Atmospheric Thermo-Engine

Beginner Cannot Fall

The device illustrated has for its object the production of power in small quantities with little attention and no expense. All that is needed to produce the power is common ordinary water, and the device will continue to operate until the amount of water placed in the receptacle has evaporated.

Details of the Engine

The device consists of a rectangular vessel provided with legs and a cover. Each end of the vessel is provided with an opening, A, adapted to receive and hold in place plaster-of-paris cups, B. The part extending into the tank is provided with a wick, C, which reaches to the bottom of the vessel. A glass tube, D, is provided with a bulb on each end and partly filled with alcohol, the remaining space being exhausted of air. The glass tube is secured to a hanger which is pivoted to the bottom of the vessel.

After a quantity of water has been poured into the vessel and the device allowed to stand undisturbed for a few minutes, the tube will begin to move with an oscillating motion. Some of the water in the vessel has been conducted by means of the wicks C to the bent plaster cups, from the surface of which it evaporates, thus absorbing latent heat and producing a lower temperature in the cups than that of the surrounding atmosphere. The bulb in contact with the cup thus acquires a lower temperature than the one at the end D, which will result in condensation of the alcohol vapor within the former. The pressure of the vapor in the lower bulb will then force the alcohol up the inclined tube into the higher bulb, the evaporation in the lower bulb maintaining the pressure therein.

When a sufficient quantity of alcohol has been forced into the upper bulb, it will descend, and thus elevate the other bulb into its cup. The phenomena just described will be repeated in this bulb and the oscillation willcontinue until the water in the vessel has been absorbed and evaporated.—Contributed by E. W. Davis, Chicago.

The young oarsman is apt to experience difficulty in keeping a straight course until he has had some practice. Rowing a boat in a narrow channel calls for considerable skill to hold a course in mid-stream. A variation of force in pulling the oars almost instantly results in the rowboat making a landfall on one or the other of the banks.

The Mirror Attached to a Boat

The skilled oarsman does not need an appliance that the beginner might welcome. With the aid of a mirror conveniently supported at a suitable angle and height before the oarsman's face, the water, the shores and approaching boats may be seen with distinctness. The mirror may be set directly in front or a little distance to one side as shown in the sketch.—Contributed by Thaleon Blake, Sidney, O.

Obtain a tomato or other can, 5 or 6 in. long and 4 in. in diameter, which should be secured before it has been opened, says Camera Craft. Cut both ends exactly half way around, keeping close to the edge, as shown in the first sketch, and slit it lengthwise to open the side. Trim off the end pieces to within 1 in. of the center and cut off the surplus tin of the sides of the can, leaving enough to bend over and form the ends of the tank as shown in the second sketch.

For Developing Roll Films

The support, as shown in the last sketch, is made by screwing together three pieces of wood, the base piece being 6-1/2 in. square and thick enough to make the tank solid and heavy. Bend the sides of the can over the edges of the two uprights and tack them firmly to the sides, bending the tin so as to have a rounded surface that will not scratch the films. The ends of the can are bent over sharply to form the sides of the tank. Procure a round wood stick, the length of the tank, place in position, and fasten with a screw through the tin at both ends. Give the whole tank two coats of black asphaltum varnish to protect it from the action of the developer.

img121c

A white cloth is usually tied to croquet arches when the game is played late in the evening. A much better plan is to slip a piece of white rubber tubing about 1 ft. long on the arch. This tubing can be purchased at any local drug store. This makes the top part of the arch conspicuous so that it may be plainly seen in the dark, and, when the tubing becomes soiled it can be cleaned off with a damp cloth.—Contributed by John Blake, Franklyn, Mass.

