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diff --git a/41669-0.txt b/41669-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..43df436 --- /dev/null +++ b/41669-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5698 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 41669 *** + +[Transcriber's Note + +The "LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS" was added. + +Many of the figures were NOT in sequential order within the original +publication and are transcribed as printed. + +Emphasis notation for italic is _Text_ and bold is =Text=. + +Whole and fractional parts of numbers is displayed as 2-1/4.] + + + + + HOME-MADE TOYS + FOR + GIRLS AND BOYS + + + + + BOOKS BY A. NEELY HALL + + + _8vo. Cloth. Illustrated with hundreds of full-page + and working drawings by the author + and Norman P. Hall_ + + + =THE BOY CRAFTSMAN= { Price _net_ $ 1.60 + { Postpaid 1.82 + + =HANDICRAFT FOR HANDY BOYS= { Price _net_ $ 2.00 + { Postpaid 2.25 + + =THE HANDY BOY= { Price _net_ $ 1.60 + { Postpaid 1.82 + + + LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO., BOSTON + + + +[Illustration: FIGS. 287 AND 288. AN AUTO DELIVERY-WAGON BUILT OF +CIGAR-BOXES. (See page 192.)] + + + + + HOME-MADE TOYS + FOR + GIRLS AND BOYS + + Wooden and Cardboard Toys, + Mechanical and Electrical Toys + + _By_ A. Neely Hall + + _Author of_ "_The Boy Craftsman_", + "_Handicraft for Handy Boys_", + "_The Handy Boy_" _Etc._ + + With over three hundred illustrations and + working-drawings by the author and Norman + P. Hall + + + BOSTON + + LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO. + + + + + COPYRIGHT, 1915, BY + LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD COMPANY + PUBLISHED, AUGUST, 1915 + + + _All rights reserved_ + + HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS + + + + Norwood Press + J. S. Cushing Co.--Berwick & Smith Co. + Norwood, Mass., U.S.A. + + + + + _Constructive ideas expel destructive ideas from the juvenile mind._ + + + + +INTRODUCTORY NOTES + + +Through the author's handicraft volumes, and magazine and newspaper +articles, thousands of boys and girls who never realized they could make +their own toys, have succeeded in constructing models which would do +credit to Santa Claus' master toy-makers. + +The success of this new home industry has suggested the need of a volume +devoted entirely to toy-making, and in HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS +the author has brought together a large number of the toy ideas from his +former handicraft volumes, and from his articles published in the +_Ladies' Home Journal_, _Woman's Home Companion_, _Good Housekeeping_, +the _Boys' Magazine_, and other publications, and he believes that as +collected and arranged the material will be found a veritable gold-mine +of toy-making information. + +Go to any toy store and price the toys similar to those described within +these covers, then estimate if you can how much the other toys you do +not find would cost if manufactured, and you will discover that one +hundred dollars would not cover their value. One splendid thing about +these home-made toys is that the greater part of them require little +more than the pick-up material found at home. Few boys and girls are +given a one hundred dollar assortment of toys at a time, yet any one can +own a collection of this value who is willing to spend the time +necessary to follow the instructions given in this book. Probably, +though, some of the toys will be wanted now, and the others one, two or +three seasons hence, because, you see, the book is an all-the-year-round +handy book with suggestions for every season. Some of the toys will be +of especial interest to boys, yet girls who like what boys like will +enjoy making them also. + +Home-made toys are generally longer lived than store toys because the +boy or girl who expends a certain amount of effort producing gives them +better care. Home-made toys have a greater value than boughten ones +because there is as much fun making them as playing with them. Doing +something interesting, getting satisfying results out of the work, +putting an idea into tangible form, and having a toy to show of which it +can be said, "I made this all myself,"--these are the factors in +toy-making so fascinating to boys and girls. + +It is no less a child's nature to want to do that which is most pleasing +to him, than an adult's, so why not encourage this wholesome activity of +toy-making to which the child takes as readily as a duck takes to water? +It trains the mind to think clearly, the hands to work cleverly, +replaces destructive thoughts with constructive ideas, and, in making +the boy or girl dependent upon himself or herself for toys, is +invaluable in developing resourcefulness. + +Recognizing how easily the child's interest is attracted and held by +anything of a building nature, toy manufacturers have placed scores of +so-called "construction sets" upon the market, but, though excellent as +these outfits are, the toys they form are merely assembled, not really +made by the boy or girl, and much of the value of making is lost. Exactly +as good models as those assembled with "construction sets" can be made of +pick-up materials, as chapters in this book show. In fact, some of the +models in the manufacturers' instruction pamphlets--merry-go-rounds, +Ferris wheels and swings--are almost identical with home-made models +devised long ago by the author for his readers. Furthermore, there are +many, very many toys in HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS which are +beyond the limited possibilities of "construction sets." + + A. N. H. + + OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, + May 31, 1915. + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER I + PAGE + + HOME-MADE WINDMILLS 1 + The Paper Pinwheel--The Pinion-wheel Windmill--To mount + the Pinion-wheel--The Four-blade Windmill--To mount the + Windmill--The Eight-blade Windmill--The Hub--The Eight + Blades--The Shaft--The Tail--To pivot the Windmill--To + operate a Toy Jumping-jack. + + CHAPTER II + + HOME-MADE KITES 9 + How to make a Malay--The Sticks--Framing the + Sticks--Covering the Framework--Attaching the + Bridle--Flying-line--The Box-kite--The Kite + Sticks--The Side Frames--Covering for the End + Cells--Assembling the Kite--Attaching the + Bridle--A Good Hand Kite-reel--A Body Kite-reel. + + CHAPTER III + + A HOME-MADE MODEL AEROPLANE 21 + Accuracy in Model Construction--The Most Successful Type + of Model--The Fuselage--The Thrust Bearings--The Bow + Hooks--The Main Plane--The Elevator--The Fin--The + Propellers--How to prepare the Propellers--The Propeller + Blank--The Propeller-shafts--The Motors--The Home-made + Motor-winder--How the Egg-beater winds the Motors--Care + in winding the Motors--Position to take for launching a + Model. + + CHAPTER IV + + A HOME-MADE TOY MOTOR-BOAT 33 + How operated--The Hull Bottom--The Sides--The Deck--The + Propeller--The Propeller-shaft--The Bearing Plate--The + Thrust Bearing--The Rubber-band Motor--To wind the + Motor--How to elaborate upon the Design and Construction. + + CHAPTER V + + HOME-MADE TOY WATER-MOTORS 38 + A Varnish-can Water-motor--The Case--The Water-motor + Wheel--The Eight Paddles--The Wheel Shaft--An Outlet--A + Pulley-belt--Pulley-wheels--Connecting up the + Water-motor--Another Water-motor--The Water-motor + Wheel--The Wheel Supports--To mount the Wheel--The + Pulley Wheel--The Water-motor Case. + + CHAPTER VI + + A HOME-MADE TOY RAILWAY 47 + The Trolley-line--Supports for Trolley-line--Power for + Operating--Railway--Tracks--The Cars--A Gondola Car--A + Street Car--Other Cars--Operation of the Railway--A + Station. + + CHAPTER VII + + HOME-MADE TOY ELEVATORS 59 + A Toy Elevator that appears Magical in its + Operation--Adapting Elevator to Toy Office + Building--Floors--Partitions--The Elevator Car--The + Elevator Guides--The Cables--The Counter-balance--The + Smoke-stack--The Overhead Pulleys--How the Car + operates--Ballast--To make the Car Rise--A Simple + Control--Two Levers--An Outdoor Elevator--The Guide + Supports--The Car--The Guides--The Counter-balance--The + Lifting Cable--The Lowering Cable. + + CHAPTER VIII + + HOME-MADE MECHANICAL TOYS 71 + The Simple Construction of Small Mechanical Toys--A + Buzz-saw Whirligig--Operating the Whirligig--The + Clog-dancer--A Toy Jumping-jack--A Cricket-rattle--The + Turtle Toy--To make the Turtle Crawl. + + CHAPTER IX + + HOME-MADE TOPS 79 + Top Spinning on the South Sea Islands--Clock Wheel + Tops--A Rug-tack Top--A Spool Top--A Spinning Top + Race-track--A Shoe-polish Can Top--A Spiral Top--A + Merry-go-round Top--How the Top Spins--Horses and + Riders--A Flag. X/ /X + + CHAPTER X + + HOME-MADE CLOCKWORK TOYS 88 + The Necessary Materials--How to prepare the + Clockwork--The Merry-go-round--The Standard--The + Tent--The Tent-poles--The Horses--The Sleighs--The + Shafts--The Girl Riders--The Boy Riders--The + Platform--How to operate the Merry-go-round--Other + Animals--A Miniature Ferris Wheel--The Standard--The + Clockwork Motor--The Station Platform--The + Wheel--Rims--Hubs--Spokes--Assembling the Wheel--The + Cars--Axles--How to mount the Wheel--The Platform + Steps--The "Flying Airships"--The Standard--The + Mast--The Cars--Increasing the Speed of the + Clockwork--An Electric Motor--An