Chapter XV: Part IV: Trout Fishing with Fly and Bait (8)

Prepare the paper, or hard rubber, by cutting it to a size that will exactly cover the rear camera opening when the back of the camera is removed, which, in the case of a post-card size, is 6 in. long and 3-3/4 in. wide; then cut a narrow slot, about 3/64 in. wide crosswise through the center of the material. This slot should extend to within about 1/2 in. of each edge, and the edges must be perfectly smooth and straight. If paper is used, glue it to the opening in the camera. If hard rubber is used, it can be made up as shown and set in the camera opening. This will bring the slot directly back of the lens center and at right angles to the direction in which the film moves when being rolled.

A board is prepared, about 4 ft. long, 10 in. wide and 3/4 in. thick. This is to take the place of a tripod, and it must have a small hole and suitable wing nut to attach the camera near the center. This length of board will reach from the back of one seat to another when it is placed to support the camera during the exposure.

A wire, about 1/8 in. in diameter, is bent, as shown, with a short hook on one end, and the other turned up at right angles, to serve as a handle. This wire, when hooked into the wing nut, will enable one to wind up the film at a fairly uniform speed. This completes all the necessary apparatus.

To take pictures with this panoramic outfit, load the camera in the usual way, but do not wind it up to exposure No. 1; stop at a point where the beginning of the film will be nearly opposite the narrow slot in the black paper, or rubber. This would be to stop the turning at about the time the hand pointer appears in the small back window. Attach the camera firmly to the board and brace up the lens end so that it will not easily shake with the movement of the car. Place the board across the backs of two adjacent seats, so that the camera will point out of the window at exactly right angles to the car.

When ready to expose, open the shutter wide, turn the crank that is hooked into the wing nut, and slowly wind up the film while the train is running. This will give a panoramic picture, continuous in character, and if the speed of turning is well judged, some very splendid views can be made.

The speed of turning the crank will be governed by the focal length of the lens and the speed of the train. For an average lens, the crank should be given one turn per second when the car is traveling about 15 miles an hour, or the average speed of a street car, A train traveling 30 miles an hour will require two turns of the crank per second. A good method of trying this out is to use one film as a test and turn the crank a few times and note its speed by the second, then stop and begin again at another speed for a few turns and so on, until the entire film is exposed, always noting the turns and time for each change, also the speed of the train. When the film is developed the one that shows best will give the proper number of turns per second.

The following points must be considered: The track should not be rough, and the camera must be perfectly steady and not twisted out of position by turning the crank, otherwise the resulting picture will be wavy. If the slot in the back board is not smooth and true, the picture will be streaked. Turning the film too fast will make the picture elongated, and too slowly, condensed. Should the camera be pointed otherwise than at right angles the picture will be distorted. This arrangement cannot be used to take moving objects except under special conditions. A picture of a passing train of cars can be made if the camera is stationary, but the wheels and drive rods will appear twisted out of shape. It is best for the experimenter to confine himself to scenery at the beginning, avoiding architectural objects, because a variation in speed of turning the crank to wind the film naturally distorts the architecture, which variation is not so noticeable in a scenic view.

A Photographic Worktable for Small Quarters By K. V. Reed

Flat dwellers have no space at their disposal for a person to work at photography, and the bathroom must take the place of a dark room. As this was very inconvenient in my case, I constructed a table, that from all appearances was nothing more than a large-size kitchen worktable, and such a table can be used in case the builder does not care to construct it.

The table is turned upside down and the top removed by taking out the screws. The top is made of several pieces glued together and will remain in one piece. It is then hinged at one side to the top edge of the rail, so that it can be turned back like a trunk, or box, cover.

Boards are then nailed to the under edge of the rails. If a very neat job is required, these boards should be set inside on strips nailed to the inside surfaces of the rails, at the proper place to make the boards come flush with the under edges of the rails.

At the back side and in the center of the new bottom, a hole is cut, 6 or 7 in. square, and a box fastened beneath it, to form a bottom several inches below the main bottom. In this space bottles filled with solutions are kept. The main bottom should be painted with an acid-proof varnish.

The space in the table is then divided, and partitions set up, which can be arranged to suit the builder.

Another attachment, which comes in exceedingly handy, is the ruby light. This consists of a box, large enough to receive a printing frame at the bottom. Two holes are cut in the table top, at the right places to make a window for the light and a slit for the printing frame. When the table top is raised, the box with the light is fastened over the openings with hooks, the arrangement of which will depend on the size and shape of the box. In closing, the lamp box is removed, and pieces of board are set in the holes. This can be easily arranged, if the holes and blocks are cut on a slight slope, so that the latter when set in will not fall through the openings.

Back Thrust Prevented on Skis

To overcome the difficulty of skis slipping back when walking uphill either of the two devices shown is good, if the attachments are fastened to the rear end of the skis.

The first represents a piece of horse-hide, about 4 in. square, tacked on the ski and with the hair slanting backward. This will not interfere with going forward, but will retard any movement backward.

