Chapter XIV: Part IV: Trout Fishing with Fly and Bait (7)

When a joint is ready to be glued, a piece of paper is placed on the block under the joint to keep it from sticking. Apply the glue and push the two sides into the corner formed by the raised strips, the dog is then driven in lightly and the clamping piece screwed down tightly, and if the miter has been properly cut, a nice close-jointed and square corner will be the result.--Contributed by J. Shelly, Brooklyn, New York.

Handle Attachment for a Sickle

For cutting around flower beds or bushes and in close places I find that an extension handle for a sickle is quite an assistance. The auxiliary handle is bound to the sickle handle with wire at the ends and is further fastened with a screw in the center. The arrows show the directions in which the hands should be moved in working the sickle.--Contributed by A. S. Thomas, Gordon, Can.

A Clothesline for Small Goods

Handkerchiefs and small pieces included in the week's laundry are usually quite troublesome to hang with the larger pieces, and for this reason I constructed a special line for the small goods. A line was cut to fit between two porch posts and a hook made of galvanized wire tied to each end, staples being driven into the posts to receive them. Three or four wire grips were formed and attached to the line. It was only necessary to draw the corner of a handkerchief into the grip as it was wrung out, placing several in each grip. The line with its load was then carried out and attached between the porch posts. This made it unnecessary to look through the clothes for the small articles. It also prevented chilling the fingers and no pins were needed.--Contributed by R. D. Livingston, Hopkinton, Iowa.

Automatically Controlled Ice-Box Lights

Often the ice box is placed in a dark closet or some out-of-the-way place, and it is almost impossible to locate articles already in the box or put others away without considerable inconvenience on account of the lack of proper light. This difficulty can be easily overcome by mounting a small electric lamp in each of the different compartments of the box, which will be automatically lighted when the lid of the box is raised or the door opened. The circuit through the lamp is controlled by a special switch mounted in such a way that its contacts are open when the doors and lid of the box are closed. A diagram of the circuit is given in Fig. 1, which shows three lamps, each controlled by a separate switch, connected in parallel to a battery of several dry cells. The lamps should be of low voltage and need not be very high in candlepower. The number of cells needed in the battery will depend upon the voltage of the lamps. The voltage of the battery and the rated voltage of the lamps should be approximately the same.

A special switch that will serve the above purpose is shown in Fig. 2. It consists of two pieces of spring brass, A and B, about 3/8 in. wide, bent into the forms shown. These pieces are mounted in a recess cut in the jamb of the door or lid in such a way that the free end of the piece A is held away from the piece B when the door or lid is closed. When the lid of the box or the door is open the two springs come in contact and the lamp lights; upon closing the lid or door the contact is broken and the lamp goes out.

A good quality of rubber-insulated copper wire should be used in making the connections, and all parts should be as well protected from moisture and the possibilities of mechanical abuse as possible. It would be best to tape the lamps in the sockets with a piece of friction tape so as to prevent moisture getting into the socket and, perhaps, shortening the lamp. A short piece of brass tubing can be mounted around the lamp to protect it mechanically. Be sure to place the batteries where they will be kept dry.

A Bottle-Cap Lifter

To remove the crimped bottle cover so extensively used requires a special lifter, the corkscrew being of little use for this purpose. When a cap-cover remover is not at hand, prepare a pocketknife in the manner shown, and it makes an excellent substitute. It only requires a small notch filed in the heel of the blade, which does not interfere with the ordinary use of the knife in the least.--Contributed by John V. Loeffler, Evansville, Indiana.

* * * * *

Ants may be effectively destroyed by placing a coop
with a chicken in it over the hill.

A Mechanical Bicycle Horn

The body of the horn A is made of metal, about 3 in. in diameter, with a screw cover. The shaft B, to which is attached a driving pulley, C, and a ratchet wheel, D, is fitted in holes drilled through the diameter of the body. The diaphragm E is clamped, between the edge of the body and the cover, on a seat made of rubber rings, F, and carries a contact device, G, that is riveted to its center. The diaphragm should be set so that the contact will touch the ends of the ratchets.

A metal cone is fastened in an opening cut in the center of the cover, over the diaphragm. The back of the body is fitted with a bracket for attaching it to the front fork on a bicycle. The lever H carries an idler pulley which is forced against the bicycle tire and the pulley C by means of a cord, J.

Adjusting the diaphragm contact on the ratchet wheel will change the tone of the horn.--Contributed by P. Mertz, Jamaica, L. I.

Retarder for Plaster of Paris

When it is desired to lengthen the time of setting after preparing plaster of Paris, dissolve 1 oz. of citric acid in water used for mixing 100 lb. of plaster, and it will retard the setting for about three hours.

An Inkwell Stopper

A good way to keep an inkwell of the type shown in the sketch clean is to place a marble over the opening. The marble keeps out flies and dust, is easily rolled aside and is no obstacle to the pen entering the well.--Contributed by James M. Kane, Doylestown, Pennsylvania.