During the season of furnace fires the thermometer outside the north window becomes of added interest and usefulness in helping one to judge the proper draft adjustments of the furnace for the night. A pocket electric flashlamp is convenient for examining the thermometer after dark, but it is not always at hand, matches are dangerous when lace curtains are at the window, and besides, the reflection from the glass of both matches and flashlamp on the inside makes it very difficult to read the thermometer.

img122

To avoid these difficulties I attached to my thermometer the device shown herewith, which consists of a miniature battery lamp placed at the back of the translucent-glass thermometer and operated by a battery within the house, the light being turned on by an ordinary push button placed conveniently inside of the window.

A strip of brass, A, 3/8 in. wide by 1/16 in. thick, was riveted (soldering will do) to the lower support of the thermometer. The free end of this brass strip was bent around a disk of hardwood, B, and fastened to it by three or four small screws in such a manner that the disk made a circular platform just behind the thermometer scale. This disk was slightly larger than the mouth of a small, thin tumbler. On the upper surface of this disk was fastened with shellac and small nails close to the periphery, a disk of cork, 1/4 in. thick, this cork disk being a close fit for the mouth of the tumbler. A miniature porcelain electric-lamp socket was fastened with screws on the cork of the base. Wires were then run from the lamp socket through the cork and wood disks and the whole painted with melted paraffin to close all apertures and keep out moisture. Good rubber-covered electric-light wire will do nicely for the wiring outside the house, although, if it can be obtained, a piece of lead-covered paired wire is preferable. These wires must be only long enough to reach inside the house, where they may be joined to the ordinary sort of wire used in electric-bell work for connecting with push button and battery.

A 4-volt lamp of about 2 cp. will be sufficient to illuminate the thermometer and allow the scale and mercury column to be distinctly seen. It may be found necessary to make some adjustment by bending the brass strip in order to bring the lamp centrally behind the scale and at the proper height to give the best lighting on the range of from 10 to 40 deg. Over the lamp is placed the tumbler for protection from the weather, and, if desired, half of the tumbler may be painted as a reflector on the inside with white enamel paint, although, in practice, I have not found this necessary.

Within the house the push button should be placed at the window where it can be most conveniently reached when viewing the thermometer, and connections may be made to the battery regularly used for ringing the house bells, or to a separate battery of, say, 4 dry cells, placed in some location, as a closet, near the thermometer.—Contributed by C. F. A. Siedhof, Winchester, Mass.

When driving an automobile in cold weather, it is impossible to have a robe come down over the feet without being in the way so that it is inconvenient in working the pedals. Procure a common heavy robe and cut two holes in it about 5 in. from the bottom just large enough for the toe of the shoes to slip through and bind the edges with cloth or fur. The 5 in. of robe below the holes should come back under the feet so that no wind can enter. Make the holes far enough apartso that both outside pedals can be reached easily and you will have no trouble with your feet. This robe, with the use of overshoes, will insure comfort in driving a car.—Contributed by Earl R. Hastings, Corinth, Vt.

It is very hard to locate an electric-light globe in a dark room. Anyone trying to find one by striking the air in its vicinity with one hand, usually finds that the globe is not there, although the hand may have passed within 1/2 in. of the globe.

Covering a Wide Range

The best way to locate a globe is to approach the proximity of the drop with thumbs touching and fingers extended as shown in the sketch, in which manner the hands will cover a radius of about 14 in. and offer a better chance of locating the light quickly than if one groped about with one hand extended.—Contributed by Victor Labadie, Dallas, Tex.

When it becomes too cold for the amateur photographer to take pictures outdoors, he generally lays aside his camera and thinks no more about it until the coming of another spring or summer. While some winter scenes would make up an interesting part of anyone's collection, it is not always pleasant to go out to take them.

Some derive pleasure from making groups and portraits, but this is very difficult, if the room is not well lighted. Overhead light is the best for this work and few residences are constructed to furnish this kind of light.

Light Reflected on Ceiling

I find a very good way to get a light overhead is to take a large mirror—one from an ordinary dresser will do—and place it in the window in such a position that the reflection will strike the ceiling just above the subject. The result will be a soft but very strong light, almost equal to a north skylight. Splendid portraits can be made in this way.—Contributed by Chas. Piper, Kokomo, Ind.

