obtained. The oak wood dyed in this manner is
very similar to real ebony.
Tongue Holder for a Boy's Wagon
To prevent any mishap when coasting in a boy's play wagon fasten the
tongue with a coil spring so that it will be kept in a vertical position.
The tongue is always out of the way when it is not used for drawing the
wagon. The spring is only strong enough to hold the tongue, so that when
this is used for pulling there is little or no tendency of the spring
to draw the tongue upward. The coil spring is fastened with one screweye
in the tongue and one in the front axle.--Contributed by Wm. F. Benson,
Brockton, Massachusetts.
[Illustration: Holder for the Wagon Tongue to Keep It in a Vertical
Position When Not in Use]
Gluing Small Mitered Frames
The mechanic who attempts to fasten a mitered frame in the home workshop
usually comes to grief. This is due to lack of proper facilities for
holding the frame straight and out of wind, and for clamping or drawing
the miter joint together after the glue has been applied. The little
device shown in the sketch, if properly made and used, does away with the
usual difficulties and annoyances. It consists of a triangular block of
wood with raised strips on the two edges that make the right angle, and
the clamping piece with the wood screw through the center on the long
side. The raised strips are made somewhat thinner than the frame to be
fastened, as the clamping piece should bear on the frame and not on the
strips; the function of the strips being to hold the frame square. The
triangular block should be large enough to take the corner of the frame
and leave room enough for the wood screw that holds it in place on the
block. Four of these blocks will be necessary and they should be used in
conjunction with pinch dogs. These dogs come in different sizes and may
be purchased at supply stores or made as shown. The outside of the legs
should be straight and parallel and the inside tapered so as to draw the
joint together.
[Illustration: Clamp for Holding the Corner of a Frame While Gluing and
Fastening the Mitered Joint]
When a joint is ready to be glued, a piece of paper is placed on the block
under the joint to keep it from sticking. Apply the glue and push the two
sides into the corner formed by the raised strips, the dog is then driven
in lightly and the clamping piece screwed down tightly, and if the miter
has been properly cut, a nice close-jointed and square corner will be the
result.--Contributed by J. Shelly, Brooklyn, New York.
Handle Attachment for a Sickle
For cutting around flower beds or bushes and in close places I find that
an extension handle for a sickle is quite an assistance. The auxiliary
handle is bound to the sickle handle with wire at the ends and is further
fastened with a screw in the center. The arrows show the directions in
which the hands should be moved in working the sickle.--Contributed by A.
S. Thomas, Gordon, Can.
[Illustration: The Extension Handle Makes It Much Easier to Control the
Sickle in Cutting around Obstacles]
A Clothesline for Small Goods
Handkerchiefs and small pieces included in the week's laundry are usually
quite troublesome to hang with the larger pieces, and for this reason
I constructed a special line for the small goods. A line was cut to fit
between two porch posts and a hook made of galvanized wire tied to each
end, staples being driven into the posts to receive them. Three or four
wire grips were formed and attached to the line. It was only necessary
to draw the corner of a handkerchief into the grip as it was wrung out,
placing several in each grip. The line with its load was then carried out
and attached between the porch posts. This made it unnecessary to look
through the clothes for the small articles. It also prevented chilling
the fingers and no pins were needed.--Contributed by R. D. Livingston,
Hopkinton, Iowa.
[Illustration: Line and Holders are Always Together and can be Washed as
the Clothes]
Automatically Controlled Ice-Box Lights
Often the ice box is placed in a dark closet or some out-of-the-way
place, and it is almost impossible to locate articles already in the box
or put others away without considerable inconvenience on account of the
lack of proper light. This difficulty can be easily overcome by mounting
a small electric lamp in each of the different compartments of the box,
which will be automatically lighted when the lid of the box is raised or
the door opened. The circuit through the lamp is controlled by a special
switch mounted in such a way that its contacts are open when the doors
and lid of the box are closed. A diagram of the circuit is given in
Fig. 1, which shows three lamps, each controlled by a separate switch,
connected in parallel to a battery of several dry cells. The lamps should
be of low voltage and need not be very high in candlepower. The number of
cells needed in the battery will depend upon the voltage of the lamps.
The voltage of the battery and the rated voltage of the lamps should be
approximately the same.
