Full text of "The boy mechanic : book 2: 1000 things for boys to do"

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THE BOY MECHANIC

BOOK 2

Prlntea In U. S. A.

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THE

BOY MECHANIC

BOOK 2

1000 THINGS FOR BOYS TO DO

HOW TO CONSTRUCT

DEVICES FOR WINTER SPORTS, MOTION-PICTURE CAMERA, INDOOR

GAMES, REED FURNITURE, ELECTRICAL NOVELTIES,

BOATS, FISHING RODS, CAMPS AND CAMP

APPLIANCES, KITES AND GLIDERS,

PUSHMOBILES, ROLLER

COASTER, FERRIS

WHEEL

AND

HUNDREDS OF OTHER THINGS WHICH DELIGHT EVERY BOY

WITH 995 ^LUSTRATIONS

COPYRIGHTED; IBjg/SX'H. It

POPULAR MECHANICS PRESS
CHICAGO

Boy Surveyor

Plane -Table
Surveying

HAROLD 6. McGEE

[In the training of a boy for a trade or profession there is none so profitable for outdoor
work as that of a surveyor. This article sets forth how to accomplish surveying and the
making of simple maps with the use of commonplace tools that any boy can make. Editor.]

Surveying and map making have
always been two of the most interest-
ing things a civil engineer has had to
do. And, like George Washington,
many of the men we look up to today
as successes in different lines worked
as surveyors in their younger days.
Surveying takes one out of doors, and
is apt to lead him into the unknown
and unexplored byways of the earth.

Though modern surveyors often use
precise and expensive instruments,
creditable surveys can be made with
simple and inexpensive apparatus. Of
such apparatus, two of the simplest
are the plane table and the camera.
Since one must know the principles
of plane-table surveying before he can
do camera surveying, this paper will
describe the plane table alone, leaving
the camera for another chapter.

A plane table is simply a drawing

board mounted on a tripod so that it
can be set up and worked upon in the
field. One kind of plane table, which
is used in the army for reconnaissance,
does not even have a tripod ; it is sim-
ply strapped to the arm of the man
who is using it.

Plane-table maps vary greatly in
scale and the area they represent.
Landscape artists' plans may show
only single city lots, while some topo-
graphic maps cover hundreds of
square miles on a single sheet. For
maps of a small farm, a park, or a
residence block in the city, a plane
table is almost ideal, since plane-table
maps are made with rather simple ap-
paratus and do not require much
actual measuring on the ground.
Mofit, objects ,are located without ever
gbing to. them, or even sending a rod-
rnan to them.

*^inifC

= -I^Mrfi:'...,

Just a Few Weeks After George Washington's Sixteenth Birthday, in 1748, Lord Fairfax, Owner of a Large
Estate in Virginia, Took Him into His Employ as a Surveyor

Besides the plane table itself and a
sheet of paper, only a small carpenter's
level, a tape to measure a few dis-
tances with, and some spikes for
markers, a hard lead pencil, a ruler,
and a few needles are absolutely
necessary for this sort of a map.

To start a plane-table map, a sta-
tion must first be selected from which
as many

STA.C

TABLE AT STA.C
\

possible o f
the objects
to be located
on the fin-
is h e d map
can be seen.
Ordinar i 1 y,
the objects
one would
locate are corners of
buildings, fence corners,
intersections of roads,
corners of
banks of streams
possibly trees,
and section
and quar-
ter-section
cor n e r s in
the country,
railroad, a lake,
mountain, or
a n y thing
forms a no / tic e a b 1 e

STA.B

and west. It is then clamped so that it
will not move while working on it.

To begin the map, a point on the
table is chosen to represent the station
on the ground over which the tab'e is
set. This point is marked by sticking
a fine needle into the paper, vertically.
A small triangle should be drawn
around the needle hole in the paper and
labeled "Sta. A," so that it will
not be lost in the maze of points
which will soon cover the sheet,
sighting past ''his needle to-
ward some object which is
wanted on the map, like the cor-

Three

Stations

are Used for

Setting the

Plane Table

in Succession

to Locate

' h bbjec't us ner of a house, its direction can
be marked by setting another
needle on the far side of the table, in
line with the first and the given ob-
ject. Then, if a ruler or straight-
Ige be placed against these two
needles and a fine line drawn
connecting them, this line
ill show the exact direc-
of the object from

landmark in /

'STA.A

TABLE AT STA. A

any particular locality,
ought to be on
the map. In
mapping a ter-

fore, 'tfee
surve^o'i" ;
namfe." llte/tii-ll.s
and "stream's-,
station has been se-

tion

the

other objects
which are
wanted on
h e finished
can
from

STAB

TABLE

After the first

lected, it is marked by a pile of stones,
a stake, or, if precise work is to be
done, a tack in the top of a stake. The
table is then set up over this station
point and leveled so that the surface
of the paper will be truly horizontal.
Generally, too, the board is "oriented,"
that is, placed so that two of its edges
point north and south and two east

map anc

be seen

Sta. A are located by direction in the

same way.

The first points to have their direc-
tory, .wh to.lv tian thus marked ought to be the next
has h'eVej'.beeW" "'st^ljifttns to be occupied. If all the ob-
surveye'd. 'b e.,- ( jject's 'to be located can be seen from
--"' 'three stations, or even two of three
stations, three stations will be suffi-
fient. The distance to one of them
from Sta. A should be carefully meas-
ured and laid off to scale along its
direction line on the map. Its place
on the map should be marked exactly
as the first station was, substituting
B for A. It is wise, after every few
sights at other objects, to take a sight
along the line AB to make sure that
the board has not turned. A good map
is impossible if the board twists.
To measure the distance between

stations, a 50 or 100-ft. tape, or some
accurate substitute, is necessary. An
ordinary piece of iron telegraph wire,
105 ft. long, is a good substitute. A
t

No2

K A

An Alidade, Consist-
ing of Two Sights
and a Straightedge,
Takes the Place of
the Two Needles

point, about 2^/2 ft. from one end, is
marked with a little lump of solder.
A chisel dent in this solder will mark
one end of the 100-ft. section. Then,
with a borrowed tape or a good rule,
measure off and mark every 10 ft., just
as the first point was marked, until the
entire 100 ft. have been laid off. The
last 10 ft. should be divided into feet.
In all this measuring and marking, the
wire must be stretched out taut and
straight. The extra 21/2 ft. at each end
are used for making handles. By esti-
mating the tenths of a foot, measure-
ments can be made with such a tape,
or "chain," as an old-time surveyor
might call it, just as accurately as they
can be laid off on the map.

Two men are required for measur-
ing, or "chaining," a head and a rear
chainman. The rear chainman holds
the 100-ft. end of the tape on the sta-
tion point, while the head chainman
takes his end forward toward the sta-
tion to which they are measuring.
When he has gone nearly the length
of the tape, the rear chainman calls
"halt." The head chainman stops and

draws the tape up tight, while the rear
chainman holds his division end on the
starting point. Then the head chain-
man sticks a spike into the ground to

FINE WIRE

WIRE BRACE

18"

mark the place where his division end
comes, calls out "stuck," and starts on
toward the object point.

Large spikes make good marking
pins, especially if they have little red
or white strips of cloth tied to them.
Surveyors use 11 markers. One is
stuck into the ground at the starting
point and is carried forward by the
rear chainman, who also picks up the
markers at each 100-ft. point as soon
as the head chainman calls "stuck." In
this way, the number of markers which
the rear chainman has in his hand is
always the same as the number of
hundreds of feet which the last set
marker is from the starting point.

In measuring between two points,
care must be taken to draw the tape
out taut and straight, its two ends
must be level with each other, and it
must be exactly in line with the two
points between which the measurement
is being made. In measuring down-
hill, one end may have to be held up
high, and the point on the ground
where the end division would come,
found by dropping a stone from the
place where it is in the air and watch-
ing for the spot where the rock strikes
the ground. A surer way to do this is
to hold a plumb-bob string on the last
division and carefully let the bob down
until it touches the ground. A rod
with a red or white flag on it ought to
be placed at or just beyond the point
to which the measurement is to be
made so that the rear chainman can

easily line in the head chainman. The
latter, before he places his marker,
looks back to the rear chainman to be
told whether or not he is "on line"
with the object point. If he is not, and
ought to go to the rear chainman's
right to get "on," the latter holds out
his right arm and the head chainman
moves accordingly. When he reaches
the right point, the rear chainman
signals "all right" by holding out both
of his arms and then dropping them to
his side ; the marker is stuck, and both
move up a hundred feet and repeat the
process.

After all the points possible have
been located from Sta. A, and the direc-
tion lines labeled lightly in pencil so
that they can be distinguished when
the board has been removed from the
station, the plane table is picked up
and carried to Sta. B. Here it is again
set up, leveled, and oriented by mak-
ing the direction of the line AB on the
paper exactly the same as that of the
line from Sta. A to Sta. B on the
ground. This is done by placing needles
at points A and B on the table and then
turning the board until the two needles
and Sta. A are in line. Sights are
taken on the same objects which were
"shot" at Sta. A, and to objects which
were not visible from Sta. A. The in-
tersection of the lines of sight toward
a given object from A and from B
marks the location on the paper of
that object. If the two ends of a
straight fence have been located in this
way. a straight line joining the points
will show the location of the fence on
the map. By exactly similar methods,
every other object is located on the
paper.

In order to avoid errors, it is an ex-
cellent scheme to locate three stations
near the outside edges of the area to
be mapped, and locate all objects pos-
sible by sights from each of the three
stations. If, instead of all three cross-
ing each other at a point, the lines of
sight from the three stations form a
tri-angle, something is wrong. If the
triangle is very small, it may be safe
to use its center as the correct point;
if not, the work must be repeated and

checked. Locating even a few points
by this method may prevent some bad
blunders. The three stations ought to
form as nearly as possible, an equilat-

SPIKE

"vngo

A Rigid Tripod is Made

of Strips for Legs,

Which are Fastened

to a Large Top

eral triangle; and the distances be-
tween all of them should be measured
and laid out accurately on the plane
table.

There are two ways in which the
map may be finished, inked, or traced.
By drawing in the "culture," that is,
the things built by man, like the
houses, the fences, the roads, and the
railroads, in black ink ; the topography,
that is, the hills and valleys, in brown ;
the water, in blue, and then erasing
all the construction lines, a very neat
map can be made. Another way is to
get some "onion-skin" paper, or some
tracing cloth, tack it over the penciled
map, and trace the lines right through,
using black India ink. This tracing
can be blueprinted, just as a photo-
graphic film. A plain, neat title, de-
scribing location of map ; who made it
and when ; the scale used ; why ft was
made, if it was made for a special pur-

pose, and the direction of the north
point, ought to be on every map. The
topographic sheets published by the
United States Geological Survey are

From an Original Drawing of a Survey of Mount

Vernon, Made by George Washington

at the Age of 14

good samples to follow. They have
been published for a great many places
all over the country, and single copies
can be obtained by sending 10 cents to
the Director, United States Geological
Survey, Washington, D. C.

Plane tables are almost as easily
made as they are bought. If there is no
old drawing board around the house,
a new bread board from the ten-cent
store will serve. For ordinary work,
a table which is 15 or 20 in. square will
do very well. The board must be
mounted on a tripod so that it will be
rigid while it is being worked upon
and yet can be undamped and oriented.
A brass plate, with a hole in it and a
nut soldered over the hole, screwed
to the bottom of the board will per-
mit the board and tripod to be bolted
together in good shape. Another
method, which is not nearly as good, is
to drill a hole clear through the board,
countersink it on top for a bolt head,
and bolt the board and tripod head
directly together. With the brass plate
and nut, the camera tripod can be
pressed into service if a nut of the
proper size has been used. The camera
tripod is, however, apt to be wabbly

with a drawing board on top ; a much
more satisfactory tripod can be built
as shown in the accompanying draw-
ings. Each leg is made of two strips
of wood, % by % in. and 3 ft. long.
These strips are screwed together at
their lower ends, gripping a spike be-
tween them which will prevent the legs
from slipping on the ground. The tops
of the strips are spread apart and
screwed to the opposite ends of an oak
or maple cleat. This cleat is, in turn,
screwed to the under side of the cir-
cular tripod head.

In place of the two needles and the
ruler described for marking the line of
sight, most plane-table men use an
alidade, which is a combination of
two sights and a straightedge. A very
simple alidade may be made by mount-
ing two needles on a ruler. The
straight edge of the ruler is placed
against the needle which marks the
station at which the plane table is set
up. Then, by swinging the ruler
around this needle until its two sight-
ing needles come in line with some
object, the line of sight can be drawn
directly on the paper along the edge
of the ruler. A surveyor in India once
made an alidade out of a piece of
straightedge and two sights made of
native coins hammered out by a native
blacksmith. Two pieces of cigar box,
one with a fine vertical saw slit in
it, and the other with a vertical slot
and a piece of fine wire or silk thread
stretched down the center, glued to a
well planed, straight, flat piece of
wood, make a fine alidade. A careful
worker may be able to put his sights
on hinges so that they will fold down
when not in use.

More than anything else, map mak-
ing rewards care and accuracy, and
shows up slipshod workmanship. If
the pencils are sharp, the lines fine, and
if the work is checked often, beautiful
maps can be made with very simple ap-
paratus.

CWhite marks on waxed surfaces may
be removed by rubbing lightly with a
soft rag moistened in alcohol, after
which rub with raw linseed oil.

Machine for Sketching Pictures

An ordinary drawing board, with
the attachments shown, provides an
easy way to sketch pictures, even if

This Machine Aids a Person in Drawing the True
Outline of a Picture

one is not proficient in this line of
work. It is only necessary to look
through the sight and move the pencil
about so that the knot in the thread
follows the outline of the landscape or
object being drawn.

The size of the machine depends on
the one building it, but a fair-sized
drawing board is sufficient for the be-
ginner. A strip of wood is fastened
to the board, near one edge, which has
a metal piece on each end, fastened to
the under side and bent up over the
end to form an extension for the rod
to support the moving parts. The
strip of wood should be 3 4 in. wide
and 14 in. thick, and the sliding arm,
holding the pencil. V* in. wide and a /t
in. thick. A like strip, but much
shorter than the one fastened to the
board, is also fitted with metal pieces
in an 'inverted position so the projec-
tions will be downward. A fV-in. rod
is run through holes in the metal
pieces of the strips at both ends, and

soldered to those on the strip fastened
to the board. This will make a
hinged joint, as well as one that will
allow the upper strip to slide hori-
zontally.

Centrally located on the upper
strip are two more strips, fastened
with screws at right angles to the
former, with a space between them of
V-. in. for the sliding center piece hold-
ing the pencil. These pieces are fur-
ther braced with a wire at the back,
and crosspieces are screwed both on
top and under side, to make a rigid
guide for the sliding pencil holder. An
upright is fastened to the side of one
of these pieces over the center of the
upper horizontal sliding piece for a
screw eye to hold the thread. An-
other screw eye is turned into the
crosspiece just under the one on the
support, so that the thread will run
perpendicularly between them. Two
more screw eyes are fastened, one into
the upper surface of the rear cross-
piece, and the other in the end of the
pencil holder, near the pencil. By
connecting these screw eyes, as shown,
with a thread, having a rubber band
fastened in the rear end and a knot
tied in it near the screw eye in the
upper end of the vertical stick, a means
for following the outlines of the pic-
ture is provided.

A vertical stick is fastened to the
front edge of the board by means of
a notch and wedge. In the upper end
of this stick a very small hole is bored
for a sight, similar to a peep sight on
a rifle.

To use the machine, set the board
on a table, or tripod, and level it up
in front of the object to be drawn.
Look through the sight at the front of
the board and move the pencil about
to keep the knot of the thread on the
outlines of the picture to be drawn.-
Contributed by \\'m. C. Coppess,
Union City, Ind.

CA walnut filler is made of 3 Ib. burnt
Turkey umber, 1 Ib. of burnt Italian
sienna, both ground in oil, then mixed
to a paste with 1 qt. of turpentine and
1 pt. of japan drier.

IIE BOY SURVEYOR

(Camera Purveying

bu Harold G. Me Gee

[This article explains the preparation of the camera
for taking the pictures at each of the three stations,

.li'tt-r \\ tin 1) the plat''^ air J<'\ i/lopcd, ],rnitr'l ainl k<-|>t
until a convenient time may be had for plotting the
ground. The succeeding article will give in detail the
making of the map from the photographs. Editor.]

CAMERA surveying is simply plane-
table surveying in which the land-
scape has been photographically picked
up and carried indoors. It has the enor-
mous advantage that one can obtain a
record of the utmost fidelity in a small
fraction of the time taken to do the
field work of even a sketchy plane-
table survey, and that plotting can be
done in the comfort and with the con-
veniences of a drafting room. When
the hours one can work are short or the
periods of clear, dry weather are few
and far between, a camera is an ideal
surveying instrument. It sees and re-
cords with the click of the shutter.

Surveying by camera was proposed
early in the infant days of photogra-
phy ; but not until the eighties were
photographic surveys commenced in
earnest. With the extensive surveys
of the Canadian Rockies by the Cana-
dian government within the past
decade and the topographic surveys of
the Alps, the camera has very recently
indeed achieved the dignity of being
known as a "sure-enough" surveying
instrument. Even today, few survey-
ors have ever u^ed photography for
making surveys, even though for
mountain topography or any survey
which includes a large number of dis-
tinctive, inaccessible landmarks, the
camera asks no odds of either the plane
table or the stadia transit.

A camera survey taken of the sum-
mer cottage or the camping ground
will be a source of great delight while
it is being plotted up of winter even-
ings. There is something weird in
watching each tent and dock slip into

its place with naught but a pair of di-
viders and a few pictures to do the trick.
And when the map is done, there are
all the data to tell just where a ten-
nis court can go or a walk ought to be
built.

In making surveys, a plate camera
will do more accurate work than will
a film camera ; and a fixed focus is a big
help in plotting. In spite of the spe-
cial and expensive instruments which
have been designed solely for survey-
ing work, a little ingenuity on the part
of the owner of most any kind of a
camera, be it big or little, film or plate,
box or folding, will do wonders to-
ward producing good results.

To be used for surveying, a camera

| 1

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( )

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r-l r-

A T-Shaped Level with Adjusting Nuts is Located on
the Camera Box, or on the Bed of the Folding Camera

must be fitted with a spirit level and
some arrangement for cross hairs. A
T-shaped level on the bed or the box,
carefully adjusted, will show when the

plate is vertical and when the perpen-
dicular line from the center of the plate
to the center of the lens is horizontal.
Actual cross hairs in the camera are
not as good as four tiny points of V's,
one projecting from the middle of each
side, top, and bottom of the camera box,
just in front of the plate holder. How
the level is to be adjusted so that a
line between the upper and lower
points will be truly vertical, and one
through the die-side points truly hori-
zontal and on a level with the center of
the lens when the bubbles are in the
center of the spirit level, will be de-
scribed later.

Camera Preparation

To prepare a camera for surveying,
it is necessary to arrange that the axial
center line through the lens to the plate
shall be level, and that the location of
the horizontal and vertical center lines
shall be indicated on the plate. A spirit
level is the best solution of the first
problem, and indicated center points of
the second.

The spirit level preferably may be
of the T-form, with two level tubes,
or of the "universal" circular form,
with which some hand cameras are
equipped. However, ordinary hand-
camera levels are generally too rough
and difficult of adjustment to insure ac-
curate work. On a view camera, the
level may be conveniently located on
the bed which carries the lens board.
If it is screwed to the under side of the
arms it will be convenient for use and
out of the way. The bed is likewise a
good location for the level on a folding
hand camera, while the top of the box
is about the only possible location with
a box-type instrument.

The cross hairs or center-line indi-
cators should be placed on the back of
the camera, just in front of the plate.
If indicators are used, fine-thread cross
hairs or pencil lines drawn on the
ground glass must be used temporarily
for making adjustments. Generally,
the two cross hairs will divide the
plate vertically and horizontally into
four equal parts and the hairs or indi-
cators will join the center point of the

sides and top and bottom of the open-
ing immediately in front of the plate.
But it is essential that the cross hairs
have their intersection in a line per-

5ECTION A B

The Ordinary Round Level may be Used, but It Is
Not so Good as the T-Level

pendicular to the plate and passing
through the center of the lens. Thus
in a camera in which the lens is not
placed in the center of the plate, or in
which the rising and sliding front has
placed the lens off center, either or
both of the cross hairs may be off cen-
ter with regard to the plate.

After the cross-hair indicators and
the level have been attached to the
camera, adjustments are necessary.
Surveyors distinguish between perma-
nent and temporary adjustments, per-
manent adjustments being those for
which the instrument maker is respon-
sible, and temporary adjustments be-
ing those which can be and are made
in the field. The principal permanent
or maker's adjustments of the survey-
ing camera are those which insure the
center line through the lens, or axial
center line, or line of collimation, being
perpendicular to the plate, the inter-
section of the cross hairs being on this
line, and that the cross hairs them-
selves are mutually perpendicular.
Temporary or field adjustments must
be so made that one tube of the spirit

level shall be parallel with the axial cen-
ter line through the lens and the other
parallel with the horizontal cross hair.
The first field adjustment is made in
the following manner. The camera is

CROSS HAIRS MARKED
ON GROUND CLASS

The Cross Hairs or Center-Line Indicators should be
Placed on the Back of the Camera

set up, complete with thread or pencil-
line cross hairs and level, and focused
on a stake whose top shall just come to
the horizontal cross hair at the center
of the plate, when the level tube paral-
lel with the .center line of the lens reads
level. This stake may be driven to the
required elevation or a rod may be held
on it and the point where, in the image
on the ground glass, it is intersected by
the cross hair marked with pencil on
the rod as it .is held vertically on the
stake. The distance to this stake is
measured from the camera and another
similar stake set at the same eleva-
tion by the same method, but in an op-
posite direction and at the same dis-
tance from the camera. The two
stakes or the mark on the vertical rod
which is held on these stakes in turn
will be level with each other, though
they may not be level with the cam-
era. The camera is then moved to a
point very much closer to one stake
than to the other and again leveled. The
vertical distance from one stake-top
or mark on the rod is measured and the
camera then focused on the second
stake. If the level is actually in ad-
justment, the distance from the second
stake top or mark will be exactly the
same as it was on the first. If not, the

difference, or "error," is found between
the two vertical distances from the
cross hair to the two stake tops. Half
this error is corrected by raising or
lowering one end of the level tube by
means of the threaded nuts which are
placed on it for the purpose. The
whole process is then repeated until
the vertical distances from the horizon-
tal cross hair at the center to the two
level stakes, one close to and one dis-
tant from the camera, are identical.
The axial center line of the lens, or
the line of collimation, is then in ad-
justment with the level. All that re-
mains is to make the horizontal cross
hair parallel with the cross level.

This is done by using one marked
stake. The camera is leveled as far as
the "fore-and-aft" level is concerned
and the horizontal cross-hair point
at the center marked on the stake.
The camera is then swung round
until the stake just shows on
one edge of the ground glass, the fore-
and-aft or longitudinal level being
checked to make sure its bubble
is still in the center. Then the
bubble in the cross or transverse level
tube is brought to the center by means
of the threaded adjusting nuts, and
the camera is thrown hard over so that
the stake appears along the opposite

GROUND
GLASS V

-LINE OF COLUMATION

LENS

The Maker's Adjustments Should Insure the Line of
Collimation being Perpendicular to the Plate

edge of the plate. This time, the bub-
ble of the longitudinal level being kept
in the center, half the error introduced
by turning from one edge to the other

is corrected. All of the adjustments
are then rechecked, and if they are
found correct the instrument is ready
for use. If a circular level be used, the
method of adjustment is exactly the
same, the swing of the bubble along the
axis of the camera and transverse to it
being used to determine the longitudi-
nal and transverse adjustments. Slips
of paper may be used for lifting one
side in place of the adjustment nuts of
the T-level.

A leveling head or ball-and-socket
joint on the top of the tripod will be
found of material aid in leveling the
instrument.

No great mechanical genius is neces-
sary to prepare a camera for or to make
a successful camera survey. But if a
boy have not patience and an infinite
desire for accuracy, camera surveying,
or indeed any sort of surveying, will be
a source of neither pleasure, satisfac-
tion, nor profit.

To Make Transparent Paper

Transparent paper of parchmentlike
appearance and strength, which can be
dyed with almost all kinds of aniline
dyes and assumes much more brilliant
hues than ordinary colored glass, can
be made in the following manner: Pro-
cure a white paper, made of cotton or
linen rags, and put it in soak in a sat-
urated solution of camphor in alcohol.
When dry, the paper so treated can be
cut up into any forms suitable for
parts of lamp shades, etc.

Toasting Bread over an Open Fire

Having experienced some difficulty
in obtaining good toast over a gas or
open fire I tried the following plan
with good results : An old tin pan was
placed over the flame and the ordinary
wire bread toaster clasping the slice of
bread was held about !/2 in. from the
pan. In a few minutes the toast was
crisp and ready to serve. Contributed
by Katy Doherty, New York City.

Adjustable Stilts

The beginner with stilts always
selects short sticks so that he will not
be very far from the ground, but as he
becomes more experienced, the longer
the sticks the better. Then, too, the
small boy and the large boy require
different lengths of sticks. The device
shown makes a pair of sticks universal
for use of beginners or a boy of any
age or height.

To make the stilts, procure two long
hardwood sticks of even length, and
smooth up the edges ; then begin at a
point 1 ft. from one end and bore 12

Stilts Having Stirrups That can be Set at Any
Desired Height

holes, % in. in diameter and 2 in. apart
from center to center. If there is no
diestock at hand, have a blacksmith,
or mechanic, make a thread on both
ends of a %-in. rod, 12 in. long. Bend
the rod in the shape shown, so that
the two threaded ends will be just 2
in. apart from center to center. The
thread on the straight horizontal end
should be so long that a nut can be
placed on both sides of the stick. A
piece of a garden hose or small rubber
hose, slipped on the rod, will keep the
shoe sole from slipping. The steps
can be set in any two adjacent holes
to give the desired height. Contrib-
uted by Walter Veene, San Diego, Cal.

Grape Arbor Built of Poles

In building outdoor structures, such
as grape arbors, pergolas, or arches, it
is not necessary to use sawed
lumber, as they can be built
as substantial, and fre-
quently more artis-
tic and cheap,
o f poles.

Arbor Made of Poles Which are Supported by One
Row of Uprights

These are easily obtained, especially in
the country or in the smaller cities
where there usually are many trees and
gardens.

The illustrated grape arbor consists
of but one row of uprights. Across the
top of each is placed a horizontal sup-
port for the roof poles, as shown in
Fig. 1, which is carried near its outer
end by an inclined brace. The brace
should be connected at each end with
a toe joint, as shown in Fig. 2. The
upper end of the upright is beveled off
on both sides, to form a double-splayed
joint with the crosspiece. In order to
securely bind the roof of the arbor,
the long poles, or roof beams, should
be notched near each end to fit over the
supports. Similar notches in the poles
forming the side of the arbor are to fit
the uprights, thereby binding them to-
gether and preventing toppling over.
Each set of long poles connecting two

uprights should have the end notches
the same distance apart, one pole being
used as a gauge. All the joints and
notches may be cut with a sharp
hatchet.

In setting the arbor, the uprights
should first be assembled complete with
braces and roof supports, and placed in
the ground a distance apart corre-
sponding to that of the notches on the
long poles. The uprights being set,
the long poles are placed and fastened
with nails. Contributed by W. E.
Crane, Cleveland, Ohio.

Forcing Fruit Blossoms for
Decorations

Twigs trimmed from the fruit trees
rather late in the season had quite
large buds on them, and we experi-
mented with them in this way : A large
box was filled with wet sand, and the
twigs were stuck in it and the box set
in the warmest corner of the yard.
The buds soon swelled and burst into
bloom. We then arranged a smaller
box of sand and put the blooming twigs
into it, and took it into the house where
they remained fresh for several days.
Contributed by A. Louise Culver, Oak-
land, Cal.

Corner Cleaner Attached to a
Scrubbing Brush

Dirt will accumulate and harden in
the corners of a floor and the base-
board just because the end of the
scrubbing brush
will not enter
them. The water
gets in with the
dirt and leaves a
hard crust. This
may be easily
cleaned out if a
metal point is at-
tached to the end
of the brush handle, as shown in the
illustration. It is used as a scraper to
break up the crust and clean it out
where the bristles will not enter. Con-
tributed by L. E. Turner, New York
City.

|OY SURVEYOR

Plotting a
mera Survey

4r 7

Harold 0. McOee

[The camera records pictures that can be taken in camp or on a vacation trip and kept until
more leisure may be had in winter for plotting the ground. Editor.]

A PREVIOUSLY measured base
** triangle with "stations" at each
corner is necessary for making a cam-
era survey, just as it is for the plane-
table survey. It is preferable to have
each of the three sides measured inde-
pendently, though if one side has been
accurately chained, the other two may
be less satisfactorily determined by the
use of the plane table. If the camera
has a fixed focus, it is possible to make
an entire survey from the two ends of
a single base line; but this method has
no check and should be used only when
and where the triangle method is im-
possible. With an adjustable focus, it
will rarely give good results.

Once the triangle has been laid out,
the fieldwork is very simple. The cam-
era is set up at one station, carefully

leveled, and then a series of pictures is
taken, each single plate overlapping the
last so as to form a panorama of the
area to be mapped. The focus of the
lens must not be changed during a
series, and plotting is facilitated by
keeping the focus constant during all
the exposures which make up a survey.
To secure good depth of focus, a small
stop is generally used, since it is neces-
sary to use a tripod to keep the camera
level. If contours are to be drawn, the
height of the lens above the ground at
the station should be measured and
recorded. After a series has been taken
at each station, the fieldwork is com-
plete. It is an excellent plan to keep a
record of the plate numbers, and the
order in which and the station from
which the exposures were made, so

Two Fine Hair Lines must be
to Plot From, or to Make

"--^\ '>**"' Scratched on Each Plate Before It is Used
5TA. C Pictures from Which the Plotting is Done

that the 10 or 13 plates which a small
survey will comprise may not get hope-
lessly mixed up. If the camera is
turned each time to the right, clock-
wise, and the plates are numbered A-l,
A-2, B-4, etc., indicating by A-l, for
example, the leftmost plate taken at
Sta. A; by A-2, the plate just to the
right of A-l, just as II is to the right
of I on the clock dial, and by B-4, the
fourth to the right taken at Sta. B, .
there ought to be no difficulty in
identifying the plates after the
exact details of the ground are
forgotten.

While the pictures are be-
ing taken, "flags" of white
wood or with white-cloth
streamers tied to them
must be stuck in the
ground or held at the
other stations in or-
der that their exact
location can be
readily and cer-
tainly found on

In Plotting a
Camera Survey the
Base Triangle i<
First Carefully
Laid Out on the
Paper to Such
a Scale That
the Map will
be of Desir
able Size

make the prints from which the plot-
ting is to be done. One of these lines
should connect the points at the top
and bottom of the plate, and the other,
the points at the sides. The vertical
line divides the objects which were on
the right of the center of the camera
from those that were on the left, and
the horizontal line connecting the
points on the sides separates the ob-
jects that were above the camera
from those that were below.

If the survey has been made
with a lens that does not cover
the plate fully or that has con-
siderable uncorrected aber-
ration, causing distorted
shapes near the
* edges and corners
of the picture, re-
sults can be mate-
rially improved by
plotting from en-
largements. In
making the en-
largements,
the back of
the camera
should be
removed

STA. A |

CORRECT MAPPING CONSTANT
1 INCORRECT MAPPING CONSTANT

the plates. A few distinctive stakes,
some with one and some with two or
three strips of cloth tied to them,
placed at important points on the
ground will help immensely in the loca-
tion of knolls and shore lines.

In plotting a camera survey, either
the original plates, the prints, or en-
largements may be used. The plates
are the most accurate if a corrected
lens has been used ; and the enlarge-
ments made back through the lens will
be best if the images on the plates are
distorted. In any case, two fine hair
lines must be scratched on each plate
before it is used to plot from, or to

STA.C

and the light should be allowed to pass
through the plate and the lens in the
reverse order and direction of that
in which it passed when the negative
was made. In this way, the errors
which were made by the lens originally
will be straightened out, and the re-
sulting enlargements will be free from
distortion. To make successful en-
largements for surveying work, the
easel on which the bromide paper is
tacked must be square with the cam-
era, and the paper itself should be flat
and smooth. It is just as necessary to
keep the easel at a constant distance
from the camera during the enlarging

as it was to keep the same focus while
the original negatives were being
made.

In plotting a camera survey the base
triangle is first carefully laid out on the
paper to such a scale that the map will
be of a desirable size. With the apex
of the triangle representing Sta. A, say,
as a center, a circle is drawn with a
radius as nearly equal as possible to
the distance between the optical center
of the lens and the plate when the pic-
ture was taken. Ordinarily this will
be the focal length of the lens ; but if
the camera was not focused most
sharply on an object a great distance
off, the radius may be greater. This
radius is called the "mapping con-
stant." When an approximate distance
for the mapping constant has been de-
termined by measurements on the cam-
era or by knowing the focal length of
the lens, the circle, or rather the arc,
FG between the two lines to stations
B and C, is drawn. The plates taken
at Sta. A, and ranged around this cir-
cle on the outside and just touching it,
will show the landscape exactly as
seen from A.

In the accompanying diagram show-
ing the method of determining the
mapping constant and of locating the
traces of the plates, the letters F, G,
H, J, P, R and S designate points re-
ferring to the true mapping constant,
and the construction necessary to lo-
cate the traces of the plates. The
primed letters F', F", G', G", etc., are
used to show similar points where the
trial mapping constant is either too
long or too short. The following de-
scription refers equally to the construc-
tion necessary with true or trial-map-
ping constants.

Next, a line FH is drawn perpendic-
ular to the line AB of the triangle at
the point F where the arc intersects it.
On this line is laid off, in the proper
direction, a distance equal to the dis-
tance on the plate or print from Sta. B
to the center vertical line. From this
point is drawn a light line, HJ, toward
the center of the arc. Where this line
crosses the arc, at J, a tangent, KJM,
is drawn, which will show the location

of the plate A-l on the drawing. This
line is called the trace of the plate. An
object which appears both on plate A-l
and A-2 is next picked out and its loca-
tion on the trace of plate A-l deter-
mined by measuring the distance JN
equal to the distance on the plate from
the image of the object to the center
vertical line. A light line, NO, joining
this last-found point with Sta. A, is
then drawn. Where this last line
crosses the arc, at O, a tangent, OP, to
the arc is drawn, and the trace of the
plate A-5 is found with the aid of the
point which appears on both plates just
as plate A-l was located from the pic-
ture of Sta. B. The traces of plates
A-3 and A-4 are found in exactly the
same way as was that of A-2. If the
radius of the arc has been estimated
correctly, Sta. C will be found to be
exactly on the point where the trace of
the plate showing the station crosses
the line AC on the paper. If it does
not fall on the line AC, which is gen-
erally the case, everything must be
erased except the original triangle.
First, however, a radial line S'G', or
S"G", is drawn from the location of
Sta. C on the trace of the plate A-2,
3 or 4, as the case may be, to the arc,
and the point of intersection of this
line and the arc, G' or G", is preserved.
If this point, G' or G", is outside the
base triangle, the next trial arc should
be drawn with a larger mapping con-
stant as a radius, or vice versa. If the
second mapping constant is off, find
again the point of intersection of the
radial line through the new location of
Sta. C on the newly located trace of
the last plate and the new arc. Join
this point and the one found previ-
ously, in the same manner, with a
straight line, G'G". The point G
where this last drawn line intersects
the line AC of the base triangle, will
be the point through which the arc,
with the correct mapping constant as
radius, ought to pass, provided the first
two approximations were not too far in
error. This third trial ought to make
the location of the traces of the plates
exactly correct. If, however, the focus
of the camera was changed between ex-

posures at one station, the traces of the
plates will not all be at an equal dis-
tance from the station point, and their
location will be an almost impossible
task. The traces of the plates taken at
stations B and C are found in exactly
the same manner as were those for Sta.
A. After the traces have all
been located, it is a good plan
to ink them in lightly and
erase the pencil construction
lines which would other-
wise form an impenetra-
ble maze. The traces lo-
cated, the difficult and
tiresome part of the
plotting is over ; the
landscape, brought
indoors phot o-
graphically, i s

From Each Station
the Mapping Con-
stant is Laid Out by
the Focal Distance -^
of the Camera or (?
Distance of the ^
Plate from the
Lens, and the
Location of
Traces of
the Plates
Determined

sight to the object. The same object
is located from another station in the
same way; as on the plane table, the
intersection of the two lines to the
same object marks the location of the
point which represents the object
on the map.

Obtaining elevations for the
drawing of contours is a slight-
ly longer process. Contours
are lines joining points of
equal elevation ; they
represent successive
shore lines, if
H * the area
mapped were
inundated and
the water
, should

5TA.A

located as with the plane table ; all that
remains to be done is to take the sights
and find the points on the paper which
show where the objects were on the
ground.

This taking the sights is a simple
matter. With a pair of dividers, the
distance from a given object from the
center line of the plate is measured.
This distance is laid off on the proper
side of the point marking the center
line of the trace of the same plate ; a
radial line is drawn through the trace
at the given distance from the center-
line point and the station at which the
given plate is taken ; this is one line of

rise slowly foot by foot. If the con-
tours are close together, the ground
represented has a steep slope, and vice
versa. If, on a map, a number of points
are of known elevation, it is simply a
question of judgment and practice to
tell where contour lines go.

Before contours can be drawn the
elevations of a considerable number of
points must be known. If the eleva-
tion of any one of them is known and
the difference between that one and
any other can be found, determining
the elevation of the second point is
simply a problem in addition or sub-
traction. If it be desired to find, for

instance, the difference in elevation be-
tween Sta. C and the corner of the
fence, as shown in the sketch, two solu-
tions are possible, as follows:

First : Perpendicular to the line of
sight from Sta. C to the fence corner,
two lines are drawn, one at the inter-
section of the trace of the plate by the
line of sight, and one at the point on
the paper which shows the location of
the fence corner. On the first of these
two lines is laid off the distance Y',
equal to the distance of the ground at
the fence post above or below the hori-
zontal center line on the plate. Through
this point, on the first perpendicular on
the line of sight, is drawn a line
through the Sta. C and extended to an
intersection with the second drawn per-
pendicular. The distance from the
corner of the fence, on the paper, to
this intersection is the distance Y, the
difference in elevation from the center
of the camera at Sta. C to the ground
at the fence post. This solution is
longer and less desirable than the
second.

Second : In place of perpendicular
lines to the line of sight, the trace of
the plate, and a line, through the point
representing the object, parallel with
the trace, may be used.

A datum plane, or reference surface,,
from which all elevations are measured
up to the ground surface must be as-
sumed. The United States Geological
Survey uses mean, or average, sea level
for the datum in all its topographic
sheets. Generally, unless there is a
United States Geological Survey
"bench mark," a monument of care-
fully determined elevation referred to
sea level, within the limits of the sur-
vey, it is better to assume the elevation
of some point, as Sta. C, at 100 ft., or
greater if necessary to place the datum
plane below the ground level at all
points within the area to be mapped.
Other elevations are figured from the
assumed elevation of Sta. C. Allow-
ance must be made for the height of the
center of the camera above the ground
at Sta. C in computing elevations
above Sta. C. All elevations deter-
mined for the purpose of drawing con-
tours are ground elevations and not
the elevation of the top of objects lo-
cated on the map. The topographic
sheets of the Geological Survey are
good examples to follow, in drawing
contours. For many purposes, con-
tours are not essential, and the refine-
ments necessary for their drawing may
be omitted.

How to Build a Skiff

The following is a description of an
easily constructed 12-ft. skiff, suitable
for rowing and paddling. This is the
type used by many duck hunters, as it

may be easily pushed through marshes.
It is constructed of %-in. dressed pine,
or cypress.

The sides consist of planks, 14 in.

FIG. 4

The Skiff is Especially Constructed for Use in Shallow Water and Marshes

by Duck Hunters, but with the Addition of a Keel It Makes

a Good Craft for Almost Any Water as a Rowboat

wide, but 13-in. planks may be used,
the length being 13 ft. 4 in. Two stem
pieces are constructed as shown in Fig.
1, and the plank ends are fastened to
them with screws. Nail a crosspiece
on the plank edges in the exact center,
so as to space the planks 34 in. apart,
as shown in Fig. 2 ; then turn it over
and nail another crosspiece in the cen-
ter of the planks for width, and make
the spacing of the other edges 40 in.
Plane the lower edges so that, in plac-
ing a board across them, the surfaces
will be level. The floor boards are 6
in. wide and fastened on crosswise, be-
ing careful to apply plenty of red lead
between all joints and using galvan-
ized nails, 2 in. long.

A deck, 18 in. long, is fastened on
each end, as shown in Fig. 3. It is
made of strips fastened to a cross-
piece. The seats, or thwarts, consist
of 10-in. boards, and are placed on
short strips fastened to the side planks
about 5 in. from the bottom. The
oarlocks are held in a wedge-shaped
piece of wood, having a piece of gas
pipe in them for a bushing, the whole
being fastened at the upper edge of
the side planks with screws, as shown
in Fig. 4. The location of these must
be determined by the builder.

Some calking may be required be-
tween the bottom, or floor, boards, if
they are not nailed tightly against one
another. The calking material may be
loosely woven cotton cord, which is
well forced into the seams. The first
coat of paint should be of red lead
mixed with raw linseed oil, and when
dry any color may be applied for the
second coat.

While, for use in shallow water,
these boats are not built with a keel,
one can be attached to prevent the
boat from "sliding off" in a side wind
or when turning around. When one
is attached, it should be % in. thick,
3 in. wide, and about 8 ft. long. Con-
tributed by B. Francis Dashiell, Bal-
timore, Md.

Double-Swing Gate with Common
Hinge

Ordinary hinges can be easily bent
and so placed on posts that a gate can
be swung in either direction. As

The Post and Gate are Cut Away Back of the Hinge
to Allow the Latter to Swing Back

shown in the illustration, hinges can
be made to fit either round or square
posts. The gate half of the hinge is
fastened in the usual way. The post
half is bent and so placed that the
hinge pin will approximately be on a
line between the centers of the posts.
The gate and post should be beveled
off to permit a full-open gateway.
Contributed by R. R. Schmitz, Birm-
ingham, Ala.

CAn aniline color soluble in alcohol.
by adding a little carbolic acid, will
hold fast on celluloid.

Testing Out Induction Coils

While winding an induction coil, I
found it necessary to test the sections
for continuity. Having no galvanom-
eter, I connected a battery and low-
resistance telephone receiver in series
with the section and battery. The bat-
tery and telephone receiver may also
be used for testing out the secondary
of an induction coil, to determine if ii
is burnt out. Contributed by John M.
Wells, Moosomin, Can.

How to Make a Surveyor's Transit

By BENNETT BLACKL1DGE

A boy who likes to do the things
that "grown ups" do can derive con-
siderable pleasure from the making of
a transit, which will enable him to
start in surveying railroads, laying off
town sites, and doing lots of kindred
work. It is necessary to have a com-
pass, and one, 1% in. in diameter, can
be purchased at a reasonable price. A
hole is bored with an expansive bit

be attached to the screw with a dou-
ble loop, as shown at D, so that the
bob will hang centrally. Two stand-
ards are made as shown at E, each
about 5 in. high, and fastened to the
ring B in the positions shown in the
drawing of the complete instrument.
An arc of a circle is marked on one of
the standards, as shown, to designate
angles, the markings being laid out

Detail of Parts for the Construction of a Transit
Which can be Used, with Fairly Accurate Results,
in Doing Amateur Surveying for Railroad Work,
Town Sites and the Laying Out of Maps

into a board, 7 / & in. in thickness, just
deep enough to admit the compass
snugly, then a circle, A, 4Vo in. in
diameter, is drawn, having the same
center as the compass hole, and the
disk is cut out with a compass or scroll
saw. A ring, B, is cut in the same
manner from the same material, its
inside diameter being such that the
ring just fits around the disk A, and
the outside diameter, 6% in. Another
block, 51/2 i n - in diameter, is glued to
the bottom of the small disk A. This
will appear as shown at C. A small
hole is bored in the center of the bot-
tom block on the under side to re-
ceive the threaded end of the screw
on a camera tripod. By careful ad-
justment the threads in the wood will
hold the transit firmly. A plumb bob
must be attached exactly in the cen-
ter of the tripod head. This can be
easily done if the head is wood, but in
case the top is of metal, the line can

with a bevel protractor. The pointer is
a hand from an old alarm clock.

The telescope arrangement consists
of a piece of pasteboard tubing, about
11/4 in. in diameter, one end being cov-
ered with a piece of black paper with
a pinhole in the exact center, and the
other equipped with "cross hairs."
Four small notches are cut in the lat-
ter end of the tube, exactly quartering
it, and two silk threads as fine as can
be obtained, are stretched across in
these notches. The tube is fastened
to a block of wood, 5 in. wide and 7
in. long, with small tacks and two
pieces of fine copper wire. This block
is pinioned between the standards with
two nails. The hand is secured to the
nail in such a position that it will point
straight down when the tube is level.

The instrument is adjusted in the
following manner: It is set up where
a lone tree can be seen, about one mile
distant, and the center of the cross

hairs is carefully set on the tree. Then
a very fine wire is stretched across the
compass, as shown at F, and while
keeping it directly over the center of
the compass it is also placed on a di-
rect line pointing to the tree. Very
small brass nails, driven in at G and
H, serve to fasten it in the position
thus found. When this adjustment
has been made the telescope can be
turned to sight any object, after first
placing the instrument so that the
needle points to the N on the dial, and
a glance at the wire will show the exact
direction in which the object is located.

The instrument is then taken to a
level stretch of road and set up, and a
stick is placed on end and marked at
the height of the telescope. The stick
is .taken along the road about 200 yd.,
the telescope sighted on it, and the
hand set. This makes the instrument
level enough for all practical purposes.
The plumb bob is then dropped, a dis-
tance of 20 ft. measured from it on the
road, and a mark made. The tele-
scope is sighted on this mark, and a
mark is made on the standard at the
point of the arc, to which the hand
points. Another 20 ft. is measured, or
40 ft. from the bob, and another mark
made. The telescope is sighted on
it, and the location of the hand again
marked. This works well up to about
300 ft., then the marks begin to come
very close together. This method is
used for laying out town sites. The
instrument is set up directly over a
stake from which to work, and the
telescope is turned down until the 20-
ft. mark is indicated, when the opera-
tor looks through the telescope and
tells his helper where to set the stake.
Then another is driven at the next
point, and so on, until the limit of the
instrument is reached.

When doing railroad surveying sev-
eral start out together, one with an ax
to cut away brush ; one to carry pegs ;
two to measure, or chain, the distance
between stakes, and one to do the
sighting. In this manner a line can
be run that comes very near being per-
fectly straight for three miles.

A concrete example of how the tran-

sit was used to lay out a map of a
ranch will now be given. The start
was made on an east and west fence.
The instrument was set 5 ft. from the
fence at one point, and at the other
end of the fence the stick was set at a
point j ft. from the fence. When the
stick was sighted, the wire cut the E
and W on the compass, thus showing
that the fence was set on a line, due
east and west. The distance was
measured from the fence to the house,
which was % mile, and this was noted
in a book. This operation was re-
peated on the rear, and the distance
found to be 780 ft. while the compass
showed the direction to be 4 deg.
west of south. The next line ran 427
ft. and 1 deg. east of south. This
was kept up all the way around. After
these notes had been obtained, it was
an easy matter to take a piece of plain
paper and strike a line representing
north and south and lay off the direc-
tions. A bevel protractor was used to
find the degrees. The transit was set
on the posts of the corrals and this
saved the measuring out from the in-
closure. The creek was surveyed in
the same manner. So many feet south-
west, so many feet west, so many feet
5 deg. south of west, and so on, until
its length was run.

The transit can also be used for find-
ing distances without measuring. A
line from A to B is sighted, and F
represents a point }A mile distant, the
line from F to G being 100 ft. A line
is now sighted from A, through G to C.
A person standing at D is directed to
move toward the point E and he is
stopped as soon as sighted in the tele-
scope. He then measures the distance
from D to E. Suppose this distance is
250 ft. As each 100 ft. means % mile,
and the 50 ft., 14 mile, the point E is 114
miles from the transit. This method
can be used quite extensively and dis-
tances obtained are fairly accurate.

CA small whisk broom makes a handy
cleaner to brush the caked grease and
lint from pulleys and gear wheels
where waste and rags are useless.

To Enlarge or Reduce Plots

Sometimes it is necessary to enlarge
or reduce a plot to a different scale.
This can be easily and quickly accom-

Enlarging and Reducing Plots by Radial Lines from
a Common Point Located Properly

plished without resorting to the slow
process of protracting the angles and
scaling the individual lines.

Take any point, P, and from it draw
light pencil lines through each of the
corners of the plot. On any one of
these lines, as AP, lay off with dividers
AC equal to CP. Place a triangle on
the line AB and with a straightedge,
or another triangle, laid on the line
AP, slide the former to the point C,
then draw line CD parallel with AB
until it intersects the radial line PB.
In the same manner draw line DE
parallel with BF, and so on, all about
the plot. A test of accuracy will be
in striking the point C with the last
line. If the original plot has a scale
of 40 ft. to the inch the reduced plot
would be 80 ft. to the inch. If it is
required to enlarge the plot to 20 ft.
to the inch, make AG equal to AP, and
proceed as in the first case, using G
as the starting point.

The location of the point P is

arbitrary and may be outside of the
boundary of the plot or figure to be
enlarged or reduced, but should be so
located, if possible, that the radial line
to any corner does not parallel either
of the plot lines to that corner. If the
point cannot be so located for all the
lines, it may be necessary to scale the
lines. A little practice in picking out
the best location for the point will give
gratifying results. Contributed by
Junius D. McCabe, Pittsburgh, Pa.

A Lathe Bench

While working at a bench, or foot-
power lathe, it is quite convenient to
have some sort of a seat to sit on while
at work, or between operations. In
making such a seat, I used a board, 27
in. long and 12 in. wide, for the top,
and two boards, 19 in. long and 12 in.
wide, for the supports. These boards
were 3 /4 in. thick. The supports were
squared at the ends and securely fas-
tened to the top with nails, their posi-
tions being 3 in. in from the ends of
the top board. These were well
braced, as shown, and a cross board

TOP

The Bench Provides a Seat for the Worker in Doing
Operations on a Small Foot Lathe

was placed between them, near the
lower ends.

The projecting ends of the top were
cut out, and a box, 5 in. deep, con-
structed against the supports. A

covering was made to fit in each of the
openings in the top board and hinged
to the outer edge of the box. The
boxes made a convenient place for the
tools used in the turning work. Con-
tributed by Harold R. Harvey, Buhl,
Idaho.

means of molding strips. The sliding
support for the cabinet consists of a
2-in. square piece secured to the bot-

Cleaning and Polishing Shoes

In using the polishes now on the
market for tan shoes, I found that the
leather cracked in an unreasonably
short time. The following was sug-
gested and tried out with good results.
Wash the shoes with castile soap and
water by applying the mixture with a
dauber. Work up a little lather and
then rub dry with a cloth, without
rinsing. The leather will be cleaned
without becoming dark, and it will not
crack. A higher polish may be ob-
tained by using some paste polish in
the usual manner. Contributed by
George Bliss, Washington, D. C.

