How to construct wireless outfits, boats, camp equipment, aerial. gliders, kites, self-propelled vehicles engines, motors, electrical apparatus, cameras and hundreds of other things which delight every boy. With 800 illustrations.
A Model Steam Engine- The accompanying sketch illustrates a two-cylinder single-acting, poppet valve steam engine of home construction. The entire engine, excepting the flywheel, shaft, valve cams, pistons and bracing rod...
- Magic Spirit Hand
- The magic hand made of wax is given to the audience for examination, also a board which is suspended by four pieces of common picture-frame wire. The hand is placed upon the board and answers, by rapp...
- Making Skis And Toboggans
- During the winter months everyone is thinking of skating, coasting or ski running and jumping. Those too timid to run down a hill standing upright on skis must take their pleasure in coasting or sk...
- Homemade Life Preserver
- Procure an inner tube of a bicycle tire, the closed-end kind, and fold it in four alternate sections, as shown in Fig. 1. Cut or tear a piece of cloth into strips about 1/2 in. wide, and knot them tog...
- How To Make Boomerangs
- When the ice is too thin for skating and the snow is not right for skis, about the only thing to do is to stay in the house. A boomerang club will help to fill in between and also furnishes good exerc...
- How To Make An Eskimo Snow House
- By GEORGE E. WALSH Playing in the snow can be raised to a fine art if boys and girls will build their creations with some attempt at architectural skill and not content themselves with mere rough wo...
- Secret Door Lock
- The sketch shows the construction of a lock I have on a door which is quite a mystery to those who do not know how it operates. It also keeps them out. The parts of the lock on the inside of the door ...
- A Convenient Hot-Dish Holder
- When taking hot dishes from the stove, it is very convenient to have holders handy for use. For this purpose I screwed two screw eyes into the ceiling, one in front of the stove directly above the pla...
- Magic-Box Escape
- The things required to make this trick are a heavy packing box with cover, one pair of special hinges, one or two hasps for as many padlocks and a small buttonhook, says the Sphinx. The hinges must b...
- A Flour Sifter
- When sifting flour in an ordinary sieve I hasten the process and avoid the disagreeable necessity of keeping my hands in the flour by taking the top from a small tin lard can and placing it on top of ...
- A Funnel
- An automobile horn with the bulb and reed detached makes a good funnel. It must be thoroughly cleaned and dried after using as a funnel. ...
- How To Make Comer Pieces For A Blotter Pad
- To protect the corners of blotting pads such as will be found on almost every writing desk, proceed as follows: First, make a design of a size proportionate to the size of the pad and make a right-an...
- Boring Holes In Cork
- The following hints will be found useful when boring holes in cork. In boring through rubber corks, a little household ammonia applied to the bit enables one to make a much smoother hole and one that ...
- Self-Lighting Arc Searchlight
- A practical and easily constructed self-lighting arc searchlight can be made in the following manner: Procure a large can, about 6 in. in diameter, and cut three holes in its side about 2 in. from the...
- A Traveler's Shaving Mug
- Take an ordinary collapsible drinking cup and place a cake of shaving soap in the bottom ring. This will provide a shaving mug always ready for the traveler and one that will occupy very little space ...
- Homemade Snowshoes
- Secure four light barrel staves and sandpaper the outside smooth. Take two old shoes that are extra large and cut off the tops and heels so as to leave only the toe covering fastened to the sole. Purc...
- Fish Signal For Fishing Through Ice
- Watching a fish line set in a hole cut in the ice on a cold day is very disagreeable, and the usual method is to have some kind of a device to signal the fisherman when a fish is hooked. The tip ups...
- Homemade Floor Polisher
- A floor polisher is something that one does not use but two or three times a year. Manufactured polishers come in two sizes, one weighing 15 lb., which is the right weight for family use, and one weig...
- Tying Paper Bag To Make A Carrying Handle
- In tying the ordinary paper bag, the string can be placed in the paper in such a way that it will form a handle to carry the package, and also prevent any leakage of the contents. The bag must be long...
- Equilibrator For Model Aeroplanes
- On one of my model aeroplanes I placed an equilibrator to keep it balanced. The device was attached to a crosspiece fastened just below the propeller between the main frame uprights. A stick was made ...
- Repairing Christmas-Tree Decorations
- Small glass ornaments for Christmas tree decorations are very easily broken on the line shown in the sketch. These can be easily repaired by inserting in the neck a piece of match, toothpick or splint...
- Homemade Scroll Saw
- A scroll saw, if once used, becomes indispensable in any home carpenter chest, yet it is safe to say that not one in ten contains it. A scroll saw is much more useful than a keyhole saw for sawing sma...
- How To Make A Watch Fob
- The fixtures for the watch fob shown --half size-- may be made of either brass, copper, or silver. Silver is the most desirable but, of course, the most expensive. The buckle is to be purchased. The c...
- An Austrian Top
- All parts of the top are of wood and they are simple to make. The handle is a piece of pine, 5-1/4 in. long, 1-1/4 in. wide and 3/4 in. thick. A handle, 3/4 in. in diameter, is formed on one end, allo...
- Pockets For Spools Of Thread
- A The being needle. to be detachable pocket for holding thread when sewing is shown herewith. dimensions may be varied to admit any number or size of spools. Each pocket is made to take a certain size...
- Cleaning Leather On Furniture
- Beat up the whites of three eggs carefully and use a piece of flannel to rub it well into the leather which will become clean and lustrous. For black leathers, some lampblack may be added and the mixt...
- A Baking Pan
- When making cookies, tarts or similar pastry, the housewife often wishes for something by which to lift the baked articles from the pan. The baking tray or pan shown in the sketch not only protects th...
- A Broom Holder
- Broom Holder A very simple and effective device for holding a broom when it is not in use is shown in the sketch. It is made of heavy wire and fastened to the wall with two screw eyes, the eyes formi...
- Stringing Wires
- A string for drawing electric wires into bent fixtures can be easily inserted by rolling it into a small ball and blowing it through while holding one end. ...
- A Darkroom Lantern
- Procure an ordinary 2-qt. glass fruit jar, break out the porcelain lining in the cover and cut a hole through the metal, just large enough to fit over the socket of an incandescent electric globe, the...
- Preventing Vegetables From Burning In A Pot
- Many housekeepers do not know that there is a simple way to prevent potatoes from burning and sticking to the bottom of the pot. An inverted pie pan placed in the bottom of the pot avoids scorching po...