[Illustration: The Lamps will be Automatically Lighted When the Door of
the Ice Box is Opened (Fig. 1)]
A special switch that will serve the above purpose is shown in Fig. 2.
It consists of two pieces of spring brass, A and B, about 3/8 in. wide,
bent into the forms shown. These pieces are mounted in a recess cut in
the jamb of the door or lid in such a way that the free end of the piece
A is held away from the piece B when the door or lid is closed. When the
lid of the box or the door is open the two springs come in contact and
the lamp lights; upon closing the lid or door the contact is broken and
the lamp goes out.
[Illustration: (Fig. 2)]
A good quality of rubber-insulated copper wire should be used in making
the connections, and all parts should be as well protected from moisture
and the possibilities of mechanical abuse as possible. It would be best
to tape the lamps in the sockets with a piece of friction tape so as to
prevent moisture getting into the socket and, perhaps, shortening the
lamp. A short piece of brass tubing can be mounted around the lamp to
protect it mechanically. Be sure to place the batteries where they will
be kept dry.
A Bottle-Cap Lifter
[Illustration]
To remove the crimped bottle cover so extensively used requires a special
lifter, the corkscrew being of little use for this purpose. When a
cap-cover remover is not at hand, prepare a pocketknife in the manner
shown, and it makes an excellent substitute. It only requires a small
notch filed in the heel of the blade, which does not interfere with the
ordinary use of the knife in the least.--Contributed by John V. Loeffler,
Evansville, Indiana.
* * * * *
Ants may be effectively destroyed by placing a coop
with a chicken in it over the hill.
A Mechanical Bicycle Horn
The body of the horn A is made of metal, about 3 in. in diameter, with a
screw cover. The shaft B, to which is attached a driving pulley, C, and a
ratchet wheel, D, is fitted in holes drilled through the diameter of the
body. The diaphragm E is clamped, between the edge of the body and the
cover, on a seat made of rubber rings, F, and carries a contact device,
G, that is riveted to its center. The diaphragm should be set so that the
contact will touch the ends of the ratchets.
[Illustration: The Horn is Sounded by Making Connections with the Moving
Surface of the Tire]
A metal cone is fastened in an opening cut in the center of the cover,
over the diaphragm. The back of the body is fitted with a bracket for
attaching it to the front fork on a bicycle. The lever H carries an idler
pulley which is forced against the bicycle tire and the pulley C by means
of a cord, J.
Adjusting the diaphragm contact on the ratchet wheel will change the tone
of the horn.--Contributed by P. Mertz, Jamaica, L. I.
Retarder for Plaster of Paris
When it is desired to lengthen the time of setting after preparing plaster
of Paris, dissolve 1 oz. of citric acid in water used for mixing 100 lb.
of plaster, and it will retard the setting for about three hours.
An Inkwell Stopper
[Illustration]
A good way to keep an inkwell of the type shown in the sketch clean
is to place a marble over the opening. The marble keeps out flies and
dust, is easily rolled aside and is no obstacle to the pen entering the
well.--Contributed by James M. Kane, Doylestown, Pennsylvania.
A Grass Rake
This adaptation of an ordinary iron rake for use on a lawn was the outcome
of not having a lawn rake at hand. Two spools, each 1-1/2 in. in diameter,
were procured and one forced on each end tooth of the rake. The spools
were forced on the teeth just far enough to allow the rake to slide on the
ground and prevent the other teeth from digging out the grass. The end of
the spools may be rounded and smoothed so that they will slide easily on
the ground.--Contributed by H. E. Gray, Montclair, N. J.
[Illustration: The Spools Prevent the Teeth from Injuring the Grass Roots
as the Rake Passes over the Ground]
A Staple Puller
[Illustration]
A very simple way to pull a staple is to use the claws of an ordinary
carpenter's hammer and a nail, as shown in the sketch. The staple can be
removed quickly without being bent, and no damage to the material into
which it was driven will result.
To Remove Acid Stains from Cloth
Apply pearlash directly to the stain, allowing it to set a minute or two,
then boil the article in soap water for several minutes. The method is
harmless and inexpensive, and can be used by anyone.
Repairing Rocker on a Chair
[Illustration]
The tenons on the posts of a rocking chair being broken off so close
to the rocker that it was impossible to make the ordinary repairs, four
window-shade-roller brackets were used in the following manner: The metal
was straightened so that it would lie flat and two brackets were used on
the end of each post. This made a neat and strong repair.--Contributed by
Chas. Schmidt, Baltimore, Md.