The other consists of a hinged portion that will enter the snow on a back thrust. As the ski end is thin, a block of wood must be attached to it on the upper side, and the projecting piece hinged to the block. The bevel at the end allows it to dig into the snow when the ski starts back. In going forward, it will swing out of the way freely.

Crystallization Shown on a Screen

The formation of chemical crystals can be shown in an interesting manner as follows: Spread a saturated solution of salt on a glass slide, or projection-lantern glass, and allow it to evaporate in the lantern's light or beneath a magnifying glass. The best substances to use are solutions of alum or sodium, alum being preferable. Ordinary table salt gives brilliant crystals which reflect the light to a marked degree. For regular formation, where the shape of the crystal is being studied, use a solution of hyposulphite of soda.

Many startling facts may be learned from the study of crystals in this manner, and watching them "grow" is great sport even to the chemist.--Contributed by L. T. Ward, Des Moines, Iowa.

Furniture Polish for Fine Woods

Boiled olive oil, to which a few drops of vinegar has been added, makes an excellent furniture polish for very fine woods. It will be found to work nicely on highly polished surfaces, and also for automobile bodies. It is applied in moderate quantities, and rubbed to a luster with a flannel cloth.

Enlarging Photographs By A. E. Swoyer

When the photographer wishes to make an enlarged print from a small negative, he arranges a suitable light and condensers back of the negative and by means of a lens projects the resultant image upon a sheet of sensitive paper. Owing to the comparative weakness of the light, however, it is necessary either to use bromide paper or some of the faster brands of developing-out paper. If a more artistic medium is desired, a glass positive must first be made and enlarged to produce a negative from which the final prints will be made by contact. This process is somewhat clumsy and expensive, for if any retouching or doctoring is to be done, it must be upon a glass surface, either that of the two negatives or of the intermediate positive. As all of this work is done by transmitted light, there is the loss of fine detail common to all enlargements.

The difficulties incident to this process may be done away with by the use of a modification of the popular post-card projector; the alteration consisting simply in the substitution of a better lens for the cheap plate glass with which such instruments are usually fitted.

A contact print, preferably on glossy paper, ferrotyped, is made from the original negative by contact in the usual way; this is then placed in the modified projector and the image thrown upon a sensitive plate of the desired size. After a brief exposure, development will show an enlarged negative having every quality of the original.

The advantages of this process are obvious. In the first place, the comparative cheapness of the apparatus is a factor; in the second, the intermediate glass positive is eliminated, the print which is substituted for it providing a much better medium for retouching, faking or printing in. Transparent water colors in the less actinic shades may be used upon this print to control the final result, and if spoiled, it may be replaced at a negligible cost.

At first glance, it would appear as if this method were simply a form of photographic copying; it is, in fact, the reverse. For in copying any object with a camera, the sensitive medium is behind the lens and the object to be copied is in front, and the size of the copy is therefore limited both by that of the camera and by its bellows draw. In the reflection process, the object to be copied is back of the lens and the sensitive medium is in front; as large a copy can be made with a small camera as with an eight by ten. It is really more convenient to work with a short-focus lens and a camera of limited bellows extension; the nearer the lens is to the back of the camera the larger will be the projected image.

The diagram (Fig. 1) shows that the size of the object to be enlarged does not depend upon the focal length of the lens used, as in ordinary enlarging, but simply upon the size of the opening in the front of the projector. The dotted lines are drawn from the edges of the card to be projected through the lens. Figure 2 is a sketch of a projector with the lens tube removed, so that it may be used with a camera as shown in Fig. 3.

Homemade Screen-Door Spring

A screen or storm-door spring can be easily made of spring-steel wire. The wire is bent to the shape shown in the sketch and two turns given to the coil as shown at A. The ends of the wire are fastened to the casing and door with staples. Two or three of these springs can be attached to one door where it is necessary to have more strength.--Contributed by Wm. Rosenberg, Watertown, Mass.

A Surprise Water Bottle

The performer produces a bottle and gives it with a glass to anyone in the audience, asking the person selected to take a drink of a very delicious concoction. When the person attempts to pour out the solution it is found to be frozen.

To perform this trick, the fluid must be previously made with a saturated solution of sulphate of soda and hot water. Fill a clean white bottle with the solution, taking care to cork the bottle while the liquid is hot. The liquid remains in a fluid state as long as the bottle is corked. When the bottle is shown, it appears to contain a liquid, and in handing it to a person the performer must be careful to take out the cork in time to allow it to solidify. In order to gain the proper time, pretend to be looking for a glass, make some remark about a sudden chill or feel the hand holding the bottle and say it is very cold. In the meantime, the air acting upon the solution has caused it to become fixed and immovable, and when the person attempts to pour it out, he finds it is impossible.

A Graduate Holder

A simple and easily constructed graduate holder in the form of a bracket placed in the corner of a dark room is shown in the sketch. The bracket not only holds the graduates securely, but allows them to drain perfectly and prevents dust settling on the inside, as they are suspended by the base. Holes of different size are cut in the board to accommodate large, medium and small graduates.