- A Clothes Rack
- A clothes-drying rack that has many good features can be made as shown in the illustration. When the rack is closed it will fit into a very small space and one or more wings can be used at a time as t...
- Homemade Shower Bath
- A Shower Bath That Costs Less Than One Dollar to Make While in the country during vacation time, I missed my daily bath and devised a shower bath that gave complete satisfaction. The back porch wa...
- How To Make Small Sprocket Wheels
- As I needed several small sprocket wheels and had none on hand, I made them quickly without other expense than the time required, from scrap material. Several old hubs with the proper size bore were s...
- Pot-Cover Closet
- The sides of the cover closet are cut as shown in Fig. 1 and shelves are nailed between them at a slight angle. No dimensions are given as the space and the sizes of the covers are not always the sam...
- Aid In Mixing Salad Dressing
- Some cooks find it a very difficult matter to prepare salad dressing, principally mayonnaise dressing, as the constant stirring and pouring of oil and liquids are required in the operation. The simple...
- Saving Overexposed Developing Prints
- In using developing papers, either for contact printing or enlargements, you are, by all rules of the game, entitled to a certain number of overexposed prints, says a correspondent of Camera Craft. Bu...
- An Ironing-Board Stand
- An ordinary ironing board is cut square on the large end and a slot cut 1-1/2 in. wide and 4 in. long to admit the angle support. The support is placed against the table and the board is pressed down ...
- A Desk Blotting Pad
- Procure four sheets of blotting paper, preferably the colored kind, as it will appear clean much longer than the white. The size of the pad depends on the size of the blotting paper. Fold four pieces...
- Sleeve Holders For Lavatories
- A very handy article is an attachment on wash basins or lavatories for holding the sleeves back while washing the hands. It is very annoying to have the sleeves continually slip down and become wet or...
- Removing Tarnish
- A pencil eraser will remove the tarnish from nickel plate, and the ink eraser will remove the rust from drawing instruments. ...
- How To Make A Brass Bookmark
- Secure a piece of brass of No. 20 gauge, having a width of 2-1/4 in. and a length of 5 in. Make a design similar to that shown, the head of which is 2 in. wide, the shaft 1 in. wide below the head and...
- Cheesebox-Cover Tea Tray
- The cover from a cheesebox can be converted into a tea tray that is very dainty for the piazza, or for serving an invalid's breakfast. First sandpaper the wood until it is smooth, then stain it a mah...
- Piercing-Punch For Brass
- Drill a 1/2-in. hole through a block of pine or other soft wood 2 in. thick. Tack over one end of the hole a piece of pasteboard in which seven coarse sewing-machine needles have been inserted. The ne...
- Kitchen Chopping Board
- Cooks can slice, chop or mince vegetables and various other food rapidly by placing the little device, as shown, on a chopping board. Ii is an ordinary staple, driven in just far enough to allow a spa...
- Carrying Mattresses
- Sew straps to the sides of mattresses and they can be handled much easier. ...
- A Carpenter's Gauge
- The home workshop can be supplied with a carpenter's gauge without any expense' by the use of a large spool and a round stick of wood. The stick should be dressed to fit the hole in the spool snugly a...
- A Flatiron Rest
- The iron rest and wall hanger shown in the sketch is made of sheet iron. The upturned edges of the metal are bent to fit the sloping sides of the iron. The holder and iron can be moved at the same tim...
- Use For Paper Bags
- When groceries are delivered, save the paper bags and use them for staring bread and cakes. Tie the neck of the bag with a string and it will keep the contents fresh and clean. --Contributed by Mrs. L...
- Use Chalk On Files
- If a little chalk is rubbed on a file before filing steel, it will keep the chips from sticking in the cuts on the file and scratching the work. ...
- A Homemade Steam Turbine
- By William H. Warnecke Procure some brass, about 3/16 in. thick and 4 in. square; 53 steel pens, not over 1/4 in. in width at the shank; two enameled, or tin, saucers or pans, having a diameter on t...
- Homemade Telegraph Key
- A simple and easily constructed telegraph key may be made in the following manner: Procure a piece of sheet brass, about 1/32 in. thick, and cut out a strip 3-1/2 in. long by 3/4 in. wide. Bend as sho...
- Keeping Food Cool In Camps
- Camps and suburban homes located where ice is hard to get can be provided with a cooling arrangement herein described that will make a good substitute for the icebox. A barrel is sunk in the ground in...
- Homemade Work Basket
- Secure a cheese box about 12 in. high and 15 in. or more in diameter. It will pay you to be careful in selecting this box. Be sure to have the cover. Score the wood deeply with a carpenter's gauge ins...
- A Window Display
- A novel and attractive aeroplane window display can be easily made in the following manner: Each aeroplane is cut from folded paper, as shown in the sketch, and the wings bent out on the dotted lines....
- How To Make A Flint Arrowhead
- If you live where flints abound, possess the requisite patience and the knack of making things, you can, with the crudest of tools and a little practice, chip out as good arrowheads as any painted sav...
- An Opening Handle For A Stamp Pad
- A stamp pad is a desk necessity and the cleanliness of one depends on keeping it closed when it is not in use. The opening and closing of a pad requires both hands and consequently the closing of a pa...
- Concrete Kennel
- The kennel shown in the illustration is large enough for the usual size of dog. It is cleanly, healthful and more ornamental than the average kennel. Finished Kennel This mission style would be ...
- Nutshell Photograph Novelty
- Split an English walnut in the center, remove the contents, and scrape out the rough parts. Make an oval opening by filing or grinding. If a file is used, it should be new and sharp. Ill: Photogra...
- Spoon Holder On A Kettle
- In making marmalade and jellies the ingredients must be stirred from time to time as the cooking proceeds. After stirring, some of the mixture always remains on the spoon. Cooks often lay the spoon on...
- Repairing Cracked Gramophone Records
- Some time ago I received two gramophone records that were cracked in shipment but the parts were held together with the paper label. As these were single-faced disk records, I used the following metho...
- New Use For A Vacuum Cleaner
- An amateur mechanic who had been much annoyed by the insects which were attracted to his electric lights found a solution in the pneumatic moth trap described in a recent issue of Popular Mechanics. H...
- Filtering With A Small Funnel
- In filtering a large amount of solution one usually desires some means other than a large funnel and something to make the watching of the process unnecessary. If a considerable quantity of a solution...