Automobile--The + Frame--The Belt--Testing the Machine--The Cardboard + Sides--The Wheels--The Mud-guards--The Lamps--The + Steering-wheel--The Horn--The Brake--The + Chauffeur--Painting the Machine--An Automobile + Delivery Wagon--The Cardboard Sides--The Wheels--Other + Portions--Painting the Wagon--A Clockwork Railway. + + CHAPTER XI + + HOME-MADE ELECTRICAL TOYS 117 + An Electro-magnet Derrick--The Electro-magnet--A + Home-made Switch--The Derrick--The Windlass--The + Hoisting Cables--How the Derrick Works--A Toy Shocking + Machine--The Induction-coil--The Primary-coil--The + Secondary-coil--The Handles--An Interrupter--How the + Interrupter Works--A Toy Electric Motor Truck--The + Wheels--The Upper Shaft--The Belts--The Battery--The + Bi-chromate Battery Fluid--Amalgamating a Zinc + Pencil--The Seat and Canopy-top--The Seat-arms--The + Steering-wheel--The Levers. + + CHAPTER XII + + A HOME-MADE TOY SHOOTING GALLERY 140 + The Framework--The Circular Target--The Animal + Targets--The Card-shooting Pistol--How to number the + Targets--How to shoot at the Targets. + + CHAPTER XIII + + A HOME-MADE DOLL-HOUSE 145 + The Building Material--The Floor Plans--The + Partitions--The Elevator-shaft--The Side Walls--The + Rear Wall--The Front Wall--The Windows--The Roof--The + Chimney--An Elevator--The Car--The Guide-wires--The + Pulleys--The Chain Cable--The Counter-balance--The + Gable-ends--Spring-catches--The + Stairway--Stringers--Treads and + Risers--Newel-posts--Hand-rails--Balusters--The Front + Steps--The Window Openings--The Window Glass--The + Front and Rear Doors--The Outside Trimmings--The + Interior Woodwork--Setting the Nail-heads--Painting. + + CHAPTER XIV + + FURNISHING THE HOME-MADE DOLL-HOUSE 156 + The Walls and Ceiling--Hardwood + Floors--Carpets--Rugs--Window-shades--Lace + Curtains--Portières--Pictures--A Cosey-corner--Buying + Furnishings--Making Furniture. + + CHAPTER XV + + A HOME-MADE TOY STABLE 160 + Dimensions of Stable--The First Story--The Roof--The + Gable-end--The Stall Partitions--The + Feed-troughs--Windows--Ladder to Hay-loft--Feed-hoist--The + Drop-front--A Stable Door--Painting--If you prefer a + Garage. + + CHAPTER XVI + + A HOME-MADE DOLL APARTMENT BUILDING 165 + A New Idea in Doll-houses--How the Three Units are + arranged to form a Three-story Building or Six-room + Apartment--Building Material--The Room Dimensions--The + First Story Unit--The Second Story Unit--The Third Story + Unit--The Door and Window Openings--The Bay Windows--The + Joints between the Units--The Roof Construction--The + Chimney--The Windows--The Front Door--The Inside + Doorways--The Interior Trim--A Fireplace--Lighting + Fixtures--Decorating--Painting the Outside Walls. + + CHAPTER XVII + + HOME-MADE DOLL FURNITURE 174 + Metal Furniture--Miniature Mission + Furniture--Material--Drawing the Patterns and Enlarging + by Squares--The Chairs--The Settee--Tables--A + Dining-room Table--A Side-board--A Mirror--The + Grandfather's Clock--Kitchen Furniture--The Beds--The + Dresser--A Wash-stand--Finishing. + + OTHER CIGAR-BOX FURNITURE 187 + A Folding-bed--A Dresser--A Wardrobe. + + CHAPTER XVIII + + HOME-MADE CIGAR-BOX TOYS 191 + Material--Cutting--An Express-wagon--A Cart--An Auto + Delivery-wagon--A Jack-in-the-box--A Round-seated + Chair--A Round Center-table--A Dining-table--A + Square-seated Chair--A Doll's Cradle--Finishing the + Cigar-box Wood. + + CHAPTER XIX + + HOME-MADE SPOOL AND CARDBOARD TOYS 196 + Material--A Baby Carriage--A Two-wheel Cart--A Toy + Merry-go-round--A Teeter-board--A Doll Swing--A + Sofa--A Chair--A Square Center-table--A Round + Center-table. + + CHAPTER XX + + A HOME-MADE TOY MAIL-BOX 205 + Playing Postman--Material for Mail-box--The Sides, + Ends, and Bottom of Box--The Top--The Letter-drop--The + Collection-drop--Reinforcing the Corners--Covering the + Box--A Collection Schedule Card--How to hang up the + Mail-box--A Mail-bag--The Way to play Post-office. + + CHAPTER XXI + + A HOME-MADE REFLECTOSCOPE 210 + The Working Principle of the Reflectoscope--Material + for making One--The Lens Opening--Ventilator Holes--The + Interior Arrangement--A Hood for the Ventilators--If + Oil Lamps are Used--If Electric Light is Used--How to + mount the Lens--Puttying Cracks--Painting the Inside + of the Box--The Back Boards--The Picture Holder--How + the Lens reverses Pictures--Adjustments. + + INDEX 215 + + + + +LIST OF HALF-TONE ILLUSTRATIONS + + (In addition to 346 text illustrations) + + + Figs. 287 and 288. An Auto Delivery-wagon built of + Cigar Boxes (Page 192) _Frontispiece_ + + FACING PAGE + + Fig. 48. Launching the Toy Motor-boat 34 + + Fig. 108. The Buzz-saw whizzes when you twist the Cord } + Fig. 109. The Eccentric Clog-dancer is a Circus in Himself } 72 + Fig. 110. Pull the String and Jack jumps comically } + + Fig. 114. Whirling the Cricket-rattle makes it Chirp } + Fig. 115. The Crawling Turtle's Shell is a Jelly-mould } 76 + + Fig. 135. A Merry-go-round } + Fig. 136. A Clockwork Motor } + Fig. 137. A Ferris Wheel } 90 + Fig. 138. A Flying Airship } + + Fig. 160. The Car Completed } + Fig. 161. The Framework } 104 + + Fig. 220. The Home-made Doll-house } + Fig. 221. Interior View of Doll-house } 146 + + Fig. 243. The Most Stylish Apartments in Doll Town } + Fig. 244. How the Three Stories are arranged side by } 166 + side to form a Six-room Apartment } + + Fig. 284. An Express-wagon } + Fig. 285. A Cart. } 192 + + Fig. 289. A Jack-in-the-box } + Fig. 290. The Skeleton of the Jack-in-the-box } + Fig. 291. A Round-seated Chair } + Fig. 292. A Round Center-table } 194-195 + Fig. 293. A Dining-table } + Fig. 294. A Square-seated Chair } + Fig. 295. A Doll's Cradle } + + Fig. 325. The Home-made Mail-box strapped to the Face of a Door } + Fig. 326. The Home-made Mail-box strapped to a Chair-back } 206 + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + + PAGE + + FIG. 1. The Paper Pinwheel is the Simplest Pinwheel to Make. 1 + FIG. 2. Diagram for Paper Pinwheel. 2 + FIG. 3. How the Paper Pinwheel is Folded. 2 + FIG. 4. A Pinion-wheel Windmill. 3 + FIG. 5. Diagram for Pinion-wheel Windmill. 3 + FIG. 6. A Four-blade Windmill. 4 + FIG. 7. Hub. 4 + FIG. 8. How to Slot End of Shaft for Tail 4 + FIG. 9. An Eight-blade Windmill. 5 + FIG. 10. Spool Hub. 6 + FIG. 11. Blades. 6 + FIG. 12. Shaft. 6 + FIG. 13. Tail. 6 + FIG. 14. How the Windmill may be Rigged up to Operate a Toy + Jumping-jack. 7 + FIG. 15. How the Jumping-jack is Supported. 8 + FIG. 16. Spool Hub. 8 + FIG. 17. A Malay Tailless Kite. 9 + FIG. 18. Completed Malay Kite with Belly-band Attached. 10 + FIG. 19. Framework of Malay Kite. 11 + FIG. 20. Detail of Vertical Stick. 12 + FIG. 21. Detail of Bow-Stick. 12 + FIG. 22. Detail of End of Bow-Stick. 12 + FIG. 23. Raising the Box-Kite. 13 + FIG. 24. The Box-Kite. 14 + FIG. 25. Make Two Side Frames like this. 14 + FIG. 26. Cross-section of the Box-Kite. 15 + FIG. 27. Detail of Diagonal Braces. 16 + FIG. 28. A Good Hand Kite-reel. 17 + FIGS. 29 and 30. Details of Hand Kite-reel. 18 + FIG. 31. A Body Kite-reel. 19 + FIG. 32. Detail of Axle Support. 19 + FIG. 33. Detail of Crank. 19 + FIG. 34. Launching a Model Aeroplane. 22 + FIG. 35. Plan. 23 + FIG. 36. Side Elevation (without Rubber Motor). 23 + FIG. 37. Detail of Fuselage and Motor of the Wells Model. 24 + FIG. 38. Detail of Thrust Bearing, Propeller-shaft, and + Connections. 24 + FIG. 39. Detail of Bow Hook and how Rubber Motor is Connected + to it. 24 + FIG. 40. Detail of the Main Plane Framework of the Wells Model. 26 + FIG. 41. Detail of the Elevator Framework. 26 + FIG. 42. Detail of Fin. 26 + FIG. 43. The Wells Model Propeller. 27 + FIG. 44. How to Prepare a 9-inch Propeller. 27 + FIG. 45. A Home-made Motor Winder. 30 + FIG. 46. The Kind of Egg-beater to Use. 30 + FIG. 47. How the Motors are Connected to Winder for Winding. 30 + FIG. 48. LAUNCHING THE TOY MOTOR-BOAT. 34 + FIG. 49. The Completed Motor-boat. 33 + FIG. 50. Stern, with Motor in Place. 33 + FIG. 51. Diagram of Hull. 34 + FIGS. 52 and 53. How the Hull, Sides, Stern and Deck Pieces are + Assembled 34 + FIG. 54. Longitudinal Section of Assembled Motor-boat. 36 + FIGS. 55-59. Details of Propeller. 36 + FIG. 60. Rubber-band Motor 36 + FIG. 61. A Varnish-can Water-motor in Operation. 38 + FIG. 62. The Completed Varnish-can Water-motor. 39 + FIGS. 63 and 64. Sections through Water-motor Case. 40 + FIG. 65. The Completed Water-motor Wheel. 41 + FIGS. 66 and 67. Details of Water-motor Wheel. 41 + FIGS. 68-69. How to Make a Water-tight Connection between Faucet + and Water-motor. 42 + FIG. 70. A Small Water-motor that can be Operated in a + Wash-basin. 43 + FIG. 71. The Water-motor Wheel. 43 + FIGS. 72 and 73. Details of Water-motor Wheel. 44 + FIG. 74. Support for Water-motor Wheel. 45 + FIG. 75. Upright. 47 + FIG. 76. The Toy Railway in Operation. 48 + FIG. 77. Support for Trolley-line. 48 + FIG. 78. The Tracks. 50 + FIG. 79. A Top View of Car Truck. 50 + FIG. 80. Spool Wheels. 51 + FIG. 81. The Completed Car Truck. 51 + FIG. 82. 51 + FIG. 83. A Gondola Car. 52 + FIG. 84. Side View. 53 + FIG. 85. End View. 53 + FIGS. 86-94. Details of Toy Street Car. 55 + FIG. 95. The Railway Depot. 57 + FIG. 96. A Toy Office Building with Elevator. 60 + FIG. 97. Section through Elevator Shaft. 62 + FIG. 98. Floors. 63 + FIG. 99. Partitions. 63 + FIG. 100. Front View of Elevator Shaft. 