Home-made Toys for Girls and Boys Part 4

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGS. 66 and 67.--Details of Water-motor Wheel.]

=An Outlet= for the water after it has pa.s.sed over the wheel paddles must be provided, and the best way is to fasten a strip to two opposite sides of the can so as to raise the bottom about an inch, as shown in Figs. 62, 63, and 64.

=For a Pulley-belt= use a piece of heavy cord. Cut a slot through the front of the can for the belt to run through, and make this slot large enough so the cord will not rub against the sides (Fig. 63).

=Pulley-wheels= for attaining different speeds can be made of spools of various sizes. A bicycle wheel with the tire removed, mounted in a frame, is excellent for a large wheel.

=Connecting up the Water-motor.= If you operate the water-motor in the kitchen sink, you can either build a platform as shown in Fig. 61, to bring the spout of the varnish-can case up to the level of the faucet, or you can set the water-motor in the sink and lead a piece of rubber tubing from the spout to the faucet, as shown in Fig. 68. If you use the latter arrangement, slip the lower end of the rubber tubing over a short piece of gla.s.s, bra.s.s, or tin tubing, and stick the short tubing through a hole in a cork large enough to fit the spout of the varnish-can case (Fig. 69). If you raise the water-motor high enough so the faucet will set down into the spout, you can cut a large enough hole for the faucet, through a cork, and then fit the cork in the spout as shown in Fig. 64.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGS. 68-69.--How to Make a Water-tight Connection between Faucet and Water-motor.]

=Another Water-motor.= The little water-motor in Fig. 70 will furnish sufficient power to operate simple mechanical toys.

=The Water-motor Wheel.= Procure two baking-powder can covers for the ends of the water-motor wheel (_A_, Fig. 72), a cigar-box out of which to make the wheel paddles, and a stick 1/4 inch square and 5 inches long for the wheel axle (_B_, Fig. 72).

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 70.--A Small Water-motor that can be Operated in a Wash-basin.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 71.--The Water-motor Wheel.]

Cut eight paddles from the cigar-box wood 1 inch wide and 5 inches long.

Take a pair of these strips and fasten them to one can cover, in line with each other, and close against the sides of the cover (_C_, Fig.

73). Fasten with tacks or brads driven through the cover into the ends of the strips. Take another pair of strips and fasten them to the same cover, in a similar manner, at right angles to pair _C_ (_D_, Fig. 72).

Then tack the pairs of strips _E_ and _F_ to the cover halfway between pairs _C_ and _D_. With the paddles in position, locate the exact center of the end of the can cover, and drive a nail through at this point into the end of axle _B_. Slip the free ends of the paddles into the other can cover, and carefully drive tacks or brads through the cover into them. Drive a nail through the center of the cover into the end of axle _B_.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGS. 72 and 73.--Details of Water-motor Wheel.]

=The Wheel Supports.= Figure 74 shows the supports for the wheel. Cut the end pieces _G_ 4 inches wide and 6 inches high, and the cross strips _H_ 1-3/4 inches wide and 5-1/2 inches long. Nail pieces _G_ to _H_, as shown, allowing the lower ends of _G_ to extend 1/2 inch below strips _H_, and leaving a s.p.a.ce of 1/2 inch between strips _H_. The axle holes in pieces _G_ (Fig. 74) should be located in the center of the width of these pieces, and halfway between their tops and strips _H_. Bore the holes with a gimlet, or make them by driving a large nail through the pieces, and then withdrawing it.

=To Mount the Wheel= upon the supports, withdraw the nails driven into the ends of axle _B_, slip the wheel between uprights _G_, and drive the nails through the holes in _G_ back into the holes in the axle ends (Fig. 71).

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 74.--Support for Water-motor Wheel.]

=The Pulley Wheel.= One can cover should be converted into a pulley by winding several turns of string around it, near each edge, leaving a groove between the string. Coat the string with glue to make it stick fast to the cover.

=The Water-motor Case.= Figure 70 shows how the water-motor case is constructed by fastening boards _N_, _I_, _J_, _K_, _L_, and _M_ to the wheel supports _G_. There must be a slot through _I_ and another through _J_, for the string belt to pa.s.s through, and a hole through _K_ for the intake of water from a faucet. These can be cut out of the edges of the boards, as shown, before they are nailed in place. Leave an opening between boards _N_ and _M_, and the bottom of ends _G_, for an outlet for waste water.