Homemade Enlarging Camera

The ordinary hand camera of the focusing type can be used to enlarge pictures from negatives of its own make. The requirement is a device to hold the negative rigid in a position in front of the camera lens, and at such a distance that the rays of light passing through the negative and lens will enter a box of sufficient size for the desired enlargement and focus plainly on a sheet of sensitive paper attached to the end of the box.

The first thing to do is to find the distance that is required from the camera lens to the paper enlargement to make the proper size, and the distance from the lens to the negative. A correspondent of Camera Craft gives the following rule for finding these dimensions: To find the distance between the lens and paper enlargement, add 1 to the number of times the picture is to be enlarged and multiply the result by the focus of the lens in inches. The example given is for a 6-in. focus lens. An example: A 4 by 5-in. negative enlarged to 8 by 10 in. is a two-time enlargement (four times in area); 2+1 = 3, and 3×6 = 18, the distance in inches of the lens from the sensitive paper. To find the distance of the lens to the negative, divide the above result, 18 in., by the number of times desired to enlarge, 18×2 = 9, the distance in inches from the lens to the negative.

With these figures as a working basis, the box can be made in any size to use any focusing camera. The dimensions given in the drawing are for a 4 by 5-in. camera having a 6-in. focus lens, and to enlarge the pictures from a 4 by 5-in. negative to 8 by 10 in. In the first place make a box 8-1/2 in. wide, 10-1/2 in. deep and 14 in. long, inside measurement, using 3/4-in. material, as shown in the sectional drawing A. One end is left open and in the center of the other a hole is cut 5 in. square.

The back end of the camera is placed over this hole as shown at B and 1/4-in. strips nailed to the box end around the camera back to exclude all light. The camera must be centrally located.

The next to be made is the end board or easel, consisting of two pieces of 3/4-in. material, one 8-1/2 by 10-1/2 in., which should fit easily into the end of the box, and a larger one, 10 by 12 in., the outside dimensions of the box, as shown at C. Nail the smaller piece to the center of the large one, crossing the grain of wood in so doing. The end board is the easel upon which the sensitive paper is fastened with push pins, and should be covered with a sheet of white paper, pasting it on the 8-1/2 by 10-1/2-in. board with a thin coat of glue. The slide D is a piece of wood 3/4 in. thick, 3-1/2 in. wide and 26 in. long. This is fastened to the under side of the box with four screws, placing it exactly in the center and parallel with the sides of the box. Be careful to have the slide parallel or the holder will not freely slide upon it.

The negative holder E is made of a piece of 3/4-in. board, 8 in. wide and 10 in. long. A hole 5-1/2 by 7-1/2 in. is cut in its center, leaving a margin of 1-1/4 in. on all sides. This holder is set in a groove cut in a block of wood having a mortise cut 3/4 by 3-1/2 in. to fit on the slide easily. A thumb screw is fitted in the center of the bottom of the block of wood. This is used for fastening the negative holder rigidly to the slide when the focus is secured.

A 1-in. hole is bored in the upper corner of the box end, as shown, to serve as a peephole for seeing the image on the end board or easel. This is covered before putting the sensitive paper in the box. The end board is held in position with two flat brass hooks. The camera is held in place with two buttons placed on blocks of wood the height of the camera back, as shown at F. Two pieces of clear glass, 6 by 8 in. in size, are held in place in the negative holder by means of buttons, the film negative being placed between them. All the joints in the box must be carefully puttied and the inside of the box blackened, which is done with a mixture of lampblack and alcohol, to which is added a small quantity of shellac to give it body.

A darkroom is not essential, a bathroom with the window covered over with orange paper will do, or even a large room with the shades drawn and pinned close to the window casing. It is best to leave a space in one of the windows to be covered with orange paper, doing the developing about 10 ft. from the source of light.

To operate the camera place it on the enlarging box, hook the easel in place, put a negative in the holder with the film side toward the lens. Take the outfit to a shady place outdoors, point the holder end at an unobstructed portion of the sky and look through the peephole. Rack the lens in and out to focus the picture. The easel should have heavy black lines drawn upon it inclosing parallelograms from 5 by 7 in. to 8 by 10 in., so that one can readily see the size of the enlargement to be made. When the focus is obtained take the outfit into the darkroom, remove the easel and fasten the sensitive paper with push pins. Replace the easel and take the outfit outdoors again, point it toward the clear sky and make the exposure, which should be at least 5 seconds with a 16 stop. It is best to make a trial exposure on a small strip of paper to find the proper time. Directions for the use of bromide papers will be found in each package.

An Easy Way to Make a Shelf

Procure an ordinary packing box and mark a line from corner to corner on both ends, as shown, from A to B in Fig. 1. Pull out all the nails from the corners that may cross the line. Nail the top to the box and saw it on the lines marked and two shelves will be formed which may be used as shown in Fig. 2. Boxes dovetailed at the corners will make excellent shelves and look neat if painted.

