Chapter XXX: Part II

When laying out designs for leather work, avoid making them too small and intricate. Bold, simple designs are the best. The relation between the shapes of the background and of the design should be well balanced. The design should not be so small that the large background shapes overbalance it. One good way is to let the design partly follow or repeat the contour of the object. If the article be rectangular in shape, let some of the lines of the design follow rectangular lines; and if circular, follow the curves of the circle.

The first piece of leather work considered, will be an artistic cardcase. The foundation of a cardcase is a rectangle. Take a piece of paper 10 by 4-3/4 in. and fold it in the middle, making each side 5 in., then fold in 2 in. on each outside edge toward the center. This last fold makes the pocket of the case. If a deeper pocket is desired, a longer piece of paper must be used, and the fold more than 2 in. Cut out the leather according to the paper pattern and allow at least 1/4 in. for the margin. This gives enough extra material for fastening the leather on a board outside of the pattern. Moisten the leather on the rough or unfinished side. Remember that, as previously stated, Russian calfskin is the best for tooling. Place the folded paper on the right side of the leather, then with a ruler, triangle and lining tool draw the vertical lines where the paper is folded. If the leather is moistened enough, the tool will make a deep line. Make these lines where the leather is to be folded in the center, and for each pocket. Line all around the pattern on four sides to indicate the outside border of the pattern. Note that there are four vertical panels or rectangles, two wide ones and two narrow ones, as the leather lies flat on the board. Select either of the wider rectangles for the front of the cardcase. Transfer the design onto this side. Place the paper on the moistened leather and go over all the lines of the design with a hard pencil. When this is done, take the paper away and deepen the lines of the design with the lining tool. If tooling is desired, use the broad-end tool and press down the background with firm even strokes. Keep the background and edges of the design sharp. If stamping is desired, make rows of small circles, regular or irregular, by using the nail set and a wood mallet. The inside or lining is made of skiver leather or silk. The two center rectangles are the only parts lined. Cut out the piece of silk or leather about 1/16 in. less at the top and bottom of the rectangles and 1/4 in. wider on each side. If leather is used, apply library paste on its back, then place carefully on the inside, smooth it down firmly and put it under a heavy weight to dry. If silk is used, apply the paste around the edges for a width of about 1/4 in., and put it under the weight. The case is then folded and sewed at top and bottom. Cut off the surplus leather about 1/8 in. from the stitches.

The next article is the useful magazine cover, which anyone should delight in making. It requires a piece of leather 11 by 15 in. Allow enough margin to fasten it to the board. Fold the narrow edges together. The design can be placed on either side. A border design bounded by rectangular lines is very suitable. The margin allowed around the design shown in the illustration is 1 in. from the front edge, 1-1/2 in. from the top edge, and 2-1/4 in. from the bottom edge. The design is 5-1/4 in. wide. It is placed on the moistened leather and lined, tooled or stamped as described for the cardcase. The inside of this cover is lined with heavy silk. Allow a 1/4-in. margin to turn in on all four sides. Two strips made of the lining material, 2-1/2 in. wide and 11 in. long, are placed 1-1/2 in. from each side, over the lining on the inside. The lining, strips and the leather are stitched together about 1/8 in. from the edge on all four sides. The strips are to hold the magazine in place as the cover of the book is slipped between the cover and the strip.

Other kinds of leather, such as ooze cow and ooze calf, may be used, but these only allow the method of cutting out the design, as shown in the bag and stampcase. The design is traced on the wrong or smooth side of the leather. Do not moisten the ooze leather. Fasten the leather firmly on the board and cut out the design with a sharp knife. A soft silk is best for the lining. Apply the paste on the leather near the edge of the design and after laying the silk in place, put it under a weight to dry.

The stampcase and handbags are laid out, and the designs made in the same manner as for the cardcase and magazine cover, but instead of stitching the edges on the handbags, they are joined with thongs run through holes cut in the edges of the leather. The stampcase edges are sewed together. Bear in mind that Russian calf is used for tooling and stamping, and ooze cow or calf for perforated designs.

Furnace Electrodes of Lead Pencils

Furnace electrodes frequently consist of carbon rods, and if there is a short gap between them, forming a break in the circuit, the current jumps across that gap, forming an "arc." The intense heat of the arc is used in fusing and melting metals. As large electrodes are necessary for use in furnaces where great masses of metal are melted, so small electrodes are adapted to finer or more delicate work, says Popular Electricity.

As the lead or graphite in a lead pencil is a form of carbon, it will make an excellent electrode for small work. Two ordinary lead pencils, costing only one cent each, may be used. They are first sharpened as if they were to be used for the usual purpose of writing. Then a small notch is cut in one side of each pencil, laying the lead bare at a point about 2 in. from the sharpened end.

A small copper wire is wound around the pencil and into this notch, thereby making contact with the exposed lead or graphite. By means of these small wires the pencils are connected to larger wires, which in turn are connected to a switchboard or source of electric-current supply.

At some place in the circuit there should be a resistance to prevent short-circuiting and also to control the strength of the current. As the wood sheath on the pencils offers sufficient insulation, they may be picked up, one in either hand, and no electrical effect will be felt by the person so doing. If the pointed tips are touched together, a fine little arc, not much larger than the tips of the pencils, will be formed. The temperature of this arc, however, is such that fine wires or small quantities of metal may be melted readily.

These little lead-pencil arcs may be used to fuse very small gold or silver wires, or platinum thermometers, or wires for tungsten or tantalum lamps. The bead or globule of molten metal formed on the end of a fine wire need be no longer than a small-sized grain of sand.

Coat and Trousers Hangers

The hanger is simple in construction and can be easily made by following the dimensions given in the drawing, and the directions given below.