A Grass Rake

This adaptation of an ordinary iron rake for use on a lawn was the outcome of not having a lawn rake at hand. Two spools, each 1-1/2 in. in diameter, were procured and one forced on each end tooth of the rake. The spools were forced on the teeth just far enough to allow the rake to slide on the ground and prevent the other teeth from digging out the grass. The end of the spools may be rounded and smoothed so that they will slide easily on the ground.--Contributed by H. E. Gray, Montclair, N. J.

A Staple Puller

A very simple way to pull a staple is to use the claws of an ordinary carpenter's hammer and a nail, as shown in the sketch. The staple can be removed quickly without being bent, and no damage to the material into which it was driven will result.

To Remove Acid Stains from Cloth

Apply pearlash directly to the stain, allowing it to set a minute or two, then boil the article in soap water for several minutes. The method is harmless and inexpensive, and can be used by anyone.

Repairing Rocker on a Chair

The tenons on the posts of a rocking chair being broken off so close to the rocker that it was impossible to make the ordinary repairs, four window-shade-roller brackets were used in the following manner: The metal was straightened so that it would lie flat and two brackets were used on the end of each post. This made a neat and strong repair.--Contributed by Chas. Schmidt, Baltimore, Md.

Electric-Lamp Reflector for a Target

An ordinary 1-lb. coffee can may be quickly fashioned into a most effective reflector for an electric bulb. The light is projected upon the target while the marksman's eyes are shielded. Of course, this device can be used for other purposes.

The can is shaped into a reflector by cutting it open along one side with a pair of snips, then following the circumference of the bottom halfway around on each side. Bend the flaps outward as far as desired and cut a hole in the bottom just large enough to insert the bulb, as shown.--Contributed by Burke Jenkins, Port Washington, L. I.

* * * * *

Linoleum may be renewed by applying floor wax in
liquid form.

Making Small Taps

The owner of a private workshop has need for taps and occasionally wishes to make them, not because they are cheaper, but for the sake of experience or to get some special thread. In cutting the flutes, whether it be by hand or in a shaper, it is a good plan to give the flutes an angle, that is, to cut them, not parallel with the axis of the tap, but at an angle of 5 to 15 deg. with the center line. This makes the tap cut easier, giving it a wedge action instead of just simply pushing the metal off. The same method applies to counterbores and countersinks, which, when so made, take less power to drive.

Sink a Substitute for a Dishpan

On special occasions when company is entertained or in large families, it is almost impossible to wash all the dishes in an ordinary dishpan; in fact, the large platters will not go in at all, so I devised the following method as a substitute for a larger pan. A tin disk was cut from the top of a tomato can with a can opener so as to be as round as possible, then a piece of cheesecloth was folded into an even square, the disk placed in the center and all four corners of the cloth drawn over to the center of the disk. A nail was driven through the center of the disk, to make a hole, through which a string was drawn with the nail and tied to it to form a loop on the head. This is used to stop the sink drain.

When this is put over the drain outlet the sink may be used as a dishpan. The same result could be obtained a little better with a piece of an old rubber boot or rubber coat, but usually this material is not at hand, and the cheesecloth will do almost as well.--Contributed by Hannah Jennings, Chicago.

How to Make Small Coil Springs

Procure a nut, having a small thread that will admit the size of the wire to be used in making the spring. Cut a small notch to the depth of the thread where the thread starts, and procure a smooth rod that will pass snugly through the threads of the nut. Shape one end of the rod to fit a carpenter's brace, if there is no drill chuck at hand, and drill a hole in the other end to admit one end of the spring wire.

Bend the wire at right angles and insert the end in the hole. Place the end of the rod in the nut, which should be gripped in a vise, and turn the rod, at the same time seeing that the wire is guided into the notch cut at the start of the thread. The wire will follow the thread of the nut and make a perfect spring of an even opening throughout its length. Closed or open coils can be made by using a nut having the proper number of threads.--Contributed by A. Spencer, Kinston, N. C.

A Pruning-Saw Guard

The double-edged pruning saw with coarse teeth on one side and fine on the other would be far more widely used, if it were not for the fact that the unused edge so often injures the bark of the trunk when the saw is being used. A very satisfactory guard may be quickly made of a brass curtain rod by prying it apart slightly at the seam and cutting a suitable length to fit over the edge, as shown in the sketch. This will cling to the saw blade by its own tension.--Contributed by James H. Brundage, Katonah, N. Y.

Home-Made Motion-Picture Camera and Projector By Charles Frank In Three Parts--Part I

Motion pictures are made and reproduced by means of a camera and projector, each having a similar mechanism that would seem entirely too complicated for the average person to construct at home, yet a correspondent of the Nickelodeon has devised a simple rotary cylinder shutter that can be substituted for the complicated parts. While this simple cylinder shutter is not claimed to be infringing on existing patents, yet, as it has no commercial value, there would be no objection on this score. The instruments described are nothing more than toys, and if the amateur photographer can secure a few dozen feet of animated photographs about the home that are dear to his heart, and reproduce them on a screen, it will have served its purpose. The camera and projector described uses standard film, 1-3/8 in. wide, with perforations every 3/16 in.