Shaving Cabinet Mounted on an
Adjustable Pedestal

The illustration represents a shaving
cabinet mounted on an adjustable ped-
estal, whose style and size are such
that it may easily be moved about or
set away without requiring much
room. The material required for its
construction is as follows :

1 framed mirror, 8 by 10 in.

1 square-head bolt and wing nut, Yi by 4 in.

2 cabinet sides, ^2 by 7 by 15 in.

2 partitions and shelf, Yi by 6 by 6

abinet top, y 2 by 7 by 10J4 in.
abinet bottom, y 2 by 6 by 1(H4 in.
abinet backs and doors, J4 by oyi by W/2 in.
abinet moldings, 1 by 4 by 4 in.

abinet support, 2 by 2 by 26 in.
4 pedestal moldings, 1 by 1 by 6 in.
4 pedestal frames, 1 by 3 by 36 in.
1 base, 2 by 12 by 12 in.
Screws, nails, and varnish.

The sidepieces of the cabinet are ex-
tended at one corner, thereby forming
the supports for the mirror. The door
fits in between the sides and may be
attached either by hinges or two wood
screws, one on each side, holes being
bored in the sides forming a loose fit
for the screw so they can freely turn
with the door. The pedestal consists
of a 4-in. square box resting on the
base block, and secured in place by

The Mirror and Cabinet are Mounted on a Pedestal
That can be Moved as Desired

torn of the cabinet by means of mold-
ing, and provided with a slot so the
support can freely slide over the clamp
bolt, which fastens it in place by
clamping it against the pedestal. If
it is desired to conceal the head of the
bolt, a recess should be made in the
pedestal frame for it, as shown, so the
support will freely slide over it. Be-
fore assembling the pedestal it will be
necessary to drill a hole in the front
side in line with the recess of the back
side, and insert the bolt. If this pre-
caution is not taken, it will not be
possible to insert the bolt, unless a
hole be made for the head either
through the back side or front side.
Contributed by D. Toppan, Water-
vliet, N. Y.

Coasting Is One of
the Best Sports a Boy
Enjoys during Winter, and
a Sled of Luxury Is Some-
thing to Be Proud of among
Others on a Hill or Toboggan Slide

BY R. H. ALLEN

COASTER bobs usually have about the same form
of construction, and only slight changes from the
ordinary are made to satisfy the builder. The one shown has
some distinctive features which make it a sled of luxury, and the
builder will pride himself in the making. A list of the materials
required is given on the opposite page. Any
wood may be used for the sled, except for the
runners, which should be made of ash.

Shape the runners all alike by cutting one out
and using it as a pattern to make the others.
After cutting them to the proper shape, a
groove is formed on the under edge to admit
the curve of a %-in. round iron rod about
^4 in. deep. The iron rods are then
shaped to fit over the runner in the
groove and extend up the back part of
the runner and over the top at the
front end. The extensions should be
flattened so that two holes can be
drilled in them for two wood
screws at each end. If the builder
does not have the necessary
equipment for flattening these
ends, a local blacksmith can do
it at a nominal price. After the
irons are fitted, they are fas-
tened in place.

The top edges of the run-
ners are notched for the
crosspieces so that the top
surfaces of these pieces
will come flush with
the upper edges of the
runners. The loca-
tion of these
pieces is not es-
sential, but should
be near the ends
of the runners,
and the notches of
each pair of run-
ners should coin-

cide. When the notches are cut, fit in
the pieces snugly, and fasten them with
long, slim wood screws. Small metal

The supporting crosspiece on the
front sled is fastened on top of the
runners, at a place where its center

BRACE-

Details Showing the
Method of Rear-
Sled Oscillation,
the Bracing, and

the Steering Wheel

braces are then fastened to the runners
and crosspiece on the inside, to stiffen
the joint.

As the rear sled must oscillate some,
means must be provided for this tilt-
ing motion while at the same time pre-
venting sidewise turning. The con-
struction used for this purpose is a
hinged joint. The heavy 2 by 5-in.
crosspiece is cut sloping on the width
so that it remains 2 in. thick at one
edge and tapers down to a feather edge
at the opposite side. This makes a
wedge-shaped piece, to which surface
the three large hinges are attached.
The piece is then solidly fastened to
the upper edges of the runners, that
are to be used for the rear sled, and so
located that the center of the piece will
be 8 in. from the front end of the
runners.

will be 11 in. from the front end of the

runners.

The top board is prepared by making
both ends rounding and planing the
surfaces smooth. On the under side,
the two crosspieces are placed, which
should have two ] /l;-in. holes bored
through the width of each, near the
ends, to receive the eyebolts. They are
placed, one with its center 12 in. from
the end to be used for the rear, and the
other with its center 8 in. from the
front end, and securely fastened with
screws. The shore is placed in the
center of the board, and wires are run
over it connecting the eyebolts. The
eyebolts are then drawn up tightly to
make the wire taut over the shore.
This will prevent the long board from
sagging.

On the upper side of the board and

LIST OF MATERIALS

1 top. 6M: (t. long, 16 in. wide, and 1^4 in (hick.
4 runners. 22 in. long. 4 in. wide, and 1 in. thick.
4 crosspieces, 16 in. long. 3 in. wide, and 1 in. thick.
3 pieces. 16 in. long. 5 in. wide, and 2 in. thick.
1 piece. 16 in. long. 5 in. wide, and 1 in. thick.
1 shore. 16 in. long. 3 in. wide, and 1 in. thick.

4 seat backs. 12 in. Ions. 16 in. wide, and 1 in. thick.

1 dowel. 3 ft. long, and 1 in. in diameter.

4 rods. % in. in diameter, and 30 in. lone.

4 eyebolts. *fa in. by 6 in. long.

3 hinges. 5-in. strap.

8 hinges. 3 in. strap.

beginning at the rear end, the backs
are fastened at intervals of 18 in. They
are first prepared by rounding the cor-

keg hoop. A piece of wood is fas-
tened across its diameter, and the hoop
is covered with a piece of garden hose

I HOLE
WASHER

-78

ROUND IRON SHOE

The Top Board is Well Braced on the Under Side and Fitted with Four Backs on Top to Make It a
Luxurious Riding Sled, and the Runners are Provided with Metal Shoes for Speed

ners on the ends used for the tops, and
the opposite ends are cut slightly on
an angle to give the back a slant.
They are then fastened with the small
hinges to the top board. On the edges
of the top board, 1-in. holes are bored
about 1 in. deep, and pins driven for
foot rests. These are located 18 in.
apart, beginning about 5 in. from the
front end. The dowel is used for the
pins, which are made 4 in. long.

The steering device consists of a
broom handle, cut to 18 in. in length,
with one end fastened in a hole bored
centrally in the 5-in. crosspiece of the
front sled. A hole is bored in the top
board through the center of the cross-
piece fastened to the under side for
the steering post. The broomstick is
run through this hole after first plac-
ing two metal washers on it. After
running the stick through, a hardwood
collar is fastened to it just above the
top board, so that the top cannot be
raised away from the sled. At the
upper end of the broomstick a steering
wheel is attached, made from a nail-

and wrapped with twine. In the center
of the crosspiece, a hole is bored to
snugly fit on the broom handle, which
is then fastened with screws.

The rear sled is fastened to the top
board with screws through the extend-
ing wings of the hinges and into the
crosspiece. Holes are bored in the
front ends of all runners, and a chain
or rope is attached in them, the loop
end of the rear one being attached to
the under side of the top board, and the
one in the front used for drawing the
sled.

To Prevent Drill from Catching As It
Passes through Metal

The regular slope of a drill will
cause the cutting edge to catch as it
breaks through the metal on the op-
posite side of the piece being drilled.
But if a twist drill is ground more flat
like a flat drill, it will not "grab" into
the metal as it passes through. Con-
tributed by James H. Beebee, Roch-
ester, N. Y.

An Ice Boat and Catamaran

BY ROBERT K. PATTERSON

* I 'HIS combination is produced by
-* using the regular type of ice boat
and substituting boats for the runners,
to make the catamaran.

In constructing the ice boat, use two
poles, or timbers, one 10 ft. and the
other IQi/o ft. long, crossed at a point
2 l / 2 ft. from
one end of the
longer timber.
The crossed
pieces are
firmly braced
with wires, as
shown.

The mast,
which should
be about 12 ft.
long, is set
into a mortise
cut in the long
timber, 15 in.
from the front
end, and is
further stabil-
ized by wires,
as shown. A
jib boom,
about 6 ft.
long, as well
as a main
boom, which
is lli/o ft.
long, are hung
on the mast
in the usual
manner.

The

2 in. thick,
to project

18 in. long, 6 in. wide, and
allowing the ground edge
about 1 inch.

When the ice-boat frame is made of
poles, the runners are attached to a

piece of wood, 12 in.
shown and fastened

The Ice Boat Provides an Ideal Outing in Winter Where There
Is a Body of Water Large Enough for Sailing

front

runners c o n-
sist of band-iron strips, 18 in. long, 3
in. wide, and % in. thick, with one edge
ground like the edge of a skate, and
the ends rounding, which are fastened
with bolts to the sides of wood pieces,

long, shaped as
at right angles
with bolts
running
through the
shouldered
part diagonal-
ly. This makes
a surface on
which the
pole end rests
and where it
is securely
fastened with
bolts. If
squared t i tu-
bers are used,
the runners
can be f a s-
tened directly
to them. The
rear, or guid-
ing, runner is
fastened b e-
t w ee n two
pieces of
wood, so that
its edge .pro-
jects ; then it
is clamped in
a bicycle fork,
which should
be cut down
so that about

3 in. of the forks remain. A hole is bored
through the rear end of the long pole to
receive the fork head, the upper end of
which is supplied with a lever. The
lever is attached to the fork head by

The Ice-Boat Details, Showing
Construction with Straight Poles
Having Detachable Runners So

ndving i/ctBCQHDic Kunners a
the Boats can be Supplied i..
Their Stead to Make a Sailing
Catamaran for Use in Summer

boring a hole through the lever end at
a slight angle to fit the head, allowing
sufficient end to be slotted, whereupon
a hole is bored through the width of the
handle, and a bolt inserted, to act as a
clamp.

A board is fastened on two cross-
pieces mortised in the upper part of
the pole, for a place to sit on when
driving the boat. The sail can be con-
structed of any good material to the
dimensions given.

To rig up the ice boat for use as a
catamaran, place a pole across the
stern, the length of the pole being
equal to the one used on the front part
of the ice boat. Two water-tight boats
are constructed, 16 ft. long, 12 in. wide,
and 10 in. deep at the center. To make
these two boats procure six boards, 16
ft. long, 10 in. wide, and 1 in. thick.
Three boards are used to make each
boat. Bend one board so that it will
be in an arc of a circle, then nail on
the two side boards, after which the
edges of the sides are cut away to the
shape of the bent board. The runners
are removed from the ice boat, and the
boats fastened to the pole ends. A
rudder is attached in the place of the
rear, or guiding, runner. The tops of
the boats, or floats, can be covered and
made water-tight.

Mind-Reading Effect with Cards

Five cards are shown, and some one
person is asked to think of two cards
in the lot, after which the performer
places the cards behind his back and
removes any two cards, then shows
the remaining three and asks if the
two cards in mind have been removed.
The answer is always yes, as it cannot
be otherwise.

To prepare the cards, take any 10
cards from the pack and paste the back
of one card to another, making five
double cards. Removing any two cards
behind the performer's back reduces
the number of cards to three, and when
these are turned over they will not
have the same faces so that the ones
first seen cannot be shown the second
time even though all five cards were
turned over and shown.

An Air Pencil to Make Embossed
Letters

The device illustrated is for making
embossed letters on show cards, signs,
post cards, etc. A small bulb, such as

The Oilcan Spout Is the Reservoir to Hold the Paint,
and the Bulb Produces the Air Pressure

used on cameras, is procured, also the
spout from a small oilcan. The bulb
is fastened to the spout as shown.

The material for use in the pencil is
quick-drying mucilage thickened with
flake white. If some special color is
desired, tint the mixture with aniline.
Fill the spout with the mixture and
attach the bulb. Squeeze the bulb
gently while forming the letters, then
dust over with bronze, and allow
to dry.

An Endless Dish or Floor Mop

A good way to use up cord that col-
lects about the house, is to make an
endless dish or floor mop of it. Pro-
cure a thin board that will make a good
length and wind the cord around it,
then remove it from the board and tie
the bunch together in the center.

Combination Tie Rack and Collar Holder

An unusual though simple tie rack
can be made by supporting the tie bar
in the center. By this arrangement the
ties can be placed on it from either end,

thus avoiding the tedious threading
through, required on the ordinary rack
supported at each end. Collars may be
hung on a peg placed above the tie bar.

d a Bar
as Is Usually the Case

The pieces can be glued together
and a good finish given in the usual
way. The rack can be hung up by
two screw eyes. The material re-
quired consists of four pieces, dimen-
sioned % by 5 by 8 in., % by 7 / s by
?% in., % by % by 3^ in., and % by y 8
by 2 in. respectively. Contributed by
Arthur C. Vener, Dallas, Texas.

Skates Made of Wood

Skates that will take the place of
the usual steel-runner kind and which
will prevent spraining of the ankles,
can be made of a few pieces of %-in.
hardwood boards.

Four runners are cut out, 2 in. wide
at the back and 1% in- wide at the
front, the length to be 2 in. longer
than the shoe. The top edges of a
pair of runners are then nailed to the
under side of a board 4 in. wide, at its
edges.

A piece of board, or block, 2 in. wide
is fastened between the runners at the
rear, and one 1 in. wide, in front. Two
bolts are run through holes bored in
the runners, one just back of the front
board, or block, and the other in front
of the rear one.

Four triangular pieces are fastened,
one on each corner, so that the heel
and toe of the shoe will fit between
them, and, if desired, a crosspiece can

be nailed in front of the heel. Straps
are attached to the sides for attaching

Skates Made of
Wood to Take the
Place of the Steel-Runner
Kind and Prevent Sprained Ankles

the skate to the shoe. Both skates
are made alike. Contributed by F. E.
Kennar, Hennessey, Okla.

CThe best paint for paper roofing is
asphaltum varnish.

An Ice Glider

By MILDRED E. THOMAS

THE enthusiastic pushmobilist need
not put aside his hohby during the
winter, as an amusement de-
vice for use on ice, which will
surpass the very best pushmo-
bile, can be easily made as
shown in the illustration.

Similar to an ice yacht, only
a great deal smaller, the ice
glider will require three ordi-
nary skates, two of which
are fastened to the ends of
the front crosspiece, so
that their blades will
stand at an angle of
about 30 deg. with
their edges outward.
To get this angle
tapering block
are fastened
to the cross-
piece ends,
as s h o w n.
The skates
are then fas-
t e n e d to
these blocks.

The cross-
piece is 30 in. long
wide. In the cen-
ter of this piece
an upright is con-
structed, 36 in.
high. The edges
of the front cross-
piece are cut on a
slant so that a
piece nailed to its
front and back
edge will stand
sloping toward
the rear. A han-
dle, 24 in. long, is
fastened between

r and abou

["3 4

t 8

in. under

side. The

i*
,&_

V
(

>
j

*o
*

-41

V \3p

Detail of the Parts

for the Construction
of the Ice Glider,
or Pushmobile

^
t-

( 30"-

-: r^
. *
-'

.
*

i ^

V Y

the two uprights at the upper end.
The rear part is made of a board,
8 in. wide and 40 in. long. The
remaining skate is fastened in
a perfectly straight position on
the rear end. The skates may
be attached with screws run
through holes drilled in
the top plates, or with
straps. The front end
of the rear board has
a hole for a bolt to at-
tach it to the center
of the front cross-
piece, so
that the lat-
ter will turn
to guide the
glider.

A pusher
i s prepared
from a block
of wood, into
which nails
are driven
with their
ends project-
i n g on the
The block is strapped to
one shoe, a s
shown.

The glider is
used in the same
manner as a push-
mobile.

The pusher can
be made in an-
other way by us-
ing sole leather
instead of the
block. Small slots
are cut in the sides
for the straps.
Nails are driven

The Glider is Pushed over the Ice

Similarly to a Pushmobile, and the

Speed That can be Attained

is Much Greater

through the leather so that the points
project. Either kind of pusher is

The Block of Wood with Protecting Nails to Fasten
on the Shoe That Does the Pushing

especially adapted for the pushmobile
to prevent wear on the shoe.

Prony Brake for Testing Small Motors

The ordinary prony brake is not, as
a rule, sensitive enough to make an
accurate test on small motors, such as
those used in driving sewing machines,
washing machines, vacuum cleaners,
etc. The arrangement shown in the
accompanying sketch has been used for
this purpose with good results and
was very accurate. The operation of
the brake is exceedingly simple.

A pulley without a crown face is at-
tached to the shaft of the motor, which

Prony Brake Used in Connection with a Small
Balance to Find the Horsepower

is fastened to the top of a table or
bench, and a balance mounted directly
over the pulley. The support for the
balance should be a narrow strip, which

in turn is supported on two upright
pieces, as shown. A light rope is put
under the pulley, and the ends are
looped over the platforms of the bal-
ance so that it does not interfere with
the operation of the balance. The ends
of the rope should be vertical and par-
allel. The piece upon which the balance
rests is raised by inserting wedges,
thus increasing the tension in the rope.
The resulting friction of the rope on
the pulley increases the load.

If the motor is running in the direc-
tion indicated by the arrow on the pul-
ley, the tension in the left-hand end
of the rope will be greater than in the
right-hand end and a weight must be
placed on the right-hand platform of
the balance. When the weight W is
adjusted so that the two pointers on
the platforms are exactly opposite each
other, the value of the weight W, in
pounds, will represent the difference in
pull, in pounds, between A and B. If
the value of the weight \V is known
and also the speed of the machine when
the weight was determined, the horse-
power output can be computed by
means of the following equation :

Hp.=

6.2832XLXWXR.P-M.
33,000X12

In this equation, L is the distance in
inches from the center of the pulley to
the center of the rope. Two ordinary
spring balances may be substituted for
the beam balance and the difference in
their readings taken for the value W.
For best results, the tension in the
slack end of the rope should be as
small as possible, and it may be neces-
sary to wrap the rope one or more
times completely around the pulley.

A Mystic Fortune Teller

Fortune telling by means of weights
striking glasses or bottles is quite
mysterious if controlled in a manner
that cannot be seen by the audience.
The performer can arrange two strikes
for "no," and three for "yes" to an-
swer questions. Any kind of bottles,
glass, or cups may be used. In the

bottles the pendulum can be suspended
from the cork, and in the glasses from
small tripods set on the table.

The secret of the trick is as follows :
A rubber tube with a bulb attached to

Holding Prints in a Liquid-Filled Tray

After having considerable trouble in
keeping my paper prints in the hypo
fixing bath from curling, which would

BULB

The Rocking of the Table is Caused by the Pressure of Air in the Bulb under the Foot,
the Movement Causing the Pendulum to Swing and Strike the Glass

each end is placed under a rug, one
bulb being located under one table leg
and the other near the chair of the per-
former set at some distance from the
table where it can be pressed with the
foot. Some one selects a pendulum ;
the performer gazes intently at it, and
presses the bulb under his foot lightly
at first ; then, by watching the sway-
ing of the pendulum selected, he will
know when to give the second impulse,
and continue until the weight strikes
the glass. As the pendulums are of
different lengths they must necessarily
swing at different rates per second.
The impulses must be given at the
proper time or else the pendulum will
be retarded instead of increased in
amplitude. A table with four legs is
best to use, and the leg diagonally op-
posite that with the bulb beneath it
must not touch the carpet or floor.
This can be arranged by placing pieces
of cardboard under the other two legs.
Contributed by James J. Mclntyre.

force the edges out of the liquid, I
found the plan here illustrated a suc-
cess. I procured a piece of wood, the
of a postcard, and stuck four

size

glass push pins into one surface, one
at each corner, and fastened a handle
to the center of the upper side. The
papers are first placed in the bath, then

HYPO TRAY

PRINTS

. PUSH PIN

Push Pins on the Under Side of the Board Raise It
and Provide a Space for the Prints in the Liquid

the board is set over them with the
pins down. This holds the prints
under the liquid but does not press
them tightly together. Contributed
by J. J. Kolar, Maywood, 111.

CA piece of an old gunny sack will
polish brass work very nicely.

Cellar-Door Holder

A cellar door that opened up against
a wall required a catch of some kind to
keep it open at times. As I did not
want a catch to
show on the
wall, I devised a
holder as shown.
Three pieces of
wood were
nailed to the un-
der side of the
door in such po-
sitions that they
formed a recess
in which a fourth
piece, 2 in. wide
and 1 in. thick,
would slide end-
ways. A knob
was attached to
the upper end of the slide, which
served the double purpose of a handle
and a stop for the slide. The manner
of using the holder is clearly shown.
Contributed by H. T. Smith, Topeka,
Kansas.

An Emergency Pencil Compass

The need of a compass when none
was at hand caused me to quickly
devise a substitute for the work.
A piece of stiff wire, about the
length of the pencil, was pro-
cured, and several turns were
made around the pencil, as
shown. The lower straight
end was filed to a point.
The wire can be bent to
obtain the radius dis-
tance. Contributed by
Preston Ware,
Rome, Ga.

CA very effective
dip for brass and
copper articles,
that will leave a
clean and bright
finish, is 2 qt. of aqua fortis, 1 gal.
of sulphuric acid, 1 pt. of water and a
pinch of salt.

Renewing Carbon Paper

When carbon paper has been used
several times, the preparation becomes
almost worn off on some parts, while
other parts of the paper are as good as
new. The process of renewing is very
simple and it can be done by anyone
without special apparatus. All that is
necessary is to hold the paper in front
of a fire or over a radiator a few sec-
onds. The heat will cause the prepara-
tion to dissolve and spread over the
paper, so that when it is dry the paper
will have a new coating. This can be
repeated, and in some cases will double
the life of the carbon paper. Contrib-
uted by Chester M. Kearney, Danville,
Quebec.

How to Clinch a Finishing Nail

A wire or finishing nail may be
clinched as nicely as a wrought nail,
if a nail punch
or piece of iron
is placed along
the side of it,
as shown at A,
and the nail
hammered into
an arched form,
as at B. The punch or rod is then
withdrawn and the arch driven into
the wood. Contributed by James M.
Kane, Doylestown, Pa.

To Prevent Washbasin Bottom from
Wearing Out

The ears from some sirup buckets
were removed and three of them sol-
dered, at equal distances apart, on the
bottom of the washbasin near the out-
side edge of the lower part. These
prevented the wear from coming on
the bottom of the basin, and it lasted
several times as long as ordinarily.
Contributed by A. A. Ashley, Blanket,
Texas.

CTo curl feathers, heat slightly before
a fire, then stroke with something like
the back of a case knife.

O the inventive mind of the North
American Indian we owe the
snowshoe, and its conception was
doubtless brought about through that
prolific source of invention necessity.
The first models were crude web-footed
affairs, but improvements in model
and manner of filling the frames were
gradually added until the perfected
and graceful shoe of the present was
finally reached. The first snowshoes
were made by the Indians, and the
Indians of Maine and Canada continue
to fashion the finest models today.

The snowshoe is a necessity for the
sportsman and trapper whose pleasure
or business leads him out in the open
during the winter season, when roads
and trails are heavily blanketed by a
deep fall of powdery snow. But the
use of the web shoe is by no means
confined to the dweller in the wilder-
ness, since the charm of wintry wood
and plain beckons many lovers of the
outdoors to participate in this invigor-
ating sport, and snowshoe tramps are
fast growing in popularity in and
about our cities and towns.

All the modern snowshoes are con-
structed upon practically the same
general lines, although the types of
frames differ considerably in size as

How to Make
and Use Them

, By 5lillman Taylor

PART I Shapes of Snowshoes

well as in shape, and the filling of hide
is often woven in many varied and in-
tricate patterns. The frame or bow
usually made of ash in order to get
strength with light weight is bent in
many shapes, but the one shown in the
diagram is a typical general-purpose
shoe, and may be called standard. The
frame is held in shape by means of
two wooden cross braces, neatly mor-
tised into the frame. These braces
are spaced some 15 or 16 in. apart, and
so divide the shoe into three sections,
known as the toe, center, and heel.
The filling is woven into a lanyard,
which is a light strip of hide firmly
laced to the frame through a double
row of holes drilled in the wood. The
center filling is woven of heavy strands
of rawhide, in a fairly coarse mesh, be-
cause this part of the shoe must bear
the weight of the body and the brunt
of wear. The end fillers for toe and
heel are woven of lighter strands of
hide, and the mesh is, of course,
smaller.

As may be noted by referring to the
drawing, a center opening or "toe
hole" is provided, and as the greater
strain on the filling lies directly under
the ball of the foot, the shoe is rein-
forced at this point by the "toe cord"
running across, and the "toe-cord
stays," which are tied in on each side
of the toe hole one end being fastened
to the toe cord and the other lashed
over the wooden cross bar of the
frame. These reinforcing cords are
formed of several strands of hide, the

stays being again wound with finer
strands.

To prevent slipping and to secure a
good foothold while walking, the man-
ner of attaching the foot to the shoe is
of importance, and this is done by
making use of a toe strap, which will
allow the toe to push down through
the toe opening as the heel of the foot
is lifted in the act of walking. A sec-
ond strap, or thong, leading from the
top around the foot, above the curve of
the heel, is needed to lend additional
support in lifting the snowshoe, to ef-
fect the easy shambling stride char-
acteristic of the snowshoer.

There are, of course, a great number
of models or styles, some one style
being popular in one locality, while an
altogether different style is preferred
in another part of the country. The
most representative types are well
shown in the illustrations, and a brief
description will point out their prac-
tical advantages, because each model
possesses certain merits one model
being designed for fast traveling in
the open, another better adapted for
brush travel, while others are more
convenient for use in a hilly country
where much climbing is done, and so
on.

Style A is regarded by snowshoe ex-
perts as an extreme style, for it is long
and narrow. It is designed for fast
traveling over smooth and level coun-
try, and over loose, powdery snow.
This style is much used by the Cree
Indians, and is usually made 12 in.
wide by 60 in. long, with a deeply up-
curved toe. It is a good shoe for
cross-country work, but is somewhat
difficult to manage on broken trails,
when the snow is packed, and also af-
fords rather slippery footing when
crossing ice. Owing to the stout con-
struction of tire frame and reinforce-
ment needed to retain the high, curved
toe, style A is more difficult to manage
than the more conservative models,
and its stiffness of frame makes it
more fatiguing to wear, while its use
is a decided handicap in mountainous
districts, because a curved toe always
makes hill climbing more difficult.

Style B may be considered the or-
dinary eastern model, and a common
style best adapted for all-around use.
It is a neat and gracefully designed
frame, about 12 in. wide and 42 in.
long, and is usually made with a
slightly upcurving toe, about 2 in. turn
at the toe being correct. When made
by the Indians of Maine, this model is
fashioned with a rather heavy heel,
which is an advantage for fast walk-
ing, while it increases the difficulty in
quick turning.

Style C is a favorite model among
the hunters and woodsmen of New
England. This is a splendid style for
general purposes in this section of the
country, since the full, round toe keeps
the toe up near the surface, and lets
the heel cut down more than the nar-
row-toe models. Style C is an easy
shoe to wear, and while not so fast as
the long, narrow frame, its full shape
is more convenient for use in the
woods. It is usually made with about
1 to IV-j-in. turn at the toe.

Style D is the familiar "bear's
paw," a model originating with the
northeastern trapper. This model is
well adapted for short tramps in the
brush, and having a flat toe, is likewise
a good shoe for mountain climbing.
For tramping about in thick brush, a
short, full shoe enables one to take a
shorter stride and turn more quickly,
but it is a slow shoe for straight-ahead
traveling.

When purchasing a pair of snow-
shoes, some few important considera-
tions should be kept in mind, and the
size and model will depend upon the
man to some extent, since a large,
heavy man will require a larger snow-
shoe than would suffice for a person of
lighter weight. Height also enters
into the choice, and while a small per-
son can travel faster and with less
fatigue when equipped with a propor-
tionately small shoe, a tall man will
naturally pick out a larger-sized snow-
shoe for his use. For a country where
deep snows prevail, larger sizes are
best, but in localities where the snow
packs solidly and there is considerable
ice, and in mountainous districts,

LANYARD

or for rough-country traveling, the
smaller sizes will give more satisfac-
tion and prove more durable also. For
a wet-snow locality, the center filling
should be strung in rather coarse mesh,
while for soft, powdery snow, a finer
mesh will be the logical choice.

There are snowshoes and snow-
shoes, and while there are fine models
regularly stocked by a few of the bet-
ter sporting - goods
firms, there is likewise
a deal of poorly made
snowshoes on the mar-
ket. It is well to pay
a fair price and se-
cure a dependable
handmade article, for
the cheaper snowshoes
often filled w i t h
seine twine and t h e
cheapest hide (com-
monly known in the
trade as "gut") will
warp and twist in the
frame, and the shoddy
filling will soon be-
come loosened up and
"bag" after a little use.
The best snowshoes
that the writer is ac-
quainted with are made
by the Indians, and
the filling is ordinarily
made of neat's hide ;
cowhide for the center
filling, and calfskin for
the toe and heel. A
first-class pair of snow-
shoes may be had for
about $6 to $7.50, and
when possible to do so,
it is best to have them
made to order. This
plan is, of course,
necessary in case one wishes to incor-
porate any little wrinkles of his own
into their making, or desires a flatter
toe, lighter heel, or a different mesh
from the usual stock models.

Where but one pair of snowshoes is
purchased, style B will probably prove
the best selection, and should be or-
dered with the flat toe, or a turn not
greater than 1 in. The frame may be

in either one or two pieces, depending
upon the size of the shoe and the ideas
of the Indian maker, but it is well to
specify white ash for the frames in the
order. No Indian maker would be
guilty of using screws or other
metal fastenings, but many of the
cheap and poorly fashioned snowshoes
are fastened at the heel with screws,
thus making this a decidedly weak

FRAME OR BOW

CRO55 BAR

TOE 5TAY5

CENTER
FILLING

HEEL

FILLING

FRAME OR BOW

TOE FILLING

TOE HOLE

TOE CORD

CRO55 BAR

LANYARD

TAIL

The Frame of a Snowshoe in Its Usual Construction, Showing the

Crosspieces with Their Laced Fillings of Hide and the

Different Parts Named, for a Ready Reference

point, since the wood is quite certain
to split after a little rough service.
In contrast to the poor workmanship
of these low-priced snowshoes, the
Indian-made article is fashioned from
sound and properly seasoned wood ;
the cross bars are snugly fitted by
mortising to the frame ; the filling is
tightly woven, and the heel is properly
fastened by lacing with a rawhide

Snowshoe Experts Regard This

as an Extreme Style, for It

is Long and Narrow

it is a good idea to
select a filling of good
heavy weight and with
a firmly woven and
open mesh, say, about
% in. The toe and
heel sections will, of
course, be of finer-cut
hide and smaller mesh,
and it is wise to avoid
those shoes employing
seine twine for the end
filling. Some factory-
made snowshoes are
given a coat or two of
varnish, but this, while
serving to make them
partly waterproof,
makes them rather
slippery when crossing
logs and ice. Most
woodsmen prefer to
leave both frame and
filling in their natural
condition.

The Indian-made
snowshoe is always

thong. However, In-
dian makers are likely
to make the toe small
and leave the wood to
form a rather heavy
heel. Some few
woodsmen and sports-
men may prefer this
model, but the major-
ity favor a fuller toe
and a lighter heel for
general use, because
the regulation Indian
model, cutting down at
toe and heel equally
deep, increases the dif-
ficulty of easy travel-
ing over soft snow, al-
though it is a good
shoe when used over
broken trails.

When buying snow-
shoes at the store, see
that the frames are
stoutly and well made,
and for all-around use,

This Snowshoe is Considered

the Ordinary Eastern Model

and One Best Adapted for

Ail-Around Use

provided with a gener-
ously large toe hole, so
that ample foot cover-
ing may be used. This
point is generally over-
looked in the machine-
made product, and the
toe cords are also
frequently roughly
formed, thus chafing
the feet and making
them sore. These de-
tails may or may not
prove a handicap for
short tramps near
town, but for long
trips through the
woods, they are im-
portant considerations.
The Indian manner
of tying the snowshoe
to the foot by means of
a single twisted and
knotted thong is a
good method of attach-
ment, in that, if the
thong is properly ad-

W "^fc&g?

Style
ted Here
lendid
eneral
s and is
vonte
Hunters
oodsmen

This is the Familiar "Bear's-

Paw" Model, Originated by

the Northeastern Trapper for

Use on Short Tramps and

in Brush

justed to the requisite
snugness in the first
place, the shoes may
be quickly removed by
a simple twist of the
ankle. A better fasten-
ing is secured by using
a fairly wide (% in.)
toe strap and a long
thong. The toe strap
is placed over the toes,
immediately over the
ball of the foot, and se-
cured against slipping
by weaving the ends in
and out between the
meshes of the filling un-
til it reaches the frame
on either side. This
grips the toe strap
firmly and does away
with the necessity of
tying a knot. A nar-
row thong, about 4 ft.
long, is now doubled,
the center placed just

above the heel of the foot, and the
ends passed under the toe cord, just
outside of the toe-cord stays on each
side. The thong is then brought up
and across the toes, one end passing
over and the other under the toe
strap. Each end of the thong is now
looped around the crossed thong, on
either side, and then carried back over
the back of the heel and knotted with
a common square or reef knot. Calf-
skin makes a good flexible foot bind-
ing, or a suitable strip of folded cloth
or canvas may be used.

The regulation snowshoe harness,
consisting of a leather stirrup for the
toe and an instep and heel strap, will
be found more comfortable than the
thong, and when once adjusted snugly
to the foot, the shoes may be quickly

taken off and put on again by pushing
the heel strap down, when the foot may
be slipped out of the toe stirrup.

The use of heavy leather shoes is of
course undesirable, and the only cor-
rect footwear for snowshoeing is a pair
of high-cut moccasins, cut roomy
enough to allow one or more pairs of
heavy woolen stockings to be worn.
The heavy and long German socks, ex-
tending halfway to the knee, drawn
on over the trouser legs, are by far the
most comfortable for cold-weather
wear. The feet, thus shod, will not
only be warm in the coldest weather,
but the free use of the toes is not in-
terfered with. Leather shoes are cold
and stiff, and the heavy soles and
heels, chafing against the snowshoes,
will soon ruin the filling.

Soldering and Riveting

BY JOHN D. ADAMS

There are two simple processes that
every experimenter should master:
soldering and riveting. The large sold-
ering copper will find only a very re-

A Small Torch Made of a Penholder is Handy to
Use in Soldering Electrical Apparatus

stricted use with the amateur on ac-
count not only of its clumsiness, but of
the fact that it requires a fire, which
is often impracticable to obtain. The
experimenter should therefore con-
struct a small alcohol lamp, which,
after a little experience, will reveal the
following advantages: It may be
brought into instant use at any place ;
it will make a more perfect connection ;
with a small blowpipe places may be
reached that are entirely inaccessible
to the large iron ; several small pieces
may be set in position and soldered
without disturbing them, which is
quite impossible with the large iron.

To make such a lamp, procure a
small wide-mouthed bottle so that very
little alcohol will be necessary and the
lamp may be tipped at any desired
angle. A short piece of seamless brass

tubing should be procured, or, prefer-
ably, one of those capped brass cylin-
ders for holding pencil leads, the but-
ton of which should be sawn off and
the cap used to keep the alcohol from
evaporating. A good, sound cork is
next in order, and in cutting the central
hole, use the brass tube, which should
be sharpened around the lower end.
Proceed with a rotary motion, and a
clean core will be removed. If an or-
dinary lamp wick is not at hand, soft
cotton string
may be bundled
up as a substi-
tute. Such a
lamp is safe,
odorless and will
not blacken the
work in the least
as in the case of
kerosene or gas-
oline. """"" 1 "' 11 *

There are many good soldering
fluxes on the market, but that obtained
by dissolving as much scrap of zinc
as possible in muriatic acid will solder
practically everything that may be
necessary, provided, of course, the sur-
faces are filed or scraped bright. Wire

solder is usually the most convenient,
as small pieces can be readily cut off
and placed directly on the work where
required. A small blowpipe is often
a valuable adjunct, as it makes possi-
ble a long, narrow flame that may be
directed in almost any direction.

Where numerous small connections
are to be made, as is often the case with
electrical apparatus, the small torch
illustrated will be found very conven-
ient. It is simply an old penholder
with the wood portion shortened
somewhat and
the metal end
filed off square
and cleaned out.
This is then

filled with wicking, and it is only neces-
sary to dip it in alcohol in order to
soak up enough to solder an ordinary
connection.

The second simple process, of which
many fail to appreciate the usefulness
in experimental work, is that of rivet-
ing particularly when done on a small
scale. Very often the material in hand
is tempered steel and cannot, therefore,
be soldered to advantage, or it may be
a case where subsequent heating makes
a heat-proof connection imperative.
Then, again, the joint may require the
combined strength of both solder and
rivet.

When properly set, the strength of
the ordinary brass pin, when used as
a rivet, is quite great. Should the
work require a particularly soft rivet,
it is only necessary to hold the pin for
a moment in the flame of a match. A
somewhat larger and stronger rivet
may be made by softening and cutting
to the required length the small flat-
headed nails used in making cigar
boxes. The ordinary shingle nail is
also of a suitable shape after the burrs
have been filed off under the head.

In setting these small rivets, it is
absolutely necessary that they closely
fit the holes, as at A, otherwise the re-
sult will be as indicated at B in the
sketch. Be careful not to leave too
great a length for rounding over on the
metal. This extra length should ap-
proximately equal the diameter of the

rivet and must be filed flat on the top
before riveting. In case of pins, it will
be found easier to cut them off to the

A Few Joints Where Rivets are Used to Hold the
Parts Solidly Together

proper length after they are inserted.
Use the smallest hammer available,
striking many light blows rather than
a few heavy ones.

A Whistle

Cut a circular piece of tin any con-
venient size, preferably 3 in. in diam-
eter, and bend it across the diameter so
that it will be
in a narrow U-
shape. Then drill
or punch a hole
through both
parts as shown.

Place it in the mouth with the open
edges out, being sure to press the lips
on the metal tightly on both upper and
lower pieces outside of the holes and
to rest the tongue against the edge
of the tin, even with the holes, and
blow.

The result of the first attempt may
not be a sound, but with a little prac-
tice any familiar tune may be whistled.
Contributed by Chas. C. Bradley W
Toledo, O.

Card-and-Coin Trick

If a card is balanced on the finger and
a coin placed on the card directly over
the finger, one
would not think
that the card
could be flipped
out leaving the
coin on the finger
end. This is eas-
ily accomplished,
if care is taken to snap the card sharply
and squarely. Contributed by R.
Neland, Minneapolis, Minn.

How to Make a Costumer

With but little skill, and such tools
as are ordinarily found around a home,
a plain but serviceable costumer can be
made, as shown
in the sketch.
The necessary
materials for it
are : One main
post, l l /2 in.
square and about

6y 2 ft- l n g ; f ur
legs, or foot
brackets, % by G
by 9 in. ; four
brass clothes
hooks, and the
necessary screws
and varnish for
assembling and
finishing.

The center
post should be
chamfered at the
top to relieve the
abruptness. The
four legs should
all be made alike
and in some
shape that allows
them to be fas-
tened to the post in a simple manner.
In the sketch, the legs are fastened to
the post by one visible screw at the top
and one put in on an incline through
the bottom edge of the leg. The clothes
hooks are fastened to the post in pairs
at different heights, thereby preventing
the screws of adjacent hooks from run-
ning into one another. The finish of
the costumer should be such as to
match the woodwork of its surround-
ings. Contributed by Harry A. Pack-
ard, Norway, Maine.

Window Catch Used for Locking an
Extension Table

To prevent the two ends of an exten-
sion table from pulling apart when not
desired, an ordinary window catch can
be fastened and locked in place to the
under side of the table top with one
part on each end of the table. If but

one catch is used and fastened in the
center, it is best to mark it off first, and
then pull the table ends apart to fasten
the catch more easily. It may be de-
sired to use two catches for a very
heavy table, in which case it would be
best to place one on either side of the
center. Contributed by F. M. Gris-
wold, New York, N. Y.

Relieving Pressure on Heated Canned
Foods for Opening

In opening a can of food that has
been heated, the instant the cover is
punctured the steam will force out a
part of the contents, which is very an-
noying. To avoid this, pour a little
cold water on the cover and allow it
to remain a few seconds, then turn it
off and immediately puncture the
cover. This will counteract the interior
force, and the can may be opened with-
out trouble. Contributed by Joseph
Kohlbecher, Jr.. San Francisco, Cal.

Clothespin Bag

Clothespins are usually kept in a bag,
and the one our home possessed had a
draw string
which would al-
ways stick and
hold the bag
shut. The rem-
edy for this, and
a time saver also,
was to remove
the draw string
and insert in-
stead a piece of
wire, which was
afterward shaped
to a circle with
an eyelet at the
joint. The bag
can be hung on a
nail and the
mouth is always
open to its fullest
extent, yet lies
flat against the

wall. Contributed by Jas. A. Hart,

Philadelphia, Pa.

HOW TO MAKE
AND USE THEM

-* By Still man Taylor

PART II Making the Shoe

[In making the snowshoe it may be necessary to refer to the previous
chapter to select the style, or to locate the name of the parts used in the
description. Editor. ]

CNOWSHOE

ing is an art, and
while few, if any,
white men can equal

the Indian in weaving the intricate pat-
terns which they prefer to employ for fill-
ing the frames, it is not very difficult to
fashion a good solid frame and then fill it
by making use of a simple and open system
of meshing. For the frames, white ash is
much the best wood, but hickory and white
birch are dependable substitutes, if the
former cannot be obtained. Birch is per-
haps the best wood to use when the sports-
man wishes to cut and split up his own
wood, but as suitable material for the
frames may be readily purchased for a
small sum, probably the majority of the
readers will elect to buy the material. Any
lumber dealer will be able to supply white
ash, and it is a simple matter to saw out
the frames from the board. The sawed-out
frame is inferior to the hand-split bow, but
if good, selected material can be obtained,
there will be little, if any, difference for
ordinary use.

When dry and well-seasoned lumber is
used, the frame may be made to the
proper dimensions, but when green
wood is selected, the frame must be
made somewhat heavier, to allow for
the usual shrinkage in seasoning. For
a stout snowshoe frame, the width
should be about 1^ in. ; thickness at
toe, % in., and thickness at heel. T % in.
The frame should be cut 2 in. longer

The Design of the Snowshoe is Traced on a Board,

and Blocks are Used to Shape the

Frame or Bow

Locate the Cross Bars

by Balancing the Frame,

Then Fit the Ends in

Shallow Mortises

than the finished length desired, and
in working the wood, remember that
the toe of the finished frame will be the
center of the
stick; the heel,
the end of the
stick, and the
center of the
shoe will lie half-
way between the
heel and toe.

After the
frames have
b e en finished,
the dry wood
must be steamed

before it can be safely bent to the re-
quired shape, and before doing this, a
wooden bending form must be made.
An easy way to make this form is to
first draw a pattern of the model on a
sheet of paper, cut out the pencil mark,
and, placing this pattern on a board,
carefully trace the design on the
wooden form. A number of cleats, or
blocks, of wood will now be needed ;
the inside blocks being nailed in posi-
tion, but the outside stay blocks being
simply provided with nails in the holes,
so they may be quickly fastened in
position when the steamed frame is
ready for the form.

To make the frame soft for bending
to shape, steaming must be resorted to,
and perhaps the easiest way of doing
this is to provide boiling water in a

Begin Weaving the Toe Filling at the Corner of

Cross Bar and Frame, Carrying It Around

in a Triangle until Complete

wash boiler, place the wood over the
top, and soak well by mopping with
the boiling water, shifting the stick
about until the fibers have become soft

and pliable. After 10 or 15 minutes of
the hot-water treatment, wrap the stick
with cloth and bend it back and forth
to render it more and more, pliable, then
use the hot-water treatment, and re-
peat the process until the wood is suf-
ficiently soft to bend easily without
splintering. The toe being the greatest
curve, must be well softened before
putting on the form, otherwise the
fibers are likely to splinter off at this
point. When the frame is well soft-
ened, place it on the bending form
while hot. slowly bend it against the
wooden inside blocks, and nail on the
outside blocks to hold it to the proper
curve. Begin with the toe, and after
fastening the outside blocks to hold
this end, finish one side, then bend the
other half to shape. The bent frame
should be allowed to dry on the form
for at least a week ; if removed before
the wood has become thoroughly dry
and has taken a permanent set, the
frame will not retain its shape. The
same bending form may be used for
both frames, but if one is in a hurry
to finish the shoes, two forms should be
made, and considerable pains must be
taken to make them exactly alike in
every way.

When the frames are dry, secure the
tail end of the frame by boring three
holes about -4 in. from the end, and
fasten with rawhide. The work of fit-
ting the two cross bars may now be
undertaken, and the balance of 'the
snowshoe depends upon fitting these
bars in their proper places. Before
cutting the mortise, spring the two
bars in the frame about 15 in. apart, and
balance the shoe in the center by hold-
ing it in the hands. When the frame
exactly balances, move the bars suffi-
ciently to make the heel about 3 oz.
heavier than the toe, and mark the
place where the mortises are to be cut.
The cross bars and mortise must be a
good tight fit, and a small, sharp chisel
will enable the builder to make a neat
job. It is not necessary to cut the
mortise very deep; 14 in. is ample to
afford a firm and snug mortised joint.
The lanyard to which the filling is
woven is next put in, by boring pairs

of small holes in the toe and heel sec-
tions, and lacing a narrow rawhide
thong through the obliquely drilled
holes. Three holes are then bored in
the cross bar one on each side about
11/2 in. from the frame, and the third
in the center of the bar ; the lanyard
being carried through these holes in the
cross bar.

Begin the toe filling first, by making
an eye in one end of the thong, put the
end through the lanyard loop and then
through the eye, thus making a slipknot.
Start to weave at the corner where the
bar and frame are mortised, carry the
strand up and twist it around the lan-
yards in the middle of the toe, then carry
it down and make a like twist around
the lanyard loop in the opposite corner.
The thong is now looped around the
next lanyard (No. 2 from the cross-
bar lanyard) and fastened with the
twisted loop knot illustrated. Continue
the strand across the width of toe
space and make a similar loop knot on
No. 2 lanyard on the starting side,
twist it around the strand first made
and loop it under the next cross-bar
lanyard loop, then carry it up and twist
it around the lanyard loop in the toe
of the frame, continuing in the same
manner until the last lanyard of the toe
is reached, when the space is finished
by making the twisted loop knot until
the space is entirely filled. It is a dif-
ficult, matter to describe by text, but
the illustrations will point out the
correct way, and show the manner of
making an endless thong by eye-splic-
ing, as well as illustrating the wooden
bodkin or needle used in pulling the
woven strands taut. This bodkin is
easily made from a small piece of wood,
about 14 in. thick, and about 2 in. long.

strong, carry the strand across the
frame five or six times, finishing with
a half-hitch knot, as shown, then carry

An Endless Thong is Made with Eyes Cut in the

Ends of the Leather, and Each Part is Run

through the Eye of the Other

To simplify matters, the heel may be
filled in the same manner as the toe.

For the center, which must be woven
strong and tight, a heavier strand of
hide must be used. Begin with the
toe cord first, and to make this amply

The Heel Filling is Woven by Making the Connection

with the Lanyard in the Same Manner as

for the Toe Filling

it up and twist it around the cross bar
to form the first toe-cord stay.

As may be noted, the center section
is filled by looping back and twisting
the strands as when filling the toe.
However, the filling is looped around
the frame instead of a lanyard, and a
clove hitch is used. A toe hole, 4 in.
wide, must be provided for, and when
enough of the filling has been woven
in to make this opening, the thong is
no longer looped around the cross bar,
but woven through the toe cord. As
the filling ends in the toe cord, it should
be woven in and out at this point sev-
eral times, finishing the toe hole by
looping a strand around the cross bar
at the side of the toe hole, then pass-
ing it down the toe-cord stay by twist-
ing around it ; then twisted around the
toe cord along the filling to the other
side of the toe hole, where it is twisted
around the toe-cord stay on the oppo-
site side, looped around the frame and
ended in a clove hitch.

At the first reading, it will doubtless
appear difficult, but a careful examina-
tion of the illustrations will soon show
how the trick is done, and indeed it is
really a very simple matter, being one
of those things which are easier to do
than it is to tell how to do them. The
method of filling has been purposely
made simple, but the majority of shoes
are filled in practically the same man-
ner, which answers quite as well as the
more intricate Indian design.

The knack of using the snowshoe is
quickly mastered, providing the shoes
are properly attached, to allow the toe

The Center must be Woven Strong and Tight,

and for This Reason a Heavier Strand of

Hide must be Used

ample freedom to work down through
the toe hole as each foot is lifted. The
shoe is, of course, not actually lifted in
the air, but rather slid along the sur-
face, half the width of one shoe cover-
ing the other when it is lifted in the act
of walking. At first the novice may be
inclined to think snowshoes a bit cum-
bersome and unwieldy, and doubt his
ability to penetrate the brush. How-
ever, as the snowshoer becomes accus-
tomed to their use, he will experience
little if any difficulty in traveling where
he wills. When making a trail in a
more or less open country, it is a good
plan to blaze it thoroughly, thus en-
abling one to return over the same
trail, in case a fall of snow should occur
in the meantime, or drifting snow fill
up and obliterate the trail first made.
When the trail is first broken by travel-
ing over it once by snowshoe, the snow
is packed well and forms a solid foun-
dation, and even should a heavy fall
of snow cover it, the blaze marks on
tree and bush will point out the trail,
which will afford faster and easier
traveling than breaking a new trail
each time one journeys in the same
direction.

A well-made pair of snowshoes will
stand a couple of seasons' hard use, or
last for a year or two longer for gen-
eral wear. To keep them in good
shape, they should be dried out after
use, although it is never advisable to

place them close to a hot fire, or the
hide filling will be injured. Jumping
puts severe strain on the frame of the
shoe, and while damage may not occur
when so used in deep, soft snow, it is
well to avoid the possibility of break-
age. Accidents will now and then
happen, to be sure, and as a thong may
snap at some unexpected moment, keep
a strand or two of rawhide on hand,
to meet this emergency.

Combination Settee Rocker and Cradle

By fastening a frame with hinges to
the front of a settee rocker, a combina-
tion piece of furniture can be made,
which may be used either as a regular
settee or as a cradle. For this purpose,
a covered frame should be provided,
being sufficiently long to extend across
the front between the arm supports and
having such a width that it will easily
fit under the arms when hinged to the
seat, as shown in the illustration. To
keep the frame in position while serv-
ing as a cradle front, or when turned
down for regular use, screw hooks are
placed at each end, so that, in the for-
mer case, the frame, when swung up,
can be secured in place by attaching
the hooks to screw eyes fastened under
the arm supports ; while, for regular
use, the frame is secured in its swung-

A Settee Rocker with a Front Attachment to Make
It into a Cradle When Desired

down position by fastening the hooks
into screw eyes properly placed in the
front legs. Contributed by Maurice
Baudier, New Orleans, La.