The back is first marked off on a soft-pine board and cut out. The curved edge should be rounded off so as to prevent injury to the coat. The two end pieces are then made, and fastened to the back with screws as shown. The wedge is ripped diagonally from stock and the smaller edge made slightly round. The wedge slides in between the two end pieces, and after the trousers have been put in place, is pushed down until it holds them securely. The hanger is a screw hook turned into the wood, or it may be made of a piece of heavy wire run through a hole in the back and bent over on the bottom edge. The wood may be stained any desired color and then given two coats of shellac.--Contributed by Olaf Tronnes, Wilmette, Illinois.

Mending Broken Fountain-Pen Barrels

Broken fountain-pen barrels may be mended by the use of melted shellac. This can be done by heating some dry shellac and applying it to the fracture. Do not scrape off the surplus shellac, but shape it with a heated iron. A pen with such a repair has been in use for two years.--Contributed by G. D. Whitney, Pittsburg, Pa.

Jig-Saw Blades

The ordinary form of jig-saw blade has a tendency to pull the fiber of the wood in one direction, thereby producing a jagged cut. To overcome this I made several blades with teeth as shown in the sketch. After the downstroke is completed, the teeth A will cut on the upstroke, the teeth B cutting on the downstroke, etc. The upstroke teeth should be a trifle longer than the others and from 4 to 6 in number.--Contributed by Phillip Caflish, Buffalo, N. Y.

Leaded-Glass Panels for Furniture

Certain kinds of furniture may be greatly improved in appearance by the use of simple glazed panels in the door frames. It would be inappropriate to have anything elaborate in a small cabinet for the reception of china as it distracts the attention from the contents, but a simple leaded diapering or pattern of small design, such as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, would be quite in place and have a good effect. For other purposes more elaborate effects can be worked out in deep shades, says Work, London.

A hanging cabinet with leaded panels is shown in Fig. 3. These panels for the doors are in the design shown in Fig. 2. Panels of this design can be used either for furniture or for small windows. The process of making these panels is not difficult and the ordinary workman can form them, the only difficult part being the soldering of the joints.

The beginner should confine himself to plain glazing, the design being formed by piecing together glass of different shades. The method of procedure is to first make a small sketch in color to a scale of about 1 in. to the foot, carefully arranging the parts and colors. A full-sized panel can be drawn from this sketch. The effect of plain glazing depends entirely on the arrangement of the lead lines and the art glass. In the full-sized drawing the shapes are arranged so that they may be easily cut, all long forms being either avoided in the design, or divided by a cross-lead to guard against breakage in the cutting.

Two simple forms of glazing are shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The one shown in Fig. 4 is somewhat different, the top of the panel being decorated with simple curves. This general design is considerably elaborated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. It is desirable to decorate only a part of a window so that the maximum of light may gain access.

Two simple treatments of a sailing craft are shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The effect of the introduction of this design in one of the panels of a small cabinet is shown in Fig. 1.

An example of plain glazing is shown in Fig. 10. This is a piece of simple leading and yet very effective, involving no difficulty of construction.

For this lead glazing a quantity of strip lead, the section of which is shown in Fig. 11, will be required. This can be purchased from dealers in art-glass supplies. The lead is sold on spools and it must be straightened before it can be worked. This is most easily done by fastening one end and pulling on the other. The glass for this work must be reasonably thin as no advantage is gained by the use of thick material, and it is difficult to cut. A piece of art glass has a right and a wrong side, the side on which the spots and streaks appear is the right side, and it is cut on this side. The tools required are a glass cutter, a heavy knife and soldering appliances.

Sketch out the lines of the design full size on paper, drawing in only one side of a symmetrical pattern and tracing the other. After the design has been prepared, the next step is to make a cutting pattern. To do this, take a piece of tracing cloth and lay it on the drawing. Trace the lines and go over them with a brush dipped in black, making the lines exactly the same thickness as the core of the lead, or the thickness of the distance the glasses are separated from one another, as shown in Fig. 11. Each division is marked for the color it is to be and the paper is then cut into sections on each side of the broad line. These pieces form the patterns for cutting similar shapes from heavy cardboard which serve as templates for cutting the glass.

Proceed to cut the glass by laying a pattern on the right side and scoring around with the cutter guided by the pattern. Little difficulty will be experienced in this work if the general design does not have very irregular shapes.

When the various pieces of glass have been successfully cut and are ready for leading up, arrange them in position on the preliminary sketch, and then measure the outside leads and cut one piece for each side, the lead being cut to fit against the core of the other at the joint, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13. Proceed to cut the lead for the long curves obtaining the length by bending the strips along the lines of the design. As each is cut it will be found convenient to tack it in position on the working table by means of small brads, so as to simplify the measuring and cutting of the other parts. Continue until the panel is complete, when, after truing up, it is ready for soldering. This is done in the usual way but requires extraordinary care to avoid the possibility of melting the lead. The overlapping parts of the leads are pressed well against the glass in each division to keep it from rattling.

In making up the squares and rectangles such as appear in Figs. 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7, lead the long lines first, adding the shorter, horizontal pieces last. The sketch, Fig. 14, will clearly illustrate this part of the work. The sketch shows the starting of the panel, Fig. 5.

Raising Cucumbers on a Trellis

A novelty in cucumber culture, tried recently with great success, is as follows: As soon as the vines are about 18 in. long, stretch wire mesh 24 in. wide on poles alongside the row of plants and train the vines on the wire. The cucumbers will grow larger and the plants will require less care than when they are on the ground.

A Barrel Boat

A boat that any handy boy can easily make is constructed of a barrel which is kept with the opening cut in one side up by two 4 by 6-in. timbers and two tie pieces, 2 by 4 in. The lengths of these pieces will depend on the size of the barrel.

A good watertight barrel should be selected and an opening cut in the center between the hoops, of such a size as to allow the body of the occupant room for handling an oar. The timbers are attached to the barrel with iron straps--pieces of old hoops will do. The two tie pieces are put across the timbers at the ends of the barrel and spiked in place.