The Camera

The ordinary hand camera for making still pictures consists of a light-tight box with a lens at one end and a sensitized plate or film at the other. The motion-picture camera (Fig. 1) is nothing more than a hand camera with a mechanical device for stepping a long roll of film through a space in the focal plane of the lens at a speed of about 16 pictures a second, and stopping the film long enough to make the requisite exposure on each division. The first thing to consider is the lens. A lens having ordinary speed for a hand camera, and one with about 3 in. focal length will give satisfactory results. If one does not care to purchase a lens, a small 1-1/2 in. or 2 in. reading glass can be used, if it is stopped down, or a lens may be taken from a hand camera. The width of the camera from front to back (W, Fig. 2) must be determined by the focal length of the lens. The dimensions given in the drawing are only approximate, and they can be changed if the camera is to be used in making an extra long film negative.

The roll of unexposed film (A, Fig. 2) is placed on a small shaft between U-shaped bearings, made of sheet metal and screwed to the top board of the camera. The lens B is set in the front board at a point 4 in. below the top. If a large roll of film is to be used, this distance must be greater to allow room for the film roll in the top of the camera. The cylinder C, which acts as a shutter and intermittent movement, revolves directly behind and in the path of the light passing through the lens. Partitions, DD, are set in grooves cut in the boards, forming the sides of the camera. These partitions are to keep the light, which may be diffused from the lens, from striking the film at either side of the shutter, and at the same time acting as guides for the film at the rear end of the camera. Their edges at the back are covered with black velvet. The back of the box is a hinged door, rabbeted on all edges, and opening at the side to allow the insertion and removal of the film, and also acting as a guide for the film when closed. A strip of black velvet, E, a little wider than the film, is pasted to the inside surface of the door, so that it bears lightly against the back edges of the partitions DD. The film passes between the edges of the partitions and the velvet on the door with some friction, which keeps it from moving except when pulled through with the roller shutter. A wire-staple guide, F, is fastened in the lower partition, through which the end of the film is passed before closing the door. The film as it is run through drops in folds in the bottom of the box.

The rotary cylinder shutter is the heart of the machine and should be made well and strictly according to the dimensions. The detail of this part is shown in Fig. 3. A rectangular opening is mortised through one of its diameters to admit light on the film when in certain positions. The cylinder is of wood with a 1/4 in. steel rod inserted in the center of each end for axles. A small grooved pulley (G, Fig. 2), about 1 in. in diameter, is fastened to the outer end of one of these rods. The cylinder is revolved by a round belt from a drive wheel, H, 3 or 3-1/2 in. in diameter and turned by the aid of a crankpin. Owing to the backward rotation of the cylinder, the belt must be crossed between the drive wheel H, and the pulley G. The projections or sprockets, Fig. 3, must be accurately set at a distance of 3/8 in. from the 90 deg. point, using the center of the mortised hole as a base. These projections can be pins or small staples, but they must not be over 1/16 in. in size. The base of the sprockets must fit the hole in the film snugly, but the points should be slightly rounding, so that they will easily enter the perforations. When the upper sprocket, which is approaching the film, engages a perforation, just below the upper partition, it will carry the film downward until the sprocket disengages from the perforation at the lower partition. The distance of travel must be exactly 3/4 in., as that is the height of each picture. The cylinder requires some adjustment to meet this condition; therefore the axles are made to revolve in holes bored in two strips of wood, JJ, which can be moved forward or backward to obtain the proper distance from the film. To allow for this movement, the axles pass through slots cut in the sides of the camera box instead of round holes. The strips JJ are fastened temporarily and when the correct position for the cylinder is found, they are permanently fastened to the box. Grooves, K, are cut through the black velvet and into the back of the door to allow a space for the sprockets to pass through freely. The inside of the box should be painted a dead black, and black paper pasted on all corners and joints. Black velvet is pasted in the rabbet of the door to insure a light-tight joint when the door is closed. The cylinder shutter is also painted a dead black inside and out.

The cylinder in revolving exposes the film immediately behind it through the mortised hole. The sprockets or cylinder does not touch the film while the exposure is being made, but as the hole turns toward a perpendicular position, the sprockets catch the perforations of the film and it moves down 3/4 in. Just as soon as the sprockets disengage the film, the shutter exposes the next section of film, and so on as rapidly as the cylinder is turned, but the average should be about 16 pictures per second. A view finder must be supplied so the field covered by the lens can be determined. Such a finder is made of two pieces of metal, L and M, bent L-shaped and fastened to the top of the camera box. One of the pieces (L) has a rectangular opening 1 in. wide and 3/4 in. high, and the other (M) is drilled with a 1/8 in. drill, the distance between the two pieces being the focal length of the lens. One eye applied to the 1/8 in. hole in the piece M will see through the rectangular hole in the piece L about the same field as covered by the lens. The pieces should be accurately placed and fastened on the box when the camera is set, so that the lens will throw the same portion of the picture on the space where the film passes as will be seen through the finder.

