Part 91 (1/2)

Sixth, chase or stamp along the border of the design and background using a nail filed to a chisel edge. This is to make a clean sharp division between background and design. Seventh, when the stamping is complete remove the screws and metal from the board and cut off the extra margin with the metal shears. File the edges until they are smooth to the touch.

The drip cup is a piece of bra.s.s cut circular and shaped by placing the bra.s.s over a hollow in one end of a block. Give the metal a circular motion, at the same time beat it with a round-nosed mallet. Work from the center along concentric rings outward, then reverse.

The candle holders may have two, three, four, or six arms, and are bent to shape by means of the round-nosed

[Ill.u.s.tration: Completed Sconce; Shaping the Holders; Riveting]

pliers. The form of the brackets which support the drip cups may be seen in the ill.u.s.tration.

Having pierced the bracket, drip cup, and holder, these three parts are riveted together as indicated in the drawing. It will be found easier usually if the holder is not shaped until after the riveting is done. The bracket is then riveted to the back of the sconce. Small copper rivets are used.

It is better to polish all the pieces before fastening any of them together. Metal polish of any kind will do. After the parts have been a.s.sembled a lacquer may be applied to keep the metal from tarnis.h.i.+ng.

** How To Make a Hectograph [326]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Making Copies with the Hectograph]

A hectograph is very simply and easily made and by means of it many copies of writing can be obtained from a single original.

Make a tray of either tin or pasteboard, a little larger than the sheet of paper you ordinarily use and about 1/2 in. deep. Soak 1 oz. of gelatine in cold water over night and in the morning pour off the water. Heat 6-1/2 oz. of glycerine to about 200 deg. F. on a water bath, and add the gelatine. This should give a clear glycerine solution of gelatine.

Place the tray so that it is perfectly level and pour in the gelatinous composition until it is nearly level with the edge of the tray. Cover it so the cover does not touch the surface of the composition and let it stand six hours, when it will be ready for use.

Make the copy to be reproduced on ordinary paper with aniline ink; using a steel pen, and making the lines rather heavy so they have a greenish color in the light. A good ink may be made of methyl violet 2 parts, alcohol 2 parts, sugar 1 part, glycerine 4 parts, and water 24 parts. Dissolve the violet in the alcohol mixed with the glycerine; dissolve the sugar in the water and mix both solutions.

When the original copy of the writing is ready moisten the surface of the hectograph slightly with a sponge, lay the copy face down upon it and smooth down, being careful to exclude all air bubbles and not s.h.i.+fting the paper. Leave it nearly a minute and raise one corner and strip it from the pad, where will remain a reversed copy of the inscription.

Immediately lay a piece of writing paper of the right size on the pad, smooth it down and then remove as before. It will bear a perfect copy of the original. Repeat the operation until the number of copies desired is obtained or until the ink on the pad is exhausted. Fifty. or more copies can be obtained from a single original.

When through using the hectograph wash it off with a moist sponge, and it will be ready for future use. If the surface is impaired at any time it can be remelted in a water bath and poured into a tray as before, if it has not absorbed too much ink.

** How to Make a Sailomobile [326]

By Frank Mulford, s.h.i.+loh, N. J.

I had read of the beach automobiles used on the Florida coast; they were like an ice boat with a sail, except they had wheels instead of runners. So I set to work to make something to take me over the country roads.

I found and used seven fence pickets for the frame work, and other things as they were needed. I spliced two rake handles together for the mast, winding the ends where they came together with wire.

A single piece would be better if you can get one long enough. The gaff, which is the stick to which the upper end of the sail is fastened, is a broomstick. The boom, the stick at the bottom of the sail, was made of a rake handle with a broomstick spliced to make it long enough. Mother let me have a sheet, which I put down on the floor and cut into the shape of a mainsail. The wind was the cheapest power to be found, thus it was utilized; the three wheels were cast-off bicycle wheels.

I steer with the front wheel, which was the front wheel of an old bicycle with the fork left on. The axle between the rear wheels is an iron bar which cost me 15 cents, and the pulley which raises and lowers the sail cost 5 cents. Twenty cents was all I spent, all the rest I found.

A saw, hammer, and brace and bit were the tools used. Slats made the seat and a cus.h.i.+on from the house made it comfortable, and in a week

[Ill.u.s.tration: Sailomobile for Use on Country Roads]

everything was ready for sailing.