The boat is to be propelled with a single, double-end paddle. There is no danger of the boat capsizing or the water splashing into the barrel.

Homemade Wing Nuts

A handle taken from a worn-out faucet, drilled out and threaded for a bolt, makes a good wing nut. A discarded gas-bracket key, cut off on the line AA and with the part within the dotted lines filed out, then drilled and threaded, also makes a good wing nut.

A Spool-and-Ball Puzzle

Procure an empty basting-thread spool and make a hole in its side, at A, just large enough to receive a 1/4-in. steel ball. A piece of celluloid, B, is wrapped around the flanges, as shown, and fastened with small brads. An old negative film, well cleaned, is suitable for the celluloid. Be sure to put the steel ball in before fastening the celluloid in place.

The difficulty of the puzzle is to get the ball into the hole.--Contributed by R. C. Knox, Waycross, Ga.

To Start the Ink Flowing from a Drawing Pen

In order to keep the ink flowing readily from a drawing pen it must be kept clean and not allowed to stand with the ink in the nibs. A good plan is to have a small piece of velvet fastened to the drawing board or upon a small block, conveniently located where the pen may be drawn across it as in making a line. The tuft of the velvet will clean out the partly dried ink between the nibs.--Contributed by H. L. Woodward, Washington, D. C.

A Pencil-Sharpener Stick

Do not discard the sandpaper stick or pencil sharpener used by a draftsman just because all the abrasive sheets have been removed. Make use of it indefinitely by fitting a wedge in one edge, as shown in the illustration, to hold fresh sheets of sand or emery paper. The wedge should fit tightly so that the ends of the abrasive sheet, when wound around the block, will be held tightly. Worn sheets can thus be removed and new ones applied when necessary.--Contributed by Chas. J. La Prelle, Flushing, L. I.

Splice for Round Belts

Sash cords or round belts are easily spliced with a coil spring, and for belts this joint will run smooth and noiseless. The coil should be a close fit on the belt, and after turning one end halfway into the spring, the belt itself is twisted in the reverse direction as many times as there are coils remaining in the spring, before the other end is turned into it to meet the first.--Contributed by F. S. Cummings, Detroit, Michigan.

* * * * *

When painting wireless instruments use black
asphaltum, as it has high insulating qualities.

Amateur Mechanic's Combination Lathe By Joe V. Romig

The thing most desired by a young mechanic is a lathe, but the cost of these machines is usually too high to be considered by the average boy, and consequently he is hampered in executing more difficult work. The combination lathe shown in the illustration comes as near filling the wants of most boy mechanics as could be wished, the attachments making it more than a lathe so that various kinds of work other than turning may be accomplished. The materials necessary are few, and, outside of a few parts, it can be constructed by the average boy at home with ordinary tools.

The material used for the construction of the frame consists of either well seasoned oak or maple, 2-3/4 in. wide and 1-1/2 in. thick. These timbers can be purchased surfaced on all sides, and they must be straight and true to size. The lengths to cut the pieces are given on the general drawing. The end standard at the headstock is cut to the full length so that the upper end is used as a bearing for the headstock spindle. A vise jaw, about 2-1/2 ft. long and of the same kind and dimension material as the frame, is attached with screws made of bolts on the standard, at the tailstock end of the lathe. The feet are made of two boards for each standard, and are of the same material as the frame and 7/8 in. thick. After cutting the pieces to the right length, making sure that the ends are square, and boring the holes to receive the bolts snugly, they are put together, the horizontal pieces for the ways and feet at perfect right angles to the uprights. This will insure the parts running freely in the finished machine. All bolts should be supplied with a washer under both head and nut, and the nuts drawn up tightly.

The headstock extends 7 in. above the upper surface of the ways, thus making a swing of 12 in. One of the standards of the headstock is the extension of the lathe standard, as previously mentioned; the other standard being cut 9-3/4 in. long and attached with bolts between the ways in the same manner as the lathe standards are fastened. A block, 3 in. long, is fastened between these standards to aid in holding them rigid. The bearings for the spindle, which is a piece of steel, 3/4 in. in diameter and about 9 in. long, are made in the upper ends of the standards in the following manner:

A 1-1/4 in. square is laid out on the upper end of each standard, with its center exactly over the center for the shaft, and the wood is cut out to make a square hole, which should be slightly tapering one way or the other toward the center of the standard, to hold the babbitt metal used for the bearing. A 3/8-in. hole is bored, vertically down from the upper end of each standard and in the center, to meet the square hole. This is used as a gate for pouring the melted metal in and later to make an oil hole. Prepare 8 pieces of cardboard to hold the melted metal in the square holes while it cools, by cutting them about 2 in. square and making a hole in the center of each, 3/4 in. in diameter. Two of these pieces are held between the two standards while the shaft is run through them and the square holes. Paint the parts of the shaft used in the bearing with thick white lead, or wrap it with one thickness of writing paper, then line it up perfectly parallel with the ways in both directions and tack the cardboard pieces to the standards. Place the remaining two cardboard disks on the ends of the shaft and tack them to the standards also. Place putty over all the edges and pour melted babbitt metal into the hole at the top. When the metal is cool, remove the cardboard disks and turn the shaft, first in one direction and then in the other, until it can be taken from the bearings. A 1/8-in. hole is then drilled through the metal in the top for an oil hole. The ends of the shaft should be threaded by a machinist, and nuts fitted to it and faced up true. The threads should be cut just long enough to allow the back of each nut to turn freely against a washer placed on the shaft against the standard. A split or solid pulley may be used, as desired, on the shaft between the standards. If a solid pulley is used, it must be slipped on the shaft as the latter is run into the bearings.

The pulley is fastened to the shaft with a pin run through a hole drilled in them. If a small flywheel is attached to the outer end of the spindle it will aid in keeping a steady motion.