A Swimming Raft

Swimming is learned only by experience and to get this experience one must not be afraid to trust himself in the water. This is sometimes accomplished by the use of a swimming raft or water wings. As the water wings need to be inflated frequently, I made a swimming raft instead, in the following manner: Two logs, about 6 or 7 ft. long and about 8 in. in diameter, were fastened together with large nails, as shown in the illustration, and a piece of burlap or other strong material was nailed across the center with slack enough for it to be partially submerged.

The middle of the band, its depth, etc., can be adjusted to suit the user. Be sure to remove all the roughness of the logs and boards with a rasp and sandpaper.--Contributed by W. P. Johnston, Sumner, Ill.

Removing Finger Marks on Books

Dampen a piece of wash leather and use it to rub pumice on the spot to be cleaned. Brush off the pumice and rub again with a piece of dry wash leather.

Tightening a Tennis Net

Anyone who has ever played tennis will readily see the advantage of the net-tightening device shown, in preference to the old method of pulling the net tight by hand. All that is necessary to make the device is 1 ft. of ordinary gas or water pipe, 8 or 10 in. of 1/2-in. iron bar, and two twenty-penny nails. The posts generally used are 6 by 6 in. About 4 in. from the top of the post bore a 1-in. hole, parallel with the direction the rope is to run. On the inside surface of the post bore four 1/4-in. holes.

Drill a 1/2-in. hole 1 in. from one end of the pipe, and a 1/4-in. hole 1 in. from the other end. Put the iron bar in the 1/2-in. hole, tie the rope around the pipe and bar at A and wind. With the leverage of the iron bar one can readily pull the net to any desired tightness. After the net is drawn in position, put one of the nails through the 1/4-in. hole in the pipe and the other in one of the 1/4-in. holes in the post.--Contributed by Wm. S. Looper, Gainesville, Ga.

Holding Fishing-Rod Joints Together

The addition of two or three screweyes properly placed in a jointed fishing rod of the ordinary type will prove decidedly worth while, as the joints will often pull out easily when they should not and stick tightly when they should pull apart.

Assemble the rod and bore small holes through the brass sockets into the joints as shown in Fig. 1 and place some screweyes into the holes. Mark the joints so that the holes in the joints and holes in the brass sockets will always be in the same position.

The screweyes prevent the joints from pulling out when an effort is made to free the line from some object in which it has become entangled. They also act as guides for the line. Should the joints fit too tightly, scrape the ends until they slip easily into the sockets, as the screweyes will hold them properly, even if they fit a little loose after the scraping.

Roller Skate on a Bicycle Wheel

When the front tire on a bicycle will not hold and needs to be taken to a repair shop, strap or tie a roller skate to the rim of the wheel, as shown, and no trouble will be experienced in wheeling or riding the bicycle to the shop.--Contributed by K. Chase Winslow, Elizabeth, N. J.

Rope Oarlocks

Having considerable trouble because of breaking of oarlocks, I devised a successful way by which the difficulty was overcome. The device is extremely simple and is nothing more than a piece of rope fastened to the gunwale as shown in the sketch.--Contributed by Arthur L. Chetlain, Rogers Park, Illinois.

Home-Made Motion-Picture Camera and Projector In Three Parts--Part II

Developing

After having exposed the film in the camera, the next steps are to develop and make a positive film from the negative. The developing and exposing of the film for the positive are the same as in ordinary photography for making negatives and lantern slides, the only difference being in the apparatus for handling the long films. One of the simplest ways of developing a long film is to use a large tray in connection with a cross arm having upright pins around which the film is wrapped in a continuous spiral. A film 100 ft. long would require a tray 18 by 22 in., with pins set in the cross arm about 3/8 in. apart. This method of developing is shown in Fig. 4.

A long film can be developed in a small tray by using two flanged wheels or spools mounted on a frame (Fig. 5) that holds them directly above the liquid in the tray. The spools have a wood core or center with metal sides of sufficient diameter to take in the length of film to be developed. One end of the undeveloped film is attached to one spool and then wound upon it, then the other end is passed through the guides, gelatine side down, and fastened to the other spool. The film is first run slowly through a water bath until it is thoroughly saturated, then it is passed through the developing solution again and again until the proper density is secured. The trays can be easily removed and others substituted for fixing, washing, hardening and soaking, the film being passed through each solution in the same manner. Before developing either negative or positive film, small test strips should be run through the solution so that the proper timing and treating of the full-length strip will correspond to the test strip.

A reel should be prepared for drying the film. This can be made of small slats placed around two disks to form a drum (Fig. 6) about 1-1/2 ft. in diameter and 2-1/2 ft. long. After the film has been passed through the various solutions and is ready for drying, it is wound spirally around on the slats with the gelatine side out, and the whole hung up to dry.