64 + FIGS. 101. and 102. Elevator Car Details. 64 + FIG. 103. Detail of Brake and Controlling Levers. 65 + FIG. 104. An Outdoor Elevator. 66 + FIG. 105. Supports for Elevator Guides and Cables. 67 + FIG. 106. Elevator Car. 69 + FIG. 107. Counter-balance. 69 + FIG. 108. The Buzz-saw whizzes when you Twist the Cord. 72 + FIG. 109. The eccentric Clog-dancer is a Circus in himself. 72 + FIG. 110. Pull the String and Jack jumps comically. 72 + FIG. 111. Detail of Buzz-saw Whirligig shown in Fig. 108. 72 + FIG. 112. Details of Body of the Clog-dancer shown in Fig. 109. 73 + FIG. 113. Details of Body of the Jumping-jack shown in Fig. 110. 74 + FIG. 114. Whirling the Cricket-rattle makes it chirp. 76 + FIG. 115. The crawling Turtle's Shell is a Jelly Mould. 76 + FIG. 116. Details of the Noisy Cricket-rattle shown Fig. 114. 76 + FIG. 117. How Head, Feet, and Tail are Attached to a Jelly Mould + to Make the Turtle shown in Fig. 115. 77 + FIG. 118. The Spool Wheels and the Rubber-bands which Propel them. 77 + FIGS. 119 and 120. Clock Wheel Tops. 80 + FIG. 121. Upholstering Tack Top. 80 + FIG. 122. How to Hold Upholstering Tack for Spinning. 80 + FIGS. 123 and 124. Details of Spool Top. 80 + FIG. 125. A Shoe-polish Can Top. 81 + FIGS. 126-128. Details of Shoe-polish Can Top. 82 + FIG. 129. A Spinning Top Race-track. 83 + FIG. 130. A Spiral Top. 84 + FIG. 131. Diagram of Spiral for Spiral Top. 84 + FIG. 132. A Merry-go-round Top. 85 + FIG. 133. Detail of Merry-go-round Top. 86 + FIG. 134. How Horses are Mounted upon Top Platform. 86 + FIG. 135. A Merry-go-round. 90 + FIG. 136. A CLOCKWORK MOTOR. 90 + FIG. 137. A Ferris Wheel. 90 + FIG. 138. The "Flying Airships." 90 + FIG. 139. How the Clockwork Motor is Fastened to the Cigar-box + Cover. + (This Box has been cut down to the Proper Length for + the Ferris Wheel.) 89 + FIG. 140. Plan of Top of Standard for Merry-go-round. 91 + FIG. 141. Pattern for Tent of Merry-go-round. 91 + FIG. 142. The Tent ready to be Fastened upon a Tent-pole. 91 + FIG. 143. Full-size Pattern for the Horses of the Merry-go-round. 92 + FIG. 144. Pattern for the Merry-go-round Sleighs. 93 + FIG. 145. A Completed Sleigh showing Attachment to Shaft. 94 + FIG. 146. Full-size Pattern for the Girl Riders. 95 + FIG. 147. Full-size Pattern for the Boy Riders. 95 + FIG. 148. How the Second Leg of the Boy is Attached. 95 + FIG. 149. Standard for the Ferris Wheel. 97 + FIG. 150. Make Two Supports like this for the Ferris Wheel + Standard. 98 + FIGS. 151 and 152. How a Spool is Fastened to the Top of the + Support for a Hub. 98 + FIG. 153. How to Lay out the Cardboard Rims of the Ferris Wheel. 99 + FIG. 154. The Spokes Fitted into the Spool Hub. 99 + FIG. 155. The Rim Slipped into the End of the Spokes. 99 + FIG. 156. A Spool Hub for the Wheel. 99 + FIG. 157. How the Spokes, Rims, and Axles are Fastened Together. 99 + FIG. 158. Pattern for the Ferris Wheel Cars. 100 + FIG. 159. A Completed Car for the Ferris Wheel. 101 + FIG. 160. The Car completed. 104 + FIG. 161. The Framework. 104 + FIG. 162. Top View of Wooden Frame. 105 + FIGS. 163-170. Patterns for the Automobile Touring-car. 108 + FIG. 171. Chauffeur. 109 + FIG. 172. Cardboard Side of Automobile. 109 + FIG. 173. The Hood. 110 + FIG. 174. The Steering-wheel. 111 + FIG. 175. An Automobile Delivery Wagon. 113 + FIG. 176. An Electro-Magnet Derrick. 118 + FIGS. 177-179. The Electro-Magnet. 119 + FIG. 180. How the Electro-Magnet is Connected up. 120 + FIG. 181. A Home-made Switch. 121 + FIG. 182. Details of Switch. 121 + FIG. 183. Detail of Mast. 122 + FIG. 184. Detail of Pulley. 122 + FIG. 185. Detail of Boom. 122 + FIG. 186. Detail of Derrick Windlass. 123 + FIG. 187. Detail of the Toy Shocking Machine. 125 + FIGS. 188-191. Details of Induction-Coil. 126 + FIGS. 192 and 193. Details of Shocking-coil Handles. 129 + FIG. 194. Interrupter for Shocking-coil. 129 + FIGS. 195-198. Details of Interrupter. 131 + FIG. 199. A Toy Electric Motor Truck. 132 + FIG. 200. Top view of Electric Motor Truck. 133 + FIGS. 201-203. Details of Axle and Belt Shaft. 134 + FIG. 204. Two Home-made Battery Cells Connected in Series. 135 + FIG. 205. A Single Cell. 136 + FIGS. 206 and 207. Details of Zinc and Carbon. 136 + FIG. 208. Plan of Motor Truck Bottom. 137 + FIG. 209. Section through Bottom. 137 + FIG. 210. Details of Seat and Canopy-top. 138 + FIG. 211. Pattern of Canopy-top. 139 + FIG. 212. The Completed Toy Shooting Gallery. 140 + FIG. 213. The Box Framework. 141 + FIGS. 214-215. Details of Targets. 142 + FIG. 216. The Card-shooting Pistol. 143 + FIGS. 217-219. Detail of Card-shooting Pistol. 144 + FIG. 220. The Home-made Doll-house. 146 + FIG. 221. Interior View of Doll-house. 146 + FIGS. 222-226. Plans of Doll-house and Patterns for Partitions. 147 + FIG. 227. The Chimney. 148 + FIG. 228. Front View of Elevator-shaft and Stairs. 149 + FIGS. 229-232. Details of the Elevator. 149 + FIG. 233. The Front Gable-End. 152 + FIGS. 234-237. Details of Stairs. 153 + FIG. 238. Exterior of Stable. 160 + FIG. 239. Interior of Stable. 161 + FIG. 240. Front Gable-End. 162 + FIG. 241. Stall Partitions. 162 + FIG. 242. Ladder to Hay-loft. 163 + FIG. 243. The most stylish Apartments in Doll Town. 166 + FIG. 244. How the three Stories are arranged Side by Side to + form a Six-room Apartment. 166 + FIG. 245. Plan of the Six-Room Doll Apartment. 166 + FIG. 246. The First Story Unit and Diagram of Partitions. 167 + FIG. 247. The Second Story Unit and Diagram of Partitions. 167 + FIG. 248. The Third Story Unit and Diagram of Partitions. 167 + FIG. 249. In Cutting the Opening for the Bay Windows, leave a + Narrow Strip over the Opening, as above, for a + "Beam." 168 + FIGS. 250 and 251. How the Removable Roof is Constructed. 169 + FIG. 252. How the Chimney and Chimney Cap are Made. 169 + FIG. 253. The Living-Room Mantel. 171 + FIG. 254. Details of Mantel. 171 + FIGS. 255-258. Two Lighting Fixtures and how to Make Them. 172 + FIGS. 259-266. Patterns for Furniture. 177 + FIG. 267. Chairs. 178 + FIG. 268. Chairs. 178 + FIG. 269. A Settee. 179 + FIG. 270. A Table. 179 + FIG. 271. Another Design. 180 + FIG. 272. A Side-board. 181 + FIG. 273. A Mirror. 182 + FIG. 274. A Grandfather's Clock. 183 + FIG. 275. A Bed. 184 + FIG. 276. Another Design. 184 + FIG. 277. A Dresser. 185 + FIG. 278. A Wash-stand. 186 + FIG. 279. A Doll's Folding-bed. 187 + FIG. 280. Folding-bed (open). 188 + FIG. 281. Foot. 188 + FIG. 282. Dresser Completed. 189 + FIG. 283. A Doll's Dresser. 189 + FIG. 286. Cross-section of the Express-wagon. 192 + FIG. 284. AN EXPRESS-WAGON. 192 + FIG. 285. A CART. 192 + FIG. 286. Cross-section of the Express-wagon. 192 + FIGS. 287 and 288. An Auto Delivery-wagon built of + Cigar-boxes. Frontispiece + FIG. 289. A Jack-in-the-box. 194 + FIG. 290. The Skeleton of the Jack-in-the-Box. 194 + FIG. 291. A round-seated Chair. 194 + FIG. 292. A round Center-table. 194 + FIG. 293. A Dining-table. 194 + FIG. 294. A square-seated Chair. 194 + FIG. 295. A Doll's Cradle. 194 + FIG. 296. Pedestal of Center-table. 194 + FIG. 297. Leg of Dining-table. 194 + FIG. 298. Pattern for Cradle Rockers. 195 + FIG. 299. Doll Carriage. 196 + FIGS. 300-302. Details of Doll Carriage. 197 + FIG. 303. Baby Carriage Hood. 198 + FIG. 304. Diagram of Hood. 198 + FIG. 305. Carriage Handles. 198 + FIG. 306. The Two-wheel Cart. 199 + FIG. 307-309. Details of Cart. 199 + FIG. 310. Merry-go-round. 200 + FIG. 311. Teeter. 200 + FIG. 312. Cardboard Strip for Merry-go-round and Teeter. 200 + FIG. 313. Boy and Girl Riders for Merry-go-round and Teeter. 200 + FIG. 314. Doll Swing. 201 + FIG. 315. Detail of Swing. 201 + FIGS. 316 and 317. Details of Swing Seat. 202 + FIG. 318. Sofa. 202 + FIGS. 319-321. Details of Sofa. 203 + FIG. 322. Chair. 203 + FIG. 323. Square Center-table. 203 + FIG. 324. Round Center-table. 203 + FIG. 325. The home-made Mail-box strapped to the Face of a Door. 206 + FIG. 326. The home-made Mail-box strapped to a Chair BackK. 206 + FIG. 327. Diagram for Making Sides, Ends, and Bottom of Mail-box. 206 + FIG. 328. Diagram for Making Top. 206 + FIG. 329. Diagram for Making End Pieces of Letter-Drop. 206 + FIG. 330. Diagram for Making Front Piece of Letter-Drop. 206 + FIG. 331. The Sides, Ends, and Bottom folded ready to be put + Together. 207 + FIG. 332. Top, showing how Portion is Bent up for Back of + Letter-Drop. 207 + FIG. 333. Ends of Letter-Drop. 207 + FIG. 334. Front of Letter-Drop. 207 + FIG. 335. Top, with Letter-Drop Completed. 207 + FIG. 336. Diagram for Making Collection-drop. 208 + FIG. 337. How the Collection-drop is Folded. 208 + FIG. 338. The Collection-drop Hinged in Place. 208 + FIG. 339. The Complete Reflectoscope. 210 + FIG. 340. Detail of Ventilator Top. 210 + FIG. 341. Plan of Reflectoscope. 211 + FIG. 342. Cross-section of Reflectoscope 211 + FIGS. 343 and 344. Details of Lens Mounting 213 + FIG. 345. View of Back of Reflectoscope 213 + FIG. 346. Detail of Post Card Holder. 213 + + + + + HOME-MADE TOYS + FOR + GIRLS AND BOYS + + + + + HOME-MADE TOYS + +[Illustration] + + FOR GIRLS AND BOYS + + + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER I + +HOME-MADE WINDMILLS + + +No mechanical toy is more interesting to make, nor more interesting to +watch in operation, than a miniature windmill. It is a very simple toy +to construct, and the material for making one can usually be found at +hand, which are two reasons why nearly every boy and girl at one time or +another builds one. + +=The Paper Pinwheel= shown in Fig. 1 is one of the best whirlers ever +devised. A slight forward thrust of the stick handle upon which it is +mounted starts it in motion, and when you run with the stick extended in +front of you it whirls at a merry speed. + +[Illustration: FIG. 1.