Multiplying Attachment for a Camera By J. C. Moore

The hand camera suitable for this work is the kind commonly known as the reversible back, which is a detachable part that carries a ground glass for focusing and a place to insert the plate holders. When this part is removed, it will be seen that the back of the camera is mortised to prevent light from entering. Construct a frame to take the place of the back, but make it about 5/8 in. larger all around, and make one surface to fit the mortise of the camera box.

A back is now made and attached to the frame, to carry the ground-glass reversible back, so that it can be shifted over the center of focus for each small portion of the plate on which the picture is to be made. Measure the outside of the plate holder and, doubling the dimensions both ways, lay out a diagram on a piece of paper. Lay the plate holder on the paper and move it to the extreme left, then to the right, to see if the center of the plate will coincide with the center of the back. In the same manner locate the center in a vertical position. If the center lines do not coincide, increase the dimensions until this occurs. Mark, in the exact center, an opening the size of the plate and cut out the wood. It is best to use a three-ply wood for making the back, but if this cannot be obtained, procure a dry piece of wood and mortise and glue strips to the ends to keep the wood from warping. Glue the frame to this back, over the opening, and make attachments to hold it to the camera in the same manner as the reversible back was attached.

If pictures of two or three different sizes are to be made, the opening in the new back should be fitted with as many new pieces as there are sizes of pictures, each to have an opening of corresponding size. For a 5 by 7-in. plate, 1-1/8 by 1-1/4-in. pictures is a good size, as there will be room for 24 pictures on the plate with a small margin left for notes. The piece to fill the opening should be made of the same material as the back so that a smooth joint will result. As a board cannot be made smooth enough for a perfectly light-tight joint, the surface on the new back, over which the reversible back travels, must be covered with cloth--a piece of black velvet is suitable--to exclude all light as the plate holder is shifted over the back.

A frame is now made to carry the reversible back of the camera, the size of which will depend on the size of the other parts, as well as on the size of the camera to be used. This frame consists of two horizontal strips joined at the ends with grooved pieces, fitting the edge of the new back, so that it may be slid up and down in the grooves. The crosspieces are also rabbeted to receive the reversible back and allow it to be moved back and forth horizontally. The rabbet in the horizontal strips should not be so deep as to permit the extending edge to overlap the ground-glass frame, thus preventing it from moving back as the plate holder is inserted.

If the frame on the back and the reversible back fit tightly, they will remain in any position, but if they are loosely fitted, it will be necessary to provide some means to hold them. Small springs with pins may be fitted to the vertically moving frame to hold it in the position for the horizontal rows of pictures.

The ground glass should be marked for the size picture to be taken. The positions of the frame and plate carrier should also be marked so that the plate holder need not be taken out to find the location and focus for the next picture.

Connecting a Pipe to Sheet Metal

In the absence of a waste nut, an iron pipe can be easily fastened to sheet-metal work as shown in the sketch. The end of the pipe, Fig. 1, is slotted with a hacksaw to form four projections, which are turned outward and their ends rounded as shown in Fig. 2. The face of the projections are tinned and then riveted to the sheet-metal surface, as shown in Fig. 3. After soldering the joint, it will be as good or better than if a waste nut had been used.--Contributed by Lorin A. Brown, Washington, D. C.

An Acid Siphon

When siphoning off acids or other disagreeable or poisonous liquids, it is very important that none of it touch the flesh or mouth. It is almost impossible to do this when starting the ordinary siphon. A siphon that does away with this inconvenience and danger can be made as follows:

Procure a good Bunsen burner and two pieces of 1/4 in. glass tube, one 2 ft. and the other 18 in. long. Heat the 2 ft. length at a point 8 in. from one end in the flame until it can be bent as shown at A. The other piece should be plugged at one end and then slowly and evenly heated at a point 10 in. from one end. When the glass is soft, blow slowly and steadily into the open end, at the same time turning the tube around in the flame. This will form a bulb, B. The ends of the glass tube are heated and bent as shown, at C and D, and then fused onto the piece A, as shown at E. This can be accomplished by heating the piece A at a point 4 in. from the unbent end. When the glass becomes soft, place one end of a short piece of tube in it and pull out into a thread. Break this off as close to the tube as possible, to make a hole in the tube. Heat the end of the tube D and also the glass around the hole, and when both become soft, they can be fused together.

In use, close the end not in the liquid and, placing the mouth at F, exhaust the tube, thus filling it with the liquid. When the closed end is opened, the siphon will flow. The liquid collects in the bulb, and if a little care is used, none of it can reach the mouth.--Contributed by O. F. Tronnes, Evanston, Ill.

Bottle-Opening Trick

A local junk dealer, who was also known as the "strongest man in town," used to mystify the folks by opening a bottle, apparently with a stroke of his index finger. His audience saw his index finger strike the stopper, but did not see the knuckle of his second finger strike the eccentric at the point A, as shown in the sketch, causing it to fly up while his index finger B assisted the stopper out of the bottle mouth.