Printing

The printing to make the transparency is accomplished by a very simple arrangement. The negative and positive films must be drawn through a space admitting light while their gelatine surfaces are in close contact. A box may be constructed in several ways, but the one shown in Fig. 7 illustrates the necessary parts and their relative positions.

The sprocket A is placed directly back of the opening B which may be regulated to admit the proper light. The sprocket can be purchased from a moving-picture stock house cheaply, but if the builder so desires, one can be made from wood turned up about 1 in. in diameter, or so that the circumference will receive sprockets at points 3/16 in. apart. The sprockets are made of metal pins driven into the wood. Two rows of them are placed around the wood cylinder about 1-1/8 in. apart.

The cylinder is provided with a small metal shaft at each end which turns in round holes or bearings in the sides of the box. One of the shafts should project through the side of the box and have a grooved wheel, C, attached. The sprocket cylinder is driven by a smaller grooved wheel or pulley, D, to which a crank is attached for turning. The relative sizes of these wheels are determined by the speed of the exposure and the kind of light used. A 3-in. or 4-in. wheel on the cylinder sprocket shaft, driven by a pulley about 1 in. in diameter, will be suitable under ordinary circumstances. The opening B may be adjusted by two metal slides which fit tightly in metal grooves fastened to the wood front. The metal grooves and slides can be made of tin and painted a dead black. The films after passing over the sprocket, fall into the bottom of the box, or, if very long films are to be made, the instrument can be used in the dark room and the light admitted only to the opening B, then the ends can be dropped into a basket or other receptacle at the bottom and the unprinted portions carried on reels above the box.

The speed of the exposure and the width of the opening B can be determined by making test strips. This can be done by setting the opening B to a certain width and turning the crank for 10 or 15 seconds and counting the number of revolutions. The proper exposure can be easily attained by this method.

An Emergency Clamp

While making an extra large guitar I did not have clamps large enough to hold the top and bottom onto the sides while gluing, so I fastened three pieces of wood together, each piece being about 1 by 2 in., as shown in the sketch. Then I bored holes in both top and bottom pieces and inserted a piece of soft wire in the form of a loop, which, when twisted, drew the ends of the clamp together.--Contributed by Geo. E. Walsh, Buffalo, N. Y.

* * * * *

While camping, remember a hot stone wrapped up makes
an excellent substitute for a hot-water bag.

Home-Made Motion-Picture Camera and Projector In Three Parts--Part III

The Projector

The film positives are projected on a screen with the same kind of a lantern as is used for lantern slides, with the addition of the device for stepping the film through, one picture at a time, and flashing light on each picture as it remains stationary for an instant. The projector (Fig. 8) is composed of a lamp house, a condensing lens to make the beam of light converge upon the film for illuminating it evenly, a film-stepping device, and a projecting lens for throwing the enlarged picture of the illuminated film upon a screen.

The lamp house is made of ordinary stovepipe metal and the dimensions given in the sketch are for a size suitable to use an acetylene or gas burner. The metal is laid out as shown by the pattern (Fig. 9) and bent on the dotted lines to form the sides and ends of the house. The joint may be riveted, or, if taken to a tinshop, lock-seamed. The cover is cut out as shown, the sides and ends having bent holes which are covered on the inside with perforated sheet metal, A. In order to deflect the light, a small angular strip, B, is riveted on so that its upper portion will cover the holes and allow a space for the heat to pass out. The cover may be hinged or set on like a cover on a can. The lamp house is attached to a sliding wood base for adjusting its position on the baseboard.

The condensing lenses are fixed into a metal barrel having a tapering end. This can be made of the same material as used in the lamp house. The parts can be rolled and a lock joint made at a local tinshop, or the pieces shaped over a wood form and riveted. Small L-shaped pieces are riveted to the inner surfaces to hold each lens in place. A rim is turned up on the back end of the metal tube for attaching the lens barrel to the lamp house.

An ordinary mantle or acetylene burner is attached to a gas pipe that has for its base a drop elbow fastened to a sliding board similar to the slide of the lamp house on the baseboard. A good reflector should be attached to a standard just back of the burner. The standard is also fastened to the sliding board. The proper distance of the light from the condensing lens can be easily set by this adjusting device. This arrangement is shown in Fig. 10 in the diagram entitled "lamp parts."

The device for stepping the film is a duplicate of the one used in the camera as described in Part I, with the exception of the lens. The lens should be about 2 in. in diameter with such a focal length that will give a picture of the required size, or a lens of 12-in. focus enlarging a 1-in. film to about 6 ft. at a distance of 24 ft. A regular lens fitted in a metal tube can be purchased from a moving-picture stock house at a reasonable price. The box is made up similar to the camera box, but with a metal back instead of the wood. The intense heat from the light would quickly burn the wood and for this reason the light should be kept from the film while it is not in motion. The projecting lens barrel should be fitted snugly, yet loose enough for focusing.