--The Paper Pinwheel is the Simplest Pinwheel to +Make.] + +A piece of paper 8 or 10 inches square is needed for the pinwheel. Fold +this piece of paper diagonally from corner to corner, both ways. Then +open the paper, and with a pair of scissors cut along the diagonal +creases, from the corners to within 1/2 inch of the center (Fig. 2). +Next, fold corners _A_, _B_, _C_, and _D_ over to the center, as shown +in Fig. 3, run a pin through the corners and through the center of the +sheet of paper, drive the point of this pin into the end of the stick +handle, and the pinwheel will be completed. + +[Illustration: FIG. 2.--Diagram for Paper Pinwheel.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 3.--How the Paper Pinwheel is Folded.] + +=The Pinion-wheel Windmill= in Fig. 4 may be made of cardboard or tin. A +circular piece 10 or 12 inches in diameter is required. After marking +out the outer edge with a compass, describe an inner circle about 1 inch +inside of it; then draw two lines through the center at right angles to +each other, and another pair at an angle of 45 degrees to these. These +lines are shown by the heavy radial lines in Fig. 5. One-half inch from +each of these lines draw a parallel line, as indicated by dotted lines +in Fig. 5. The next thing to do is to cut out the disk, and cut along +the heavy lines just as far as the lines are shown in the diagram (Fig. +5), and then to bend up the blades thus separated, to an angle of about +45 degrees, bending on the second set of radial lines (dotted lines in +Fig. 5). + +[Illustration: FIG. 4.--A Pinion-wheel Windmill.] + +You had better make a cardboard pinion-wheel first, then a tin one +afterwards, as cardboard is so much easier to cut. A pair of heavy +shears will be necessary for cutting a tin wheel, and a cold chisel for +separating the edges of the blades. + +[Illustration: FIG. 5.--Diagram for Pinion-wheel Windmill.] + +=To Mount the Pinion-wheel= drive a long nail through the center, +through the hole in a spool, and into the end of a stick. Then nail the +stick to a post or a fence top. + +=The Four-blade Windmill= shown in Fig. 6 has a hub 4 inches in diameter +and 1 inch thick (Fig. 7). This should be cut out of hard wood. Draw two +lines across one face, through the center, and at right angles to each +other. Then carry these lines across the edge of the block, not at right +angles to the sides, but at an angle of 45 degrees. Saw along these +lines to a depth of 1-1/4 inches. The ends of the windmill blades are to +fit in these slots. + +Cut the blades of equal size, 9 inches long, 5 inches wide on the wide +edge, and 1-1/2 inches wide on the narrow edge, and fasten them in the +slots with nails. + +[Illustration: FIG. 6.--A Four-blade Windmill.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 7.--Hub.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 8.--How to Slot End of Shaft for Tail.] + +With the blades in position, pivot the hub to the end of the windmill +shaft, a stick 20 inches long (Fig. 6). The end opposite to that to +which the hub is pivoted is whittled round, and slotted with a saw to +receive a tail (Fig. 8). The tail may be of the same size as the blades, +though it is shown shorter in the illustration. + +=Mount the Windmill= upon a post, pivoting its shaft at the balancing +center with a nail or screw. Bore a hole large enough so the shaft will +turn freely upon the pivot, and the windmill will thus keep headed into +the wind. + +=The Eight-blade Windmill= in Fig. 9 has a spool hub (Fig. 10), and +blades made of cigar-box wood, shingles, tin, or cardboard (Fig. 11). +You will see by Figs. 10 and 11 that the blades are nailed to the side +of short spoke sticks, and the sticks are driven into holes bored in the +spool hub. The hub turns on the rounded end of the shaft stick (Fig. +12), and the square end of this shaft is slotted to receive the +fan-shaped tail (Figs. 12 and 13). + +[Illustration: FIG. 9.--An Eight-blade Windmill.] + +=For the Hub= use a large ribbon-spool. You can get one at any drygoods +store. Locate eight holes around the center of the spool at equal +distances from one another, and bore these with a gimlet or bit, or cut +them with the small blade of your jack-knife. + +=Cut the Eight Blades= 6 inches long, 5 inches wide on their wide edge, +and 1-1/2 inches wide on their narrow edge. Prepare the hub sticks about +1/2 inch by 3/4 inch by 4-1/2 inches in size, and whittle one end +pointed to fit in the hub (Fig. 11). Fasten the blades to the spokes +with nails long enough to drive through the spokes and clinch on the +under side. Glue the spokes in the hub holes, turning them so the blades +will stand at about the angle shown. + +[Illustration: FIG. 10.--Spool Hub.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 11.--Blades.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 12.--Shaft.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 13.--Tail.] + +=The Shaft= should be made of a hard wood stick about 3/4 inch by 1-1/2 +inches by 30 inches in size. Cut the round end small enough so the hub +will turn freely on it, and punch a small hole through it so a brad may +be driven through to hold the hub in place. Cut the slot in the square +end with a saw. + +=Cut the Tail= of the shape shown in Fig. 13. + +=Pivot the Windmill= upon the top of a post support, in the same manner +as directed for the other windmills. + +Figure 14 shows how the toy windmill may be rigged up + +[Illustration: FIG. 14.--How the Windmill may be Rigged up to Operate a +Toy Jumping-jack.] + +=To Operate a Toy Jumping-jack=, by supporting the jumping-jack on a +bracket, and connecting its string to the hub of the windmill. You can +make your jumping-jack like the one in Fig. 110, the details of which +are shown in Fig. 113. + +Cut the upright of the bracket (_A_, Figs. 14 and 15) 14 inches long, +and the crosspiece (_B_) 7 inches long. Nail _A_ to _B_, and nail the +jumping-jack at its center to the end of _B_ (Fig. 15). Fasten the +triangular block (_C_) to the lower end of _A_, and then nail both _A_ +and _C_ to the edge of the shaft at a point that will bring the string +of the jumping-jack a trifle beyond the windmill blades. + +Fasten a small stick with a brad driven in one end, in notches cut in +the hub's flanges (Fig. 16), and connect the brad and Jack's string with +a piece of wire or strong string. Then as the windmill revolves it will +operate the toy in the manner indicated in Figs. 14 and 15. + +[Illustration: FIG. 15.--How the Jumping-jack is Supported.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 16.--Spool Hub.] + + + + +CHAPTER II + +HOME-MADE KITES + + +The Malay tailless kite is probably the most practical kind ever +invented. It will fly in a wind that the tail variety could not +withstand, and it will fly in a breeze too light to carry up most other +forms of kites. It is also a strong pulling kite, and can be used for +sending aloft lanterns and flags. For the purpose of lifting, the +pulling strength can be doubled by flying two Malays in tandem. + +[Illustration: FIG. 17.--A Malay Tailless Kite.] + +=How to Make a Malay.= Figure 17 shows a Malay kite in flight, Fig. 18 +a detail of the completed kite, Fig. 19 the completed framework, and +Figs. 20, 21, and 22 the details for preparing the frame sticks. + +=The Sticks.= This kite has a vertical stick and a bow-stick, each of +which should be 40 inches long, about 3/4 inch wide, and 3/8 inch thick, +for a kite of medium size. In the cutting of the sticks lies half the +secret of making a kite that will fly successfully. + +Drive a small nail or large tack into each end of the two sticks, to +fasten the framing-string to (Figs. 20 and 21), and notch the side edges +of the bow-stick near each end for the attachment of the bow-string +(Figs. 21 and 22). + +The amount to bend the bow-stick is important. For a kite with a bow 40 +inches long the distance between the string and stick should be 6 inches +(Fig. 21). Use a strong twine for the bow-string, and tie it securely to +the notched ends. + +[Illustration: FIG. 18.--Completed Malay Kite with Belly-band Attached.] + +=Framing the Sticks.= Fasten the bow-stick at its exact center to the +vertical stick, placing it 4 inches down from the top of the vertical +stick, as indicated in Fig. 19. Drive a couple of brads through the two +sticks to hold them together, and then reinforce the connection by +wrapping the joint with strong linen thread, crossing the thread in the +manner shown. + +When the two sticks have been joined, connect their ends with the +framing-string. Stretch this string from stick to stick, and tie +securely to the end nails. Instead of the end nails, the sticks may be +notched to receive the framing-string, but the nails are more +satisfactory because the string can be tied fast to them and will not +slip. + +=Covering the Framework.