A kettle cover equipped with the hinge shown in Fig. 1 will not fall off when in place, and can be raised or removed entirely when desired.

Wire Clasps on Hinge (Fig. 1, Fig. 2)

One wing of an ordinary hinge is soldered or riveted to the cover and wire clasps soldered to the other wing. It is slipped on the kettle as shown in Fig. 2. The cover is interchangeable and can be placed on almost any kettle.

A paper trimmer and mat cutter can be made from a wafer razor blade. As a paper trimmer, place the blade C over the part A of the razor, as shown, with only two of the holes engaging in one post and the center screw. Then place the part B in position and clamp with the handle. This will allow about 1/2 in. of the blade to project at one end. If a part of the extending blade is cut or broken off, it will be more easily handled. The cutter is guided along the straightedge as shown in Fig. 1.

(Fig. 1)

If it is desired to make a more permanent form of instrument, or if no holder is at hand and only a castoff wafer blade, a handle, C, may be cut from a piece of wood and fitted with two or three binding-posts, A, taken from an old battery, to hold the blade B in place, as shown in Fig. 2.

Blade Attached to Handle (Fig. 2)

Without the proper tools and material, the amateur electrician will find it quite difficult to construct a small armature for a battery motor that will run true, without vibration and have a neat appearance. Ordinary cast-iron gears or pinions, as shown in Fig. 1, make excellent cores for armatures on small motors. A gear of any number of teeth can be used for an armature with a smaller number of coils by cutting out a certain number of teeth. For example, a gear with 12 teeth will take 12 coils, but if every other tooth is cut out, it will take only 6 coils, etc. The teeth can be easily chipped out with a cold chisel.

Gear Used as a Core (Fig. 1, Fig. 2)

Larger armatures can be made from gears with spokes, the spokes being cut out, if a ring armature is desired. The gear, when wound, can be mounted on a hub made of empty thread spools. The spool can be turned at one end to insert it in the armature, and if too long, one end will serve for the core of the commutator, as shown in Fig. 2. This combination will make a neat, efficient little armature, which will run quite free from vibration. Only simple tools, such as a hammer, cold chisel, file, jackknife and a vise, are required.—Contributed by R. J. Nault, Hartford, Conn.

Many persons, young and old, have falls every winter on the ice or snow which can be avoided if their shoes are fitted with ice creepers. A very efficient device of this kind, which any boy can make at home in a short time, is shown in the sketch. These ice creepers need not be removed from the shoes or boots until the winter is past, for they may be worn indoors without injuring the finest floor.

The two plates A may be made from either iron or steel—preferably the latter. An all-steel scraper, or a piece of a saw blade, makes goodcreepers. Draw the temper by heating the steel to a cherry red and then letting it cool slowly. It may then be sawn with a hacksaw, cut with a cold chisel, or filed into plates of the proper shape, as shown. The teeth are filed to points. The two L-shaped slots are made by drilling 3/16-in. holes through the plates, and then sawing, filing or chiseling out the metal between the holes. The projections at the ends are then bent out at right angles with heavy pliers or the claws of a hammer, and finally the plates bent to fit the curve of the heel.

Creeper Attached to Heel

The creepers are attached by means of round-head wood screws turned into the leather. In this operation place the teeth of the plates just below the bottom of the heel and turn the screws into the ends of the upright slots until the heads just bind. The plate as set when indoors or else not needed is shown at B. To place the plate so it will grip the ice, slide it to the right, which will bring the screws into the horizontal slots, as shown at C.—Contributed by Chelsea C. Fraser, Saginaw, Mich.

img125b

Screw-top fruit jars may be easily opened in the following manner: Secure a strap with a buckle and place it around the top as if it were to be buckled, but instead draw the loose end back and hold it with the thumb as shown. Turn cover and strap while held in this position and it will easily turn from the jar.—Contributed by Chas. A. Bickert, Clinton, Iowa.