A Snowball Thrower

By ALBERT BATES, JR.

The snow fort with its infantry is
not complete without the artillery. A
set of mortars, or cannon, placed in the
fort to hurl snowballs at the entrenched
enemy makes the battle more real. A
device to substitute the cannon or a
mortar can be easily constructed by
any boy, and a few of them set in a
snow fort will add greatly to the
interest of the conflict.

The substitute, which is called a
snowball thrower, consists of a base,
A, with a standard, B, which stops the
arm C, controlled by the bar D, when
the trigger E is released. The tripping
of the trigger is accomplished by the
sloping end of D on the slanting end
of the upright F. Sides, G, are fast-
ened on the piece F, with their upper
ends extending above the bar D, to

The Dimensioned Parts and the Detail of the
Completed Snowball Thrower

prevent the latter from jumping out
when it is released by the trigger.

The trigger E is tripped with the
handle H, connected to the piece J, on

which all the working parts are
mounted. The upper end of the arm
C has a piece, K, to which is attached a

Cannonading a Snow Fort with the Use of a
Snowball Thrower

tin can, L, for holding the snowball to
be thrown. A set of door springs, M,
furnishes the force to throw the snow-
ball.

All the parts are given dimensions,
and if cut properly, they will fit to-
gether to make the thrower as
illustrated.

Springs on the Chains of a Porch
Swing

Two coil springs of medium strength
placed in the chains of a porch swing
will make it ride easier and also take
up any unpleasant jars and rattles
occasioned when a person sits heavily
in the. swing. If the swing is provided
with a four-chain suspension, the
springs should be used on the two rear
chains to get the best results. Con-
tributed by E. K. Marshall, Oak Park,
Illinois.

Homemade Water Meter

Where it is necessary to measure
water in large quantities the meter il-
lustrated will serve the purpose as well

FIG 3

When a Bucket is Filled to the Proper Amount
It is Turned Out by the Weight

as an expensive one, and can be made
cheaply. The vessel, or bucket, for
measuring the water is made diamond-
shaped, as shown in Fig. 1, with a
partition in the center to make two
pockets of a triangular shape, each
holding 2 qt., or any amount of suffi-
cient size to take care of the flow of
water.

The part forming the pockets is
swung on an axis fastened to the lower
part, which engages into bearings fas-
tened to the sides of the casing, as
shown in Fig. 2. Stops, A, are placed
in the casing at the right places for
each pocket to spill when exactly 2 qt.
of water has run into it. It is obvious
that when one pocket is filled, the
weight will tip it over and bring the
other one up under the flow of water:

The registering device consists of
one or more wheels worked with pawls
and ratchets, the first wheel being
turned a notch at a time by the pawl
B, Fig. 3. If each pocket holds 2 qt.,
the wheel is marked as shown, as each

pocket must discharge to cause the
wheel to turn one notch. The second
wheel is worked by the lever and pawi
C, which is driven with a pin D located
in the first wheel. Any number of
wheels can be made to turn in a like
manner. Contributed by F. A. Porter,
Oderville, Utah.

A Snowball Maker

Snowball making is slow when car-
ried on by hand, and where a thrower
is employed in a snow fort it becomes
necessary to have a number of assist-
ants in making the snowballs. The
time of making these balls can be
greatly reduced by the use of the snow-
ball maker shown in the illustration.

The base consists of a board, 24 in.
long, 6Vjj in. wide, and 1 in. thick. A
block of wood, A, is hollowed out in
the center to make a depression in the
shape of a hemisphere, 2y 2 in. in diame-
ter and 114 in. deep. This block is
nailed to the base about 1 in. from one
end. To make the dimensions come
out right, fasten a block, B, 6 in. high,
made of one or more pieces, at the
other end of the base with its back
edge 14i/*> in. from the center of th"fe
hemispherical depression. On top of
this block a lever, C, 20 in. long is
hinged. Another block, D, is made

A Device for Making Snowballs Quickly
and Perfectly Spherical in Shape

with a hemispherical depression like
the block A, and fastened to the under
side of the lever, so that the depres-
sions in both blocks will coincide. The
lever end is shaped into a handle.

Two uprights, E, are fastened to the
back side of the block A as guides for
the lever C. A piece is fastened across
their tops, and a spring is attached be-
tween it and the lever. A curtain-roll-
er spring will be suitable.

In making the balls a bunch of snow
is thrown into the lower depression
and the lever brought down with con-
siderable force. Contributed by Ab-
bott W. France, Chester, Pa.

An Inexpensive Bobsled

Any boy who can drive a nail and
bore a hole can have a bobsled on short
notice. The materials necessary are
four good, solid barrel staves ; four
blocks of wood, 4 in. long, 4 in. wide,
and 2 in. thick; two pieces, 12 in. long,
4 in. wide, and 1 in. thick ; one piece,
13 in. long, 2 in. wide, and 1% in.

A Bobsled of Simple Construction Using Ordinary
Barrel Staves for the Runners

thick; and a good board, 4 ft. long, 12
in. wide, and 1 in. thick.

The crosspieces and knees are made
with the blocks and the 1-in. pieces,
12 in. long, as shown ; to which the
staves are nailed for runners. One
of these pieces with the runners is fas-.
tened to one end of the board, the
other is attached with a bolt in the
center. The 1% by 2-in. piece, 12 in.
long, is fastened across the top of the
board at the front end. A rope fas-
tened to the knees of the front runners
provides a means of steering the sled.

The sled can be quickly made, and it
will serve the purpose well when an
expensive one cannot be had. Con-
tributed by H. J. Blacklidge, San
Rafael, Cal.

Motor Made of Candles

A tube of tin, or cardboard, having
an inside diameter to receive a candle
snugly, is hung on an axle in the center

Tallow Dripping from the
Ends Alternately

Lessens the Weight of the
Arms and Causes
the Tube to Tip

that turns in bearings made of wood.
The construction of the bearings is sim-
ple, and they can be made from three
pieces of wood as shown. The tube
should be well balanced. Pieces of can-
dle are then inserted in the ends, also
well balanced. If one is heavier than
the other, light it and allow the tallow
to run off until it rises; then light the
other end. The alternate dripping from
the candles will cause the tube to tip
back and forth like a walking beam.
It will keep going automatically until
the candles are entirely consumed.
Contributed by Geo. Jaques, Chicago.

Kettle-Handle Support

The handle of a kettle lying on the
kettle rim will become so hot that it
cannot be held
in the bare hand.
To keep the
handle fairly
cool it must be
supported in an
upright position.
To do this, form
a piece of spring
wire in the shape
shown, and slip it over the kettle rim.
The shape of the extending end will
hold the handle upright and away from
the heat.

How to Make a Monorail Sled

A monorail sled, having a simple
tandem arrangement of the runners, is
very easily constructed as follows :
The runners are cut from 1-in. plank

An Exhilarating Glide Accompanied by a Buoyant

Sense of Freedom Only Obtained in

the Monorail Type

of the size and shape given in the
sketch, and are shod with strap iron,
1 in. wide and i/4 in. thick. Round iron
or half-round iron should not be used,
as these are liable to skid. The square,
sharp edges of the strap iron prevent
this and grip the surface just as a
skate.

The top is a board ft. long and 1
in. thick, securely fastened to the run-
ners as follows : Blocks are nailed, or
bolted, on either side of the upper edge
of the rear runner and the top is
fastened to them with screws. The
runner is also braced with strap iron,
as shown. The same method applies
to the front runner, except that only
one pair of blocks are used at the cen-
ter and a thin piece of wood fastened
to their tops to serve as the fifth wheel.

The hole for the steering post should

The Construction is Much More Simple Than
Making a Double-Runner Bobsled

be 6 in. from the front end and a little
larger in diameter than the steering
post. The latter should be rounded
where it passes through the hole, but
square on the upper end to receive the

steering bar, which must be tightly
fitted in place.

In coasting, the rider 'lies full length
on the board with his hands on the
steering bar. This makes the center
of gravity so low that there is no neces-
sity for lateral steadying runners, and
aside from the exhilarating glide of
the ordinary sled, the rider experiences
a buoyant sense of freedom and a zest
peculiar to the monorail type. Then,
too, the steering is effected much more
easily. Instead of dragging the feet, a
slight turn of the front runner with a
corresponding movement of the body
is sufficient to change the direction or
to restore the balance. This latter is,
of course, maintained quite mechan-
ically, as everyone who rides a bicycle
well knows. Contributed by Harry
Hardy, Whitby, Out.

Binding Magazines

To bind magazines for rough serv-
ice, proceed as follows : Place the
magazines carefully one on top of the
other in order,
and space the
upper one, near
the back edge,
for two rivets,
marking off

three equal distances, or, perhaps, the
center space longer than the other two.
Make two holes through all the maga-
zines on the marks with an awl, or
drill, then drive nails of the right length
through them. Use small washers on
both ends of the nails under the head
and at the point, which is cut off and
riveted over. This makes a good, serv-
iceable binding for rough use. Con-
tributed by Carl W. Lindgreen, Los
Angeles, Cal.

A Shellac Cement

As shellac is the basis of almost ail
cements, a good cement can be made
by thickening shellac varnish with dry
white lead. The two may be worked
together on a piece of glass with a
putty knife.

ffi-V

A Blackboard for Children

Take a wide window shade and at-
tach it to a roller as if hanging it to
a window. Cut it to about 3 ft. in
length, hem the lower edge and insert
in the slot in the usual manner. Pro-
cure some black slate paint and cover
the shade on one side, giving it two
coats. Allow sufficient time for the
first coat to dry before applying the
second coat.

A blackboard of this kind is strong,
and if attached to the wall with the
shade fixtures, it can be rolled out of
the way when not in use. Contrib-
uted by Elizabeth Motz Rossoter, Col-
orado Springs, Col.

How to Make a Ski Staff

A ski staff will greatly assist prog-
ress over level stretches and is an aid
to the ski runner in preserving his
balance. A homemade staff that is
easy to construct is shown in Fig. 1.
At the upper end is a narrow leather
loop for the wrist ; at the extreme
lower end a spike is placed for use on
icy ground, and just above this spike
is a disk, or stop, which, in deep snow,
prevents the staff from sinking in too
far and gives the necessary leverage
for steering, propelling or righting
oneself as needed.

The staff is made of a piece of bam-
boo pole, IVi r I 1 /j in. in diameter,
and 41/2 ft. long. The leather for the
loop can be made from an old strap,
shaved down thinner and cut to a
width of about V. in. The stop is a
disk of wood, !/2 m - thick and 5 in. in
diameter. This material should be
well-seasoned white pine or spruce and

coated with shellac. A hole is bored
through the center of the disk to let
it pass upward on the staff about (>
in. Here it is fastened with two

FIG I

Fid. 2

Fio.3

The Staff, being Made of a Bamboo Pole,
is Strong as Well as Light

pieces of heavy wire, A and B, Fig.
2. In this diagram, C is the staff, and
D, the stop or disk. The wire A passes
through the staff below the wire B and
at right angles to it, wherefore the
wire B must be bent as shown. Both
wires are fastened to the stop with
staples.

The lower end of the staff, as shown
in Fig. 3, is plugged with hard wood,
which is bored part way through its
center to admit a wire spike. Slight
recesses are made in the sides of this
hole to anchor the lead which is
poured in around the spike. The point
of the latter is sharpened and then the
bamboo wound with waxed twine, or
fine wire, to prevent its splitting.

(I Fine emery cloth, glued to both sides
of a piece of bristol board, makes a
handy tool for cleaning the platinum
points of a vibrator.

A Game Played on the Ice

A novel and interesting winter game
for young and old, described as a
novelty by a Swedish paper, is played
as follows :

Two poles of convenient height are
erected on the ice ; if skating on a

A Player in Action Ready to Spear a Ring that
Hangs on the Line between the Poles

shallow pond they may be driven
through the ice and into the ground,
but if the water is deep, holes must be
bored through the ice and the poles
will soon freeze solidly in them. A
rope is stretched between the poles at
such a height as is suited to the size
of the players, or as agreed on to make
the game more or less difficult, and on
this are strung a number of pieces of
board, A, each having a ring of spring
steel, B, attached to its lower end. The
purpose of the game is to run at good
speed between the poles and catch a
ring on a spear, each player being en-
titled to make a certain number of
runs, and the winner being the one
who can catch the most rings.

The spears may be made of broom
handles tapered toward one end, and
with a shield made of tin and attached
at a suitable distance from the thicker
end (Pattern C). The line is fastened
at the top of one pole and run through
a pulley, D, at the top of the other,
thence to a weight or line fastener.
Each player should start from the same
base line and pass between the poles at
such a speed that he will glide at least
100 ft. on the other side of the poles
without pushing himself forward by
the aid of the skates. Twenty runs are
usually allowed each player, or 10 play-

ers may divide into two parties, play-
ing one against the other, etc. An um-
pire will be needed to see that fair
play is maintained and settle any dis-
putes that may arise.

An Electric Display for a Show
Window

A novel window display that is very
attractive, yet simple in construction
and operation, can be made in the fol-
lowing manner: First, make a small
watertight chamber, A, as long as the
focal length of the lens to be used, and
having a glass window, B, at one end,
and a small round opening, C, at the
other. In this opening is placed a cork
through which a glass tube about 2 in.
long is inserted. The tube makes a
smooth passage for the stream of water
flowing out of the box. Water from
any source of supply enters the
chamber through the tube D. which
may be a pipe or hose, whichever is
most convenient. The interior is
painted a dull black.

A convenient and compact light is
placed at the window end of the box.
A very good light can be made by plac-
ing an electric light with a reflector in
a closed box and fastening a biconvex
lens, F, in the side facing the window
of the water box. "\Yhen the electric
light and the water are turned on, the
light is focused at the point where the
water is issuing from the box, and fol-
lows the course of the stream of water,
illuminating it in a pleasing manner.

The Arrangement of the Boxes Showing the Path
of the Light Rays through the Water

A still better effect can be obtained
by passing colored plates between the
lens F and the window B. A glass
disk with sectors of different colors
may be revolved by any source of

power, such as a small electric motor
or even a waterwheel turned by the
flowing water.

Two or three streams of water flow-
ing in different colors make a very
pretty display and may be produced
by using two or more boxes made
up in the same manner. The appa-
ratus should be concealed and nothing
but the box end or tube with the flow-
ing water shown. Contributed by
Grant Linton, Whitby, Ont.

Strainer for a Milk Pail

Even though a milker may be care-
ful, small particles of dirt, hairs, etc.,
will fall into the
It is
the

milk pail.
true that
milk is strained
afterward, but a
large percentage
of the dirt dis-
solves and passes
through the
strainer along
with the milk.
The best plan to prevent this dirt from
falling into the milk is to put a piece
of cheesecloth over the pail opening,
securing it there by slipping an open
wire ring, A, over the rim. The milk
will readily pass through the cloth
without spattering. Contributed by
W. A. Jaquythe, Richmond, Cal.

Baking Bread in Hot Sand

A driving crew on the river wanted
to move camp, but the cook objected
as he had started to bake. One of the
party suggested using a modified form
of the method of baking in vogue more
than a century ago, which was to place
the dough in the hot earth where a
fire had been burning. So, to help
the cook out, a barrel was sawed in
half and the bread, after being properly
protected, was placed in each half bar-
rel and covered with hot sand. Two of
the men carried the half barrels on
their backs. When the new camp was
reached the bread was done. Contrib-
uted by F. B. Ripley, Eau Claire, Wis.

How to Make Small Cams

In making models of machinery or
toy machines, cams are very often re-
quired. A simple way of making these

Channels of the Cams Formed with Strips of Brass
Soldered to the Drum or Disk

is to lay out the cam plate, or drum,
and then bend pieces of brass to the
correct shape and solder them in place,
whereupon they may be smoothed up
with a file or scraper. A cam of this
sort on a drum is shown in the sketch
at A, and on a faceplate, at B. The
method is not quite as accurate as mill-
ing, but answers the purpose in most
cases. Contributed by Chas. Hatten-
berger, Buffalo, N. Y.

Display Holder for Coins

If the luster of coins fresh from the
mint is to be preserved, they must be
immediately placed so as to be pro-
tected against contact with the hands.
A good holder that will display both
sides of a coin can be made of two
pieces of glass, BB, between which is
placed a cardboard cut as shown at A.
The cardboard should be about the
same thickness as the coins. The
glass may be framed by using strips

Two Pieces of Glass Inclosing between Them Coins
of the Same Size and Thickness

of wood rabbeted to receive the edges
of both pieces ; or their edges may be
bound with passe-partout tape. Even
when a frame is used, it is best to bind

the edges as this will prevent tarnish
from the air. Old negative glass is
suitable for making the holder. Con-
tributed by R. B. Cole, New Haven,
Conn.

Holder for Skates while Sharpening

The base of the holder is cut from
a board and should be about 3 in.
longer than the skate. Two clamps

The Holder Provides a Way to Grind a Slight Curve
in the Edge of a Skate Blade

are cut as shown at A, from metal of
sufficient thickness to hold the skate
firmly, then bent to shape and attached
to the baseboard with bolts having
wing nuts, as shown at B and C.

One edge of the board is provided
with two pins, D and E, solidly fas-
tened, which are of sufficient height
to bring the center of the blade on a
level with the grinder axle. An adjust-
ing screw, F, is provided for the
grinder base to adjust the skate blade
accurately. The support G is for use
on baseboards where skates with strap
heels, H, are to be sharpened. The
shape of the clamp for this support is
shown at J.

When the skate is securely clamped
to the base the blade can be easily
"hollow ground'' or given a slight
curve on the edge. Contributed by C.
G. Smith, Brooklyn, N. Y.

A Homemade Direct-View Finder
for Cameras

Every hand camera and most of the
tripod cameras are equipped with find-
ers of one type or another, and usually
one in which the image of the field is
reflected upward on a small ground

glass being, in fact, a miniature
camera obscura. The later and gen-
erally more approved style of finder
has a small concave lens conveniently
set on the outer edge of the camera.
When this direct-vision type of finder
is used, the camera is held so that the
finder is at the height of the eye,
a condition that is particularly de-
sirable. When in a crowd, of course,
the professional and many amateurs
are familiar with the method of hold-
ing the camera inverted over the head
and looking up into the finder to deter-
mine the range of the field. Even
this method is inconvenient, often im-
practical.

The up-to-date newspaper photog-
rapher insists on having his camera
equipped with direct finders, as it
saves him much trouble and many fail-
ures. Anyone with a little ingenuity
can change one of the old-type finders
into a combination device, either di-
rect or indirect. The sketches are self-
explanatory, but it may be said that
Fig. 1 represents a box camera with
a regulation finder set in one corner of
the box. To make it a direct finder, a
small brass hinge is used. Cut off part
of one wing, leaving a stub just long

FI6.2

Two Types of Ordinary View Finders and Methods
of Converting Them into Direct-View Finders

enough to be attached to the front of
the camera directly above the lens of
the finder and so as not to interfere
with it, and high enough to permit the
other wing to be turned down on the
ground glass, with space allowed for
the thin glass mirror A, that is to be
glued to the under side of the long
wing. The joint of the hinge should
work quite stiffly in order to keep it
from jarring out of any position in
which it may be set.

If the wing is turned upward at an
angle of 45 deg., the finder can be used
as a direct-vision instrument when held
at the height of the eyes. The image
reflected from the small mirror is in-
verted, but this is no disadvantage to
the photographer. The small pocket
mirror given out for advertising pur-
poses serves very well for making the
reflecting mirror.

The finder shown in Fig. 2 is another
very common kind, and one that is
readily converted into the direct type
by inserting a close-fitting mirror, B,
on the inside of the shield to be used
as a reflector of the finder image. If
the mirror is too thick, it may inter-
fere with the closing of the shield,
though in many cases this is not es-
sential, but if it should be necessary
to close down the shield in order to
fold the camera, it can usually be read-
justed to accommodate the mirror.

A Non-Rolling Spool

Bend a piece of wire in the shape
shown in the illustration and attach it
to a spool of thread. The ends of the
wire should
clamp the spool
slightly and the
loop in the wire
will keep it from
rolling. Place
the end of the thread through the loop
in the wire and it will not become
tangled. Contributed by J. V. Loef-
fler, Evansville, Ind.

How to Make a Cartridge Belt

Procure a leather belt, about 2%
in. wide and long enough to reach
about the waist, also a piece of leather,
1 in. wide and twice as long as the
belt. Attach a buckle to one end of
the belt and rivet one end of the nar-
row piece to the belt near the buckle.
Cut two slits in the belt, a distance
apart equal to the diameter of the car-
tridge. Pass the narrow leather piece
through one slit and back through the
other, thus forming a loop on the belt
to receive a cartridge. About % m -

from the first loop form another by
cutting two more slits and passing the
leather through them as described, and

Two Pieces of Leather of Different Widths Forming
a Belt for Holding Cartridges

so on, until the belt has loops along its
whole length.

The end of the narrow leather can
be riveted to the belt or used in the
buckle as desired, the latter way pro-
viding an adjustment for cartridges of
different sizes. Contributed by Rob-
ert Pound, Lavina, Mont.

Removing Iodine Stains

A good way to chemically remove
iodine stains from the hands or linen is
to wash the stains in a strong solution
of hyposulphite of sodium, known as
"hypo," which is procurable at any
photographic-supply dealer's or drug
store.

There is no danger of using too
strong a solution, but the best results
are obtained with a mixture of 1 oz.
of hypo to 2 oz. of water.

Bed-Cover Fasteners

The arrangement shown in the
sketch is easily made and will keep the
bed covers in place. The covers are
provided with eyelets, either sewed, A,
or brass eyelets, B, 6 or 8 in. apart
along the edge. A wood strip, C, 3
by I 1 /;? in., is cut as long as the width
of the bed and fastened to the frame
with wire, bolts, or wedges. Screw-
hooks, about iy in. long, are turned
into the strip so that they will match
with the eyelets placed in the covers.
Thus the covers will be kept in place

The Hooks Prevent the Covers from Slipping Off the
Sleeper and Keep Them Straight on the Bed

when the bed is occupied, and the bed
is also easily made up. Contributed
by Warren E. Crane, Cleveland, O.

Collar Fasteners

An excellent fastener to be used on
soft collars can be assembled from
an ordinary
paper fastener
and two shoe
buttons of the
desired color.
This device
keeps the soft
collar in good
shape at the
front, and serves
the purpose just
as well as a more
expensive collar
fastener. The il-

lustration shows
how it is used.
Contributed by
B. E. Ahlport, Oakland, Cal.

Operating a Bathroom Light
Automatically

A device for automatically turning
an electric light on and off when enter-
ing and leaving the room is illustrated
in the sketch. A pull-chain lamp
socket is placed upon the wall or ceil-
ing, and is connected to a screw hook
in the door lay a cord and several rub-
ber bands, as shown.

When the door is opened, the lamp is
lit, and when leaving the room the
opening of the door again turns it out.
The hook should be placed quite close
to the edge of the door, to reduce the

Operating the Electric Lamp Switch or Key by the
Opening of the Door

length of the movement, and even then
it is too much for the length of the pull
required to operate the switch, hence
the need of the rubber bands.

The lamp chain pulls out just 1 in.,
and consequently the lamp is lit when
the door is opened part way ; and
swinging the door farther only stretch-
es the rubber. This is an advantage,
however, because the lamp is sure to
light regardless of the swing of the
door. If no rubber were used, the door
would have to open just a certain dis-
tance each time.

If the cord is connected to the hook
with a loop or a ring, it may be easily
disconnected during the day when not
needed. A light coil spring may be
used in place of the rubbers. Contrib-
uted by C. M. Rogers, Ann Arbor,
Michigan.

A Finger-Ring Trick

A coin soldered to some inexpensive
ring, or a piece of brass cut from tub-
ing, will make an interesting surprise
coin for friends.
The ring when
placed on the
middle finger
with the coin in
the palm makes
the trick com-
plete. Ask some one if he has ever
seen such a coin, or say it is a very
old one, as the date is almost worn
away. He will try to pick it up, but
will find it fast to the finger. Con-
tributed by Wm. Jenkins, New York
City.

Preventing Marks from Basting
Threads on Wool

In making up woolen garments it is
necessary to press portions of them
before removing the basting threads.
Sometimes the marks of the basting
threads show after the pressing. This
can be avoided by using silk thread for
basting instead of the usual cotton
thread. The silk thread will not leave
any marks. Contributed by L. Alberta
Norrell, Gainesville, Ga.

CCranberries will keep fresh for weeks
if placed in water in a cool place.

Skating Merry-Go-Round

BY HENRY BURICH

After once making and using the
ice merry-go-round as illustrated, no
pond will be complete unless it has one
or more of these devices.
To construct an amuse-
ment device of this kind,
select a good pole that will
reach to the bottom of the
pond. The measurement
can be obtained by cutting
a hole in the ice at the de-
sired place and dropping
in a line weighted on one
end. A sufficient length of
the pole should be driven
into the bottom of the
pond to make it solid and
allow the upper end to pro-
ject above the surface of
the ice at least 4 feet.

A turning crosspiece for
the upper end of the pole
is made as follows : First
prepare the end of the pole by sawing
it off level, then cutting off the bark
and making it round for a metal ring
which should be driven on tightly. A
pin, about % in. in diameter, is then
driven into a hole bored in the end of
the pole. The crosspiece is made of 2 by

6-in. material, at least 18 ft. long. A
hole is bored in the center to receive
the pin in the pole end.

Skaters Holding the Rope Ends are Drawn Around in a Circle

Rapidly by the Revolving Crosspiece, Turned near the

Center by Other Skaters

The crosspiece is easily pushed
around the pole and the faster it goes
the closer to the center the pushers
can travel. Ropes can be tied to the
ends of the crosspiece for the skaters
to hold on to as they are propelled
around in a circle.

Relieving Air Pressure When Closing
Record Boxes

The ordinary pasteboard boxes for
holding phonograph records are very
hard to close, due to the air pressure
on the inside. I overcome this diffi-
culty by making three small holes in
the cover with a pin. Contributed by
Robert Bandul, New Orleans, La.

A Steering Sled

An ordinary hand sled can be easily
converted into a sled that can be
guided like a bobsled by the addition
of one extra runner. To attach this
runner, a piece of wood is fastened to
the under side and in the center at the

front end of the sled top. A runner
with a crosspiece on top is pivoted to
the extending wood piece, which
should be of a length to make the po-
sition comfortable when the coaster,
sitting on the sled top, has his feet on
the ends of the crosspiece. Careful

The Extra Runner in Front is Pivoted, and When
Turned, Guides the Sled

measurements should be made to have
the lower edge of the runner on a level
with or a little lower than the sled run-
ners.

To Hold a Straw Hat on the Head Drying Small Laundered Articles

On windy days it is almost impos-
sible to make a straw hat stay on the
head. To avoid this trouble, place

The Rubber Bands are Linked Like a Lock Stitch
and Fastened in the Band

rubber bands through the sweatband.
Before inserting, make them into loops,
as shown, and draw enough to be com-
fortable to the head. This device will
save a good many steps when the wind
blows. Contributed by T. D. Hall,
Fort Worth, Texas.

Carrying Fishhooks in a Cane Pole

The person using a cane pole for fish-
ing can easily provide a place for the
hooks and sinkers in the first large
joint of the pole. Cut the cane off just
above the first large joint, and it will
leave a space, 4 or 5 in. long, which
can be used for the hooks and sinkers.
A cork is fitted in the end, to hold them
in place. Contributed by Victor E.
Carpenter, South Bend, Ind.

Where mechanical drying is not in
use it takes considerable time to hang
out a number of handkerchiefs, laces,
collars, etc., and very often the wind
will blow away many of them. The
task of drying these articles is made
light by using a bag of mosquito net-
ting with the articles placed in it and
hung on a line. The air can pass
through the netting and when the
articles are dry it does not take long
to take them out. Contributed by
Edward P. Braun, Philadelphia, Pa.

Decorative Wood Panels

Procure an unplaned board that is
deeply scored by the teeth of the saw
and mark an outline of the desired fig-
ure on its surface. Sandpaper the
background lightly, cut in a moon and
smooth down the tree trunks. The
background can be smoothed with a
sharp chisel, or large portions planed,
but in all cases leave the foliage rough.

Finish the surfaces with oils or
stains, applying colors to suit the parts ;
a piece of dried red cedar, oiled, will
produce a warm red, and a green red
cedar, oiled, becomes soft yellow, each
producing a very pretty effect. These
panels offer unlimited opportunity for
originality in design and color finishing
of different woods. Contributed by
Mrs. Wm. Donovan, Seattle, Wash.

The Designs are Worked into the Unfinished Surface of Boards with Sandpaper. Sharp Chisels and a Plane,
and Then Colored with Dyes to Produce the Desired Effect

Fishing-Rod Making and Angling

BY STILLMAN TAYLOR

PART I A One-Piece Casting Rod

' I * HE pleasures of outdoor life are
* most keenly enjoyed by those
sportsmen who are familiar with all the
little tricks the "ins and outs" of the
open. It is the active participation in
any chosen sport which makes the
sport well worth while, for the enjoy-
ment gleaned from little journeys to
forest and stream largely rests with
the outer's own knowledge of his sport.
Not all of the fun of fishing lies in the
catching of the fish, since the satisfac-
tion which comes through handling a
well-balanced rod and tackle must be
reckoned the chief contributor to the
outing. In other words, the pleasures
of fishing do not depend so much upon
the number of fish caught, as the man-
ner in which the person fishes for them.
The rod is naturally the first and im-
portant consideration in the angler's
kit, and it is the purpose of these ar-
ticles to set forth, at first, a few hints
which my own long experience leads
me to think may be of some assistance
to those anglers who enjoy making and
repairing their own rods and tackle,
to be followed, later, by some sugges-
tions on the art of angling generally.
The hints given are merely my own
methods, and while they may not be
the best way of accomplishing the de-
sired end, a good fishing rod may be
constructed. Like the majority of ama-
teurs, I have achieved the desired re-
sults with a few common tools, namely,
a saw, plane, jackknife, file, and sand-
paper. These simple tools are really
all that is needed to turn out a service-
able and well-finished rod of excellent
action.

Kind of Material

The great elasticity and durability
of the split-cane or split-bamboo rod
cannot be easily disputed. The hand-
made split bamboo is unquestionably
the best rod for every kind of fishing,
but it is also the most expensive and
the most difficult material for the ama-
teur to work. In making the first rod
or two, the beginner will be better sat-

isfied with the results in making a
good solid-wood rod. Of course,
glued-up split-bamboo butts, joints,
and tip stock may be purchased, and
if the angler is determined to have only
bamboo, it is advisable to purchase
these built-up sections rather than to
risk certain failure by attempting to
glue the cane. However, there are sev-
eral good woods particularly well
adapted for rod making, and while
slightly inferior to the finest bamboo
in elasticity and spring, the carefully
made solid-wood rod is good enough
for any angler and will probably suit
the average fisherman as well as any
rod that can be purchased.

Bethabara, or washaba, a native
wood of British Guinea, makes a fine
rod, but it is a heavy wood, very hard,
and for this reason is perhaps less de-
sirable than all other woods. With the
single exception of snakewood it is the
heaviest wood for rod making and is
only used for short bait-casting rods.
Possessing considerable strength Beth-
abara can be worked quite slender, and
a 5-ft. casting tip can be safely made
of 5 oz. weight.

Greenheart, a South American wood,
is popular alike with manufacturers
and amateur rod makers, and 90 per
cent of the better class of solid-wood
rods are made of this material. It re-
sembles Bethabara in color, but is
lighter in weight, although it appar-
ently possesses about the same
strength and elasticity. In point of
fact, there is little, if any, choice be-
tween these woods, and providing
sound and well-selected wood is used,
the merits of a rod made of Bethabara
or greenheart are more likely to be due
to the careful workmanship of the
maker than to the variety of the wood
used.

Dagame, or dagama, a native of the
forests of Cuba, is in many respects the
ideal material for rod making, as it
has strength and elasticity. This
wood is straight-grained and free from

knots, which makes it easily worked ;
it polishes well and is durable. While
there is always more or less difficulty
about procuring first-class Bethabara

Two Tools for Gauging the Diameter of the Rods,
and a Homemade Scraper

and greenheart. dagame of good qual-
ity is easily obtained.

Lancewood is much used in turning
out the cheaper grades of fishing rods,
but it is somewhat soft and has a
marked tendency to take set under the
strain of fishing and warp out of shape.
It is less expensive than the other
woods, and while it has a straight and
even grain, there are numerous small
knots present which make this ma-
terial less satisfactory to work than
the other woods. For heavy sea rods,
lancewood may serve the purpose fairly
well, but for the smaller fishing tools
this material is inferior to Bethabara,
greenheart, and dagame. Other woods
are often used, and while a good rod
may be frequently made from almost
any of them, the three mentioned are
held in the highest esteem by the
angling fraternity. For the first rod,
the amateur will make no mistake in
selecting dagame, whether the slender
fly rod or the more easily constructed
short bait-casting tool is to be made.

The Necessary Tools

The construction of a thoroughly
well-made and nicely balanced rod is
more a matter of careful work than
outfit, but a few suitable tools will
greatly facilitate the labor. A good
firm workbench, or table, 4 ft. or more
in length, will be needed. A regulation
bench vise will come in handy, but one
of the small iron vises will do very
well. A couple of iron planes, one of
medium size for rough planing-up
work, and a small 4-in. block plane for
finishing, will be required. As the cut-

ters of the planes must be kept as sharp
as possible to do good work, a small
oilstone preferably one in a wood
case with cover to keep out dust will
be needed ; a coarse single-cut mill file
about 1G in. long; a few sheets of No.
1 and No. sandpaper ; a sheet or two
of fine emery cloth ; a small thin "back"
or other saw, and a steel cabinet
scraper.

A caliper of some kind is a necessity,
and while the best is a micrometer,
Fig. 1, registering to a thousandth part
of an inch, as well as indicating 8ths,
IGths, 32ds, and 64ths, this tool is some-
what expensive, but a very good cali-
per may be had in the sliding-arm type,
Fig. 2, with the scale graduated to 64ths
and taking work up to 2 in. in diameter.
Cheaper measuring gauges are to be
had in plenty, but as the brass and
boxwood scales are provided only with
coarse graduations, the better quality
of mechanics' tools will give better sat-
isfaction.

The set of grooved planes used by
the professional rod makers are rather
expensive, although they are most con-
venient for quickly rounding up the rod
to the desired diameter. However, the
beginner may dispense with the planes
by making the tool illustrated in Fig.
3. To make this handy little tool pur-
chase a steel wood scraper, such as
cabinetmakers use, and file a series of
grooves along the edges with a round
file. File at right angles to the steel,
finishing up with a finer file to give a
s h a r p cutting
edge. The tool
thus made is
very handy for
scraping the rod
after it has been
roughly rounded
with the plane. Its use will be men-
tioned later on in the description.

Five-Foot Bait-Casting Rod

The short one-piece bait-casting rod
with but one ferrule is the easiest rod
to make, and for this reason the be-
ginner will do well to select this popu-
lar type for the first attempt. As the
total length of the rod is to measure

FIG, 4

5 ft., exclusive of the agate tip, the
wood should be 1 or 2 in. longer to
allow for cutting down to 60 inches.
Having selected a good strip of

grasp distance by running a knife mark

around the rod 13 in. from the butt end.

Lay out a diagram showing the full

length of the rod by placing a strip of

BUTT

TIP

Diagram or Layout for a One-Piece Bait-Casting Rod, Showing Calipered Dimensions for Each Six Inches

of Length. A Paper Pattern of Any Rod may be Drawn Up, Providing the Amateur Rod Maker

Has a Rod to Use for a Pattern, or Possesses the Exact Diameter of the Rod at

Intervals of Six Inches along Its Length

dagame, % in. square, run the plane
along each side and from both ends.
This will determine the direction in
which the grain runs. Drill two holes
at the end decided upon for the butt,
spacing them about 14 in. from the
end, as shown in Fig. 4. Drive a stout
brad in the corner of the bench top
and hook the butt end over the nail.
By rigging the stick up in this manner
it will be securely held, and planing
may be done with the grain with
greater ease and accuracy than when
the end of the stick is butted up against
a cleat nailed to the bench top.

The wood should be planed straight
and true from end to end and calipered
until it is *o in. square. It may ap-
pear crooked, but this need not trouble
one at this stage of the work, since it
may be made perfectly straight later
on. Overlook any kinks, and do not
attempt to straighten the stick by
planing more from one side than the
other. The chief thing to be done is
to fashion a square stick, and when the
caliper shows the approximate diame-
ter, draw crosslines at the ends to find
the center.

The length of the hand grasp should
be marked out. If a double grasp is
wanted, allow 13 in. from the butt end.
This will afford an 11-in. hand grasp
after sawing off the end in which the
holes were drilled. For a single hand
grasp make an allowance of 11 in.
However, the "double grasp with cork '
above and below the reel seat is pre-
ferred by most anglers because it af-
fords a better grip for the hand when
reeling in the line. Mark the hand-

paper the unprinted back of a strip
of wall paper is just the thing on the
bench and drawing two lines from the
diameter of the butt to that of the tip.
While the caliber of casting rods dif-
fers somewhat, the dimensions given
will suit the average angler, and I
would advise the beginner to make
the rod to these measurements. For
the butt, draw a line, exactly l / 2 in.
long, across the paper and from the
center of this line run a straight pencil
mark at right angles to the tip end, or
60 in. distant, at which point another
crossline is drawn, exactly y s in. long,
to represent the diameter. Connect
the ends of these two crosslines to
make a long tapering form. Divide
this pattern into eight equal parts, be-
ginning at 13 in. from the butt end,
marking a crossline at every 6 in.
This layout is shown exaggerated in
Fig. 5. If it is desired to copy a cer-
tain rod, find the diameter at the sev-
eral 6-in. stations with the caliper and
write them down at the corresponding
sections of the paper diagram. How-
ever, if a splendid all-around casting

FIG. 6

Gauge Made of Sheet Brass Haying Slots Corre-
sponding in Length and Width with the
Caliper-Layout Measurements

rod is desired, it is .perfectly safe to
follow the dimensions given in Fig. 5,
which show the manner of dividing
the paper pattern into the equal parts
and the final diameter of the rod at
each 6-in. station, or line.

Procure a small strip of thin brass,
or zinc, and file nine slots on one edge
to correspond in diameter with the
width of the horizontal lines which in-
dicate the diameter of the rod on the
pattern. This piece is shown in Fig.
6. By making use of the pattern and
the brass gauge, the rod may be given
the desired taper and the work will
proceed more quickly than if the cali-
per is alone relied upon to repeatedly
check up the work.

\Yhen a good layout of the work is
thus made, the next step is to carefully
plane the stick so that it will be evenly
tapered in the square. Plane with the
grain and from the butt toward the
tip end, and make frequent tests with
caliper and gauge, noting the diameter
every 6 in. Mark all the thick spots
with a pencil, and plane lightly to re-
duce the wood to the proper diameter.
Reduce the stick in this manner until
all sides have an even taper from the
butt to the tip. The stick should now
be perfectly square with a nice, even
taper. Test it by resting the tip end
cm the floor and bending it from the
butt end. Note the arch it takes and
see if it resumes its original shape
when the pressure is released. If it
does, the elasticity of the material is
as it should be, but if it remains bent
or takes "set," the wood is very likely
to be imperfectly seasoned and the rod
should be hung up in a warm closet, or
near the kitchen stove, for a few weeks,
to season.

To facilitate the work of planing
the stick to shape, a length of pine
board with a groove in one edge will
be found handy. A 5-ft. length of the
ordinary tongue-and-groove board,
about 1 in. thick, will be just the thing.
As the tip of the rod is smaller than
the butt, plane the groove in the board
to make it gradually shallower to cor-
respond to the taper of the rod. Nail
this board, with the groove uppermost,
to the edge of the workbench, and
place the rod in the groove with one of
the square corners up, which can be
easily taken off with the finely set
plane. Plane off the other three cor-
ners in a like manner, transforming

the square stick into one of octagon
form. This part of the work should
be carefully done, and the stick fre-
quently calipered at each 6-in. mark,
to obtain the proper taper. It is im-
portant to make each of the eight
sides as nearly uniform as the caliper
and eye can do it. Set the cutter of
the small plane very fine, lay the strip
in the groove and plane off the corner
the full length of the stick, then turn
another corner uppermost and plane
it off, and so on, until the stick is al-
most round and tapering gradually
from the mark of the hand grasp to
the tip.

To make the rod perfectly round,
use the steel scraper in which the
grooves were filed and scrape the whole
rod to remove any flat or uneven spots,
and finish up by sandpapering it down
smooth.

The action of the rod differs with
the material used, and in trying out
the action, it is well to tie on the tip
and guides and affix the reel by a string
in order to try a few casts. If the
action seems about right, give the rod
a final smoothing down with No.
sandpaper.

For the hand grasp nothing is so
good as solid cork, and while hand
grasps may be purchased assembled,
it is a simple matter to make them. In
Fig. 7 are shown four kinds of han-
dles, namely, a wood sleeve, or core,
A, bored to fit the butt of the rod and
shaped for winding the fishing cord ;
a built-up cork grasp, B, made by ce-
menting cork washers over a wood
sleeve, or directly to the butt of the
rod ; a cane-wound grip, C, mostly
used for salt-water fishing, and the
double-wound grip, D, made in one
piece, then sawed apart in the center,
the forward grip being glued in place
after the reel seat is in position.

To make a grip, select a number of
cork washers, which may be obtained
from dealers in the wholesale drug
trade, or from any large fishing-tackle
dealer. Make a tool for cutting a hole
in their centers from a piece of tubing,
or an old ferrule of the required diame-
ter, by filing one edge sharp, then cov-

ering the other end with several thick-
nesses of cloth. Turn this tube around
in the cork like a wad cutter. If the
cutter is sharp, a nice clean cut will
result, but the opposite will likely oc-

and force the sleeve tightly in place.
A day or two should be allowed for
the glue to set and thoroughly dry, be-
fore giving the hand grasp the final
touches.

FIG. 7

The Four Different Types of Hand Grasps Are a Wood Sleeve Bored to Fit the Butt of the Rod;

the Built-Up Cork over a Wood Sleeve; a Cane-Wound Grasp, and the Double Cord- Wound

Grasps with a Reel Seat between Them

cur if an attempt is made to hammer
the tube through the cork.

Having cut the butt end of the rod
off square, about 1 in. from the end,
or enough to remove the holes, smear
a little hot glue on the end, drop a
cork washer over the tip of the rod and
work it down to the butt. Cut another
cork, give the first one a coat of glue,
slip the former over the tip and press
the two together, and so on, until about
10 corks have been glued together in
position. This will give a hand grasp
a trifle over 5 in. long.

A sleeve will be needed for the reel
seat to slip over, and a soft-wood core
of this sort can be purchased from any
dealer in rod-making materials, or it
can be made at home. For the material
procure a piece of white pine, about
s /4. in. in diameter and 5 in. long. A
section sawed from a discarded cur-
tain roller will serve the purpose well.
Bore a -Jf-in. hole through the piece
and plane down the outside until it
slips inside the reel seat. It should be
well made and a good fit, and one end
tapered to fit the taper of the reel seat,
while the opposite end should be about
*/4 in. shorter than the reel seat. Slide
this wood sleeve down the rod, as
shown in Fig. 8, coat the rod and the
upper part of the last cork with glue

If a lathe is at hand, the hand grasp
may be turned to any desired shape,
but most anglers prefer a cylindrical-
shaped grip, leaving the top cork un-
trimmed to form a kind of shoulder
when the metal reel seat is pressed into
the cork. If corks of l^-in. diameter
are purchased, but little trimming will
be necessary to work the hand grasp
down to lyV in. in diameter. This size
seems to fit the average hand about
right. The lower corks will need a
little trimming to fit the taper of the
butt cap so that it may fit snugly in
place. Cement the butt cap in place
by heating the cap moderately hot,
then rub a little of the melted ferrule
cement inside the cap, and force it over
the cork butt. When the cement has
hardened, drive a small brass pin or

The Corks Glued in Place on the Butt and the Wood

Sleeve, or Reel-Scat Core, Ready to Slide

Down and Glue in Position

brad through the cap, and file the ends
off flush with the metal surface. All
the guides, ferrules, and reel seat are
shown in Fig. 9.

The regulation metal reel seat is
about 4^ in. long, and in fitting it to
the old type of bait rod, the covered
hood is affixed to the upper end of the
reel seat. This arrangement is satisfac-
tory enough for the l)-ft. bait rod, but it
is rather awkward in fitting it to the
short bait-casting rod, as with the hood
at the upper end the reel is pushed so
far forward that it leaves 1 in. or more
of the reel seat exposed, and the hand
must grip this smooth metal instead
of the cork. To avoid this, it is best
to cut the reel seat down to 3^ in.
and affix the reel seat to the rod with
the hood at the lower end near the
hand. For a single hand grasp, a ta-
pered winding check will be needed to
make a neat finish and this should be
ordered of the correct diameter to fit
the reel seat at the lower end and the
diameter of the rod at the other. In
the double hand grasp the winding
check is used to finish oft" the upper
end of the cork, which is tapering to
fit the rod at this point.

In assembling the reel seat, push
it with the hooded end well down and
work it into the cork to make a tight
waterproof joint. Push the reel seat
up the rod, coat the sleeve with cement
and push the reel seat home. Drive
a small pin through the hooded end and
reel seat to make the whole rigid. This
pin should not be driven through the
rod or it will weaken it at this point.
Just let it enter the wood a short dis-
tance to prevent the reel seat from
turning.

The upper or double grasp is fash-
ioned after the reel seat is in position,
and the corks are cemented on and
pushed tightly together in the same
manner as used in forming the lower
grasp. The first cork should be pressed
tightly against the upper end of the
reel seat and turned about so that the
metal may enter the cork and form a
tight joint. As many corks as are re-
quired to form a grip of proper length
are in turn cemented to each other and
the rod. After the glue has become
dry, the cork may be worked down and
tapered to make a smooth, swelled
giasp. The winding check is now ce-

mented on, to make a neat finish be-
tween the upper grip and the rod.

Before affixing the guides, go over
the rod with fine sandpaper, then wet
the wood to raise the grain, and repeat
this operation, using old sandpaper. If
an extra-fine polish is wanted, rub it
down with powdered pumice and oil,
or rottenstone and oil, and finish off
with an oiled rag.

To fit the agate tip, file down the end
of the rod with a fine-cut file until it
is a good fit in the metal tube. Melt
a little of the ferrule cement and smear
a little on the tip of the rod, then push
the agate down in place.

Spar varnish is often used to protect
the rod, but extra-light coach varnish
gives a better gloss, and it is as dura-
ble and waterproof as any varnish. It
is only necessary to purchase a quarter
pint of the varnish, as a very small
quantity is used. The final varnishing
is, of course, done after the rod has
been wound and the guides are perma-
nently whipped in position. However,
it is an excellent idea to fill the pores
of the wood by rubbing it over with a
cloth saturated in the varnish before
the silk whippings are put on. Merely
fill the cells of the wood and wipe off
all surplus, leaving the rod clean and
smooth.

The guides may now be fastened in
place, and for the 5-ft. rod, but two of
them are necessary. The first guide
should be placed 19!/o in. from the
metal taper which finishes off the up-
per hand grasp, and the second guide
spaced 15 1 /. in. from the first. By spac-
ing the guides in this manner, the line
will run through them with the least
possible friction.

Winding, or Whipping, the Rod

Before whipping on the guides, take
a fine file and round off the sharp edges
of the base to prevent the possibility
of the silk being cut. Measure off the
required distances at which the guides
are to be affixed, and fasten them in
position by winding with a few turns
of common thread. Ordinary silk of
No. A size may be used, but No. 00 is
the best for small rods. Most anglers

agree that the size of the silk to use from the spool and tuck the end under

for the whippings should be in propor-
tion to the size of the rod heavy silk

the whipping by pulling on the ends
of the waxed loop, as shown at G.

The Mountings Used on a Bait-Casting Rod Consist of a Reel Seat, Butt Cap, Taper Sleeve, Narrow
Agate Guide, Agate Offset Top, One Ring Guide, and a Welted, Shouldered Ferrule

for the heavy rod, and fine silk for the
small rod. Size A is the finest silk
commonly stocked in the stores, but
one or more spools of No. 00 and No.
may be ordered from any large dealer
in fishing tackle. As a rule, size
gives a more workmanlike finish to the
butt and joints of fly and bait rods,
while No. 00 is about right to use for
winding the tips. In fact, all rods
weighing up to 6 oz. may be whipped
with No. 00 size.

In whipping the rod, the so-called
invisible knot is used. Begin the whip-
ping, as shown at E, Fig. 10, by tuck-
ing the end under the first coil and
holding it with the left thumb. The
spool of silk is held in the right hand
and the rod is turned to the left, suf-
ficient tension being kept on the silk so
that it can be evenly coiled with each
strand tightly against the other. A
loop of silk, some 4 in. long, is well
waxed and placed so that its end will
project a short distance beyond the last
coil which finishes the whipping. This
detail is shown at F. In whipping on
guides, begin the whipping at the base
and work over the pointed end of the
flange, winding on sufficient silk to ex-
tend about % in. beyond the pointed
flange of the guide base. When the
last coil is made, cut off the thread

Cut off the ends neatly with a sharp
knife.

For colors, bright red and a medium
shade of apple green are the best,
since these colors keep their original
tint after varnishing, and are less likely
to fade than the more delicate shades.
Red finished off with a narrow circle
of green always looks well, and red
with yellow is likewise a good combina-
tion. Narrow windings look much bet-
ter than wide whippings, and a dozen
turns make about as wide a winding
as the angler desires. For edgings,
three or four turns of silk are about

FIG. 10

Both Ends of the Silk Thread are Placed under the
Winding to Form an Invisible Knot

right, and these should be put on after
the wider windings have been whipped
on and in the same manner, although it
is best to tuck the ends of the edging

beneath the wider winding when pull-
ing the end through to make the invisi-
ble knot.

Varnishing the Rod

After winding the rod, see that all
fuzzy ends are neatly clipped off, then
go over the silk windings with a coat
of shellac. The shellac can be made
by dissolving a little white shellac in
grain alcohol. Warm the shellac and
apply it with a small camel's-hair
brush, giving the silk only two light
coats. Allow the rod to stand a couple
of days for the shellac to become thor-
oughly dry.

A small camel's-hair brush will be
required for the varnishing one about
% in. wide will do. If the varnishing
is to be done out of doors, a clear and
warm day should be selected, and the
can of coach varnish should be placed
in a pot of hot water for five minutes,
so that the varnish will spread evenly.

A temperature of about 75 deg. is best
for this work, as the varnish will not
spread if cold or in a cold place. The
varnish should be evenly brushed on,
and care taken that no spots are left
untouched. Hang up by the tip to dry
in a room free from dust. While the
varnish will set in four or five hours,
it is a good plan to allow three days
for drying between coats. Two coats
will suffice to protect the rod, but as
coach varnish, properly applied, is
rather thin in body, three coats will
give complete protection to the wood.
The materials required for this rod
are, 1 dagame or greenheart stick, 5 ft.
long and % in. square ; 1 reel seat with
straight hood, % in. ; 1 butt cap, 1 in. ;
1 taper, small end gf in. ; 1 offset, or
angle, agate top, 3 3 a in., and 2 narrow
agate guides, 1/2 in., all in German sil-
ver; 2 doz. corks, l J /4 by 1% i' 1 -. and
two 50-yd. spools of silk, red and green,
00 size.