= The strong light-weight brown wrapping-paper +now so generally used makes an excellent covering for the framework. A +few sheets can be purchased at a near-by store for the purpose. You will +likely have to paste together two or more sheets to make one large +enough. The paper should be placed on the outer face of the bow-stick, +and should be allowed a little fullness instead of being stretched tight +as on hexagonal tail kites. Lap the edges of the paper over the +framing-string in the ordinary way of covering a kite. + +[Illustration: FIG. 19.--Framework of Malay Kite.] + +=Attach the Bridle= at the intersection of the bow-stick and vertical +stick, and at the lower end of the vertical stick (Fig. 18), and make it +of the right length so when held over to one side it will reach to the +end of the bow, as indicated in Fig. 18. Tie the flying line securely at +the point _A_ (Fig. 18); then the kite will be ready for its maiden +flight. + +=Flying-Line.= The kind of cord which a mason uses for his plumb-lines +is splendid for flying the Malay kite. If you cannot get some balls of +this, be certain that what you do get can be relied upon, because it is +provoking to lose a kite which you have taken a great deal of pains in +making, through the breaking of the flying line. + +[Illustration: FIG. 20.--Detail of Vertical Stick.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 21.--Detail of Bow-Stick.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 22.--Detail of End of Bow-Stick.] + +=The Box-Kite.= Of the more pretentious kites, none is as popular as the +rectangular box-kite. + +Box-kites may be purchased ready-made in a number of sizes, but they are +not cheap, and it will pay any boy to take the time necessary to make +one. While their construction requires considerable more work than the +single-plane type of kite, it is not difficult. + +Figures 23 and 24 show a kite of scientifically developed proportions. +Pine, spruce, and whitewood are the best materials for + +=The Kite Sticks=, though any strong, light-weight wood of straight +grain may be used if easier to obtain. If you live near a lumber yard or +planing-mill, possibly you can get strips of just the size you require +from the waste heap, for the mere asking, or for a few cents get them +ripped out of a board. If not, you will find it easy enough to cut them +yourself with a sharp rip-saw. + +[Illustration: FIG. 23.--Raising the Box-Kite.] + +=The Side Frames.= Cut the four horizontal sticks 3/8 inch thick and 3/8 +inch wide, by 36 inches long (_A_, Fig. 25), and the four upright +connecting sticks (_B_, Fig. 25) 1/4 inch thick, 1/2 inch wide, and 10 +inches long. Tack the upright sticks to the horizontal ones 6 inches +from the ends of the latter, as shown in Fig. 25, using slender brads +for the purpose, and clinching the projecting ends. In fastening these +sticks, be careful to set sticks _B_ at right angles to sticks _A_. + +[Illustration: FIG. 24.--The Box-Kite.] + +After fastening together the side-frame sticks as shown in Fig. 25, lay +them aside until you have prepared the cross-section of the kite. + +[Illustration: FIG. 25.--Make Two Side Frames like this.] + +=The Covering for the End Cells.= A light-weight muslin or tough paper +should be used for this material. Cheese-cloth will do if you give it a +coat of thin varnish to fill up the pores and make it air-tight, after +it has been put on. The light-weight brown wrapping-paper now so +commonly used is good covering material. + +The cell bands for the kite illustrated should be 10 inches wide and 5 +feet 9 inches long. If of cloth, they should be hemmed along each edge +to prevent raveling and to make a firm edge. If of paper, the edges +should be folded over a light framing-cord and pasted. Sew together the +ends of the cloth bands, or paste the ends of the paper bands, lapping +them so the measurement around the inside will be exactly 5 feet 8 +inches, the proper measurement around the sticks of the finished kite. + +[Illustration: FIG. 26.--Cross-section of the Box-Kite.] + +=Assembling the Kite.= Slip the bands over the side frames, spread the +frames to their fullest extent, and hold them in this position by means +of sticks sprung in temporarily between upright sticks _B_. Then measure +the proper length for the diagonal braces _C_ (Fig. 26). These sticks +should be notched at their ends to fit over the sticks _A_, as shown in +Fig. 27, and they should be a trifle long so they will be slightly +bow-shaped when put in place. In this way the frames will keep the cloth +or paper bands stretched tight. + +The notched ends of the diagonals should be _lashed_ with thread to keep +them from splitting. Lashings of thread around the frame sticks _A_, as +shown in Figs. 25 and 27, will keep the ends of the braces from slipping +away from the uprights _B_, which is the proper position for them. Bind +the braces together at their centers with thread, as shown in Figs. 24 +and 26. Coat the lashings with glue after winding them, and the thread +will hold its position better. + +The cloth or paper bands should be fastened to each horizontal frame +stick with two tacks placed near the edges of the bands. + +[Illustration: FIG. 27.--Detail of Diagonal Braces.] + +There are several methods of + +=Attaching the Bridle=, but that shown in Fig. 24 is generally +considered the most satisfactory. Of course, the kite is flown other +side up, with the bridle underneath. The three-point attachment has +cords fastened at the two outer corners of one cell, and a third cord to +the center of the outer edge of the other cell; and the four-point +attachment has cords attached at the four outer corners of the kite. +The ends of the bridle should be brought together and tied at a distance +of about 3 feet from the kite. It is a good plan to connect the ends to +a fancy-work ring. + +[Illustration: Fig. 28.--A Good Hand Kite-reel.] + +=A Good Hand Kite-reel= that can be held in one hand and operated by the +other is shown in Fig. 28. Get a 1/2-lb. size baking-powder can for the +winding-spool, locate the center of the cover and bottom end, and with a +can-opener cut a hole 1 inch in diameter through each (Fig. 29). Then +cut two wooden disks 5 inches in diameter for the spool flanges. These +may be cut out of thin wood. If you do not wish to take the trouble to +cut them round, just saw off the four corners diagonally, making the +pieces octagonal. Bore a 1-inch hole through the center of each piece. +Tack the can cover to the exact center of one disk, as shown in Fig. 30, +and the can to the exact center of the other. Then fit the cover on the +can, and glue a strip of cloth or heavy paper around the joint to keep +the cover from working off, and the spool will be completed. + +[Illustration: FIGS. 29 and 30.--Details of Hand Kite-reel.] + +The axle upon which the spool turns is a piece of broom-handle 10 inches +or so in length (Fig. 30). Bore two holes through it in the positions +shown, for pins to keep the spool in its proper place. Wooden pegs can +be cut for pins. For a winding handle, pivot a spool on the right-hand +disk by means of a nail or screw. The inner flange of the spool handle +may be cut off as shown in Fig. 28. + +Both hands are frequently needed to haul in string quickly enough to +bring a kite around into the wind, or to handle it when it pulls very +strong, and then there is nothing to do but drop the hand reel upon the +ground, unless you have an assistant to give it to. This is where the +advantage of + +[Illustration: FIG. 31.--A Body Kite-reel.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 32.--Detail of Axle Support.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 33.--Detail of Crank.] + +=A Body Kite-reel= comes in. With it strapped about the waist, it will +go wherever you go, and always be within easy reach. Figure 31 shows one +simple to make. The spool of this is made similar to that of the hand +reel shown in Fig. 28. If, however, you wish a larger winding-spool, you +can use a larger can than the baking-powder can--a tomato can or syrup +can--and increase the diameter of the wooden flanges accordingly. +Instead of the spool turning upon the broom-handle axle, the axle turns +with the spool, so the spool must be fastened to the axle. + +The axle supports _A_ (Figs. 31 and 32) should be about 7 inches long, 4 +inches wide at the wide end, and 2 inches wide at the narrow end. Cut +the holes to receive the axle ends a trifle large so the axle will turn +easily. Cut the connecting crosspieces _B_ of the right length so there +will be about 1/4 inch between the ends of the spool and supports _A_. + +Cut the crank stick _C_ as shown in Fig. 33, bore a hole for the axle +end to fit in, bore another hole in the edge for a set-screw to hold the +stick in place on the axle end, and pivot a spool in place for a handle. +If the hole in the spool is too large for the head of the nail used for +pivoting, slip a small iron or leather washer over the nail. + +An old belt or shawl-strap should be used for strapping the kite-reel to +your body. Fasten this to the ends of the axle supports _A_ by nailing +the strips _D_ to them as shown in Fig. 32. