Part 17 (1/2)

[Ill.u.s.tration: Gasoline Burner]

of only 1 in. One end of the copper tube is bent around so it will point directly into the reamed-out hole in the end of the bra.s.s tube, A. A nipple, N, is made by drilling a 1/8-in. hole halfway through a piece of bra.s.s and tapping to screw on the end of the 1/8-in. copper pipe. A 1/64-in. hole is then drilled through the remaining part of the nipple. The other end of the copper tube is connected to the supply tank. The distance between the nipple, N, and the ends of the tube, A, should be only 5/16 of an inch. Fig.

2 shows the end view.

** A Homemade Telephone Receiver [55]

A telephone receiver that will do good work may be built very cheaply as follows: For the case use an ordinary 1/2-lb.

baking-powder box with a piece of heavy wire soldered on the inside, 1-5/16 in. from the bottom. For the magnet use a piece of round hardened steel about 3/8 in. in diameter and 1-1/4 in. long.

If desired, a piece of an old round file may be used for the magnet core, which should be magnetized previous to a.s.sembling, either by pa.s.sing a current of electricity around it, or by direct contact with another magnet. The steel core should be wound with about 250 ft. of No. 36 insulated wire, the ends of which should be soldered to a piece of

[Ill.u.s.tration: Telephone Receiver]

lamp cord, pa.s.sed through a hole in the bottom of the can and knotted inside to prevent pulling out.

A disk of thin sheet-iron, such as is used by photographers for tintypes (Ferrotype), should be cut to the diameter of the can, taking care not to bend the iron. The magnet should then be placed in the bottom of the can in an upright position and enough of a melted mixture of beeswax and resin poured in to hold it in position.

While the wax is still in a plastic condition the magnet should be located centrally and adjusted so that the end will be 1/16 in. or less below the level of the top of the copper ring.

After the wax has hardened the disk is slipped in and fastened tightly by a ring of solder when the instrument is ready for use.

** How to Bind Magazines [56]

An easy way to bind Popular Mechanics in volumes of six months each is to arrange the magazines in order and tie them securely both ways with a strong cord. It is well to put two or three sheets of tough white paper, cut to the size of the pages, at the front and back for fly leaves.

Clamp the whole in a vise or clamp with two strips of wood even with the back edges of the magazines. With a sharp saw cut a slit in the magazines and wood strips about 1/2 in. deep and slanting as shown at A and B, Fig. 1. Take two strips of stout cloth, about 8 or 10 in. long and as wide as the distance between the bottoms of the sawed slits. Lay these over the back edge of the pack and tie securely through the slits with a string thread--wrapping and tying several times (C, Fig. 2).

If you have access to a printer's paper knife, trim both ends and the front edge; this makes a much nicer book, but if the paper knife cannot be used, clamp the whole between two boards and saw off the edges, boards and all, smoothly, with a fine saw.

Cut four pieces of cardboard, 1/4 in. longer and 1/4 in. narrower than the magazines after they have been trimmed. Lay one piece of the board on the book and under the cloth strips. Use ordinary flour paste and paste the strips to the cardboard and then rub paste all over the top of the strips and the board. Rub paste over one side of another piece of board and put it on top of the first board and strips, pressing down firmly so that the strips are held securely between the two boards. Turn the book over and do the same with the other two boards.

After the paste has dried a few minutes take a piece of strong cloth, duck or linen, fold and cut it 1 in. larger all around than the book, leaving the folded edge uncut. Rub paste over one of the board backs and lay one end of the cloth on it, smoothing and creasing as shown at A, Fig. 3. Turn the book over and paste the other side. The back edges should have a good coat of paste and a strip of paper

[Ill.u.s.tration: Process of Homemade Binding]

the width of the thickness of the pack pasted on before pasting the cloth to the second board back.

Cut off the corners and fold over the edges of the cloth, pasting them down (Fig. 4). Rub paste on one side of a fly leaf and press the back down on it. Turn the book over and paste a fly leaf to the other back after the edges of the cloth have been folded down.

The backs must not be opened until the fly leaves are thoroughly dry. Trim and tuck in the ends of the strip at the back edge.

When fixed this way your magazines make one of the most valuable volumes you can possibly add to your library of mechanical books.

--Contributed by Joseph N. Parker, Bedford City, Va.

** A Homemade Acetylene-Gas Generator [57]