Lamp chimneys of various makes are very difficult to clean quickly and thoroughly. The simple device shown in the sketch makes the cleaning process a simple matter. The cleaner is made of a round rubber ball with slits cut in it as shown and then fastened to the end of a stick. When a cloth is placed over the ball it presses evenly against the curved surfaces of the glass. There is no danger of breaking a chimney with this cleaner.

Rubber Ball on Stick

img125d

The accompanying sketch shows the construction of a pop-corn popper for thoroughly flavoring the corn with the hot butter or lard, and at the same time mixing it with the necessary amount of salt. Procure a metal bucket that just fits the bottom of the frying pan. The stirring device is made of heavy wire bent as shown and provided with an empty spool for a handle. A brace is made of tin bent in the shape shown and riveted to the bottom of the bucket.—Contributed by F. A. Wirth, Farwell, Texas.

An efficient and cheap floor polisher may be readily constructed in the following manner: Make a box about 4 by 6 by 12 in., or the exact size may be determined by building it aroundthe household flatirons as these are used to give weight and pressure. The handle, which is attached as shown, should be at least 2-1/2 in wide at the hinged end and should be sandpapered where it is grasped by the hands. A half-strap hinge is preferable, with the strap part fastened to the handle. The bottom of the polisher is covered with a piece of Brussels carpet.

Flatirons in the Box

In use, it is well to set the polisher on a soft piece of cotton or flannel cloth, which may be readily renewed when badly soiled.

A more sightly polisher may be made by filling the box with pieces of old iron or lead, tightly packed with paper to prevent rattling, and attaching a cover over the top. The handle may be hinged directly to this cover by means of a full-strap hinge.—Contributed by B. O. Longyear, Ft. Collins, Colo.

img126b

A way to prevent any possible mistake of taking bottles containing poisons is to mark them as shown in the sketch. This method provides a way to designate a poison bottle in the dark.

The marker is made of a circle of heavy cardboard with a hole in the center so as to fit tightly over the neck of the bottle. No matter how dark it may be or how much of a hurry a person may be in, one cannot fail to note the character of the contents of the bottle as soon as the hand touches the cardboard marker.—Contributed by Katharine D. Morse, Syracuse, N. Y.

A good and easy way to remove varnish from old furniture is to wash the surface thoroughly with 95-per-cent alcohol. This dissolves the varnish and the wood can then be cleaned with a strong solution of soap, or weak lye. If lye is used, it should be washed off quickly and the wood dried with flannel cloth. When the wood is thoroughly dry it will take a fine finish.—Contributed by Loren Ward, Des Moines, Iowa.

The curling-iron holder shown in the sketch can be made of metal tubing having the size to fit both iron and gas jet. One-half of the tubing for a portion of its length is removed, as shown in Fig. 1. The remaining part is bent as in Fig. 2 and set on the burner of the gas jet.

Heater on Gas Jet (Fig. 1, Fig. 2)

The tube prevents the curling iron from becoming black with soot. The position on the jet may be changed. The tube can be placed on the jet and removed with the curling iron.—Contributed by W. A. Jaquythe, Richmond, Cal.

A whisk broom is the best cleaner for a gas stove. It will clean dirt from nickel parts as well as from the burner, grates, ovens and sheet-metal bottoms.

One of the most distressing sides of botanical study is the short life of the colors in flowers. Those who have found the usual method of preserving plants by pressure between paper unsatisfactory will be interested to learn of a treatment whereby many kinds of flowers may be dried so that they retain a great deal of their natural form and color.

The flowers should be gathered as soon as the blossoms have fully opened. It is important that they should be quite dry, and in order to free them of drops of rain or dew, they may be suspended with heads downward for a few hours in a warm place. It is well to begin with some simple form of flower.