CHAPTER VI

A HOME-MADE TOY RAILWAY

It is often thought that a toy railway is beyond a boy's ingenuity to construct, whereas, in reality, it is one of the simplest toys he can make. This applies to the tracks, stations, and cars of every description, all of which can be made with a few strips of wood, some spools, nails, cardboard, and a bottle of glue, for materials. If you have pa.s.sed the age of caring for such toys as this, you will, no doubt, enjoy the making of one for your younger brother, or for one of your boy relatives.

Figure 76 shows a railway set up and in running order. As shown in the ill.u.s.tration,

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 75.--Upright.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 76.--The Toy Railway in Operation.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 77.--Support for Trolley-line.]

=The Trolley-line=, or overhead cable, runs around the wheels of two supports, one at either end of the track. Prepare four pieces of wood the shape and size of that shown in Fig. 75 for the uprights of these supports, and make two wheels three inches in diameter. The wheels may be marked out with a home-made compa.s.s--a pencil tied to the end of a piece of string, if you haven't a compa.s.s. When the wheels have been cut out, place them in your bench-vise, one at a time, and with a file make a groove around the edge as shown at _C_, Fig. 77. Bore a three-eighths-inch hole through each upright at _F_, Fig. 75, and another through the center of each wheel. Now fasten two of the uprights six inches apart upon a block of wood, as shown at _A_ and _B_, Fig. 77.

Whittle a shaft to fit loosely in the holes of the uprights, and, after slipping it into them, fasten one of the wheels upon one end and a small spool upon the other (see _C_ and _D_ in Fig. 77). A weight of some sort should be fastened to the base, as shown at _E_. The uprights for the other support should be similarly mounted upon another block of wood.

Fasten the remaining wheel to an axle run through the holes in the uprights, and, as it is unnecessary to have a spool upon the other end of the axle, cut it off short and drive a nail through it to prevent it from slipping through the holes. Having thus prepared the supports, place them as far apart as you wish to extend the railway, and run a cord around the two wheels and tie it. Then set the supports a little farther apart, if necessary, to tighten the cord. Run another cord from spool _D_ to

=A Water-motor=, steam engine, or whatever power you can get with which to operate the railway. A bicycle inverted with the tire removed from its rear wheel has been used satisfactorily, as has also a sewing-machine with the belt slipped off and the cord from the spool put in its place.

A good subst.i.tute for the tin tracks ordinarily sold in shops for toy railways will be found in those shown in Fig. 78. These

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 78.--The Tracks.]

=Tracks= consist of quarter-inch strips mounted upon pieces of cardboard. Make a small gimlet-hole in one end of each stick, and drive a short finishing nail in the opposite end (see Fig. 78). Cut the cardboard strips the length of the sticks, and tack them to the sticks as shown in the ill.u.s.tration. If inch and one-half spools are used for the car wheels, the inside gauge of the tracks should be an inch and three-quarters. By lapping the cardboard strips over the ends of the sticks, and the sticks over the ends of the cardboard strips, and placing the nail dowels in the ends of the sticks as in the drawing, a strong track is formed when the pieces are fitted together. This may be extended to any desired length by adding more sections to it.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 79.--A Top View of Car Truck.]

=The Cars= for this railway will have their trucks constructed alike, and it is a simple matter to transform a car from one style into another. Figure 79 shows a top view of a truck. For the bed of this cut a three-eighths-inch board twelve inches long by two and one-quarter inches wide, and, after rounding the ends as shown in the drawing, cut a mortise at _A_ and _B_ two and three-eighths inches from either end.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 80.--Spool Wheels.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 81.--The Completed Car Truck.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 82.]

Procure two one and one-half inch spools for wheels, and drive a wooden peg through the hole in each, cutting off the ends so they project a little beyond the hole, as shown in Fig. 80. Then bore four holes in the edges of the truck-bed with a gimlet at _C_, _D_, _E_, and _F_ (see drawing), and, after setting the spools in mortises _A_ and _B_, pivot them in place with small finishing nails driven into the wooden pegs.