When trying the trick, it is best to select a bottle with a loose stopper, or else wear a glove, as the gentleman who demonstrated the trick had hands of the hard and horny type.--Contributed by James M. Kane, Doylestown, Pa.

Setting Colors in Fabrics

The colors of fabrics or other materials of any kind may be set by boiling the articles in the following solution: To 1 gal. of soft water add 1 oz. of ox gall. This solution should be boiling when the articles are dropped into it. A chemical reaction results and the colors are set or made nonfading. The process is harmless. Colors in wood may be treated in the same manner.

Towel-Roller Brackets

Very serviceable brackets for a towel roller can be made by using ordinary wire clothes hooks, as shown in the illustration. The roller is made of wood and two nails with their heads cut off, one in each end, form bearings to turn in the ends of the hooks. When it is desired to remove the roller, the hooks are sprung apart enough to allow it to drop out.--Contributed by Hugh Carmichael, West Lorne, Ont.

A Developing-Tray Rocker

The tank method of photographic development is acknowledged as the best, yet there are many who, for various reasons, still use the old-style tray method. For those who use the tray, a splendid and simple method that combines the good qualities of both the tank and tray is the tray-rocking device shown in the illustration.

The rocker consists of a wood box, 13 in. long, 9 in. wide and 1-1/2 in. deep, made of 3/8-in. material, together with a similar box 1-1/2 in. deep, that fits over the other as a light-proof cover. Both are given a coat of black paint.

At the center on the under side of the tray part, a right angle made of strap iron is fastened with screws. On the part projecting down, a hole is drilled to receive a sleeve made of a brass tube which is soldered in place. An ordinary shelf bracket is procured, one end of which is filed and fitted with a strip of metal having both ends turned up slightly. Small-pointed pins are fastened in holes drilled near the turned-up part. The points of the pins serve as a knife-edge for the rocker. The extending end of the strap iron is fitted with a pendulum rod having a weight at the bottom.

The rocker is attached to the wall in a convenient place in the dark room. The tray with the developer and plate is placed in the box, which is light-tight, and the pendulum is started swinging.--Contributed by T. B. Lambert, Chicago.

An Adjustable Bookholder

A very satisfactory adjustable holder for books or letters can be constructed of ordinary materials. A board is used for the base, and two pieces, C, cut from the grooved edges of flooring boards, are fastened on top as shown. A permanent end, A, is fastened to one end of the base. A good-size holder is 19 in. long, 6 in. wide, made of material 3/4 in. thick.

The movable slide B has two pieces attached to its under side, which are cut from the tongued edges of flooring boards. The piece D answers the double purpose of a handle and brace. A lock, E, is made of a bolt, having a long thread and a square head. A hole is bored from the under side through the brace, and a portion of the wood is cut out to admit the nut. A square place is cut out to admit the square bolt head in the bottom pieces. To lock the slide, simply screw the nut upward so that it will push the bolt head against the base.--Contributed by James M. Kane, Doylestown, Pa.

An Old-Oak Stain

To make old oak of ash, elm, box alder, chestnut, maple, yew, and sycamore wood use a solution of copper acetate, or iron acetate. Either of these can be made by allowing a strong acid to come in contact with copper or iron. Acetic acid, or vinegar, will do for the acid. The chemical can be obtained from a local druggist if it is not desired to make the stain. By varying the strength of the solution, several shades may be obtained. A weak solution of iron acetate gives various brown hues. As the strength of the salt increases by concentration, the shades of brown darken.

Tablespoon End Used as Lemon Squeezer

In an emergency, the ordinary tablespoon can be used as a lemon squeezer by turning the lemon around the end of the spoon. This produces the same result as obtained with the regular squeezers, which act on the principle of extracting the juice by turning and crushing the lemon over a rough projection which approximately matches the shape of a half lemon.--Contributed by L. E. Turner, New York, N. Y.

A Back Stop for a Workbench

In planing small pieces on a bench, they usually have a tendency to tip up or slide around. This difficulty can be easily overcome by providing the bench with an extra back stop. For this purpose a discarded plane iron will do very well. Its edge should be notched so that it will easily enter the wood. The edges of its central slot should be beveled off, if an ordinary wood screw is used to fasten it to the bench. A series of holes, several inches apart and in line with the regular back stop, should be bored in the bench so the screw and iron can be readily changed, to fit varying lengths.--Contributed by C. S. Rice, Washington, D. C.

Croquet Mallets Protected by Metal Rings

Due to the severe service they are subjected to, croquet mallets very frequently split off at the ends, which spoils them for further use in accurate driving. To prevent this, metal bands may be placed around the ends of the mallets. Thin sheet iron, or tin, can be used for this purpose. One end is bent up at right angles, the opposite end is provided with a loop to fit over the upright portion of the first end, and then the loop is closed up and hammered down to draw the metal tightly around the mallet. The ring is secured in place with several tacks, or short nails, driven through the seam.--Contributed by H. E. Stratmeyer, Rockville, Md.