Automatic Watering System for
Poultry Yards

Where a large number of poultry is
cared for, the annoyance and attention
necessary to furnish a constant water
supply can be overcome by using the
system shown in the illustration. For
this purpose a storage tank must be
provided. This may be some old toilet
flush tank, or any open reservoir that
will hold sufficient water to keep all
the drinking pans supplied. A float is
provided and connected with a stop

valve, so that when the float drops
below a certain level, the valve will
be turned open, and a fresh supply of
water will enter the storage tank,
thereby again raising the float and clos-
ing the valve.

Each drinking pan should be about
10 in. in diameter by 4 in. deep, and
is drilled for a %-in. hole to fit a ^-in.
pipe. At the pan end, the pipe is
threaded so that a lock nut and leather
washer can be attached on each side
of the pan bottom, to provide a water-
tight joint ; at the other end, the pipe

Simple Arrangement of a Flush Tank in Connection with a System of Pipes to Supply One or More

Pans of Water for the Poultry Yard

Is screwed into a tee in the %-in. main
line which connects with the storage
tank.

In using the system, sufficient water
is run .into the tank to fill the pans
about three-quarters full. The float
may then be adjusted to a shut-off posi-
tion for the inlet valve. All pans are
automatically kept at one level, even
though several may be used consider-
ably more than others. When the
general water level has dropped suffi-
ciently, the float, dropping with it, will
open the stop valve, and cause the
water to enter the tank and pans until
the original level is again restored.
Contributed by D. E. Hall, Hadlyme,
Connecticut.

paste, and the flap B is folded over
them. The envelope is then ready for
the inclosure. The flap C is pasted and

Changing Pip on a Card

Cut out the center pip on the five-
spot of spades with a sharp knife. Cut
a slot centrally
in another card,
about 3 /^ in. wide
and I 1 /! in- long-
Glue the surfaces
of both cards to-
gether near the
edges to form a
pocket for a
slide, which is
"cut from another
card and has
one-half of its
surface colored
black. A drop of sealing wax attached
to the back of the sliding part, so that
it projects through the slot, provides
a means of moving the slide in the
pocket. A lightning change can be
made from a five-spot to a four-spot
while swinging the card.

SLIP CARD
ONE HALF BLACK

To Make a Special Envelope

Any size of envelope for mailing spe-
cial papers or documents can be made
as follows : All envelopes are of the
same shape as shown in Fig. 1 ; the size
for the papers to be inclosed is repre-
sented by the dotted lines in Fig. 2.
The projections A are coated with

Fio 3 FIG. 4

Various Stages in the Forming of an Envelope to
Make Any Size for Special Papers

folded over as with an ordinary envel-
ope. Contributed by L. E. Turner,
New York City.

Automatically Extinguishing a Candle

Candles can be easily fitted with
attachments to extinguish the light at
a set time. To determine the length
of time, it is nec-
essary to mark a
candle of the
size used and
time how long a
certain length of
it will burn.
Then it is suffi-
cient to suspend
a small metal
dome, or cap, to
which a string is
attached, d i -
rectly over the flame, and run the oppo-
site end of the string over nails or
through screw eyes, so that it can be
tied around the candle such a distance
from the flame end, that the part be-
tween the flame and the string will be
consumed in the time desired for the
light to burn. When this point is
reached, the string slips off the candle,
and the cap drops on the flame.

Clothespin Newspaper Holder

A simple newspaper holder can be
made by cutting away a portion of one
side of an ordinary clothespin, drilling-

shaping a Clothespin Head and Fastening It to a Wall
Provides a Holder for Newspapers

a hole through the thick end for a
screw or nail, and fastening it in place
where desired. Another way is to split
off one side of a clothespin and cut the
bottom of the remaining part tapering
as shown ; then drill a hole to avoid
splitting the piece and fasten in a con-
venient place. Contributed by J. P.
Rupp, Norwalk, O.

Holder for a Dory Rudder

The rudder of a sailing dory or row-
boat often comes off in rough water,

The Loop on the Iron Rod Holds the Pin of the
Rudder in the Eye

and in order to keep it in place and
yet have it easily detachable at will,

the following method is useful : Procure
a 10-in. length of soft-iron rod and
bend one end of it into a loop large
enough to fit around the rudder pin
after the latter is inserted in the eyelet.
Insert screws at A, B and C, letting
them project about a /2 in. from the
surface. Bend the rod at D and A in
the shape shown, and with a little ad-
justment it will easily snap into posi-
tion. It will prevent the rudder from
riding up out of the eyelets, but can
be detached instantly. The device
should be applied to the upper pin so
as to be within easy reach. Con-
tributed by B. A. Thresher, Lakeville,
Connecticut.

Trimming Photographs

In trimming small photograph prints
I experienced some difficulty in getting
them square, and I did not care to in-
vest in a trimming board. By follow-
ing a line drawn around the print with
a triangle, it was impossible to make
a perfect rectangle. In the place of a
trimming board I now use a piece of
glass cut a little smaller than the de-
sired print. The edges of the glass are
smoothed by filing or grinding them.
In making a glass, be sure to have the
corners cut at perfect right angles and
the edges ground straight.

The glass is easily located over the
print, and by holding the two tightly
together the edges of the print can be
trimmed with a pair of shears. Con-
tributed by E. Leslie McFarlane,
Nashwaaksis, N. B.

A Metal Polish

A metal polish that is safe to use
about the home is composed of 30
parts alcohol, 3 parts ammonia water,
45 parts water, 6^ parts carbon tet-
rachloride, 8 parts kieselguhr, 4 parts
white bole, and 8 parts of chalk. These
substances can be purchased at a local
drug store and should be mixed in the
order named. Any grease on metal
will be dissolved by this solution.
Contributed by Loren Ward, Des
Moines, Iowa.

Fishing-Rod Making and Angling

BY STILLMAN TAYLOR
PART II Various Two and Three-Piece Rods

WHILE the action of the one-piece
rod is undeniably better than
when the rod is made in two or three
pieces, it is less compact to carry. To
make a 5-ft. two-piece bait-casting rod,
the same dimensions as given for the
one-piece rod will make a very fine
fishing tool. It is well to make two
tips in view of a possible breakage.
The rod may consist
of two pieces of equal
length, but a rod of
better action is secured
by making the butt
section somewhat
shorter with a relative-
ly longer tip. By mak-
ing the butt
section about
23 in. long, ex-
clusive of fer-
rule and butt
cap, and the

are added. The material list is as fol-
lows, the attachments being made of
german silver: Dagame or greenheart
butt, % in. by 3 ft. long ; two tips % in.
by 3 ft. long; one %-m. reel seat with
straight hood ; one 1-in. butt cap ; one
taper, 15 / 32 in. at the small end ; two
%2-in. offset agate tops ; two %-in. nar-
row agate guides ; two No. 1 size one-

tip section 321/0 in.
long, a splendid lit-
tle rod is obtained
which will fit any
of the regulation
rod cases of 35-in.
length. To make
a Gi/o-oz. rod of
this kind with a
cork hand grasp,
caliper it in the same manner as the
one-piece rod, making the butt section
321/0 in. long, tapering from 1 % 2 in. at
the upper end of the hand grasp to *%4
in. at the ferrule. The tip is made 33 in.
long, tapering from 1 %4 in. to %4 in.
By making the tip and butt to these
lengths, both parts will be of equal
length when the ferrules and the tops

ring casting
guides; one 1 % 4 -
in. welted and
shouldered fer-
rule, with two
closed-end c e n -
ters, one for each
tip ; two dozen
cork washers, iy
in. in diameter,
and two spools of
winding silk.

The three-piece
rod should be
made up to 6 ft. in
length to secure
the best action,
but even if so
made, the use of
the extra ferrules makes the rod less
resilient and elastic than the rod of
one or two-piece construction. The
best action is obtained only when the
rod bends to a uniform curve, and since
the ferrules cannot conform to this
curve, or arc, the more joints incorpo-
rated in a rod, the less satisfactory it
will be from an angling standpoint.

The Making of a Rod Not Only Affords Much

Pleasure, but the Rod can be Constructed

as Desired

Convenience in packing and carrying
are the sole merits which the many-
jointed rod possesses. Complete speci-
fications for making a three-piece bait-
casting rod, together with a material
list, is as follows: A rod, about o 1 /^ ft.
long with a single or double hand grasp
made of cork, will weigh about 7 oz.
Caliper the butt so that it will taper
from !% 2 in. to i% 2 m - at the cap of the
ferrule, making it 2iy 2 in. long. The
middle joint is tapered from 2 % 4 in. to
!% 4 in., and is 21% in. long. The tips
are 21 in. long and are tapered from
!%4 in. to %4 in. Dagame or green-
heart is used for the butt, joint, and
tips, and german silver for the fittings.
All pieces are 2 ft. long, the butt is %
in., the joint and tips, % in. One %-in.
reel seat with straight hood ; one 1-in.
butt cap ; one taper, small end *% 2 in- ;
one 2 %4-in. welted and shouldered fer-
rule ; one 1 %4-in. welted and shoul-
dered ferrule with two closed centers,
one for each tip ; two %o-in. offset
agate tops ; two %-in. narrow agate
guides ; two No. 1 size one-ring casting
guides ; two dozen cork washers, and
winding silk, size 00 or 0.

Fly Rods for Trout and Bass

Having made a good bait-casting
rod, the amateur will find little trouble
in making a rod with a number of
joints, and no special instructions need
be given, since the work of planing and
smoothing up the wood, and finishing
and mounting the rod, is the same as
has been described in detail before.
For fly fishing for trout, accuracy and
delicacy are of more importance than
length of cast, and the rod best suited
to this phase of angling differs greatly
from that used in bait casting. A stiff,
heavy rod is entirely unsuited for fly
casting, and while it is, of course, pos-
sible to make a rod too willowy for the
sport, the amateur, working by rule of
thumb, is more likely to err on the
other side and make the fly rods of too
stout a caliber. The idea is simply to
help the amateur over the hard part
by giving a list of dimensions of a rep-
resentative trout and a bass fly rod.
To make a 9-ft. trout fly rod, with a

cork grasp having a length of 9 in.
above the reel seat, caliper the material
as follows : The butt is tapered from
% 6 in. to 2 % 4 in. at 1 ft. from the butt
end; iy 2 ft., n/ 32 in. ; 2 ft., 2i/ 64 in.; 2%
ft., % 6 in., and 3 ft., 19 / 64 in. The first
6 in. of the middle joint is calipered to
% 2 in. ; 1 ft., 17 / 6 4 in. ; iy 2 ft., !% 4 in. ;
2 ft., % a in.; 2% ft., 13 / 6 4 in., and 3 ft.,
% 6 in. The first 6 in. of the tips are
calipered to x % 4 in.; 1 ft., % 2 in.; iy 2
ft., i/ 8 in. ; 2 ft., "/ 64 in. ; 2y 2 ft., % 2 in.,
and 3 ft., %4 in. All joints are made
361/2 in. long. The material used is
dagame, or greenheart, the butt being
% in. by 4 ft., the joint % in. by 4 ft.,
and the tips % in. by 4 ft. The attach-
ments, of german silver, are : One %.-
in. reel seat, fly-rod type with butt cap ;
one taper, 3 % 4 in. at the small end ; one
%o-in. welted and shouldered ferrule ;
one i%4-in. welted and shouldered fer-
rule with two closed-end centers, one
for each tip ; two No. 4 snake guides for
the butt joint ; three No. 3 snake guides
for the middle joint, and six No. 2
snake guides, three for each tip section ;
two No. 7 agate angle fly tops, the kind
to wind on ; one dozen cork washers,
and two 10-yd. spools of winding silk,
00 size.

A bass fly rod 9i/o ft. long, weighing
7y 2 oz., with a cork grasp, 9i/> in. above
the reel seat, is calipered as follows :
The butt is tapered from i% 2 in. to
2 % 4 in. 1 ft. from the end ; iy> ft. from
butt, 2% 4 in. ; 2 ft., 11/32 in. ; 2% ft, 2 y 64
in., and 3 ft., 1! X; 4 in. The first 6 in. of
the middle joint is i% 4 in. ; 1 ft., % 2 m - ;
iy 2 ft., 17 /64 in. ; 2 ft., i%4 in. ; 2% ft.,
7 / 3 o in., and 3 ft., i% 4 in. The first 6 in.
of the tips, 11/04 in. ; 1 ft., % 2 in. ; iy 2 ft.,
% 4 in. ; 3 ft., i/ 8 in. ; 2i/ 2 ft., % 4 in., and
3 ft., % 4 in. The joints are 36l/ 2 in.
long. The mountings are the same as
for the trout fly rod. Dagame, or green-
heart, wood is used, the butt being %
in. by 4 ft., the joint % in. by 4 ft. and
the tips % in. by 4 feet.

The two-piece salt-water rod with
an 18-in. double cork hand grasp, the
whole being 6i/> ft. long, is made to
weigh about 13 oz., with the following
caliperings : A uniform taper of 3 %4
in. to 2 %4 in., from the cork grasp to

the ferrule, is given to the butt. The eted in place, and a soft-pine sleeve

first 6 in. of the tips is 1 % 2 in. ; 1 ft., 2 % 4 is fitted over the wood core and the

in.; II/L. ft., !% 2 in.; 2 ft., 2 % 4 in.; 2y 2 ferrule. The forward end of the sleeve

ft-, %2 in., and to tip, J % 4 in. The is, of course, tapered to fit the taper

The Mountings for a Fly Rod Consist of a Reel Seat with a Straight Hood, a Taper, Snake Guide

Agate Angle Top, and Serrated Ferrule. The Toothed Ends are Wound

with Silk to Afford Additional Strength

joints are made 36% in. long. Dagame,
or greenheart, is used with german-sil-
ver mountings. Both pieces of wood
are 4 ft. long, the butt being of %-in.
and the tip of ^-in. material. One %-
in. reel seat with straight hood, one 1-
in. butt cap, one % c -in- ferrule, one
taper with small end 3 % 4 in. ; one 1 % 2 ~
in. stirrup-tube agate top ; two No. 3
bell guides ; two dozen cork washers,
and two spools, size A, winding silk.

The Independent-Butt Rod

The independent-butt rod, in which
the hand grasp contains the ferrule and
the tip is made in one piece, is a favor-
ite type with many of the best fisher-
men. This mode of construction may
be used with all classes of rods, the
light fly and bait-casting rods, and the
heavier caliber rods used in salt-water
angling. In rods of this type, it is only
necessary to use the same size ferrule
to make as many tips as desired to fit
the one butt. Tips of several calibers
and weights may thus be fashioned to
fit the one butt, and if the single-piece
tip is too long for some special use, one
tip may be made a jointed one for ease
in carrying.

The independent butt, or hand grasp,
is made by fitting the ferrule directly
on a length of dagame, or greenheart,
which has been rounded so that the
seated ferrule will not touch the wood.
The ferrule is then cemented and riv-

of the reel seat, and when properly
fitted, its lower end will project about
% in. beyond the pine sleeve. Glue
the sleeve on this wood core, cement
the reel seat to the sleeve, and rivet the
reel seat in place.

The cork washers are glued in posi-
tion, working the first one into the
metal edge of the reel seat, to make a
nice, tight joint at this point. The
other corks are then glued in place
until the hand grasp is of the desired
length. The projecting end of the
wood core is then cut off flush with
the last cork, and the rod is mounted
in the usual manner.

In making a double hand grasp, the
forward grasp may be fitted over the
wood core in the fashion already de-
scribed in making the hand grasp for
the one-piece bait-casting rod, or the
forward grasp may be fitted to the tip,
just above the ferrule, as preferred.
Both methods are commonly used, the
only difference being in the manner of
finishing up the forward grasp. If the
forward grip is affixed to the ferruled
end of the tip, two tapered thimbles
will be required to make a nice finish.

The heavy-surf, or tarpon, rod is
made up of an independent, detachable
butt, 20 in. long, having a solid-cork or
cord-wound hand grasp, and a one-
piece tip, 5i/o ft. long, altogether weigh-
ing 231/2 oz. It is uniformly calipered
to taper from 2 % 2 in. to % 6 in. One

piece of dagame, or greenheart, 1 in.
by 6% ft., will be required. One 1-in.
reel seat for detachable butt, including
one %-in. male ferrule ; one 1%-in. butt
cap; two No. 11 wide, raised agate
guides ; two No. 1 trumpet guides ; one
%-in. agate stirrup top ; two spools of
winding silk, A-size, and two dozen
cork washers, or sufficient nshline to

cord the butt. The guides are whipped
on double, the first set spaced 10 in.
from the top, and the second, 26 in.
from the reel. The core of the inde-
pendent, or detachable, butt is con-
structed of the same material as the
rod, which makes the hand grasp some-
what elastic and very much superior
to a stiff and rigid butt.

of brass, 1
about V\

Homemade Ball Catch for Cabinet
Doors

To make a ball catch, procure a piece
in. long, */2 in. wide, and
in. thick, and an old gas
burner having
a diameter o f
% in. As de-
scribed by
Work, London,
the threaded
part of the bur-
ner is cut off.
which forms a contracted end that will
hold a steel ball % 6 in. in diameter and
allow it to project % in. A hole is
drilled in the center of the brass plate,
and the barrel soldered in place. A
piece of spiral spring is inserted be-
hind the ball. The stiffness of the
spring will depend on the use of the
catch. The barrel is cut to length and
plugged. Another plate of brass is
fitted with screw holes and a hole in
the center to receive the projecting ball
part, for the strike.

Combination Needle and Thread Tray

When any attempt is made to keep
sewing material, such as needles,
spools, or buttons, separate, each of the
articles is usu-
ally kept in some
special drawer,
or by itself, and
when necessary
to use one, the
others must be
found, frequent-
ly necessitating
many extra steps or much lost time in
hunting up the various articles. The

illustrated combination tray avoids this
difficulty. It consists of two round
trays fastened together near one edge
with a wood screw, which is loosely
fitted in the lower tray but screwed
into the upper to permit them being
swung apart. Extra thickness and
weight should be given the bottom
piece so no tipping will result when the
top is swung out to expose the buttons
in the lower section. The thread spools
are placed on pegs set in the upper
tray, and the cushion in the center is
provided for the pins and needles.
Contributed by J. Harger, Honolulu,
Hawaiian Islands.

Repairing Worn Escapement Wheel of
a Clock

When the ordinary clock has served
its usefulness and is apparently worn
out, the jeweler's price to overhaul it
frequently amounts to almost as much
as the original purchase price. One
weak place in the clock is the escape-
ment wheel. The points soon wear
down, thereby producing a greater es-
capement and pendulum movement,
resulting in an increased strain and
wear of the clock. If the tips of the
teeth on the wheel are bent up slightly
with a pair of pliers, the swing of the
pendulum will be reduced, thereby in-
creasing the life of the clock. Many of
the grandfather's clocks can be put in
order in this manner so as to serve as a
timepiece as well as a cherished orna-
ment. Contributed by C. F. Spaulding.
Chicago, 111.

CA piece of work should never be fin-
gered while filing it in a lathe.

Fishing-Rod Making and Angling

BY STILLMAN TAYLOR
PART III Trout Fishing with Fly and Bait

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erally viewed as
one of the world's

greatest r e c r e -
ations, and while
each and every
phase of fishing
may be said to
possess certain
charms of its own,
fly fishing for
trout is regarded
by most well-informed sportsmen as
the alpha and omega of the angler's art.
This is so because the trout family are
uncommonly wary and game fish, and
the tackle used for their capture is of
finer balance and less clumsy than any
employed in angling for the coarser
game fishes. If he would take full ad-
vantage of any sport and reap the
greatest pleasure from a day spent in
the open, it is really necessary for the
sportsman to get together a good out-
fit. It is not essential to have a very
expensive one, but it should be good of
its kind,- well proportioned for the pur-
pose for which it is to be used. The be-
ginner, who buys without good knowl-

If He would Take Full Ad-
vantage of Any Sport and
Reap the Greatest Pleasure
from a Day Spent in the
Open, the Sportsman should
Get Together a Good Outfit

edge of the arti-
cles required, or fails to
use careful discrimination,
is almost certain to accumu-
late a varied assortment of
junk, attractive enough in ap-
pearance, perhaps, but well-
nigh useless when it is tested out on
the stream. A good representative out-
fit, then, is of the first importance ; it
means making a good beginning by in-
itiating the novice in the sport under
the most favorable conditions. Let us
then consider the selection of a good
fishing kit, a well-balanced rod, the
kind of a reel to use with it, the right
sort of a line, flies, and the other few
items found in the kit of the practical
and experienced trout fisherman.

Selecting a Good Fly Rod

The ordinary fishing pole may be
bought offhand at almost any hard-
ware store, but a well-balanced rod for
fly fishing should be well tested out
beforehand. The requirements call for
a rod of comparatively light weight,
a rod that is elastic and resilient, and
yet strong enough to prove durable
under the continued strain of much

fishing. If the angler has made his
own rod, as suggested in former chap-
ters, he will have a good dependable
fly rod, but the large majority of an-
glers who are about to purchase their
first fishing kit should carefully con-
sider the selection of the rod. At the
outset it must be understood that good
tackle is simply a matter of price, the
finest rods and reels are necessarily
high in price, and the same thing may
be said of lines and flies. Providing
the angler has no objection to paying
$15, or more, for a rod, the choice will
naturally fall upon the handmade split
bamboo. For this amount of money a
fair quality fly rod may be purchased,
the finer split bamboos costing any-
where up to $50, but under $15 it is
very doubtful whether the angler can
procure a built-up rod that is in every
way satisfactory. The question may
arise, Is a split-bamboo rod necessary?
The writer's own long experience says
that it is not, and that a finely made
solid-wood rod, of greenheart or da-
game, is quite as satisfactory in the
hands of the average angler as the
most expensive split bamboo. A good
rod of this sort may be had for $10,
and with reasonable care ought to last
a lifetime.

The points to look for in a fly rod,
whether the material is split bamboo
or solid wood, is an even taper from the
butt to the tip ; that is, the rod should
register a uniform curve, or arc, the
entire length. For general fly casting
ft. is a handy length, and a rod of
6% oz. weight will prove more durable
than a lighter tool. A good elastic
rod is wanted for fly casting, but a too
willowy or whippy action had best be
avoided. However, for small-brook
fishing, where the overgrown banks
prohibit long casts, a somewhat
shorter and stiffer rod will be more
useful. For casting in large northern
streams, where the current is swift
and the trout run to a larger size, a
9!/2 or 10-ft. rod of 8 oz. weight is often
preferred. Of course, the veteran an-
gler can safely use a much lighter rod
than the beginner, and one occasion-
ally meets a man on the stream that

uses a 5-oz. rod for pretty heavy fish-
ing. To be on the safe side, the novice
will make no mistake in choosing a
rod of fair length and conservative
weight.

When selecting a rod in the tacklfc
shop, do not rest content with a mere
examination of the appearance, but
have the dealer affix a reel of the
weight and size intended to be used
with it. By reeling on a short length
of line and reeving it through the
guides and then fastening the end to a
weight lying upon the floor, a very
good idea of the rod's behavior may be
gained, since by reeling in the line and
putting tension on the rod its elasticity
and curve may be seen and felt as well
as in actual fishing. To give the ut-
most satisfaction, the rod should fit its
owner, and several rods should be
tried until one is found that most fully
meets the angler's idea of what a rod
should be. If one happens to have a
good fly reel, by all means take it
along and attach it to the rod while
making the tests. It is practically im-
possible to gauge the balance of a rod
without affixing the reel, and many a
finely balanced tool will appear badly
balanced until the proper-weight reel
is affixed to it.

The Proper Kind of Reel

For fly fishing nothing is so good as
the Fnglish style of click reel, which
is made with a one-piece revolving
side plate and with the handle affixed
directly to it. Any kind of a balanced-
handle reel is an out-and-out nuisance
on the fly rod, because it has no advan-
tage in quickly recovering the line, and
the projecting handle is forever catch-
ing the line while casting. In fly cast-
ing, the length of cast is regulated by
the amount of line taken from the reel
before the cast is made, and it is while
"pumping" this slack line through the
guides, in making the actual cast, that
the balanced or projecting handle is
very apt to foul the line. A good reel
that is smooth-running like a watch
will cost about $10, but a very good
one may be had for $5, and cheaper
ones, while not so durable, may be

Fly Book with Clips for Holding U
Flies, So That the G
raight between Pads of

Aluminum Box with Clips

for Holding Flies Tied

on Eyed Hooks, Each

Clip Having Places

for Seven Flies

The English Pattern Is
the Best Type of Reel

for Trout Fishing, and
a Gun-Metal, or Other

Dark Finish, Is Better

than Shiny Nickelplate

Leader Box
of Black-
Finished
Aluminum
with Felt
Pads to
Keep the
Leaders
Moist and
Pliable

A Folding-
Handle
Landing
Net may
be Left at
Home, but
Most Old
Anglers
Like to
Have It
Handy
When
Needod

Willow Creel, or Basket,

Leather-Bound with a

Metal Fastening, the

Number Three Size

being About Right

A Three-Joint Fly Rod with Cork Hand Grasp and
Extra Tip, and Rod Case Made of Aluminum Tubing

used with fair satisfaction. The heavier
multiplying reels, so essential for bait
casting from a free reel, are altogether
unsuited for the fly rod, being too
heavy when placed below the hand,
which is the only proper position for
the reel when fly casting. The single-
action click reel, having a compara-
tively large diameter, but being quite
narrow between the plates, is the one
to use, and hard rubber, or vulcanite,
is a good material for the side plates,
while the trimmings may be of ger-
man silver or aluminum. The all-
metal reel is of about equal merit, but
whatever the material, the most use-
ful size is one holding about 40 yd. of
No. E size waterproof line. A reel of
this capacity will measure about 3 in.
in diameter and have a width of about
% in. between plates. A narrow-
spooled reel of this type enables the
fisherman to reel in the line plenty fast
enough. Owing to the fact that the
reel is placed below the grip on fly

rods, a rather light-weight instrument
is needed to balance the rod. Of the
two extremes, it is better to err on the
side of lightness, because a heavy reel
makes a butt-heavy rod and, throwing
extra weight on the wrist and arm,
makes casting increasingly difficult
after an hour's fishing. An old hand
at the game will appreciate this point
better than the novice.

The Kind of Line to Use

The fly-casting line used by a vet-
eran is generally of silk, enameled and
having a double taper; that is, the line
is thickest in the center and gradually
tapers to a smaller diameter at each
end. Single-tapered lines are likewise
extensively used, and while they cost
less, they are tapered at one end only
and cannot be reversed to equalize the
wear caused by casting. The level
line, which has the same diameter
throughout its entire length, is the
line most generally used, but the cast

cannot be so delicately made with it.
For the beginner, however, the level
line in size No. E is a good choice. For
small-brook fishing, No. F is plenty
large enough. In choosing the size of
line, there is a common-sense rule
among fly casters to select a line pro-
portioned to the weight of the rod.
For a light rod a light line is the rule,
and for the heavier rod a stouter line
is the logical choice. If the rod is of a
too stiff action, use a comparatively
heavy line, and it will limber up con-
siderably ; if the rod is extremely
"whippy," use the lightest line that can
be purchased, and used with safety.

A Fine Leader Marks the Expert Caster

The leader for trout is preferably of
single gut, and as fine as the angler's
skill will allow. The fly caster's rule
is to use a leader whose breaking strain
is less than the line, then, when the
tackle parts, it is simply a question of
putting on a new leader and the more
expensive line is saved. Ready-made
leaders may be purchased, or the an-
gler can tie them up as desired. For
length, a 3 or 31/o-ft. leader is about
right for average fishing. Longer
leaders are used, and while they some-
times are of advantage, the 3-ft. length
is more useful. A longer leader is awk-
ward to handle because the loop is apt
to catch in the top of the rod when
reeling in the line to bring the fish close
to the landing net. Leaders may be
had with a loop at each end, or with
loops tied in, for using a cast of two
or three flies. For all average casting,
the two-fly cast is the best, but the
expert angler uses the single-fly very
often. For lake fishing, the single large
fly is generally preferred. For using
two flies, the leader is provided with
three loops, one at the top, another at
the bottom, and an extra loop tied in
about 15 in. from the lower loop. In
fly casting, the first, or upper, fly is
known as the "dropper," and the lower
one as the "tail" fly. For the single-
fly cast but two loops are required.

Gut used for leaders should be care-
fully selected, and only those lengths
which are of uniform diameter and

well rounded chosen, the lengths which
show flat and rough spots being dis-
carded. Dry gut that is very brittle
should be handled very little, and pre-
vious to a day's fishing the leaders
must be soaked in water over night to
make them pliable, then coiled in be-
tween felt pads of the leader box to
keep them in fishing shape. After use,
put the frayed leaders aside and dry
them out between the flannel leaves of
the fly book.

Gut is the product of the silkworm,
and the best quality is imported from
Spain. It comes in bundles, or hanks,
of 1,000 strands, 10 to 20 in. long and
in different thicknesses, or strengths.
The heaviest are known as "Royal"
and "Imperial," for salmon ; "Marana,"
for extra-heavy bass; "Padron," for
bass; "Regular," for heavy trout;
"Fina," for light trout, and "Refina,"
for extra-light trout. The grades
"Fina" and "Refina" are well suited
for all average fly fishing, while the
heavier sizes are useful for heavy large
fishing.

To make the leaders, soak the
strands of gut in warm water over
night until they are soft and pliable.
Select the strands for each leader of
the desired thickness and length so
that the finished leader will have a
slight taper to one end only. By using
the "Fina" gut for the upper length
and tying in two lengths of "Refina"
gut, a nicely tapered leader of light
weight is obtained. Begin the leader
by uniting the strands together to
make it the correct length, three 12-in.
strands being about right for average
casting. The "single water knot" is
the strongest and neatest to use.
Make it by taking the thick end of the
strand and doubling it back enough
to tie in a common knot just large
enough for the line to pass through
and drawing it up tightly. Tie a single
loose knot in the other end of the
strand, about % in. in diameter and
close to the end ; take the next thick-
est strand of gut, thread the thicker
end through the loose knot and tie a
second square knot around the strand,
as shown at A. By pulling on the two

long ends the loops can be drawn up

tightly, and the two knots will slide

together and make a neat and very

strong knot. Repeat this operation

well-known "angler's knot" is mostly
used. This knot is shown at C. The
snelled fly is attached by passing the
loop over the loop of the leader and

The Single Water Knot Used in Tying Leaders; a Good Knot for Making the Loop at the End of the Leaders;

an Angler's Knot Used for Attaching the Line to the Leader, and a Jam Knot for Attaching

Eyed Flies, or Hooks, to the Leader or Snell

until as many strands of gut are knot-
ted together as required to make the
leader of the desired length. For mak-
ing the loop at the ends, a double-
bighted knot, tied as shown at B, is
used. If a dropper fly is desired, do
not pull the water knot tightly, but
first insert a short length of gut with a
common knot at the end and a loop in
the other, then draw the water knot
up tightly, and a short snell will be
made for attaching the fly as usually.

Flies for Trout Fishing

The standard selection of artificial
flies numbers about 60, but the aver-
age fisherman will find about 24 se-
lected patterns to answer every need.
For making up the most "killing" flies
for the trout season, the following can
be recommended : Use red ibis, stone
fly, cinnamon, red spinner, and parch-
menee belle, for April ; turkey brown,
yellow dun, iron blue, spinner, mont-
real and red fox, for May ; spider,
black gnat, silver doctor, gray drake,
orange dun, and green drake, for June ;
July dun, grizzly king, pale evening
dun, red ant, and brown palmer, for
July; Seth green, coachman, shad,
governor, August dun, and royal
coachman, for August, and black
palmer, willow, whirling dun, queen of
the water, and blue bottle, for Septem-
ber.

To attach a line to the leader the

inserting the fly through the leader
loop. When eyed flies are used they
are often attached direct to the leader,
or a looped snell may be used as in the
ordinary American-tied fly. To attach
the eyed fly direct to the leader, the
common "jam knot," shown at D, is
mostly used, and when the slipknot is
drawn up tightly and the extra end cut
off it makes a small, neat knot, not
apt to slip.

Catch to Hold Two Joining Doors
Open

Where two open doors meet, a catch
to keep them
open can be
made of a piece
of wire, shaped
as shown. The
hooks at the
ends of the wire
are slipped over
the shanks of
the knobs.
Contributed by
W. A. Saul, Lex-
ington, Mass.

CStrips cut from

wood dishes used

by grocers for

butter, thoroughly soaked in warm

water, will make excellent repair pieces

for market baskets.

Bicycle Oil Lamp Changed to Electric
Light

The desire for an electric light for
my bicycle caused me to change a fine
oil lamp, too good to be thrown away,

tween socket and push button, ends
being left protruding for connection to
the battery. A small flash-light bat-
tery was fastened to the lamp bracket.
A small rubber washer was placed be-
tween the head of the push button on
the switch and the cap, so that in
screwing the cap up, a permanent con-
nection was made. The lamp can be
used as a lantern when removed from
the bicycle. Contributed by Lee
Baker, Chicago.

A Push Button with Socket and Miniature Globe
Used in an Oil Lamp for Electric Light

so that an electric globe could be used
in it. The oil cup of the lamp was re-
moved, and a wood push button fas-
tened in its place with three screws.
Before fastening the push .button, a
porcelain socket was attached to its
bottom, and connections were made be-

Lifter for Removing Eggs from Hot

Water

An improvement over the customary
way of removing eggs from hot water
with a tablespoon, is to use an old-fash-
ioned coffee strainer. This brings up
the eggs without carrying hot water
with them. Contributed by L. E.
Turner, New York, N. Y.

CGenuine oxalic acid may be used for
removing stains from all woods except
mahogany.

Double Top for a Table

The need of two tables in a kitchen
where there was space for only one,

used, and an extra, plain top fitted to

it and hinged to the wall.

When it was desired to wash dishes

on the zinc top, the table was pulled

out without disturbing the articles on
the hinged top. After drying the
dishes, they are removed from the
zinc top to the hinged part, and the

An Extra Top Covers the Table When It is
Placed against the Wall

was the cause of devising the ar-
rangement shown in the illustration.
An ordinary kitchen table was mount-
ed on trunk casters or domes so that

The Table When Drawn Out Uncovers
the Zinc Tray, Fastened on Top

it could be moved easily, whereupon a

zinc top was put on it with raised table is pushed back against the wall,

edges. The table was then placed Contributed by Louis Drummond,

against the wall where it was to be Philadelphia, Pa.

As a General Thing, the Veteran Fly Fisherman Prefers to Wade with the Current, and Fishes the Water
in Front of Him by Making Diagonal Casts across the Stream

Fishing -Rod Making and Angling

BY STILLMAN TAYLOR
PART IV Trout Fishing with Fly and Bait

How to Cast the Fly
*"pO be able to cast the artificial fly

* a distance of 50 ft., or more, and
let the feathered lure alight upon the
desired bit of water as lightly as a fall-
ing leaf is no small accomplishment,
for fly casting is an art, and to become
an expert, much practice is necessary.
The personal assistance of a skillful
caster is not often available, but if the
angler will follow the suggestions out-
lined, a beginner will soon grasp the
knack of handling the fly rod, and the
casting will steadily improve with
practice. As the knack of handling a
gun is best gained not in the field,
shooting live game, but through shoot-
ing at targets so may the art of fly
casting be more quickly acquired by
intelligent practice conducted away
from the stream, in the back yard, or
any other place roomy enough to swing
the rod and a moderately long line. By
practicing in this way, the angler's at-
tention is focused upon the cast and is
not partly occupied with the excite-
ment of fishing. To make a good be-
ginning, let the reel contain about 25
yd. of common, braided, linen line (size
E is about right) and instead of a fly,
or hook, affix a small split shot to the
end of the line. It is well to begin with
a cheap rod and save a good outfit,

and if the angler learns how to make
a fairly long and accurate cast with a
common rod, he may feel assured that

he can even do better with a first-rate
outfit.

The first point to observe in making
the cast is to grip the rod correctly,
and this is done by grasping the rod
at the right point where it balances
best. By shifting the hand about,
this point of balance is quickly
found, for at no other point will
the rod "hang" well in the hand.
In casting, the reel is turned to
the under side of the rod with
the thumb extended along the
top of the grip, as shown in
Fig. 1. Taking up an easy
casting position, with
the left foot slightly
advanced, pull
from the reel

Fig. 1-

The Proper Way
to Take Hold
of the Handle
with the Reel on
the Under Side

about 25 yd. of line and let this slack
line fall in coils upon the ground in
front ; bring the rod up slightly above
the horizontal, as shown in Fig. 2, and
with a quick snap of the wrist, avoid-
ing shoulder or body movement, throw
the tip upward, checking it sharply as

soon as the tip is carried over the shoul-
der about 25 beyond the vertical plane
as in Fig. 3. This snappy upstroke of
the rod makes the "back cast," by pro-
jecting the line high in the air, and
carries it well behind the angler. Be-
fore the line has fully straightened out
behind, and before it has an oppor-
tunity to fall much below the caster's
shoulders, the rod is snapped forward
with a quick wrist-and-forearm move-
ment, which throws the line forward in
front of the fisherman and in the direc-
tion he is facing, which finishes the
cast with the rod
in the po s i t i o n
shown in Fig. 4.

Long and accu-
rate fly casting is
much more a mat-
ter of skill than
muscle, and while
some fly fishermen
cast directly from
the shoulder and
upper arm, and
thus use a consid-
erable amount of
muscular force in
making the cast,
this cannot be re-
garded as the best
method of casting.
The great elastic-
ity of the fly rod
ought to be taken
full advantage of
by the caster, and
if this is done,
casting will be
naturally accom-
plished by the wrist and forearm. To
make strenuous efforts to hurl the fly
through the air, using an arm or body
movement, is extremely tiring after an
hour or so of fishing, while if the cast
is made from the wrist, aided by the
forearm, the snap of the rod may be
depended upon to project the fly to
greater length of line and allow it to
fall close to the desired spot, lightly
and without splashing.

Timing the back cast is the most
difficult detail of fly casting, because
the line is behind the angler and the

Fig. 2 Begin the Cast
Just above the

eye cannot aid the hand. The novice
will soon acquire the knack of casting,
however, if he will remember to keep
the elbow close to the side, and to
keep the line well up in the air when
making the back cast, and to begin the
forward movement before the line has
fully straightened out behind him.
After a little practice, the hand will
feel the slight tension communicated
to the rod as the line begins to
straighten out, and this should be
taken advantage of to correctly time
the forward movement. Counting
"one" for the up-
stroke, "two and"
for the interval re-
quired for the line
to straighten out
in the rear, and
"three" for the
forward move-
ment, is also a
good way to time
the cast.

At the begin-
ning the caster
should make no
attempt to secure
distance. A c c u-
racy and delicacy
in placing the fly
on the water is of
much more im-
portance than
length of cast in
trout fishing, and
to attain this end,
it is a good plan
to place a news-
paper about 25 ft.
distant and try to drop the end of the
line on this mark. When the caster
can drop the line on the target lightly
and with reasonable accuracy, he may
feel justified in lengthening his cast.
Other casts than the overhead cast just
described are occasionally used, as the
Spey, switch, wind, and flip casts, but
the overhead cast is mostly used, al-
though it is much more difficult to
master.

To make the Spey cast, the angler
requires a rapid stream which will
carry the line downstream until it is

with the Rod in a Position
Horizontal Plane

straight and taut, the tip of the rod
being held as long as possible to ac-
complish this end. The rod is then
raised high in the air with a quick
wrist movement, which lifts the line
from the water to the extreme end,
then without pausing the rod is car-
ried upstream with just sufficient force
to let the fly fall just above the angler.
The line is now on the reverse, or up-
per, side of the fisherman, when with
a sweep of the rod
the line is pro-
jected over the
water's surface
not along the sur-
face in the man-
ner used in mak-
ing the overhead
cast.

The switch cast
is sometimes use-
ful when trees or
rocks are immedi-
ately back of the
fisherman, thus
preventing the
line from extend-
ing far enough
backward to
make the over-
head cast. In mak-
ing this cast the
line is not lifted
from the water,
but merely to the
surface by raising
the tip of the rod.
The line is
dragged through
the water by car-
rying the tip in
the direction one
is standing until

it is as far in the rear as the obstruc-
tions will permit. By a quick down-
ward sweep of the rod the line is pro-
jected with sufficient force to roll it
forward in a large coil or loop, much
as a wheel rolls on a track.

The wind cast is a modification of
the switch cast, but easier to make.
The caster brings his line almost to
his feet, and with a quick downward
motion of the rod the line is thrown

Fig. 3 The Rod is Quickly Checked When It is
Carried over the Shoulder About 25 Degrees

in a long loop against the wind. The
underhand and the flip casts are so
simple that it seems almost unnec-
essary to describe them. Both are
short casts and are only used when the
angler is fishing in an overgrown
stream. The underhand cast is really
a side cast, inasmuch as the short line
is lifted from the water in a loop and
propelled in the desired direction by a
side sweep of the rod. The flip cast
is made by hold-
ing the fly be-
tween the thumb
and finger and
with a few coils
of line in the right
hand. Bend the
rod like a bow, re-
lease the fly sud-
denly, and the
snap of the rod
will project it in
the desired direc-
tion and allow it
to drop lightly
like a fly.

Handling the Flies in
the Water

As a general
thing the veteran
fly fisherman pre-
fers to wade with
the current and
fishes the water in
front of him by
making- diagonal
casts across the
stream. A good
fisherman will
system atically
cover every inch
of good water and

little will be left to chance. The novice
is inclined to fish his flies in a con-
trary manner, he casts more or less at
random, and is as likely to splash the
flies recklessly about in the most im-
possible places as he is to drop them
in a favorable riffle or pool. To be able
to pick out fishable water, the angler
should know something about the
habits of the trout, their characteristics
at the several seasons of the fishing

year, and their habits, which differ
greatly in different streams. A fish-
ing knowledge of the stream to be
visited is of much value, but if the
angler knows how to make a fair cast
and possesses average skill in handling
flies on water, there should be no ques-
tion but that he will creel a fair num-
ber of trout even though he casts in
strange waters.

To imitate the action of the natural
insect is the most successful manner of
fishing the flies, and as the natural fly
will struggle more or less when borne
down with the
current, the fisher-
man endeavors to
duplicate this
movement by
making his arti-
ficial fly wriggle
about. This mo-
tion must not be
overdone, for if
the flies are
tw i t c h e d and
skipped about, or
pulled against the
current, the wary
trout will refuse to
fall for any such
obvious deceit. A
gentle motion of
the wrist will
cause the fly to
move somewhat
as the natural in-
sect will struggle.

In making the
cast do not cast
directly down or
upstream, but across the current at an
angle. Let the flies fall upon the
water as lightly as possible, so that the
water will carry them downstream
over the likely places where the trout
are hiding. Keep the line as taut as
possible by drawing the slack in with
the left hand. The flies should not
be allowed to soak in the water,
neither should they be retrieved in
haste. The experienced fly caster will
invariably fish with a wet line, that is
to say, with a slightly submerged fly,
and will let the flies drag over as much

Fig. 4 The Cast is Finished by Throwing the Line
Forward with a Quick Wrist-and-Forearm Movement

water as possible before making a sec-
ond cast. Owing to the fact that trout
lie with their noses pointing upstream
awaiting their food carried down by
the current, the caster will naturally
take pains to float his flies down-
stream with the leader fairly taut. To
neglect this detail and allow the leader
to float in a wide loop near or before
the flies is slovenly fishing, and few
trout will strike a fly presented in this
amateurish fashion.

Early in the fishing season, and when
the stream is flooded and discolored
after a heavy rain,
it is a good plan to
fish the flies be-
low the surface.
Fishing in this
manner makes it
more difficult to
tell when to strike
a fish, and some
little practice is
needed to deter-
mine the oppor-
tune moment by
feeling the slight
tension on the
line. Many fish
will be pricked to
be sure, but some
trout will be
creeled, and fish-
ing with the sub-
merged fly is
sometimes the
only way trout
can be taken.

On fair days
and in smooth
water, better luck may be expected
when the fly is kept upon the surface,
and this is easily managed by keep-
ing the tip of the rod well in the air.
Often the fisherman can take advan-
tage of a bit of floating foam, and if
the fly is cast upon it and allowed to
float with it downstream, the ruse will
often prove effective.

The trout is a hard striker and it is
not unusual to have a trout rush ahead
of the fly in his attempt to mouth it.
In rapid water the savage rush of the
fish is sufficient to hook it securely,

but when casting in quiet pools, the
hook is imbedded by a snap of the
wrist. At what exact moment to
strike, as well as the amount of force
to use, depends upon circumstances.
When fishing in small streams and
brooks where the trout run small,
much less force is necessary to hook
the fish, but in quiet water and in
larger streams where 2 or 3-lb. trout
are not uncommon, the fish may be
struck with a smart upward jerk of the
forearm and wrist. So far as my ex-
perience goes, the matter of striking
is governed by the temperament as
well as the judgment of the angler.
The deliberate thinking man is likely
to strike too late, while the nervous
individual, striking too early, is apt to
prick the trout and roll him over.

The best time to fish for trout is
when they are feeding on the surface;
and in the early days of spring, when
there are few flies about, the warmer
part of the day, say, from 10 in the
morning to 5 in the afternoon, will
prove to be the most successful time.
Later on, when flies are numerous,
good luck may be expected at an early
hour in the morning, and in the hot
summer months the cooler hours of
the day may be chosen. Of course,
there are many exceptions, since there
are many cool days in summer, as well
as exceptionally warm days in spring,
and these changes of weather should
be considered. However, extremes are
not likely to make good fishing, and
the trout will not rise as freely on cold,
windy days, nor will they fight as
gamely. On hot days, too, not so
much luck can be expected during the
hours of the greatest heat 12 to 4
but a good basket of trout may be
creeled early in the morning or late
in the afternoon of summer. A bright,
clear day is usually the best for fly
fishing, because the sun brings out
more flies, but a warm rain, or even a
fog, is also considered good fishing
weather.

Among the live baits available for
trout fishing are the minnow, white
grub, cricket, grasshopper, and other
insects, and last, but by no means least,

the common angle or earthworm. The
minnow is beyond a doubt the most
enticing morsel that can be offered to a
hungry trout, and a minnow may be
reckoned to secure a rise when other
baits fail. The inconvenience of trans-
porting this bait is a great drawback,
and as minnows are delicate fish, a
minnow bucket is necessary for their
preservation. This means a lot of
trouble, as the water must be fre-
quently changed or aerated, and this
labor, together with the difficulty of
carrying a bulky pail through the
brush, makes this desirable bait almost
impossible for stream and brook fish-
ing. The salt-water minnow, known
as a "shiner" or "mummychug," is a
topnotch trout bait, and being much
tougher than the fresh-water minnow,
makes a bait often used by anglers re-
siding near the seacoast.

The white grub, or larvae of the so-
called May beetle, is a good bait avail-
able for early-season fishing, and may
be obtained in the early spring months
by spading up grass land. The grub
is about 1 in. long, and of a creamy
yellow color with a darker head. It
may be kept a month, or more, by put-
ting it in a box with a number of
pieces of fresh turf.

Crickets, grasshoppers, and many
other insects, make good baits, while
the earthworm is a good all-around
bait for trout. A supply dug some
days before and kept by packing in
fresh moss and slightly moistening
with milk and water will prove more
attractive in appearance and the worms
will be tougher and cleaner to handle
than when carried in earth.

Other good baits include the fin of
a trout, and if this is used in combi-
nation with the eye of the same fish,
it forms an attractive lure. In using
this bait, do not puncture the eyeball,
but hook through the thin flexible skin
surrounding the eye. A fat piece of
salt pork, cut into pieces 1 in. long
and 14 m - wide, makes a fairly good
bait. Spoons and other spinning baits
are presumably attractive, but few
sportsmen use them when angling for
so fine a fish as trout.

JKl il ;

>* < ST-BS '

, ; > f !,-

"~ '

[In this article descriptions are given of several shelters suitable for a resort, but the reader
may select any one of them that answers his needs and build a camp house, or fit up a more
substantial one to make living quarters for the whole year. Editor.]

"DICING forced to take the open-air
'-* treatment to regain health, a per-
son adopted the plan of building a pole
house in the woods, and the scheme was
so successful that it was decided to
make a resort grounds, to attract
crowds during holidays, by which an
income could be realized for living ex-
penses. All the pavilions, stands, fur-
niture, and amusement devices were
constructed of straight poles cut from
young growth of timber with the bark
remaining on them. Outside of boards
for flooring and roofing material, the
entire construction of the buildings and
fences consisted of poles.

A level spot was selected and a house

built having three rooms. The location
was in a grove of young timbers, most
of it being straight, and 13 trees were
easily found that would make posts 12
ft. long, required for the sides, and two
poles 16 ft. long, for the center of the
ends, so that they would reach to the
ridge. The plot was laid out rectangu-
lar and marked for the poles, which
were set in the ground for a depth of 4
ft., at distances of 6 ft. apart. This
made the house 8 ft. high at the eaves
with a square pitch roof ; that is, the
ridge was 3 ft. high in the center from
the plate surfaces for this width of a
house. The rule for finding this height
is to take one-quarter of the width of

The Frame Construction of the House Made Entirely of Rough Poles, the Verticals being Set in the
Ground, Plumbed, and Sighted to Make a Perfect Rectangle of the Desired Proportions

the house for the height in the center
from the plate.

The corner poles were carefully lo-

The Steps are Supported on Pairs of Vertical Poles
Set in the Ground to Make Different Levels

cated to make the size 12 by 24 ft., with
a lean-to 8 by 12 ft., and then plumbed
to get them straight vertically. The
plates for the sides, consisting of five
poles, were selected as straight as pos-
sible and their ends and centers hewn
down to about one-half their thickness,
as shown at A and B, and nailed to the
tops of the vertical poles, the connec-
tion for center poles being as shown
atC.

The next step was to secure the ver-
tical poles with crosspieces between
them which were used later for support-
ing the siding. These poles were cut
about 6 ft. long, their ends being cut
concave to fit the curve of the upright
poles, as shown at D. These were
spaced evenly, about 2 ft. apart from
center to center, on the sides and ends,
as shown in the sketch, and toenailed
in place. The doors and window open-
ings were cut in the horizontal poles
wherever wanted, and casements set
in and nailed. The first row of horizon-
tal poles was placed close to the ground

and used both as support for the lower
ends of the siding and to nail the ends
of the flooring boards to, which were
fastened in the center to poles laid on
stones, or, better still, placed on top of
short blocks. 5 ft. long, set in the
ground. These poles for the floor
should be placed not over 2 ft. apart
to make the flooring solid.

