The Boy Mechanic Part 13

A frame for sewing will have to be made as shown in Fig. 2 before the work can be continued on the book. The frame is easily made of four pieces of wood. The bottom piece A should be a little larger than the book. The two upright pieces B are nailed to the outside edge, and a third piece, C, is nailed across the top. Small nails are driven part way into the base C to correspond to the saw cuts in the sections. A piece of soft fiber string is stretched from each nail to the crosspiece C and tied.

Coa.r.s.e white thread, size 16 or larger, is used for the sewing material. Start with the front of the book. Be sure that all sections are in their right places and that the flyleaves are provided in the front and back. Take the sections of the flyleaves on top, which should be notched the same as the saw cuts in the book sections, and place them against the strings in the frame.

Place the left hand on the inside of the leaves where they are folded and start a blunt needle, threaded double, through the notch on the left side of the string No. 1 in Fig. 2. Take hold of the needle with the right hand and pa.s.s it to the left around the string No. 1, then back through the notch on the right side.

Fasten the thread by tying or making a knot in the end and pa.s.sing the needle through it. After drawing the thread tightly, pa.s.s the needle through the notch on the left side of the string No. 2, pa.s.sing it around the string and tying in the same manner as for No. 1. Each section is fastened to the five strings in the same manner, the thread being carried across from each tie from No. 1 to 2 then to 3 and so on

[Ill.u.s.tration: Frame for Sewing Sections]

until all strings are tied. The string No. 5 is treated in the same manner only that the needle is run through on the left side of the string a second time, leaving the needle on the outside in position for the next section, which is fastened the same as the first, the needle being pa.s.sed through the notch on the right side of the string No. 5, and then to string No.4, pa.s.sing around on the right side and back on the left and so on. Keep the thread drawn up tightly all the time.

After the sewing is completed cut the strings, allowing about 2 in. of the ends extending on each side. The fibers of these ends are separated and combed out so that they can be glued to the covers to serve as a hinge. A piece of cheesecloth is cut to the size of the back and glued to it. Ordinary liquid glue is the best adhesive to use.

Procure heavy cardboard for the covers and cut two pieces 1/2 in.

longer and just the same width as the magazine pages. The covering can be of cloth, leather or paper according to the taste and resources of the maker. The covering should be cut out 1 in.

larger on all edges than both covers and s.p.a.ce on the back. Place the cardboard covers on the book, allowing a margin of 1/4 in. on all edges except the back, and measure the distance between the back edges of the covers across the back of the book.

Place the cardboard covers on the back of the covering the proper distance apart as measured for the back, and mark around each one.

Spread thin coat of glue on the surface of each and lay them on by the marks made. Cut a notch out of the covering so it will fold in, and, after gluing

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Bound Book]

a strip of paper to the covering between the covers to strengthen the back, fold over the outside edges of the covering and glue it down all around.

Place the cover on the book in the right position, glue the hinges fast to the inside of the covers, then glue the first flyleaf to the inside of the cover on both front and back and place the whole under a weight until dry.

--Contributed by Clyde E. Divine, College View, Nebr.

** Metal Coverings for Leather Hinges [41]

A method of making a leather hinge work as well as an ordinary steel b.u.t.t is to cover the wings with sheet metal. The metal can be fastened with nails or screws over the parts of the leather attached to the wood. Tinplate, iron

[Ill.u.s.tration: Metal Parts Screwed on Leather Hinge]

hoops, zinc or thin bra.s.s cut in neat designs will make a leather hinge appear as well as a metal hinge.

--Contributed by Tom Hutchinson, Encanto, Cal.

** Removing Plaster from Skin [41]

A hot-water bottle held against a porous plaster will a.s.sist in quickly removing it from the skin.

** How to Make a Cheap Bracket Saw [42]

For the frame use 3/8-in. round iron, bending it as shown in the diagram and filing a k.n.o.b on each end, at opposite sides to each other, on which to hook the blade. For the blade an old talking-machine

[Ill.u.s.tration: Hacksaw Frame and Blade]

spring or a clock spring will do nicely. Heat the spring enough to take some of the temper out of it, in order to drill the holes in the ends, as shown, and file in the teeth. Make the blade 12 in.

long, with 10 teeth to the inch. A and B show how the blade fits on the frame. -Contributed by Willard J. Hays, Summitville, Ohio.

** How to Make a Cannon [42]

A cannon like the one in the cut may be made from a piece of 1-in.

hydraulic pipe, A, with a steel sleeve, B, and a long thread plug, C. Be sure to get hydraulic pipe, or double extra heavy, as it is sometimes called, as common gas pipe is entirely too light for this purpose. Don't have the pipe too long or the cannon will not make as much

[Ill.u.s.tration: Toy Cannon]

noise. Seven or eight inches is about the right length for a 1-in.

bore. Screw the plug and pipe up tightly and then drill a 1/16-in.

fuse hole at D.

If desired the cannon may be mounted on a block of wood, F, by means of a U-bolt or large staple, E.

--Contributed by Carson Birkhead, Moorhead, Miss.

** Controller for a Small Motor [42]

An easy way of making a controlling and reversing device for small motors is as follows:

Cut a piece of wood (A) about 6 in. by 4-1/2 in., and 1/4 in.

thick, and another piece (B) 6 in. by 1 in., and 1/4 in. thick.

Drive a nail through this near the center for a pivot (C). To the under side of one end nail a copper brush (D) to extend out about an inch. On the upper side, at the same end, nail another brush (E) so that it projects at both sides and is bent down to the level of the end brush. Then on the board put

[Ill.u.s.tration: Reverse for Motor]

a semi-circle of bra.s.s-headed tacks as shown at F, leaving a small s.p.a.ce at the middle and placing five tacks on either side, so that the end brush will come in contact with each one. Connect these tacks on the under side of the board with coils of German-silver wire, using about 8 in. of wire to each coil. Fix these by soldering or bending over the ends of the tacks. Then nail two strips of copper (G) in such position that the side brush will remain on the one as long as the end brush remains on the tacks on that side.

Put sides about 1-1/2 in. high around this apparatus, raising the board a little from the bottom to allow room for the coil. A lid may be added if desired. Connect up as shown.

--Contributed by Chas. H. Boyd, Philadelphia.

** How to Make a Simple Water Rheostat [43]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Wiring Plan for Water Rheostat]

The materials necessary are: One 5-point wood-base switch, 4 jars, some sheet copper or bra.s.s for plates, about 5 ft. of rubber-covered wire, and some No. 18 gauge wire for the wiring.

The size of the jars depends on the voltage. If you are going to use a current of low tension, as from batteries, the jars need not be very large, but if you intend to use the electric light current of 110 voltage it will be necessary to use large jars or wooden boxes made watertight, which will hold about 6 or 7 gal. Each jar to be filled with 20 parts water to 1 part sulphuric acid. Jars are set in a row in some convenient place out of the way.

Next cut out eight copper or bra.s.s disks, two for each jar. Their size also depends on the voltage. The disks that are placed in the lower part of the jars are connected with a rubber covered wire extending a little above the top of the jar.