CHAPTER XIXLITTLE SWORDSMEN

Fig. 420

Fig. 421

Fig. 422

Fig. 423

More interesting than the "monkey-up-a-stick" is the monkey that climbs a rope, though this little animal has sometimes an irritating manner of swinging about on the rope, and going no higher. If he is carefully made according to the following directions he ought to climb. The monkey is cut out of cardboard in the same way as the first monkey, except that his two arms are gummed firmly on in the position shown in Fig. 422, his legs only being free to move. Pins or pieces of wire are passed through the holes atA,B,C,D. In the case of pins, the point is cut off with cutting pliers and the rest doubled back to prevent its coming out on one side, the head of the pin prevents it comingout on the other. Tie a piece of thin elastic round the pins,AandB, so that it is only just on the stretch when the legs are drawn up parallel with the arms, as in the figure. A piece of wire is passed through atEand is bent over out-wards, drawing the hands fairly tightly together. A piece of thread is passed through the eye so formed, down and under the pin,C, then over the pin,DBy alternately slackening and tightening the line the monkey will climb up the thread in a very life-like manner.

Care must be taken to nip the wire well together at the hands to get enough friction to hold the thread firmly while the elastic pulls the legs up, on the other hand the thread must be just loose enough to pass throughE.

A Jack-in-the-box.The simplest way of making a Jack-in-the-box is the following. Get some ordinary wire (quite thin wire will do) about 4 feet long or longer if a bigger jump is required. Wind this tightly round a broom handle, keeping the rings of wire close together. Slip it off. Take a cork, cut it so that it is about 1¼ inches high. File it round in the shape of a head as in Fig. 423. Mark the eyes and nose in ink, the mouth with red paint; or two beads can be glued in for the eyes. To make the hair, cut several short pieces of black wool, tie them in the middle atB, and glue or pin them to the middle of the head; tie back the side ends with yellow or red wool as in the figure. Fasten one end of the wire spring in the centre of bottom of cork, as atA. A piece of muslin is then gummed round the cork to hide the spring, so that it is loose and folds easily.

Next make a box, 2¾ inches high, or take the cardboard box that contains a bottle of Le Page's liquid glue, and cut off about one-third. Cut off the cover and glue it on to one side (Cin the figure). Make loop of wire atD, and insert a paper-fastener atEto catch the wire loop. Fasten the end of the spring to the bottom of the box, by passing it through the hole in one bottom flap, bending it over and gluing over it the other flaps that form the bottom. Coloured paper or scraps may be gummed to the sides and top of the box. This is a suitable toy to be hung on a small Christmas tree.

A larger and stronger Jack-in-the-box can be made from a wooden box about 5½ inches square. For this a piece of No. 12 gauge wire about 10 feet long is required; it is wound around arolling-pin. This spring is then nailed by means of staples to a piece of wood made to fit the inside of the box. Fasten a round piece of cardboard to the top of the spring, and either sew on to it a small doll's head, or make a doll's head of part of a stocking stuffed with wool and having eyes, mouth, etc., sewn on. A cap (a fool's cap looks best) is made to fit the head, and a loose jacket is sewn on to hide the spiral body.

Fig. 424 shows the principle on which this toy is made; the shaded portion represents the inside of a box. A good size for a box to make this toy is 9" × 4½" × 2¼". Slits should be cut in the long side of the box ata b,c d,e f,g h. These slits may be made with a pen-knife, and a fret-saw file will make them wide enough for a piece of cardboard to slip up and down in.

Slits are then made in the short side exactly under the long slits, asp nin Fig. 425. Widen these slits also with a file.

Next cut out the cardboard figures. Draw head, body and one leg to be cut out in one piece; about 3 inches of cardboard should be left below the foot (MandNin Fig. 424), the total length of figure being about 8 inches. Cut out another figure like this. Make holes just below the foot as atDin Fig. 424.