A lean-to was built by setting three
poles at a distance of 8 ft. from one
side, beginning at the center and ex-
tending to the end of the main building.
These poles were about 6 ft. long above
the ground. The rafter poles for this
part were about O 1 /^ ft. long, notched
at both ends for the plates, the ends of
the house rafters being sawed off even
with the outside of the plate along this
edge. The rafter poles for the house
were 10 in all, 8 ft. long, and were laid
off and cut to fit a ridge made of a
board. These poles were notched
about 15 in. from their lower ends to
fit over the rounding edge of the plate
pole, and were then placed directly over
each vertical wall pole. They were
nailed both to the plate and to the
ridge, also further strengthened by a
brace made of a piece of board or a

Gate Openings were Made in the Fence Where

Necessary, and Gates of Poles Hung

in the Ordinary Manner

small pole, placed under the ridge and
nailed to both rafters. On top of the
rafters boards were placed horizontally,
spaced about 1 ft. apart, but this is

optional with the builder, as other roof-
ing material can be used. In this
instance metal roofing was used, and

railing. It is very easy to make orna-
mental parts, such as shown, on the
eave of the porch, by splitting sticks

it only required fastening at intervals,
and to prevent rusting out, it was well
painted on the under side before laying
it and coated on the outside when fas-
tened in place. If a more substantial
shelter is wanted, it is best to lay the
roof solid with boards, then cover it
with the regular prepared roofing
material.

Some large trees were selected and
felled, then cut into 4-ft. lengths and
the bark removed, or if desired, the
bark removed in 4-ft. lengths, and
nailed on the outside of the poles,
beginning at the bottom in the same
manner as laying shingles, to form the
siding of the house. If a more substan-
tial house is wanted, boards can be
nailed on the poles, then the bark fast-
ened to the boards; aNo, the interior
can be finished in wall board.

The same general construction is
used for the porch, with horizontal
poles latticed, as shown, to form the

All Furniture, Together with the Large Lawn
Swings, Took on the General Appearance of the
Woodland, and As the Pieces were Made Up
of the Same Material As the Houses, the
Cost Was Only the Labor and a Few Nails

and nailing them on closely together
to make a frieze. Floors are laid on the
porch and in the house, and doors hung
and window sash fitted in the same
manner as in an ordinary house.

A band stand was constructed on
sloping ground, and after setting the
poles, the floor horizontals were placed
about 2 ft. above the ground, on the
upper side, and 4 ft. on the lower side.
The poles used were about 18 ft. long.
Instead of having the horizontals 2 it.
apart, the first was placed 1 ft. above
the floor, the next at about one-half the
distance from the lower one to the plate
at the top, and the space between was
ornamented with cross poles, as shown.
A balcony or bay was constructed at
one end, and a fancy roof was made of
poles whose ends rested on a curved
pole attached to the vertical pieces.
Steps were formed of several straight
poles, hewn down on their ends to make
a level place to rest on horizontal pieces

attached to stakes at the ends. A pair
of stakes were used at each end of a
step, and these were fastened to a slant-
ing piece at the top, their lower ends
being set into the ground. The manner
of bracing and crossing with horizon-
tals makes a rigid form of construction,
and if choice poles are selected for the
step pieces, they will be comparatively
level and of sufficient strength to hold
up all the load put on them. The roof
of this building was made for a sun

TOP OF POST

The Entrance to the Grounds was Given an Inviting
Appearance with Large Posts and Swinging Gates

shade only and consisted of boards
nailed closely together on the rafters.

An ice-cream parlor was built on the
same plan, but without any board floor ;
the ground, being level, was used
instead. There were five vertical poles
used for each end with a space left
between the two poles at the center, on
both sides, for an entrance. This build-
ing was covered with prepared roofing,

so that the things kept for sale could
be protected in case of a shower.

A peanut stand was also built with-
out a floor, and to make it with nine
sides, nine poles were set in the ground
to form a perfect nonagon and joined
at their tops with latticed horizontals.
Then a rafter was run from the top of
each post to the center, and boards were
fitted on each pair of rafters over the
V-shaped openings. The boards were
then covered with prepared roofing.
A railing was formed of horizontals
set in notches, cut in the posts, and then
ornamented in the same manner as for
the other buildings.

Fences were constructed about the
grounds, made of pole posts with hori-
zontals on top, hewn down and fitted
as the plates for the house; and the
lower pieces were set in the same as
for making the house railing. Gates
were made of two vertical pieces, the
height of the posts, and two horizon-
tals, then braced with a piece running
from the lower corner at the hinge side
to the upper opposite corner, the other
cross brace being joined to the sides of
the former, whereupon two short hori-
zontals were fitted in the center. A
blacksmith formed some hinges of rods
and strap iron, as shown, and these
were fastened in holes bored in the post
and the gate vertical. A latch w r as made
by boring a hole through the gate ver-
tical and into the end of the short piece.
Then a slot was cut in the side to re-
ceive a pin inserted in a shaft made to
fit the horizontal hole. A keeper was
made in the post by boring a hole to
receive the end of the latch.

Large posts were constructed at the
entrance to the grounds, and on these
double swing gates, made up in the
same manner as the small one, were
attached. These large posts were built
up of four slender poles and were con-
siderably higher than the fence poles.
The poles were set in a perfect square,
having sides about 18 in. long, and a
square top put on by inhering the cor-
ners, whereupon four small rafters were
fitted on top. The gates were swung
on hinges made like those for the small
gate.

Among the best and most enjoyed
amusement devices on the grounds
were the swings. Several of these were
built, with and without tables. Four
poles, about 20 ft. long, were set in the
ground at an angle, and each pair of
side poles was joined with two horizon-
tals, about 12 ft. long, spreaders being
fastened between the two horizontals
to keep the tops of the poles evenly
spaced. The distance apart of the poles
will depend on the size of the swing
and the number of persons to be seated.
Each pair of side poles are further
strengthened with crossed poles, as
shown. If no table is to be used in
the swing, the poles may be set closer
together, so that the top horizontals
will be about 8 ft. long. The platform
for the swinging part consists of two
poles, 12 ft. long, which are swung on
six vertical poles, about 14 ft. long.
These poles are attached to the top hor-

izontals with long bolts, or rods, run-
ning through both, the bottom being
attached in the same manner. Poles
are nailed across the platform horizon-
tals at the bottom for a floor, and a
table with seats at the ends is formed
of poles. The construction is obvious.

A short space between two trees can
be made into a seat by fastening two
horizontals, one on each tree, with the
ends supported by braces. Poles are
nailed on the upper surface for a seat.

Other furniture for the house and
grounds was made of poles in the man-
ner illustrated. Tables were built for
picnickers by setting four or six poles
in the ground and making a top of poles
or boards. Horizontals were placed
across the legs with extending ends, on
which seats were made for the tables.
Chairs and settees were built in the
same manner, poles being used for the
entire construction.

An Electric Water Heater

Procure the barrel and cap from a
hand bicycle pump and prepare them
as follows : Make a tube of paper, about
double the thickness of a postal card,
to fit snugly in the pump barrel and oil
it slightly before slipping it into place.
Procure some resistance wire of the
proper length and size to heat quickly.
The wire can be tested out by coiling it
on some nonconducting material, such
as an earthen jug or glazed tile, and
connecting one end to the current
supply and running the other wire of
the supply over the coil until it heats
properly. Cut the resistance at this
point and temporarily coil it to fit into
the bottom of the pump barrel, allowing
one end to extend up through the space
in the center with sufficient length to
make a connection to supply wires.

Mix some dental plaster to the con-
sistency of thick cream and, while keep-
ing the wire in the center of the pump
barrel, pour in the mixture until it is
filled to within 1% in. of the top. Al-
low the plaster to set for about a day,
then remove it from the barrel and take
off the paper roll. The coil of wire at

the bottom is now straightened out and
wound in a coil over the outside of the
plaster core, allowing sufficient end for
connecting to the supply wires.

Cut two or three disks of mica to
fit snugly in the bottom of the pump
barrel, also cut a mica sheet to make a
covering tube over the coil on the plas-
ter core and insert the whole into the
barrel. The two terminals are con-
nected to the ends of a flexible cord
which has a plug attached to the oppo-
site end. Be sure to insulate the ends
of the wire where they connect to the
flexible cord inside of the pump barrel
under the cap. In winding the resist-

An Electric Heating Coil Made "of Resistance Wire

Placed in a Bicycle-Pump Barrel

for Boiling Water

ance wire on the core, be sure that one
turn does not touch the other. The
heater when connected to a current
supply and placed in 1 qt. of water will
bring it to a boil quickly. Contributed
by A. H. Waychoff, Lyons, Colo.

By F. S. CHARLES

A good site, pure water in abun-
dance, and a convenient fuel supply,
are the features of a temporary camp
that should be given first considera-
tion when starting out to enjoy a va-
cation in the woods. The site should
be high and dry, level enough for the
tent and camp fire, and with surround-
ing ground sloping enough to insure
proper drainage. A sufficient fuel
supply is an important factor, and a
spot should be chosen where great ef-
fort is not required to collect it and
get it into proper shape for the fire.

When locating near streams of
water be careful to select a spot above

If the camping party consists of more
than two persons, each one should do
the part allotted to him, and the work
will be speedily accomplished. Re-
member that discipline brings effi-
ciency, and do not be slack about a
camp just because it is pleasure. One
of the party should attend to the camp
fire and prepare the meals while an-
other secures the fuel and water. The
tent can be unpacked and the ground
cleared by the other members of the
party, and when ready, all should as-
sist in raising the tent, especially if it
is a large one.

Tents

An ordinary A or wedge tent is suf-
ficient for one or two campers. Where
you do not wish to locate permanently,
this tent can be set up and taken down
quickly. It should have a ring fas-
tened to the cloth in each peak through
which to pass a
rope or line to
take the place of
a ridge pole.
Such a tent can
be pitched be-

Wall Tent

high water mark

so the ground will

not be overflowed

by a sudden rise

of the stream. Do

not select the site Lean-To of Boughs

of an old camp, as the surroundings

are usually stripped of all fuel, and

the grounds are unclean.

Division of Work

Clear the selected spot and lay out
the lines for the tent, camp fire, etc.

Log Cabin

Fire between Two Logs

tween two trees or saplings, and, after
tying the rope to the trees, it can be
tightened with a long forked stick,
placed under one end of the rope. If
two trees are not conveniently located,
then two poles crossed and tied to-
gether will make supports for one or
both ends, the ridge line running over
them and staked to the ground.

On a chilly night, the A tent is quite
advantageous. The stakes can be
pulled on one side and the cloth
doubled to make a lean-to, open on the
side away from the wind. A fire can
be built in front and the deflected heat
on the sleeper will keep him comfort-
able and warm.

For larger parties, the wall tent with
a fly is recommended. These tents can
be purchased in various sizes. The fly
is an extra covering stretched over the
top to make an open air space between
the two roofs. It keeps the interior of
the tent delightfully cool in hot sum-
mer weather and provides a better pro-
tection from rain. The fly can be made
extra long, to extend over the end of
the tent, making a shady retreat which
can be used for lounging or a dining
place.

Protection from Insects

Where mosquitoes and other insects
are numerous, it is well to make a
second tent of cheesecloth with bind-
ing tape along the top to tie it to the
ridge pole of the regular tent. The
sides should be made somewhat longer
than the regular tent so that there will
be plenty of cloth to weight it down

Fire Built against a Log

at the bottom. This second tent
should be made without any opening
whatever. The occupant must crawl
under the edge to enter. The cheese-
cloth tent is used inside of the ordi-
nary tent, and when not in use it is
pushed aside.

Two camps are illustrated showing
the construction of a lean-to for a tem-
porary one-season camp, and a log
cabin which makes a permanent place
from year to year. (A more elaborate
and more expensive camp was de-
scribed in the May issue of this maga-
zine.) The construction of these
camps are very simple. The first is
made of poles cut in the woods. A
ridge pole is placed between two trees
or held in place with poles of sufficient

'- J '/''' ' :l'' ':, -, ' ,-^: ' ~* ~~TC' 7 1 \ W.\yi\

Forked Sticks Supporting Cooking Utensils

length, set in the ground. Poles are
placed' on this at an angle of about 45
deg., forming a lean-to that will be en-

tirely open in front when finished. The
poles are covered, beginning; at the
bottom, with pine boughs, laid in lay-
ers so as to make a roof that will shed
water. A large fire, built a short dis-
tance from the open front will make a
warm place to sleep, the heat being re-
flected down the same as described for
the A tent.

A Permanent Camp

A good permanent camp is a log
cabin. This can be constructed of ma-
terials found in the woods. Trees may
be felled, cut to length, and notched to
join the ends together at each corner
so as to leave little or no space be-
tween the logs. The roof is con-
structed of long clapboards, split from
blocks of wood. The builder can fin-
ish such a camp as elaborately as he
chooses, and for this reason the site
should be selected with great care.

Camp Fires

There is no better way to make a
camp tire than to have a large log or
two against which to start a fire with
small boughs. Larger sticks can be
placed over the logs in such a way as
to hold a pot of water or to set a fry-
ing pan. Forked sticks can be laid on
the log and weighted on the lower end
with a stone, using the upper end to
hang a cooking vessel over the flames.
Two logs placed parallel, with space
enough between for the smaller sticks,
make one of the best camp cooking ar-

rangements. Two forked sticks, one
at each end of the logs, may be set
in the ground and a pole placed in the
forks lengthwise of the fire. This
makes a convenient place for hanging
the cooking utensils with bent wires.

Food Supplies

The conditions in various localities
make a difference in the camper's ap-
petite and in consequence no special
list of food can be recommended, but
the amount needed by the average
person in a vacation camp for two
weeks, is about as follows:

Bacon 151b.

Ham 5"

Flour 20"

Corn Meal 5"

Rice 5"

Baking Powder % Ib.

Sug-ar 5 "

Beans .. 4 "

Salt 2 "

Lard 3 "

Coffee 31b.

A number of small things must be
added to this list, such as pepper, olive
oil, sage, nutmeg and vinegar. If the
weight is not to be considered, canned
goods, preserves, jam and marmalade,
also vegetables and dried fruits may
be added. Do not forget soap and
matches.

Food can be kept cool in a box or
a box-like arrangement made of
straight sticks over which burlap is
hung and kept wet. This is accom-
plished by setting a pan on top of the
box and fixing wicks of cloth over the
edges. The wicks will siphon the
water out evenly and keep the burlap
wet.

A Drinking Tube

When on a walking tour through the
woods or country, it might be well to
provide a way to procure water for
drinking purposes. Take with you
several feet of small rubber tubing and
a few inches of hollow cane of the size
to fit the tube.

In one end insert the cane for a
mouthpiece, and allow the other end
to reach into the water. Exhaust the
air from the tube and the water will
rush up to your lips. Contributed by
L. Alberta Norrell, Augusta, Ga.

Washing Photographic Prints

The usual way of washing photo-
graphic prints is to place them in a
shallow tray in which they will be-
come stuck together in bunches, if
they are not often separated. A
French magazine suggests that a deep
tank be used instead, and that each
print be attached to a cork by means
of a pin stuck through one corner, the
cork thus becoming a float which keeps
the print suspended vertically, and at
the same time prevents contact with
its nearest neighbor.

Camp Furnishings

By CHELSEA CURTIS FRASER

When on a camping trip nothing
should be carried but the necessities,
and the furnishings should be made up
from materials found in the woods. A
good spring bed can be made up in the
following manner: Cut two stringers
from small, straight trees, about 4 in.
in diameter, and make them about 6 ft.
long. All branches are trimmed off
smooth and a trench is dug in the
ground for each piece, the trenches
being 24 in. apart. Small saplings,
about 1 in. in diameter, and as straight
as can be found, are cut and trimmed of
all branches, and nailed across the
stringers for the springs. Knots, bulges,
etc., should be turned downward as far
as possible. The ends of each piece
are flattened as shown at A, Fig. 1, to
give it a good seat on the stringers.

A larger sapling is cut. flattened, and
nailed at the head of the bed across the
stringers, and to it a number of head-
stay saplings, B, are nailed. These
head-stay pieces are cut about 12 in.
long, sharpened on one end and driven
a little way into the ground, after which
they are nailed to the head crosspiece.

In the absence of an empty mattress
tick and pillow cover which can be
filled with straw, boughs of fir may be
used. These boughs should not be
larger than a match and crooked stems
should be turned down. Begin at the
head of the bed and lay a row of boughs

FIG. I

Camp Bed Made of Saplings with Several Layers
of Boughs for the Mattress

with the stems pointing toward the
foot. Over this row, and half-lapping
it, place another row so that the tops of

the boughs lie on the line C and their
stems on the line D. This process is
continued until the crosspiece springs
are entirely covered, and then another
layer is laid in the same manner on top

Fto.3

A Table Made of Packing-Box Material and a
Wash Basin Stand of Three Stakes

of these, and so on, until a depth of 5
or 8 in. is obtained. This will make a
good substitute for a mattress. A pil-
low can be made by filling a meal bag
with boughs or leaves.

A good and serviceable table can be
constructed from a few fence boards, or
boards taken from a packing box. The
table and chairs are made in one piece,
the construction being clearly shown in
Fig. 2. The height of the ends should
be about 29 in., and the seats about 17
in. from the ground. The other dimen-
sions will be governed by the material
at hand and the number of campers.

A wash-basin support can be made of
three stakes, cut from saplings and
driven in the ground, as shown in
Fig. 3. The basin is hung by its rim
between the ends of the stakes.

Wherever a suitable tree is handy, a
seat can be constructed as shown in
Fig. 4. Bore two 1-in. holes, 8 in.
apart, in the trunk, 15 in. above the
ground, and drive two pins, about 12
in. long, cut from a sapling into them.
The extending ends are supported on
legs of the same material. The seat is
made of a slab with the rounding side
down.

A clothes hanger for the tent ridge

pole can be made as shown in Fig. 5.
The hanger consists of a piece, 7 in.
long, cut from a 2-in. sapling, nails be-

Fio5

A Seat Against the Trunk of a Tree, and a Clothes
Hanger for the Tent Ridge Pole

ing driven into its sides for hooks. The
upper end is fitted with a rope which is
tied over the ridge pole of the tent.

A Fruit Stemmer

In the berry season the stemmer
shown in the sketch is a very handy
article for the
kitchen. It is
made of spring
steel and tem-
pered, the length
being about 2 1 /2
i n. T he end
used for removing the stem is ground
from the outside edge after tempering.
A ring large enough to admit the sec-
ond finger is soldered at a convenient
distance from the end on one leg.
Contributed by H. F. Reams, Nashville,
Tennessee.

a iV m - hole in the center of the wood
plug and fit another plug into this hole
with sufficient end projecting to be
shaped for the length of the steel pen
to be used. The shank of the pen and
the plug must enter the hole together.
One side of the projecting end of the
plug should be shaped to fit the inside
surface of the pen and then cut off at
a point a little farther out than the eye
in the pen. On the surface that is to
lie against the pen a groove is cut in
the plug extending from near the point
to the back end where it is to enter
the hole in the first plug. The under
side of the plug is shaped about as
shown.

The other cartridge is cut off at such
a point that it will fit on the tapering
end of the first one, and is used for a
cap. The cartridge being filled with
ink and the plug inserted, the ink will
flow down the small groove in the
feeder plug and supply the pen with
ink. Care must be taken that the sur-
face of the smaller plug fits the pen
snugly and that the groove is not cut
through to the point end. This will
keep the ink from flooding, and only
that which is used for writing will be
able to get through or leak out. Con-
tributed by Edwin N. Harnish, Ceylon,
Canada.

A Homemade Fountain Pen

A very serviceable fountain pen can
be made' from two 38-72 rifle cartridges
and a steel pen. Clean out the cart-
ridges, fit a hardwood plug tightly in

One Cartridge Shell Makes the Fountain Part of the
Pen, and the Other the Cap

the end of one shell, and cut it off
smooth with the end of the metal. Drill

Destroying Caterpillars on
Grapevines

The grapes in my back yard were
being destroyed by caterpillars which
could be found under all the large
leaves. The vine was almost dead when
I began, to cut off all the large leaves
and those eaten by the caterpillars,
which allowed the sun's rays to reach
the grapes. This destroyed all the
caterpillars and the light and heat
ripened the grapes. Contributed by
Wm. Singer, Ranway, N. J.

CIt will require 1 gal. of ordinary
mixed calcimine to cover 270 sq. ft. of
plastered surface, 180 sq. ft. of brick-
work and 225 sq. ft. of average wood-
work.

A Camp Provision Box

While on a camping and canoeing
trip recently, I used a device which
added a touch of completeness to our
outfit and made camp life really enjoy-
able. This useful device is none other
than a provision or "grub" box.

From experience campers know that
the first important factor in having a
successful trip is compactness of out-
fit. When undertaking an outing of
this kind it is most desirable to have
as few bundles to
carry as possible,
especially if one is
going to be on the
move part of the
time. This device
eliminates an un-
necessary amount
of bundles, thus
making the trip
easier for the
campers, a n d
doubly so if they
intend canoeing
part of the time ;
and, apart from its
usefulness as a provision container,
it affords a general repository for the
small articles which mean so much to
the camper's welfare.

The box proper may be made of any
convenient size, so long as it is not too
cumbersome for two people to handle.
The dimensions given are for a box I

The Provision Box Ready for Use in Camp,

the Cover Turned Back on the Brackets

and the Legs Extended

larger box is much to be preferred. A
glance at the figures will show the
general proportions of the box. It may
be possible, in some cases, to secure a
strong packing box near the required
dimensions, thus doing away with the
trouble of constructing it. The dis-
tinguishing features of this box are the
hinged cover, the folding legs, and the
folding brackets. The brackets, upon
which the top rests when open, fold in
against the back
of the box when
not in use. The
same may be said
of the legs. They
fold up alongside
the box and are
held there by
spring-brass clips.
On our trips we
carry an alcohol
stove on which we
do all of our cook-
ing. The inner
side of the top is
covered with a
sheet of asbestos, this side being upper-
most when the hinged top is opened
and resting on the folding brackets.
The stove rested on this asbestos, thus
making everything safe. The cover is
large enough to do all the cooking on,
and the box is so high that the cooking
can be attended to without stooping

LEG AGAINST 6OX END

BRACKET

CLOSED

BRACKET OPEN

U L. I ' I II U

The Brackets for the Cover as Well as Each of the Four Legs Fold Against the Sides of the Box in Such a Manner
as to be Out of the Way, Making the Box Easy to Carry and Store Away in a Small Space

used on a canoe trip of several hundred
miles; and from experience I know it
to be of a suitable size for canoeists.
If the camper is going to have a fixed
camp and have his luggage hauled, a

over, which is much more pleasant
than squatting before a camp fire get-
ting the eyes full of smoke. The legs
are hinged to the box in such a man-
ner that all of the weight of the box

rests on the legs rather than on the
hinges, and are kept from spreading
apart by wire turnbuckles. These, be-
ing just bolts and wire, may be tucked
inside the box when on the move. The

: BUTTON TO
HOLD BRACKCTS

Detail of the Turnbuckle, Button to Hold the Brackets,
and the Spring Clip for Holding the Legs on the
Side of the Box

top is fitted with unexposed hinges and
with a lock to make it a safe place for
storing valuables.

In constructing the cover it is well
to make it so that it covers the joints
of the sides, thus making the box
waterproof from the top, if rain should
fall on it. A partition can be made in
one end to hold odds and ends. A tray
could be installed, like the tray in a
trunk, to hold knives, forks, spoons,
etc., while the perishable supplies are
kept und'erneath the tray. Give the
box two coats of lead paint, and shellac
the inside.

The wire braces for the legs are
made as follows. Procure four ma-
chine bolts, about % in. in diameter and
2 in. long any thread will do with
wing nuts and washers to fit. Saw or
file off the heads and drill a small hole
in one end of each bolt, large enough
to receive a No. 16 galvanized iron
wire. Two inches from the bottom of
each leg drill a hole to take the bolt
loosely. Determine the exact distance
between the outside edges of the legs
when the box is resting on them. Make
the wire braces 1 in. longer than this
distance so that the bolts will protrude
through the holes in the legs and allow
for putting on the nuts and washers.
Screwing up on the nuts draws the
wire taut, thus holding the legs firm.

The size of the top determines the
dimensions of the folding brackets
which support it when open. These
brackets may be solid blocks of wood,
but a lighter and more serviceable
bracket is constructed as follows. If
the top is 20 in. wide and 30 in. long,

make the brackets 10 by 13 in. Con-
structing the brackets so that their
combined length is 4 in. shorter than
the total length of the box, facilitates
their folding against the back of the box
when not in use. This point is clearly
shown in the drawing. Our brackets
were made of ^-in. oak, I 1 /* in. wide,
and the joints halved together. They
are hinged to the back of the box as
shown ; and when folded are held in
place by a simple catch. The weight
of the lid is sufficient to hold the brack-
ets in place when open, but to make
sure they will not creep when in use in-
sert a ^-in. dowel in the end of each so
that it protrudes Vi in. Drill two holes
in the top to the depth of !/ in., so that
when the top rests on the brackets,
these holes engage with the dowels.
In hinging the brackets to the back see
that they are high enough to support
the lid at right angles to the box.

The box here shown is made of %
in. white pine throughout. The legs
are % by 2% by 18 in. They are fast-
ened to the box with ordinary strap
hinges. When folded up against the
box they do not come quite to the top
so that the box should be at least 19
in. high for 18-in. legs. About 2 in.
from the bottom of the legs drive in a
brad so it protrudes % in. as shown.
This brad engages in a hole in the
spring-brass clip when folded up as
shown in the illustration.

If in a fixed camp, it is a good idea
to stand the legs in tomato cans partly
full of water. This prevents ants from
crawling up the legs into the box, but
it necessitates placing the wire braces
higher on the legs.

Our box cost us nothing but the
hardware, as we knocked some old
packing boxes to pieces and planed up
enough boards to make the sides. Of
course, the builder need not adhere to
these dimensions, for he can make the
size to suit his requirements, while the
finish is a matter of personal taste.

CA blue writing ink is easily made of
1 oz. Prussian blue, li/o oz. oxalic acid
and 1 pt. of soft water. Shake and
allow it to stand until dissolved.

Wall Pockets in a Tent

When camping I find a few wall
pockets sewed to the tent walls at the
back end provide a convenient means
to hold the soap, mirror, razor and
other small articles liable to be lost.
The pockets can be made of the same
material as the tent and sewed on as a
patch pocket. Contributed by A. M.
Barnes, Atlanta, Ga.

Camp Stoves

The camp stoves illustrated are dif-
ferent forms of the same idea. Both
can be taken apart and laid flat for
packing. Iron rods, % in. in diameter,
are used for the legs. They are
sharpened at the lower end so that
they may be easily driven into the
ground. The rods of the one shown
in the first illustration are bent in
the form of a hook at the upper end,
and two pieces of light tire iron, with
holes in either end, are hung on these

Camp-Stove Top, Either Solid or Pieced, Supported
on Rods at the Corners

hooks. Across these supports are
laid other pieces of the tire iron. In
the other stove, the rods have a large
head and are slipped through holes in
the four corners of the piece of heavy
sheet iron used for the top. A cotter
is slipped through a hole in each rod
just below the top, to hold the latter
in place. Contributed by Mrs. Lelia
Munsell, Herington, Kansas.

Attractor for Game Fish

A piece of light wood, shaped as
shown and with four small screweyes
attached, makes a practical attractor
for game fish, such as bass, etc., by its
action when drawn through the water

or carried by the flow of a stream
Hooks are attached to three of the
screweves and the fourth one, on the

A Device for Attracting Game Fish
Which is Used in Place of Bait

sloping surface, is used for the line.
Contributed by Arthur Vogel, In-
dianapolis, Ind.

Simple Photographic-Print Washer

The ordinary washbowl supplied
with a faucet may be easily converted
into a washing tray for photographic
prints or film negatives. Procure a
medicine dropper from a druggist, and
attach it to the faucet end with a short
piece of rubber tubing. Be sure to
procure a dropper that has the point
turned at right angles to the body.

The Whirling Motion
U^Set Up by the Forced
J-^> Stream at an Angle
^Thoroughly Washes
Prints

When the water is turned on it is
forced through the small opening in
the dropper in such a manner that the
water in the bowl is kept in a constant
whirling motion. This will keep the
prints on the move, which is necessary
for a thorough washing.

How to Make an Electric Fishing
Signal

A unique electric fishing signal,
which may be rigged up on a wharf
or pier, and the electric circuit so ar-

Construction of the Parts to Make the Contact Points
and the Electric Connections

ranged as to operate an electric bell
or buzzer, located in the fisherman's
cottage, or any other convenient place,
may be constructed as follows: Ob-
tain two pieces of t'g-in. spring brass,
one 6 in. long and % m - wide, and the
other 7 in. long and !/> in. wide. Mount
a 3-in. brass wood screw, A, in one
end of the 6-in. piece as shown.

Place over the end of the 6-in. piece
a thin sheet of insulating fiber, B, al-
lowing it to extend down on each side
about 1 in. Then bend a piece of Vj-in.
brass, C, over the insulating fiber, al-
lowing it to extend down on each side
the same distance as the insulating
fiber. Drill a small hole through the
lower ends of the U-shaped piece of
brass, C, the insulation, B, and the
6-in. piece, while they are all in place.
Remove the insulation and the U-
shaped brass piece, and tap the holes
in the brass for a machine screw, D.
Enlarge the hole in the 6-in piece, and
provide an insulating bushing for it
with an opening of the same diameter
as the brass machine screw. Mount
a small binding post, E, on one side of
the U-shaped piece of brass, and the
parts may then be put together and

held in place by means of the brass
screw.

Drill two holes in the other end of
the 6-in piece, also two holes in one
end of the 7-in piece, and rivet them
together with two small rivets. The
7-in. piece should project beyond the
end of the 6-in. piece. A piece of thin
spring brass should be made into the
form of a spiral, F, and fastened to
the upper end of the 7-in. piece. Pro-
vision should be made for attaching
the fishline to the inside end of the
brass spiral. A small binding post
should be soldered to either the 6-in.
or 7-in. piece, at the bottom.

If the device is set up with the head
of the brass adjusting screw in the top
of the 6-in. piece, pointing in the di-
rection the line to the fishing hook is
to run, and if a fish pulls upon the
line, the 7-in. piece is pulled over and
touches the point of the adjusting
screw. If a battery and bell, or buzzer,
is connected as shown, the circuit will
be completed when the 7-in. piece
comes in contact with the adjusting
screw, and the bell will ring.

A Chair Swing

A comfortable porch or lawn swing
can be easily and quickly made with
a chair as a seat, as follows. Procure
some rope of sufficient strength to bear

The Ropes are Tied to the Chair so That It will be
Held in a Reclining Position

the weight of the person, and fasten
one end securely to one of the front
legs of the chair and the other end to
the same side of the back as shown

in the illustration, allowing enough
slack to form a right angle. Another
piece of rope, of the same length, is
then attached to the other side of the
chair. The supporting ropes are tied
to these ropes and to the joist or hold-
ing piece overhead. Contributed by
Wm. A. Robinson, Waynesboro, Pa.

Squaring Wood Stock

The device shown in the sketch is
a great help to the maker of mission
furniture as a guide on short cuts. It

Another Broom Holder

Of the many homemade devices for
holding a broom this is one of the
simplest, and one that any
handy boy can make.

It consists of a string,
about 1 ft. long, with a
knot at one end and the
other tied to a nail or
staple driven into the wall.
To hang up the broom
simply turn the string
around the handle as
shown, and the broom will
be held securely, because
its weight will pull the
string taut and the knot at the end
will prevent the string from running
off the handle. Contributed by Jef
De Vries, Antwerp, Belgium.

The Saw Teeth Edge can be Run through Both
Pieces, the Stock being in the Corner

consists of two pieces of wood, A and
B, preferably of oak, fastened together
at right angles by two large flat-head
screws. The pieces should be placed
exactly at right angles.

A cut is then made through both
pieces. The cut on B should be ex-
actly at right angles to the surface of
piece A. This device can be either
clamped on a board or merely held
by hand, and will insure a true cut.
Contributed by F. W. Pumphrey,
Owensboro, Ky.

A Wind Vane

A novelty in wind vanes is shown
in the accompanying sketch. The
vane can be made of sheet metal
or carved from light wood. The
wings are so set on the body as to
cause the dragon to rise when the
wind strikes them. The dragon is
pivoted on a shaft running through
its center of gravity, so it will read-
ily turn with the wind. The tail
part may also be made to revolve
as the propeller of an aeroplane.

The length and size of the shaft
will depend on the dimen-
sions of the dragon, and
similarly, the location of
the weights on the chains
will be determined by its size and
weight. Upon these circumstances
and the varying velocities of the wind
will depend how high the dragon

will rise on its shaft, and the height
reached by it will thus serve to in-
dicate in a relative manner only
the velocity of the wind, but it
is also possible to arrange the
weights at such distances apart that
C the dragon will rise to A in a 20-mile
wind, to B in a 30-mile wind, to C
in a 40-mile gale, and so on, with
B as many weights as desired. This
can be done with the aid of an
anemometer, if one can be borrowed
for some time, or the device may
be taken to the
nearest weather
bureau to be
set. Contrib-
uted by H. J. Holden, Ontario, Cal.

CNever rock a file push it straight on
filing work.

10O

How to Make a Flutter Ring

The flutter ring is for inclosing in
an envelope and to surprise the per-
son opening it by the revolving of the

thick ; an arm, % in. wide, 14 in. thick
and 6 in. long, and a metal bracket.
The arm is fastened to the bracket
and the bracket to the wall. A screw
is turned through a loose-fitting hole
bored in the end of the arm and into
the disk. Screw hooks are placed
around the edge of the dish as hang-
ers. Contributed by A. R. Moore,
Toronto, Can.

The Shape of Wlre^nd Manner^ Attaching the Homemade HingCS for BoXCS

ring. The main part is made of a
piece of wire, A, bent so that the
depth will be about 2 in. and the
length 4 in. Procure or make a ring,
2 in. in diameter. The ring should
be open like a key ring. Use two
rubber bands, BB, in connecting the
ring to the wire.

To use it, turn the ring over re-
peatedly, until the rubber bands are
twisted tightly, then lay it flat in a
paper folded like a letter. Hand it
to someone in this shape or after first
putting it into an envelope. When
the paper is opened up, the ring will
do the rest. Contributed by D.
Andrew McComb, Toledo, O.

A Kitchen Utensil Hanger

Every cook knows how trouble-
some it is to have several things hang-
ing on one nail. When one of the
articles is wanted it is usually at the
back, and the others must be removed
to secure it. A revolving rack for
hanging a can opener, egg beater and
cooking spoons, etc., takes up less

The Hook Support Revolves so as to Make Each One
Readily Accessible for Hanging Utensils

space than several nails, and places
every article within easy reach as well
as providing individual hooks for all
the pieces.

The rack is easily made of a block
of wood, 2y~2 in. in diameter and 1 in.

A very simple form of hinge can be
made as shown in the sketch. It is
merely a matter of cutting out two
pieces of flat steel, A, punching holes
in them for screws or nails, and fas-
tening them to the box corners, one
on each side. When the box is open,
the lid swings back clear and is out

Hinge Parts Made of Sheet Metal and Their Use on
a Box Cover

of the way. A hinge of this kind is
very strong. For a light box, the parts
can be cut from tin. Contributed by
Chas. Homewood, Waterloo, Iowa.

To Remove Odors from Ice Boxes

An easy way to prevent odors in an
ice box is to place a can of coke in
the box. This will take up all gases
and prevent milk from tasting of
onions or vegetables which may be
kept in the box.

In factories where bad odors are apt
to spoil the men's lunches put up in
pails or baskets, a box can be con-
structed to hold these receptacles and
a large pail of coke placed in it. Any-
thing placed in this box will remain
free from odors, and fresh. Contrib-
uted by Loren Ward, Des Moines,
Iowa.

101

Preventing Window Sash from
Freezing to the Sill

When it is cold enough to cause the
window sash to freeze fast in the bath-
room and bedrooms not having double
sash, much discomfort will be expe-
rienced and the health may even be
menaced. I have discovered a simple
method to overcome this difficulty.
Lay on the outside sill, close up
against the window frame, a thin, nar-
row strip of wood, on which the
window can rest when down. This
gives a continual current of fresh air
between the sashes at the center, but
no unpleasant draft below, and no
amount of dripping and freezing will
fasten the window sash upon it. Con-
tributed by Mary Murry, Amherst,
Nova Scotia.

A Hanger for the Camp

A garment, or utensil, hanger can
be easily made for the camp in the
following manner : Procure a long
strap, about li/4
in. wide, and at-
tach hooks made
of wire to it.
Each hook
should be about 4 in.
long and of about No. 9
gauge wire. Bend a
ring on one end of the
wire and stick the other
end through a hole
punched in the center of the belt. The
ring will prevent the wire from passing
through the leather, and it should be
bent in such a manner that the hook
end of the wire will hang downward
when the width of the belt is vertical.
These hooks are placed about 2 in.
apart for the length of the belt, allow-
ing sufficient ends for a buckle and
holes. The strap can be buckled
around a tree or tent pole. Contrib-
uted by W. C. Loy, Rochester, Ind.

Locking Several Drawers with One
Lock

A lock for a number of drawers in a
bench or cabinet
may be applied
with a strip of
wood hinged to
the cabinet edge
so that it will
overlap the
drawer fronts, as
shown. A hasp
and staple com-
plete the ar-
rangement for
use with a padlock. Contributed by
H. W. Hahn, Chicago.

A Lightning-Calculation Trick

By means of a simple arrangement of
numbers, a calculation can be made
which will easily puzzle any unsuspect-
ing person. If the two numbers 41,096
and 83 be written out in multiplication
form, very few will endeavor to write
down the answer directly without first
going through the regular work. By
placing the 3 in front of the 4 and the
8 back of the 6, the answer is obtained
at once, thus: 41,096X83=3,410,968.
A larger number which can be treated
in the same way is the following:
4,109,589,041,096X83=341,095,890,410,-
968.

CNever stand in a direct line of a
swiftly revolving object, such as an
emery wheel.

An Adjustable Nutcracker

The advantage of the nutcracker
shown in the illustration is that it can
be adjusted to various-sized nuts. The
handles are similar
to those usually
found on nutcrackers
except that they are
slotted at the crack-
ing end to receive a
special bar. This
bar is 3 in. long, !/>
in. wide, and % in.
thick, with %-in.
holes drilled in it at intervals to allow
for adjustment. Cotters are used in
the holes as pins.

102

Substitute for a Rubber Stamp

A large number of coupons had to
be marked, and having no suitable
rubber stamp at hand, I selected a

Initials Cut in a Cork Served the Purpose in the
Absence of a Rubber Stamp

cork with a smooth end and cut the
initials in it. I found that it worked
as well, not to say better, than a rubber
stamp. An ordinary rubber-stamp pad
was used for inking. Angular letters
will cut better than curved ones, as
the cork quickly dulls the edge of any
cutting tool. Contributed by James
M. Kane, Doylestown, Pa.

A Furniture Polish

A good pastelike furniture polish,
which is very cheap and keeps indefi-
nitely, can be made as follows: Mix
3 oz. of white wax, 3 oz. of pearlash,
commonly known as potassium car-
bonate, and 6 oz. of water. Heat the
mixture until it becomes dissolved,
then add 4 oz. of boiled linseed oil and
5 oz. of turpentine. Stir well and pour
into cans to cool. Apply with a cloth
and rub to a polish. The paste is non-
poisonous.

A Hanging Vase

A very neat and attractive hanging
corner vase can be made
of a colored bottle. The
bottom is broken out or
cut off as desired and a
wire hanger attached as
shown. The opening in
the neck of the bottle is
well corked. Rectangu-
lar shaped bottles fitted
with hangers can be
used on walls. Contrib-
uted by A. D. Tanaka,
Jujiya, Kioto, Japan.

Filing Soft Metals

It is well known to mechanics that
when lead, tin, soft solder or alum-
inum are riled, the file is soon filled
with the metal and it will not cut. It
cannot be cleaned like the wood rasp
by dipping it into hot water or pour-
ing boiling water over it, but if the
file and the work are kept wet with
water, there will be no trouble what-
ever. Both file and work must be kept
thoroughly wet at all times. Contrib-
uted by J. H. Beebee, Rochester, N. Y.

Locking Screws in Door Hinges

When screws once work loose in
hinges of doors they will never again
hold firmly in the same hole. This
trouble can be avoided if the screws
are securely locked when they are first
put on the door. The sketch shows a

The Screw is Permanently Locked with a Small Nail
Driven into the Slot Prepared for It

very successful way to lock the screws.
The hole in the hinge for the screw is
filed to produce a notch, as shown at
A, deep enough to receive a small wire
nail or brad, which is driven through
the slot in the screw head at one side,
as shown at B.

To Remove Grease from Clothing

Equal parts of ether, ammonia and
alcohol make a solution that will
readily remove grease from clothing.
The solution must be kept away from
fire, and should be contained in corked
bottles as it evaporates quickly, but
can be used without danger. It re-
moves grease spots from the finest
fabrics and is harmless to the texture.

([Jeweler's rouge rubbed well into
chamois skin is handy to polish gold
and silver articles with.

1O3

Stove Made of an Old Oilcan with Extending Sides and Weighted with Sand
for Use on a Fishing Boat Holds the Cooking Vessel Safely in a Sea

A Canoe Stove

BY F. V. WILLIAMS

Limited space and the rocking mo-
tion of salmon-fishing boats in a heavy
sea on the Pacific coast brought about
the construction of the canoe stove
shown in the illustration. It is made
of a discarded kerosene can whose form
is square. A draft hole is cut in one
side of the can, 4 or 5 in. from the bot-
tom, and a layer of sand placed
on the bottom. Two holes are
punched through opposite sides, par-
allel with the draft hole and about
3 in. from the top edge. Rods are
run through these holes to provide a
support for the cooking utensil. The
smoke from the fire passes out at the
corners around the vessel.

The main reason
for making the
stove in this manner is to hold the
cooking vessel within the sides extend-
ing above the rods. No amount of
rocking can cause the vessel to slide
from the stove top, and as the stove is
weighted with the sand, it cannot be
easily moved from the place where it
is set in the canoe.

The use of such a stove in a canoe
has the advantage that the stove can
be cleaned quickly, as the ashes and
fire can be clumped into the water and
the stove used for a storage box. The
whole thing may be tossed overboard
and a new one made for another trip.

To Prevent Washboard from Slipping
in Tub

The modern stationary washtubs
are box-shaped, with one side set at
an outward angle or slope. The wash-
board, when used in these tubs, will
slide up and down against the sloping
part of the tub while the clothes are
rubbed against them. This annoying
trouble can be avoided by tacking, on
the top edge of the board, strips of
rubber cut from a discarded bicycle
tire, placing the rubber side out. The
friction of the rubber prevents any
motion of the board. Contributed by
Jas. A. Hart, Philadelphia, Pa.

CTo print on celluloid, use a good
gloss ink and old rollers.

Clips to Hold Magazine Pages
Together

When a magazine is placed in a
bookcase the outer pages are liable to
turn back if it is inserted with the
back on the out-
side. To over-
come this diffi-
culty I made
clips for each
magazine to hold
the open pages
together. Each
clip was made
of wire, about 8
in. long, shaped
as shown. The width of the clip is
made equal to the thickness of the
magazine and the extending ends are

104

slightly pressed together so that they
will spring and grip the pages. Con-
tributed by W. A. Saul, E. Lexington,
Massachusetts.

Slide-Opening Cover for a Plate
Holder

The length of time required for the
slide of a plate holder to be removed

F.&.

F.c. 2

The Two Positions Occupied by the Slide-Opening
Cover as It is Used on a Camera

on a reflecting camera spoiled many
of my plates, because strong light
would enter the unprotected slot when
the camera was in certain positions.
To protect this slot so that the slide
could be left out indefinitely, I made
a cover of a piece of sheet metal hav-
ing three slots, to admit screws turned
into the camera. A knob was attached
at the center. The illustration shows
the application of this cover. In Fig.
1 the plate holder is shown slipped in
with the cover back, and Fig. 2 shows
the slide drawn and the cover over the
slot opening. Contributed by B. J.
Weeber, New York City.

Magnetic-Suspension Pendulum

When a pendulum is not periodically
supplied with energy its amplitude
grows smaller and finally the motion
ceases, due to the resistance of the air
and the friction at the point of suspen-
sion. Usually the suspension is in the
form of a knife edge bearing against

plates of agate ; sometimes the pendu-
lum rod is simply attached to a very
slender and flexible spring without any
bearings. But the minimum of friction
is obtained by means of magnetic sus-
pension, as the following experiment
will prove.

If the rod of a pendulum about 12 in.
long, beating half seconds, is sharpened
to a needle point and suspended from
one of the poles of a magnet, it will be
found that, if set into motion, it will
continue to swing 15 times as long as
the ordinary knife-edge suspended
pendulum, and it will not stop until
after about 16 hours, while one work-
ing on agate plates will stop in from
50 to 60 minutes. Similarly a top, pro-
vided with a fine-pointed axis of iron,
will spin much longer when suspended
from a magnet.

Magnetic suspension is used in preci-
sion instruments ; for example, the
minute mirrors which are used in cer-
tain telegraph systems to register writ-
ing photographically at the receiving
end.

Use for Pencil Stubs

In mechanical drawings cast iron is
indicated by a series of straight lines
across the parts made of this material.
These lines can
be quickly
made with the
usually dis-
carded pencil
stubs, if these
are saved and
sharpened i n
the following
manner: The point is filed flat, as
shown at A ; then a slot is filed in the
center of the lead with a knife file, as
shown at B, and the points sharpened
as in C. In this way two lines are
drawn at one stroke neatly and in half
the time. Contributed by J. Kolar,
Maywood, 111.

CTo sharpen a carving knife draw the
edge through and against the open
edge of a pair of shears.

105

How to Build a Paddle - Wheel Boat

By P. A. BAUMEISTER

THE paddle-wheel boat, illustrated
herewith, was built in the spare
time I had on rainy afternoons and
Saturdays, and the enjoyment I de-
rived from it at my summer camp more
than repaid me for the time spent in
the building. The materials used in
its construction were :

2 side boards. 14 ft. long. 10 in. wide and 7 A in

thick.
2 side boards. 14 ft. long. 5 in. wide and % in.

thick.
1 outside keel board. 14 ft. long. 8 in. wide and

% in. thick.
1 inside keel board. 14 ft. long. 10 in. wide and

% in. thick
120 sq. ft. of tongue-and-groove boards. % in. thick.

for bottom and wheel boxes.

1 piece. 2 in. square and 18 in. long.
4 washers.

2 iron cranks.
10 screweyes.
30 ft. of rope.

Nails.

The dimensions given in the drawing
will be found satisfactory, but these
may be altered to suit the conditions.
The first step will be to cut and make
the sides. Nail
the two pieces
forming each side
together and then
cut the end boards
and nail them to
the sides. Lay
this framework,
bottom side up,
on a level surface
and proceed t o
nail on the bot-
tom boards across
the sides. The
ends of these
boards are sawed
off flush with the
outside surface of
the sides after they are nailed in place.
The material list calls for tongue-and-

groove boards for the bottom, but plain
boards can be used, although it is then
difficult to make the joint water-tight.
When the tongue-and-groove boards
are used a piece of string, well soaked
in white lead or paint and placed in the
groove of each board, will be sufficient
to make a tight joint.

Having finished the sides and bot-
tom, the next step will be to fasten on
the bottom keel. Adjust the board to
its position and nail it in the center
part where it lies flat on the bottom
boards, then work toward the ends,
gradually drawing it down over the
turn and nailing it down. If the keel
board cannot be bent easily, it is best
to soak it in hot water where the bend
takes place and the wood can then be
nailed down without the fibers break-
ing. The inside keel is put on in the
same manner, but reversed.

The Boat As It Appears without the
Spring and Running Board and
Used as a Pleasure Craft or
for Carrying Freight, the
Operator Facing in the
Direction of -
the Boat's
Travel

The next procedure is to make the
paddle wheels. The hub for each

106

wheel is made of a 2-in. square piece wood, although it is preferable to use
of timber, 9 in. long. Trim off the for this purpose two large iron wash-

Detail Drawing of the Boat and One of the Paddle Wheels. All the Material Required for the Construction
is Such That can be Cut and Shaped with Ordinary Tools Found in the Home Workshop

corners to make 8 sides to the piece,
then bore a 3 /4-in. hole through its
center. The 8 blades of each wheel,
16 in all, are 17 in. long, 6 in. wide and
% in. thick. One end of each blade is
nailed to one side of the hub, then it
is braced as shown to strengthen the
wheel.

The cranks are made of round iron,
% in. in diameter, and they are keyed
to the wheels with large nails in the
manner shown. I had a blacksmith

PADDLE: WHEEL KEY

RUDDER CONTROL
TASTEMING

Detail of Paddle -Wheel Fastening, the Springboard

Construction and the Fastening for the

Rudder Control

shape the cranks for me, but if one
has a forge, the work can be done at
home without that expense. The bear-
ings for the crankshafts consist of

ers, having a hole slightly larger than
the diameter of the shaft, and drill
holes in their rims so that they can
be screwed to the wheel-box upright
as shown. The bearings thus made are
lubricated with a little lard or grease.

The paddle-wheel boxes are built
over the wheels with the dimensions
given in the drawing, to prevent the
splashing of water on the occupants
of the boat.

The trimmings for the boat consist
of three seats, a running board and a
springboard. The drawings show the
location of the seats. The springboard
is built up of 4 boards, % in- thick, as
shown, only nailing them together at
the back end. This construction al-
lows the boards to slide over each
other when a person's weight is on
the outer end. The action of the
boards is the same as of a spring on
a vehicle.

It is necessary to have a good brace
across the boat for the back end of
the springboard to catch on a 2 by
4-in. timber being none too large. At
the point where the springboard rests
on the front seat there should be
another good-sized crosspiece. The

board can be held in place by a cleat
and a few short pieces of rope, the
cleat being placed across the board
back of the brace. A little diving plat-
form is attached on the outer end or
the springboard and a strip of old
carpet or gunny sack placed on it to
prevent slivers from running into the
flesh. In making the spring and run-
ning board, it is advisable to make
them removable so that the boat can
be used for other purposes.

The boat is steered with a foot-oper-
ated lever, the construction of which
is clearly shown. For the tiller-rope
guides, large screweyes are used and
also for the rudder hinges, the pin of
the hinge being a large nail. The hull
can be further strengthened by putting
a few angle-iron braces either on the
in or outside.

To make the boat water-tight will
require calking by tilling the cracks
with twine and white lead or thick
paint. The necessary tools are a broad,
dull chisel and a mallet. A couple of
coats of good paint, well brushed into
the cracks, will help to make it water-
tight as well as shipshape. The boat
may leak a little when it is first put
into the water, but after a few hours
of soaking, the boards will swell and
close the openings.

This boat was used for carrying
trunks, firewood, rocks, sand, and for
fishing, and last, but not least, for
swimming. The boat is capable of
carrying a load of three-quarters of a
ton. It draws very little water, there-
by allowing its use in shallow water.
It has the further advantage that the
operator faces in the direction the boat
is going, furnishing the power with his
hands and steering with his feet.

bed or mattress to be made, and a cross
stick is attached to their tops. Several
stakes are set parallel with the cross

A Camp Loom

The camper who desires to "rough
it" as much as possible and to carry
only the necessities will find it quite a
comfort to construct the bedding from
grass or moss by weaving it in the
manner of making a rag carpet, using
heavy twine or small rope as the warp.
Two stakes are set the width of the

Loom Constructed of Sticks for Weaving Grass
or Moss into a Camp Mattress

stick and at a distance to make the
length of the mattress. The warp is
tied between the tops of the stakes and
the cross stick. An equal number of
cords are then attached to the cross
stick and to another loose cross stick
which is used to move the cords up and
down while the grass or moss is placed
in for the woof. The ends of the warp
are then tied to hold it together. When
breaking up camp the cords can be re-
moved and carried to the next camp.
Contributed by W. P. Shaw, Bloor
West, Can.

