The Boy Mechanic Part 12

containing the reinforced cord left until the other parts are finished.

To a.s.semble, secure one upright in position using 1-1/2 in.

wood-screws. Place the other upright where it belongs without fastening it and put the stretcher wires for holding the resistance wire in place. Put the asbestos paper on these and with the a.s.sistance of a helper begin winding on the heater coil.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Toaster Complete]

Use 80 ft. of 18-per-cent No. 22 gauge German-silver wire. Wind the successive turns of wire so they will not touch each other and fasten at each end with a turn or two of No. 16 gauge copper wire.

When this is complete have the helper hold the stretcher wires while you tip the unfastened upright out and insert the wires of the cage, then fasten the upright in place.

The wire from the binding-posts to the coil may be what is known underwriters' wire or asbestos-covered wire No. 14 gauge, which is held in place by double-headed tacks containing an insulation at the head. These may be procured from electrical supply houses.

Connect the reinforced cord and terminals to the binding screws and fasten the cover in place. This toaster will take four amperes on 110-volt circuit.

** Cabinet for the Amateur's Workshop [37]

One of the most convenient adjuncts to an amateur's workbench is a cabinet of some sort in which to keep nails, rivets, screws, etc., instead of leaving them scattered all about the bench. A very easily made cabinet for this purpose is shown in the accompanying ill.u.s.tration. The case may be made of 1/2-in. white pine or white wood of a suitable size to hold the required number of drawers which slide on strips of the same material, cut and dressed 1/2 in. square. The drawers are made of empty cigar boxes of uniform size,

[Ill.u.s.tration: Empty Cigar Boxes Used for Drawers]

which, if one is not a smoker, may be readily obtained from any cigar dealer, as they are usually thrown away when empty.

Small k.n.o.bs may be added if desired, but these are not necessary, as the s.p.a.ces shown between the drawers give ample room to grasp them with the fingers. Labels of some kind are needed, and one of the neatest things for this purpose is the embossed aluminum label, such as is stamped by the well known penny-in-the-slot machines to be found in many railroad stations and amus.e.m.e.nt places.

--Contributed by Frederick E. Ward, Ampere, N. Y.

** Uncurling Photographs [38]

Photograph prints can be kept from curling when dry, by giving them the same treatment as was once used on films. Immerse for 5 minutes in a bath made by adding 14 oz. of glycerine to 16 oz. of water,

** Soldering for the Amateur [38]

Successful soldering will present no serious difficulties to anyone who will follow a few simple directions. Certain metals are easier to join with solder than others and some cannot be soldered at all. Copper, bra.s.s, zinc, tin, lead, galvanized iron, gold and silver or any combination of these metals can be easily soldered, while iron and aluminum are common metals that cannot be soldered.

It is necessary to possess a soldering copper, a piece of solder, tinner's acid, sandpaper or steel wool, a small file and a piece of sal ammoniac. If the soldering copper is an old one, or has become corroded, it must be ground or filed to a point. Heat it until hot (not red hot), melt a little solder on the sal ammoniac, and rub the point of the copper on it, turning the copper over to thoroughly tin the point on each face. This process is known as tinning the iron and is very necessary to successful work.

After the copper is tinned you may place it in the fire again, being careful about the heat, as too hot an iron will burn off the tinning.

The parts to be soldered must be thoroughly cleaned by sandpapering or the use of steel wool until the metal shows up bright. Then apply the acid only to the parts to be soldered with a small stiff brush or a small piece of cloth fastened to a stick, or in a bent piece of tin to form a swab.

Tinner's acid is made by putting as much zinc in commercial muriatic acid as will dissolve. This process is best accomplished in an open earthenware dish. After the acid has ceased to boil and becomes cool it may be poured into a wide-mouthed bottle which has a good top or stopper, and labeled "Poison."

Place the parts to be soldered in their correct position and apply the hot copper to the solder, then to the joint to be soldered, following around with the copper and applying solder as is necessary. In joining large pieces it is best to "stick" them together in several places to hold the work before trying to get all around them. A little practice will soon teach the requisite amount of solder and the smoothness required for a good job.