The baseboard is cut as shown and the film-stepping device is firmly attached to the small end. The sides extend over the baseboard and are fastened with screws and braced with metal brackets. The slot in the small end of the baseboard is for the film to pass through. The film should have a tension the same as in the camera with velvet placed on the edges of the partitions. It is well to have a guide below the roller shutter to keep the film from encircling the roller as it turns.

Homemade Graining Tools

Desiring to do some fancy graining and having no tools at hand, I hastily made two of them from pieces of garden hose, as shown in the sketch. Two pieces were cut from the hose, each 5 in. long, and the first one made as follows: A small hole, about 1/4 in. in diameter, was cut through the outside layer of rubber with a sharp knife at two points on opposite sides of the hose and exactly in the center for length. Around these holes rings of the rubber were cut out, or rather peeled off from the canvas part, the rings being 3/16 in. wide, and the grooves, or parts removed, also 3/16 in. wide. The hose will then appear as shown in the upper left-hand corner of the sketch.

To use this grainer, first paint the ground color, using a buff tint for imitation light oak, and allow it to dry, then put on a light coat of raw sienna, and while wet, take the prepared hose and draw it slowly over the length of wood, at the same time revolving the grainer slowly.

The other piece of hose, at the other corner, is made to take the place of a steel graining comb. The rubber is cut away lengthwise, leaving four segments, about 4 in. wide, on four sides of the hose. These segments are then notched out, like threads on a tap, each segment having a different number to the inch. These are used in the same manner as steel combs.--Contributed by A. H. Waychoff, Koenig, Colo.

Needle for Repairing Screens

In attaching patches to window or door screens, the work requires a continual shifting from one side to the other, or two persons, one on each side, must be present to pass the threaded needle back and forth. The operation can be easily simplified by using a bent needle, which has been heated and suitably shaped. The point of this needle can always be made to return to the side from which it entered, thereby avoiding the need of an assistant or the tiresome shifting back and forth.--Contributed by G. Jaques, Chicago, Ill.

An Emergency Tourniquet

A valuable addition to any shop medicine cabinet is the tourniquet. A device that will answer the purpose of the tourniquet can be made from an ordinary clothespin and a piece of binding tape, about 3/4 in. wide and 14 in. long. To stop the bleeding from a wound on a limb, pass the tape around the injured member between the wound and the blood supply. Pass the tape through the slot in the pin, wind the ends around the pin two or three times to prevent slipping, then turn the pin to draw up the tape tightly until the flow of blood is stopped.

Mechanical Aid to Singers

Procure a large cigar box, of the square variety, and three ordinary drinking glasses with very thin walls and of different sizes, and place them in the box, as follows: Space them evenly, and drive three brads close to the circumference of each glass bottom, so that the glasses will have to be forced in between them. To prevent the glasses from touching the wood place a one-cent piece under each one.

A fourth glass is used, but from this the bottom must be removed. This can be done by saturating a string, or piece of yarn, in kerosene oil, wrapping it once around the glass near the bottom, then lighting it and allowing the string to burn out. The glass is then quickly dropped into cold water, which will remove the bottom.

A hole is cut in the cover of the box to receive the bottomless glass from the upper side, so that its lower edge will be flush with the under surface. Cut a slot, 3 in. long and 1/8 in. wide, in the cover near the back side.

To use, close the cover and at a distance of about 1/2 in. from the glass in the cover, or mouthpiece, sing into it. The glasses will impart to the voice a peculiar tone delightful to hear.--Contributed by J. B. Murphy, Plainfield, New Jersey.

Model Boat with Aerial Propeller

Procure or make a small model boat, 12 or 18 in. long, and place in the hold one or two cells of dry battery. Make a small platform in the stern and mount on it a small battery motor with the shaft parallel with the length of the boat and in the center. Directly above and parallel with the motor shaft run a shaft--a hatpin will do--in bearings fastened to the deck. Attach a drive pulley directly over the pulley on the motor and belt it up with a cord or rubber band. Purchase or make a propeller blade and attach it to the rear end of the shaft. A switch can be located on the deck for controlling the motor.--Contributed by Geo. B. Riker, Ft. Wayne, Ind.

Lantern-Slide Binding Machine

The machine shown in the illustration is very simple to make and when complete is one of the greatest time savers that a photographer can possess. The base is made of a piece of board, 9 in. long, 2 in. wide, and 7/8 in. thick. The uprights support a small bar upon which the roll of binding revolves. An old ink bottle filled with water and with some cotton stuffed in the neck serves as a moistener for the binding. The use of this machine insures a neat job in a very short space of time. The slide is always in the center of the binding. The end of the slide should run a little over the end of the base so that the binding may be fixed to the edge with the fingers, using a downward motion. The slide is then turned over on the other edge with a rolling motion and the operation repeated.--Contributed by Alvin G. Steier, Union Hill, N. Y.