Distance Marker for Printing Photographs

A convenient homemade printing device, or distance marker, for printing photographs by artificial light consists of a smooth board on which twelve 1-in. marks are drawn, as shown. A wall-base electric socket is attached on the first line and the others are numbered up to 12. A trial test of a negative marks the distance and time of exposure which should be recorded on the negative. Such a device makes uniform prints possible and provides a means of recording time on negative-storage envelopes.--Contributed by Harold Davis, Altoona, Pa.

Mantel Picture Frames Made in Plaster

Procure a small oval or rectangular frame of a suitable size and use it as a pattern in making a mold. If it is not necessary to select an expensive frame, one that is straight without any floral designs is the best to use. Ordinary molding made into a frame will do as well, or a pattern, whittled out of wood in oval shape, will produce good results.

Make a flask out of any small box, and fill it with clay instead of molding sand. Make an impression of the frame in the clay, and the mold is ready for the plaster.

Procure four 8-oz. bottles, fill them with water, and tint the water in three of them red, green, and blue, with dyes. When purchasing the plaster of paris--2 lb. will do--also get some brass filings from a machine shop, and mix it with the plaster while in a dry state; then divide the lot into four parts of 1/2 lb. each, or equal parts.

Use the tinted water to mix the plaster and pour it into the mold. This will give the combinations red, green, blue, and white.

Picture frames made in this manner will stand enough polishing to keep the brass filings on the surface bright and shining, which gives a pretty effect.--Contributed by J. B. Murphy, Plainfield, N. J.

A Five-Pointed Star

There are many ways of making a five-pointed star, but the one illustrated is new and easy to apply. A long strip of paper, which should be transparent, is tied into a knot. When the ends A and B are drawn tightly, the paper strip takes the position shown in C. The end A is folded forward, or in front of the knot; then the whole is turned over and it will take the position shown in D. Hold the paper to a good light and a perfect five-pointed star will be seen.--Contributed by J. J. Kolar, Maywood, Ill.

Fastening Portière Pole in a Doorway

A pole can be fastened between two supports, posts, or in a door casing neatly and without fixtures in the following manner: The pole is cut 1/8 in. shorter than the space between the casings, and a 5/16 in. hole is drilled in each end, one to a depth of 1-1/2 in. and the other 3/8 in. deep, a coil spring being placed in the deepest hole.

Screws are turned into the center of the location for the pole in the door jambs, allowing one screw head to project 1/8 in., and the other at least 1/4 inch.

To place the pole in position, put the end with the spring in the hole on the screw head projecting 1/4 in. and push the pole against the jamb, allowing the other end to pass over the other projecting screw head until it slips into the hole by pressure from the spring. The spring will keep the pole in position.--Contributed by Ernest F. Dexter, Hartford, Conn.

Trick with Knives and Glasses

An interesting trick may be performed with three tumblers and three table knives. Place the tumblers in an equilateral triangle on a table so the knife ends, when the knives are laid between them, as shown in the plan sketch, are about 1 in. away from the tumblers. The trick is to arrange the knives so that they are supported by the tops of the three tumblers and nothing else. Most observers will say that it is impossible; some will try it and in most cases fail. It can be done, and the illustration shows how simply it may be accomplished.--Contributed by R. Neland, Minneapolis, Minn.

A Scraper Handle

In using the ordinary steel-plate scraper, much inconvenience and cramping of the hands is experienced unless some suitable handle is attached. If a piece of scrap wood is taken and cut to a convenient shape, with a groove tightly fitting the scraper steel, greater pressure can be exerted and more effective work produced, without cramping the hands or tiring out the operator as readily.--Contributed by A. P. Nevin, Hancock, Mich.

Photographic Tray-Rocking Stand

Films develop better if the tray holding the solution is kept in motion or rocked. This is inconvenient and tiresome where a great many films are to be developed. The trouble may be overcome by the use of the rocking device shown in the sketch. It may be made of any light wood, the right size to suit the photographer's needs.

The tray holder A is pivoted on the uprights C with pins EE. The uprights are fastened to a base, B. Two braces, D, one on each side of the upright C, limits the tip of the tray holder A. The weight F works as a pendulum, which automatically rocks the tray when set in motion.--Contributed by Abner B. Shaw, No. Dartmouth, Mass.

Kite-Line Traveler

The amusement of kite flying can be broadened by adding the kite-line traveler shown in the sketch. The frame of the traveler is made of poplar, spruce or soft pine, 1/4 in. square. The horizontal piece is 24 in. long and the piece to which the wings are fastened is 8 in. long. This piece is cut so it will have a slight slant. The brace is a mitered piece, 13 in. long. The frame is fastened together with small brads, giving it the appearance shown in Fig. 1.

