Toy-Making at Home Part 7

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 90.]

All that you need do now is place the candles under the loop of the tube and heat it. (If you have a tiny spirit lamp, that will act more effectively, of course.) The heat from the candles makes the air in the tube very hot. This hot air is expelled from one arm of the tube; and a current of water rushes up one arm of the tube and down the other with considerable force. It is this current that causes the boat to move.

_Another Working Steamboat._--This time our boat will merit its name--for we shall have a boiler, and generate a supply of steam.

If you look at Fig. 91 you will get a good idea of the construction of this model, and realise how simple it really is. The boiler is provided by a medium-sized flat oblong tin, with the lid soldered down so that it is steam tight. For the purpose of putting water into the boiler when necessary, a hole is bored in the lid, and a cork fitted tightly.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 91.]

In one end of the boiler, and towards the top, you must make a pin hole.

When the water boils well, the steam is expelled through this tiny hole with considerable force; and to this is due the motion of the craft.

The remainder of the fitting up is soon done. A flat hull similar to that described on page 70 is prepared, and four flat-headed nails driven in, so that the four corners of the boiler can each stand on a nail head. The rudder is cut from an old piece of tin, and pressed into a knife-cut made in the centre of the stern of the hull.

The boiler is placed into position with the steam hole facing the stern, and lighted candle ends are then placed underneath the boiler--as many as possible; for the more the candles the greater the heat, and consequently the greater the force of steam. It will help matters along considerably if the boiler is first of all filled with hot water, instead of cold; but be careful not to scald yourself in doing this.

When steam is up, the boat should travel along at quite a comfortable pace.

Apart from the materials dealt with there are numerous little fragments.

A pane of gla.s.s is broken, for instance, and in most cases all the pieces are thrown away. Now this is quite unnecessary, for from them can be made some

_j.a.panese Wind Bells._--Probably most boys and girls have heard or seen the jolly little "wind bells" which the j.a.panese people make, and which many English folk now hang in their houses. As they are made simply of slips of gla.s.s and pieces of wool or string, there is not much difficulty in their construction; and they are worth all the trouble you take, for their merry little tinkle is a pleasing sound.

The slips of gla.s.s--they are generally little rectangles, varying from 1 in. to 2 in. in width, and 2 in. to 4 in. in length--are suspended so that when a gentle breeze disturbs them the corners strike gently. To secure a proper suspension, you can either take a board, 6 in. square, and hang the strings from it, or you can make a conical wire frame, about 6 in. across, and hang the pieces of wool (or string) from the two rings (Fig. 92). The pieces of gla.s.s, which can be of any shape and size, should be fixed by means of sealing wax. It is usual to give the gla.s.s slips a few dabs of colour, so as to give a brighter effect at night. If you can introduce one or two pieces of coloured gla.s.s, the same effect will result.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 92.]

Other _broken_ things, too, can be turned to account.

One such toy, made up of things otherwise quite useless, is

_A Musical Box._--This entertaining musical toy, capable of producing the most beautiful sound effects, can quite easily be made with a few broken wine gla.s.ses. So long as the bowl part of the gla.s.s is intact, it does not matter to what extent the stem or foot part has been damaged, provided there is enough of the stem remaining to insert in a wooden block.

The sound effects are produced by rubbing the ball of the finger gently round the rim of the gla.s.s. For this the finger-tip must be absolutely clean, particularly of any grease, and must be thoroughly wet. Probably for the first time or two of rubbing nothing will occur. If that is so, continue wetting the finger, and rub it on an india-rubber sponge or a piece of soft india-rubber. You will know at once when the finger-tip is in the right condition, for it will commence to "drag" on the rim.

Eventually a most beautiful pealing note will be emitted, which note will alter slightly in tone if water be poured into the gla.s.s.

If in this way you can secure eight gla.s.ses tuned exactly to an octave, then you have the wherewithal to produce tunes. When you have obtained the gla.s.ses, then it is quite easy to fit them into a box quite close together, leaving just enough room for the fingers to move round. Blocks of wood must be nailed to the bottom of the box, and holes bored in these blocks just exactly large enough to admit the stem (see Fig. 93).

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 93.]

_A Fleet of Nutsh.e.l.l Boats_ floating on a bowl of water makes a very pretty little picture--nor are these little crafts at all difficult to make. For the hull a nice evenly-shaped walnut sh.e.l.l is required: this should be cleaned out, trimmed with a sharp knife, and scrubbed with a stiff brush. For the mast a match stick will suffice. To keep this in position glue two match sticks right across the widest part of the hull--one on each side of the mast--and then put a daub of glue at the bottom of the hull and others where the cross-bars touch the mast.