Adjustable Film-Developing Machine

The simple homemade developing machine, shown in the illustration, can be easily made with three film spools, some strong wire, and odd pieces of wood. It consists of an open frame, having two side pieces provided with slots down the center, sufficiently wide to allow an ordinary wood screw, of suitable size, to slide up or down freely. The two end-connecting pieces act as supports for the developing tray and should be made of sufficient length so the tray can pass freely between the sliding upright frame, made to fit in between the side pieces of the base. This frame can be adjusted to suit the length of film and is clamped in place at the desired position by wood screws, fitting in the long notches and screwed into the uprights. The two bottom rollers consist of film spools which are fastened in place by being slipped over a suitable wire, bent so the spool can enter the developing tray and the wire pass over the sides. Another bend at the outer end provides for the adjustment of the spools and for securing the wire in place by staples. The top spool is secured to a wire fitted with a crank at the outer end, so that in turning the wire, the spool will also turn, thereby driving the film. When placing the film on the machine, the sensitive side should face outward so it will not rub against the spools. The ends of the film may be connected with pins or ordinary paper fasteners.--Contributed by H. R. F. Richardson, Ottawa, Ont.

Preventing Loss of Fish from Covered Baskets

In the cover of fish baskets an opening is frequently made permitting the fish to be put in without lifting the cover. In traveling over rough places, or when the basket is full, some of the fish are likely to be shaken out, or may wiggle out of the basket. To guard against this, a leather flap can be provided covering the hole on the inside. At one end of the flap, four holes should be punched. It can then be placed in position and securely laced to the cover. The flap acts as a valve, allowing fish to be put into the basket, but preventing their escape.--Contributed by A. W. Cook, Kamela, Ore.

Repair for a Broken Lock Keeper

Having broken the recess half of a common cupboard lock, or latch, which was used to fasten a hinged storm window, I used a round-head wood screw as shown. The screw was easily placed, and it serves the purpose as well as the regular keeper.--Contributed by R. F. Pohle, Lynn, Mass.

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When using glue contained in screw-stoppered vessels
it is advisable to smear a little vaseline on the
thread to prevent the stopper from adhering to the
container.

Lantern for Spot and Colored Lights

The school play in pantomime is not complete unless the different parts of the play are illuminated in different colors, especially if the performers are clad in glittering garments. A spot light is also a feature not to be forgotten in singling out the star player or the one singing a song. The cost of a light for this purpose is entirely out of the reach of the average schoolboy, but if he has any ingenuity and a little time, a lantern for throwing those colored lights can be made at home, and the necessary parts will not cost much.

The metal necessary can be the ordinary stovepipe material, but if it is desired to have a fine-appearing lantern, procure what is called Russian iron. This metal has a gloss, and if used, it should be gone over from time to time with a rag soaked in oil, then wiped dry, to keep it from rusting. The pattern for the body of the lantern, or lamp house, is shown with dimensions.

If metal, long enough for the whole length, cannot be procured, then make it in two pieces, being sure to allow 1/2-in. end also on the second part, as shown on the first, for a riveted joint. The metal is bent on the dotted lines and cut out on the full ones. The distance between the lines A to be bent is equal to the radius B. The part A forms the sloping side of the top, and the 2-in. part at the top of the side extends vertically on the upper or vertical part, it being 1/2 in. narrower to provide an outlet for the heat.

An opening is cut in the rear end, as shown, also a hole, 5 in. in diameter, in the front end. The size of the round hole is optional, as it should be cut to suit the condensing lens provided. If a lens 5 1/2 in. in diameter is used, then a 5-in. hole should be cut. This is enough difference in size to hold the lens from dropping through, while clips riveted on the inside of the lamp-house end will hold it in place. The lens is set in the hole with the curved side outward from the inside of the lamp house.

The top, or covering, is cut out of the same material as used in making the lamp house, the length being 12 in., and the sides are cut to extend 1/2 in. on each side of the ventilator. The edges, being turned down on the dotted lines, provide a covering to prevent any great amount of light from passing out through the 1/2-in. ventilating opening mentioned in connection with the side construction of the lantern. The 1-in. parts of the cover ends are turned down and riveted to the ends of the lamp house. The little extensions on the ends provide a means of riveting the side, to make a solid joint.

The arm C is made of a piece of 1/8 or 3/16-in. metal, shaped as shown, to fit on the corner of the lamp house, where it is riveted. This provides a support and a place for an axis for the large revolving wheel holding the colored-celluloid disks.

The metal forming the lamp house is fastened on a baseboard, cut to snugly fit on the inside. The base has two cleats, nailed lengthwise to form a runway, 4 in. wide, into which another board is fitted to carry the burner. While the illustration shows an acetylene burner, any kind of light may be used so long as it is of a high candlepower. If manufactured gas is at hand, a gas burner with a mantle can be fitted, or a large tungsten electric light will give good results.

The wheel, carrying the colored disks, is made of the same kind of metal as used for the lamp house. The edges should be trimmed smooth, or, better still, turned over and hammered down to prevent injury to the hands while turning it. A washer should be used between this wheel and the arm C on a bolt used for the shaft, to make the wheel turn freely. The colored disks of celluloid are fastened to the outside of the wheel over the openings.