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +A HOME-MADE MODEL AEROPLANE + + +Model aeronautics has become nearly as popular as kite flying, and girls +as well as boys have taken to building these unique air toys. + +The model aeroplane requires more work than ordinary kite construction. +It also requires more patience and greater accuracy, because each part +of the little aircraft must be made just so, assembled just so, and +"tuned-up" just so, to produce a model which will give a good account of +itself. Of course your first model will probably not be perfect. But if +you do your work correctly and carefully it will fly, and the experience +you have acquired will make it possible to turn out a more nearly +perfect second model. + +Many types of model aeroplanes have been devised, but those of the +simplest form of construction have made the best showing. The majority +of record-breaking models have been of one type--a triangular framework, +equipped with two planes, and a pair of propellers operated by a pair of +rubber-strand motors. A most successful model of this type is shown in +Fig. 34, and described and illustrated on the following pages. This +model has a distance record of 1620 feet made at the Aero Club of +Illinois' aviation field at Cicero, Chicago, where it flew 16 feet +beyond the fence of the 160 acre field. The model weighs but 5-1/2 +ounces, has 9-inch propellers of 27 inch pitch, and is in every +essential a speed machine. + +[Illustration: FIG. 34.--Launching a Model Aeroplane.] + +The first part of the model to make is the triangular + +=Fuselage=, or _motor base_. This consists of two side sticks, +_splines_, or _spars_ (_A_, Fig. 35) of straight-grained white pine cut +to the dimensions marked upon the drawing, with their bow ends beveled +off for a distance of 1-1/4 inches, glued together, and bound with +thread. The stern ends have a spread of 8 inches, and are braced at that +distance by the _separator B_ (Fig. 35). This separator is fastened +flatwise between sticks _A_, and its edges are reduced as shown in the +small section drawing of Fig. 37 so they will offer less resistance to +the air. This piece is fastened between sticks _A_ with brads. +Separators _C_, _D_, and _E_ are of the sizes marked in Fig. 35, and of +the proper length to fit between side sticks A at the places indicated +on the drawing. They are cut oval-shaped, as shown in the small section +drawing in Fig. 37. + +[Illustration: FIG. 35.--Plan. + +FIG. 36.--Side Elevation (without Rubber Motor). + +FIGS. 35 and 36.--Working-drawings of Model Aeroplane Designed and Built +by Harry Wells. This Model has a record of 1620 feet made at the Aero +Club of Illinois' Aviation Field at Cicero, Chicago.] + +Before fastening the separators in position, + +=The Thrust Bearings= for the propellers, and the _end plates_ for +connecting the wire _stays_, must be prepared. Figure 38 shows a +dimensioned detail of the thrust bearings, and Fig. 37 shows how they +are bound to the ends of sticks _A_ with thread. These are cut out of +brass, bent into the shape shown, and have a hole pierced through the +folded tip for the propeller-shaft to run through, another through one +end for the brad to pass through that pins stick _A_ to _B_, and another +through the other end to fasten the end of the wire stays to. The small +detail in Fig. 37 shows the end plates for the wire stays. These are +made no longer than is necessary for the connecting holes for the +wire-stay ends. Pierce a hole through the center of each plate for the +brad to pass through which fastens sticks _A_ to the ends of the +separators. The plates are bound to sticks _A_ with thread. + +[Illustration: FIG. 37.--Detail of Fuselage and Motor of the Wells +Model.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 38.--Detail of Thrust Bearing, Propeller-shaft, and +Connections.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 39.--Detail of Bow Hook and how Rubber Motor is +Connected to it.] + +=The Bow Hooks= support the bow ends of the rubber motor, and are made +upon the ends of a piece of heavy piano-wire bent V-shaped to fit over +the ends of sticks _A_ (Fig. 39). Bind the wire to the sticks with +thread, coating the thread with glue to make it hold fast (Fig. 37). + +=The Main Plane= has a framework built as shown in Fig. 40, with the +front or _entering-edge_, and the rear or _following_-_edge_, made of +sticks of white pine or other light-weight wood, and the _ribs_ and +_tips_ on the ends made of No. 16 gauge aluminum wire. The ends of the +frame sticks are cut away on their outer edge, to receive the ends of +the wire forming the tips, and the ends of these wires, and the laps of +the wire ribs, are bound in position with thread, and the thread then +coated with glue to hold it in position. + +=The Elevator=, or front plane, has a framework made as shown in Fig. +41. Its entering-edge is a stick, and its following-edge, ribs, and end +tips, are made of No. 16 gauge aluminum wire. You will notice by Fig. 41 +that the center ribs cross the following-edge of the frame and are bent +up in the form of a flat loop. This loop rests against the under side of +the fuselage, and gives the elevator its proper angle for stability +(Fig. 36). The tips are bent up to add stability. + +The frames of the main plane and elevator are covered with china-silk, +which may either be sewed or glued in place, and this is given a thin +coat of shellac to make it air-tight and taut. The covering must be put +on smoothly to reduce to a minimum what is known as _skin +resistance_--the resistance that the plane makes to the air while +passing through it. + +The main plane and elevator are held to the fuselage by means of +rubber-bands slipped beneath them and over the fuselage, and unlike the +planes of the majority of models, are fastened to the under side of the +fuselage. Figure 36 shows the approximate position of the elevator. That +of the main plane will vary under different air conditions, sometimes +being placed over the separator _C_, and at other times closer to +separator _B_ than is shown in Fig. 35. Therefore, you must adjust your +plane and elevator--this operation is known as _tuning_--to suit the +condition of the atmosphere, until you find the positions where they +will give the machine the greatest stability. A great factor in the +successful flight of a model aeroplane lies in properly tuning the +planes, both laterally and longitudinally, and of course the planes must +balance at their centers, in order to make the machine balance properly. + +[Illustration: FIG. 40.--Detail of the Main Plane Framework of the Wells +Model.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 41.--Detail of the Elevator Framework.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 42.--Detail of Fin.] + +=The Fin= directly over the center of the elevator (Figs. 34 and 36) is +provided for stability, and may be used as a rudder by turning it +slightly to one side or the other. It is made of No. 34 gauge sheet +aluminum, cut to the form shown in Fig. 42. Its vertical edge is bent +around a piece of heavy wire, as shown in the plan detail of Fig. 42, +and the lower end of the wire is fastened upright between the bow ends +of sticks _A_. + +[Illustration: FIG. 43.--The Wells Model Propeller.] + +=The Propellers= are the most difficult part of the model aeroplane to +make. They must be very accurately cut, and must be of identical size +and _pitch_. The pitch of a propeller is, theoretically, the distance +forward that it advances in one complete revolution. + +Figure 43 shows one of the propellers of Harry Wells' machine, which is +9 inches in length and has a 27-inch pitch. Figure 44 shows + +=How to Prepare the Propellers=. The pair must be opposites, that is, +one must be of right-hand pitch and the other of left-hand pitch, or, in +other words, the upper end of the right-hand pitch propeller turns to +the right, and that of the left-hand pitch propeller turns to the left, +when viewing them from the rear. + +[Illustration: FIG. 44.--How to Prepare a 9-inch Propeller.] + +Step _A_ consists in properly planing up a straight-grained block of +white pine 1-1/2 inches thick, 2 inches wide, and 9 inches long, with +its sides and ends straight and true, for + +=The Propeller Blank=. Draw a line around the four faces of this block +at the exact center of the length. Then on faces _C_ and _D_, lay off a +distance of 1/2 inch on the center-line, measuring from the edge of face +=B=, for the thickness of the propeller-hub, and draw diagonal lines +from the upper and lower left-hand corners of faces _C_ and _D_ to the +end of the hub center-line (Step _B_). Then cut away the portions +outside of these lines, as shown in Step _C_. Lay out the hub upon faces +_A_ and _B_ of the block, with a 1/2-inch diameter, and bore a small +hole through the center to receive the propeller-shaft (Step _C_). Draw +diagonals from the corners to the center-line of the hub (Step _D_); +then cut away the wood outside of these lines (Step _E_). + +The next step (_F_) consists in laying out the form of the propeller +blade upon all four sides and ends of the block, and Step _G_ is the +final one of cutting out the propeller, scooping out its blades concave +on one side, and carving them convex on the opposite side. A very sharp +knife must be used for cutting; and the work must be done slowly and +carefully, because the least slip is likely to ruin the propeller. The +_entering-edge_ of each blade is the almost straight edge, and should be +cut very thin. The ends