Electric-Lamp Reflector for a Target
[Illustration]
An ordinary 1-lb. coffee can may be quickly fashioned into a most
effective reflector for an electric bulb. The light is projected upon the
target while the marksman's eyes are shielded. Of course, this device can
be used for other purposes.
The can is shaped into a reflector by cutting it open along one side
with a pair of snips, then following the circumference of the bottom
halfway around on each side. Bend the flaps outward as far as desired
and cut a hole in the bottom just large enough to insert the bulb, as
shown.--Contributed by Burke Jenkins, Port Washington, L. I.
* * * * *
Linoleum may be renewed by applying floor wax in
liquid form.
Making Small Taps
The owner of a private workshop has need for taps and occasionally wishes
to make them, not because they are cheaper, but for the sake of experience
or to get some special thread. In cutting the flutes, whether it be by
hand or in a shaper, it is a good plan to give the flutes an angle, that
is, to cut them, not parallel with the axis of the tap, but at an angle of
5 to 15 deg. with the center line. This makes the tap cut easier, giving
it a wedge action instead of just simply pushing the metal off. The same
method applies to counterbores and countersinks, which, when so made, take
less power to drive.
Sink a Substitute for a Dishpan
[Illustration]
On special occasions when company is entertained or in large families,
it is almost impossible to wash all the dishes in an ordinary dishpan; in
fact, the large platters will not go in at all, so I devised the following
method as a substitute for a larger pan. A tin disk was cut from the top
of a tomato can with a can opener so as to be as round as possible, then
a piece of cheesecloth was folded into an even square, the disk placed
in the center and all four corners of the cloth drawn over to the center
of the disk. A nail was driven through the center of the disk, to make
a hole, through which a string was drawn with the nail and tied to it to
form a loop on the head. This is used to stop the sink drain.
When this is put over the drain outlet the sink may be used as a dishpan.
The same result could be obtained a little better with a piece of an old
rubber boot or rubber coat, but usually this material is not at hand, and
the cheesecloth will do almost as well.--Contributed by Hannah Jennings,
Chicago.
How to Make Small Coil Springs
Procure a nut, having a small thread that will admit the size of the wire
to be used in making the spring. Cut a small notch to the depth of the
thread where the thread starts, and procure a smooth rod that will pass
snugly through the threads of the nut. Shape one end of the rod to fit a
carpenter's brace, if there is no drill chuck at hand, and drill a hole
in the other end to admit one end of the spring wire.
[Illustration: The Threads in the Nut Will Guide as Well as Coil the
Spring Evenly]
Bend the wire at right angles and insert the end in the hole. Place the
end of the rod in the nut, which should be gripped in a vise, and turn
the rod, at the same time seeing that the wire is guided into the notch
cut at the start of the thread. The wire will follow the thread of the
nut and make a perfect spring of an even opening throughout its length.
Closed or open coils can be made by using a nut having the proper number
of threads.--Contributed by A. Spencer, Kinston, N. C.
A Pruning-Saw Guard
The double-edged pruning saw with coarse teeth on one side and fine on the
other would be far more widely used, if it were not for the fact that the
unused edge so often injures the bark of the trunk when the saw is being
used. A very satisfactory guard may be quickly made of a brass curtain
rod by prying it apart slightly at the seam and cutting a suitable length
to fit over the edge, as shown in the sketch. This will cling to the saw
blade by its own tension.--Contributed by James H. Brundage, Katonah, N.
Y.
[Illustration: The Teeth on the Unused Edge are Covered with a Piece of
Brass Curtain Rod]
[Illustration]
Home-Made Motion-Picture Camera and Projector By Charles Frank In Three
Parts--Part I
[Illustration: (Fig. 1)]
Motion pictures are made and reproduced by means of a camera and
projector, each having a similar mechanism that would seem entirely
too complicated for the average person to construct at home, yet a
correspondent of the Nickelodeon has devised a simple rotary cylinder
shutter that can be substituted for the complicated parts. While this
simple cylinder shutter is not claimed to be infringing on existing
patents, yet, as it has no commercial value, there would be no objection
on this score. The instruments described are nothing more than toys,
and if the amateur photographer can secure a few dozen feet of animated
photographs about the home that are dear to his heart, and reproduce them
on a screen, it will have served its purpose. The camera and projector
described uses standard film, 1-3/8 in. wide, with perforations every
3/16 in.