- A Postcard Rack
- . The illustration shows a rack for postcards. Those having houses with mission-style furniture can make such a rack of the same material as the desk, table or room furnishings and finish it in the s...
- Substitute Shoe Horn
- A good substitute for a shoe horn is a handkerchief or any piece cloth used in the following way: Allow part of the handkerchief or cloth to enter the shoe, place the toe of the foot in the shoe so as...
- Building A Small Photographic Dark Room
- In building a photographic dark room, it is necessary to make it perfectly light-tight, the best material to use being matched boards. These boards are tongued and grooved and when put together effect...
- The Versatile Querl
- Querl is the German name for a kitchen utensil which may be used as an egg-beater, potato-masher or a lemon-squeezer. For beating up an egg in a glass, mixing flour and water, or stirring cocoa or c...
- An Emergency Soldering Tool
- Occasionally one finds a piece of soldering to do which is impossible to reach with even the smallest of the ordinary soldering irons or coppers. If a length of copper wire as large as the job will pe...
- Smoothing Paper After Erasing
- When an ink line is erased the roughened surface of the paper should be smoothed or polished so as to prevent the succeeding lines of ink from spreading. A convenient desk accessory for this purpose c...
- A Cherry Seeder
- An ordinary hairpin is driven part way into a small round piece of wood, about 3/8 in. in diameter and 2 or 2-1/2 in. long, for a handle, as shown in the sketch. The hairpin should be a very small siz...
- A Dovetail Joint
- The illustration shows an unusual dovetail joint, which, when put together properly is a puzzle. The tenon or tongue of the joint is sloping on three surfaces and the mortise is cut sloping to match. ...
- Base For Round-End Bottles
- Base Made-of Corks The many forms of round-bottomed glass bottles used in chemical laboratories require some special kind of support on which they can be safely placed from time to time when the c...
- Rustic Window Boxes
- Instead of using an ordinary green-painted window box, why not make an artistic one in which the color does not clash with the plants contained in it but rather harmonizes with them. Such a window bo...
- Antidote For Squirrel Pest
- To the owner of a garden in a town where squirrels are protected by law, life in the summer time is a vexation. First the squirrels dig up the sweet corn and two or three replantings are necessary. Wh...
- Homemade Electric Stove
- By J. F. THOLL The construction of an electric stove is very simple, and it can be made by any home mechanic having a vise and hand drill. The body is made of sheet or galvanized iron, cut out and d...
- Glass-Cleaning Solution
- Glass tumblers, tubing and fancy bottles are hard to clean by washing them in the ordinary way, as the parts are hard to reach with the fingers or a brush. The following solution makes an excellent cl...
- Automatic-Closing Kennel Door
- When the neighborhood cats are retired for the night and there is nothing more to chase, my fox terrier seems to realize that his usefulness for the day is over and begs to be put in his kennel that h...
- Polishing Cloths For Silver
- Mix 2 lb. of whiting and 1/2 oz. of oleic acid with 1 gal. of gasoline. Stir and mix thoroughly. Soak pieces of gray outing flannel of the desired size--15 by 12 in. is a good size--in this compound. ...
- A Book-Holder
- Books having a flexible back are difficult to hold in an upright position when copying from them. A makeshift combination of paperweights and other books is often used, but with unsatisfactory results...
- Clamping A Cork
- It is aggravating to continually break the cork of the stock mucilage bottle because of its sticking to the neck of the bottle after a supply has been poured out. If a stove bolt is inserted lengthwis...
- Withdrawing Paper From Under An Inverted Bottle
- Invert a bottle on a piece of paper near the edge of a table top and ask anyone to remove the paper without overturning the bottle. They will at once jerk the paper with the result that the bottle wil...
- Emergency Tire Repair
- A bone collar button makes a good substitute for a plug in repairing a puncture in a single-tube bicycle tire. ...
- Broom Holder Made Of A Hinge
- The broom holder shown in the sketch is made of an ordinary hinge with one wing screwed to the wall. The loose wing has a large hole drilled in it to receive the handle of the broom. The manner of hol...
- Making Proofs Before The Negative Dries
- . A correspondent of Camera Craft makes proofs from his developed, but unfixed, negatives, by squeezing a sheet of wet bromide paper into contact with the wet film and giving an exposure several times...
- Flower-Pot Stand
- A very useful stand for flower pots can be made of a piece of board supported by four clothes hooks. The top may be of any size suitable for the flower pot. The hooks which serve as legs are fastened ...
- A Line Harmonograph
- As an apparatus capable of exciting interest, probably nothing so easily constructed surpasses the harmonograph. Your attention will be completely absorbed in the ever changing, graceful sweep of t...
- Cutting Circular Holes In Thin Sheet Metal
- In arts and crafts work, occasion often arises to cut a perfectly circular hole in sheet copper or brass. To saw and file it out takes time and skill. Holes up to 3 in. in diameter can be cut quickly ...
- Key Card For Writing Unreadable Post Cards
- A key card for use in correspondence on postals that makes the matter unreadable unless the recipient has a duplicate key card is made as follows: Rule two cards the size of postal, one for the sender...
- Homemade Carpenter's Vise
- The sketch shows an easily made, quick-working wood vise that has proved very satisfactory. The usual screw is replaced by an open bar held on one end by a wedge-shaped block, and the excess taken up ...
- Toning Blue On Bromide And Platinum
- After some experimenting to secure a blue tone on bromide prints, a correspondent of the Photographic Times produced a very pleasing bluish green tint by immersing the prints in a solution composed of...
- Cutting Loaf Bread
- When cutting a loaf of bread do not slice it from the outer crusted end. Cut through the center, then cut slices from the center toward the ends. The two cut surfaces can be placed together, thus excl...
- How To Make An Electric Toaster
- The electric toaster shown in the sketch is not hard to make. The framework comprising the base and the two uprights may be made either of hardwood or asbestos board, says Popular Electricity. If cons...
- Cabinet For The Amateur's Workshop
- 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 easi...
- Uncurling Photographs
- 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
- 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 al...
- Washboard Holder
- 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 ...
- A Mission Bracket Shelf
- 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 dimensi...
- How To Make A Finger Ring
- While the wearing of copper rings for rheumatism may be a foolish notion, yet there is a certain galvanic action set up by the contact of the acid in the system of the afflicted person with the metal ...
- How To Bind Magazines
- 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 b...
- Metal Coverings For Leather Hinges
- A method of making a leather hinge work as well as an ordinary steel butt is to cover the wings with sheet metal. The metal can be fastened with nails or screws over the parts of the leather attached ...
