The Boy Mechanic Part 72

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Dog Has Plenty of Room for Exercise]

wire between the house and barn on which is placed a ring large enough to slide freely. The chain from the dog's collar is fastened to the ring. This method can also be used for tethering a cow or horse, the advantage being the use of a short tie rope eliminating the possibility of the animal becoming entangled.

** Water-Color Box [257]

There are many different trays in the market for the purpose of holding water colors, but they are either too expensive for the average person or too small to be convenient. I do a great deal of water-color work and always felt the need of a suitable color dish. At last I found something that filled my want and suited my pocketbook. I bought 22 individual salt dishes and made a box to hold them, as shown in the ill.u.s.tration. This box has done good service.

Some of the advantages are: Each color is in a separate dish which can be easily taken out and cleaned; the dishes are deep enough to prevent spilling the colors into the adjoining ones, and the box can be made as big or as small as individual needs require. The tray containing the color dishes and brushes rests on 1/4-in.

round pieces 2-1/4 in. from the bottom of the box, thus giving ample store room for colors, prints, slides and extra brushes.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Color Trays Made of Salt Dishes]

--Contributed by B. Beller, Hartford, Connecticut.

** Saving Ink Pens [257]

Ink usually corrodes pens in a short time. This can be prevented by placing pieces of steel pens or steel wire in the ink, which will absorb the acid and prevent it from corroding the pens.

** A Plant-Food Percolator [258]

Obtain two b.u.t.ter tubs and bore a large number of 1/4-in. holes in the bottom of one, then cover the perforated part with a piece of fine bra.s.s gauze (Fig. 1), tacking the gauze well at the corners.

The other tub should be fitted with a faucet of some kind--a wood faucet, costing 5 cents, will answer the purpose. Put the first tub on top of the other with two narrow strips between them (Fig.

2). Fill the upper tub, about three-fourths full, with well packed horse manure, and pour water on it until it is well soaked. When the water has percolated through into the lower tub, it is ready to use on house and garden plants and is better than plain water, as it adds both fertilizer and moisture.

--Contributed by C. O. Darke, West Lynn, Ma.s.s.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG.1, Fig. 2]

** Lathe Safety [258]

Always caliper the work in a lathe while it is standing still.

Never use the ways of a lathe for an anvil or storage platform.

** Folding Quilting-Frames [258]

The frame in which the material is kept stretched when making a quilt is usually too large to be put out of the way conveniently when other duties must be attended to; and especially are the end pieces objectionable. This can be remedied by hinging the ends so they will fold underneath to the center. The end pieces are cut in two at one-fourth their distance from each end, a hinge screwed to the under side to hold them together, and a hook and eye fastened on the other side to hold the parts rigid when they are in use.

When the ends are turned under, the frame is narrow enough to be easily carried from one room to another, or placed against a wall.

** A Drip Shield for the Arms [258]

When working with the hands in a pan of water, oil or other fluid, it is very disagreeable to have the liquid run down the arms, when they are raised from the pan, often to soil the sleeves of a clean garment. A drip shield which will stop the fluid and cause it to run back into the pan can be easily made from a piece of sheet rubber or, if this is not available, from a piece of the inner tube of a bicycle tire. Cut a washer with the hole large enough to fit snugly about the wrist, but not so tight as to stop the

[Ill.u.s.tration: Shields for the Arms]

circulation of the blood. A pair of these shields will always come in handy.

--Contributed by L. M. Eifel, Chicago.

** How to Cane Chairs [259]

There are but few households that do not have at least one or two chairs without a seat or back. The same households may have some one who would enjoy recaning the chairs if he only knew how to do it, and also make considerable pin money by repairing chairs for the neighbors. If the following directions are carried out, new cane seats and backs can easily be put in chairs where they are broken or sagged to an uncomfortable position.