The same procedure is carried out in the construction of the tailstock bearings. The standards for this part are about 8 in. long and are bolted at right angles to and between two pieces that rest on top of the ways. The shaft is threaded full length, which should be done in a lathe by a machinist to get a true thread, and the melted metal run on it to make an internal thread in the bearing. A nut is run on the threads of the shaft between the standards, and provided with a small handle for use in locking the shaft when it is set on work between centers. A small handwheel is attached to the back end of the shaft, into the rim of which a handle is set to make the turning easy.

The faceplate consists of a disk of metal, 6 in. in diameter and 1/4 in. thick, attached with 3/16-in. machine screws to a 3/4-in. nut. The disk is drilled in various places to receive ordinary wood screws. The faceplate should be made by a machinist so that the surface of the face can be turned true. The spur center is made of a 3/4-in. nut, drilled in opposite corners for 1/4-in. pins, 1-1/4 in. long.

The drive wheel for this lathe was taken from an old discarded washing machine. Such a wheel is a very common part of various kinds of machinery and usually one that will answer the purpose can be found in a junk pile. One from 20 to 24 in. in diameter will be about right. A 1/2-in. bolt is used for the shaft, which is run through the standard at the headstock end of the lathe from the outside, the threads being previously cut long enough to introduce a nut between the wheel and the standard for clamping the bolt in place. The extending threaded end of the bolt is then supplied with two nuts, one on each side of the wheel hub, and a short piece of pipe is slipped on, to make a bearing over the threads. One of the spokes is drilled and a pin inserted and fastened to receive the upper end of the pitman from the treadle. The wheel is adjusted on the shaft with the nuts on each side of the hub so that its face runs true with the pulley on the headstock. The wheels are connected with a 1-in. leather belt.

The treadle consists of a frame built up of boards and swung in the centers at both ends on 3/8-in. steel rods, for bearing pins, the bearings being made of wood standards with 3/8-in. holes bored in them to receive the pins. The pitman is made of wood, its length being determined by measurement of the distance between the crank pin and the treadle-arm end when both are at their lowest point.

The slide for the rest consists of a 1-in. square steel bar, about 10 in. long, having a hole drilled in one end and threads cut with a 1/2-in. tap. The rest used in this hole is made of a 1/2-in. rod, threaded on one end and bent at right angles on the other. The clamping device for the slide is made of two bars, 1 in. by 3/16 in., fastened to the square bar and extending down between the ways with sufficient ends beneath to attach a wooden clamp block and cam with a handle. This construction is clearly shown in the drawing. If only a lathe is required, the machine would be complete as now described, but the other attachments illustrated will greatly add to its usefulness and the owner will be well repaid by making them.

Attachments

One table is used for the circular saw, planer head, sander, and jig saw, and it is attached on top of the headstock and tailstock standards with bolts, run through the back edge of the board and the ends of two brackets which are screwed to the back edge of the inner standards. Thumb nuts are used on the bolts to aid in making the change quickly. More than one hole is provided in the back edge of the board, so that the tailstock bracket can occupy the right position for the sander or planer head, as the case may be. The holes in the bracket ends should be somewhat larger than the bolt, to allow tilting of the table. An adjusting screw is substituted for the rest, so that the table can be raised or lowered to suit the work in hand.

The circular saw is 5 in. in diameter and should have fine teeth. It is placed on the spindle threads against the nut, and held there with another nut and washer on the end of the spindle. The table is attached over the saw, and the spindle is driven at a high speed.

The planer head is made of a wood block, 9 in. long and 2-3/4 in. square. A 3/8-in. hole is bored through one way near each end, as shown in the drawing, and two steel knives, with 1/2-in. holes coinciding with the 3/8-in. holes in the wood, are made and attached with their edges opposite or projecting diagonally from the corners. The holes in the knives being larger than the bolts, makes the knives adjustable for setting the cutting edges. These knives may be made from an old saw blade, ground to size and one edge beveled and sharpened. A brass plate, with holes to fit the spur center, is fastened in the center of the block, on one end, and the other is centered for the cup of the tailstock screw. The adjusting screw for the table is used to regulate the cut.

The sander is constructed of a wood piece, 9 in. long and 3-3/8 in. in diameter. A groove is cut in one side of the rounding surface to admit the ends of the abrasive which may be fastened there with tacks.

An emery wheel can be used on the spindle in the same manner as the circular saw. Procure a wheel, 5 in. in diameter with a 1/2-in. face and having a lead center. The hole should be bored out and tapped to fit the threads on the lathe spindle, and to have the grinding surface run true, this work should be done in a lathe by a machinist.

The drawings show the construction of the jig-saw attachment. The standard on which the arms are pivoted is made of a 1/2-in. bolt, threaded for its entire length and with a groove cut in the head and nut to receive the arm pivots. A locknut is used beneath the notched nut to hold the adjustment. Two nuts and washers are used near the center of the bolt for clamping the attachment to the table. The pivots are made of sheet metal, bent and drilled as shown. The small projection at each end of the edge is raised slightly by hammering the corner of the metal. These projections prevent the arms from sliding sideways. The clamps for holding the ends of the saw blades are easily made of thin sheet steel, or brass, with a 3/16-in. bolt and washer at the end for the clamp. The tension of the blade is secured by a piece of wire, an eyebolt and a thumb nut, connecting the rear ends of the arms as shown. The frame is driven by the spur center. The pins are removed from the center and a 1/4-in. pin is inserted in one of the holes so that it will project 5/8 in. The pin runs in a slot cut in a brass plate that is attached to the lower arm.

Very serviceable tools can be made of discarded files by grinding them to shape on the emery wheel. Always use a fine whetstone to finish the edge on a woodworking tool.