- Removing Plaster From Skin
- A hot-water bottle held against a porous plaster will assist in quickly removing it from the skin. ...
- How To Make A Cheap Bracket Saw
- For the frame use 3/8-in. round iron, bending it as shown in the diagram and filing a knob on each end, at opposite sides to each other, on which to hook the blade. For the blade an old talking-machin...
- How To Make A Cannon
- 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 ...
- Controller For A Small Motor
- 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...
- How To Make A Simple Water Rheostat
- Wiring Plan for Water Rheostat The materials necessary are: One 5-point wood-base switch, 4 jars, some sheet copper or brass for plates, about 5 ft. of rubber-covered wire, and some No. 18 gauge w...
- How To Build A Toboggan Sled
- By A. BOETTE The first object of the builder of a sled should be to have a winner both in speed and appearance. The accompanying instructions for building a sled are designed to produce these resu...
- How To Make Small Gearwheels Without A Lathe
- To make small models sundry small gears and racks are required, either cut for the place or by using the parts from an old clock. With no other tools than a hacksaw, some files, a compass, and with th...
- How To Make Four Pictures On One Plate
- Secure two extra slides for the plate holders and cut one corner out on one of them, as shown in Fig. 1. Make a hole in the other, as shown in Fig. 2. With a lead pencil draw on the ground glass one l...
- Electric Blue-Light Experiment
- Take a jump-spark coil and connect it up with a battery and start the vibrator. Then take one outlet wire, R, and connect to one side of a 2-cp. electric lamp, and the other outlet wire, B, hold in...
- Interesting Electrical Experiment
- The materials necessary for performing this experiment are: Telephone receiver, transmitter, some wire and some carbons, either the pencils for arc lamps, or ones taken from old dry batteries will do....
- A Cheap Fire Alarm
- An electrical device for the barn that will give an alarm in case of fire is shown in the accompanying diagram. A is a wooden block, which is fastened under the loft at a gable end of the barn; B is a...
- How To Make A Small Electric Furnace
- Take a block of wood and shape into a core. One like a loaf of bread, and about that size, serves admirably. Wrap a layer of asbestos around it and cover this with a thin layer of plaster-of-paris. Wh...
- How To Make An Ammeter
- Every amateur mechanic who performs electrical experiments will find use for an ammeter, and for the benefit of those who wish to construct such an instrument the following description is given: The o...
- How To Make An Ammeter #2
- The outside case of this instrument is made of wood taken from old cigar boxes with the exception of the back. If carefully and neatly made, the finished instrument will be very satisfactory. The meas...
- How To Make A Three-Way Cock For Small Model-Work
- In making models of machines it is often necessary to contrive some method for a 3- or 4-way valve or cock. To make one, secure a pet cock and drill and tap hole through, as shown in the cut. If fo...
- Easy Experiments With Electric-Light Circuit
- An electric-light circuit will be found much less expensive than batteries for performing electrical experiments. The sketch shows how a small arc light and motor may be connected to the light socket,...
- How To Make An Interrupter
- The Wenult interrupter is an instrument much used on large coils and is far more efficient than the usual form of vibrators. It can also be used with success on small coils as well as large. Although ...
- A Miniature "Pepper's Ghost" Illusion
- Probably many readers have seen a Pepper's Ghost illusion at some amusement place. As there shown, the audience is generally seated in a dark room at the end of which there is a stage with black han...
- Experiment With Colored Electric Lamps
- To many the following experiment may be much more easily performed than explained: Place the hand or other object in the light coming from two incandescent lamps, one red and one white, placed about a...
- To Explode Powder With Electricity
- A 1-in. hole was bored in the center of a 2-in. square block. Two finishing nails were driven in, as shown in the sketch. These were connected to terminals of an induction coil. After everything was r...
- Simple Wireless System
- The illustrations will make plain a simple and inexpensive apparatus for wireless telegraphy by which I have had no difficulty in sending messages across 1-1/2 miles of water surface. It is so simple ...
- Stop Crawling Water Colors
- To prevent water colors from crawling, add a few drops of ammonia or lime water, or a solution of sal soda. ...
- Small Electrical Hydrogen Generator
- A small hydrogen generator may be made from a fruit jar, A (see sketch), with two tubes, B and C, soldered in the top. The plates E can be made of tin or galvanized iron, and should be separated about...
- Gasoline Burner For Model Work
- When making a small model traction engine or a locomotive the question arises, What shall the fuel be? If you have decided to use gasoline, then a suitable burner is necessary. A piece of brass tubi...
- A Homemade Telephone Receiver
- 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. f...
- How To Bind Magazines #2
- 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 to...
- A Homemade Acetylene-Gas Generator
- A simple acetylene-gas generator used by myself for several years when out on camping trips was made of a galvanized iron tank, without a head, 18 in. in diameter and 30 in. deep, B, as shown in the s...
- Homemade Annunciator
- When one electric bell is operated from two push-buttons it is impossible to tell which of the two push-buttons is being operated unless an annunciator or similar device is used. A very simple annunci...
- How To Make A Box Kite
- As some of the readers of Amateur Mechanics may desire to build a box kite, a simple method of constructing one of the modern type is given in detail as follows: The sticks should be made of straight ...
- Lubricating A Camera Shutter
- An experienced photographer uses blacklead [graphite] for grooves about a camera or holder. A small quantity is rubbed well into the grooves and on the edges of shutters, that refuse to slide easily, ...
- Simple Open-Circuit Telegraph Line
- By using the circuit shown in the sketch for short-distance telegraph lines, the extra switches and wiring found in many circuits are done away with. Closing either key will operate both sounders, and...
- How To Make A Thermo Battery
- A thermo battery, for producing electricity direct from heat, can be made of a wooden frame, A, with a number of nails, B, driven in the vertical piece and connected in series with heavy copper wires,...
- How To Discharge A Toy Cannon By Electricity
- A device for discharging a toy cannon by electricity can be easily made by using three or four dry batteries, a switch and a small induction coil capable of giving a 1/8-in. spark. Fasten a piece of w...
- Simple Electric Lock
- The illustration shows an automatic lock operated by electricity, requiring a strong magnet, but no weights or strings, which greatly simplifies the device over many others of the kind. Lock Oper...