Next draw and cut out legs,FandH. Notice that they do not project so far inside the box, their length being about 3½ inches. Fasten these to the figures by paper-fasteners. Next cut out a long strip of cardboard,A B, ½ inch by 14 inches. Pass this through the slits (p nin Fig. 425) in the short sides of the box. See that it slides easily up and down in these slits.

The portions markedMandNturn on pivotsh kandm l. These pivots pass through holes,DandE, in the figures and through holes made at each side of the box exactly opposite the short slits. Steel knitting needles make good pivots, or pieces of cane. When the top is quite complete these pivots may be glued into the holes in the box for greater security. Fasten pieces of lead at the bottom ofMandNso that the figures swing easily on the pivots.

When it is found that the pivots are in the right place, pass the strip of cardboardA Bthrough the slits, and fasten the legs,FandH, to it by paper-fasteners, as atXandY. See that the needles are in the right holes and fasten up the box.

Fig. 424

Fig. 425

(It is a convenience in making this toy to let the cover form one side, the cover being left off until all the inside arrangements are complete; the pivots can then be put into their holes in the cover, and the cover put on.)

Now if the projecting ends ofA Bare pushed backward and forward the figures fight in a very realistic manner. Notice thatA Bhas two movements: one backward and forward, the other up and down. The lead weights inMandNkeepA Bup. Generally speaking, the longer the slits are the better the figure works. This, however, does not apply to slitsc dandg h. The slits need not be so close together as in the figure if it is desired that the swordsmen should fight at a greater distance.

The arms are cut out of cardboard and fastened by paper-fasteners on each side of the figure; the swords may be cut out with the arms, or made separately and gummed on after-wards, pieces of cane making effective swords. A more difficult but more satisfactory way of putting on the arms is this: pass a very short piece of cane through the hole in the body, where the arms are to be fastened; see that it turns very easily in the hole; next seccotine the pieces of cane that project at each side into holes in the arms; see that one arm is up, the other down. To make the arms balance well, it may be necessary to fasten a small piece of lead to one hand.

This toy is most amusing if carefully made. The following hints may be useful:

(1) Draw and paint the little swordsmen as carefully as possible.

(2) See that the slits are perfectly straight and wide enough for the cardboard to pass through.

(3) See that the arms, legs and feet turn easily on their pivots, whether these pivots be paper-fasteners, cane or knitting needles.

(4) See that sufficient lead is attached.

(5) Cover the box neatly with paper, butnotthe slits. A piece of green paper looks well for the top.

This toy may also be cut out of wood with a fret-saw. Many other amusing toys can be made on the same principle.

Fig. 426

Fig. 427

Fig. 428

Besides the numerous models already described that can be made with the fret-saw, endless further toys might be made, among others the following.

1.A Zoo or Wild-Beast Show.The animals for this may be jointed models like the elephant and giraffe (Part I, Chapter XX); in this case they will stand quite well; or they may be cut in one piece and glued to an oblong strip of wood for a stand, as the lion and other beasts in Figs. 426 to 430. Three-ply wood or satin walnut 1/8 inch thick is suitable for these animals, which however may also be cut out of cardboard and glued into slits cut in a wooden stand.

Fig. 429

2.Forest, Jungle or Desert Scenes, etc.(Figs. 431 to 437). These trees, which have very characteristic shapes, can easily be cut out with the fret-saw. Where the branches are slender and there is danger of their breaking, use three-ply wood. They should be painted green, with the markings indicated in the drawings put in with sepia or dark green.

3.A Farmyard, with trees, ducks, cows, etc. Figs. 438 to 443 are patterns of farmyard animals. There is considerable educational value in the drawing and cutting out of the simpleoutlines necessary in fret-wood trees or animals. It will help children to think in lines, as it were, and to draw boldly.

Fig. 430

Teachers will find sets of fret-wood animals and trees of use in the Nature Study and Geography lessons.

4.Soldiers, Sailors, Boy Scouts, etc.Figs. 444 to 447 may be cut out and glued on stands in the same way.

The small files used for fret-wood are useful to finish and 'clean up' these toys.