The Camera
The ordinary hand camera for making still pictures consists of a
light-tight box with a lens at one end and a sensitized plate or film at
the other. The motion-picture camera (Fig. 1) is nothing more than a hand
camera with a mechanical device for stepping a long roll of film through
a space in the focal plane of the lens at a speed of about 16 pictures a
second, and stopping the film long enough to make the requisite exposure
on each division. The first thing to consider is the lens. A lens having
ordinary speed for a hand camera, and one with about 3 in. focal length
will give satisfactory results. If one does not care to purchase a lens,
a small 1-1/2 in. or 2 in. reading glass can be used, if it is stopped
down, or a lens may be taken from a hand camera. The width of the camera
from front to back (W, Fig. 2) must be determined by the focal length of
the lens. The dimensions given in the drawing are only approximate, and
they can be changed if the camera is to be used in making an extra long
film negative.
The roll of unexposed film (A, Fig. 2) is placed on a small shaft between
U-shaped bearings, made of sheet metal and screwed to the top board of
the camera. The lens B is set in the front board at a point 4 in. below
the top. If a large roll of film is to be used, this distance must be
greater to allow room for the film roll in the top of the camera. The
cylinder C, which acts as a shutter and intermittent movement, revolves
directly behind and in the path of the light passing through the lens.
Partitions, DD, are set in grooves cut in the boards, forming the sides of
the camera. These partitions are to keep the light, which may be diffused
from the lens, from striking the film at either side of the shutter, and
at the same time acting as guides for the film at the rear end of the
camera. Their edges at the back are covered with black velvet. The back
of the box is a hinged door, rabbeted on all edges, and opening at the
side to allow the insertion and removal of the film, and also acting as
a guide for the film when closed. A strip of black velvet, E, a little
wider than the film, is pasted to the inside surface of the door, so that
it bears lightly against the back edges of the partitions DD. The film
passes between the edges of the partitions and the velvet on the door
with some friction, which keeps it from moving except when pulled through
with the roller shutter. A wire-staple guide, F, is fastened in the lower
partition, through which the end of the film is passed before closing the
door. The film as it is run through drops in folds in the bottom of the
box.
[Illustration: Fig. 2--Details of Camera]
The rotary cylinder shutter is the heart of the machine and should be
made well and strictly according to the dimensions. The detail of this
part is shown in Fig. 3. A rectangular opening is mortised through one
of its diameters to admit light on the film when in certain positions.
The cylinder is of wood with a 1/4 in. steel rod inserted in the center
of each end for axles. A small grooved pulley (G, Fig. 2), about 1 in.
in diameter, is fastened to the outer end of one of these rods. The
cylinder is revolved by a round belt from a drive wheel, H, 3 or 3-1/2 in.
in diameter and turned by the aid of a crankpin. Owing to the backward
rotation of the cylinder, the belt must be crossed between the drive
wheel H, and the pulley G. The projections or sprockets, Fig. 3, must be
accurately set at a distance of 3/8 in. from the 90 deg. point, using the
center of the mortised hole as a base. These projections can be pins or
small staples, but they must not be over 1/16 in. in size. The base of the
sprockets must fit the hole in the film snugly, but the points should be
slightly rounding, so that they will easily enter the perforations. When
the upper sprocket, which is approaching the film, engages a perforation,
just below the upper partition, it will carry the film downward until
the sprocket disengages from the perforation at the lower partition. The
distance of travel must be exactly 3/4 in., as that is the height of each
picture. The cylinder requires some adjustment to meet this condition;
therefore the axles are made to revolve in holes bored in two strips of
wood, JJ, which can be moved forward or backward to obtain the proper
distance from the film. To allow for this movement, the axles pass through
slots cut in the sides of the camera box instead of round holes. The
strips JJ are fastened temporarily and when the correct position for the
cylinder is found, they are permanently fastened to the box. Grooves, K,
are cut through the black velvet and into the back of the door to allow
a space for the sprockets to pass through freely. The inside of the box
should be painted a dead black, and black paper pasted on all corners
and joints. Black velvet is pasted in the rabbet of the door to insure a
light-tight joint when the door is closed. The cylinder shutter is also
painted a dead black inside and out.