- Direct-Connected Reverse For Small Motors
- A simple reverse for small motors can be attached directly to the motor as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 2 shows the construction of the reverse block: A is a strip of walnut 5/8 in. square and 3/8 in. thick ...
- A Handy Ice Chisel
- Fishing through the ice is great sport, but cutting the first holes preparatory to setting the lines is not always an easy task. The ice chisel here described will be found very handy, and may be made...
- More Uses For Pipe Fittings
- It would seem that the number of useful articles that can be made from pipes and fittings is unlimited. The sketch shows two more that may be added to the list. A and B are front and side views of a l...
- Sealing-Wax Bent While Cold
- If a piece of sealing-wax is supported in a horizontal position by one end, as shown at A in the sketch, it will gradually bend to the shape indicated by the dotted lines B. To attempt bending it with...
- Homemade Pottery Kiln
- A small kiln for baking clay figures may be built at a cost of $1. The following shows the general plan of such a kiln which has stood the test of 200 firings, and which is good for any work requiring...
- How To Make A Small Medical Induction Coil
- The coil to be described is 3-1/2 in., full length of iron core, and 3/4 in. in diameter. Procure a bundle of small iron wire, say 1/4 in. in diameter, and cut it 3-1/2 in. long; bind neatly with coa...
- Mechanical Trick With Cards
- The following mechanical card trick is easy to prepare and simple to perform: First, procure a new deck, and divide it into two piles, one containing the red cards and the other the black ones, all c...
- How To Make A Rain Gauge
- An accurate rain gauge may be easily constructed from galvanized iron, as shown in the sketch herewith. The funnel, A, overlaps and rests on the body, B, and discharges into the tube, C, the area of w...
- How To Make An Aquarium
- In making an aquarium, the first thing to decide on is the size. It is well not to attempt building a very large one, as the difficulties increase with the size. A good size is 12 by 12 by 20 in., and...
- Homemade Pneumatic Lock
- Mount an old bicycle hand-pump, A, on the door by means of a metal plate, B, having a swinging connection at C. Fasten the lever, D, to the door knob, and make a hinge connection with the pump by mean...
- A Homemade Water Motor
- By MRS. PAUL S. WINTER In these days of modern improvements, most houses are equipped with a washing machine, and the question that arises in the mind of the householder is how to furnish the power ...
- How To Make Silhouettes
- Photography in all branches is truly a most absorbing occupation. Each of us who has a camera is constantly experimenting, and everyone of us is delighted when something new is suggested for such expe...
- How To Make A Galvanoscope
- A galvanoscope for detecting small currents of electricity can be made from a coil of wire, A; a glass tube, B, full of water; a core, C; and a base, D, with binding posts as shown. The core C, which ...
- Lubricating Sheet Metal
- To lubricate sheet metal mix 1 qt. whale oil, 1 lb. white lead, 1 pt. water and 3 oz. finest graphite. Apply with a brush before the metal enters the dies. ...
- An Optical Top
- One of the latest optical delusions, and one not easy to explain, is Benham's color top. Cut out the black and white disk shown in the figure, and paste on a piece of stiff cardboard. Trim the edges o...
- Card Trick With A Tapered Deck
- Another simple trick to perform but one not easily detected, is executed by using a tapered deck of cards as shown in Fig. 1. A cheap deck of cards is evened up square, fastened in a vise and planed a...
- A Constant-Pressure Hydrogen Generator
- By fitting three bottles, A, B, C, with rubber stoppers and connecting with glass tubes as shown in the sketch, hydrogen or other gases produced in a similar manner may be generated under constant pre...
- Restoring Tone To A Cracked Bell
- Many a bell with a deadened tone due to a cracked rim, can be given its original clear ringing sound by sawing out the crack with a common hacksaw. Make the saw cut along the line of the crack. The op...
- How To Make A Paper Phonograph Horn
- Secure a piece of tubing about 1-3/4 in. long that will fit the connection to the reproducer, and wrap a quantity of heavy thread around one end as shown in the enlarged sketch A, Fig. 1. Form a cone ...
- How To Make A Hygrometer
- A homemade hygrometer, for determining the degree of moisture in the atmosphere, is shown in the accompanying sketch and consists of a board, A, with a nail at each end to hold the silk thread B. A se...
- The Protection Of A Spring Lock
- After shutting the front door and hearing the spring lock snap into its socket, most people go off with a childlike faith in the safety of their goods and chattels. But the cold fact is that there is ...
- A Controller And Reverse For A Battery Motor
- Secure a cigar or starch box and use to make the base, B. Two wood-base switches, S S, are cut off a little past the center and fastened to the base with a piece of wood between them. The upper switch...
- How To Build A Grape Arbor
- A grape arbor made of white pine, put together as shown in the sketch, will last for several years. The 2 by 4-in. posts, A, are 7 ft. long. The feet, B, are made 2 by 4 in., 4 ft. long, and rest on a...
- How To Make A Toy Steam Engine
- A toy engine can be easily made from old implements which can be found in nearly every house. Toy Steam Engine Assembled The cylinder A, Fig. 1, is an old bicycle pump, cut in half. The steam ch...
- Writing With Electricity
- Soak a piece of white paper in a solution of potassium iodide and water for about a minute and then lay it on a piece of sheet metal. Connect the sheet metal with the negative or zinc side of a batter...
- To Photograph A Man In A Bottle
- Neither a huge bottle nor a dwarfed man is necessary for this process, as it is merely a trick of photography, and a very amusing trick, at that. First, photograph the person to be enclosed in the bo...
- A Musical Windmill
- Make two wheels out of tin. They may be of any size, but wheel A must be larger than wheel B. On wheel A fasten two pieces of wood, C, to cross in the center, and place a bell on the four ends, as sho...
- Optical Illusions
- By giving the page a revolving or rinsing motion the three circular figures printed on the next page appear to rotate. The best effect will be produced by laying the book down flat on the desk or tabl...
- An Optical Illusion #2
- The engraving shows a perfectly straight boxwood rule laid over a number of turned brass rings of various sizes. Although the effect in the illustration is less pronounced than it was in reality, it w...
- An Optical Illusion #3
- When looking at the accompanying sketch you will say that the letters are alternately inclined to the right and left. They are not so and can be proved by measuring the distance of the top and bottom ...
- Optical Illusions #4
- If a person observes fixedly for some time two balls hanging on the end of cords which are in rapid revolution, not rotation, about a vertical axis, the direction of revolution will seem to reverse. I...