After the frame is finished, the traveler wheels are made and attached. They should be 1/4 in. thick, about 1-1/4 in. in diameter, and have a groove cut 3/16 in. into their faces. The pattern for cutting the bearings is shown in Fig. 4. These are bent at the places shown by the dotted lines and attached to the main frame stick as shown by BB in Fig. 3. The end view of the bearing is shown in Fig. 5. The metal is bent in as shown by AA, so that the wheel will rotate without much friction.

In Fig. 6 is shown the method of attaching the wings to the slanting frame part. The wings are made of light cardboard and each fastened with tacks to a wood arm, cut as shown. The large end of each arm is made to hinge in a piece of tin with brads AA.

Fasten a string to the ends of the arm pieces, as shown in Fig. 1, and attach a wire loop to the middle of the string, as shown in Fig. 3. The wire shown at L in Fig. 3 is bent and attached to the main frame so it will slide easily. The trip for dropping the wings, as shown in Fig. 2, is a small block of wood about 2 in. square and 1/4 in. thick with a 1/2-in. hole in the center. Slip the kite line through the hole before tying it to the kite. Place the trip about 100 ft. from the kite and wedge it to the string with a small piece of wood. The eyelets SS are necessary, as they make it impossible for the pulley to run off the string.

The traveler is first put on the kite string with the end having the loop L (Fig. 3) up, then, after letting out 100 ft. of string, the trip block is fastened in place and the kite tied to the end of the string. Hook the wire loop on the string attached to the ends of the wings in place in the wire catch of L, and it is ready for the flight. When the traveler reaches the trip, the loop L is pushed back, thus causing the end of the wire to slip out of wire loop and the wings to fall back as shown in Fig. 2, when the traveler descends ready to be set for another flight.--Contributed by Stanley C. Funk, Bellefontaine, Ohio.

A Mouse Trap

A simple mouse trap can be made of two lengths of steel wire. The spiral wire is 1/16 in. in diameter and the center wire is of larger size. The trap is set by pulling out the spring and catching the ends on the bends A and B. The bait is tied on at C. When the mouse puts his head through the coils and pulls the bait, the springs are released and his head is caught between the coils.

How to Make a Small Electric Furnace

The furnace consists of a large flower pot containing an ordinary clay crucible about 6 in. in height, the space between the two being packed with fireclay. Two 3/4-in. holes are bored through the sides of the crucible about half way between the top and the bottom. Holes corresponding to these holes are molded in the fireclay, which should extend several inches above the top of the flower pot. A smaller crucible is placed inside of the large one for use in melting such metals as copper, brass and aluminum. With metals that will melt at a low degree of heat, such as tin, lead or zinc, the large crucible can be used alone. Each crucible should be provided with a cover to confine the heat and keep out the air. The electrodes are ordinary arc-light carbons.

The furnace is run on an ordinary 110-volt lighting circuit and it is necessary to have a rheostat connected in series with it. A water rheostat as shown in the sketch will serve to regulate the current for this furnace. Small quantities of brass or aluminum can be melted in about 10 minutes in the furnace.--Contributed by Leonard Stebbins, Denver, Colo.

Repairing a Broken Knife Handle

A piece was broken from the pearl handle of my knife and I repaired it in the following manner: After cleaning both the edges of the pearl and the brass beneath, I run in enough solder to fill the place of the piece of pearl broken out. The solder was then filed, sandpapered and polished. The broken part cannot be felt and it appears to be only an end decoration.--Contributed by W. A. Humphrey, Columbus, O.

Picture-Frame and Triangle Clamp

A picture frame or triangle is quite difficult to hold together when fitting the corners. It is still more difficult to hold them together while the glue dries. The clamp illustrated will be found quite satisfactory in solving this problem, and at the same time is very simple to construct and easy to manipulate. The material list for making the clamps and corner blocks is as follows:

Picture frame clamp:

4 pieces, 1-1/4 by 1-1/4 by 15 in.

2 pieces, 1-1/4 by 1-1/4 by 5 in.

Triangle clamp:

3 pieces, 1-1/4 by 1-1/4 by 10 in.

1 piece, 1-1/4 by 1-1/4 by 4 in.

Corner blocks:

4 pieces, 7/8 by 3-1/2 by 3-1/2 in.

8 pieces, 7/8 by 1 by 2 in.

The pieces mentioned are of oak, S-4-S.

1 piece 3/8-in. maple for dowels

Hardware:

10 bolts, 1/4 by 2 in.

4 bolts, 1/4 by 3 in.

2 bolts, 3/8 by 6 in.

The picture-frame clamp consists of the four arms A, B, C and D, Fig. 1. A 1/4-in. hole is bored in one end of each piece, 1/2 in. from the end. A series of 3/8-in. holes, 1 in. apart, are bored along the center in each piece. The two short pieces, E and F, have two 1/4-in. holes bored in their centers, 1/2 in. from each end. These pieces are bolted to the four arms with 1/4-in. bolts as shown in the sketch. A 3/8-in. hole is bored in the middle of each piece E and F for one of the 6-in. bolts K.