In soldering galvanized iron, the pure muriatic acid should be used, particularly so when the iron has once been used. --C. G.

S., Eureka Springs, Ark.

** Washboard Holder [39]

When using a washboard it will continually slip down in the tub.

This is considerable annoyance, especially if a large tub is used.

The washboard can be kept in place with small metal hooks, as shown in the sketch. Two of these are fastened to the back of

[Ill.u.s.tration: Clip on the Washboard]

the washboard in the right place to keep it at the proper slant.

--Contributed by W. A. Jaquythe, Richmond, California.

** A Mission Bracket Shelf [39]

The shelf consists of six pieces of wood A, B, C, D, E and F. The material can be of any wood. I have one made of mahogany finished in natural color, and one made of poplar finished black. The dimensions given in the detail drawings are sufficient for anyone to make this bracket. The amount of material required is very small and can be made from sc.r.a.p, or purchased from a mill surfaced and sanded. The parts are put together with dowel pins.

--Contributed by A. Larson, Kenosha, Wis.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Details of the Wall Bracket]

** How to Make a Finger Ring [39]

While the wearing of copper rings for rheumatism may be a foolish notion, yet there is a certain galvanic action

[Ill.u.s.tration: Tools for Forming the Ring]

set up by the contact of the acid in the system of the afflicted person with the metal of the ring. Apart from this, however, a ring may be made from any metal, such as copper, bra.s.s and silver, if such metals are in plate or sheet form, by the following method:

All the tools necessary are a die and punch which are simple to make and will form a ring that will fit the average finger. Take a 3/4-in. nut, B, Fig. 1, and drill out the threads. This will leave a clear hole, 7/8 in. in diameter, or a hole drilled the desired size in a piece of iron plate will do as well. Countersink the top of the hole so that the full diameter of the countersink will be 1-1/4 in. This completes the die. The punch A, is made of a piece of 5/8 in. round iron, slightly rounded on the end so that it will not cut through the metal disk. The dimensions shown in Fig. 1 can be changed to suit the size of the finger to be fitted.

The metal used should be about 1/16 in. thick and 1-1/4 in. in diameter. Anneal it properly by heating and plunging in water. Lay it on the die so that it will fit nicely in the countersink and drive it through the hole by striking the punch with a hammer.

Hold the punch as nearly central as possible when starting to drive the metal through the hole. The disk will come out pan shaped, C, and it is only necessary to remove the bottom of the pan to have a band which will leave a hole 5/8 in. in diameter and 1-1/4 in. wide. Place the band, D, Fig. 2, on a stick so that the edges can be filed and rounded to shape. Finish with fine emery cloth and polish. Bra.s.s rings can be plated when finished.

--Contributed by H. W. Hankin, Troy, N. Y.

** How to Bind Magazines [40]

A great many readers of Popular Mechanics Magazine save their copies and have them bound in book form and some keep them without binding. The bound volumes make an attractive library and will always be valuable works of reference along mechanical lines. I bind my magazines at home evenings, with good results. Six issues make a well proportioned book, which gives two bound volumes each year.

The covers of the magazines are removed, the wire binders pulled out with a pair of pliers and the advertising pages removed from both sides, after which it will be found that the remainder is in sections, each section containing four double leaves or sixteen pages. These sections are each removed in turn from the others, using a pocket knife to separate them if they stick, and each section is placed as they were in the magazine upon each preceding one until all six numbers have been prepared. If started with the January or the July issue, the pages will be numbered consecutively through the entire pages of the six issues.

The sections are then prepared for sewing. They are evened up on the edges by jarring on a flat surface. They are then placed between two pieces of board and all clamped in a vise. Five cuts, 1/8 in. deep, are made with a saw across the back of the sections, as shown in Fig. 1. Heavy plain paper is used for the flyleaves.

The paper is cut double the same as the leaves comprising the sections, making either one or two double sections for each side as desired.