The sail consists merely of a piece of paper with two holes through which the mast pa.s.ses. A glance at Fig. 94 will reveal the method of fitting up, and show what a trim little craft can result from such a simple origin.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 94.]

One other toy which has always been deservedly popular is

_The Jumping Frog._--If you are skilful with your pocket knife you can cut out a representation of the animal from a lump of wood, and paint it to make it more realistic. If, however, you have not the requisite skill, you can still construct the toy by using a walnut sh.e.l.l in place of the carved model. In either case the actual mechanism for "jumping"

is the same.

You want a good-sized sh.e.l.l, or rather half-sh.e.l.l, some very strong thin twine, and a match. First you must bore two holes in the sides of the sh.e.l.l, not too near the edge, then tie a loop of twine round the holes and the edge (Fig. 95). Now if you put a piece of match stick between the strings, and twist the string by turning the match round, you will complete the jumping mechanism (Fig. 96). Keep your finger on the match to prevent it flying back, and carefully turn the sh.e.l.l upside down on the table, holding it all the time. Now if you press one finger on the side of the sh.e.l.l so that it slips suddenly from under, then your frog will perform an astounding leap in the air. But, in your eagerness to get a big jump, do not twist the string too tightly, otherwise the holes will break out.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 95.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 96.]

If, as mentioned above, you are skilful enough to cut out the frog, you will need to hollow out the body so that there will be room for the turning of the match.

You can also do very much the same with a fowl's "wishbone" if you tie a loop of string round the two p.r.o.ngs and use the match as shown above.

The sh.e.l.l of an ordinary hen's egg does not seem to give much scope for construction. Yet much can be done with it. One of the best things you can make is

_An Egg-sh.e.l.l Yacht._--Next time mother is making cakes, or anything which needs eggs, tell her you want the sh.e.l.l intact, and ask her to let you blow out the contents. To do this, bore a small hole at each end, and blow. Of course, if you have ever collected birds' eggs, and are an adept at egg-blowing, you will only need one hole.

Stop up the holes with sealing wax or plasticene. This complete sh.e.l.l is to form the hull of the yacht; it will be necessary to add a keel, mainmast, bowsprit, &c., to finish the craft.

For the mainmast get a very thin piece of wood--a very thin piece of bamboo or a piece of split cane will do--and pa.s.s it carefully through two holes which have previously been bored in the opposite sides of the sh.e.l.l. Let it project an inch or two below (Fig. 97_a_). Fix in position by means of sealing wax. In similar fashion arrange a bowsprit.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 97.]

As the hull is very light, it will be necessary to have a good steadying keel. A piece of sheet lead about 2 in. long and 1 in. wide will do admirably. Secure it to the sh.e.l.l and the projecting piece of mainmast by means of sealing wax (Fig. 97_b_).

Now if this floats properly you can proceed with the rigging, which may be as simple or as elaborate as you please. Fasten the spars to the mainmast by means of very thin wire. (Sealing wax will do, but is not at all reliable for this.) For the sails use tough tissue paper, gluing the main and top sails in position, and fixing the jib and foresails by means of threads.

The addition of a cardboard rudder--fixed by wax--will complete a trim little craft which will sail in approved regatta fashion, if it has been properly adjusted (Fig. 98).

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 98.]

Nor must broken egg sh.e.l.ls be despised. These can be decorated with paints, and some very amusing little articles provided. Legs and arms can be added, fixed into place with dabs of sealing wax; clothes can be devised; and grotesque little toys improvised--toys suitable for the decoration of the Christmas tree or sale at bazaars, &c.

Quite a number of amusing little toys can be made from those cylindrical cardboard cases in which incandescent mantles are usually sold. For the most part the only things needed for the construction are a sharp knife (one with a very thin blade preferred), a tube of glue, one or two odd pieces of cardboard, and some paints.

_A Money Box_, for instance, is always useful, and, by the aid of the paint box, can be made very attractive.

Take off the two end covers, and glue one end of the case to a circle of thick cardboard, about 1/4 in. larger in radius than the case. Now for the other end construct a conical top. To do this, draw out a circle with a radius of about 1-1/4 in. and cut out a sector (see Fig. 9, p.

8). The two ends can then be brought together and fixed with a piece of glued tape, and the whole thing can be glued to the other end of the case.

Before this is done, however, the money slot should be cut in the side.

Much can be done to make the article attractive by a judicious use of the paints. The money slot, for instance, can be regarded as the mouth, and a grotesque face drawn round it.