[Illustration: Fig. 3--Details of Shutter]
The cylinder in revolving exposes the film immediately behind it through
the mortised hole. The sprockets or cylinder does not touch the film while
the exposure is being made, but as the hole turns toward a perpendicular
position, the sprockets catch the perforations of the film and it moves
down 3/4 in. Just as soon as the sprockets disengage the film, the shutter
exposes the next section of film, and so on as rapidly as the cylinder
is turned, but the average should be about 16 pictures per second. A
view finder must be supplied so the field covered by the lens can be
determined. Such a finder is made of two pieces of metal, L and M, bent
L-shaped and fastened to the top of the camera box. One of the pieces (L)
has a rectangular opening 1 in. wide and 3/4 in. high, and the other (M)
is drilled with a 1/8 in. drill, the distance between the two pieces being
the focal length of the lens. One eye applied to the 1/8 in. hole in the
piece M will see through the rectangular hole in the piece L about the
same field as covered by the lens. The pieces should be accurately placed
and fastened on the box when the camera is set, so that the lens will
throw the same portion of the picture on the space where the film passes
as will be seen through the finder.
A Swimming Raft
Swimming is learned only by experience and to get this experience one
must not be afraid to trust himself in the water. This is sometimes
accomplished by the use of a swimming raft or water wings. As the water
wings need to be inflated frequently, I made a swimming raft instead, in
the following manner: Two logs, about 6 or 7 ft. long and about 8 in.
in diameter, were fastened together with large nails, as shown in the
illustration, and a piece of burlap or other strong material was nailed
across the center with slack enough for it to be partially submerged.
[Illustration: Plan of Raft]
The middle of the band, its depth, etc., can be adjusted to suit the user.
Be sure to remove all the roughness of the logs and boards with a rasp
and sandpaper.--Contributed by W. P. Johnston, Sumner, Ill.
Removing Finger Marks on Books
Dampen a piece of wash leather and use it to rub pumice on the spot to
be cleaned. Brush off the pumice and rub again with a piece of dry wash
leather.
Tightening a Tennis Net
Anyone who has ever played tennis will readily see the advantage of the
net-tightening device shown, in preference to the old method of pulling
the net tight by hand. All that is necessary to make the device is 1 ft.
of ordinary gas or water pipe, 8 or 10 in. of 1/2-in. iron bar, and two
twenty-penny nails. The posts generally used are 6 by 6 in. About 4 in.
from the top of the post bore a 1-in. hole, parallel with the direction
the rope is to run. On the inside surface of the post bore four 1/4-in.
holes.
[Illustration: Tightener on Post]
Drill a 1/2-in. hole 1 in. from one end of the pipe, and a 1/4-in. hole
1 in. from the other end. Put the iron bar in the 1/2-in. hole, tie the
rope around the pipe and bar at A and wind. With the leverage of the iron
bar one can readily pull the net to any desired tightness. After the net
is drawn in position, put one of the nails through the 1/4-in. hole in the
pipe and the other in one of the 1/4-in. holes in the post.--Contributed
by Wm. S. Looper, Gainesville, Ga.
Holding Fishing-Rod Joints Together
The addition of two or three screweyes properly placed in a jointed
fishing rod of the ordinary type will prove decidedly worth while, as the
joints will often pull out easily when they should not and stick tightly
when they should pull apart.
Assemble the rod and bore small holes through the brass sockets into the
joints as shown in Fig. 1 and place some screweyes into the holes. Mark
the joints so that the holes in the joints and holes in the brass sockets
will always be in the same position.
[Illustration: Screweye in Joint (Fig. 1, Fig. 2)]
The screweyes prevent the joints from pulling out when an effort is made
to free the line from some object in which it has become entangled. They
also act as guides for the line. Should the joints fit too tightly, scrape
the ends until they slip easily into the sockets, as the screweyes will
hold them properly, even if they fit a little loose after the scraping.
Roller Skate on a Bicycle Wheel
[Illustration]
When the front tire on a bicycle will not hold and needs to be taken
to a repair shop, strap or tie a roller skate to the rim of the wheel,
as shown, and no trouble will be experienced in wheeling or riding the
bicycle to the shop.--Contributed by K. Chase Winslow, Elizabeth, N. J.
