The Boy Mechanic Part 59

[Ill.u.s.tration: Made of Black Cambric]

be made by anyone on a sewing machine. Ten yards of black cambric or other black cloth and a little ruby fabric will be required.

Take the cambric and fold it into 2-yd. lengths (Fig. 1) which will make five layers of cloth, tack or fasten the layers together so they will not slip and cut an 8-in. square hole in the middle of one half (Fig. 2) and sew the ruby fabric over the opening. Be sure and make the seam light-tight and have enough layers of ruby fabric so no white light can get in. Fold the cloth up so it will be 1 yd. square (Fig. 3) and sew up the edges to make a bag with one side open. Put a drawstring in the edge of the cloth around the open side and the bag is complete ready for use.

Take the holders and plate boxes in the lap and put the bag over the head and down around the body, then draw the string up tight.

A bag made up in this manner is for use only for a short time. If it is necessary to do considerable work at a time, then a dust protector, such as mill men use, must be attached to a 3-ft.

length of 2-in. rubber hose and the hose run through a hole in the bag. This will make it possible to work in the bag as long as you wish.

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

** Home-Made Asbestos Table Pads [212]

Asbestos table pads to prevent the marring of polished table tops from heated dishes can be easily made at home much cheaper than they can be bought. Procure a sheet of asbestos from a plumbing shop and cut it in the shape of the top of your table. If the table is round, make the pad as shown in the ill.u.s.tration, cutting the circular piece into quarters. Cut four pieces of canton flannel. each the size of half the table top. Two of the asbestos pieces are used to make one-half of the pad. Place the two pieces with their edges together so they will form half a circle disk and cover both sides with a piece of the flannel and pin them in place. A binding of white cotton tape is then basted around the edges to hold all the pieces together until they are st.i.tched on a sewing machine. A line of machine st.i.tching is made all around the outside and through the middle

[Ill.u.s.tration: Pads Made of Asbestos]

between where the edges of the asbestos sheets join together. This will form a hinge so the two quarters may be folded for putting away. Make the other half circular disk in the same way. If leaves are wanted in extending the table, any number of pads can be made to cover them in the same manner with the hinge in the middle of each pad. The flannel is used with the nap side out so it will make the pad soft and noiseless. This kind of a pad furnishes perfect protection to the table from any heat or moisture.

--Contributed by H. E. Wharton, Oakland, Calif.

** How to Make a Ladies' Handbag [213]

To make this bag, get a piece of Russian calf modeling leather. A shade of brown is the best as it does not soil easily and does not require coloring, which spoils the leather effect.

The dimensions of the full sized bag are: from A to B, 17-1/2 in.; from C to D, 16-1/4 in.; from E to F,9-1/4 in.; G to H, 6-1/4 in., and E to G, 2-1/4 in.

Enlarge the accompanying pattern to the given dimensions, trace this or some other appropriate design on it, and then cut the leather the size of the pattern.

Use a sponge to dampen the leather on the rough side, not so damp that the water will come through to the right side when working, but damp enough to allow the design to be well impressed

[Ill.u.s.tration: Pattern]

on the leather. Use a smooth, non-absorbent surface to lay the leather on while at work.

Now lay the pattern on the right side of the leather and with the smallest end of the leather tool or a sharp, hard pencil, trace the design carefully on the leather. Moisten the leather as

[Ill.u.s.tration: Design on the Leather]

often as necessary to keep it sufficiently moist to work well.

Trace the openings for the handles, also lines A-G, H-B, and E-G, G-J, and corresponding lines on the other side.

Remove pattern and trace the design directly on leather with the round point of tool, until it is made distinct and in marked contrast to the rest of the leather. Do not make sharp marks but round the edges of the lines nicely, with the rounded sides of the tools.

To complete the bag, get something with which to make a lining. A piece of oozed leather is the most satisfactory. Cut it the same size as the bag, place both together and with a leather punch, make holes all around the edge of the bag about 1/8 in. apart. Cut out the leather for the handle openings. Care should be taken not to cut the holes too near the edge of the bag lest the lacing pull out. Now cut narrow thongs, about 1/8 in. wide, and lace through the holes, lacing the sides of the end pieces in with the sides of the bag. Crease the lines A-G and B-H inward for ends of bag.

** Removing Wire Insulation [213]

The claw of a hammer can be used for removing the insulation on copper wire, if not more than 1 in. is taken off at a time.

** A Small Electric Motor [214]

The drawing herewith shows a simple electric motor which can be easily constructed by any boy who is at all handy with tools. I made this motor

[Ill.u.s.tration: Electro-Magnet Motor]

many times when a boy and can say that if carefully constructed it will run with greater rapidity than the more expensive ones.

A common magnet which can be purchased at any toy store is used.

The one shown is 3-1/2 in. in length. The armature core is a strip of 1/16 by 1/4-in. iron, 2-1/4 in. long, bent U-shaped and fastened to the wood flywheel. Each leg of the armature is wound with 10 ft. of No. 24 gauge magnet wire. The commutator is made from an old 22 cartridge filed into two equal parts, each being a half circle, both of which are made fast to a collar on the shaft E. Each half of the commutator must be insulated from the other half. The collar can be made by wrapping paper around the shaft until the required size is obtained.

The top end of the shaft runs in a hole bored in a bra.s.s support, B, which is screwed on the end of a piece of wood mortised in the base, as shown in Fig. 1. The lower end of the shaft runs in a gla.s.s bead, D, which is fastened to a small piece of bra.s.s with sealing wax. The small bra.s.s piece is fastened to the base with screws. The bead should not have an eye larger in diameter than the shaft. The shaft is made from an old discarded knitting needle. The brushes are fastened to each side of the upright piece of wood supporting the bra.s.s bearing B.

The connections to the battery are shown in Fig. 2. Each half of the commutator C is connected to the coils AA as shown in Fig. 1.

--Contributed by J.M. Shannon, Pasadena, Calif.

** Moving a Coin Under a Gla.s.s [214]

Place a penny or a dime on a tablecloth, towel or napkin and cover it over with a gla.s.s in such a way that the gla.s.s will rest upon two 25 or 50 cent pieces as shown in the sketch. The coin is made to come forth without touching it or sliding a stick under the edge of the gla.s.s. It is only necessary to claw the cloth near the gla.s.s with the nail of the forefinger.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Removing the Coin]

The cloth will produce a movement that will slide the coin to the edge and from under the gla.s.s.

** Improving Phonograph Sound [214]

When playing loud and harsh records on a phonograph the music is often spoiled by the vibration of the metal horn. This may be remedied by buckling a valise or shawl strap around the horn, near the center.

** How to Make Paper Balloons [215]

Balloons made spherical, or designed after the regular aeronaut's hot-air balloon, are the best kind to make. Those having an odd or unusual shape will not make good ascensions, and in most

[Ill.u.s.tration: Paper Balloon; Pattern and Parts to Make Balloon]

cases the paper will catch fire from the torch and burn before they have flown very far. The following description is for making a tissue-paper balloon about 6 ft. high.