Hanging a Clothesline Taut

The line is equipped with rings, one at each end, used for convenience in quickly hanging the line, which is then drawn taut with a lever. A screwhook is fastened in one end post and at the other end a screwhook is attached to a lever which is pivoted to the post. The lever should be about 3 ft. long, 1 in. thick, 3 in. wide at one end, and 1-1/2 in. wide at the other, or handle, end. A large wood screw is used to attach it to the post. A pin is placed in the post to hold the lever when the line is drawn taut.--Contributed by Warren E. Crane, Cleveland, Ohio.

A Double Latch for a Door

This latch is suitable for outbuildings, small shops and sheds, as it can be opened from both sides of the door and is easily applied. It consists of a rod of suitable size which is bent in the shape shown in the sketch after the rod is inserted through a hole bored near the edge of the door. The spring of the metal will hold the catch in place.

Maulstick Used as a Ruler

Procure a cork having the same diameter as the knob on the maulstick and make a hole in the center so that it will slide on the stick. This is very handy for using the stick as a ruler, as it forms a sliding rest.

Hinge with a Wide Swing

In constructing a box I needed a hinge that would carry the cover farther away from the top than the ordinary double-leaf hinge. I found that two pieces of 1/4 by 5/8-in. wrought iron, attached in the manner shown, answered the purpose. By using round-head screws it was unnecessary to countersink the metal.--Contributed by James M. Kane, Doylestown, Pa.

A Detachable Clamp for Stairway Handrails

The sketch shows a handrail clamp, or holding device, which is detachable, for use on stone stairways in the winter when there is ice or snow on the steps. The clamps are made of 3/16-in strap iron, of any desired width, conforming to the shape of the balustrade and provided with a hook at either end. To the inside end of the band an upright is riveted and to this upright is riveted an ordinary handrail holder to take the handrail. A heavy thumb screw allows the clamp to be fastened firmly to the balustrade at the outside. This is a simple and inexpensive device which affords protection against falls.--Contributed by John De La Mater, Chicago, Ill.

A Homemade Leather Punch

An empty bottle-neck rifle cartridge can be easily made into a leather punch by grinding the edge of the opening sharp and cutting a hole near the top in one side. The hole is for removing the leather slugs and should be just a little larger in diameter than the inside diameter of the shell. The cartridges can be had in various sizes and almost any size of punch can be made.--Contributed by Merhyle F. Spotts, Shelby, Ohio.

A Wood-Scraper Handle

In using a plain scraper on the surface of wood the task grew exceedingly tiresome and I lightened the tedious work to some extent by making a handle for the scraper. The handle consisted of a piece of wood, 1 in. thick, 3 in. wide, and 6 in. long. A cut was made in the edge of the wood the width of the scraper blade and about 3 in. deep, and a bolt run through a hole bored centrally in the side, about 2-1/2 in. from the lower edge. The blade was clamped in place with the bolt.--Contributed by J. D. Keiley, Yonkers, New York.

Polishing Gunstocks

The fine polish applied to gunstocks and wood parts of tools will not wear well, and if one cares for a fine finish, a much better and more durable polish can be applied as follows: Soak the wood in linseed oil for a week and then rub the surface with an oil-soaked cloth for a short time every day, for a couple of weeks.

A Prick-Punch Center Gauge

A simple instrument for finding and marking the center of shafting, etc., can be easily made of three pieces of sheet brass and a small prick punch.

Take two pieces of stiff sheet brass, 2-1/2 by 3 in. in size, and cut two corners, 1/2 in. square, out at one end of each piece as shown in the sketch. Bend the metal on the dotted line A, until it stands at an angle of 45 deg. The part B should be bent up in the same direction, but at right angles to the plate, while the part C should be bent out only slightly. A hole should be drilled near each corner for rivets. Be sure that the two plates are bent in opposite directions, then rivet them firmly together.

Roll one end of a strip of sheet brass, 7/16 in. wide and 2-3/4 in. long, into a tube large enough to firmly hold a small steel prick punch. Place the opposite end of the brass strip in between the two ends C. These ends should spring together slightly in order to hold the punch D at any height it may be placed. If accurately made, the point of the punch will be exactly in the center of the V-shaped trough.

In use, to find and mark the center of a round bar, it is placed in the trough with the end just touching the point of the punch. The brass holding the punch is raised between the parts C until the point of the punch is brought as near to the center of the shaft as can be judged. Press the point of the punch against the end of the shaft and turn the latter in the trough. If the punch marks a circle the center has not been found. This is corrected by slowly moving the punch up or down until the point ceases to make a circle, then the punch is tapped with a hammer to mark the exact center.

A Whirligig Clapper

A good noise maker for Halloween or any other occasion, can be made by carefully following the directions here given. The box is the first thing to make. It is constructed of wood pieces, 1/2 in. thick, and consists of two ends and two sides. The ends are each 1-1/2 in. square and the sides 1-1/2 in. wide and 6 in. long. These parts are nailed together with the ends lapping the sides.

The ratchet wheel A is a disk of hard wood, 1-1/2 in. in diameter. Its rim is divided into eight equal parts, and notched with a knife as shown. It is placed in the forward end of the box on a wood axle of 3/8-in. diameter to which it is glued. One end of this axle is squared and projects 1 in. beyond the side of the box. The squared end passes through a square hole in the end of the crank C, which is a piece of wood 3/4 in. thick, 1 in. wide and 4 in. long, and is fastened with brads and glue. At the other end of the crank, a similar hole connects with a handle whittled to the shape shown at B.

A flat piece of steel spring, 1/2 in. wide and long enough to reach from the rear end of the box to the teeth of the ratchet wheel, is shaped as shown at D. The spring may be made from a stiff piece of corset steel or bicycle trousers guard. The spring is fastened with a nail through the end and box sides and a second nail passes through the sides over the spring, about 2 in. forward from the first nail. This is to give the spring tension on the teeth.

To operate the clapper, it is allowed to hang straight down, while the right hand grasps the handle and whirls the box in a circle around to the left.--Contributed by C. C. Fraser.

