The Boy Mechanic Part 82

** Window Shelf for Flower Pots [292]

On the ledge formed by the top part of the lower sash of the window I fitted a board 7 in. wide into each side of the casing, by cutting away the ends. I placed a small bracket at each end of the shelf, so that it would fit solidly against the lower window sash to support the weight of the plants.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Shelf in Window]

One of the brackets I nailed to the shelf and the other I held in place with a hinge, the reason being that if both were solid, the shelf could not be put on the window, as one end must be dropped in place before the other. Such a shelf will hold all the plants a person can put on it. When not in use, it can be removed without marring the casing.

--Contributed by G. A. Wood, West Union, Ia.

** Magnet for the Work Basket [292]

Tie a ribbon or strong string to the work basket and fasten a large magnet to the other end. Needles, scissors, etc., can be picked up without any trouble. This device is very convenient for invalids.

--Contributed by Nellie Conlon, Worcester, Ma.s.s.

** Knife Made from a Hack-Saw Blade [293]

A very serviceable knife with excellent cutting qualities can be made easily from a discarded hack-saw blade. The dimensions given in the sketch make a knife of convenient size.

The saw teeth are ground off on an emery wheel or grindstone to a smooth edge parallel with the back edge. For the handle, take two pieces of hard wood, dressing one surface of each piece, and cut a groove as wide and thick as the saw blade. Place the blade in the groove and glue the two dressed sides of the wood together. After the glue has dried, the blade can be pulled out of the groove and the wood shaped to any desired form. A small wood-screw is put through one side of the handle to prevent the blade from sliding.

After completing the

[Ill.u.s.tration: Details of Handle]

handle, the blade is put back into the groove and sharpened to a cutting edge.

--Contributed by H. A. Hutchins, Cleveland, Ohio.

** Killing Mice and Rats [293]

A simple and inexpensive means for killing mice and rats is to leave yeast cakes lying around where they can eat them.

--Contributed by Maud McKee, Erie, Pa.

** Roller Coaster Illusion Traveling Up an Incline [293]

A toy car with a paddle wheel and a shaft on both ends traveling upward on a chute in which water is flowing down, is shown in the accompanying sketch. The paddle wheels travel in a reverse direction causing the ends of the axles to roll on the edge of the chute, thus carrying the car up the incline. If a rack is used on each side of the chute and a small pinion on the

[Ill.u.s.tration: Car Travels Uphill]

ends of the axles, a positive upward movement of the car will be obtained.

--Contributed by W. S. Jacobs, Malden; Ma.s.s.

** Block for Planing Octagonal Wood Pieces [293]

The little device shown in the ill.u.s.tration will be found very useful in any workshop. Two or three of them will be necessary for planing long pieces. Each one is made of a hardwood block, 1 in.

square and 4 in. long. A notch is cut in one side, as shown in Fig. 1, so a piece of wood which has been planed square will fit in it. Put a screw in the end of each piece and fasten it down to the bench. If desired, a tenon may be made on the bottom of each block, as shown in Fig. 2, to fit a mortise cut in the bench.

Place the blocks far enough apart so the board to be planed will rest firmly in the notches.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Notch Holds the Wood]

Plane the board square first and then place it in the notches and plane the corners down to the proper dimensions.

--Contributed by Willie Woolsen, Cape May Point, N.J.

** A Letter Holder of Pierced Metal [294]

The letter holder shown in the ill.u.s.tration will be found convenient for holding out-going letters that await the postman's coming. It can be made of either copper or bra.s.s and need not

[Ill.u.s.tration: Finished Letter Holder]

be of very heavy material. Gauge 22 will be sufficiently heavy.

One sheet of metal, 6 by 9-1/2 in., a board on which to work it, and an awl and hammer, will be needed. Prepare a design for the front. If one such as is shown is to be used,

[Ill.u.s.tration: Layout for the Metal]

make one-quarter of it first, and then get the other parts by folding on the center lines and tracing. This will insure having all parts alike. The letters can be put on afterward.

Fasten the metal to the board, using tacks and nailing outside of the required s.p.a.ce, in the waste metal. Trace the design on the metal with carbon paper; or, if desired, paste the paper design right on the metal. With an awl pierce the metal between the marginal line and the design, as shown. The holes should be uniform along the outlines but should be pierced promiscuously otherwise. On the back, only the marginal line is to be pierced.

Remove the metal, together with the paper if the latter was pasted to the metal, and trim off the surplus metal where the tacks had been placed. File off any sharpness so that the hand may not be injured in handling it. Place the metal on the edge of a table or between two boards, and bend on the two lines indicated in the drawing, to right angles.

A good finish is obtained by just letting the copper age with its natural color. If any polishing is required, it should be done before the metal is fastened to the board and pierced.

** Imitating Ground Gla.s.s [294]

Make a mixture of white lead in oil, 1 part; varnish, 3/4 part; turpentine, 1/4 part, and add sugar of lead as a dryer. Make a very thin paint of this and use a broad, flat brush, says Master Painter. With care you may succeed in getting the paint on quite evenly all over, which is desirable. One coat will do. If it becomes necessary to remove this coating for renewal, it may be effected by an application of potash lye, or the old may be renewed by a coating of a mixture of 2 parts hydrochloric acid, 2 parts white vitriol, 1 part sulphate of copper (blue vitriol) and 1 part of gum arabic, applied by means of a brush.

** Draw before Cutting [294]

A detail drawing made of a piece of furniture before starting the work will often save time and mistakes.

** Making "Spirits" Play a Violin [295]