The first thing necessary is to remove the old cane. This can be done by turning the chair upside down and, with the aid of a sharp knife or chisel, cutting the cane between the holes. After this is done the old bottom can be pulled out. If plugs are found in any of the holes, they should be knocked out. If the beginner is in doubt about finding which holes along any curved sides should be used for the cane running nearly parallel to the edge, he may find it to his advantage to mark the holes on the under side of the frame before removing the old cane.

The worker should be provided with a small sample of the old cane.

At any first-cla.s.s hardware store a bundle of similar material may be secured.

The cane usually comes in lengths of about 15 ft. and each bundle contains

[Ill.u.s.tration: Three Stages of Weaving]

enough to reseat several chairs. In addition to the cane, the worker should provide himself with a piece of bacon rind, a square pointed wedge, as shown in Fig. 1, and 8 or 10 round wood plugs, which are used for temporarily holding the ends of the cane in the holes.

[Ill.u.s.tration: First Layer of Strands]

A bucket of water should be supplied in which to soak the cane just before weaving it. Several minutes before you are ready to begin work, take four or five strands of the cane, and, after having doubled them up singly into convenient lengths and tied each one into a single knot, put them into the water to soak. The cane is much more pliable and is less liable to crack in bending when worked while wet. As fast as the soaked cane is used, more of it should be put into the water.

Untie one of the strands which has been well soaked, put about 3 or 4 in. down through the hole at one end of what is to be the outside strand of one side and secure it in this hole by means of one of the small plugs mentioned. The plug should not be forced in too hard nor cut off, as it must be

[Ill.u.s.tration: First Two Layers in Place]

removed again. The other end of the strand should be made pointed and pa.s.sed down through the hole at the opposite side, and, after having been pulled tight, held there by inserting another plug.

Pa.s.s the end up through the next hole, then across and down, and hold while the second plug is moved to the last hole through which the cane was drawn. In the same manner proceed across the chair bottom. Whenever the end of one strand is reached, it should be held by a plug, and a new one started in the next hole as in the beginning. No plugs should be permanently removed until another strand of cane is through the same hole to hold the first strand in place. After laying the strands across the seat in one direction, put in another layer at right angles and lying entirely above the first layer. Both of these layers when in place appear as shown in one of the ill.u.s.trations.

After completing the second layer, stretch the third one, using the same holes as for the first layer. This will make three layers, the first being hidden by the third while the second layer is at right angles to and between the first and third. No weaving has been done up to this time, nothing but stretching and threading the cane through the holes. The cane will have the appearance shown in Fig. 3. The next thing to do is to start the cane across in the same direction as the second layer and begin the weaving. The top or third layer strands should be pushed toward the end from which the weaving starts, so that the strand being woven may be pushed down between the first and third layers and up again between pairs. The two first strands of the fourth layer are shown woven in Fig. 3. During the weaving, the strands should be lubricated with the rind of bacon to make them pa.s.s through with ease. Even with this lubrication, one can seldom weave more than half way across the seat with the pointed end before finding it advisable to pull the remainder of the strand through. After finishing this fourth layer of strands, it is quite probable that each strand will be about midway between its two neighbors instead of lying close to its mate as desired, and here is where the square and pointed wedge is used. The wedge is driven down between the proper strands to move them into place.

Start at one corner and weave diagonally, as shown in Fig. 4, making sure that the strand will slip in between the two which form the corner of the square in each case. One more weave across on the diagonal and the seat will be finished except for the binding, as shown in Fig. 5. The binding consists of one strand that covers the row of holes while it is held down with another strand, a loop over the first being made every second or third hole as desired. It will be of great a.s.sistance to keep another chair with a cane bottom at hand to examine while recaning the first chair.

--Contributed by M. R. W.

** Repairing a Cracked Composition Developing Tray [260]

Fill the crack with some powdered rosin and heap it up on the outside. Heat a soldering-iron or any piece of metal enough to melt the rosin and let it flow through the break. When cool, trim off the surplus rosin. If handled with a little care, a tray repaired in this manner will last a long time. The chemicals will not affect the rosin.

--Contributed by E. D. Patrick, Detroit, Michigan.