Box Partitions

As I needed a box with a number of narrow partitions and it was impossible to cut grooves for the sections without removing the bottom, I spaced off the places for the partitions with pieces of thin wood and fastened these in place with small nails clinched on the outside of the box. This method was much more rapid and satisfactory than sawing the grooves and cutting them out with a wood chisel.--Contributed by James M. Kane.

Safety Catch for a Flour Bin

A flour bin, counterbalanced to swing closed at all times, is liable to catch the arm of the one taking out flour. To make it safe, I applied the device shown in the sketch. The bin, at rest, is shown in Fig. 1. The safety catch consists of a stick of wood, A, notched at one end, and is pivoted at B on a small bolt. Two stops, C and D, are located on the side of the box to prevent the catch from being thrown out of position when the bin is quickly pulled out. These stops are nails driven into the box side. When the bin is pulled out the catch takes the position shown in Fig. 2. The catch stick should be a little shorter than the distance the bin is pulled out, so that it may be raised to release the bin for its return.--Contributed by O. F. Fouche, Erie, Pa.

A Homemade Whistle

Procure two empty No. 30 gauge brass cartridge shells. Cut one shell 3/8 in. shorter than the other, then flatten and bend them as shown in the sketch. The mouthpiece should be at an angle of 60 deg. File a slot, 3/16 in. in width, about 1/2 in. from the end. File off the flange on the shorter shell so that it will fit snugly against the side of the other and solder them together. A ring may be soldered on the end of the long shell to fasten it on a chain or string. To give the whistle a shrill sound place a large shot in each shell before flattening them.--Contributed by Peter Veneman, Paterson, New Jersey.

How to Emboss Stationery

A person's monogram or any special lettering embossed on stationery is quite expensive. The engraving of the dies by experts commanding high salaries, and the subsequent presswork necessary to give relief to the design upon the paper cause an expense which the economical person hesitates to accept, much as the refinement and individuality of the embossed work may be admired. But there is a way by which almost anyone may emboss stationery at home with one's own design at no expense whatever. The work is easy and the results pleasing, and monograms or lettering thus done will compare very favorably with the printer's work, especially if there is a good design to follow and the work is done with care. A little artistic ability will, of course, aid one in preparing a design, but is not essential, for the letters required may be cut from printed matter and used as a guide for tracing. There is no limit to the varieties of work possible by this process. Single letters, monograms, words or designs are suitable for reproduction in raised characters.

All the materials required for embossing the stationery are the envelope or paper on which the design is to appear, a stylus and a blotter. The paper should be of fair quality. If it is too thin the stylus point is likely to push through it. The linen-finished papers of medium weight and tough texture give excellent results, although almost any grade of good writing paper can be used successfully. As embossing by this process can be done well only through one thickness of paper, in working on envelopes it is best to put the design on the central portion of the flap, or turn it up and make the design in the left-hand corner of the envelope.

The stylus may be any kind of a pencil-like instrument, easy to grip between the fingers, with a hard, smooth point, rounded slightly so that it will not cut the paper. The ordinary bone stiletto, used in embroidering, makes an ideal tool for this purpose. If this is not to be had, a substitute is easily whittled from a piece of hard wood. Even a wire nail, with its point smoothed with a file, may be used, the upper portion being wound with string to afford a better grip.

The blotter should be white, perfectly clean, and of good weight. A thin, hard blotter will not produce a good raised letter as a softer one will. When the surface of a blotter has become covered with creases from repeated use, it should be discarded and a new one substituted.

As it is best to adopt a distinctive form of monogram or design for stationery and to use it without deviation, it should be selected or worked up with care until something is outlined that will suit. With the design settled upon and drawn on a piece of paper, go over it with a soft pencil to deposit sufficient graphite for an impression. Lay the pattern, face down, upon the back of the paper to be embossed, and directly opposite the spot on the other side where the raised characters are to appear. With the handle of a knife or scissors rub over the back of the pattern till the graphite has left the tracing of the design reversed on the writing paper.

The pattern is now laid aside until required for transferring the design to another sheet of writing paper. Lay the blotter on some smooth, hard surface, such as a desk leaf or table top and lay the writing paper on the blotter, reversed design uppermost. Hold the stylus firmly at an angle as shown in the illustration and keep the blotter and paper from moving with the other hand. Carefully trace the design, using considerable pressure to insure a good relief upon the opposite side of the paper. A soft eraser should be used to remove the guide marks on the back of the sheet when the relief is finished.

After a little practice with a certain design, if it is not too intricate, the operator will find that it can be reproduced quite faithfully freehand, without the use of the pattern, but, of course, the use of the pattern will be the only guarantee of exact duplicates.

A Homemade Hydrometer

The hydrometer is an instrument used in determining the specific gravity of a liquid, such as acids, etc. The specific gravity of any material is the ratio of the weights of equal volumes of the material and water. Thus if a pint of acid weighs 1.2 times a pint of water, its specific gravity is said to be 1.2.

A very simple and inexpensive hydrometer, similar to the one shown in the sketch, may be easily constructed, and will give quite satisfactory results, if the scale on the instrument is carefully marked when it is calibrated.

Purchase from the local druggist or doctor two test tubes, one large enough to contain the other, as shown. The smaller tube is to form the hydrometer proper, while the larger one is to serve as a containing vessel in which the liquid to be tested is placed. The large tube should be mounted in a vertical position, by placing it in a hole bored in a small block of wood, or a suitable metal or wooden frame may be made that will accommodate one or more tubes.

The small tube is loaded at the lower end with a quantity of shot, or other heavy metal, in such a way that it will stand in a vertical position when it is placed in a vessel of water. The amount of the loading will depend upon whether the hydrometer is to be used in determining the specific gravity of liquids heavier or lighter than water. If the liquids are heavier than water, the loading should be such that the tube is almost entirely immersed when placed in water; if lighter, only sufficient loading should be used to make the tube stand upright in water. After the amount of loading has been determined it should be fastened in place by means of a small quantity of calcined plaster. A small cork should now be placed in the open end of the tube, and the tube sealed by coating the end with shellac, or melting a small quantity of resin or sealing wax over the top of the cork with a hot soldering iron.