The four corner blocks G, H, I and J, Fig. 1, have a 3/8-in. hole bored in the center of each and a dowel glued into it with the end projecting 1-1/4 in. on the under side and level with the surface on the upper side. Each of the corner blocks is fitted with two pieces like X, Fig. 2. Each of these pieces has one end round or a semicircle, and in its center a 1/4-in. hole is bored. The other end has a 3/8-in. hole bored 1/2 in. from the end.

After making the small pieces, take the four corner blocks G, H, I and J and draw a line on the upper side in the center, with the grain of the wood, and mark the angles as follows, so that one-half the angle will be on each side of the center line: On one end of the pieces G and H mark a 90-deg. angle, on the other end a 45-deg. angle, on the piece I mark a 90-deg. and 30-deg. angle and on J mark a 90-deg. and 60-deg. angle. Mark the number of degrees of each between the sides of the angle. Place two of the pieces marked X, Fig. 2, on each of the corner blocks, one piece on each side between the different angle lines, so their round ends will be toward the center and toward each other with a space of 1/4 in. between them. Clamp the pieces to the corner blocks and bore the 1/4-in. holes through them to secure perfect alinement. Put the bolts in and turn the pieces first to one angle and then the other, and while in the respective positions, bore the 3/8-in. holes 3/8 in. deep in the corner blocks. Glue a dowel in each 3/8-in. hole of the small pieces, allowing it to project 1/4 in. on the under side so it will fit in the 3/8-in. hole in the corner block. Be sure to countersink the holes for the heads of the bolts. All bolts should be fitted with wing nuts. All that is necessary to change from one angle to another is to loosen the nuts and swing the small pieces around so the dowel pins will drop into the other holes, then tighten the nuts.

The triangle clamp is made in the same manner as the picture-frame clamp, except that the arms L and M, Figs. 2 and 3, are half-lapped into the crosspiece P. The bolt O is 3/8 in. and the head is cut off. Drill a 1/8-in. hole in the bolt, 1/4 in. from the end, and bore a 3/8-in. hole in the end of the arm N. Insert the headless bolt O in this hole and drive a nail through the side of the arm N, so it will pass through the hole drilled in the bolt. This keys the bolt in the end of the arm N.

To clamp a picture frame, set the corner blocks G, H, I and J to the 90-deg. angles and adjust them on the arms A, B, C and D to accommodate the size frame to be made, as shown in Fig. 1. Tighten the thumbnut on the bolt K, and this will draw all four corners together with the same pressure. The corners can then be examined to see if they fit properly. If they do not, saw in the joints with a backsaw until they do fit.

The triangles are clamped in the same way. The corner blocks are set to take the proper angles. The ends of the bolts should be slightly burred over so that the thumbnuts cannot be turned off.--Contributed by Chas. A. Pettit, Baltimore, Md.

Exterior Sliding Fly Screen

The method shown for fitting fly screens on the outside of the upper and lower sash permits the screen to be raised and held at different heights. Screweyes are turned into the outer strips, as shown in Fig. 1. The sides of the screen frame are grooved, Fig. 2, to allow it to slide up and down on the screweyes.

The screen can be raised and two of the screweyes turned from the normal vertical position, A, Fig. 3, to a horizontal position, B, to hold the frame at that point. By the use of a greater number of screweyes more places can be provided to support the screen at different heights.--Contributed by James M. Kane, Doylestown, Pa.

Bushing a Stovepipe in a Chimney Hole

When a stovepipe is too small for the hole in the chimney, a bushing can be made of the kind of metal tobacco boxes that are curved to fit in a pocket. Remove the tops and bottoms of the boxes and shove them in around the pipe. If such tobacco boxes are not at hand, tin cans of any kind can be used by melting off the tops and bottoms and bending the remaining cylindrical shells into proper shape.--Contributed by Elmer McConaughy, Dayton, O.

A Screweye Driver

An ordinary wire nail, 3 in. long, bent as shown and with its head filed square, makes a good tool for turning in screweyes. The square head is readily held in the chuck on most braces. The screweye can be turned in with greater speed than by the ordinary method.--Contributed by Robert T. Johnston, Buffalo, New York.

Copying Stand for Photographic Enlarging and Reducing

A camera stand or table, which can be put to many uses, is easily made and, when made, will be of particular service, says Work, London, for enlarging, reducing, copying, and, with a slight modification, for making lantern slides by reduction.

Copying with a camera on a tripod is always a more or less complicated job, because of the ease with which a picture, being focused, may be thrown out of focus, and even out of the field of view, the camera not being attached to the same support as the picture. With the stand shown in the illustration, the picture is attached to the same support as the camera. This makes it possible to place the apparatus on a table, out in the open, or in any other suitable position, where the light may be best for the work. When used for enlarging with artificial light it will also be found convenient, as it may be placed in any position in a darkened room.

The size of the stand will depend on the sizes of pictures to be made, but it is better to have it too large than too small, as a small camera can be used on a large stand while a small stand would be of only limited use. The general appearance of the stand is shown in Fig. 1. The material list is as follows: