6385. Ether Glue

6385.    Ether Glue. An excellent liquid glue is made by dissolving glue in nitric ether. The ether will only dissolve a certain amount of glue, consequently the solution cannot be made very thick. The glue thus made is about the consistency of molasses, and is doubly as tenacious as that made with hot water. If a few bits of india-rubber, cut into scraps the size of buck-shot, be added, and the solution be allowed to stand a few days, being stirred frequently, it will be all the better, and will resist dampness twice as well as glue made with water.

6386. Brick-Dust Cement

6386.    Brick-Dust Cement. Ordinary brick dust, made from hard burned, finely-pulverized bricks, and mixed with common lime and sand, is a good substitute for hydraulic cement. The proportions used in general practice are 1 part brick-dust and 1 of lime to 2 of sand, mixed together dry, and tempered with water in the usual way.

6387. Cement for a Crack in a Cast-iron Pot

6387.    Cement for a Crack in a Cast-iron Pot. If the crack be in the bottom of the pot, drill a hole at each extreme end of the crack, to stop further cracking, plug rivet the holes with copper, and, with fine iron filings saturated with urine, caulk the crack. This method has been tried on oil-pots on board whale ships with success.

6388. The Drummond Light

6388.    The Drummond Light. This brilliant light is produced by directing a stream of oxygen gas, passing through the flame of a spirit lamp, upon a small ball of quicklime of about 1/4 inch in diameter. It gives an intense light; and, placed in the focus of a parabolic mirror, has been distinctly seen at a distance of 60 miles.

6389. Doebereiner's Self-Igniting Lamp

6389.       Doebereiner's Self-Igniting Lamp. Take an ordinary fruit jar, with a cork stopper or leaden cover; procure any old bottle that will go into the jar, at least two thirds as tall as the jar. Cut off the bottorn of the bottle either with a file or by wrapping a piece of candle-wick soaked in alcohol around it, burning the wick, and dipping in water while hot. (See Nos. 2367 (To Cut Glass Round or Oval Without a Diamond), etc..) A hole is cut in the cork or lead cover, to admit the neck of the bottle and prevent it resting on the bottom of the jar. The bottle is closed with a cork fitted with a short glass tube bent at right angles and drawn to a fine opening. Some pieces of zinc are suspended in the bottle by a wire or little basket of lead. The jar is then filled to about one-half with dilute sulphuric acid. The acid, coming in contact with the zinc, generates hydrogen gas, which escapes from the glass tube. The mixture of air and gas being highly explosive, the lamp should not be ignited until all the air has been expelled. After the air has escaped, a piece of spongy platinum may be placed a little distance from the point of the tube. The gas, impinging on the platinum, heats it sufficiently to ignite itself. The escape of gas may be cut off by slipping a rubber tube closed at one end over the glass tube, or a tube with a stop-cock may be used. As soon as the escape of gas is cut off, its pressure drives the acid out of the bottle into the jar, and no more gas is generated. Pieces of spongy platinum mounted on wires suitable for this use may be obtained of dealers in chemical apparatus. The lamp may also be purchased complete from the same parties.