of the blades should also be cut thin, while the +hub should be cut away as much as can safely be done without weakening +the propeller. + +When you have completed cutting the propellers, place them at their +centers across the edge of a knife-blade, and if they do not balance +perfectly, locate the trouble and correct it. Finish the work with fine +emery-paper, and then shellac it. Some boys glue silk over the ends of +their propeller blades, for a distance of 1/2 inch or so, to reinforce +them and make them less likely to split. + +=The Propeller-shafts= are made of heavy piano-wire, bent into a hook at +one end (Fig. 38) to receive the rubber strands of the motor, and cut of +the right length to extend through the hole in the bearing, through a +glass bead, through the propeller, and then to bend over the side of the +hub (Figs. 37 and 38). By bending over the end of the shaft against the +hub, it is held securely in place. + +=The Motors= consist of twelve strands of 1/8-inch flat rubber, each, +and as these are 1 yard in length, exactly 24 yards of rubber are +required. The rubber is not connected direct to the hooks on the bow and +propeller-shafts, as the wire would quickly cut through the strands. +Instead, small rings are bent out of wire, with pieces of small +rubber-tubing slipped over the wire, and the ends of the rubber strands +are looped through these rings and bound in place with thread (Fig. 39). +The wire rings are then slipped on and off the hooks quickly. As light +and heat cause rubber to deteriorate, you must remove the motors from +the machine after use, pack away in a covered box, and keep in a cool +place, in order to get the longest life possible out of the rubber. + +It has been found that rubber motors can be wound much farther by +lubricating them with glycerine. It is only necessary to put a few drops +of the glycerine upon a clean cloth, and rub it over the outside +strands; then wind the motors, and it will work over the surface of the +inner strands until all parts are covered. + +[Illustration: FIG. 45.--A Home-made Motor Winder.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 46.--The Kind of Egg-beater to Use.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 47.--How the Motors are Connected to Winder for +Winding.] + +Of course the rubber motors must be twisted an equal number of turns, in +order to make the propellers work the same, and this is usually done +with an ingenious winder made from an egg-beater, which winds both +motors simultaneously. + +=The Home-made Motor-winder= shown in Fig. 45 is made from a Dover +egg-beater (Fig. 46). To convert the egg-beater into a winder, it is +necessary to cut off the loop ends and the center pivot wires on which +the loops turn. Then bend the cut-off ends of the loops into hooks, and +punch them to fit over the pivot wire ends, as before (Fig. 45). The +ends of the pivot wires must be riveted to keep the hooks in position. + +Figure 47 shows + +=How the Egg-beater Winds the Motors=. While an assistant supports the +model by the propeller end, you remove the motor rings from the hooks on +the bow of the fuselage, and slip them on to the hooks of the +egg-beater. Then you turn the crank of the winder, counting the turns as +you do so, and when you have wound the motors as far as you wish, slip +off the motor rings, and slip them back on to the bow hooks of the model +aeroplane. Motors of models like that shown in this chapter are wound +one-thousand turns or more for each flight. + +=Wind the Motors Slowly=, especially after the first row of knots begin, +as it puts the rubber to the least amount of strain by doing this. Quick +winding not only strains the rubber but makes the knots form in bunches, +and uneven winding, of course, produces an uneven unwinding. + +The propellers must be held after the motors have been wound, to keep +them in check. Figure 34 shows + +=The Position to Take for Launching a Model= from the hand. The machine +should not be thrown forward, as the movement would cause too great a +disturbance of the air, resulting in the machine losing its stability, +and probably upsetting. The best method is to give the model a slight +push that will start it off at a speed a trifle under that produced by +its propellers. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +A HOME-MADE TOY MOTOR-BOAT + + +The toy motor-boat shown in Figs. 48 and 49 is propelled by a tin +propeller run by a rubber-band motor. A handful of rubber-bands will +cost only a few cents, and the rest of the working material can be +picked up at home. + +[Illustration: FIG. 49.--The Completed Motor-boat.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 50.--Stern, with Motor in Place.] + +=Prepare the Bottom of the Hull= out of a piece of wood 1 inch thick, +making it of the shape and dimensions shown in Fig. 51. Be careful to +curve the side edges the same. Use a saw for cutting out the piece, then +smooth up the edges with a plane and sandpaper. The stern should be +sawed off on a bevel as shown in Fig. 52. + +[Illustration: FIG. 51.--Diagram of Hull.] + +=The Sides= of the hull (_B_, Figs. 52 and 53) are thin strips 2-1/2 +inches wide. Nail one to one edge of the bottom block, then saw off the +bow end on a line with the bow of the bottom block, and the stern end on +the same slant as the bevel cut on the stern of the bottom block. With +one piece in position, nail on the second side and trim off its ends. If +you have any difficulty in making a neat joint between the bow ends of +sides _B_, take a piece of tin from a can, bend it around the bow, and +tack it in place as shown in Fig. 48. The stern piece (_C_, Figs. 53 and +54) should be cut next, to fit the slanted ends of the sides. + +[Illustration: FIGS. 52 and 53.--How the Hull, Sides, Stern and Deck +Pieces are Assembled.] + +=The Deck= (_D_) extends from the bow almost to the center of the boat. +Its top surface should taper in its length and curve from side to side. +The piece may be whittled or planed to this shape. Fasten it with brads +to the top edges of the sides of the boat. + +[Illustration: FIG. 48.--LAUNCHING THE TOY MOTOR-BOAT.] + +=To Complete the Boat=, go over the work carefully, trim off all +projecting edges, drive nail heads beneath the surfaces, putty nail +holes and cracks, and give the wood two coats of paint of whatever color +you want to have the motor-boat. + +=The Propeller= (_E_, Fig. 54) is cut from the side of a tin can. Cut a +piece 3 inches long and 3/4 inch wide, round its ends, and with the +point of a nail pierce a hole through it each side of the center of the +length of the piece (Fig. 55). To finish the propeller, it is only +necessary to take hold of the two ends and twist the piece into the +shape shown in Fig. 56. + +=The Propeller-shaft= requires a short piece of wire with one end bent +into a hook (_F_, Fig. 56). Stick the straight end of this shaft through +one hole in the propeller, and the hooked end through the other hole, +then twist the hooked end over on to the main part of the shaft, as +shown in Fig. 57. Make a tight twist so the propeller will be held +perfectly rigid on the shaft. + +=The Bearing Plate= _G_ (Figs. 54 and 58) supports the propeller. Cut it +out of a piece of tin 1-1/2 inches wide by 3 inches long, bend it in +half crosswise to give it stiffness, and then bend it lengthwise to the +angle shown so it will fit over the slanted stern of the boat. Punch two +holes through the upper end for nailing the plate to the stern, and a +hole at the lower end for the propeller-shaft to run through. + +=For a Thrust Bearing=, slip a couple of beads over the propeller-shaft, +between the propeller and bearing plate _G_. Probably you can find +glass beads in your mother's button bag. + + +[Illustration: FIG. 54.--Longitudinal Section of Assembled Motor-boat.] + +[Illustration: FIGS. 55-59.--Details of Propeller.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 60.--Rubber-band Motor.] + +After slipping the beads on to the shaft, and sticking the shaft through +the hole in bearing plate _G_, bend the end of the shaft into a hook; +then screw a small screw-hook into the bottom of the hull, at the bow +end (_I_, Fig. 54), and you will be ready for + +=The Rubber-band Motor.= Rubber-bands about 1-1/2 inches in length are +best for the purpose. Loop these together end to end (Fig. 60) to form a +strand that will reach from hook _I_ to the hook on the propeller-shaft; +then form three more strands of this same length, and slip the end loops +of all four strands over the hooks. + +=To Wind the Motor=, give the propeller about one hundred turns with +your finger; then, keep hold of the propeller until you launch the boat. + +There are many ways of elaborating upon the design and construction of +this toy motor-boat, but, having given the necessary instructions for +building a simple model, I am going to leave further development for you +to work out. Here is an opportunity for you to use your ingenuity. +Devise an adjustable rudder, add a keel, finish off the cockpit with a +coaming, install a headlight made from a pocket flashlight--in fact, see +just how complete a motor-boat model you can build. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +HOME-MADE TOY WATER-MOTORS + + +You can own a water-motor like the one shown in Fig. 61, because its +construction requires nothing but easily obtained materials. + +[Illustration: FIG. 61.