Rope Oarlocks
Having considerable trouble because of breaking of oarlocks, I devised
a successful way by which the difficulty was overcome. The device is
extremely simple and is nothing more than a piece of rope fastened to the
gunwale as shown in the sketch.--Contributed by Arthur L. Chetlain, Rogers
Park, Illinois.
[Illustration: Piece of Rope in Place]
Home-Made Motion-Picture Camera and Projector In Three Parts--Part II
Developing
After having exposed the film in the camera, the next steps are to develop
and make a positive film from the negative. The developing and exposing
of the film for the positive are the same as in ordinary photography
for making negatives and lantern slides, the only difference being in
the apparatus for handling the long films. One of the simplest ways of
developing a long film is to use a large tray in connection with a cross
arm having upright pins around which the film is wrapped in a continuous
spiral. A film 100 ft. long would require a tray 18 by 22 in., with pins
set in the cross arm about 3/8 in. apart. This method of developing is
shown in Fig. 4.
[Illustration: Fig. 4--Cross Arms with Pins]
A long film can be developed in a small tray by using two flanged wheels
or spools mounted on a frame (Fig. 5) that holds them directly above the
liquid in the tray. The spools have a wood core or center with metal sides
of sufficient diameter to take in the length of film to be developed.
One end of the undeveloped film is attached to one spool and then wound
upon it, then the other end is passed through the guides, gelatine side
down, and fastened to the other spool. The film is first run slowly
through a water bath until it is thoroughly saturated, then it is passed
through the developing solution again and again until the proper density
is secured. The trays can be easily removed and others substituted for
fixing, washing, hardening and soaking, the film being passed through each
solution in the same manner. Before developing either negative or positive
film, small test strips should be run through the solution so that the
proper timing and treating of the full-length strip will correspond to
the test strip.
[Illustration: Fig. 5--Developing Long Films]
A reel should be prepared for drying the film. This can be made of small
slats placed around two disks to form a drum (Fig. 6) about 1-1/2 ft. in
diameter and 2-1/2 ft. long. After the film has been passed through the
various solutions and is ready for drying, it is wound spirally around on
the slats with the gelatine side out, and the whole hung up to dry.
[Illustration: Fig. 6--Drying Reel]
Printing
The printing to make the transparency is accomplished by a very simple
arrangement. The negative and positive films must be drawn through a
space admitting light while their gelatine surfaces are in close contact.
A box may be constructed in several ways, but the one shown in Fig. 7
illustrates the necessary parts and their relative positions.
[Illustration: Fig. 7--Printing Machine]
The sprocket A is placed directly back of the opening B which may be
regulated to admit the proper light. The sprocket can be purchased from
a moving-picture stock house cheaply, but if the builder so desires,
one can be made from wood turned up about 1 in. in diameter, or so that
the circumference will receive sprockets at points 3/16 in. apart. The
sprockets are made of metal pins driven into the wood. Two rows of them
are placed around the wood cylinder about 1-1/8 in. apart.
The cylinder is provided with a small metal shaft at each end which turns
in round holes or bearings in the sides of the box. One of the shafts
should project through the side of the box and have a grooved wheel, C,
attached. The sprocket cylinder is driven by a smaller grooved wheel or
pulley, D, to which a crank is attached for turning. The relative sizes of
these wheels are determined by the speed of the exposure and the kind of
light used. A 3-in. or 4-in. wheel on the cylinder sprocket shaft, driven
by a pulley about 1 in. in diameter, will be suitable under ordinary
circumstances. The opening B may be adjusted by two metal slides which fit
tightly in metal grooves fastened to the wood front. The metal grooves
and slides can be made of tin and painted a dead black. The films after
passing over the sprocket, fall into the bottom of the box, or, if very
long films are to be made, the instrument can be used in the dark room
and the light admitted only to the opening B, then the ends can be dropped
into a basket or other receptacle at the bottom and the unprinted portions
carried on reels above the box.
The speed of the exposure and the width of the opening B can be determined
by making test strips. This can be done by setting the opening B to a
certain width and turning the crank for 10 or 15 seconds and counting the
number of revolutions. The proper exposure can be easily attained by this
method.