Now place in the large tube a quantity of as pure water as can be obtained--fresh rain water will answer very well and distilled water still better. Immerse the small tube in the water in the large tube and allow it to come to rest. Make a small mark on the small tube with a file, level with the surface of the water in the large tube. If the hydrometer is placed in a liquid lighter than water and allowed to float, the mark made on the tube will always be below the surface of the liquid in which the instrument is placed, and the mark will be above the surface of the liquid when the liquid is heavier than water.

The hydrometer may be calibrated by making use of a hydrometer borrowed from the druggist or doctor. The two hydrometers should be immersed in the same liquid and the tube of the newly made instrument marked to correspond with the markings on the borrowed instrument. If the liquid is heavier than water to start with, its specific gravity can be reduced by adding water, and as the water is added the hydrometers will both rise.

A Stirring Stick

The stirring, or mixing, stick shown in the sketch deserves its name, as it will stir evenly all the way around. It consists of two flat sticks, one two-thirds the width of the other, which are nailed together as shown. The narrow one is only long enough to enter the depth of the liquid.--Contributed by Frank J. Rempe, Oakland, California.

A Telescoping Support for a Hinged Shelf

The supporting arm of the hinged shelf is constructed of a piece of gas pipe and a length of iron rod which slides snugly into the pipe. A spring catch is set in the pipe at the proper height to engage the end of the iron rod when the shelf is up. This spring must be of good size, as it holds the entire weight of the shelf. A large clock spring is suitable. One end of the spring is bent outward and upward to form a releasing handle. The other end is drilled for the two machine screws which hold it to the pipe. The spring works in a rectangular slot, cut lengthwise of the pipe. The pipe must extend 8 or 10 in. beyond the spring. The ends of the rod and of the pipe are pivoted with screws or rivets on angle pieces screwed to the shelf and wall.--Contributed by Donald A. Price, Wilmington, Del.

A Bug Powder

To secure a nonpoisonous roach and bug powder mix dry 3 lb. plaster of Paris with 2 lb. of sugar, then add 1 oz. of pulverized aniseed. The addition of a little corn meal will help to draw the pests.--Contributed by Loren Ward, Des Moines, Iowa.

How the Capacity of an Incubator may be Doubled

About 10 days after setting the incubator one may easily start another hatch by placing more eggs on top of the incubator in the following manner: Make a pad about 1 in. thick of any cotton material and place it on top of the incubator. Cut four pieces of boards, 1 by 4 in., and fit them around the top of the incubator. Nail them together as in making the sides and ends of a box. Pad the inside of this frame about 1 in. thick and tack it on top of the incubator, being careful that none of the material comes too close to the lamp. Place the eggs inside of this tray and cover them with a pad about 3 in. thick. Turn the eggs the same as those on the inside. When the first hatch comes out, place the eggs kept on top in the incubator after having cleaned it with a solution of carbolic acid.--Contributed by Hattie J. Day.

Homemade Rivet Set

Desiring to rivet some pieces of leather together and having no rivet set, I hastily made one from a strip of heavy sheet tin, 3/4 in. wide. This was rolled at one end, as shown in the sketch, and the other end notched to fit over the rivet end. The rolled end formed the part for setting the washer and the slotted end held the washer down while the first blows of the hammer were struck.

Wash Bottle for Laboratory Use

A large-mouth bottle neck is provided with a stopper, having three brass or glass tubes as shown, the tube A being fitted with a thick piece of rubber tubing, B, stoppered at its lower end. A slit is cut at C, and allows the air blown in through the tube A to pass into the bottle, but will close automatically and hold the pressure within the bottle.

If the relief tube D is closed with the thumb the water is forced out in a steady stream through the nozzle E. The water will continue to run for some time after the lips are removed from the air tube, but the removal of the thumb from the tube D will stop the flow of water instantly.--Contributed by W. Schilling, San Francisco, Cal.

Typewriting on Card Stock

Anyone having tried to typewrite on cards or heavy stock has doubtless experienced much trouble in getting the card to feed properly. If at all heavy, it will resist the curving so strongly that it will not be carried around the platen, and the edge of the card is very apt to catch on the pressure rolls and cause the platen to slip.

The remedy is very simple and consists in running a sheet of paper through ahead of the card until an edge of about 1/2 in. remains, then inserting the edge of the card inside of the projecting edge of the paper and turning the platen. The paper overlapping the card prevents the edge of the latter from catching on the pressure rolls and keeps it in close contact with the platen so that it will pass through without trouble.--Contributed by Thos. L. Parker, St. Paul, Minn.

A Furniture Polish

A homemade furniture polish that will compare with any known polish, is composed of the following chemicals and oils. Mix 3 oz. of turpentine very gradually with 6 oz. of linseed oil, then add 3 oz. of grain alcohol, 3 oz. of 5-per-cent acetic acid, and 1/2 oz. of butter of antimony. Apply with a cloth and use a good friction. As the substance might prove harmful to children if taken internally, see that it is kept out of their reach.--Contributed by Loren Ward, Des Moines, Iowa.

Pointed End on a Hoe

The rounding end on the ordinary hoe is useless in many instances for getting under growing plants, to cut out the weeds and to loosen up the earth. I find that shaping the hoe ends as shown in the sketch is very effective in getting up close to a plant and under spreading vines.--Contributed by R. F. Pohle, E Lynn, Mass.

Starting a Siphon

Roll up a soft rubber hose tightly so that it will be flattened to force out all the air and drop one end into the liquid, then let the coil unwind as it falls down on the outside. The uncoiling causes a slight vacuum in the hose and the liquid follows it up and starts the flow instantly.--Contributed by L. J. Monahan, Oshkosh, Wis.