Fig. 431The Walnut

Fig. 432The Palm (Cocoa-nut)

Fig. 433The Palm Oil Tree

Fig. 434The Elm

Fig. 435The Spruce Fir

Fig. 436The Lombardy Poplar

Fig. 437The Scots Pine

Fig. 438

Fig. 439

Fig. 440

Fig. 441

Fig. 442

Fig. 443

Fig. 444

Fig. 445

Fig. 446

Fig. 447

For these toys a wooden box is required,A B C D(Fig. 448), about a foot or more square and 5 inches deep.Lis a wheel made like the overshot water-wheel in Chapter VI. Another way of making the buckets is shown in Figs. 449, 450, and 451. These are glued close together between two circles of cardboard as shown in Fig. 451. This method is somewhat easier if small wheels are required. The wheel should have ten or more buckets; the greater the number of buckets, the faster the wheel works.

Fig. 448

Fig. 452 shows the construction of the reservoir,J, through which the sand runs. The size of it will depend upon the toy made.

Fig. 449

Fig. 450

Fig. 451

Fig. 452

Fis the flange for fastening it together, andE,D,C,Bare flanges for fastening it to roofA B E F(Fig. 448). A round hole is filed out atA, after the reservoir is fastened together, through which the sand runs. The wooden side of box,A B E F, is taken off and a piece of cardboard is nailed to the box instead. This can have a hole cut in it,Kin Fig. 448, and the reservoir glued under it.G His a bar of stripwood nailed across the front of the box, through which a hole,N, is bored. The axle of the wheel passes through this and through a corresponding hole in the back of the box. As the sand runs out of the reservoir, it falls into the boxes and so turns the wheel; hence the sails of a windmill, the hands of a clock, etc., fastened to axle,L M, can be made to turn. Notice carefully that the hole at the bottom of the reservoir should be over the centre of the boxes of the sand-wheel and a little to one side of the wheel, as in Fig. 448. Part of the back of the box,P Q R O, should be cut out to allow a tray to go in to receive the sand.

Fig. 453

To make a Bicyclist(Fig. 453). Cut two circles of cardboard, radius 1¼ inches. Mark on them the spokes of a bicycle.

Make two sand-wheels the same size as the bicycle wheels; their width should be about ½ inch to ¾ inch. Take a piece of stripwood ½ inch by ¼ inch and the length of the box. Make holes in it, 3 inches, 4½ inches and 6 inches from one end. Nail the bar across the box 3 inches from ground; make holes in the back ofthe box exactly opposite the holes in the bar. Make wooden axles to pass right through these holes so that they turn freely in them. The sand-wheels should be glued to two of these axles. Now cut out a piece of cardboard to fit over the front of the box; bore holes in it corresponding to those in the bar,G H. Paint on it a suitable background, as in Fig. 453. Nail small pieces of stripwood, ½ inch by ¼ inch, to the corners of the box (as atAandBin Fig. 453), to which the cardboard can be fastened by drawing-pins or glue. Pass the axles of the sand-wheels through the first and third holes from the end of barG H, and let them project about 1 inch beyond the cardboard. To these ends the bicycle wheels must be glued. In making this toy it is better not to fasten pieces together too quickly, until all the various parts are ready.

The figure of the cyclist should be cut out to the measurements given for the little gymnast in Chapter XVI. The body and head could be cut out of thin three-ply wood, and the arms and legs of cardboard. The best method of joining limbs to the body so that there is the least possible friction is as follows. Cut off a small piece of a pin, including the head, pass it through the holes, and apply to the cut end a tiny drop of sealing wax. Make holes in the cyclist's feet atG(Fig. 454). Cut a small cardboard wheel,F, about ½ inch in diameter: make a hole in its centre and one near the circumference.

Fig. 454

Glue a piece of match stick into the hole near the circumference, the other end of this match stick must turn freely in the hole incyclist's left foot. Pass the axle already made through this wheel, to which it must be glued, and through the cyclist's right foot and through middle hole in the bar.