These nails should fit loosely in the gimlet holes. In order to drive them into the exact centers of the spools, it is best to locate these points upon the ends of the pegs before placing the spools in the frame.

A quarter-inch hole should be bored in the top of the truck-bed at _G_ and _H_ (Fig. 79) in which to fasten the two uprights _I_ and _J_ (see Fig. 81). Make the uprights four inches long and whittle a peg upon the lower ends to fit holes _G_ and _H_ (see Fig. 82). Bore a hole with a gimlet in the top of each and run a piece of heavy wire from one to the other, bending it as shown in Fig. 81. Fasten _K_ between _I_ and _J_, as shown. Place a small bra.s.s ring upon the wire before you fasten it in place. A small hook should be screwed into one end of the truck and a screw-eye into the other end, for couplings, should you wish to hitch two or more cars together.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 83.--A Gondola Car.]

=A Gondola Car=, such as shown in Fig. 83, should have its truck made similar to Fig. 79, with the exception that it should be two inches shorter, in order that cigar-box strips can be used for the side pieces.

Cut the strips an inch and one-half high and fasten them to the bed of the car with brads. This car may be used as a trailer.

The car shown in Fig. 81 is a rather crude affair, but with a little more work may be transformed into a better looking car--

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 84.--Side View.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 85.--End View.]

=A Street Car= such as is shown in Figs. 84 and 85 being an example of what can be made. The sides, ends, and roof of this car are made of cardboard, the patterns for the cutting of which are shown on page 55.

Figure 86 shows a cross-section taken through the center of the car. The two side pieces _A_ should be prepared first, as shown in Fig. 87. With a ruler and lead-pencil draw in the windows about as shown in the drawing, using double lines to indicate the sash. Then, with a sharp knife, cut out the center of each just inside of the inner line. These windows may be left open or may be covered on the inside with tissue-paper. If tissue-paper is used, oil it to make it more transparent. When the two sides have been prepared, bend each along the dotted lines (see Fig. 87) and tack one to each side of your car truck as shown in Fig. 86. When properly bent, the distance between the upper part of the sides should be two and three-quarters inches. Cut the two inner ends of the car the shape of Fig. 88, using a compa.s.s with a radius of two and one-half inches with which to describe the curve at the top. Draw in the panels and sash lines as you did those upon the side pieces, being careful to get them on the same level, and cut out the door and window openings. Fasten these end pieces between the sides with glue, and also tack them to the uprights of the car (_I_ and _J_, Fig. 81), which will come just inside of them. The roof is made in two sections (_B_ and _C_, Fig. 86). For _B_ cut a piece of cardboard twelve and one-quarter by three and three-quarter inches (Fig. 89), draw the curved end with a compa.s.s, using the radius shown on the drawing, and slit the corners as indicated by the dotted lines. When this piece has thus been prepared, remove the wire from the top of the truck (see Fig.

81). Bend the cardboard over the sides and ends of the car, and lap corners _D_ and _E_ over _F_ and _G_, and _H_ and _I_ over _J_ and _K_, tacking them with thread to hold them in place. To fasten this part of the roof to the top of the car, cut a number of small strips of linen, and glue them to the under side of the roof and to the inside face of the sides and ends of the car (see Fig. 86). The upper portion of the roof _C_ should be made out of a piece of cardboard bent into the shape of Fig. 90, and cut at the ends so the upper portion of _C_ projects a little beyond its sides. Draw the ventilation lights upon the sides of _C_ as shown on the drawings, and then fasten the piece upon the top of _B_ with strips of linen in the same manner as you fastened _B_ in place. _C_ should now have the same curve to its top as _B_. Cut and glue a piece of cardboard in each end of _C_ to complete the roof. The shape of this piece is shown in Fig. 91. The outer ends of the car should be made as shown in

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGS. 86-94.--Details of Toy Street Car.]

Fig. 92, and tacked around the ends of the wooden truck platform, and also fastened to the under side of the roof with strips of linen. The window openings may be cut in each end, but it will make a stronger car if they are simply drawn upon it. Cut four cardboard steps similar to Fig. 93 and tack them to the sides of the front and rear platforms.