Placing the Flowers on the Steel Pins...

A large, strongly made wooden box—one of tin is better—will be necessary, together with a sufficient amount of sand to fill it. If possible, the sand should be of the kind known as "silver sand," which is very fine. The best that can be procured will be found far from clean, and it must, therefore, be thoroughly washed. The sand should be poured into a bowl of clean water. Much of the dirt will float on the surface. This is skimmed off and thrown away, and clean water added. The sand should be washed in this manner at least a dozen times, or until nothing remains but pure white grains of sand. The clean sand is spread out to dry on a cloth in a thin layer. When thoroughly dry, it should be placed in a heavy earthenware vessel and further dried in a hot oven. Allow it to remain in the oven for some time until it is completely warmed through so that one can scarcely hold the bare hands in it.

...and Pouring the Dry Sand around Them

Obtain a piece of heavy cardboard and cut it to fit easily in the bottom of the box. Through the bottom of the cardboard insert a number of steel pins, one for each of the flowers to be preserved. Take the dry blossoms and press the stalk of each on a steel pin so that it is held in an upright position. When the cardboard is thus filled, place it in the box.

The Dried Flowers

The warm sand is put in a bag or some other receptacle from which it can be easily poured. Pour the sand into the box gently, allowing it to trickle slowly in so that it spreadsevenly. Keep on pouring sand until the heads of the flowers are reached, taking care that all of them stand in a vertical position. The utmost care must be taken, when the heads are reached, to see that all the petals are in their right order. Remember that any crumpled flowers will be pressed into any position they may assume by the weight of the sand. When the box is filled it should be covered and set aside in a dry place.

The box should be allowed to stand at least 48 hours. After the first day, if only a small amount of sand has been used, the material may have cooled off to some extent, and the box must be set in a moderately heated oven for a short time, but no great amount of warmth is advisable. After 48 hours the box may be uncovered and the sand carefully poured off. As the flowers are now in a very brittle condition, any rough handling will cause serious damage. When all the sand has been emptied, the cardboard should be removed from the box and each blossom taken from its pin. In the case of succulent specimens, the stems will have shrunk considerably, but the thinner petals will be in an almost natural condition. The colors will be bright and attractive. Some tints will have kept better than others, but most of the results will be surprisingly good. Whatever state the flowers are in when they are taken from the box, if the drying process has been thorough, they will keep almost indefinitely.

Flowers preserved in this manner are admirable for the decoration of homes. If they are exposed to light, care should be taken to see that the direct sunshine does not strike them, as it will fade the colors. Sprigs with leaves attached may be dried in this way, but it has been found that much of the intensity of the green is lost in the process.

The pulse beats may be counted by this unusual method. On a clear day, when the sun is shining brightly, darken a room and select one window toward the sunlight, which should be prepared as follows: Draw the curtain part way down and cover the rest of the window with a heavy cardboard. Cut a small hole in the cardboard to admit a beam of light. Set a bowl of water on a table in the path of the beam so as to deflect it to the ceiling as shown by the dotted lines in the sketch.

Sun's Rays Deflected to the Ceiling

It is now a simple matter to show the pulse beats. Place the wrist against the edge of the bowl as shown, and the beam of light directed to the ceiling will record every beat of the pulse by short, abrupt movements.

Some very odd and beautiful effects can be obtained in lathe work by making up the stock from several pieces of various kinds of wood glued together. The pieces can be arranged in many pleasing combinations, and if good joints are made and a good quality of glue used, the built-up stock is just as durable as a solid piece.

Candlesticks turned from built-upstock are especially attractive, parts of the various light and dark woods appearing here and there in all manner of odd shapes and proportions. If the stock is placed off center in the lathe, a still greater variety of effects will be produced.