A Milk-Bottle Carrier

Carrying a milk bottle by the rim is
tiresome work for the fingers, so I con-
structed a handle, as shown in the
sketch, from a piece of wire. The car-
rier can be easily placed in the pocket.

The part fitting under the rim of
the bottle neck is bent to form two
semicircles, one hooking permanently
at A, while the other is hooked at B

A Carrier Made of Wire to Quickly Attach on a
Milk -Bottle Neck

after it is sprung around the neck of
the bottle. Contributed by Lawrence
B. Robbins, Harwich, Mass.

1O8

How to Make a War Kite

BY PARK SNYDER

The material required for the making
of a war kite is three pine sticks, each
60 in. long, one stick 54 in. long, one
stick 18 in. long, all 1/4 in. square; 4
yd. of cambric ; a box of tacks ; some
linen thread, and 16 ft. of stout twine.

Place two 60-in. sticks parallel with
each other and 18 in. apart, then lay
the 54-in. piece across at right angles
to them 18 in. from the upper ends, as
shown in Fig. 1, and fasten the joints
with brads. At a point 21 in. below
this crosspiece, attach the 18-in. cross-
piece.

The extending ends of all the three
long pieces are notched, Fig. 2, and the
line is stretched taut around them, as
shown by the dotted lines.

If the cambric is not of sufficient size
to cover the frame, two pieces must be
sewed together, then a piece cut out to
the shape of the string, allowing 1 in. to
project all around for a lap. The cam-
bric is sewn fast to the string with the
linen thread. Fasten the cloth to the
frame part with the tacks, spacing
them 1 in. apart. The space in the
center, between the sticks, is cut
out. Make two pieces of the re-

m a i n i n g

goods, one 36 in. by 18
in., and the other 36 in.
by 21 in. The remain
stick is fastened to these
cambric, as shown in
the whole is fastened
frame so as to make
projection. The bri
for giving the proper
pull on the line to
fastened, one to the
long stick in the
attached to the

to the lower
Fig. 4. The
varied to suit

ing 60-in.
pieces of
Fig. 3, and
to the main
a V - shaped
die strings,
distribution of
the kite, are
upper end of the
V-shaped piece
kite, and the other

The Line should
be a Very Strong
One, Then Ban-
ners can be
Flown on It

end, as shown in
inclination can be
the builder by chang-
ing the point of at-
tachment of the kite
line to the bridle. If it
is desired to fly the kite
directly overhead, attach
the line above the regular
point and for low flying make
the connection below this point.
The regular point is found by trial
flights with the line fastened tem-
porarily to the bridle, after which the
fastening is made permanent.

The Sticks are Fastened
Solidly with Brads, and
the Cloth Sewed to the
String around Their Ends

FIG 2

I!
j

\
\

-'I'-
ll

-if-

\
\

[

FIG

' -

FIG 3

FIG 4

109

Paper Glider That Loops the Loop

BY C. A. THOMPSON

corners of the wings are bent up as in
Fig. 2, and, further, the rear corner
of the keel is bent at right angles, Fig.
7, whereupon it is thrown in the ordi-
nary manner. It then takes the course
shown in Fig. 8.

Fio.8

Fis 3 ""-._

The usual paper
glider shaped a s
shown in Fig. 1 can
be made to loop the
loop and make cork-
screw flights if pre-
pared according to
sketches herewith.
It should be care-
fully made in the
first place so that in
its regular form it
flies perfectly
straight.

To make the glider
loop, the rear cor-
ners of the wings
should be turned up at right angles, as
in Fig. 2, and the glider launched with
a great deal of force with the nose
pointed slightly upward. This will re-
quire some practice, but one soon learns
the trick. After looping once, as shown
in Fig. 3, the glider descends in vol-
plane. This form of glider will also
right itself, if dropped from a height,
nose downward, as shown in Fig. 4.

For a corkscrew flight the glider is
prepared as in Fig. 5 ; one rear corner
being bent up and the other down. In
this form it flies horizontally, or down-
ward, while rapidly rotating around its
longitudinal axis, as shown in Fig. 6.

To make a spiral descent, the rear

A Water Filter

A cheap and very effective water
filter can be made of a flower pot by
plugging the hole in
the bottom with a
piece of sponge and
fitting it as follows:
Place powdered
charcoal on top of
the sponge to a
depth of 1 in., then
1 in. of clean silver
sand, and lastly 2 in.
of small stones and
gravel. It is hung
with a bail at the
top.

Ordinary Paper Glider and the Manner

of Throwing It to Make the

Different Flights

A Combination Electrically Operated
Door Lock

The illustration shows a very useful
application of an ordinary electric door
luck in the construction of a combina-

The Brass-Tack Heads Holding the Numerals in
Place Constitute the Combination Points

tion lock and alarm to be operated
from the outside of the building.

The three numerals, 1, 2, and 4, or
any other combination of numbers
constituting the house number on a
door, are made of some kind of insu-
lating material and fastened in place
on a base of insulating fiber, or wood,
about !/4 in. thick, by means of ordi-
nary brass-headed tacks, as indicated
by the black dots. The tacks will ex-
tend through the base a short distance
so the electrical connections may be
made by soldering wires to them, as
shown by the diagram, alternate tacks
being connected together with the ex-
ception of three ; for instance, A, B,
and C.

The terminals of the leads that are
connected to alternate tacks are in turn
connected to the terminals of a circuit
composed of an ordinary vibrating
bell, D, and battery, E. If any two
adjacent tack heads be connected to-
gether, except tacks A, B, and C, the
bell circuit will be completed and the
bell ring, which will serve as an indica-
tion that some one is tampering with
the circuit. The person knowing the
combination, connects the tack heads A
and B, and at the same time connects
the tack head C with F or G, or any

other tack head that is connected to
the plus side of the battery, whereby
a circuit will be completed through the
lock H and the door is opened. Any
metallic substance, such as a knife,
key, or finger ring, may be used in
making the above indicated connec-
tion, and there will be no need of car-
rying a key for this particular door so
long as the combination is known.

The base upon which the numbers
are mounted and through which the
pi lints of the tacks protrude, should
be mounted on a second base that has
a recess cut in its surface to accom-
modate the wires and points of the
tacks.

The combination may be made more
or less complicated, as desired, by
connecting the tacks in different ways,
and by using a separate battery for
the bell and lock. The circuit leading
to the door lock, if there is one already
installed, may be used and then no
extra circuit is needed.

Such a device has been used on a
private-desk drawer with entire satis-
faction. The battery was placed in
the back end of the drawer, and if it
happened to fail, a new one could be
connected to the points B and J so
that the drawer could be opened and
a new battery put in.

Lock for a Fancy Hairpin

To avoid losing a fancy hairpin, bend
one leg of the pin as shown in the illus-
tration. The hair
caught in the notch

The Bend in the Pin will Hold in the Hair and
Prevent the Loss of the Pin

formed by the bend will prevent the
pin from dropping out. Contributed
by W. C. Loy, Rochester, Ind.

CA metal surface polished with oil
will keep clean longer than when
polished dry.

An Aeroplane Kite

By W. A. REICH

After building- a number of kites
from a recent description in Amateur
Mechanics I branched out and con-
structed the aeroplane kite shown in
the illustration, which has excited con-
siderable comment in the neighborhood
on account of its appearance and be-
havior in the air.

The main frame consists of a center-
stick, A, 31 in. long, and two cross-
sticks, of which one, B, is ,'U in. long
and the other, C, 15 1 /. in. long. The
location of the crosspieces on the
centerpiece A is shown in the sketch,
the front piece B being 1% in. from the
end, and the rear piece C, 2*4 in. from
the other end. The ends of the sticks
have small notches cut to receive a
string, D, which is run around the out-

The Kite Being Tailless Rirles the Air Waves Like
an Aeroplane in a Steady Breeze

side to make the outline of the frame
and to brace the parts. Two cross-
strings are placed at E and F, 7 in.
from either end of the centerpiece A,
other brace strings being crossed, as
shown at G, and then tied to the cross-
string F on both sides, as at H.

The long crosspiece B is curved up-
ward to form a bow, the center of
which should be 3*4 in. above the
string by which its ends are tied to-
gether. The shorter crosspiece is bent
and tied in the same manner to make
the curve 2% in., and the centerpiece
to curve 1% in., both upward. The
front and rear parts, between the end
and the cross-strings E and F, are
covered with yellow tissue paper,
which is pasted to the crosspieces and
strings. The small wings L are purple
tissue paper, 4 in. wide at M and taper-
ing to a point at N.

The bridle string is attached on the
centerpiece A at the junction of the
crosspieces B and C, and must be ad-
justed for the size and weight of the
kite. The kite is tailless and requires
a steady breeze to make it float in the
air currents like an aeroplane.

The bridle string and the bending
of the sticks must be adjusted until
the desired results are obtained. The

ill

113

bridle string should be tied so that the air currents properly. The center
it will about center under the cross- of gravity will not be the same in the

Genera] Plan and Outline
of the Kite, Which may be
Built in Any Size, If the
Proportions are Kept, and
Us Appearance in the
Air on a Steady Breeze

stick B for the best results, but a
slight change from this location may
be necessary to make the kite ride

construction of each kite and the string
can be located only by trial, after
which it is permanently fastened.

Distilling Apparatus for Water

Pure water, free from all foreign sub-
Stances, is frequently wanted for mak-
ing up photographic solutions and

heated with a Bunsen or gas burner.
A beaker, or other vessel, F, is placed
below the lower end of the small pipe.
The cold water from the faucet, which
flows into the outer jacket at C and
out at B, condenses the steam in the
small pipe D, turning it into water
which falls into the beaker in large
drops. The water is often distilled a
second time to remove any impurities
which it might still contain. Contrib-
uted by O. E. Tronnes, Evanston, 111.

Homemade Still for Removing the Impurities in Water
That is Used in Mixing Chemicals

many other purposes. An apparatus
for distilling water can be very easily
made from galvanized pipe fittings.
The outer cooling jacket A is a piece
of 1-in. pipe, 2 ft. long, threaded on
both ends, and bored and tapped for
Vij-in. pipe at B and C. A hole is bored
and tapped for i/o-in. pipe in each of
the two caps used on the ends of the
pipe A, and a piece of %-in. pipe, D,
2 ft. 8 in. long, is run through the holes
as shown. The joints are soldered to
make them water-tight. Two ] /2-m.
nipples, 4 in. long, are screwed in at B
and C. The retort, or boiler, E, in
which the impure water is boiled may
be made of any suitable vessel and

Telephone Stand for a Sloping Desk

Having a sloping-top desk and being
compelled to use the telephone quite
frequently, I devised a support for the
telephone so that it might stand level
and not fall off. The sides of the stand
were cut on the same slope as the
desk top, and their under edges were

Stand with a Level Surface for a Desk Telephone
to be Used on a Sloping Desk Top

provided with rubber strips to prevent
slipping. Contributed by J. M. Kane,
Doylestown, Pa.

113

Tandem Monoplane Glider

By GEORGE F. MACE

The monoplane glider illustrated has
better fore-and-aft stability than the
biplane, is lighter in proportion to the
supporting surface, simpler to build,
and requires very little time to as-
semble or take apart. The material list
is as follows :

FRAME
4 pieces of bamboo. 14 ft. long, tapering from \Vi to

1 in.

8 pieces of spruce. Vi in. thick. 1 in. wide, and 3 ft. lone.
8 pieces of spruce. Vt in. thick. 1 in. wide, and 2 ft.
long.

WINGS
4 main-wine bars, spruce, % in. thick, 1? in. wide.

and 1 IS ft. Ions.

8 wing crosspieces. spruce. ?i in. square, and 4 ft. long.
38 wing ribs, poplar or spruce. J4 in. thick, % in.
wide, and 64 in. long.

The first thing to do is to make the
main frame which is composed of the
four bamboo
poles. The poles
take the cor-
ners of a 2-it.
square space and
are supported
with the pieces of
spruce that are 2
ft. and 3 ft. long,

the two upper poles. All joints should
be fastened with i 3 B-in. stove bolts.
The wire used to truss the glider is
No. 16 gauge piano wire. The trussing
is done in all directions, crossing the
wires between the frame parts, except
in the center or space between the four
poles.

The framework of the main wings is
put together by bolting one of the
crosspieces at each end of two wing
bars, then another 4 ft. from each end,
whereupon the wing bars are bolted
to the main frame. The frame is then
braced diagonally between these
pieces. The ribs, spaced 1 ft. apart,
are fastened to this frame with 1-in.

the shorter lengths running horizon-
tally and the longer upright, so that
each upright piece extends 1 ft. above

The Start of the Glide should
be Made from the Top of a Hill,
Then a Little Run will Carry
the Airman Several Hundred
Feet through the Air

brads. The ribs are so bent that the
highest part will be 5 or 6 in. above
the horizontal. The bending must be

114

uniform and is done when fastening
them in place.

The material used to cover the wings
and rudders is strong- muslin. The
cloth is first tacked to the front wing

The two vertical rectangular spaces
in the main frame, just under the rear
wings, are covered with cloth to act as
a rudder. The upper and lower brac-
ing wires for the wings are attached

i^_ I 8' -j

XI r

ELEVATION
MAIN FRAME

Details of Tandem Monoplane Glider, Showing the

Mam Frame and Wing Construction, and the

Manner of Placing the Crossed Bracing

Wires Between the Parts and

to the Wing Ends

bar, then to the ribs, and sewed to a
wire which is fastened between the
ends of the ribs. Large brass-head
tacks should be used through a strip
of tape to fasten the cloth to the ribs.
The rear wings are constructed in a
similar manner. After the cloth is in
place it is coated with starch or varnish.

-2-

with snaps and rings so that the glider
can be easily taken apart.

It is best not to use the glider in a
wind greater than .'50 miles an hour.
It is started from the top of a hill in
the usual manner. Glides can be made
running from GO to several hundred
feet.

Carrier for a Suitcase

Where it is necessary to carry a well
filled and heavy suitcase the light truck
shown in the sketch will be a great as-
sistance. The truck is constructed on

standards carrying a hinged top piece,
the upper ends of the standards being
hinged in a like manner. The stand-
ards should be cut to the proper length
for the person carrying the suitcase.
Contributed by Mrs. Harriet M. S. Ker-
baugh, Allentown, Pa.

The Small Truck will Greatly Assist the Carrying
of a Heavily Loaded Suitcase

the folding plan, similar to a go-cart,
and can be carried on the side of the
case. The wheels are those used on a
go-cart, with rubber tires and about 6
in. in diameter. These are fitted to

Light in a Keyhole

Remove the lock and cut the mortise
deep enough to admit a 3-volt battery
lamp with a suitable socket attached.
The lamp is then connected to wires
which are concealed and run to a bat-
tery of three dry cells in the basement
or other convenient place. A small
push button is attached in the line and
placed near the knob on the door. A
small recess must be cut in the mortise
so that the light from the lamp will
shine directly on the inside of the plate
over the keyhole. Contributed by
Armand F. Lamarre, St. Remi, Can.

115

How to Make a Monoplane Glider

By WILLIAM GROTZ1NGER

A simple glider of the monoplane
type can be easily constructed in a
small workshop ; the cost of materials is
not great and the building does not re-
quire skilled workmen. Select the ma-
terial with care and see that the wood
is straight-grained and free from knots.
The following list of spruce pieces is
required:

4 main wing spars. H by IK in. by 17 ft.
2 rudder spars, % by 1 in. by 8 ft.

8 wine crosspieces. % by ?.i in. by 4 ft.
4 rudder crosspieces. 1 A by }4 in. by 2 ft.

1 piece for main-frame crosspieces. l /z by 1 in. by 12 ft.

2 arm pieces. IK by 2 in. by 3'A ft.

The following list of poplar pieces is
required in making the supports for
the cloth covering on the wings and
rudders.

34 main-winsr ribs. 54 by % by 64 in.
8 rudder ribs. /4 by L z by 36 in.

5 rudder ribs, Ji by ?i by 48 in.

The following list of oak pieces is
needed :

1 piece. Yi by 1!4 in. by 12 ft.
1 piece. ?-a by 1% in. by 6 ft.

1 piece. % by % in. by 3 1 A ft.

2 pieces. H by 1J4 in. by Sit.
4 pieces. % by 1 by 28 in.

In addition to the lists given, four
pieces of bamboo, 16 ft. long, tapering
from 1 or I 1 /! in. at the large end to
% in. at the small end, are used for the
main frame.

Construction

The first part to make is the main
frame A which is constructed of the
four bamboo poles. They are made
into a rectangular frame with cross-
bars marked B cut to the right length
from the 12-ft. piece of spruce, y in.
by 1 in. The bars C and D are of oak

Monoplane Glider in Flight

RING

FRONT ELEVATION

Details of Monoplane Glider

117

cut from the 6-ft. piece, % in. by l 1 /^ in.
All of these crossbars are fastened to-
gether in rectangular form by means
of stove bolts. The bamboo poles are
then bolted to the inner corners of the
frames with iVin. bolts. Place the
bolts through the bamboo close to a
joint to prevent splitting. The frame is
then rigidly trussed by diagonal wires
marked E crossing all rectangles. The
wire used for trussing all the parts
throughout the glider is piano wire, 16
gauge. The arm pieces are bolted to
the sides of the rectangular frames be-
neath the wings.

The framework of the main wings or
planes should be put together by bolt-
ing the cross struts F at regular inter-
vals on the under side of the main spars
G. Brace the frame diagonally with
the piano wire. The ribs are nailed to
the main spars by using 1-in. brads.
The ribs are spaced 1 ft. apart, and
curved so that the highest part will be
5 in. from the horizontal. Each rib ex-
tends 15 in. back of the rear spar. The
rudder is made in the same manner.

The vertical rudder is made to fold.
A small pocket arrangement H is made
from which the rigs of the vertical
rudder diverge.

The covering of the wings and rud-
ders should be a good quality of mus-
lin or some light aeronautical goods.
The cloth should be tacked to the front
spar, to the ribs, and then sewn to a
wire which connects the ends of the
ribs.

Construct the triangular arrangement
marked J to which the wings are
braced. The wing bar supports are

shown in the illustration. The bot-
tom wires are braced to the crossbar K
shown in the front elevation.

The bracing wires are all fastened to
a snaphook which can be snapped into
the rings at the places marked L. This
method will allow one quickly to as-
semble or take apart the plane and
store it in a small place. The vertical
rudder should be braced from each rib
to the front spar of the horizontal rud-
der and then braced by the wires M
to hold the rudder from falling back.
The rudder is then braced to the main
frame and the main frame is braced by
the wires N to the wings. This will
hold the plane rigid. Use snaphooks
and eyebolts wherever possible so that
the plane can be quickly assembled.
Assembling

The triangular arrangement J is
bolted to the wings and the top wires
put in place. The wings are then put
on the main frame and bolted to the
bars marked C and D, after which the
bottom wires are fixed in place.

Gliding

Take the glider to the top of a hill,
step into the center of the main frame
just a little back of the center of the
wings. Put your arms around the arm
pieces, face the wind and run a few
steps. You will be lifted off the ground
and carried down the slope. The bal-
ancing is done by shifting the legs.
The glides should be short at first, but
by daily practice, and, as the operator
gains skill, glides can be made up to a
length of several hundred feet. Do not
attempt to fly in a wind having a veloc-
ity of more than 15 miles an hour.

Exerciser for a Chained Dog

The exerciser consists of a disk, 5 ft.
in diameter, pivoted in the ground near
the kennel. The disk revolves on a
%-in. pin set in a post made of a 4 by
4-in. piece of timber. The disk is made
of common lumber fastened together
with battens on the under side. Our
dog seems to enjoy this kind of exer-

Revolving Disk Exerciser

cise. Contributed by Hazel Duncan,
Denver, Colo.

118

A Laboratory Gas Generator

The sketch illustrates a gas genera-
tor designed for laboratories where
gases are needed in large quantities

Gas Generator of Large Capacity That will Work
Automatically as the Gas is Removed

and frequently. The shelf holding the
large inverted bottle is of thick wood,
and to reinforce the whole apparatus,
a 1-in. copper strip is placed around
the bottle tightly and fastened with
screws turned into the woodwork.
The shelf above is attached last, and
upon it rests the bottle of commercial
acid required in the gas generation.
The pump shown is for use in starting
the siphon.

The large bottle used as a generator
may be either a 3 or 5-gal. size, and
after it is placed in the position shown,
a sufficient amount of the solid reagent
needed in gas generating is placed in
the mouth before the exit tube, leading
away below, is fixed in position. If
sulphurated hydrogen is required, fer-
rous sulphide is used ; if hydrogen is
required, zinc is placed within ; and to

make a carbon dioxide, marble, or its
equivalent, is inserted. Whatever gas
is required, a sufficient quantity of the
solid material is put in to last for some
time in order not to disturb the fas-
tenings.

When all is ready, the pump is used
gently to start the acid over the siphon
and into the generator from below.
The gas generated by the action of the
acid on the solid soon fills the bottle.
The screw clamp on the exit tube is
loosened and the gas passes into the
bottle of water and charges it, in the
case when sulphurated hydrogen is re-
quired. In the other cases, when suffi-
cient gas has been generated, the
screw clamp is tightened, and the gas
soon attains considerable pressure
which forces the acid back out of the
generator and into the acid bottle
above. The whole apparatus now
comes to an equilibrium, and the gas
in the generator is ready for another
use. Contributed by W. M. Mills,
Bakersfield, Cal.

Holding Small Armatures for Winding

Procure a strip of sheet metal, (> in.
long, 1 in. wide, or as wide as the arma-
ture core is long, and 3 3 2 m - thick. Bend
this into a U-shape, as shown, and file
each end similar to the barb on a fish-
hook. Drill two holes for a bolt to pass
through the sheet-metal ends. Fasten
a screw or bolt in the center of the
bend, to be used for gripping in a chuck

Armature Cores are Easily Revolved to Fill the Core
Openings with Insulated Wire

or polishing head. Core segments can
be quickly wound with this device.
Contributed by Geo. B. Schulz, Austin,
Illinois.

Footstool for Cement Floors

A clerk finding the cement floor of
the office uncomfortably cold to the
feet, devised a footstool in the follow-
ing manner : A shallow box was pro-
cured, and four small truck casters
were fastened to the bottom. A piece
of carpet was laid on the inside of the
bottom and some old newspapers
placed on top of it. When seated at
the desk, he placed his feet inside the
box on the papers. The casters ele-
vated the box from the cement, just
high enough to avoid dampness and
cold, and permitted an easy change of
position. Contributed by L. Alberta
Norrell, Gainesville, Ga.

Homemade Telegraph Sounder

The material required to construct a
telegraph sounder, like the one shown
in the sketch, consists of two binding
posts, magnets, a piece of sheet metal,
and a rubber band. These are arranged
as shown, on a wood base or, better still,
on a metal box. In using a metal-box
base, be sure to insulate the connections
at the magnet coils and binding posts.

This instrument will be found by

An Inexpensive and Homemade Sounder for Use in
Learning the Telegraph Codes

those studying the telegraph codes to
give good results, equal to any of the
expensive outfits sold for this purpose.
Contributed by Chas. J. La Prille,
Flushing, N. Y.

Laboratory Force Filter

The sketch represents a force filter
which is well adapted for use in small
laboratories. The water is turned on

A Slight Vacuum is Formed by the Water Flowing
through the Cork, Which Forces the Filter

at the faucet and draws the air through
the side tube by suction, which in turn
draws the air in a steady stream
through the Wolff bottles. The tubes
may be attached to a filter inserted in a
filter bottle and filtering thus greatly
facilitated. The connection to the fau-
cet can be made, as shown in the de-
tailed sketch, out of a long cork, by
boring a hole large enough to fit the
faucet through the cork and another
slanting hole, joining the central hole,
on the side for a pipe or tube. At the
lower end of the cork a tube is also fit-
ted, which may be drawn out to in-
crease the suction. The inclined tube
should be slightly bent at the lower
end. Contributed by W. M. Mills,
Bakersfield, Cal.

119

120

Beginner's Helper for Roller Skating

One of the most amusing as well as
useful devices for a beginner on roller
skates is shown in the sketch. The

Beginner Cannot Fall

device is made of %-in. pipe and pipe
fittings, with a strip of sheet metal 1
in. wide fastened about half way down
on the legs. On the bottom of each
leg is fastened an ordinary furniture
caster which allows the machine to
roll easily on the floor. The rear is
left open to allow the beginner to en-
ter, then by grasping the top rail he is
able to move about on the floor at
ease, without fear of falling. Contrib-
uted by J. H. Harris, Berkeley, Cal.

Each end of the vessel is provided with
an opening, A, adapted to receive and
hold in place plaster-of-paris cups, B.
The part extending into the tank is pro-
vided with a wick, C, which reaches to
the bottom of the vessel. A glass tube,
D, is provided with a bulb on each end
and partly filled with alcohol, the re-
maining space being exhausted of air.
The glass tube is secured to a hanger
which is pivoted to the bottom of the
vessel.

After a quantity of water has been
poured into the vessel and the device
allowed to stand undisturbed for a few
minutes, the tube will begin to move
with an oscillating motion. Some of
the water in the vessel has been con-
ducted by means of the wicks C to the
bent plaster cups, from the surface of
which it evaporates, thus absorbing la-
tent heat and producing a lower tem-
perature in the cups than that of the
surrounding atmosphere. The bulb
in contact with the cup thus acquires
a lower temperature than the one at
the end D, which will result in conden-
sation of the alcohol vapor within the
former. The pressure of the vapor in
the lower bulb will then force the alco-
hol up the inclined tube into the higher
bulb, the evaporation in the lower
bulb maintaining the pressure 'herein.
When a sufficient quantity of alco-

Atmospheric Thermo-Engine

The device illustrated has for its ob-
ject the production of power in small
quantities with little attention and no
expense. All that is needed to produce
the power is common ordinary water,
and the device will continue to operate
until the amount of water placed in the
receptacle has evaporated.

Details of the Engine

hol has been forced into the upper
bulb, it will descend, and thus elevate
the other bulb into its cup. The phe-
The device consists of a rectangular nomena just described will be repeated

, i 1__11_ _J j 1 _ _ ! 1 1 1 *, _. 11

vessel provided with legs and a cover, in this bulb and the oscillation

121

continue until the water in the vessel
has been absorbed and evaporated.
Contributed by E. W. Davis, Chicago.

A Mirror an Aid in Rowing a Boat

The young oarsman is apt to expe-
rience difficulty in keeping a straight
course until he has had some practice.
Rowing a boat in a narrow channel
calls for considerable skill to hold a
course in mid-stieam. A variation of
force in pulling the oars almost in-
stantly results in the rowboat making
a landfall on one or the other of the
banks.

The skilled oarsman does not need
an appliance that the beginner might
welcome. With the aid of a mirror

The Mirror Attached to a Boat

conveniently supported at a suitable
angle and height before the oarsman's
face, the water, the shores and ap-
proaching boats may be seen with dis-
tinctness. The mirror may be set di-
rectly in front or a little distance to
one side as shown in the sketch. Con-
tributed by Thaleon Blake, Sidney, O.

Developing Tray Made of a Tin Can

Obtain a tomato or other can, 5 or 6
in. long and 4 in. in diameter, which
should be secured before it has been
opened, says Camera Craft. Cut both
ends exactly half way around, keeping
close to the edge, as shown in the first
sketch, and slit it lengthwise to open
the side. Trim off the end pieces to
within 1 in. of the center and cut off
the surplus tin of the sides of the can,
leaving enough to bend over and form

the ends of the tank as shown in the
second sketch.

The support, as shown in the last
sketch, is made by screwing together

For Developing Roll Films

three pieces of wood, the base piece be-
ing 6!/2 in. square and thick enough to
make the tank solid and heavy. Bend
the sides of the can over the edges of
the two uprights and tack them firmly
to the sides, bending the tin so as to
have a rounded surface that will not
scratch the films. The ends of the can
are bent over sharply to form the sides
of the tank. Procure a round wood
stick, the length of the tank, place in
position, and fasten with a screw
through the tin at both ends. Give the
whole tank two coats of black as-
phaltum varnish to protect it from the
action of the developer.

White Rubber on Croquet Arches

A white cloth is usually tied to cro-
quet arches when the game is played
late in the
evening. A
much better
plan is to
slip a piece
of white rub-
ber tubing
about 1 ft.
long on the
arch. This
tubing can be
purchased at
any local
drug store.

This makes the top part of the arch
conspicuous so that it may be plainly
seen in the dark, and, when the tubing
becomes soiled it can be cleaned off
with a damp cloth. Contributed by
John Blake, Franklyn, Mass.

122

Illuminating an Outside Thermometer

During the season of furnace fires
the thermometer outside the north
window becomes of added interest and
usefulness in helping one to judge the
proper draft adjustments of the fur-
nace for the
night. A pocket
electric fl a s h -
lamp is conven-
ient for examin-
ing the ther-
mometer after
dark, but it is not
always at hand,

I A// , / ^i > ,B\\ matches are dan-
gerous when
lace curtains are
at the window,

and besides, the reflection from the
glass of both matches and flashlamp
on the inside makes it very difficult
to read the thermometer.

To avoid these difficulties I attached
to my thermometer the device shown
herewith, which consists of a miniature
battery lamp placed at the back of the
translucent-glass thermometer and ope-
rated by a battery within the house,
the light being turned on by an ordi-
nary push button placed conveniently
inside of the window.

A strip of brass. A, % in. wide by -^
in. thick, was riveted (soldering will
do) to the lower support of the ther-
mometer. The free end of this brass
strip was bent around a disk of hard-
wood, B, and fastened to it by three or
four small screws in such a manner
that the disk made a circular platform
just behind the thermometer scale.
This disk was slightly larger than the
mouth of a small, thin tumbler. On
the upper surface of this disk was fas-
tened with shellac and small nails close
to the periphery, a disk of cork, y in.
thick, this cork disk being a close fit
for the mouth of the tumbler. A
miniature porcelain electric-lamp
socket was fastened with screws
on the cork of the base. Wires
were then run from the lamp
socket through the cork and wood
disks and the whole painted with

melted paraffin to close all apertures
and keep out moisture. Good rubber-
covered electric-light wire will do
nicely for the wiring outside the house,
although, if it can be obtained, a piece
of lead-covered paired wire is prefer-
able. These wires must be only long
enough to reach inside the house,
where they may be joined to the ordi-
nary sort of wire used in electric-bell
work for connecting with push button
and battery.

A 4-volt lamp of about 2 cp. will be
sufficient to illuminate the thermometer
and allow the scale and mercury col-
umn to be distinctly seen. It may be
found necessary to make some adjust-
ment by bending the brass strip in
order to bring the lamp centrally be-
hind the scale and at the proper
height to give the best lighting on the
range of from 10 to 40 deg. Over the
lamp is placed the tumbler for protec-
tion from the weather, and, if desired,
half of the tumbler may be painted as
a reflector on the inside with white
enamel paint, although, in practice, I
have not found this necessary.

Within the house the push button
should be placed at the window where
it can be most conveniently reached
when viewing the thermometer, and
connections may be made to the bat-
tery regularly used for ringing the
house bells, or to a separate battery of,
say, 4 dry cells, placed in some loca-
tion, as a closet, near the thermometer.
Contributed by C. F. A. Siedhof,
Winchester, Mass.

How to Make an Automobile Robe

When driving an automobile in cold
weather, it is impossible to have a
robe come down over the feet without
being in the way so that it is incon-
venient in working the pedals. Pro-
cure a common heavy robe and cut two
holes in it about 5 in. from the bottom
just large enough for the toe of the
shoes to slip through and bind the
edges with cloth or fur. The 5 in. of
robe below the holes should come back
under the feet so that no wind can en-
ter. Make the holes far enough apart

123

so that both outside pedals can be
reached easily and you will have no
trouble with your feet. This robe,
with the use of overshoes, will insure
comfort in driving a car. Contributed
by Earl R. Hastings, Corinth, Vt.

Locating a Droplight in the Dark

It is very hard to locate an electric-
light globe in a dark room. Anyone
trying to find one by striking the air
in its vicinity with one hand, usually
finds that the globe is not there, al-
though the hand may have passed with-
in H in. of the globe.

The best way to locate a globe is to
approach the proximity of the drop
with thumbs touching and fingers ex-
tended as shown in the sketch, in which
manner the hands will cover a radius
of about 14 in. and offer a better chance
of locating the light quickly than if

Covering: a Wide Range

one groped about with one hand ex-
tended. Contributed by Victor Laba-
die, Dallas, Tex.

Lighting a Room for Making
Photographs

When it becomes too cold for the
amateur photographer to take pictures
outdoors, he generally lays aside his
camera and thinks no more about it
until the coming of another spring or
summer. While some winter scenes
would make up an interesting part of
anyone's collection, it is not always
pleasant to go out to take them.

Some derive pleasure from making
groups and portraits, but this is very
difficult, if the room is not well
lighted. Overhead light is the best

for this work and few residences are
constructed to furnish this kind of
light.

I find a very good way to get a light

Light Reflected on Ceiling

overhead is to take a large mirror one
from an ordinary dresser will do and
place it in the window in such a posi-
tion that the reflection will strike the
ceiling just above the subject. The re-
sult will be a soft but very strong light,
almost equal to a north skylight.
Splendid portraits can be made in this
way. Contributed by Chas. Piper,
Kokomo, Ind.

Detachable Hinged Cover for Kettles

A kettle cover equipped with the
hinge shown in Fig. 1 will not fall off
when in place, and can be raised or re-
moved entirely when desired.

One wing of an ordinary hinge is
soldered or riveted to the cover and
wire clasps soldered to the other wing.

FIG. I FIG 2

Wire Clasps on Hinge

It is slipped on the kettle as shown
in Fig. 3. The cover is interchange-
able and can be placed on almost any
kettle.

124

A Use for Discarded Wafer Razor
Blades

A paper trimmer and mat cutter can
be made from a wafer razor blade. As
a paper trimmer, place the blade C over

the part A
of the razor,
as shown,
with only
two of the
holes engag-
ing in one
post and the
center
screw. Then
place the
part B i n
position and

clamp with the handle. This will allow
about 1/2 in. of the blade to project at
one end. If a part of the extending
blade is cut or broken off, it will be
more easily handled. The cutter is
guided along the straightedge as shown
in Fig. 1.

If it is desired to make a more per-
manent form of instrument, or if no
holder is at hand and only a castoff
wafer blade, a handle, C, may be cut
from a piece of wood and fitted with

F.o.l

^STRAIGHT ED6E

Fio.2
Blade Attached to Handle

two or three binding-posts, A, taken
from an old battery, to hold the blade
B in place, as shown in Fig. 2.

Armatures for Small Motors

Without the proper tools and mate-
rial, the amateur electrician will find
it quite difficult to construct a small
armature for a battery motor that will
run true, without vibration and have
a neat appearance. Ordinary cast-iron

gears or pinions, as shown in Fig. 1,
make excellent cores for armatures on
small motors. A gear of any number
of teeth can be used for an armature
with a smaller number of coils by cut-
ting out a certain number of teeth.
For example, a gear with 12 teeth will
take 13 coils, but if every other tooth
is cut out, it will take only 6 coils, etc.
The teeth can be easily chipped out
with a cold chisel.

Larger armatures can be made from
gears with spokes, the spokes being
cut out, if a ring armature is desired.
The gear, when wound, can be mounted
on a hub made of empty thread spools.
The spool can be turned at one end to
insert it in the armature, and if too
long, one end will serve for the core of
the commutator, as shown in Fig. 2.

FlG.I

Gear Used as a Core

This combination will make a neat,
efficient little armature, which will run
quite free from vibration. Only sim-
ple tools, such as a hammer, cold
chisel, file, jackknife and a vise, are
required. Contributed by R. J. Nault,
Hartford, Conn.

Ice Creeper for Shoe Heels

Many persons, young and old, have
falls every winter on the ice or snow
which can be avoided if their shoes
are fitted with ice creepers. A very
efficient device of this kind, which any
boy can make at home in a short time,
is shown in the sketch. These ice
creepers need not be removed from
the shoes or boots until the winter is
past, for they may be worn indoors
without injuring the finest floor.

The two plates A may be made
from either iron or steel preferably
the latter. An all-steel scraper, or a
piece of a saw blade, makes good

125

creepers. Draw the temper by heat-
ing the steel to a cherry red and then
letting it cool slowly. It may then
be sawn with a hacksaw, cut with a
cold chisel, or filed into plates of the
proper shape, as shown. The teeth are
filed to points. The two L-shaped
slots are made by drilling iV m - holes
through the plates, and then sawing,
filing or chiseling out the metal be-
tween the holes. The projections at
the ends are then bent out at right
angles with heavy pliers or the claws
of a hammer, and finally the plates
bent to fit the curve of the heel.

Creeper Attached to Heel

The creepers are attached by means
of round-head wood screws turned
into the leather. In this operation
place the teeth of the plates just be-
low the bottom of the heel and turn
the screws into the ends of the upright
slots until the heads just bind. The
plate as set when indoors or else not
needed is shown at B. To place the
plate so it will grip the ice, slide it to
the right, which will bring the screws
into the horizontal slots, as shown
at C. Contributed by Chelsea C
Fraser, Saginaw, Mich.

Opening Screw-Top Fruit Jars

Screw-top fruit jars may be easily
opened in the following manner:
Secure a strap
with a buckle
and place it
around the top as
if it were to be
buckled, but in-
stead draw the
loose end back
and hold it with
the thumb as
shown. Turn
cover and strap

while held in this position and it will
easily turn from the jar. Contributed
by Chas. A. Bickert, Clinton, Iowa.

Lamp-Chimney Cleaner

Lamp chimneys of various makes
are very difficult to clean quickly and
thoroughly. The simple device shown

Rubber Ball on Stick

in the sketch makes the cleaning pro-
cess a simple matter. The cleaner is
made of a round rubber ball with slits
cut in it as shown and then fastened to
the end of a stick. When a cloth is
placed over the ball it presses evenly
against the curved surfaces of the
glass. There is no danger of breaking
a chimney with this cleaner.

A Pop-Corn Popper

The accompanying sketch shows the
construction of a pop-corn popper for
thoroughly flavoring the corn with the
hot butter or
lard, and at the
same time mix-
ing it with
the necessary
amount of salt.
Procure a metal
bucket that just
fits the bottom
of the frying
pan. The stir-
ring device is
made of heavy

wire bent as shown and provided with
an empty spool for a handle. A brace
is made of tin bent in the shape shown
and riveted to the bottom of the
bucket. Contributed by F. A. Wirth,
Farwell, Texas.

A Homemade Floor Polisher

An efficient and cheap floor polisher
may be readily constructed in the fol-
lowing manner: Make a box about 4
by 6 by 12 in., or the exact size may
be determined by building it around

120

t ie household flatirons as these are acter of the contents of the bottle as

used to give weight and pressure, soon as the hand touches the card-

The handle, which is attached as board marker. Contributed by Kath-

shown, should be at least 2 1 /-; in. wide arine D. Morse, Syracuse, N. Y.

Flatirons in the Box

at the hinged end and should be sand-
papered where it is grasped by the
hands. A half-strap hinge is prefer-
able, with the strap part fastened to
the handle. The bottom of the polisher
is covered with a piece of Brussels
carpet.

In use, it is well to set the polisher
on a soft piece of cotton or flannel
cloth, which may be readily renewed
when badly soiled.

A more sightly polisher may be
made by filling the box with pieces of
old iron or lead, tightly packed with
paper to prevent rattling, and attach-
ing a cover over the top. The handle
may be hinged directly to this cover
by means of a full-strap hinge. Con-
tributed by B. O. Longyear, Ft. Col-
lins. Colo.

Simple Way to Mark Poison Bottles

A way to prevent any possible mis-
take of taking bottles containing poi-
sons is to mark
them as shown
in the sketch.
This method
provides a way
to designate a
poison bottle in
the dark.

The marker is

made of a circle of heavy cardboard
with a hole in the center so as to tit
tightly over the neck of the bottle.
No matter how dark it may be or
how much of a hurry a person may
be in, one cannot fail to note the char-

Removing Varnish

A good and easy way to remove
varnish from old furniture is to wash
the surface thoroughly with 9. r i-per-
cent alcohol. This dissolves the var-
nish and the wood can then be cleaned
with a strong solution of soap, or weak
lye. If lye is used, it should be washed
off quickly and the wood dried with
flannel cloth. \Yhen the wood is
thoroughly dry it will take a fine finish.
Contributed by Loren Ward, Des
Aloines, Iowa.

Curling-Iron Heater

The curling-iron holder shown in the
sketch can be made of metal tubing

Heater on Gas Jet

having the size to fit both iron and gas
jet. One-half of the tubing for a por-
tion of its length is removed, as shown
in Fig. 1. The remaining part is bent
as in Fig. 2 and set on the burner of
the gas jet.

The tube prevents the curling iron
from becoming black with soot. The
position on the jet may be changed.
The tube can be placed on the jet and
removed with the curling iron. Con-
tributed by W. A. Jaquythe, Rich-
mond, Cal.

CA whisk broom is the best cleaner
for a gas stove. It will clean dirt
from nickel parts as well as from the
burner, grates, ovens and sheet-metal
bottoms.

127

Preserving Flowers in Color and Form

One of the most distressing sides of
botanical study is the short life of the
colors in flowers. Those who have
found the usual method of preserving

a cloth in a thin layer. When thor-
oughly dry, it should be placed in a
heavy earthenware vessel and further
dried in a hot oven. Allow it to re-

Placing the Flowers on the Steel Pins and Pouring the Dry Sand around Them

plants by pressure between paper un-
satisfactory will be interested to learn
of a treatment whereby many kinds of
flowers may be dried so that they retain
a great deal of their natural form and
color.

The flowers should be gathered as
soon as the blossoms have fully
opened. It is important that they
should be quite dry, and in order to
free them of drops of rain or dew, they
may be suspended with heads down-
ward for a few hours in a warm place.
It is well to begin with some simple
form of flower.

A large, strongly made wooden box
one of tin is better will be neces-
sary, together with a sufficient amount
of sand to fill it. If possible, the sand
should be of the kind known as "silver
sand," which is very fine. The best
that can be procured will be found far
from clean, and it must, therefore, be
thoroughly washed. The sand should
be poured into a bowl of clean water.
Much of the dirt will float on the sur-
face. This is skimmed off and thrown
away, and clean water added. The
sand should be washed in this manner
at least a dozen times, or until nothing
remains but pure white grains of sand.
The clean sand is spread out to dry on

main in the oven for some time until
it is completely warmed through so
that one can scarcely hold the bare
hands in it.

Obtain a piece of heavy cardboard
and cut it to fit easily in the bottom
of the box. Through the bottom of
the cardboard insert a number of steel
pins, one for each of the flowers to be
preserved. Take the dry blossoms and
press the stalk of each on a steel pin
so that it is held in an upright position.
When the cardboard is thus filled,
place it in the box.

The warm sand is put in a bag or
some other receptacle from which it
can be easily poured. Pour the sand
into the box gently, allowing it to
trickle slowly in so that it spreads

The Dried Flowers

128

evenly. Keep on pouring sand until
the heads of the flowers are reached,
taking care that all of them stand in a
vertical position. The utmost care
must be taken, when the heads are
reached, to see that all the petals are in
their right order. Remember that any
crumpled flowers will be pressed into
any position they may assume by the
weight of the sand. When the box is
filled it should be covered and set
aside in a dry place.

The box should be allowed to stand
at least 48 hours. After the first day,
if only a small amount of sand has
been used, the material may have
cooled off to some extent, and the box
must be set in a moderately heated
oven for a short time, but no great
amount of warmth is advisable. Af-
ter 48 hours the box may be uncovered
and the sand carefully poured off. As
the flowers are now in a very brittle
condition, any rough handling will
cause serious damage. When all the

sand has been emptied, the cardboard
should be removed from the box and
each blossom taken from its pin. In
the case of succulent specimens, the
stems will have shrunk considerably,
but the thinner petals will be in an al-
most natural condition. The colors
will be bright and attractive. Some
tints will have kept better than others,
but most of the results will be surpris-
ingly good. Whatever state the flow-
ers are in when they are taken from
the box, if the drying process has been
thorough, they will keep almost indefi-
nitely.

Flowers preserved in this manner
are admirable for the decoration of
homes. If they are exposed to light,
care should be taken to see that the di-
rect sunshine does not strike them, as
it will fade the colors. Sprigs with
leaves attached may be dried in this
way, but it has been found that much
of the intensity of the green is lost in
the process.

Reading Pulse Beats with the Sun's
Rays

The pulse beats may be counted by
this unusual method. On a clear day,
when the sun is shining brightly,
darken a room and select one window

part way down and cover the rest of
the window with a heavy cardboard.
Cut a small hole in the cardboard to
admit a beam of light. Set a bowl of
water on a table in the path of the
beam so as to deflect it to the ceiling
as shown by the dotted lines in the
sketch.

It is now a simple matter to show
the pulse beats. Place the wrist
against the edge of the bowl as shown,
and the beam of light directed to the
ceiling will record every beat of the
pulse by short, abrupt movements.

Sun's Rays Deflected to the Ceiling

toward the sunlight, which should be
prepared as follows: Draw the curtain

Artistic Wood Turning

Some very odd and beautiful effects
can be obtained in lathe work by mak-
ing up the stock from several pieces of
various kinds of wood glued together.
The pieces can be arranged in many
pleasing combinations, and if good
joints are made and a good quality of
glue used, the built-up stock is just as
durable as a solid piece.

Candlesticks turned from built-up

129

stock are especially attractive, parts of
the various light and dark woods ap-
pearing here and there in all manner of
odd shapes and proportions. If the
stock is placed off center in the lathe,
a still greater variety of effects will
be produced.

The application of a potassium-bi-
chromate solution to the finished work
turns each piece a different color. This
solution can be made in any depth of
color by varying the amounts of potas-
sium salt and water. Maple or birch
treated with this solution are colored
to a rich Osage orange which cannot
be surpassed in beauty. Mahogany is
turned a deep reddish brown, and wal-
nut is darkened a great deal. The so-
lution is applied as evenly as possible
with a camel's-hair brush while the
wood is turning in the lathe. The grain
of the wood is somewhat roughened

D MAPLE OR

BIRCH
E3 MAHOGANY

K| WALNUT

Vase Made of Different Woods

by this process, but it can be dressed
down again with very fine sandpaper.
In polishing the work, only the best
shellac should be used, and several
thin coats applied rather than one or
two heavy ones. Each coat, with the
exception of the last, should be sand-
papered slightly. Powdered pumice
stone on a cloth held in the palm of
the hand can be used to apply a beauti-
ful luster. Some suggestions as to the
manner of combining various woods,
and a simple candlestick of mahogany
and maple are shown in the sketch.
Contributed by Olaf Tronnes, Wil-
mette. 111.

A Variable Condenser
A simple variable condenser for re-
ceiving in wireless, which will give
good results, was made by a corre-
spondent of Modern Electrics as fol-
lows: Each clip on the switch was
made of ribbon brass or copper in the

shape shown at A, the first one from
the joint of the knife switch being
the longest and each succeeding one
shorter. The handle was taken from
a single-pole switch. The case was

CONDENSER

Lever and Clips

made of oak and varnished and the
condenser was made of tinfoil and thin
sheets of mica, 2 by 3 in. in size. After
placing the condenser in the case, hot
paraffin was poured around it.

Adjustable Baking-Pan Shoes

At times bread, meat, or other food,
placed in ordinary baking pans in the
oven becomes burned on the bottom.
If the detachable metal strips shown in
the sketch are placed on the pan, this
will not happen, as the pan does not
come in direct contact with the oven
floor.

The attachment can be placed on
agate ware or sheet-iron pans of any
length. The shoes are made from light

Shoe and How It is Attached to the Pan

V-shaped metal strips and in two parts,
as shown, with the edges of one part
lapped over so that the other strip will
slide in it.

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Cars Lined Up Ready for the Start and the Course Patrolled by the Boy Scouts, All Traffic being Halted
for the Race and the Roadway Made Clear for the Entire Half Mile of Track

A Pushmobile Race

Pending the time set for a 500-mile
international automobile race that was
scheduled to take place several weeks
later, a number of boys in the sixth and
seventh grades of a public school were
enthusiastic over the idea of building

for themselves, in
the school shops,
pushmobiles and
having a race
meet similar to
the large one ad-
vertised.

The pushmobiles were made and the
race run as an opening feature of a
field meet held in the city. The course
was about a half mile long, and was
chosen to give the contestants plenty
of curves, a part of the run being over
brick streets and the final quarter on
the regular track where the field meet
was held.

Interest was added to the event by
petitioning the mayor of the city for
a permit to run the race, and the Boy

Scouts patrolled the route, while the
city policemen cleared the streets, and
during the race all traffic was halted.

Two of the requirements for enter-
ing the race were that the car had to be
made in the school shops and that it
must have a certain kind of a wheel,
which in this case was one condemned
by a local factory, thus making the
wheels and wheel base of all cars alike.
Two boys to a car constituted a rac-
ing team, and during the race they
could exchange positions at their pleas-
ure. The necessity of "nursing" their
cars down the steep grades and around
difficult corners developed into an im-
portant factor. All cars were
named and numbered.

The car that finished first was
disqualified for the
reason that it took
on a fresh pusher
along the course.

The Cars Winning the First, Second and Third Prizes

Respectively, the "Hoosicr" being Penalized

10 Yards at the Starting Tape for Having

Larger and Better-Grade Wheels

131

The cars were constructed under the
supervision of the regular shop in-
structor, and a drawing was furnished
each boy making a car. The design of
the hood and the arrangement of the
seat and steering gear was left for each
boy to settle as he desired. The matter
of expense was watched closely by
each one. Most of the hoods and
seats were constructed of empty dry-
goods boxes.

With the aid of the sketch any boy
can make a car as strong as the
"Peugeot" that won the race.
The side rails of the main
frame were made of cy-
press, 58 in. long
and 2 in.
square.

The Entire Chassis was

Made of Cypre

Wood. All Car:

of the Same

Length and

Width,

Two pieces of V^-in. soft-steel rod
were used for the axles, a hole being
drilled near each end for a cotter, to
hold the wheels in place, and also holes
through the diameter between the
wheels, for l^-in. screws to fasten the
axles to the bolsters.