Make two small pulley wheels (e.g.slices of reels with cardboard flanges), one twice the size of the other. Fig. 455 shows how the toy is put together and how it works.AandBare the sand-wheels; axles,F GandF M, are glued into them and into the two bicycle wheels.K His the axle passing through centre of pedal wheel.N Oare pulley wheels glued to axles,F GandH K, respectively, and connected by an elastic band,E. When sand-wheel,A, turns round, wheel,N, turns and turns pedal wheel,F, in Fig. 456, and asOis twice as big as wheelN, the pedal will revolve twice as slowly as the bicycle wheels.

Fig. 455

Pulleys of equal size,CandD, might be added with advantage to connect the two sand-wheels, and a handle atFto start the wheels.

Fig. 456 shows how the leg is fastened to the pedal wheel. To keep the cyclist's body steady cut a piece of stripwood 1" × ¼" × ¼". Glue one end to middle of cyclist's body and the other to the cardboard background.

B(Fig. 454) is a thin piece of wood, passing over the projecting end of axle of wheel,E, its other end being glued to the bottomof the cyclist's body. A similar strip,A, is cut. This is fastened between his hands by a little piece of pin, and passes over the axle of wheel,D.Cis a thin strip of wood or cardboard which passes over the axle ofEand can be glued to the cyclist's right leg and pass behind wheel,F.

Fig. 456

Make a platform as in Fig. 453 to support the cyclist. Make two reservoirs as already described. Cut a piece of cardboard to fit over the top of box and make holes in it,LandMin Fig. 453. Glue the reservoirs under these. Make a cardboard tray to fit under the wheels for the sand to fall in. Another wheel might be added to work the sails of the windmill in the distance. Very fine sand must be used for working these toys, the best is silver sand and it should be kept as dry as possible.

Fig. 457 shows another modification of this toy.Bis a box turned upside down and placed in front of that containing the sand-wheel.Ais the cardboard background, suitably coloured. The sailor's legs are cut in one piece and glued into a slit in the box. The body is fastened to them atFby a small paper-clip so that it moves very freely. The arm is fastened on atG. A small match stick passes through the hole in the hand and is glued in the hole in circumference of wheelE.

The axle,M N, to which this wheel is glued passes through the cardboard or wooden standard,D, through a hole in the background,A, and through the centre of the sand-wheel.Dis fixed to the box. The arm of the crane,C, made of cardboard or three-ply,is glued toD. A hole is made atGand a corresponding hole inAoppositeG. Pass a small stick of wood or cane,K, through these holes and glue it in. The crane should be about 1 inch from the background.Kkeeps the arm of the crane steady. Tie a piece of cotton to the axle of wheelE, pass it overKor over a small pulley wheel revolving onK G; tie to it a thin wire hook to which a paper box or barrel can be fastened.

Fig. 457

In the same way a sailor can be made to work a windlass and drag a paper boat up a sloping beach, a man can draw water from a well or turn a barrel organ, or a paper mouse gummed to a cardboard base can be drawn along until it disappears into its hole.

Fig. 458

Fig. 458 shows how a clown can be mounted on a cart so that when the cart is drawn along he dances and waves his arms. In toys of this kind, the wheels should be quite half-an-inch in thickness. They are glued on to round axles which turn freely in small screw-eyes or in holes in wooden blocks fastened under the car or cart. If any part of the axle projects beyond the wheel it gets in the way of the wires. The clown is made of cardboard or three-ply, according to design given in Chapter XVI. It is then fastened securely to rodB, and the latter glued into a hole in the middle of the cart. Fairly strong wire is fastened to the wheel by a nail with a broad head so that when the wire is looped round the nail it turns freely on the nail but does not come off. The wire is bent at right angles twice to bring it close to the figure, as shown atA. It must fit accurately into the holes in the figure. Notice that one leg passes on each side of the post.

The clown works best when cut out of wood. In this case the bodyEand postBmay be cut out in one piece, one leg and one arm are then attached to the front of the body, and one leg and one arm behind.