* * * * *

Paint spots on window glass can be readily removed
with a penny.

A Homemade Blowtorch

The torch shown in the sketch requires no air pump. Instead of forcing a small stream of gasoline into a heated burner it converts the gasoline into gas in the chamber and blows a small jet of it through a very small hole into the combustion chamber.

A medium-sized and strong oilcan is used for the reservoir, the spout being cut off close to the screw part and a steel or brass tube, about 5/16 in. in diameter, soldered to the stub end. The tube is bent as shown. A piece of wicking is drawn into the tube so that the upper end is within 1/4 in. of the tube end. The end of the tube is then fitted with a piece of brass rod with a very small hole in the center. The hole is made in the following manner: Before the piece is cut from the rod, it is held in a vise and the sharp end of a scriber is carefully driven into the center. A little oil placed on the scriber point will keep it from sticking in the metal. Measure the depth of the hole and cut the rod off just above the point. File the end of the piece cut off with a fine file until the point of the hole is reached. This hole must be so small that light can be barely seen through it.

The combustion chamber is made of a piece of brass tubing driven over the end of the smaller tube on the spout. About 1/2 in. from the back end of the larger tube four or more holes are drilled to admit air to the gas.

Fill the can about three-fourths full of gasoline and allow time for the wick to become saturated to the upper end. Hold a lighted match to the rear of the burner, and the heat will convert the gasoline into gas which will then burn with a nice white flame about 1 in. long. The success of the torch depends altogether on the fineness of the hole in the end of the tube and the tight soldering of all the joints.

A Rule Gauge

The method of using the thumb as a gauge on a rule in scribing long boards is not always satisfactory, especially if the board has a rough edge. It is always best to have a regular gauge, but in the absence of one, an attachment for an ordinary carpenter's rule can be quickly made from a piece of tin, although one made of sheet brass is better, in appearance as well as for service. Cut out the metal, as shown by the dimensions, and roll the two sides up, stopping at the dotted lines. The ends A and B are turned out slightly so that they will slide easily along the edge of the board. The gauge will snap on a rule easily and will stay where it is placed.--Contributed by H. J. Blacklidge, San Rafael, Cal.

A Match Holder

The holder consists of a small box, the same size as a match box, with a sloping spring bottom and spring wires covering the lower part of the front side. One end of the match box is removed and the contents dumped into the holder. The matches fall to the lower sloping edge, where one match at a time can be easily removed.--Contributed by Bert Verne, San Diego, Cal.

Trick Bottles and Glasses By George W. Catlin

The performer presents to his audience two pasteboard covers, one bottle and one glass. Saying that he wishes to secure the safety of the bottle and glass, he places covers over them, cautioning the audience to note carefully which cover incloses the glass and which the bottle. Then he says that, to prevent any misunderstanding as to their positions, it is desired the audience designate which cover holds the glass. The response will be unanimous, "the left" or "the right" as the case may be, but on raising that cover the bottle is exposed. Covering the bottle again, and asking the audience if they were quite sure that their eyes did not deceive them, he states that the glass is really under the cover just lifted and returned to its place. To prove it, the cover is lifted again, to show the glass this time. The changing can be done as often as desired, or will amuse the crowd.

The secret of the trick consists in the use of two covers, two bottles and two glasses, and the manner of performing it is as follows: The bottles are bottomless and of such size as to admit the glass without sticking. A round hole is cut in one side of each bottle, about 2-1/2 in. above the bottom. This can be accomplished in a drill press by using a round copper tube, with fine emery applied to its end, as a drill. The hole should be so placed that a finger will strike the top of the glass when both bottle and glass are set on the same surface. If dark-colored bottles are used, a false bottom can be made and fitted in each bottle above the upper edge of the glass. This bottom can be cemented in place and made liquid-tight, so that some wine may be placed in the bottle and poured into the opposite glass to show that it holds liquid. In doing this part of the trick, make no more changes with the wine in one glass.

Under each cover is a bottle and tumbler, and by pinching the cover, the bottle is made to rise with it, thus leaving the tumbler in view. When it is necessary to show the bottle, just raise the cover, and the bottle covers the glass. When the bottle is lifted from the table, the thumb is inserted in the hole to press the tumbler against the opposite side, where it is held and raised with the bottle. Be sure to keep the side of the bottles with the hole back and away from the audience.

It will be seen that it matters not which cover is mentioned; the performer can show just the article he desires.

CONTENTS

Accounts, Home, Way to Keep, 282
Acid Siphon, 222
Acid Stains, Removing from Cloth, 196
Addressing a Roll of Papers, 369
Advertising Lantern Slides, How to Make, 417
Aerial Propeller, Model Boat with, 207
Aeroplane, Flying Model, for Display, 361
Aeroplane Frames, Braces for, 235
Aeroplane Kite, 111
Aeroplane, Model, Joints for, 275
Air Pencil to Make Embossed Letters, 29
Air Pressure, Relieving, When Closing Record Boxes, 57
Alarm Clock, Mission Frame for, 277
Alarm,
Doorbell, 160
Drip-Pan, 178
Fire and Burglar, How to Make, 411
for Sleepwalker, 297
Temperature, 345
to Designate Filled Storage Battery, 253
Amateur Mechanic's Combination Lathe, 447
Amperage of Fuse Wire, Reducing, 322
Anchor Posts for Lawn Swing, 148
Anemometer, Electric, 367
Angling, 59, 69, 73, 79
Anti-Tangle Safety Pin, 272
Ants, To Keep Away from Food, 361
Application for Small Wounds, 304
Arbor, Grape, Built of Poles, 12
Arm, Pincushion for, 288
Armatures for Small Motors, 124
Armatures, Small, Holding for Winding, 118
Arrow Sticks, Planing, 319
Arts-Crafts Leather Work:
Part I, 432