The Boy Mechanic Part 125

[Ill.u.s.tration: Paddle Parts]

wide, 3/8 in. thick and long enough to reach the distance between the gunwales after the bend is made. The ribs are placed 1 in.

apart. Begin by placing a rib in the center of the base and on the upper side. Nail it temporarily, yet securely, and then curve the ends and place them inside of the gunwales, as shown in Fig. 6.

Fasten the ends of the rib to the gunwales with 1-in. galvanized brads. This method is used in placing all the ribs. When the ribs are set, remove the pieces C and D, Fig. 2, and the molds.

A strip is now put in to take the place of the base. This strip is 1-3/4 in. wide, 1/2 in. thick and long enough to reach the entire length of the bottom of the canoe. It is fastened with screws on the inside, as shown in Fig. 7, and the ends are lap-jointed to the stem and stern pieces as shown in Fig. 4. When this piece is fastened in place, the base can be removed. The seats are attached as shown in Fig. 8, and the small pieces for each end are fitted as shown in Fig. 9.

The frame of the canoe is now ready to be covered. This will require 5-1/2 yd. of extra-heavy canvas. Turn the framework of the canoe upside down and place the canvas on it. The center of the canvas is located and tacked to the center strip of the canoe at the points where ribs are attached. Copper tacks should be used.

The canvas is then tacked to the ribs, beginning at the center rib and working toward each end, carefully drawing the canvas as tightly as possible and keeping it straight. At the ends the canvas is split in the center and lapped over the bent wood. The surplus canvas is cut off. A thin coat of glue is put on, to shrink the cloth and make it waterproof.

The glue should be powdered and brought into liquid form in a double boiler. A thin coat of this is applied with a paintbrush. A small keel made of a strip of wood is placed on the bottom to protect it when making a landing on sand and stones in shallow

[Ill.u.s.tration: A Single Paddle]

water. When the glue is thoroughly dry the canvas is covered with two coats of paint, made up in any color with the best lead and boiled linseed oil. The inside is coated with spar varnish to give it a wood color.

The paddles may be made up in two ways, single or double. The double paddle has a hickory pole, 7 ft. long and 2 in. in diameter, for its center part. The paddle is made as shown in Fig.

10, of ash or cypress. It is 12 in. long, and 8 in. wide at the widest part. The paddle end fits into a notch cut in the end of the pole (Fig. 11).

A shield is made of a piece of tin or rubber and placed around the pole near the paddle to prevent the water from running to the center as the pole is tipped from side to side. The complete paddle is shown in Fig. 12. A single paddle is made as shown in Fig. 13. This is made of ash or any other tough wood. The dimensions given in the sketch are sufficient without a description.

** Thorns Used as Needles on a Phonograph [453]

Very sharp thorns can be used successfully as phonograph needles.

These subst.i.tutes will reproduce sound very clearly and with beautiful tone. The harsh scratching of the ordinary needle is reduced to a minimum, and the thorn is not injurious to the record.

** Tool Hangers [453]

A tool rack that is serviceable for almost any kind of a tool may be made

[Ill.u.s.tration: Tool Hanger]

by placing rows of different-size screw eyes on a wall close to the workbench, so that files, chisels, pliers and other tools, and the handles of hammers can be slipped through the eyes.

A place for every tool saves time, and besides, when the tools are hung up separately, they are less likely to be damaged, than when kept together on the workbench.

** Child's Footrest on an Ordinary Chair [453]

Small chairs are enjoyed very much by children for the reason that they can rest their feet on the floor. In many households there are no small chairs for the youngsters, and they have to use larger ones. Two things result, the child's legs become tired from dangling unsupported or by trying to support them on the stretchers, and the finish on the chair is apt to

[Ill.u.s.tration: Footrest on Chair]

be scratched. The device shown in the sketch forms a footrest or step that can be placed on any chair. It can be put on or taken off in a moment. Two suitable pieces of wood are nailed together at an angle and a small notch cut out, as shown, to fit the chair stretcher.

** Drying Photo Postal Cards [453]

A novel idea for drying photo postal cards comes from a French magazine. The drying of the cards takes a long time on account of their thickness, but may be hastened by using corrugated paper for packing bottles as a drying stand. Curve the cards, printed side up, and place the ends between two

[Ill.u.s.tration: Card on Dryer]

corrugations at a convenient distance apart. They will thus be held firmly while the air can circulate freely all around them.

** Preserving Key Forms [454]

After losing a key or two and having some difficulty in replacing them, I used the method shown in the sketch

[Ill.u.s.tration: Key Forms Cut in Paper]

to preserve the outlines for making new ones. All the keys I had were traced on a piece of paper and their forms cut out with a pair of shears. When a key was lost, another could thus be easily made by using the paper form as a pattern.

--Contributed by Ernest Weaver, Santa Anna, Texas.

** Renewing Typewriter Ribbons [454]

Roll the ribbon on a spool and meanwhile apply a little glycerine with a fountain-pen filler. Roll up tightly and lay aside for a week or ten days. Do not apply too much glycerine as this will make the ribbon sticky--a very little, well spread, is enough. The same application will also work well on ink pads.

--Contributed by Earl R. Hastings, Corinth, Vt.

** Drinking Trough for Chickens [454]

A quickly made and sanitary drinking trough for chickens is formed of a piece of ordinary two or three-ply roofing paper. The paper is laid out as shown, and the edges are cemented with asphaltum and then tacked to the side of a fence or shed.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Trough of Roofing Paper]

** Ordinary Pen Used as a Fountain Pen [454]

It is a very simple matter to make a good fountain pen out of an ordinary pen and holder. The device is in the form of an attachment readily connected to or removed from any ordinary pen and holder, although the chances are that when once used it will not be detached until a new pen is needed.

Take the b.u.t.t end of a quill, A, from a chicken, goose or turkey feather--the latter preferred as it will hold more ink--and clean out the membrane in it thoroughly with a wire or hatpin. Then make a hole in the tapered end of the quill just large enough to pull through a piece of cotton string. Tie a knot in one end of this string, B, and pull it through the small end of the quill until the knot chokes within, then cut off the string so that only 1/4 in. projects. Shave out a small stopper from a bottle cork for the large end

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fountain Attachment]

of the quill. This completes the ink reservoir.