A yoke to support the lantern and provide a way for throwing the light in any direction, is made as shown. A line along which the lantern balances is determined by placing it on something round, as a broom stick, and the upper ends of the yoke are fastened on this line with loosely fitted bolts for pivots.

The lantern is set in front of the stage at the back of the room and the light is directed on the players, the colors being changed by turning the wheel. Sometimes good effects can be obtained by using the lantern in the wings, or for a fire dance, by placing it under the stage, throwing the light upward through grating or a heavy plate glass.

Homemade Palette Knife

A corset steel makes a good substitute for a palette knife because of its flexibility. It gives better satisfaction if cut in the shape shown than if left straight. Should a handle be desired, one can be easily made by gluing two pieces of thin wood on the sides.--Contributed by James M. Kane, Doylestown, Pa.

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To remove a white mark on wood having a wax surface,
rub it lightly with a rag moistened in alcohol; then
rub with a little raw linseed oil.

Self-Closing Gate

This gate is suspended from a horizontal bar by chains, and swings freely about a 1-in. gas pipe, placed vertically in the center of the gate. The chains are of the same length, being fastened equidistant from the pipe, the upper ends farther out than the lower. The distance depends on the weight of the gate and the desired force with which it should close. Any of the numerous styles of latches can be used, if desired.--Contributed by Kenneth Osborn, Loveland, Colo.

A Poultry Shade

If a poultry yard is in an open space where the sun's rays will strike it squarely, a shade can be put up as follows: A piece of old carpet, rug, or canvas, fastened to the wire mesh with clothespins, will produce a shade at any place desired.--Contributed by Walter L. Kaufmann, Santa Ana, Cal.

Reflector for Viewing Scenery from a Car Window

Construct a box of pasteboard or thin wood, about 9 in. long, 3 in. wide and 2 in. thick, and fasten two pieces of mirror in the ends at an angle of 45 deg., both sloping in the same direction with their reflecting surfaces toward each other. An opening as large as the mirror is cut, facing it, in the box at the end A, and a small hole bored through at the end B so that it will center the mirror. Both of these apertures are covered with plain pieces of glass.

In use, the end A is placed outside of the car window and the user places an eye to the small hole B. It is impossible to be struck in the eye with a cinder or flying object.--Contributed by Mildred E. Thomas, Gordon, Can.

A Muskrat Trap

It is difficult to catch muskrats in an ordinary steel trap, as a broken bone allows them to sever the flesh and escape. During the summer these rats build a shelter for the winter constructed of moss and sticks placed on the river or lake bed, the top extending above the water level and the entrance being through a hole in the bottom near one side, while the passage itself is under water. It, therefore, only remains for the trapper to make one of these houses over into a huge wire trap so that the animal may be caught alive.

The house A is prepared by removing the top and building the trap from heavy mesh wire which can be easily shaped, the joints being held together by binding the edges with wire. The passage is then fitted with a double trapdoor, the first, B, provided with sharp points on the swinging end, while the other is a falling cover. These two doors are placed in an entrance way, C, made of wire mesh and fastened over the passageway.

The muskrat comes up through the passage, pushing a bunch of moss or sticks and does not notice passing the trapdoors. The upper door is to keep the animals caught from getting at the first door.--Contributed by Vance Garrison, Bemidji, Minn.

A Casein Glue

Casein glues are splendid in woodworking, making cardboard articles, and when the composition is varied somewhat, make excellent cements for china and metals. Casein is made from the curd of soured milk after removal of the fat, and is put on the market in the form of a dry powder.

To make the glue, soak the casein powder two hours in an equal weight of hot water. To this gummy mass add about one-seventh the weight of the casein in borax which has been dissolved in very little hot water. Stir until all is dissolved after mixing borax and casein. This can be thinned with water to suit and is a good glue, but it can be made more adhesive by the addition of a little sodium arsenate. Any alkali, such as soda or ammonia, could be substituted for the borax.

To make a china cement, lime or water glass should be substituted for the borax. Addition of burnt magnesia increases the speed of hardening.

The Mile-O-View Camera By T. B. Lambert

Many have tried, but heretofore no one has succeeded in taking panoramic views from the side of fast-moving trains or street cars. Motion pictures are easily obtained from the front or rear of moving trains, but none with the camera lens pointing at right angles, or nearly so, to the track. A complete apparatus for taking continuous and perfect panoramic pictures of any desired length as one travels through a country is too complicated to be described in detail within the limits of this article, but a simple arrangement, invented and constructed by the writer, will enable anyone to perform the experiment at practically no cost except for the film.

Some form of a roll-film camera is essential, and simply as a working basis, it will be assumed an ordinary camera is used, post-card camera in size, for which the following things will be required: A piece of thin black card, or hard rubber; a small board, and a piece of wire to be used as a crank.