The application of a potassium-bichromate solution to the finished work turns each piece a different color. This solution can be made in any depth of color by varying the amounts of potassium salt and water. Maple or birch treated with this solution are colored to a rich Osage orange which cannot be surpassed in beauty. Mahogany is turned a deep reddish brown, and walnut is darkened a great deal. The solution is applied as evenly as possible with a camel's-hair brush while the wood is turning in the lathe. The grain of the wood is somewhat roughened by this process, but it can be dressed down again with very fine sandpaper.

Vase Made of Different Woods

In polishing the work, only the best shellac should be used, and several thin coats applied rather than one or two heavy ones. Each coat, with the exception of the last, should be sandpapered slightly. Powdered pumice stone on a cloth held in the palm of the hand can be used to apply a beautiful luster. Some suggestions as to the manner of combining various woods, and a simple candlestick of mahogany and maple are shown in the sketch.—Contributed by Olaf Tronnes, Wilmette, Ill.

A simple variable condenser for receiving in wireless, which will give good results, was made by a correspondent of Modern Electrics as follows: Each clip on the switch was made of ribbon brass or copper in the shape shown at A, the first one from the joint of the knife switch being the longest and each succeeding one shorter. The handle was taken from a single-pole switch. The case was made of oak and varnished and the condenser was made of tinfoil and thin sheets of mica, 2 by 3 in. in size. After placing the condenser in the case, hot paraffin was poured around it.

Lever and Clips

At times bread, meat, or other food, placed in ordinary baking pans in the oven becomes burned on the bottom. If the detachable metal strips shown in the sketch are placed on the pan, this will not happen, as the pan does not come in direct contact with the oven floor.

Shoe and How It is Attached to the Pan

The attachment can be placed on agate ware or sheet-iron pans of any length. The shoes are made from light V-shaped metal strips and in two parts, as shown, with the edges of one part lapped over so that the other strip will slide in it.

Cars Lined Up Ready for the Start and the Course Patrolled by the Boy Scouts, All Traffic being Halted for the Race and the Roadway Made Clear for the Entire Half Mile of Track

Pending the time set for a 500-mile international automobile race that was scheduled to take place several weeks later, a number of boys in the sixth and seventh grades of a public school were enthusiastic over the idea of building for themselves, in the school shops, pushmobiles and having a race meet similar to the large one advertised.

img130b

img130c

The Cars Winning the First, Second and Third Prizes Respectively, the "Hoosier" being Penalized 10 Yards at the Starting Tape for Having Larger and Better-Grade Wheels

The pushmobiles were made and the race run as an opening feature of a field meet held in the city. The course was about a half mile long, and was chosen to give the contestants plenty of curves, a part of the run being over brick streets and the final quarter on the regular track where the field meet was held.

Interest was added to the event by petitioning the mayor of the city for a permit to run the race, and the Boy Scouts patrolled the route, while the city policemen cleared the streets, and during the race all traffic was halted.

Two of the requirements for entering the race were that the car had to be made in the school shops and that it must have a certain kind of a wheel, which in this case was one condemned by a local factory, thus making the wheels and wheel base of all cars alike. Two boys to a car constituted a racing team, and during the race they could exchange positions at their pleasure. The necessity of "nursing" their cars down the steep grades and around difficult corners developed into an important factor. All cars were named and numbered.

The car that finished first was disqualified for the reason that it took on a fresh pusher along the course.

The cars were constructed under the supervision of the regular shop instructor, and a drawing was furnished each boy making a car. The design of the hood and the arrangement of the seat and steering gear was left for each boy to settle as he desired. The matter of expense was watched closely by each one. Most of the hoods and seats were constructed of empty dry-goods boxes.