Fig. 459 shows a soldier on the march. He is made of three pieces of wood. Head, body, arms and standAare cut out in one piece, the legs are cut out separately and riveted loosely to the body; only two pieces of wire are needed, one on each side, to work the legs. The gun may be a piece of wire or wood fixed on after-ward. The wheels are ½ inch in thickness.

Other similar toys worked by wheels can be made by cutting a hole in the bottom of the cart. One axle of the cart must run exactly under this hole, it must be made of wire and bent asB Cin Fig. 460.

Fig. 459

DandEare pieces of tin nailed to the cart, through holes in which axleB Cfreely turns; or wooden blocks may be nailed on for the axle to turn in, if tin cannot be obtained. The ends of the axle are securely fastened into solid wooden wheels. As the wheels revolve they will push up and down a piece of wire or wooden rod,F, which is fastened to the bent part of the axle. NowFcan be used to work a number of simple toys, if its free end is fastened to the part which it is desired to move. For example by this means an animal's mouth may be made to open and shut as it is wheeled along, or its head to wag; a blacksmith may be made to strike his anvil, the drummer to beat his drum. The ingenious child will be able to adapt this simple piece of mechanism to many a toy.

Fig. 460

Fig. 461

A Lively Dog.Cut out with a fret-saw two pieces of wood asFin Fig. 461, which represents the body and legs of a dog in one piece. Now cut out the headH(notice length of neck behind body) and the tailKfrom wood ¼ inch thick.

Now glue the two bodies to a piece of stripwoodA(½ inch by ½ inch) placed along the tops of bodies inside (Fig. 462), and bevelled so that the legs of the dog will be further apart than the upper portion. The legs are joined by pieces of stripwood,M, ¼ inch by ¼ inch, about 1½ inches long. Notice that the ends of these strips are bevelled. Now make hole,E, in the head-piece; notice that there is the same length of wood aboveEas below it. Make corresponding holesEin sidesF. Pass a piece of wire through the hole in the dog's head and see how it hangs; the head portion will be the heavier and sink. Now take the head off, saw out a piece of wood atB, insert a piece of lead and try again. It is an easy matter if too much lead has been added to cut off a little. When the head is correctly balanced, as in Fig. 461, bend over the wire so that it cannot come off. The tail,K, is attached in the same way.

Fig. 462

Fig. 463

Fig. 464

Small wheels,N, cut from some convenient round rod are then nailed toM. The dog should be suitably coloured. When drawn along he wags his tail and bends his head.

The legs look rather better if cut out separately and glued to the sides.

The Tumbling Clown or Monkey.Cut out cardboard or wooden animals similar to those in Part I, Chapter XX, but use no lead. Now, instead of swinging them on a perch, make a hole atBwhere they stand; take a piece of copper wire, about 1/8 inch thick and 6 inches long.

Bend it slightly as in Fig. 463. Pass the wire through the hole in the animal, so that the animal fits tightly on it exactly in the middle of wire.

The animals are best cut out of thick cardboard. Fig. 464 shows a suitable animal, and the following from Chapter XX—Figs. 256, 257, 259, 263 and 264—can be adapted. As no lead can be used for the purpose to which we are now going to put them, animals that balance without lead, as in Fig. 464, are the most suitable. Therefore in designing them, one must take care that the holeBis exactly at the centre of gravity, and the bend of body,D(that is widest part of body), just belowB.

Fig. 465

To make the Monkey tumble.Cut a piece of wood 12 inches by 2½ inches, and fix parallel bars to this as in Fig. 465. File or cut notches in the ends atA, to keep the monkey from tumbling off in his zeal. Now put the wire with the monkey in the middle across one end of the rails. Push the monkey head over heels and he will go on solemnly turning over and over, however long the rails are, until he lands in safety in the notches at the otherend. It is the bend in the wire and carefully balanced body of the monkey that makes him behave so delightfully.

The longer the stand is the better, for then two or three clowns, monkeys and cockatoos can follow each other rapidly.