An Emergency Clamp
[Illustration]
While making an extra large guitar I did not have clamps large enough to
hold the top and bottom onto the sides while gluing, so I fastened three
pieces of wood together, each piece being about 1 by 2 in., as shown in
the sketch. Then I bored holes in both top and bottom pieces and inserted
a piece of soft wire in the form of a loop, which, when twisted, drew the
ends of the clamp together.--Contributed by Geo. E. Walsh, Buffalo, N. Y.
* * * * *
While camping, remember a hot stone wrapped up makes
an excellent substitute for a hot-water bag.
Home-Made Motion-Picture Camera and Projector In Three Parts--Part III
The Projector
The film positives are projected on a screen with the same kind of a
lantern as is used for lantern slides, with the addition of the device for
stepping the film through, one picture at a time, and flashing light on
each picture as it remains stationary for an instant. The projector (Fig.
8) is composed of a lamp house, a condensing lens to make the beam of
light converge upon the film for illuminating it evenly, a film-stepping
device, and a projecting lens for throwing the enlarged picture of the
illuminated film upon a screen.
[Illustration: Fig. 8--Projector Complete]
The lamp house is made of ordinary stovepipe metal and the dimensions
given in the sketch are for a size suitable to use an acetylene or gas
burner. The metal is laid out as shown by the pattern (Fig. 9) and bent
on the dotted lines to form the sides and ends of the house. The joint
may be riveted, or, if taken to a tinshop, lock-seamed. The cover is cut
out as shown, the sides and ends having bent holes which are covered on
the inside with perforated sheet metal, A. In order to deflect the light,
a small angular strip, B, is riveted on so that its upper portion will
cover the holes and allow a space for the heat to pass out. The cover may
be hinged or set on like a cover on a can. The lamp house is attached to
a sliding wood base for adjusting its position on the baseboard.
[Illustration: Fig. 9--Details of the Lamp House]
The condensing lenses are fixed into a metal barrel having a tapering end.
This can be made of the same material as used in the lamp house. The parts
can be rolled and a lock joint made at a local tinshop, or the pieces
shaped over a wood form and riveted. Small L-shaped pieces are riveted
to the inner surfaces to hold each lens in place. A rim is turned up on
the back end of the metal tube for attaching the lens barrel to the lamp
house.
[Illustration: Fig. 10--Details of the Lamp, Stepping Device and Base]
An ordinary mantle or acetylene burner is attached to a gas pipe that has
for its base a drop elbow fastened to a sliding board similar to the slide
of the lamp house on the baseboard. A good reflector should be attached to
a standard just back of the burner. The standard is also fastened to the
sliding board. The proper distance of the light from the condensing lens
can be easily set by this adjusting device. This arrangement is shown in
Fig. 10 in the diagram entitled "lamp parts."
The device for stepping the film is a duplicate of the one used in the
camera as described in Part I, with the exception of the lens. The lens
should be about 2 in. in diameter with such a focal length that will give
a picture of the required size, or a lens of 12-in. focus enlarging a
1-in. film to about 6 ft. at a distance of 24 ft. A regular lens fitted
in a metal tube can be purchased from a moving-picture stock house at a
reasonable price. The box is made up similar to the camera box, but with
a metal back instead of the wood. The intense heat from the light would
quickly burn the wood and for this reason the light should be kept from
the film while it is not in motion. The projecting lens barrel should be
fitted snugly, yet loose enough for focusing.
The baseboard is cut as shown and the film-stepping device is firmly
attached to the small end. The sides extend over the baseboard and are
fastened with screws and braced with metal brackets. The slot in the small
end of the baseboard is for the film to pass through. The film should have
a tension the same as in the camera with velvet placed on the edges of the
partitions. It is well to have a guide below the roller shutter to keep
the film from encircling the roller as it turns.
Homemade Graining Tools
Desiring to do some fancy graining and having no tools at hand, I hastily
made two of them from pieces of garden hose, as shown in the sketch. Two
pieces were cut from the hose, each 5 in. long, and the first one made
as follows: A small hole, about 1/4 in. in diameter, was cut through the
outside layer of rubber with a sharp knife at two points on opposite sides
of the hose and exactly in the center for length. Around these holes rings
of the rubber were cut out, or rather peeled off from the canvas part,
the rings being 3/16 in. wide, and the grooves, or parts removed, also
3/16 in. wide. The hose will then appear as shown in the upper left-hand
corner of the sketch.