The Entire Chassis was Made of Cypress Wood, All Cars of the Same Length and Width, the Hoods and Seats Being the Only Parts Optional in Size and Shape for the Builder

With the aid of the sketch any boy can make a car as strong as the "Peugeot" that won the race. The side rails of the main frame were made of cypress, 58 in. long and 2 in. square. The location of the crossbars A and B is very important, as they give rigidity to the frame and reinforce the two bolsters C and D. The size of the hood and the location of the seat determine where they should be set into the rail, after which they are fastened with large wood screws. The three bolsters C, D, and E are cut from regular 2 by 4-in. stock. Be careful to get a uniform distance between the rails when they are framed together. If desired, the dimensions can be increased, but do not reduce them, as this will narrow the tread too much. The bolt connecting the bolsters C and E is a common carriage bolt, 5 in. long and 1/2 in. in diameter. A washer is placed between the pieces C and E, to make the turning easy.

Two pieces of 1/2-in. soft-steel rod were used for the axles, a hole being drilled near each end for a cotter, to hold the wheels in place, and also holes through the diameter between the wheels, for 1-1/2-in. screws to fasten the axles to the bolsters.

The steering wheel is constructed of a broom handle with a small wheel fastened to its upper end, and the lower end supported by a crossbar, F, and the back end of the hood. Before fastening the crossbar F in place, adjust the steering wheel to the proper height for the seat; then it is fastened with nails driven through the sides of the hood.

The construction of the steering device is very simple. The crossarm G is a piece of timber, 7 in. long, 2 in. wide and 1 in. thick, rounded on the ends and provided with a large screw eye near each end on the under side to which are fastened the ends of two small-linked chains. The chains are then crossed and fastened to the bottom bolster in front and as near the wheels as practical. The connection is made with a screw eye similar to the one used in the crossarm. Another type of steering device may be made by building on the rod a 5-in. drum which takes the place of the steering arm. It is a more positive appliance, but is somewhat harder to make and adjust.

The making of the hood and the seat completes the car. Decide upon the shape and size of the hood, but, in any case and irrespective of the size, it will require a front and back end. These are made first and then secured at theproper distance apart with two side rails. These two ends are nailed on the ends of the connecting rails. It is then well to fasten the hood skeleton to the car frame and cover it after the steering device is in place.

The seat bottom is cut the shape desired, and fastened to the rear bolster and crosspiece, first placing a piece of the proper thickness under the front edge, to give it the desired slant backward. The back curved part can be formed of a piece of sheet metal and lined on the inside with wood pieces, or with cloth or leather, padded to resemble the regular cushion.

The simple pencil rack shown in the sketch can be easily made from any suitable strip of metal, preferably brass of about No. 15 gauge. Mark off a number of rectangles corresponding to the number of pencil holders desired. With a sharp chisel, cut through the metal on three sides of each rectangle, leaving one of the short sides untouched. The loose laps can then be bent to a shape suited to hold a pencil. The rack can be fastened in place with nails or screws through holes pierced at each end.—Contributed by Mark Gluckman, Jersey City, N. J.

A Strip of Sheet Metal Cut and Clips Formed to Make a Pencil Rack

Indistinct but not entirely worn-off dates on coins may be read by heating slightly.

Very often a hat has been worn for some time and it becomes too loose on the head, then paper is used in the sweatband to reduce the size. A better, easier, and neater method, as well as one that will be cooler for the head, is to insert a flat lamp wick inside of the sweatband. Wicks of all thicknesses and widths are easily obtained.—Contributed by Maurice Bandier, New Orleans, La.

The catapult shown in the sketch is one I constructed some time ago and found to be amusing and very inexpensive. The catapult consists of a small piece of dowel or pine, whittled into the shape of a handle, a screweye, an elastic band and an arrow. It is surprising how a well-balanced arrow will fly into the sky until lost to sight when propelled through the eye of the screw with a medium-strong elastic. A number of forms of this simple gun were made, but the one shown is the simplest and most effective.—Contributed by C. A. Needham, New York, N. Y.