The steering wheel is constructed of
a broom handle with a small wheel
fastened to its upper end, and the lower
end supported by a crossbar,
F, and the back end of the
hood. Before fastening
the crossbar F
in place, adjust
the steering

Being the Only
Parts Optional
in Size and Shape
for the Builder

The location of the crossbars A and B
is very important, as they give rigidity
to the frame and reinforce the two
bolsters C and D. The size of the
hood and the location of the seat de-
termine where they should be set into
the rail, after which they are fastened
with large wood screws. The three
bolsters C, D, and E are cut from reg-
ular 2 by 4-in. stock. Be careful to
get a uniform distance between the
rails when they are framed together.
If desired, the dimensions can be in-
creased, but do not reduce them, as
this will narrow the tread too much.
The bolt connecting the bolsters C and
E is a common carriage bolt, 3 in. long
and !/2 in. in diameter. A washer is
placed between the pieces C and E, to
make the turning easy.

wheel to the
proper height for
the seat ; then it is
fastened with nails driven
through the sides of the hood.
The construction of the steering
device is very simple. The crossarm
G is a piece of timber, 7 in. long, 2 in.
wide and 1 in. thick, rounded on the
ends and provided with a large screw
eye near each end on the under side to
which are fastened the ends of two
small-linked chains. The chains are
then crossed and fastened to the bot-
tom bolster in front and as near the
wheels as practical. The connection is
made with a screw eye similar to the
one used in the crossarm. Another
type of steering device may be made
by building on the rod a 5-in. drum
which takes the place of the steering
arm. It is a more positive appliance,
but is somewhat harder to make and
adjust.

The making of the hood and the seat
completes the car. Decide upon the
shape and size of the hood, but, in any
case and irrespective of the size, it will
require a front and back end. These
are made first and then secured at the

132

proper distance apart with two side
rails. These two ends are nailed on the
ends of the connecting rails. It is then
well to fasten the hood skeleton to the
car frame and cover it after the steer-
ing device is in place.

The seat bottom is cut the shape
desired, and fastened to the rear bolster

and crosspiece, first placing a piece of
the proper thickness under the front
edge, to give it the desired slant back-
ward. The back curved part can be
formed of a piece of sheet metal and
lined on the inside with wood pieces,
or with cloth or leather, padded to re-
semble the regular cushion.

Pencil Rack

The simple pencil rack shown in the
sketch can be easily made from any
suitable strip of metal, preferably

-< '/;-< I tV-

A Strip of Sheet Metal Cut and Clips Formed
to Make a Pencil Rack

brass of about No. 15 gauge. Mark off
a number of rectangles corresponding
to the number of pencil holders
desired. With a sharp chisel, cut
through the metal on three sides of
each rectangle, leaving one of the
short sides untouched. The loose laps
can then be bent to a shape suited to
hold a pencil. The rack can be
fastened in place with nails or screws
through holes pierced at each end.
Contributed by Mark Gluckman,
Jersey City, N. J.

GIndistinct but not entirely worn-off
dates on coins may be read by heating
slightly.

Reducing Size of a Hat Sweatband

Very often a hat has been worn for
some time and it becomes too loose on
the head, then paper is used in the
sweatband to reduce the size. A bet-
ter, easier, and neater method, as well
as one that will be cooler for the head,
is to insert a flat lamp wick inside of
the sweatband. Wicks of all thick-
nesses and widths are easily obtained.
Contributed by Maurice Bandier,
New Orleans, La.

A Catapult

The catapult shown in the sketch
is one I constructed some time ago and
found to be amusing and very inex-
pensive. The catapult consists of a
small piece of dowel or pine, whittled
into the shape of a handle, a screw-
eye, an elastic band and an arrow. It
is surprising how a well-balanced ar-
row will fly into the sky until lost to
sight when propelled through the eye
of the screw with a medium-strong
elastic. A number of forms of this

The Eye of the Screw Serves as a Guide for
the Arrow

simple gun were made, but the one
shown is the simplest and most ef-
fective. Contributed by C. A. Need-
ham, New York, N. Y.

133

Growing Clean Strawberries

A very good method of growing in-
dividual strawberry plants that will
produce large clean berries is to pro-
vide a covering constructed from a
board 10 in. square with a 3-in. hole
bored in the center. This covering
is placed over the plant, as shown in
the sketch, to keep down weeds, retain
moisture, and to make a base for the
ripening berries. A shower cannot
spatter dirt and sand on the growing
fruit. The rays of the sun beating
on the surface of the board will aid in
the ripening.

If a log can be obtained, the boards
can be made better and more quickly.
Disks about 1 in. thick are sawed from
the log and holes in their centers either
cut with a chisel or bored, as desired.

Growing Strawberries on the Surface of a Board
Where They will Ripen Fast and Keep Clean

The grain of the wood will be vertical
and no warping will take place Con-
tributed by Johnny Banholster, Gres-
ham, Oregon

A Magic Change Card

Procure two cards, the "5" of dia-
monds and the "5" of spades, for ex-
ample. Bend each exactly in the cen-
ter, with the face of the cards in, and
then paste any card on the back, with
its face against the two ends of the
bent cards. The two opposite ends
will then have their backs together,
and these are also pasted. The illus-
tration clearly shows this arrangement.

To perform the trick pick up this
card, which is placed in the pack be-
forehand, and show to the audience

both the front and back of the card,
being sure to keep the center part flat
against one end or the other, then
pass the hand over the card, and in

A Card Having
Two Faces, Either

of Which can be

Shown to the
Audience Instantly

doing so catch the center part and
turn it over. The card can be changed
back again in the same manner. Con-
tributed by R. Bennett, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Cleaning Pearl Articles

A good way to clean pearl articles or
ornaments is to moisten them with
alcohol and then dry in magnesia pow-
der or French chalk. These last two
articles may be purchased at any drug
store and the process of cleaning is
absolutely harmless. It also polishes
the pearl and will not bleach delicate
colors.

Bed for a Camp

A quickly made bed for a camp is
shown in the illustration. The corner
posts consist of four forked stakes
driven in the earth so that the crotches
are on a level and about 1 ft. from

Canvas Bed Made on Two Poles Laid in the
Crotches of Forked Stakes

the ground. Poles are laid in the
crotches, lengthwise of the bed, and
canvas covering double-lapped over

134

them. If desired, the canvas can be
stitched along the inside of the poles.
Contributed by Thomas Simpson,
Pawtucket, R. I.

Sail for a Boy's Wagon

Every boy, who loves a boat and has
only a wagon, can make a combination
affair in which he can sail even though

The Sail Wagon will Travel at a Good Speed
in a Stiff Breeze

there is no water for miles around.
One boy accomplished this as shown
in the illustration, and the only assist-
ance he had was in making the sails.

The box of the wagon is removed
and the boat deck bolted in its place.
The deck is 14 in. wide and 5 ft. long.
The mast consists of an old rake han-
dle, 6 ft. long; the boom and gaff are
broomsticks, and the tiller is connected
with wire to the front axle, which gives
perfect control of the steering. The
sails are made of drilling.

On a brick pavement the sail wagon
can draw two other wagons with two
boys in each, making in all five boys.
Of course a good wind must be blow-
ing. With two boys it has made a
mile in five minutes on pavement.
Contributed by Arthur Carruthers,
Oberlin, Ohio.

Extracting a Broken Screw

A screw will often break off in a
piece of work in such a manner that it
is quite impossible to remove it by
using a pair of pliers or a wrench. In

this case the following method is very
efficient and expedient.

Drill a small hole in the screw as
near the center as possible. Roughen
the edges on the tang of a file with a
cold chisel, and drive the tang into the
hole with a mallet. The roughened
edges of the tang exert enough friction
on the metal to remove the screw by
turning the file in the proper direction.

Keeping Out Dampness

A good way to keep a bed from be-
coming damp, if left fur any length of
time, is to place a blanket on the top
after it is made up. Take the blanket
off before using and the bed covers will
be quite dry, as the blanket absorbs
the moisture. Contributed by G. Nor-
dvke, Lexington. Ore.

A Double-Claw Hammer for Pulling
Nails Straight

A nail pulled with an ordinary claw
hammer will be bent in the operation,
and for this reason the double claw
is used to draw the nail straight out
of the wood. An ordinary claw ham-
mer can be easily converted into a
double-claw by filing out one of the
claws as shown. The notch is filed
only large enough to slip under the
head of an average-size nail. After
drawing the nail a short distance in the

The Small Notch on the
End of the Claw Mikes
It Easy to Pull a Nail
Straight

usual manner the small notch is set
under the head of the nail which is then
pulled out straight. Contributed by J.
V. Loeffler, Evansville, Ind.

135

A Cyclemobile

By FRANK PFEFFERLE

The cyclemobile is of the three-
wheeled type and can be easily con-
structed in the home workshop with
ordinary tools. The main frame is
built up of two sidepieces, AA, Fig.
1, each 2 in. thick. 4 in. wide, and 7
ft. long, joined together at the front
end with a crosspiece, B. of the same
material, 17 in. long. The sides are
placed slightly tapering so that the
rear ends are 11 in. apart at the point
where they are joined together with
the blocks and rear-wheel attachments.
A crosspiece, C, 13 in. long, is fastened
in the center of the frame.

The place for the seat is cut out of
each sidepiece, as shown by the
notches at D. which are 2 ft. from the
rear ends. Two strips of wood, E, y

in. thick. 4 in. wide, and 22 in. long,
are fastened with nails to the rear ends
of the sides, as shown. The rear wheel

Detail of the Parts for Constructing an Automobile-
Type Foot-Power Car

Three-Wheeled Cyclemobile Propelled Like a Bicycle
and Steered as an Automobile

is a bicycle wheel, which can be taken
from an old bicycle, or a wheel may
be purchased cheaply at a bicycle store.
It is held in place with two pieces of
strap iron, F, shaped similar to the
rear forks on a bicycle, and each piece
is bolted to a block of wood 3 in. thick,
4 in. wide, and 6 in. long, which is
fastened to the sidepiece with the same
bolts that hold the strap iron in place.
The blocks are located 20 in. from the
rear ends of the sidepieces.

The pedal arrangement, Fig. 2, con-
sists of an ordinary bicycle hanger,
with cranks and sprocket wheel set
into the end of a piece of wood, 2 in.
thick, 4 in. wide and 33 in. long, at
a point 4 in. from one end. The pieces
GG are nailed on across the frame at
the front end of the car. to hold the
hanger piece in the center between the
sidepieces, as shown in Fig. 1. A
small pulley, H, is made to run loosely
on a shaft fastened between the side-
pieces. This is used as an idler to keep
the upper part of the chain below the
seat.

136

The front axle is 30 in. long, pivoted
as shown at J, Fig. 3, 6 in. from the
front end of the main frame. Two
small brass plates, KK, are fastened
with screws on the under edge of each
sidepiece, as shown, to provide a bear-
ing for the axle. The front wheels are
taken from a discarded baby carriage
and are about 21 in. in diameter.

A good imitation radiator can be
made by cutting a board to the dimen-
sions given in Fig. 4. A large-mesh
screen is fastened to the rear side to
imitate the water cells.

The steering gear L, Fig. 5, is made
of a broom handle, one end of which
passes through the support M and fits
into a hole bored into the lower part
of the imitation radiator board. A

steering wheel, N, is attached to the
upper end of the broom handle. The
center part of a rope, O, is given a
few turns around the broom handle,
and the ends are passed through the
openings in screweyes, PP, turned in-
to the inner surfaces of the sidepieces
AA, and tied to the front axle.

The seat is constructed of y^-in. lum-
ber and is built in the notches cut in
the main frame shown at D, Fig. 1.
The body frame is made of lath, or
other thin strips of wood, that can be
bent in the shape of the radiator and
nailed to the sidepieces, as shown in
Fig. G. These are braced at the top
with a longitudinal strip. The frame
is then covered with canvas and
painted as desired.

How to Make a Humidor

The humidor is an ideal gift for any
person who smokes. The wood for
making one, as shown in the illustra-

The Amount of Moisture within the Box i= Shown
on the Dial in tne Cover

tion, may be of Spanish cedar, mahog-
any, or quartered oak, as the builder
desires. The box and cover are made
and glued together in one piece, then
the cover is sawed off to insure a per-
fect fit. A strong corner connection is
shown at A. A piece of a strawberry
box or peach basket makes a good key
to glue in the grooves. Care must be
taken to run the grain with the width
and not with the length of the strip.

Finish the outside of the box with
two coats of the desired stain, then
cover with a coat of wax, shellac, or
varnish. The inside should be finished
with one coat of white lead and two or

three coats of white enamel, to make
the wood impervious to moisture.

In the center of the cover top is set
a piece of glass and to the under side
of the latter a hygrometer is attached
with a little glue. This instrument
tells the relative humidity, or the
amount of moisture, in the air within.
The moisture may be regulated by add-
ing a few drops of water, as needed, to
a piece of ordinary blotting paper
placed on the inside. Contributed by
James T. Gaffney, Chicago.

Telephoto Attachment for a Hand
Camera

It is not necessary to purchase an
expensive telephoto lens for a box or
hand camera if the owner has a pair of

A Field Glass Placed in Front of a Camera Lens
will Increase the Diameter of the Photograph

opera or field glasses. First focus the
glasses on the distant object to be

137

photographed and then set the camera.
One of the glasses is placed directly
in line with and in front of the camera
lens, as shown in the sketch. If the
camera is of the focusing type, it is
focused in the ordinary manner. Box
and other cameras are set as usual.

The glasses should be well supported
in front of the camera lens, as any
slight move will be quite perceptible
on the ground glass. As the light rays
are largely reduced in passing through
the field glass and camera lens, it is
necessary to give a much longer ex-
posure. This can only be determined
by trying it out, as lenses have differ-
ent speeds. Contributed by Charles
Leonard, St. John, Can.

and central roof of the structure. If
wood is used for the rod, it should
be about 1 in. in diameter and of hard

A Turn Feeding Table for Birds

Never in the past has the public at
large taken so great an interest in pro-
tecting and furthering the well-being
of birds as at present. In addition to
protective legislation, clubs every-
where are organizing to promote bird
life and many citizens, old and young,
are making bird houses and feeding
tables.

One of the best forms of feeding
tables which I have ever seen is shown
in the sketch. It possesses a great
advantage over the average table in
being turned automatically, whirling
about by the action of the winds and
always keeping its open front on the
lee or protected quarter. This is a
good feature especially in the fall and
winter, the very time when birds need
and seek protection from storms and
cold winds.

To make such a feed table almost
any kind of boards can be utilized.
The shelter may be of any shape or
size to suit the tastes of the maker,
but one constructed to the dimensions
given will be found to work well in
most localities. Along the center of
the roof is attached a wing, A, which
is an active aid in causing the wind
to keep the open front turned away.
The shelter turns upon a wood or iron
rod which passes from the end of a
post up through the central bottom

A Feeding Table for Birds That will Keep Its Open
Side Protected from the Storms

stock. An iron rod may be somewhat
smaller. Keep the holes well greased.
The house should be given a couple
of coats of white, red, or green paint,
and the post painted to correspond.
Feed and water are placed in shallow
dishes on the floor and they should be
blocked to keep them from sliding out.
Contributed by C. C. Fraser, Sagi-
naw, Mich.

A Sack Holder

An old granite kettle or tin pail with
the bottom cut out and three 8-penny
wire nails bent and fastened on with
rivets, as shown at A, makes as good
a sack holder as one could desire. A

A Granite Kettle Forms a

Holder That Makes It

Easy to Fill the Sack

chain attached to the handle makes it
conveniently adjustable to the proper

height for the sack.

138

Time Indicator for Medicine Bottles

The time to give a patient the next
dose of medicine can be set on the in-
dicator, as shown in the sketch, and
retained without
fear of its being
changed until
the dose is again
given. The in-
dicator consists
of a strip of
paper which will
reach around the
bottle neck and
is divided into 24
equal parts rep-
resenting hours
and half hours. The paper is then
pasted to the bottle neck. An ordi-
nary pin is then pushed into the cork as
shown. After a dose of medicine is
given to the patient the cork is re-
placed so that the head of the pin will
indicate the time for the next dose.
By this method, an accidental shifting
of the indicator is almost impossible.

A Washtub Stand

Usually two old chairs or an old box
makes the stand for the washtub, and
these are not always the right height.
A stand, like that shown in the illus-
tration and having the proper height
for the one who does the washing, can
be easily made of 2 by 4-in. material
and a few boards. As it is shown, the

Stand Provides a Place
for the Washing Utensils
and It is Always the
Proper Height

wringer is fastened on top of the back
and may remain there all the time, it
being out of the way, always in its
proper place, and held very firmly.
A light bracket, on which to set the

clothes basket, can be made and
fastened on the back of the stand, con-
nected with two hinges and supported
by a leg hinged to the bracket, the
lower end of the leg resting on the
floor back of the stand.

A small drawer may also be pro-
vided in the front, in which to put
away the soap and brushes, and the
wash boiler can be set underneath.
When one is through washing, the
bracket at the back is let down, the
washstand set up against the wall out
of the way, and everything is then in
its place, ready for the next wash day.
Contributed by Chas. Homewood,
"Waterloo, la.

Pipe Used as a Leather Punch

The sketch shows how a very cheap
and serviceable leather punch can be
made of an old pipe nip-
ple. Pieces of pipe of al-
most any size can be
found around a shop,
and it is. therefore, usu-
ally possible to quickly
make a punch of the re-
quired size. The cutter
end can be ground very
thin to prevent an over-
cut, while a small slot
cut a little above it will
allow the removal of the
leather slugs. For its
purpose, this homemade tool is all that
can be desired in cheapness and utility.

To Prevent Oilcloth from Cracking

A good method to prevent oilcloth
from cracking, when it is used on shop
tables or counters, is to first cut a pa-
per cover for the table on which to
place the oilcloth and prepare it as fol-
lows: The paper should be well oiled
with common machine oil and placed
smoothly on the table to be covered.
The oilcloth is then smoothed out on
top of the paper and stretched tightly.
The oiled paper tends to keep the un-
der side of the cloth moist, which pre-
vents cracking. The cloth wears much
longer because the paper acts as a pad

139

How to Make a Flymobile

BY EDWARD SIEJA

The boy owning a pushmbbile, or
even a power-driven auto car, is often
very much disappointed because mo-
tion soon stops when the power is not
applied. The car illustrated is of a lit-
tle different type, being equipped with
a flywheel that will propel the car and
carry the rider a considerable distance
after stopping the pedaling. The fly-
wheel also aids the operator, as it will
steady the motion and help him over a
rough place or a bump in the road.

The main frame of the flymobile is
made up of a few pieces of 2 by 4-in.
timbers. The pieces A are G ft. 4 in.
long, and the end crosspieces B, 24 in.
long. These are jointed, glued and
screwed together, as shown in Fig. 1.
The frame that supports the driving
parts consists of a piece, C, 6 ft. 2 in.
long, and a piece D, 2 ft. 11 in. long.
These are fitted in the main frame and
securely fastened to the end cross-
pieces B. Two other crosspieces, E and
F, are used to strengthen the driving-
parts frame.

The entire hanger G, with its bear-
ings, cranks and pedals, can be pro-
cured from a discarded bicycle and fas-
tened to the piece C ; the barrel holding
the bearings being snugly fitted into a
hole bored in the piece with an expan-
sive bit. The location will depend on
the builder and should be marked as
follows : Place the hanger on top of the
piece C, then put a box or board on
the frame where the seat is to be and
set the hanger where it will be in a
comfortable position for pedaling.
Mark this location and bore the hole.

The transmission H consists of a

bicycle coaster-brake hub, shown in
detail in Fig. 2. A split pulley, J, (i in.
in diameter, is bored out to fit over the
center of the hub between the spoke
flanges. The halves of the pulley are
then clamped on the hub with two
bolts, run through the holes in opposite
directions. Their heads and nuts are
let into countersunk holes so that no
part will extend above the surface of

The Flymobile is a Miniature Automobile in
Appearance and is Propelled by Foot Power

the pulley. The supports for the hub
axle consist of two pieces of bar iron,
4 in. long, drilled to admit the axle
ends, and screws for fastening them to
the frame pieces C and D. This con-
struction is clearly shown in Fig. 2.

The arrangement of the coaster-
brake hub produces the same effect as
a coaster brake on a bicycle. The one
propelling the flymobile may stop the
foot-power work without interfering
with the travel of the machine, and, be-
sides, a little back pressure on the ped-
als will apply the brake in the same
manner.

The flywheel K should be about 18
in. in diameter with a 2-in. rim, or face.
Such a wheel can be purchased cheaply
from any junk dealer. The flywheel is
set on a shaft, turning between the

140

pieces C and D and back of the coast-
er-brake wheel H. Two pulleys, L,
about 3 in. in diameter, are fastened to
turn with the flywheel on the shaft and
are fitted with flanges to separate the
belts. The ends of the shaft should
run in good bearings, well oiled.

Another pulley, M, 6 in. in diameter,
is made of wood and fastened to the
rear axle. An idler wheel, shown in
Fig. 3, is constructed of a small pulley,
or a large spool, attached to an L-
shaped piece of metal, which in turn
is fastened on the end of a shaft con-
trolled by the lever N. The function
of this idler is to tighten up the belt or
release it, thus changing the speed in
the same manner as on a motorcycle.

The elevation of the flymobile is giv-
en in Fig. 4, which shows the arrange-
ment of the belting. The size of the
pulleys on the flywheel shaft causes it
to turn rapidly, and, for this reason, the
weight of the wheel will run the car a
considerable distance when the coaster
hub is released.

The rear axle revolves in bearings,
half of which is recessed in the under
edges of the pieces A while the other
half is fastened to a block, screwed on

fastening them to the pieces P and Q,
as shown. These pieces are hinged
with strap iron, R, at one end, the other
end of the piece P being fastened to
the crosspiece F, Fig. 1, of the main
frame. The lower piece Q is worked
by the lever S and side bars, T. A
small spring, U, keeps the ends of the
pieces apart and allows the free turn-
ing of the axle until the brake lever is
drawn. The lever S is connected by a
long bar to the hand lever V.

The steering apparatus W, Figs. 1
and 4, is constructed of a piece of gas
pipe, 3 ft. 4 in. long, with a wheel at
one end and a cord, X, at the other.
The center part of the cord is wound
several times around the pipe and the
ends are passed through screweyes in
the main frame pieces A and attached
to the front axle, which is pivoted in
the center under the block Y. The
lower end of the pipe turns in a hole
bored slanting in the block. A turn of
the steering wheel causes one end of
the cord to wind and the other to un-
wind, which turns the axle on the cen-
ter pivot.

The wheels are bicycle wheels, and
the ends of the front axle are turned to

FIG. 5

Plan and Elevation of the Flymobile, Showing the Location of the Working Parts, to Which, with

a Few Changes, a Motorcycle Engine can be Attached to Make It a Cyclecar; Also

Details of the Brakes, Belt Tightener and Coaster-Brake Hub

over the axle. A simple brake is made
as shown in Fig. 5. Two metal pieces,
O, preferably brass, are shaped to fit
over the shaft with extending ends for

receive the cones and nuts, instead of
using the regular hub axles. The ends
of the rear axle are turned to closely fit
the hubs after the ball cups have been

141

removed. A large washer and nut
clamp each wheel to the axle so that
it will turn with it.

The body can be made up as desired,
from sheet metal, wood, or cloth
stretched over ribs of wood, and
painted in the manner of an automo-
bile. A tank and tires can be placed on
the back to add to the appearance.
Fenders and a running board can be
attached to the main frame.

With the addition of some cross-
pieces in the main frame at the front
and a motorcycle engine fastened to
them so that the driving sprocket will
be in line with the sprocket on the
coaster hub, the builder will have a real
cyclecar.

The Die-and-Box Trick

The die-and-box trick, so often per-
formed on the stage, is a very
interesting and mystifying one. The
apparatus, however, is simple, consist-
ing of a box, die, a piece of tin in the
form of three adjacent sides of the
die, and a hat. The die and box are
constructed entirely of wood, Vs in.
thick, and the piece of tin can be cut
from any large coffee can. The box
is closed by four doors, as shown in
Fig. 1, two of which are 2% in.
square, and the others, 3 l / s in. by 3 l /
in. The first two are the front doors
and are preferably hinged with cloth
to the two uprights A and B. Small
pieces of tin are fastened on the doors
at C and D, to provide a means to
open them. The other doors are
placed on top and are hinged to the
back, as shown.

The die is 3 in. square on all sides,
and is constructed of two pieces, 3 in.
square ; two pieces, 2% in. by 3 in.,
and two pieces, 2% in. square. These
are fastened together with VwT m -
brads. The tin, forming the false die,
is cut out as shown in Fig. 2, and is
then bent on the dotted lines and sol-
dered together on the joint formed by
the two edges E and F. All parts
should be painted a dull black with
white spots on the die and false die.

The trick is performed as follows :

Procure a hat from some one in the
audience and place in it the die with
the tin false die covering three sides
of the block, at the same time telling
the audience that the block will be
caused to pass from the hat into the

With the False Die in Place It Appears
as If the Box Were Empty

box, the latter being placed some dis-
tance away. Inform the audience that
it would be more difficult for the die
to pass from the box into the hat. Re-
move the tin piece from the hat and
leave the die, holding the surfaces of
the false die toward the audience.
This will give the impression that the
die has been removed. Set the hat on
the table above the level of the eyes
of the audience. With the back of the
box toward the audience, open one
top door and insert the tin piece in
the right-hand compartment so that
one side touches the back, another the

Fid. I

The Box with
Doors on One
Side and the Top, and
the False-Die Pattern

side and the other the bottom of the
box. Close the door and open the two
doors of the opposite compartment
which, when shown, will appear to be
empty. Tilt the box to this side and
open the doors of the side opposite to

142

the one just opened, which, of course,
will be empty. This should be done
several times until some one asks that
all doors be opened at the same time.
After a few more reversals and open-
ings as given, open all doors and show
it empty, then take the die from the
hat. Contributed by Harold L. Groes-
beck, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Homemade Pantograph

The pantograph consists of four
pieces of wood, the dimensions de-
pending somewhat on the size of the
work to be drawn. A convenient size
for ordinary drawing and enlarging is

-*1

B '

C G

1 ,

A Picture can be Enlarged or Reduced by Setting
the Screweyes in the Holes Designated

constructed of four pieces of hard-
wood, preferably maple, -fa in. thick
and % in. wide, two of them 20% in.
in length and the other two, 18% in.
long. These are planed and sand-
papered and the ends cut round.

All four pieces are laid flat on a level
board or bench top with their edges to-
gether so that the edges of the two

longer pieces make right angles with
a line drawn tangent to their ends.
One end of one short piece is placed
flush with the lower ends of the two
long pieces, and one end of the other
short piece flush with the upper ends,
as shown. They should be clamped
down solidly to keep them from mov-
ing while laying off the divisions.
Light lines are drawn across their
faces as designated by the dimensions.
On these lines and exactly in the
center of the pieces make small marks
with a pencil point. Through the
pieces A and B holes are drilled to
snugly receive the body of a small
screweye. The other two pieces are
drilled with a smaller drill so that the
threads of the screweye will take hold
in the wood.

The end C of the piece A has a
metal stand made of brass as shown at
D. This is fastened to the end of the
wood with a small bolt. The hole
should be a snug fit over the body of
the bolt. The lower ends of the brass
are drilled to admit thumb tacks for
holding it to the drawing board.

The joint at E is made of a suitable
binding post that can be procured at
an electrical shop, the shank below
the two joined pieces to be the same
length as the height of the metal stand
D. The end should be filed round and
polished so that it will slip over the
board or paper easily.

The stylus or tracing point F is
made of another binding post, in the
same manner, but instead of a round-
ing end a slightly blunt, pointed end
is filed on it. The end of the piece G
is strengthened by gluing a small block
of the same material on both upper
and under side. A hole is then made
through them to receive a pencil
rather tightly.

The holes, as will be seen, are num-
bered from 1 to 34. At the crossing
of each pair, H and J, the screweyes
must be set in the holes numbered
alike on both piece's of each pair. This
will insure the proper working of the
parts. The other numbers designate
how much the instrument will enlarge
a picture or reduce it. On the pair

143

not numbered in the sketch the num-
bers run in the opposite direction.

The end C is fastened to the left
side of the drawing board, the picture
to be enlarged is placed under the
stylus or tracer point, and the paper
under the pencil point G. Move the
tracing point over the general outline
of the picture without making any line
before starting, so as to make sure that
the paper and picture are located right.
It is then only necessary to take hold
of the pencil and move it over the
paper while watching the tracer point
to keep it following the lines of the
picture. To make a reduced picture,
the original is placed under G, the
tracer point changed to G and the
pencil to F.

Trapping Mosquitoes

Jfosquitoes that light on the ceiling
may be easily destroyed with the in-
strument shown in the sketch. It con-
sists of a cover,
such as used on
jelly glasses,
nailed to the
end of an old
broom handle
A little kerosene
oil is placed in
the cover and
the device is
passed closely beneath the location of
the mosquitoes. They will be over-
come by the fumes and drop into the
fluid as soon as it comes under them.
Contributed by J. J. Kolar, May-
wood. 111.

Pen Rack on an Ink Bottle

A piece of wire, about 1 ft. long, is
bent into the shape shown and slipped
over the neck of the ink bottle. The
ends forming the
loop around the
neck should fit
tightly. The up-
per part of the
wire is shaped to

hold the penholder. Contributed by
\Y. A. Saul, E. Lexington, Mass.

Substitute for a Broken Bench-
Vise Nut

It is frequently the case that the nut
on a bench-vise screw breaks from be-
ing subjected to a too violent strain. If

1 wo Pieces of Strap Iron Shaped to Fit the Square
A nread Make a uood Substitute Nut

one is working in a place where a new
nut cannot be obtained, the broken part
may be replaced by the substitute
shown in the sketch. Any piece of
strap iron may be used, and with a
round file and a drill the two pieces can
soon be made and attached to the
bench with screws or bolts. A slight
twist of the shaped ends is necessary to
make them fit the angle of the thread.
Contributed by Oscar M. \Yaddell,
Lamedeer, Mont.

Scissors Sharpener

Procure an ordinary wood clothespin
and drill a Vs-hi. hole through its
blades, then insert a piece of hardened
Vs-in. drill rod, which should be a driv-
ing fit. In using this device, take the
scissors and attempt to cut the steel

In Attempting to Cut the Hardened Steel Pin
the Edge is Drawn Sharp

rod. Do this three or four times and a
good cutting edge will be obtained.
Contributed by \Ym. J. Tolson, Lyons,
Iowa.

CAn imitation-gold color may be made
with flake white, ground in varnish
and tinted with a touch of vermilion.
When striping or lettering is done
with this, it will have the appearance
of real gilding work.

144

Floor Push Button

An ordinary electric push button
can be used for a floor push button by
placing it on a bracket or shelf at-
tached to a joist, as shown, and using
a nail for the extension push. A
%-in. hole is bored through the floor,
also through a small piece of wood
fastened beneath the floor, at the right
place to direct the nail so that it will
strike directly upon the small black
knob of the push button. The nail

Push Button on Joist

should be just long enough to rest
lightly on the knob. Contributed by
Reginald R. Insole. Hamilton, Can.

A Wrist Brace

To strengthen a weak wrist, take a
piece of leather, preferably white oak
tanned, 2 in. wide and 14 in. long, and
carefully shave it down with a sharp
knife, until it is iV in- thick. Then
cut it as shown in Fig. 1, the wide part
or body being 7 in. -long, and the nar-
row part or neck, 6 in. long and 1 in.
wide. Cut a semicircular hole, 1 in.
from the extreme end of the body, y in.
wide and I 1 /! in. long, to allow the neck
to slip through, then punch three holes
in each end and lace with rawhide or
shoestring, or, better still, if you hap-
pen to have a small buckle, sew it
neatly to the body. It looks better

FIG. I
Brace Made ot Leather

FIG. 2

Protecting a Kettle Handle from Heat

The wood handle of a kettle or cook-
ing utensil when not in use usually
comes in contact with the side of the
vessel and it
will absorb
enough heat
each time to
finally char
and crack
the wood.
The heat of the handle at times is so in-
tense that it often results in a burned
hand. The spiral metal handle pro-
vides a way for cooling by exposing a
considerable surface to the air, yet the
metal retains the heat so that many
times it is too hot to handle. If a wood
handle is provided with a coil of wire
as shown in the accompanying sketch,
the wood cannot come in contact with
the side of the heated vessel and the air
encircling the wood prevents it from
getting too hot to handle. The spiral
can be attached to a metal handle with
solder.

and saves time in adjusting. When
complete and on the wrist, it will ap-
pear as in Fig. 2. Contributed by J.
H. Harris, Berkeley, Cal.

Tin Can Used for Watering Chickens

An ordinary discarded tomato can
makes a good watering vessel for
young chick-
ens. Care
must be
taken in
opening the
can to cut
the tin so the
cover will
hinge. Cut
the tin about
1% in. from
the bottom
so that it
will form a
U-s h a p e d
piece as
shown in the

sketch' and push the hanging portion
in the can. Fill the can up to the
opening with water, close the cover
and set it in the coop. Contributed
by L. Alberta Norrell, Augusta, Ga.

145

How to Make a Hurdle

The hurdle consists of two stand-
ards, a reach, and a swing. The swing
is first made in the shape of a rec-
tangle of four pieces of wood, about
% in. thick and iy 2 in. wide, of which
two are 3G in. and the others 18 in.
long. These pieces are nailed together
in the manner shown.

Each standard is made of three pieces
of wood, 7 /s in. thick, 3 in. wide, and
18 in. long. Nail the pieces firmly to-
gether, as shown, and connect their
bases with another piece of the same
material, 36 in. long. When this is
finished, connect the swing to the
standards with long nails, A. at the
ends slightly off center. Before in-
serting the nails, make the holes in
each standard to receive them large
enough to permit the nails to turn
freely without allowing the heads to

The Swing of the Hurdle will Turn When Slightly
Touched and Right Itself Again

pass through. Thus the frame will
swing freely at the slightest touch of
the jumper's foot, and right itself im-
mediately. Contributed by C. C.
Fraser, Saginaw, Mich.

Oil Burner for a Cook Stove

The parts of the burner consist of
ordinary gas pipe and fittings. The
pipe in which the kerosene oil is con-
verted into gas is Vn in.
in diameter and is con-
nected to a supply tank
of oil with y-in. pipe.

A Very Cheap Grade of Kerosene Oil can be Used
in This Burner with Success

The burner part is also constructed of
V-i-m. pipe having three T*-in. holes
drilled in each end for the gas to es-
cape where it burns. These burners
are located just beneath the large pipe
so that the flames will heat it and con-
vert the oil into gas. A needle valve,
A, is used to control the flow of oil.
The burner is placed in the fire box of
the stove, and the pipes connected
through a hole drilled in the stove door,
at B.

The tank may be rectangular or
round and should be of sufficient
strength to withstand 5 or 10 Ib. of
pressure. The top of the tank has a
pet cock where a connecting hose from
an air pump may be attached. The tank
is filled about half full and just a little
pressure of air is put on the oil. To
start the burner, run a little oil in a pan
or fire shovel and light it so that the
flames will convert the oil into gas in
the large pipe, then turn the valve A
and regulate the flame. Contributed
by Robert Hays, Siloam Springs, Ark.

A Fish Stringer

The illustration shows a very sim-
ple and inexpensive device for the
angler to string and carry fish. It is

Inexpensive Stringer Made
of a Pail Handle and
Small Chain

made of a pail handle through which
is passed a piece of soft wire, having
sufficient length for bends or loops at
each end, and a piece of chain. A
chain 18 in. long is sufficient. One end
of the chain is fastened in the loop at
one end of the handle, and the other
has a piece of wire attached for push-
ing through the gills of the fish. The
other end of the wire through the
handle is arranged in a hook to catch
into the links of the chain. Contrib-
uted by G. O. Reed, Stratford, Canada.

Substitutes for Drawing Instruments

Three of the most used draftsman's
instruments are the compass, ruler
and square or triangle. When it is
necessary to make a rough drawing
and no instruments are at hand, com-
mon and easily obtainable things can
be used as substitutes.

A sheet of heavy paper folded as

A Compass. Ruler and Square Made of Ordinary
Things at Hand

shown at A will serve as a ruler, and
the same sheet given another fold will
make the square V,. If given another
fold diagonally, a 45-deg. triangle is

formed. A substitute compass is
readily made of a short pencil and a
pocket knife, as shown at C. Con-
tributed by Jas. J. Joyce, Olongopo,
Philippine Islands.

How to Make an Aspirator

A simple aspirator that may be used
for a number of different purposes,
such as accelerating the process of
filtering, emptying water from tubs,
producing a partial vacuum in vessels
in which coils are being boiled in paraf-
fin, etc., may be constructed as fol-
lows : Obtain two pieces of brass
tubing of the following dimensions:
one 7 in. long and % in. outside diam-
eter, and the other, 3 in. long and */4
in. outside diameter. Drill a hole in
one side of the large tube, about 3 in.
from one end, of such a diameter that

Detail of the Aspirator and Its Connections to a
Faucet, for Increasing the Speed of Filtration

the small brass tube will fit it very
tightly. Take an ordinary hacksaw
and cut a slot in the side of the large
piece, as shown at A. This slot is
sawed diagonally across the tube and
extends from one side to the center.
Obtain a piece of sheet brass that will
fit into this slot tightly, and then
solder it and the small tube into the
large tube. The slot and hole for the
small tube should be so located with
respect to each other that the small
tube will empty into the largej one
directly against the piece of sheet
brass soldered in the slot.

The upper end of the large tube
should be threaded inside to fit over
the threads on the faucet, or an attach-
ment soldered to it similar to those on
the end of an ordinary garden hose.
A rubber hose should be attached to
the small tube and connected, as

shown, to a piece of glass tubing that
is sealed in the cork in the top of the
large bottle. The funnel holding the
filter paper is also sealed into the cork.
Melted paraffin may be used in sealing
the glass tube, funnel and cork in
place, the object being to make them
airtight. The filter paper should be
folded so that it sticks tightly against
the sides of the funnel when the liquid
is poured in, thus preventing any air
from entering" the bottle between the
paper and the funnel. Turn on the
faucet, and it will be found that the
time required to filter any liquid will
be greatly reduced. Be careful, how-
ever, not to turn on too much water,
as the suction may then be too strong
and the filter paper become punctured.

A Key-Holder Hook

A good hook for hanging keys,
toothbrushes and other small articles
can be made
from ordinary
wire staples, as
s h o w n at A.
One leg of the
staple is cut away as shown at B
and the other leg driven into the
board as shown at C. These will an-
swer the purpose as well as screw-
hooks. Contributed by W. C. Heidt,
Chicago.

A Hand Hoe

A hand hoe, especially adapted for
weeding or cultivating small truck,
particularly onions, can be made of a
piece of hard wood, % by 1% in. by 4
ft. long, and a piece of old bucksaw
blade. A blade, 18 in. long and 2 in.

Bucksaw Blade Attached
to a Hardwood Handle

wide, bent into a loop is attached with
1-olts to the handle. Contributed by
Ceo. H. Miller, Iowa City, Iowa.

Seed Receptacle for Bird-Cages

A handy seed and water container
for a bird-cage can be made of a com-
mon spice tin. The receptacle can be

Spice Tin Attached to the Wires of a Bird-Cage for
a Water or Seed Receptacle

filled without removal by simply tak-
ing off the cover. Thus the seed will
not be scattered.

The tin is attached by cutting a hole
in the back as shown, and bending
the side edges to fit over the wires to
hold it in place. The bottom strip is
a support which rests on the floor of
the cage and prevents the tin from
slipping down on the wires.

Kitchen-Utensil Scraper

A flexible utensil scraper is one of
the most useful articles I have in my
kitchen. It covers such a large surface

The Blade is Flexible so It can Readily Shape Itself
to the Curves of a Kettle

in scraping pans, kettles, etc., that this
most disagreeable part of the kitchen
work is quickly and easily accom-
plished.

The flexible blade is attached to the
tin handles with small rivets. The
blade should be thin and narrow
enough to allow it to bend. When the
handles are pressed together, the blade
curves to the shape of the utensil's sur-
face. Contributed by Mrs. Delia
Schempp, Brodhead, Wis.

148

Anchor Posts for a Lawn Swing

A very substantial and convenient
base for a lawn swing can be made by
using four anchor posts of cement, as

BLOCKS

Fit. I

MOULD
BOX

An Anchor Post of Cement and a Mold Box for Shaping
Four Posts at a Time

shown in Fig. 1. The posts are made
with a recess, A, to receive the legs of
the swing, and of any suitable size.
They may be placed with the upper
face on a level with the lawn, or higher
if desired.

A rough mold box, Fig. 2, lined with
paper, will do for making the posts.
The box does not require any top or
bottom ; it is simply placed on a board
and lifted away when the blocks are
thoroughly dried. If the blocks are
leveled when placed in the earth, the
swing may be taken down and erected
again without the usual leveling and
bracing. Contributed by James M.
Kane, Doylestown, Pa.

Automatic Filter

This funnel-filling fil-
ter automatically pre-
vents the solution from
running over if the fil-
tering is slow or the fil-
ter substance becomes
clogged. The upper in-
verted bottle holds the
solution to be filtered,
the cork being fitted
with a glass tube as
shown, and when in use
the cork is forced into
the neck of the bottle so
that no air can enter be-
tween it and the glass.
The support for hold-
ing the bottles has
two brackets, one to fit the neck of
the upper bottle and the other used

as a shelf for the receiving bottle.
In operation, the solution runs from
the upper bottle into the funnel, hold-
ing the filter paper, but it cannot fill
the funnel completely, because the end
of the glass tube is lower than the
edge of the funnel, and as soon as the
liquid in the funnel covers the end of
the tube, all inflow of air into the
upper bottle is stopped, and, thereby,
further flow of the solution into the
funnel prevented, until enough has fil-
tered through to uncover the end of
the tube and thus permit air to again
enter the upper bottle. Contributed
by G. Simons, Chicago.

Grinding Scissors

\Yhether a pair of scissors be ground
or filed, the marks or scratches left
from the contact with the abrasive
should all extend across the bevel in

The Direction of the Grinding Tool should be Slightly
Sloping Toward the Handles

the direction of the line ED, Fig. 1, and
never in the direction of the line GF.
If the cutting edge be examined under
a magnifying glass, the tool marks or
scratches left by the sharpening proc-
ess will be very plainly seen, and where
these scratches intersect with the face
HI, Fig. 2, of the blade, they will ap-
pear as teeth along the cutting edge IK.

As a pair of scissors close, the
natural tendency is to thrust the ma-
terial to be cut out of the angle ABC,
Fig. 1, but if these small teeth formed
on the cutting edge point in the direc-
tion of the line ED, this slipping action
is prevented or retarded because the
fibrous material adheres to the fine
teeth on the cutting edge of the blades.

Wet paper, silks, mohair cloths, etc.,
can be sheared with perfect ease and

149

dispatch, when scissors are sharpened
in this manner. The same principle
holds good for metal snips.

The angle HIJ, Fig. 2, varies accord-
ing to the material to be cut, and the
type of shear. A greater angle is re-
quired on metal shears than on shears
for domestic uses. Contributed by A.
Clifton, Chicago.

rectangular piece of wood and is fas-
tened with a tenon in a mortise cut in
the vise jaw B. The clamping ar-

To Repair a Leak in a Canoe

After striking some rocks with our
canoe, it sprung three very bad leaks.
These were effectively patched with
pieces of cheesecloth, well soaked in
liquid shellac, which were pasted on
the outside of the leak. After allow-
ing this to set for a few hours, it will
be almost impossible to remove the
patch. This is an inexpensive and al-
most invariably a sure remedy for
leaks. When the cloth is dry, paint it
over with the same color as the boat,
and the repair can scarcely be seen.
Contributed by William B. Smith,
New York City.

Holder for Loose Window Glass

When the putty becomes loose and
the glazing points work out on win-
dow glass, tem-
porary repairs
may be made by
using a small
piece of tin or
sheet iron bent
> as shown in the
sketch. The clip
is inserted under the edge of the glass
and hooked over the back of the sash
parts. This will hold the glass firmly
in place and also prevent rattling.

A Homemade Bench Vise

A form of a bench vise that can be
easily made and attached to a work-
bench is shown in the illustration.
This vise requires no screw, and the
parts can be made from scrap ma-
terial.

The substitute A for the screw is a

The Vise Jaw as It is Attached to the Bench and
the Substitute Screw Arrangement

rangement consists of a strap, C, at-
tached to the piece A, then run over a
pulley, D, and fastened to a foot pedal,
E. The foot pedal is fulcrumed on a
crosspiece of the bench and has a
ratchet so as to hold it when the vise
is set. The lower end of the vise is
fitted with the usual form of device for
parallel adjustment. A coil spring is
located in the center for use in quickly
opening the vise when the foot pedal
is released. Contributed by A. C.
Westby, Porter, Minn.

A Cover Strainer

Quite frequently the cook or house-
wife wishes to pour the hot water or
liquid from boiling vegetables or other
foods without removing the solids
from the kettle. This is easily accom-
plished, if small holes are drilled in the
cover as shown in the sketch. The
saucepan or kettle can be tilted and
the liquid drains through the holes.
Further, the steam from cooking food

A Sufficient Number of Holes are Drilled in the Edge
of the Cover to Make a Strainer

can readily escape through the holes,
thus preventing the cover from vi-
brating, or the liquids from boiling
over.

150

Homemade Corn Sheller

Where there is but a small quantity
of corn to be shelled a sheller can be
made of a few scraps of wood usually

The Projecting
Nail Heads in the
Block and Lever,
as They Pass,
Shell the Corn

found on a farm. A block of wood
having a sloping notch cut from one
end is mounted on three legs as shown.
The notched part as well as the lever
is thickly filled with spikes driven in so
that their heads protrude about \'- 2 in.
The ear of corn is placed in the
notched part and the lever pressed
down. Two or three strokes of the
lever will remove all the kernels from
the cob. A box is provided and con-
veniently located on one leg to catch
the shelled corn. Contributed by A.
S. Thomas, Gordon, Ont.

An Ornamental Metal Flatiron Holder

This antique iron holder or stand
can be easily constructed by the ama-
teur bent-iron worker. A strip of iron
is bent over at the ends to form the
side legs, and the front leg is formed
of another piece, welded in the center.

Ornamental Stand Made of Either Strap Iron or Sheet
Metal to Hold a Flatiron

Openings for the crosspieces are
then cut, the legs bent into a scroll

shape, and the crosspieces inserted
and fastened by spreading or upsetting
the ends.

Instead of using strap iron, the stand
can be cut from good sheet metal.
This would save the trouble of welding
on the front leg.

How to Make a Watch Demagnetizer

A watch demagnetizer that will give
excellent satisfaction may be made as
follows :

Procure a sheet of iV' n - brass, 3Vt
in. by 7 in. Bend this piece of brass
around a piece of hard wood having
a rectangular cross section of 2Vs in.
by 1 in. The joint between the two
ends should be made on one side, and
the edges should lack about % in. of
touching. Next obtain two pieces of
%-in. brass, 3% in. by 3 in., and cut
an opening in each of these, 2% in.
by 1% in-, as shown in the sketch.
Bend one edge of each of these pieces
over at right angles to the main por-
tion of the piece. Solder these two
pieces on the ends of the rectangular

Dimensioned Parts for the Construction of the Core
over Which the Insulated Wire is Wound

tube of brass and cut a slot in each of
them to correspond to the one in the
rectangular tube. Place the rectan-
gular piece of wood back in the tube and
you are ready for the winding. Use
No. 18 gauge single cotton-covered
copper wire and fill the winding space.
Several layers of paper should be
placed on the brass tube and between
the layers of wire, to serve as an in-
sulation. Holes may be drilled in the
projecting portions on the ends and the
coil can then be mounted on a wooden
base. Mount two binding posts on
this base and connect the terminals of
the winding to them.

151

To use the demagnetizes connect it
to a 110-volt alternating-current circuit
with a rheostat in circuit of such a
form that the current will not exceed
three amperes and that it may be re-
duced to practically zero in value by
increasing the resistance of the rheo-
stat. The magnetic field inside the
coil is rapidly changing in direction

and will tend to destroy any perma-
nent magnetism that may be possessed
by an object placed inside of it. The
full current of three amperes should be
allowed to pass through the winding
for a few minutes after the object to
be demagnetized is inserted, and then
gradually reduced, and the object re-
moved.

Remodeling a Talking Machine

Having a talking machine of an old
model with a tapered horn I decided
to change it into a more modern type,

F. The talking machine is placed on
the auxiliary base as shown in Fig. 3.
This construction produces a talking

The Horn or Sounding Box is Constructed in the Auxiliary Base and the Part for Connecting the Sounding
Tube to the Box Consists of Ordinary Gas Pipe Fastened with a Clip at the Back

and this was accomplished as follows:
An auxiliary base was constructed of
i/o-in. wood on which to set the part
which revolves the disks. The inside
of this base is so constructed as to
form a horn or sounding box. The two
sides and sloping bottom of the horn-
part are made of %-in. wood. The
form of this box is shown in Fig. 1.
The dimensions should be determined
according to the size of the talking
machine.

The connecting parts to the original
horn were turned downward, as shown
at A, Fig. 2, with the opening entering
a piece of ordinary gas pipe of suffi-
cient length to allow an elbow with a
nipple to enter the auxiliary base. The
pivot-holding device for connection
A is shown at D. The parts are
attached to the box with a clasp, E,
and with three screws in the nipple
C, the end view of which is shown at

machine on the order of a cabinet
machine without the tapering horn.
Contributed by H. W. J. Lomglatz,
Harrisburg, Pa.

Needle for Sewing Burlap

A needle for sewing burlap can be
easily made of the ordinary opener
that comes with sardine cans. All that
is necessary to convert this tool into a

The Can Opener is Provided with an
Eye and to Make a Needle the End is
Sharpened

needle is to grind the blunt end to a
sharp point, as shown in the sketch.
Contributed by G. C. Beven, Sault Ste.
Marie, Out.

152

A Mysterious Revolving Wheel

The mystery of this wheel is that it
seems to revolve automatically with-
out any visible external power. It is

The Wheel as It is Mounted on a Needle, and Lamp
and Box Containing Magnet to Make It Turn

at the same time an amusing trick and
an instructive experiment. The appa-
ratus required is very simple and can
be made at home.

A glass bottle is half filled with sand
and water, so that it will stand se-
curely, and a cork placed in the neck.
Into this cork a needle should be in-
serted so that it projects perpendic-
ular!}', which is most easily done by
heating one end of the needle to a
red heat and then pushing it into the
cork as deeply as possible. Into a
disk of cork of suitable thickness and
at four points on its side, at equal dis-
tances apart, are inserted four pieces
of copper wire of the same length,
each bent at the outer end to form a
hook these copper wires thus forming
the spokes of the wheel. The rim is
made of a small iron wire bent in a
circular shape and held in the hooks
on the ends of the copper wires. The
now completed wheel is balanced on
the free point on the needle, so that it
can turn easily.

Place an alcohol lamp in such a posf-
tion that when it is lighted the tip of
the flame will just reach the rim of the
wheel. (Any other flame that will not
soot the rim may be used.) In the
box A, placed with its bottom level
with the wheel, put a horseshoe
magnet so that the flame is opposite
one of its poles. After the lamp has
been lighted for a few seconds, the
wheel will begin to revolve, seemingly
without cause. Why does it do so?

Because the magnet magnetizes or at-
tracts the part of the ring nearest it
while cold, but not when it is glow-
ing. Instead, it will attract the cooler
part of the ring nearest behind the
flame and so on, the wheel thus spin-
ning round, faster in the same propor-
tion as the magnet is stronger and the
iron rim smaller.