Fig. 466

The bars must be high enough to allow the monkey to turn without touching the ground—4½ inches high will just do if length of monkey fromBtoC(Fig. 464) is 4½ inches.

Fig. 466 shows two clowns swinging together; a variety of funny figures can be made to follow each other along the bars.

Kites.Perhaps one of the easiest kites to make is one which the children of Annam and Tonking delight to play with. To make it, three light bamboo canes are required—about 2 feet in length—those used for flower-sticks will do quite well. Tie them strongly together as in Fig. 467.

Fig. 467

Fig. 468

The backboneE Fshould be quite rigid, but the cross-piecesA BandC Dare better if they are slightly curved. A sheet of light paper must now be pasted fromA BtoC DunderneathE Fin such a way that it is quite tight underE F, but rather loose betweenA CandB D.

Fig. 468 shows how the paper should be cut.G His the exact distance betweenEandF;J KandL Mare wider than distances betweenA CandB Din Fig. 467, so that when the flaps on the paper are pasted over the cross-bits the paper is loose betweenAandCand betweenBandD(Fig. 467). The secret of the balance is to have the flutter at the edges quite equal. Fig. 467 shows how the string is fastened.

Fig. 469

Fig. 470(a)

Fig. 470(b)

Fig. 471

Fig. 472

Fig. 473

A Box Kite.This is a very common form of kite and quite easy to make. Take four laths from 27 to 30 inches in length and four pieces about 13 inches in length. The smaller pieces are fastened together with nails and glue, as in Fig. 470 (a) and (b). To the ends of these the long pieces are nailed and glued, as in Fig. 470 (b). Mark off the long pieces into thirds and over the two end thirds sew strips of light material. Tie on the string as shown in Fig. 469. This kite is said to be an American invention.

A similar kite may be made triangular in form.

Fig. 471 shows another form of the box kite. Here the material covers a little less than ¼ of the stripA B. Cross-barsE FandC Dare tied across the middle and to the four sides, and wings are sewn on to them.

Figs. 472 and 473 are modifications of the triangular form of kite. In both these kites the long strips of wood are from 2½ to 3 feet in length.

Notice that in Fig. 472,A Bis the same length asD E,F G=D H;E H= about ¼ ofE D.

Fig. 474

In Fig. 473A B=C D.C E= about ¼ ofC D.F Gequal about 1/3 ofA B.F C=C E.A HandJ Kare light frames of stripwood covered with calico. The diagrams show how these kites are put together.

A Chinese Kite.The kites used in China are very light and flimsy compared to our kites, as they are made of tissue paper and bamboo.

In making one it is better to use somewhat stronger paper. The paper is cut out as in Fig. 474, the two upper sides being slightly shorter than the two lower. Leave two rectangular piecesA,A, at each end of the shorter sides. A piece of splitbamboo, slightly flattened, is glued firmly to the paper fromBtoC. A second piece of bamboo tapering at the ends is used as a cross-pieceD. This is bent as in the figure so that where it crosses the backbone,B C, it is only a few inches from the apex,B. It is tied toB CatD. Its tapering ends are pasted down to the paper by means of the two flaps,A,A. BambooB Cshould not be more than 1/3 inch in width, pieceD, ¼ inch. To prevent the paper getting torn in a good breeze, tie fine cotton round the border of the kite—i.e.fromBtoA, toC, toA, and toBagain. Paste a thin margin of paper over the cotton, enclosing it, and to the kite. This must be done so that the face of the kite is perfectly flat; it must not bag in any way.

To fly the Kite.Much depends on the way in which the 'belly-band' is tied on. Its upper string is tied toD, and the lower to the backbone,B C, almost anywhere below a line fromAtoA. If the two strings are very near together, the kite behaves in a more lively manner, darting about in all directions.

The kite must be coaxed into the air by a series of jerks and pulls when the apex of the kite is facing upwards. It is inclined to turn round at first and some patience is required to learn when to pull and when to jerk. If one pulls at the wrong time it will dart down and then unless sufficient string is quickly let out, it will fall to the ground.

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