- Optical Illusion #5
- Can you tell which of these three figures is the tallest? Make a guess, and then verify its correctness by measurement. ...
- Another Optical Illusion #6
- After taking a look at the accompanying illustration you will be positive that the cords shown run in a spiral toward the center, yet it shows a series of perfect circles of cords placed one inside th...
- Optical Illusions #7
- The accompanying sketch shows two optical illusions, the first having a perfect circle on the outside edge appears to be flattened at the points A, and the arcs of the circle, B, appear to be more rou...
- Barrel-Stave Hammock
- A hammock made of barrel staves is more comfortable than one would think, considering the nature of the material employed in making it. Good smooth staves should be selected for this purpose, and if o...
- A Singing Telephone
- Those who have not already tried the experiment may be interested to know that a telephone may be made to sing by holding the receiver about 1/16 in. from the transmitter, as shown in the illustration...
- A Microscope Without A Lens
- By E. W. DAVIS Nearly everyone has heard of the pin-hole camera, but the fact that the same principle can be used to make a microscope, having a magnifying power of 8 diameters (64 times) will perha...
- How To Make A Telegraph Key And Sounder
- The sounder, Fig. 1, is made from an old electric-bell magnet, D, fastened to a wooden base. The lever, A, can be made of brass and the armature, C, is made of iron. The pivot, E, is made from a wire ...
- How To Make A Music Cabinet
- A neat music cabinet can be made as shown in the accompanying sketch. Each side, AA, Fig. 1, is cut from a board about 36 in. in length and 16 in. wide. Both are alike and can be cut from the same pat...
- Easily Made Wireless Coherer
- A good wireless coherer may be made with very little expense, the only materials necessary being a glass tube, two corks: a magnetized needle and a quantity of iron and silver filings. Push a piece of...
- One-Wire Telegraph Line
- The accompanying wiring diagram shows a telegraph system that requires no switches and may be operated with open-circuit batteries on a one-wire line with ground connections at each end. Any telegraph...
- How To Make A Water Rheostat
- A water rheostat may be made by fitting a brass tube with a cork, through which a piece of wire is passed. The brass tube may be an old bicycle hand pump, A (see sketch), filled with water. Pushing th...
- Electric Door-Opener
- A very convenient and efficient device for unlocking any door fitted with a spring lock is shown in the accompanying sketches. A fairly stiff spring, A, is connected by a flexible wire cord to the kno...
- How To Tighten A Curtain-Roller Spring
- A common table fork can be used to hold the little projection on the end of a curtain roller for tightening the spring. Hold the fork firmly with one hand while turning the roller with the other. Do n...
- Alarm Clock Chicken Feeder
- An automatic poultry feeder, which will discharge the necessary amount of corn or other feed at any desired time, may be made by using an alarm clock as shown in the sketch. A small wire trigger rests...
- Homemade Disk-Record Cabinet
- Select some boards that have a nice grain and about 1 in. thick and 12-in. wide. Cut the end pieces each 36-in. long and trim down the edges so as to make them 11-3/8 in. wide. The top board is made 2...
- A Battery Rheostat
- In a board 7 in. long and 5 in. wide bore holes about 1/4 in. apart, in a semicircle 2 in. from the bottom, and cut notches in top end to correspond with the holes. From a piece of brass a switch, C, ...
- Automatic Time Switch
- This device may be used to either open or close the circuit at any desired time. An alarm clock is firmly fastened to a wooden bracket and provided with a small wood or metal drum, A, to which is fast...
- How To Make A Rotary Pump
- Details of Rotary Pump A simple rotary pump is constructed on the principle of creating a vacuum in a rubber tube and so causing water to rise to fill the vacuum. Figs. 3, 4 and 5 show all the par...
- How To Make A Fire Screen
- FIG.2 Made of Strap Iron A screen which will not interfere with the radiation of the heat from the fire, and will keep skirts and children safe can be made at little expense out of some strap iron...
- Trap For Small Animals
- This is a box trap with glass sides and back, the panes of glass being held in place by brads placed on both sides. The animal does not fear to enter the box, because he can see through it: when he en...
- Homemade Grenet Battery
- Procure an ordinary carbon-zinc, sal-ammoniac battery and remove the zinc rod. If the battery has been used before, it is better to soak the carbon cylinder for a few hours to remove any remaining cry...
- Door-Opener For Furnace
- The accompanying diagram shows an arrangement to open the coal door of a furnace. When approaching the furnace with a shovelful of coal it is usually necessary to rest the shovel on the top of the ash...
- How To Make An Efficient Wireless Telegraph
- By GEORGE W. RICHARDSON A simple but very efficient wireless telegraph may be constructed at slight cost from the following description: The sending apparatus consists of nothing but an induction co...
- Beeswax For Wood Filler
- When filling nail holes in yellow pine use beeswax instead of putty, as it matches the color well. ...
- How To Make A Lathe
- A small speed-lathe, suitable for turning wood or small metal articles, may be easily made at very little expense. A lathe of this kind is shown in the cut (Fig. 1), where A is the headstock, B the be...
- To Use Old Battery Zincs
- When the lower half of a battery zinc becomes eaten away the remaining part can be used again by suspending it from a wire as shown in the cut. Be sure and have a good connection at the zinc binding p...
- Callers' Approach Alarm
- This alarm rings so that callers approaching the door may be seen before they ring the bell and one can exercise his pleasure about admitting them. If one has a wooden walk, the alarm is easy to fix u...
- Easy Method Of Electroplating
- Before proceeding to electroplate with copper, silver or other metal, clean the articles thoroughly, as the least spot of grease or dirt will prevent the deposit from adhering. Then polish the article...
- An Ingenious Electric Lock For A Sliding Door
- The apparatus shown in Fig. 1 not only unlocks, but opens the door, also, by simply pressing the key in the keyhole. In rigging it to a sliding door, the materials required are: Three flat pulleys, a...
- Parlor Magic For Winter Evenings
- By C. H. CLAUDY You are seated in a parlor at night, with the lights turned low. In front of you, between the parlor and the room back of it, is an upright square of brightly burning lights, surroun...
- Reversing-Switch For Electrical Experiments
- A homemade reversing-switch, suitable for use by students of electrical and engineering courses in performing experiments, is shown in the diagram. FIG.2 Suitable for Students' Use Referring to ...
- How To Receive Wireless Telegraph Messages With A Telephone
- Any telephone having carbon in the transmitter (all ordinary telephones have carbon transmitters) can be used to receive wireless messages by simply making a few changes in the connections and providi...