If this experiment is shown before
spectators as a trick, the performer
may say to the audience that he alone
can make the wheel spin around with-
out touching it. Should some one ac-
cept his challenge, he may, in a care-
less way, move the box containing the
magnet away or turn it around so that
it will not influence the iron ring and
then, of course, the wheel will remain
immovable.

How to Make a Rabbet Plane

A rabbet plane is very little used by
mechanics, but when it is wanted for
a piece of work, it is wanted badly.
While doing an unusual piece of work
I needed a rabbet plane, and having
none, I made a plane as shown in the
sketch in less time than it would have
taken to go out and borrow one.

The body of the plane was made of
a piece of 2 by 4-in. pine, 1 ft. long.
A 1-in. chisel was used for the bit. A
place was marked on one side of the
wood to be cut out for the chisel, and
a 1-in. hole bored through, the narrow
way, so that one edge of the bit cut
through the bottom, forming a slit for

A Plane Made of a Piece of 2 by 4-In. Pine, a Chisel
and a Large Wood Screw

the edge of the chisel. After cut-
ting a groove for the chisel blade and
turning in a long wood screw as shown,

153

to hold the chisel in place. I had as
good a rabbet plane as could be pur-
chased. Contributed by W. H. Young,
Thompson, Ga.

Eye Shield for a Microscope

The difficulty and discomfort ama-
teurs experience in learning to use a
microscope with both eyes open, or in
trying to keep one eye shut, can be
easily overcome by attaching a piece
of cardboard, similar in shape to the
one shown in the sketch, to the barrel
of the microscope. The hole A should
be of sufficient diameter to allow the
cardboard to slide freely up and down
on the barrel to the proper adjustment.
This simple arrangement will relieve a
great deal of the eye strain and will

Shield to Cover the Eye That is Not Used 'When
Looking into a Microscope

be of assistance to the most experi-
enced users of microscopes. Contrib-
uted by G. B. Fenton, Charleston, \V.
Virginia.

Transferring Magazine Pictures

Select pictures from newly printed
papers and magazines. Rub wax from
a paraffin candle over a sheet of clean
white paper, covering a space as large
as the picture to be copied. Place
the paper, waxed side down, on the
picture and while holding it firmly
with the fingers of one hand, rub the
back thoroughly with some hard sub-
stance until all parts of the picture
have been gone over. Remove the
paper and a perfect copy of the picture
will lie found upon the waxed side.
Contributed by Kenneth G. Merlin,
Brooklyn, N. Y.

A Homemade Egg Separator

Secure some small wire and a very
large can. Cut the wire into several
pieces and bend them as shown at A,

The Contents of the Egg is Placed on the Wires
Which will Separate the Yolk from the White

cut the can and bend the side down as
shown and punch holes to receive the
upper ends of the wires. Make the
holes so that the wires will be about
5/16 in. apart.

A Glue-Spreader Holder

The spreader that is supplied with
bottles of liquid glue should not be
placed on any surface, as it will soon
stick to it. A
holder that will
keep the spread-
er in a safe place
can be made of a
piece of wire
which' is twisted

about the neck

of the bottle, as
shown in the
sketch, and the
ends bent up to receive the spreader.

Stop on a Chair Rocker for a Baby

For a baby, too small to rock with-
out tipping the chair over, a small
willow or other suitable rocking chair

The Strip on the Rocker Prevents the Child Tipping
the Chair Too Far Either Way

may be made safe in the following
manner:

A strip, A, is fastened on the out-

154

side of the rocker with small screws so
that it may be removed without in-
juring the chair. A rubber-covered
tack driven in on the under side at each
end of the strip modifies the shock and
the baby can rock to its heart's con-
tent without danger of turning over.
Contributed by Mrs. G. W. Coplin,
Bay City, Mich.

Homemade Countersink for Wood

A round or flat-head bolt can be
made into a good rosebit or reamer for
countersinking holes for screw heads.

Round and Square Heads of Bolts Shaped and Notched
to Make Countersinks

In the illustration, Fig. 1 shows a
reamer made of a round-head bolt, and
Fig. 2, one made of a square-head bolt.
The round-head makes the best reamer
as more cutters can be filed in the sur-
face and less work is required to file
it into shape.

To Maintain a Constant Level of
Liquids in Vessels

It is frequently desirable in labora-
tory experiments, and in practica-1 work
as well, to main-
tain a constant
level in a tank
without allowing
it to become
full. In many
cases an outlet
pipe at a certain
height in the
side of the tank
is not desirable, and in laboratory ex-
periments with beakers or crocks is, of
course, impossible.

The diagram shows a simple but ef-

fective constant-level device. The
outer end of the inverted U-tube is
curved upward so that it never empties.
If desired, the upward curve may be
omitted and the straight end immersed
in a small vessel of water. All that
is necessary now for the successful
working of the device is that the inner
or tank end, A, of the tube be lower
than the outer end in other words, be-
low the level of the end B and the in-
ner end below the level of the fluid.
Of course, the U-tube must be first
filled with liquid and will then act as
an intermittent, never-breaking siphon.
Should the tank fill above the end B,
the siphon drains the fluid down to
that level and no lower, even if the in-
ner leg of the tube reach the bottom.
To maintain this level against loss by
evaporation some slight inflow is nec-
essary.

It will be noted that if the inner
end of the siphon were above the outer
end, the siphon would break as soon
as the liquid in the tank fell to the
inner mouth. Contributed by Harry
N. Holmes, Richmond, Ind.

Homemade Electric Bed Warmer

The heat developed by a carbon-fil-
ament lamp is sufficiently high to allow
its use as a heating element of, for in-
stance, a bed warmer. There are a
number of other small heaters which
can be easily made and for which
lamps form very suitable heating ele-
ments, but the bed warmer is probably
the best example. All that is required
is a tin covering which can be made of
an old can about 3Y 2 in. in diameter.
The top is cut out and the edge filed
smooth. The lamp-socket end of the
flexible cord is inserted in the can and
the shade holder gripped over the
opening. A small lamp of about five
candlepower will do the heating.

A flannel bag, large enough to slip
over the tin can and provided with a
neck that can be drawn together by
means of a cord, gives the heater a
more finished appearance, a? well as
making it more pleasant tu the touch.

155

A Flash-Light Telegraph on a Kite
Line

An ordinary pocket flash lamp is
prepared in the following manner: A
brass spring, as shown in the sketch,
is bound tightly to the flash lamp with
a cord, and two wires, one at each
end, are twisted around the lamp's
body, forming two loops at the top.
The kite string is run through the
loops and over the spring. The lamp
is then placed near the kite. The or-
dinary pull on the kite string does not
close the spring, but a .sharp jerk will
pull the string in contact with the
push button and its slight pressure

The Flash ol the Light
on the String may be Read
as Far as It can be Seen

causes an instant flash of the light.
By this method words may be spelled
out in the telegraph code. Contribu-
ted by Joe V. Romig, Allentown, Pa.

Hangers for Barn Tools

Means should be provided to have a
place for all the tools used in and about
a barn. The forks and shovels are
usually stood up in a corner, but they
can be more conveniently taken care
of by making a hanger for them. The
illustration shows how a hanger can
be easily made and screwed to the
wall of a barn. The hanger is cut from
a piece of board and has a hole bored
into it the size of the handle on the
fork or shovel, then a notch is sawn

into the hole to pass the handle
through. The board may contain one

A Notched
Board Provides
a Way to
Hang All the
Tools Used
about a Barn

or as many notches as there are forks
and shovels to be hung on it. The
implements are hung with the fork or
shovel end upward. Contributed by
R. Snyder, Glidden, la.

Guide Ropes on a Bobsled

The sketch shows the front end of
a bobsled or double runner made of a
plank bolted upon two sleds. The
front sled is so pivoted on the bolt A
that it may be turned to steer the bob,
and to accomplish this result the
steersman ordinarily sits with his feet
braced against the projecting ends of

The Most Efficient Way of Attaching Ropes to
the Guiding Runners of a Bobsled

the crosspiece and passes the steering
ropes outside of his feet, with the
ropes crossed as shown. The crossing

of the ropes is supposed to add
leverage, but that is quite wrong.

The rope, running from B to C, has
a lever arm from A to E. If the ropes
were not crossed, the rope would lie
along the dotted line BD, whose lever
arm is the distance AF, which is al-
ways greater than AE, therefore the
uncrossed ropes have more leverage.

Observe what takes place when the
sled is steered to the left: The dis-
tance AE decreases much more rap-
idly than AF, and when the crossed
ropes have lost all their power, the un-
crossed ropes are still useful. Many a
spill has been caused by turning the
sled to a position from which the
crossed ropes were unable to restore
it to a central position, and most of
such spills would have been avoided
if the ropes had not been crossed.
Contributed by R. R. Raymond,
Wilmington, Del.

Brush Hanger for a Dark Room

Necessity may be the mother of in-
vention, but it is also the grandmother
of application, and application is the
practical side of invention. Both the
amateur and the professional pho-
. tographer have been

j4 bothered by spotting

T and unequal develop-

|| ment of negatives

and prints in tray de-
velopment, due to
various causes, and
sometimes by the
presence of dirt par-
ticles or the unequal
or incomplete flow-
ing of the developer
over the surface of
the sensitive emul-
sion.

Most professionals
and many amateurs
are familiar with the
use of the camel's-hair brush to avoid
failures of this character, and many of
them use a brush for local development
in certain cases where it is necessary
or desirable. Usually the brush is kept
in a small glass cup, somewhere close

LEAD PIPE

STOP

at hand, but it is often in the way when
not wanted and misplaced when most
needed. The brush can be kept within
reach and handy for the operator by
arranging a light counterweight and
pulley with a string attached to the
brush, so that, normally, the brush will
hang from the ceiling directly over the
developing tray and can be obtained
for use when desired.

The detail of this brush-string and
counterweight combination was delib-
erately appropriated from the old plan
of suspending the piece of chalk over
a billiard table, so that the players
could easily reach it, when needed,
while, when released, it would be
pulled out of the way by the counter-
weight. The developing brush thus
suspended is always ready, never mis-
placed, nor in the way for other opera-
tions. This arrangement is particularly
convenient where a bathroom is used
as a dark room, and the shelf space is
limited.

This same manner of counterweight-
ing chalk on the billiard table may be
applied to a stove-lid lifter, to keep it
within easy reach and always cool
enough to handle. The simplest and
most inexpensive way of making this
apparatus is to cut off a small piece of
lead pipe for a counterweight, and, in
the absence of a suitable pulley, use
an ordinary screweye fastened in the
ceiling. The latter is really better
than a pulley because the string can-
not run off the screweye. The arrange-
ment is better understood by referring
to the sketch.

Lighting a Basement Light

There was no switch at the base-
ment door and it was difficult to find
the droplight in the dark. Instead of
going to the expense of placing a
switch, the contrivance illustrated and
described was rigged up and proved
equal to the requirements.

A 7 /s~i n - piece of wood was cut about
in. long by 2 in. wide and a recess
made at one end for the socket, as
shown. A Ms-iri- hole was drilled in the
center, about 2 in. from one end, and

15',

another, large enough to receive the
projection from a pull socket, about 2
in. from the other end, or the end to
be used as the bottom of the block.
A clamp made of spring brass, as
shown, was screwed securely to the
board, to clamp the socket firmly. A
wire was passed through the small
hole and stretched across the room
from the door at a height to bring the
light about G ft. from the floor. Then
the socket was clamped to the strip
with the chain passed through the hole
cut for it. The cord attached to the
chain was run to the door casing,
passed through a screweye and
weighted with a nut or some light ob-
ject, to keep it taut. To light the
lamp or put it out only a pull on the
string was necessary.

The light can be slid along on the
wire from one end of the room to the

Socket
Attachment

to Turn
a Basement

Light
On or Off

from a
Distance

liiin m

other, or can be detached from the
strip when desired by unhooking the
cord from the chain and taking the
socket from the clamp. If more de-
sirable, the block can be fastened
permanently to some object instead of
being on the wire. Contributed by
L. M. Eifel, Chicago.

Projecting Protractor Readings

A simple and efficient means of
projecting protractor readings to a
larger size is shown in Fig. 1. One
point of the compass is placed at the
center of the protractor and an elastic
band is looped between the points.
Then the points are spread to the ra-

dius desired, and the protractor is read
where the elastic band crosses its scale.
A light band should be used, and

FIG. 2

The Extension Marks can
be Easily Read on the
Protractor under the
Elastic Band

looped as shown in Fig. 2. In this
way a circle of any size may be quickly
divided, if a pencil mark is made each
time the band comes over the proper
figure. Contributed by Thos. L. Par-
ker, \Yibaux, Mont.

Removing Grease from Paint

When removing grease from paint
by using ordinary cleaners, the paint
is liable to come off in the washing.
A good and cheaply applied method is
to rub the painted surface with a paste
of ordinary whiting. This is allowed
to dry and when it is rubbed off with
a cloth the dirt and grease is taken
away with it. The whiting is cheap
and can be purchased at any drug
store.

A Door Stop

A very good door stop can be easily
made of a piece of metal as shown in
the sketch. The
metal is bent and
fastened with
screws to the
wall against
which the door
swings. The ex-
tending end fits

under the
knob and

door
pre-

vents it from striking the wall. Con-
tributed by C. R. Poole, Los Angeles,
California.

158

Stretching a Curtain without a Frame

A good way to avoid using the ordi-
nary four-pole curtain stretcher is to
make use of the following method.

A Lace Curtain Hung Double on a Line with a
Pole Inserted in the Fold

Take the lace curtain and fold it once
lengthwise ; then pin it up on a tightly
stretched line with a large number of
clothespins, and slip a clean pole be-
tween the two sides to keep it taut.
This method not only stretches the cur-
tain satisfactorily, but saves consider-
able time otherwise required in pin-
ning the curtain to the four-sided
frame. Contributed by H. Wynning,
Chicago, 111.

Welding Small Resistance-Wire
Connections

In making connections, especially in
electrical heating devices subject to
high temperatures, it is out of the ques-
tion to use solder, since the tempera-
ture reached in the device would cause

An Arc is Formed with a Piece of Carbon, to Weld
the Twisted Ends of Wire Together

the solder to melt and run out. A con-
venient arrangement for welding the
connections of flatirons. or any other

fine wires, is shown in the illustration.
The ends of the wires to be welded are
twisted together, and the weld is com-
pleted by forming an arc, one electrode
of which is the twisted connection and
the other a piece of carbon. The re-
sistance of the heating unit in the iron
is sufficient to limit the amount of the
current flow so that a short circuit does
not result. Contributed by G. Irving
Davis, Albany, N. Y.

Bench with Folding Seats

To provide a bench with seats, or
shelves, which cannot easily be taken
away unless the table is brought along,
hinged brackets are attached to sta-
tionary crosspieces, which are fastened

Bench, or Table, with a Seat on Each Side That
can be Folded for Carrying Purposes

on the extended end braces of the table.
When in use, the brackets are turned
down, thereby providing a rigid sup-
port for anything that may be put on
them. If it is desirable to have the
brackets out of the way, as when carry-
ing the bench, it is only necessary to
fold them up. Contributed by J. M.
Kane, Doylestown, Pa.

Rim of Wire Wastebasket Wrapped
with Felt

In offices where wire wastebaskets
are used, the finish of the desks is often
marred by the top rim of the baskets
rubbing against them. This can be
overcome by wrapping strips of felt
around the rim to form a buffer. Con-
tributed by Miss F. D. Schweiger, Kan-
sas City, Mo.

A Homemade Roller Coaster

By J H. SANFORD

THE popular roller coaster that fur-
nishes untold amusement for the
multitudes that patronize amusement
parks during the summer can be easily
duplicated in a smaller way on a vacant
lot or back yard for the children of
the home ; or the boys of a neighbor-
hood could contribute to a fund and
construct quite an elaborate affair, on
the same lines as described, for the
combined use of the owners. The one
described was built with a track, 90 ft.
long, 5 ft. high at one end and 3 ft. at
the other, the track between being
placed on the ground. In coasting
from the high end to the low one, the
coaster will run up on the incline, then
drift back to within 24 ft. of the start-
ing end. The car was built to seat four
children or two adults. The cost of

all the materials for building this roller
coaster did not exceed $10.

Inexpensive Back-Yard Roller Coaster, Suitable for the Enjoyment
of the Young as Well as the Older Persons

159

The track is of simple
construction and re-
quires but little de-
scription. Itisnecessary
to have it straight and
nailed firmly to the
crossties on the ground
and to thetrestles where
it is elevated. The ties
and trestles are placed
about 6 ft. apart. The
two trestles for the
starting platform
should be set so that
there is a slant to the
track of about 6 in. for
starting the car with-

160

out pushing it. The car can be carried
back for starting by adults, but for
children a small rope can be used over
the platform to draw it back on the

are properly adjusted, and securely
fastened between washers with a nut
on the end of the axle. Guide wheels,
B, are placed on the sides in the man-

Detail of the Car, Wheels and the Trestle, Which is Attached to a Tie

track, or a small windlass may be ar-
ranged for the purpose.

The main frame of the car is 3 ft.
long and about 13 in. wide, firmly fas-
tened at the corners. The axles for
the wheels are machine steel, 19 in.
long, turned up on the ends and
threaded in the manner of a bicycle
axle to fit parts of bicycle hubs, at-
tached to the main frame as shown at
A. The wheels are solid, 4 in. in diam-
eter and 1 in. thick, and are set on the
bicycle cone of the ball cup, after they

ner shown. These wheels are ordinary
truck casters, not the revolving kind,
2 in. in diameter.

About V^-in. clearance should be
provided between the guide wheels B
and the guard rail C, on the track.
When the car is made in this manner
it runs close to the track and there is
no place where a child can get a foot
or hand injured under or at the sides
of the car. The one described has been
used by all the children, large and
small, for a year without accident.

Door-Bell Alarm

A simple door-bell alarm for inform-
ing one when the door of a shop or
dwelling is opened is shown in the
accompanying sketch. It consists of a

'Wiring Diagram and Connections to an Electric Bell
That Rings When a Door Knob is Turned

piece of spring brass, A, bent into a
circle in the center so that it may be
clamped on the doorknob bar by means
of a small bolt or screw. The two ends
of this piece should be separated as
shown and a second piece, B, mounted

on the door so that its outwardly pro-
jecting end is between the ends of the
piece A. One terminal of an ordinary
vibrating bell circuit is then connected
under tlie head of the clamp screw, and
the other terminal under one of the
screws holding the piece B in place on
the door. It is now obvious that the
bell circuit will be completed and the
alarm sounded when the knob is
turned. Make sure that the piece A is
bent so that the circuit is completed
before the latch has moved a sufficient
amount to allow the door to open.

The circuit leading to and from the
switch may be completed through the
hinges of the door, but it would be
better to use small coil springs as
shown. There would then be no likeli-
hood of the circuit being open at any
time, which might occur if the hinges
were used.

CDiscolored coffee and teapots may be
restored to their original brightness by
boiling them a few minutes in a solu-
tion of borax water.

161

* p --*J*!f

A Playground Ferris Wheel

The whole wheel is carried on two
uprights, each 3 by 4 in., by 10 ft. long.
In the upper ends of these pieces, A,
a half circle is cut out to receive the
main shaft B. The end of the up-
rights are sunk 3 ft. into the earth and
about 4 ft. apart, then braced as shown.
They are further braced by wires at-
tached to rings which are secured with
staples near the top. The bearings
should each have a cap to keep the

each pair of pieces is crossed they will
fit together with the surfaces smooth,
as shown at D. A square hole is cut
through the pieces as shown to fit on
the square part of the main axle.
While it is not shown in the illustra-
tion, it is best to strengthen this joint
with another piece of wood, cut to fit
on the axle and securely attached to
the spokes.

The cars or carriers are made of two

Detail of the Uprights, Axle and Spokes, and the End and Side Elevations of the Completed Wheel,

Showing Braces and Cars Attached

shaft in place. These can be made of
.blocks of wood with a semicircle cut
out, the blocks being nailed over the
shaft, while it is in place, the nails
entering the ends of the uprights.

The main shaft C is made of a Si/o-in.
square piece of good material, 4 ft.
long. The ends are made round to
serve as bearings, and the square part
is fitted with the spokes or car car-
riers. These consist of 4 pieces, each
1 in. thick, 4 in. wide and 13 ft. long.
In the center of each piece cut a notch
one-half the thickness so that when

sugar barrels cut in half. The hoops
are then securely nailed, both inside
and outside ; a block of wood, E, se-
curely attached to the half barrel on
the outside, and another block on the
inside opposite the outside block.
Holes are bored %y 2 ft. from the ends
of the spokes and a bolt run through
them and through the blocks on the
edges of the half barrels. The extend-
ing ends of the spokes are used to pro-
pel the wheel. Four children can ride
in the wheel at one time. Contributed
by Maurice Baudier, New Orleans, La.

A Merry-Go-Round Pole

An inexpensive merry-go-round can
be made of a single pole set in the
ground where there is sufficient vacant

The Ropes being Tied to the Wheel Rim will Easily
Turn around the Pole

space for the turning of the ropes. The
pole may be of gas pipe or wood, long
enough to extend about 12 ft. above
the ground. An iron wheel is attached
on the upper end so that it will revolve
easily on an axle, which may be an iron
pin driven into the post. A few iron
washers placed on the pin under the
wheel will reduce the friction.

Ropes of varying lengths are tied to
the rim of the wheel. The rider takes
hold of a rope and runs around the
pole to start the wheel in motion, then
he swings clear of the ground. Stream-
ers of different colors and flowers for
special occasions may be attached to
make a pretty display. Contributed
by J. Bert Mitchell. Wichita, Kans.

near the front, standing high enough to
prevent the threads from touching the
heads of the actors. These bright little
particles darting back and forth among
the trees appear very lifelike, and with
the addition of a crescent moon just
peeping through the trees, the like-
ness to a summer night is quite
striking.

The moon effect is made by using a
piece of dark cardboard, about 2 ft.
square, covered thickly with small
green boughs, and by cutting a cres-
cent-shaped opening in the center, cov-
ering it with yellow tissue paper. This
cardboard is placed well back in the
trees and a lantern hung behind it.
Contributed by Miss S. E. Jocelyn,
New Haven, Conn.

A Theatrical Night Scene with the

Appearance of Fireflies
Use small shining Christmas-tree
balls, about the size of a hickory nut,
strung on strong black linen threads.
The thread is put loosely over a hook
at the back of the stage among the
evergreens that are used for the back-
ground. The ends of the threads are
brought, like a pair of reins, to the
front of the stage, diagonally, and there
manipulated by some one in a wing

Hulling Walnuts

Procure a barrel that is water-tight
and mount it on a shaft so that it runs
between standards like a barrel churn.
Fill the barrel about half full of wal-
nuts, cover them with water and throw
in a small quantity of gravel as grind-
In;;- material. Close the opening tightly
and turn the barrel for about 20 min-
utes. The walnuts will come out clean
and smooth as glass. Contributed by
Arthur Seufert, The Dalles, Oregon.

Stick for Lowering Top Sash of a
Window

To make it easy to raise and lower
the upper sash of a bathroom window
which is behind the bathtub I devised

The Stick is Fastened to the Window Sash with Screw-
eyes and is Always Ready for Use

the following: Procuring two screw-
eyes I opened one sufficiently to slip
it into the other as shown at A. Then

163

one was screwed into the top rail of
the sash and the other into the end of
a light stick a little longer than the
length of upper sash.

The device is left on the window
permanently and affords a ready means
of handling the sash without stepping
into the bathtub, which would other-
wise be necessary. Contributed by W.
E. Morey, Chicago.

An Adjustable Hacksaw Frame
The frame is constructed of cold-
rolled steel, Vi in- '" diameter and
171/2 in. long, bent into the shape
shown and then cut in two parts at A.
Starting at a point about 3 \ in. from
the ends made by the cut, drill l s -in.
holes, then space three other holes 1
in. between centers and drill them
% in. in diameter.

A piece of steel tubing, 14 in- in in-
side diameter and (>% in. long, is
notched on the ends to receive the pins
B and C. Slots are cut in the ends D
and E. to admit the blade of a saw,

on the choice of the maker, and if the
bed is brass, the wood can be finished

x >)

l'f<

LSr

The Frame is Shaped of Cold-Rolled Steel and Made
Adjustable with a Piece of Steel Tubing

and half-round notches filed on the
outside surface for holding pins used
in the hole of the saw blade. The spring
of the steel will be sufficient to keep the
saw blade in place. The Vs-in. holes
in the frame will permit adjustment
for different lengths of blades. Con-
tributed by Clarence B. Hanson, Fitch-
burg, Mass.

A Bedroom Cabinet

The cabinet shown in the illustration
<:an be made an ornament with a little
care in workmanship and a choice se-
lection of materials. The cabinet may
be either fastened to the head or foot
of the bed, facing in either of two di-
rections.

The size of the cabinet will depend

The Cabinet Makes a Handy Place to Keep Necessary
Articles for a Sick Person

natural and fitted with brass bands for
brackets and holding clips. Contrib-
uted by W. E. Crane, Cleveland, O.

A Dull Black for Cameras

Such parts of a camera that are apt
to reflect light must be covered with a
dull black. A mixture for this purpose
is made of lampblack, about a teaspoon-
iul, and enough gold size to make a
paste as thick as putty. Add about
twice the volume of turpentine and ap-
ply to the parts with a camel's-hair
brush.

As the turpentine fumes are detri-
mental to the sensitive plate, the
camera should be left open until these
fumes have entirely disappeared.

A Door Fastener

Sometimes it is necessary to fasten
a door in a manner to prevent children
from opening it, yet so that it is easily
opened from
either side. This Jg
can be done by
putting a screw
or curtain hook on the inside of the
door frame and using a piece of cord
long enough to loop over both hooks.
A person coming in or out can remove
the loop from either side. Contributed
by John A. Cohalan, Philadelphia, Pa.

CA floor wax can be made by melting
1 Ib. of yellow beeswax in !/> pt. of
hot, raw linseed oil ; then adding 1 pt.
of turpentine.

164

Umbrella Used as a Flower Trellis

Procure a discarded umbrella and
remove the cloth, leaving only the steel
frame. Join the ends of the ribs by

Frame Supporting a Vine

running a fine wire through the tip of
each rib and giving it one turn around
to hold them at equal distances apart.
The handle is then inserted in the
ground and some climbing vine planted
beneath it. The plant will climb all
over the steel frame and make a very
attractive lawn piece. Contributed by
John F. Campbell, N. Somerville,
Massachusetts.

Combined Shade and Awning

An ordinary window shade makes a
good awning as well as a shade, if it
is attached to the outside of the win-
dow with the device shown in the il-
lustration. The shade and spring
roller are put into a box for protection
from the weather and the box is fast-
ened in the window casing at the top.

Shade Attachments

A narrow slit on the under side of the
box permits the shade to be drawn out.
The stick at the end is removed and a

U-shaped wire inserted in the hem in
its stead. The wire is bent so the ends
may be inserted in holes in the window
casing. As the shade is drawn out, it
is extended outward by the wire in the
position of an awning. Contributed
by Arthur Kesl, Chicago, Hi.

Vaulting-Pole Attachments

Some means must be provided on
vaulting-pole standards to allow for
the free release of the pole should the
vaulter strike it in going over. One of
the simplest of the many devices that
can be used for this purpose is shown
in Fig. 1. It is made of heavy wire,
bent and slipped over the standard as
shown in Fig. 2. The projection on
the inside of the link is used similar to
the tongue of a buckle in adjusting the
height of the pole on the standards.

Each standard has a series of holes
on its front side. These holes may be
numbered for convenience. The pole

F,6 I

FIG 2
Pole Adjuster on Standard

in place is shown in Fig. 3. Contrib-
uted by John Dunlap, Craghead, Toll-
cross, England.

Separating Drinking Glasses

\Yhen two thin glasses are put one
into the other they often become stuck
and cannot be removed. To separate
them with ease, set the lower glass in
warm (not hot) water and pour cold
water in the upper one. The expan-
sion of the lower and the contraction
of the upper will make release an easy
matter. Contributed by Maurice Bau-
dier, New Orleans, La.

C Bronze striping, when thoroughly
dry, should be covered with a thin
coat of white shellac 'to keep it from
tarnishing.

165

A Magic String

Procure a few pieces of cotton string,
each about l 1 /^ ft. long, and fill them
well with soap. Prepare a brine by dis-
solving three tablespoonfuls of salt in
a cup of water. Place the strings in
the brine and allow them to soak for
two hours, or longer. It is necessary
that they be thoroughly saturated with
the brine.

When taken out of the brine and
thoroughly dried, suspend one of them
from a nail on a ledge, and hang a fin-
ger ring on its lower end. Apply a
lighted match to the string and allow
it to burn. The ring will not fall, but
will hang by the ash. Contributed by
C. Frank Carber, Dorchester, Mass.

Edging Flower Beds

To improve the appearance of a
flower bed, it must be edged evenly
and quite often. As this became a
tiresome task, I constructed an edger,
as shown in the sketch. It consists
of a wheel on a 4-ft. length of material,
2 by 4 in. in size, made tapering and
having a cross handle, 18 in. long, at-
tached to its end. The wheel is 8 in.
in diameter, and the cutter is attached,
as shown, across the center of the
wheel axle, to make the edger turn
easily on curves and corners. The cut-
ter is 12 in. long and turned under l^
in. It is pushed along in the same
manner as a garden cultivator. Con-
tributed by A. S. Thomas, Amhurst-
burg, Can.

An Electric Stirring Machine

Desiring a stirring machine for mix-
ing photographic chemicals, I set about
to design the one shown in the illustra-

A Self-Contained Electric Stirring Machine for Use
in Mixing Photographic Chemicals

tion. The base and upright are made
of pine, 1 in. thick, the former 8 in. wide
and 10 in. long, the latter 8 in. wide
and 16 in. long. A %-in. slot, 12 in.
long, is cut in the center of the upright,
and two pieces of sheet metal or tin, 2
in. wide and 12 in. long, bent at right
angles along the center of their length,
are placed at equal distances, on each
side of the slot, and fastened with
screws. The distance between these
pieces depends on the motor used, as
its base should fit snugly between
them.

A small battery motor is purchased,

An Edger, Similar to a Garden Plow, for Quickly Trimming the Sod around a Flower Bed

106

and its shaft is removed and replaced
with one measuring 10 in. in length. Tu
the end of the shaft is soldered a piece
of wire, bent as shown in the sketch.
A bolt is attached to the center of the
motor base, so that its threaded end
will pass through the slot in the up-
right, where it is held with a wing
nut. The battery cells may be placed
on the back of the upright and a small
switch mounted at the top and in front.
Contributed by Ray F. Yates, Niag-
ara Falls, N. Y.

A Clothes Rack

The rack is constructed of hard wood
throughout, and as each piece is made,
it should be sandpapered and varnished

Any Number of Arms Up to Its Limit may be Used
at a Time

or otherwise finished. The plan view
is shown in Fig. 1 ; the construction of
an arm, in Fig. 2 ; and the pin, in
Fig. 3.

The base is 7 / s in. thick and of the
dimensions shown in Fig 4. The pro-
jection on each side, measuring Gi/_> in.
long and 1 in. wide, is made separately
and glued to the main part after dress-
ing and beveling the edges.

The shelf consists of material 2 in.
thick and made in a semicircular form
on a radius of 5% in. On this arc, lay
off chords, as shown in Fig. 1 ; the first
ones on each side being one-half the
length of the others. Carefully square
up the edges for appearance. To lay
off the post holes, scribe an arc of a

circle on a 4%-in. radius. Start at the
edge on this arc and lay off eight
chords of equal lengths, and bore l /n-
in. holes on the marks.

The posts are turned up, as shown
by the detail, Fig. 3. This will require
seven posts and two half posts. The
half posts are secured to the base with
small brads. The round part at the end
is turned slightly tapering, so as to
make a tight fit in the hole of the shelf.
After stringing the posts on a piece of
brass wire, Vis in- in diameter, and bend-
ing it in the proper shape, the posts
are glued in the holes.

A T-shaped slot with a long top and
a short leg is cut out with a scroll saw
in one end of each arm. Make sure
to have each slot exactly % in. from
the upper side of each arm. All edges
should be well rounded to prevent tear-
ing of the clothes.

Make a semicircular platform for
the arms to bear upon when extended.
This may be either half of a turned disk
or built up in the three segments, each
fastened with screws to the base. If
the brass wire is exactly 1 in. from the
shelf and the thickness of the wood be-
tween the T-slot and the upper edge of
the arm Vo in., the thickness of the
platform should be slightly under Vn
in. to make the arms rest horizontally
when they are extended.

The shelf is fastened to the base
with three or four 2-in. screws, and the
ends of the brass wire are run through
holes in the base and clinched on the
back side. The rack may be fastened
in place on the kitchen wall with two
large wood screws, or, if the wall is
brick, with expansion bolts. The fas-
tening in either case must be secure to
hold the heavy weight of wet clothes.
Contributed by D. A. Price, Wilming-
ton, Del.

How to Make a Pair of Foot Boats

On ponds or small lakes not deep
enough for a boat one can use the foot
boats, as illustrated, for walking on the
water. The boats are made of white
wood, known as basswood, as this
wood is easily bent when steamed, and

the curved part should be shaped
neatly.

Two sides are cut out, as shown, and
the boards are nailed or, better still,
screwed to them. Each straight part
may consist of one piece, in which
case there will be no joints to make
waterproof, but if boards of sufficient
size cannot be had, pieces can be used.
In this instance the edges should be
planed smooth, so that a good joint
may be had, which can be made water-
tight with white lead.

It is best to make the bottom of one
piece if possible, at least for the 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

ear of corn served. The square bolt
end will hold the ear securely while the

Foot Boats for Walking on Shallow Water Where
a Boat cannot be Used

water on the back thrust while it will
fold up when the boat is slid forward.
Contributed by Waldo Saul, Lexing-
ton, Mass.

A Green-Corn Holder

Neat and attractive green-corn hold-
ers 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.

A pair of knobs are required for each

The Glass Knobs Make a Clean

and Sanitary Holder for
_ the Ear of Corn

kernels are eaten from the cob. Con-
tributed by Victor Labadie, Dallas,
Texas.

Inflating Toy Balloons

The inflation of rubber balloons may
be accomplished with manufactured
gas by using the simple pipe arrange-
ment shown in the sketch. The con-
nection A is for the gas hose, which is
similar to those used for a table lamp.
The gas bag B is a football or punch-
ing 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 regu-
late the flow of gas. The gas is easily
pressed out of the ball into the balloon.

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.

1C8

Electric-Light Mystery

A novel attraction for a window dis-
play can be made of a piece of plate
glass neatly mounted on a wood base,

n ll'

ll IP''

III

||l|l''

I!''' '

I'"'

'III

^ELECTRIC WIRES

Electric Light Mounted on Top of a Plate Glass with
Hidden Connections on the Glass Edge

and an electric light which is placed
on the top edge and may be lighted
apparently without any wire connec-
tions.

The method of concealing the con-
nections 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 de-
sired lettering can be put on the glass.
Contributed by O. Simonson, Brook-
lyn, 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 Screweye in Position on the Oar and over One
Prong of the Oarlock

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.

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-

A Medicine Dropper on a Faucet Produces a Whirl-
ing Motion of the Water in the Bowl

priced wash box, by cutting off the
upper end of the rubber nipple on a
bent glass medicine dropper and plac-
ing 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.

169

Combination Lock for a Drawer

The principal parts of the combina-
tion lock are the five disks shown in
Fig. 1. These are best made of sheet
brass, about T V in. thick and iVo 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 ; ^| 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.

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 pre-
venting the disks from turning too
freely. The disk A is fastened tightly
to the end of the rod N, which is Vi 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 be-
tween 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.

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 fas-
tened to the inside of the drawer end
where its heel will rest on the edges of
the disks. \Yhen 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

f JiiP" 1

Fio 2

The Parts as They are Attached to a Drawer Front
to Make a Combination Lock

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. Con-
tributed by C. B. Hanson, Fitchburg,
Massachusetts.

How to Start Small Machine Screws

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 un-
der 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.

170

An Umbrella Holder for Display
Purposes

A holder that is especially adapted
for use in hanging umbrellas for dis-
play 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 um-
brella is stuck into the spring, as
shown, which grips it tightly. Con-
tributed by Abner B. Shaw, N. Dart-
mouth, Mass.

Holder for a Milk Card

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 infor-
mation of the driver.
This card also serves
as a record for check-
ing 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 read-
ers has submitted the following plan
which lie has used for some time.

( hi 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 in-
clining downward and outward so that
the milk card can be easily pushed
through the slot and thus be dis-
played behind the glass in the frame.
By this protection it is kept free from
mud, snow and ice. It is not neces-
sary to step outside to place the card
in the frame.

Frame for Printing Post Cards
r rom 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

Slots Cut in the Frame to Receive the Post Cards
without Bending Them

of the card I reserved for a margin.
This permitted the card to be placed in
the frame without making a bend.
Contributed by T- H. Maysilles,
Rochelle. 111.

Finger Protection on Laboratory
Vessels

A simple way of protecting the fin-
gers against being burned by labora-
tory vessels in which liquids are boil-
ing or chemical reactions producing
great heat are going on, is shown in

The Ends of the Cord are Held Tightly and the
Winding Protects the Hands

the sketch. A rather thick cord or
yarn is wrapped around the neck of
the vessel in the manner shown, the

171

upper end being drawn through the placed on the wheel A. The steel
loop at the top'and cut off, and the ball E is put on the thin cover of the

lower end then pulled out and a knot
tied in it close to the windings of the
yarn.

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. Contrib-
uted by S. V. Cooke, Hamilton, Can.

A Novel Show-Window Attraction

This moving show-window attrac-
tion can be simply and cheaply made.
The things necessary are a small bat-
tery motor, a large horseshoe magnet
and a large polished steel ball, per-
fectly 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,
71/2 i n - in diameter. Glue these to-
gether 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

box, and the magnet causes it to roll
around as the wheel turns. The box

The Steel Ball is Caused to Roll Around on the Cover
by the Moving Magnet

inclosing the mechanical parts should
be placed out of sight when used in a
window. Contributed by Clarence
Guse, Spokane, Wash.

How to Make a Mop Wringer

A mop wringer may be made and at-
tached to an ordinary pail in the fol-
lowing 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,

The Parts
may b e O
Either At-
tached to
a Metal or
Wood Pail
with Bolts
or Screws

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 be-

172

tween the rollers they are brought to-
gether by a pressure of- the foot on the
crosspiece F. Contributed by J. Den-
nis McKennon, New Britain, Conn.

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

The Jaws of a Vise, If They Are

True, Will Make a Caliper Gauge

Giving a Perfect Measurement

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 suf-
ficient accuracy for all practical pur-
poses if the vise is not too worn. This
trick is particularly adapted for cali-
pering threaded parts, as threads can-
not 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 meas-
ured with a rule. Contributed by
Donald A. Hampson, Middletown,
New York.

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

How to Make a Radium Photograph

The radium rays, like the X-rays, af-
fect the photographic plate, as is well
known, but it would naturally be sup-
posed 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 noth-
ing else but broken incandescent gas
mantles. These (especially Welsbach
mantles) contain a salt of the rare
metal thorium, which is slightly radio-
active. 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 in-
stance 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 card-
board 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 ordi-
nary photographs, because the rays are
not focused, but they fairly represent
the originals and the experiment is an
interesting one.

The Shape of the Head Permits a Leverage Action
That Lifts the Tack Easily

threads. This makes a very powerful
puller that will remove large tacks
from hardwood easily.

CA 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.

173

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. Contrib-
uted 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,

A Shot That will Pass through the Fixture Arm will
Carry a Cord for Pulling in the Wires

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.

An Automatically Closing Drawer

A very ingenious way to have a
drawer close automatically is to at-
tach 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

The Rope and Weight Attached to the Back End of
the Drawer Pulls It Closed

applied to drawers that are frequently
drawn out and in places where a per-
son is liable to have the hands full.

A Cork Puller

The stopper of any ordinary bottle
can be easily re-
moved with a
puller such as
shown in the
sketch. The
puller is inserted
between the
stopper and the
neck of the bot-
tle 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 easi-
ly 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, 5i/> ft. long,
and the remaining end of the pole,
about 10 ft. long. The %y-h. length is

A Bamboo Pole Cut in Three Pieces Makes a Window-
Shade Stick, Duster Holder and Clothesline Pole

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.

The SVirft. length makes the long
handle for a duster. Procure an old-
style lamp-chimney cleaner, wind a
cord around the wires a few inches be-
low the point where they begin to

174

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 remain-
ing 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 tine 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 Ger-
trude M. Bender, Utica, N. Y.

Making Common Lock Less Pickable
The ordinary lock can be readily
changed so that it will be quite im-
possible to pick it with a common key.

The Small End Cut from the Key is Fastened on the
Pin of the Lock

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 can-
not come out of the lock. This will
prevent any ordinary key from enter-
ing the keyhole. Contributed by A. J.
Hamilton, Benton, Ark.

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

Corks will always adhere to the
necks of bottles containing glue or
other sticky liquids, with the result
that it becomes neces-
sary to cut or dig the
cork into small pieces in
order to remove the con-
tents 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
lie removed by washing the spot in
buttermilk, in which case rubbing is
necessary.

CSmall bits of onion placed in a room
will absorb the disagreeable odors of
paint and turpentine.

175

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 per-
son 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

I ,...

A Very Small Eraser can be Held on the Point and
Used for Delicate Erasures

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.

Bleaching Ivory

A good method to bleach ivory orna-
ments 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

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 instru-
ment, 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

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 Robin-
son, Suffern, N. Y.

Cleaning Dirt from Tufts in
Upholstering

A handy device for cleaning furni-
ture upholstering and vehicle-seat tuft-
ings may be easily
made as follows:
Take a n ordinary
round paintbrush
and cut the handle
off, leaving it about
\y~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.

FIG 2

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 coat-
ing. Contributed by F. Schumacher,
Brooklyn, N. Y.

176

Attaching a Vise Jaw to a Bench

Procure a toothed metal rail or
rack, A, such as is used for small lad-
der tracks, and mount it on the lower

The Rack on the Lower Guide Rail Provides a Means
to Keep the Vise Jaws Parallel

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.

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. Contrib-
uted 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 condi-
tion. 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 deter-
mined 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 % in. thick, should be
dressed out of the material intended
for the frame. Four other pieces, %
in. thick and !/2 m - 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 % in. for glass,
picture and backing, and !/2 m - to lap
over the front of the picture on all
edges.

By arranging the pieces as shown in
Fig. 1, a strong corner lap is secured.

Fig.2

Square and Mitered Lap Joints for Making Rigid
Picture Frames in Natural or Stained Woods

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

177

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, 111.

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

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

The Finished Handle, If the Work is Well Done, is
Easily Mistaken for Agate

be flat and a little longer than the
desired handle, with the end made
round and threaded for a nut.

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 lie slipped
on and followed by a round nut. Pres-
sure 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 col-
ored pieces of horn are interspersed,
the finished handle will have the ap-
pearance of agate. The blade and han-
dle can be lacquered and the ferrules
nickelplated Contributed by James
H. Beebee, Rochester, N. Y.

The Holding Attachment Easily Adjusts Itself to the
Stick of Wood Placed in the Crotch

is pulled back for the next cut. With
the supplementary device, shown in
the sketch, which can be easily at-
tached 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.

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.

The Bail Loop and the Handle Make It Easy to
Remove the Cover with One Hand

With this arrangement, the cover may
be removed with the use of but one
hand.

178

Drip-Pan Alarm

The trouble caused by overflowing
of the drip pan for an ice box or re-
frigerator can be overcome by attach-

The Float in the Pan, and Contacts for Closing the
Circuit to Ring the Bell

ing 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 con-
tact 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.

A Live-Bait Pail

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 con-
struction, 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 ordi-

nary 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 up-
per end is bent so that it just touches
the surface of the water. The pipe con-
tains 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

After using various means to catch
the mice in my pantry, I finally de-
cided 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, fi 1 1 e cl
with toasted

cheese, and arranged the articles as
shown in the sketch, balancing the
bowl on the thimble. \Vhen 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 be-
fore using them again to remove all
traces of the mouse.

Quickly Made Rheostat

A short time ago I found it neces-
sary to melt some silver, and in set-
ting 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 non-conductor and would
not burn, it served the purpose per-
fectly. In winding the wire, be care-
ful to keep the coils from touching
each other. Contributed by P. D.
Merrill, Chicago, 111.

179

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, par-
ticularly 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 sil-
vered on the inside, mounted on a ped-
estal, brilliantly reflecting the sunlight.
The apparatus described is an elabora-
tion of the idea. The drawing shows
in diagram the general construction,
exact measurements not being given.
However, a convenient height is 3 1 /-;
to 4 ft., and the circular frame, carry-
ing the mirrors, may be 10 to 1-4 in.
in diameter.

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 ordi-
nary 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 in-
stead 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 pedes-
tal 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

The Flasher as It Appears on the Stand and the
Details of Its Construction

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 mir-
rors 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.

180

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 ter-
ritory. The small driving motor may
be replaced with a suitable spring or
weight-driven clockwork ; or four hol-

low 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 re-
volving with comparatively high speed
by the force of the wind.

The mounted revolving cups are sim-
ilar in form to the apparatus used by
the U. S. Weather Bureau for meas-
uring 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 be-

come a necessity,
but these may be
improved upon
so as to make
the apparatus
automatic in ac-
tion and more
efficient in its
work. A bottle or receptacle, A, hav-
ing a large bottom to provide a suffi-
cient heating surface, is supplied with
a cork and a tube, B. bent at right
angles. The receptacle, A, is sup-
ported 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.

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
g-l ass . 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
!/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.

Two strips of tin are cut to fit in be-

The Boiler is Made of a Fruit or Vegetable Can
and the Turbine of Thin Metal Strips

tween 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

181

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 rilling 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.

moving hand will easily break the con-
tact.

The magnetic arrangement consists
of a 3-ohm coil, E, mounted, as shown,

Electric Switch for Exposing Photo-
graphic Printing Papers

The proper time to expose a printing
paper under a negative should be de-
termined and the negative marked for
future printing. When this time has
been found some means should be pro-
vided 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.

The device consists of an ordinary
cheap watch, a standard, or support, for
an adjusting screw, a small coil, a mov-
able 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, Vs in.
deep, is cut in the center of the top, to
admit the watch. The standard A is
made of brass, % in. thick and l / 2 in.
wide, bent as shown, and a -nr m - hole is
drilled in the end of the long arm where
it will exactly center over the pivot
holding the watch hands. A f^-in. rod,
B, is closely fitted in the hole and sup-
plied 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 di-
rection in which the watch hands are
moving, so that, when it is set, the

Time Switch for Operating an Electric Light in
Printing Photographic Developing Papers

to one side of the case, where it oper-
ates 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 ter-
minal 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 re-
mains lit until the minute hand strikes
the point on the arm D, when the bat-
tery 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. Con-
tributed by James P. Lewis, Golden.
Colorado.

182

How to Make a Wing Nut

Finding that I needed some wing
nuts and not being able to purchase
them in the size I wanted, I made them
from the ordi-
nary 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

When screws or nails are used to
hang clothes or other articles on, run
the nail or screw
through a bot-
tle cork as
shown. The
cork will pre-
vent the nail or
screw from tear-
ing 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 man-
ner: 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

Method of Straightening the Straws

a new broom. Paint brushes can be
treated in the same manner, but in that
case linseed oil should be used instead
of water.

How to Make a Bolster

The sketch shows a simple bed
bolster which I have made and which
can be constructed at very little cost.
Three circular
pieces of pop-
lar or pine, lO 1 /^
in. in diameter,
are required.
These may be

made in one cut by nailing the pieces
together. Then nail on ten % by 2-in.
strips, 53 in. long, or as long as the
width of the bed, leaving about i/> 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 build-
ing paper or any other suitable mate-
rial, 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
(1 in. long and will make a knife with

Scaling Knife

a o-in. blade. Grind the blade to the
shape shown and make a handle for it
by using two strips of maple, 14 in.
thick and 4 in. long. These are riveted
together with 3 in. of the blade be-
tween them. Contributed by John L.
Waite, Cambridge, Mass.

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.

183

The heliograph which is used in the
army provides a good method of send-
ing 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 dis-
tances, 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

The Heliograph as It is Used by Neigh-
boring 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

firmly held to the frame with brass
strips, I/* 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.

A hole is cut centrally through the
backing of the frame and a small hole,
not over !/g 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.

A U-shaped support is made of
wood strips, % in. thick and 1 in. wide,

FIG. I

FIG. 3

'jy

FIG. 4

FIG. 2

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

square-head bolts, each 14 in. in di-
ameter, and 1 in.

long, which are

the length of the uprights being S 1 /^ in.
and the crosspiece connecting their

184

lower ends a trifle longer than the
width of the frame. These are put to-
gether, as shown in Fig. 2, with small

upper unnailed ends are spread to slip
over the blocks on the tripod top.
These ends are bored to loosely fit over

Fis.5

FIG. 6

Fis.8

The Parts in Detail for Making the Tripods and the Shutter for Flashing

the Light, and Diagram Showing the Location of the Tripods

to Direct the Light through the Shutter

brackets at the corners. A slot, % in.
deep and Vi 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, l!/2 in. long. The hole for this
bolt should be exactly below the peep-
hole in the mirror and run through one
end of the baseboard, which is % in.
thick, 2 in. wide and 10 in. long.

At the opposite end of the base,
place a sighting rod, which is made as
follows : The rod is % in. in diameter
and 8 in. long. The upper end is
fitted with a piece of thick, white card-
board, cut 14 in. in diameter and hav-
ing a projecting shank 1 in. long, as
shown in Fig. 3. The rod is placed in
a Mrin. 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 base-
board, as shown in Fig. 4.

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, % 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

the headless nails driven part way into
the block ends. One tripod leg is
shown in Fig. G.

The screen, or shutter, is mounted
on a separate tripod and is shown in
Fig. 7. Cut out two slats, % in. thick,
2y 2 in. wide and 6 in. long, from hard
wood, and taper both edges of these
slats down to W in. Small nails are
driven into the ends of the slats and
the heads are filed off so that the pro-
jecting ends will form trunnions for
the slats to turn on. Make a frame of
wood pieces, % j n . thick and 2 l / 2 in.
wide, the opening in the frame being
(i 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% 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
I>iv>ted 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 in-
strument is set to flash the sunlight
through the shutter. The regular tele-
graph code is used in flashing the light.
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 ad-

185

just the sight rod so that the tip end
comes squarely in line with the receiv-
ing station. When the instrument is
properly sighted, the shutter is set up
directly in front of it and the card-
board 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 di-
rected to fall on the center of the card-
board 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 tele-
graph key.

Twine Cutter for Use at a Wrapping
Counter

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. Man-
aghan, Philadelphia, Pa.

Frosting Brass

A very fine ornamental finish, re-
sembling 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

The Shelf will Hold All the Spice Boxes and
Keep Them Handy

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. Contrib-
uted by Austin Miller, Santa Barbara,
California.

Starting a Siphon

It is often necessary in a laboratory
to siphon acids and poisonous liquids.
If a pump is used there is always dan-
ger of the liquid
entering the
pump and dam-
aging it, and, be-
sides, a pump is
not handy for
this purpose. To
fill a siphon by
suction from the
mouth, great
care must be
taken t o 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 in-
sert the end in the siphon. Releasing
the pressure on the bulb will cause it
to draw the li