The Eye of the Screw Serves as a Guide for the Arrow

A very good method of growing individual strawberry plants that will produce large clean berries is to provide a covering constructed from a board 10 in. square with a 3-in. hole bored in the center. This covering is placed over the plant, as shown in the sketch, to keep down weeds, retain moisture, and to make a base for the ripening berries. A shower cannot spatter dirt and sand on the growing fruit. The rays of the sun beating on the surface of the board will aid in the ripening.

Growing Strawberries on the Surface of a Board Where They will Ripen Fast and Keep Clean

If a log can be obtained, the boards can be made better and more quickly. Disks about 1 in. thick are sawed from the log and holes in their centers either cut with a chisel or bored, as desired. The grain of the wood will be vertical and no warping will take place—Contributed by Johnny Banholster, Gresham, Oregon

Procure two cards, the "5" of diamonds and the "5" of spades, for example. Bend each exactly in the center, with the face of the cards in, and then paste any card on the back, with its face against the two ends of the bent cards. The two opposite ends will then have their backs together, and these are also pasted. The illustration clearly shows this arrangement.

A Card Having Two Faces, Either of Which can be Shown to the Audience Instantly

To perform the trick pick up this card, which is placed in the pack beforehand, and show to the audience both the front and back of the card, being sure to keep the center part flat against one end or the other, then pass the hand over the card, and in doing so catch the center part and turn it over. The card can be changed back again in the same manner.—Contributed by R. Bennett, Pittsburgh, Pa.

A good way to clean pearl articles or ornaments is to moisten them with alcohol and then dry in magnesia powder or French chalk. These last two articles may be purchased at any drug store and the process of cleaning is absolutely harmless. It also polishes the pearl and will not bleach delicate colors.

A quickly made bed for a camp is shown in the illustration. The corner posts consist of four forked stakes driven in the earth so that the crotches are on a level and about 1 ft. from the ground. Poles are laid in the crotches, lengthwise of the bed, and canvas covering double-lapped overthem. If desired, the canvas can be stitched along the inside of the poles.—Contributed by Thomas Simpson, Pawtucket, R. I.

Canvas Bed Made on Two Poles Laid in the Crotches of Forked Stakes

Every boy, who loves a boat and has only a wagon, can make a combination affair in which he can sail even though there is no water for miles around. One boy accomplished this as shown in the illustration, and the only assistance he had was in making the sails.

The Sail Wagon will Travel at a Good Speed in a Stiff Breeze

The box of the wagon is removed and the boat deck bolted in its place. The deck is 14 in. wide and 5 ft. long. The mast consists of an old rake handle, 6 ft. long; the boom and gaff are broomsticks, and the tiller is connected with wire to the front axle, which gives perfect control of the steering. The sails are made of drilling.

On a brick pavement the sail wagon can draw two other wagons with two boys in each, making in all five boys. Of course a good wind must be blowing. With two boys it has made a mile in five minutes on pavement.—Contributed by Arthur Carruthers, Oberlin, Ohio.

A screw will often break off in a piece of work in such a manner that it is quite impossible to remove it by using a pair of pliers or a wrench. In this case the following method is very efficient and expedient.

Drill a small hole in the screw as near the center as possible. Roughen the edges on the tang of a file with a cold chisel, and drive the tang into the hole with a mallet. The roughened edges of the tang exert enough friction on the metal to remove the screw by turning the file in the proper direction.

A good way to keep a bed from becoming damp, if left for any length of time, is to place a blanket on the top after it is made up. Take the blanket off before using and the bed covers will be quite dry, as the blanket absorbs the moisture.—Contributed by G. Nordyke, Lexington, Ore.

A nail pulled with an ordinary claw hammer will be bent in the operation, and for this reason the double claw is used to draw the nail straight out of the wood. An ordinary claw hammer can be easily converted into a double-claw by filing out one of the claws as shown. The notch is filed only large enough to slip under the head of an average-size nail. After drawing the nail a short distance in the usual manner the small notch is set under the head of the nail which is then pulled out straight.—Contributed by J. V. Loeffler, Evansville, Ind.

Back to Index Next