- Connecting Up Batteries To Give Any Voltage
- Referring to the illustration: A is a five-point switch (may be homemade) ; B is a one-point switch, and C and C1 are binding posts. When switch B is closed and A is on No. 1, you have the current of ...
- A Simple Accelerometer
- A simple accelerometer for indicating the increase in speed of a train was described by Mr. A. P. Trotter in a paper read before the Junior Institution of Engineers of Great Britain. The device con...
- An Egg-Shell Funnel
- Bottles having small necks are hard to fill without spilling the liquid. A funnel cannot be used in a small opening, and pouring with a graduate glass requires a steady hand. When you do not have a gr...
- Handy Electric Alarm
- An electric alarm which one may turn off from the bed without arising combined with a light which may be turned on and off from a lying position, so one can see the time, is the device of H. E. Redmon...
- To Keep Dogs And Cats Away From The Garbage-Can
- Last summer I was annoyed a great deal by dogs upsetting our garbage can on the lawn, but finally executed a plan that rid the yard of them in one afternoon. I first secured a magneto out of an old t...
- How To Cross A Stream On A Log
- When crossing a water course on a fence rail or small log, do not face up or down the stream and walk sideways, for a wetting is the inevitable result. Instead, fix the eye on the opposite shore and w...
- Relay Made From Electric Bell
- It is not necessary to remove the adjusting-screw when changing an electric bell into a relay. Simply twist it around as at A and bend the circuit-breaking contact back as shown. It may be necessary t...
- The Equipment
- Many amateur mechanics who require small metal castings in their work would like to make their own castings. This can easily be done at home without going to any great expense, and the variety and use...
- II - How to Make a Mold
- Having finished making the flask and other equipment, as described, everything will be ready for the operation of molding. It would be well for those who have never had any experience in this line to ...
- III- Melting and Pouring
- Having prepared one or more molds, the next operation is that of melting and pouring. An ordinary cast-iron glue-pot makes a good crucible and can be easily handled by a pair of tongs, made out of ste...
- Battery Switch
- In cases where batteries are used in series and it is desirable to change the strength and direction of the current frequently, the following device will be found most convenient. In my own case I use...
- New Method Of Lifting A Table
- To perform this feat effectively the little device illustrated will be required. To make it take a sheet-iron band, A, 3/4 in. wide and attach a strap to fasten on the forearm between the wrist and el...
- How To Make A Paddle Boat
- A rowboat has several disadvantages. The operation of the oars is both tiresome and uninteresting, and the oarsman is obliged to travel, backward. By replacing the oars with paddles, as shown in ...
- Peculiar Properties Of Ice
- Of all the boys who make snowballs probably few know what occurs during the process. Under ordinary conditions water turns to ice when the temperature falls to 32, but when in motion, or under pr...
- Return-Call Bell With One Wire
- To use only one wire for a return call bell connect up as shown in the diagram, using a closed circuit or gravity battery, B. The current is flowing through both bells all the time, the same as the co...
- Circuit Breaker For Induction Coils
- Amateurs building induction coils are generally bothered by the vibrator contacts blackening, thus giving a high resistance contact, whenever there is any connection made at all. This trouble may be d...
- Spit Turned By Water Power
- Many of the Bulgarian peasants do their cooking in the open air over bonfires. The illustration shows a laborsaving machine in use which enables the cook to go away and leave meat roasting for an hour...
- A Short-Distance Wireless Telegraph
- The accompanying diagrams show a wireless-telegraph system that I have used successfully for signaling a distance of 3,000 ft. The transmitter consists of an induction coil, about the size used for au...
- Automatic Draft-Opener
- A simple apparatus that will open the draft of the furnace at any hour desired is illustrated. The parts are: A, furnace; B, draft; C, draft chain; D, pulleys; E, wooden supports; F, vertical lever; G...
- A Window Conservatory
- During the winter months, where house plants are kept in the home, it is always a question how to arrange them so they can get the necessary light without occupying too much room. The sketch shows ho...
- How To Make An Electroscope
- An electroscope for detecting electrified bodies may be made out of a piece of note paper, a cork and a needle. Push the needle into the cork, and cut the paper in the shape of a small arrow. Balance ...
- Miniature Electric Lighting
- Producing electric light by means of small bulbs that give from one-half to six candle power, and a suitable source of power, is something that will interest the average American boy. These circular ...
- How To Make A New Language
- Anyone possessing a phonograph can try a very interesting and amusing experiment without going to any expense. Remove the belt and replace with a longer one, which can be made of narrow braid or a num...
- How To Make A Cup-And-Saucer Rack
- The rack is made of any suitable kind of wood, and the sides, A, are cut just alike, or from one pattern. The shelves are made in various widths to fit the sides at the places where they are wanted. T...
- Reversing A Small Motor
- All that is necessary for reversing the motor is a pole-changing switch. Connect the two middle posts of the switch with each other and the two outside posts with each other. Then connect one of the o...
- To Drive Away Dogs
- The dogs in my neighborhood used to come around picking up scraps. After I connected up my induction coil, as shown in the sketch, we were not bothered with them. A indicates the ground; B, switch; an...
- An Automatic Lock
- The illustration shows an automatic lock operated by electricity, one cell being sufficient. When the circuit is broken a weight, A, attached to the end of the armature B, tends to push the other end ...
- Experiment With Two-Foot Rule And Hammer
- An example of unstable equilibrium is shown in the accompanying sketch. All that is needed is a 2-foot rule, a hammer, a piece of string, and a table or bench. The experiment works best with a hammer ...
- Simple Current Reverser
- On a block of hardwood draw a square (Fig. 1) and drill a hole in each corner of the square. Fill these holes with mercury and connect them to four binding posts (Fig. 1). On another block of wood fa...
- Alarm Clock To Pull Up Furnace Draft
- A stout cord, A, is attached to the draft B of the furnace, run through a pulley, C, in the ceiling and has a window weight, D, attached at the other end. A small stick is put through a loop in the co...
- How To Transmit Phonograph Music To A Distance
- An interesting experiment, and one calculated to mystify anyone not in the secret, is to transmit the music or speech from a phonograph to another part of the house or even a greater distance. For an ...
- How To Make A Telescope
- With a telescope like the one here described, made with his own hands, a farmer boy not many years ago discovered a comet which had escaped the watchful eyes of many astronomers. First, get two piece...
- How To Make "Freak" Photographs
- The freak pictures of well-known people which were used by some daily newspapers recently made everybody wonder how the distorted photographs were made. A writer in Camera Craft gives the secret, wh...
- Another Electric Lock
- The details of the construction of an electrically operated lock are shown in the illustration. When the door is closed and the bolt A pushed into position, it automatically locks. To unlock, push the...
- How To Mix Plaster Of Paris
- For the mixing of plaster of Paris for any purpose, add the plaster gradually to the water, instead of the contrary, says the Master Painter. Do not stir it, just sprinkle it in until you have a cream...
- Enlarging With A Hand Camera
- Everyone who owns a hand camera has some pictures he would like enlarged. It is not necessary to have a large camera to do this, as the process is exceedingly simple to make large pictures from small ...
- Positioning A Hanging Lamp
- Don't pull a lamp hung by flexible cord to one side with a wire and then fasten to a gas pipe. I have seen a wire become red hot in this manner. If the lamp hung by a cord must be pulled over, use a s...
- A Curious Compressed Air Phenomenon
- Push a pin through an ordinary business card and place the card against one end of a spool with the pin inside the bore, as shown in the sketch. Then blow through the spool, and it will be found that ...
- Simple Switch For Reversing A Current
- Take two strips of copper or brass and fasten them together by means of gutta-percha (Fig. 1); also provide them with a handle. Saw out a rectangular block about one and one-half times as long as the ...
- Novel Mousetrap
- A piece of an old bicycle tire and a glass fruit jar are the only materials required for making this trap. Push one end of the tire into the hole, making sure that there is a space left at the end so ...
- Polishing Nickel
- A brilliant polish may be given to tarnished nickel by immersing in alcohol and 2 per cent of sulphuric acid from 5 to 15 seconds. Take out, wash in running water, rinse in alcohol, and rub dry with l...
- Homemade Arc Light
- By rewinding an electric-bell magnet with No. 16 wire and connecting it in series with two electric-light carbons, as shown in the sketch, a small arc will be formed between the carbon points when the...
- Lighting An Incandescent Lamp With An Induction Coil
- An incandescent lamp of low candlepower may be illuminated by connecting to an induction coil in the manner shown in the sketch. One wire is connected to the metal cap of the lamp and the other wire i...
- How To Make A Jump-Spark Coil
- The induction coil is probably the most popular piece of apparatus in the electrical laboratory, and particularly is it popular because of its use in experimental wireless telegraphy. Ten years ago wi...
- Combined Door Bell And Electric Alarm
- This device consists of a battery and bell connection to an alarm clock which also acts as a door bell, the whole being mounted on a board 18 in. long and 12 in. wide. Referring to the sketch accompa...
- To Build A Small Brass Furnace
- Bend a piece of stout sheet iron 23 in. by 12 in. round so that the inside diameter is 7 in., and then rivet the seam. Fit in a round piece of sheet iron for the bottom. Make a hole about the size of ...
- Avoid Paper Lamp Shades
- Don't wrap paper around a lamp for a shade. You might go away and forget it and a fire might be started from the heat. Use a glass or metal shade. That is what they are for. ...
- Why Gravity Batteries Fail To Work
- Many amateur electricians and some professionals have had considerable trouble with gravity batteries. They Settine Up A Gravity Battery Setting Up a Gravity Battery follow directions carefully ...
- A Skidoo-Skidee Trick
- In a recent issue or Popular Mechanics an article on The Turning Card Puzzle was described and illustrated. Outside of the scientific side involved, herein I describe a much better trick. About the ...
- Effects Of Radium
- Radium acts upon the chemical constituents of glass, porcelain and paper, imparting to them a violet tinge; changes white phosphorus to yellow, oxygen to ozone, affects photograph plates and produces ...
- Naval Speed Record
- On its official trial trip the British torpedo boat destroyer Mohawk attained the record speed of a little over 39 miles an hour. ...
- How To Enlarge From Life In The Camera
- Usually the amateur photographer gets to a point in his work where the miscellaneous taking of everything in sight is somewhat unsatisfying: There are many special fields he may enter, and one of them...
- Steel Pen Used In Draftsman's Ink Bottle Cork
- A steel pen makes an ideal substitute for a quill in the stopper of the draftsman's ink bottle. The advantage of this substitute is that there is always one handy to replace a broken or lost pen, whil...
- How To Make A Pilot Balloon
- By E. Goddard Jorgensen Unusual interest is being displayed in ballooning, and as it is fast becoming the favorite sport many persons would like to know how to construct a miniature balloon for maki...
- How To Clean A Clock
- It is very simple to clean a clock, which may sound rather absurd. For an amateur it is not always necessary to take the clock to pieces. With a little care and patience and using some benzine, a clea...
- How To Make Blueprint Lantern Slides
- Lantern slides of a blue tone that is a pleasing variety from the usual black may be made from spoiled or old plates which have not been developed, by fixing, washing well and then dipping five minute...
- A Substitute For A Ray Filter
- Not many amateur photographers possess a ray filter. A good substitute is to use the orange glass from the ruby lamp. This can be held in position in front of the lens with a rubber band. A longer exp...
- Electric Lamp Experiments
- Incandescent electric lamps can be made to glow so that they may be seen in a dark room by rubbing the globe on clothing or with a paper, leather or tinfoil and immediately holding near a 1/2-in. Ruhm...
- How To Make A Simple Wireless Telegraph
- By ARTHUR E. JOERIN An efficient wireless-telegraph receiving apparatus for distances up to 1,000 ft. may be constructed in the following manner: Attach a watchcase telephone receiver to a dry cell, ...
- To Preserve Putty
- Putty, when left exposed to the air, will soon become dry and useless. I have kept putty in good condition for more than a year by placing it in a glass jar and keeping it entirely covered with water....
- How To Make A Small Storage Battery
- The cell of a storage battery consists of two plates, a positive and a negative, made of lead and placed in a dilute solution of sulphuric acid. Large batteries made of large cells have a great number...
- Fitting A Plug In Different Shaped Holes
- A certain king offered to give the prince his liberty if he could whittle a plug that would fit four different shaped holes, namely: a square hole, a round one, an oblong one and a triangular one, say...
- How To Make A Lightning Arrester
- Secure a piece of wood about 3-1/2 in. square that will furnish a nice finish and round the corners and make a small rounding edge as shown in the sketch. From a piece of brass 1/16 in. thick cut two ...