--A Varnish-can Water-motor in Operation.] + +=The Case= of this water-motor is made of an empty varnish +can--preferably one of gallon capacity. Nothing better could be desired. +The tin can makes a light-weight compact case; the spout in the top is in +just the right place and of the right size to receive the water power +from a faucet; and as the water connections can be made tight there is +no possibility of water splashing on to the floor--a big argument in +your favor when seeking permission to use the motor in the bath-tub, +wash-basin, or kitchen sink. + +You can get an empty varnish can from any painter, or at a paint store. +The first step in converting the can into the motor case consists in +removing the bottom. You will find this soldered in place, in all +probability, and it can be removed quickly by holding the can over the +flame of a gas burner until the solder melts, when a few taps upon the +edges will cause the piece of tin to drop off. + +[Illustration: FIG. 62.--The Completed Varnish-can Water-motor.] + +=The Water-motor Wheel= is shown in the cross-sections of the +water-motor (Figs. 63 and 64), and Figs. 65 to 67 show its details. The +diameter of the wheel should be about 1/2 inch less than the inside +width of the can. In the model from which the drawings were made, this +measurement is 5-1/2 inches. Cut the two side pieces of the wheel out of +a piece of cigar-box wood, and bore a 1/4-inch hole through the center +of each for the wheel axle. Fasten a spool to the center of one side +piece for a pulley-wheel (Fig. 66). + +[Illustration: FIGS. 63 and 64.--Sections through Water-motor Case.] + +=Prepare Eight Paddles= 1-3/4 inches wide and 2-1/2 inches long, out of +cigar-box wood. Locate the positions for the ends of the paddles, upon +the side pieces, by drawing a horizontal line, a vertical line, and two +diagonal lines at angles of 45 degrees, through their centers. This +will simplify the matter of spacing the paddles equidistant from one +another (Fig. 67). Use brads for fastening the side pieces to the paddle +ends. Those removed from the cigar boxes will do. + +=The Wheel Shaft= should be a trifle shorter than the inside width of +the can, and enough smaller than the 1/4-inch hole in the wheel side +pieces so the wheel will turn freely. Locate the centers for the axle +upon the two sides of the can, in the proper position so there will be +the same margin above and at the ends of the wheel. Drive a nail through +each side of the can into the axle end. + +[Illustration: FIG. 65.--The Completed Water-motor Wheel.] + +[Illustration: FIGS. 66 and 67.--Details of Water-motor Wheel.] + +=An Outlet= for the water after it has passed over the wheel paddles +must be provided, and the best way is to fasten a strip to two opposite +sides of the can so as to raise the bottom about an inch, as shown in +Figs. 62, 63, and 64. + +=For a Pulley-belt= use a piece of heavy cord. Cut a slot through the +front of the can for the belt to run through, and make this slot large +enough so the cord will not rub against the sides (Fig. 63). + +=Pulley-wheels= for attaining different speeds can be made of spools of +various sizes. A bicycle wheel with the tire removed, mounted in a +frame, is excellent for a large wheel. + +=Connecting up the Water-motor.= If you operate the water-motor in the +kitchen sink, you can either build a platform as shown in Fig. 61, to +bring the spout of the varnish-can case up to the level of the faucet, +or you can set the water-motor in the sink and lead a piece of rubber +tubing from the spout to the faucet, as shown in Fig. 68. If you use the +latter arrangement, slip the lower end of the rubber tubing over a short +piece of glass, brass, or tin tubing, and stick the short tubing through +a hole in a cork large enough to fit the spout of the varnish-can case +(Fig. 69). If you raise the water-motor high enough so the faucet will +set down into the spout, you can cut a large enough hole for the faucet, +through a cork, and then fit the cork in the spout as shown in Fig. 64. + +[Illustration: FIGS. 68-69.--How to Make a Water-tight Connection +between Faucet and Water-motor.] + +=Another Water-motor.= The little water-motor in Fig. 70 will furnish +sufficient power to operate simple mechanical toys. + +=The Water-motor Wheel.= Procure two baking-powder can covers for the +ends of the water-motor wheel (_A_, Fig. 72), a cigar-box out of which +to make the wheel paddles, and a stick 1/4 inch square and 5 inches long +for the wheel axle (_B_, Fig. 72). + +[Illustration: FIG. 70.--A Small Water-motor that can be Operated in a +Wash-basin.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 71.--The Water-motor Wheel.] + +Cut eight paddles from the cigar-box wood 1 inch wide and 5 inches long. +Take a pair of these strips and fasten them to one can cover, in line +with each other, and close against the sides of the cover (_C_, Fig. +73). Fasten with tacks or brads driven through the cover into the ends +of the strips. Take another pair of strips and fasten them to the same +cover, in a similar manner, at right angles to pair _C_ (_D_, Fig. 72). +Then tack the pairs of strips _E_ and _F_ to the cover halfway between +pairs _C_ and _D_. With the paddles in position, locate the exact center +of the end of the can cover, and drive a nail through at this point into +the end of axle _B_. Slip the free ends of the paddles into the other +can cover, and carefully drive tacks or brads through the cover into +them. Drive a nail through the center of the cover into the end of axle +_B_. + +[Illustration: FIGS. 72 and 73.--Details of Water-motor Wheel.] + +=The Wheel Supports.= Figure 74 shows the supports for the wheel. Cut +the end pieces _G_ 4 inches wide and 6 inches high, and the cross strips +_H_ 1-3/4 inches wide and 5-1/2 inches long. Nail pieces _G_ to _H_, as +shown, allowing the lower ends of _G_ to extend 1/2 inch below strips +_H_, and leaving a space of 1/2 inch between strips _H_. The axle holes +in pieces _G_ (Fig. 74) should be located in the center of the width of +these pieces, and halfway between their tops and strips _H_. Bore the +holes with a gimlet, or make them by driving a large nail through the +pieces, and then withdrawing it. + +=To Mount the Wheel= upon the supports, withdraw the nails driven into +the ends of axle _B_, slip the wheel between uprights _G_, and drive the +nails through the holes in _G_ back into the holes in the axle ends +(Fig. 71). + +[Illustration: FIG. 74.--Support for Water-motor Wheel.] + +=The Pulley Wheel.= One can cover should be converted into a pulley by +winding several turns of string around it, near each edge, leaving a +groove between the string. Coat the string with glue to make it stick +fast to the cover. + +=The Water-motor Case.= Figure 70 shows how the water-motor case is +constructed by fastening boards _N_, _I_, _J_, _K_, _L_, and _M_ to the +wheel supports _G_. There must be a slot through _I_ and another through +_J_, for the string belt to pass through, and a hole through _K_ for +the intake of water from a faucet. These can be cut out of the edges of +the boards, as shown, before they are nailed in place. Leave an opening +between boards _N_ and _M_, and the bottom of ends _G_, for an outlet +for waste water. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +A HOME-MADE TOY RAILWAY + + +It is often thought that a toy railway is beyond a boy's ingenuity to +construct, whereas, in reality, it is one of the simplest toys he can +make. This applies to the tracks, stations, and cars of every +description, all of which can be made with a few strips of wood, some +spools, nails, cardboard, and a bottle of glue, for materials. If you +have passed the age of caring for such toys as this, you will, no doubt, +enjoy the making of one for your younger brother, or for one of your boy +relatives. + +Figure 76 shows a railway set up and in running order. As shown in the +illustration, + +[Illustration: FIG. 75.--Upright.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 76.--The Toy Railway in Operation.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 77.--Support for Trolley-line.] + +=The Trolley-line=, or overhead cable, runs around the wheels of two +supports, one at either end of the track. Prepare four pieces of wood +the shape and size of that shown in Fig. 75 for the uprights of these +supports, and make two wheels three inches in diameter. The wheels may +be marked out with a home-made compass--a pencil tied to the end of a +piece of string, if you haven't a compass. When the wheels have been cut +out, place them in your bench-vise, one at a time, and with a file make +a groove around the edge as shown at _C_, Fig. 77. Bore a +three-eighths-inch hole through each upright at _F_, Fig. 75, and +another through the center of each wheel. Now fasten two of the uprights +six inches apart upon a block of wood, as shown at _A_ and _B_, Fig. 77. +Whittle a shaft to fit loosely in the holes of the uprights, and, after +slipping it into them, fasten one of the wheels upon one end and a small +spool upon the other (see _C_ and _D_ in Fig. 77). A weight of some sort +should be fastened to the base, as shown at _E_. The uprights for the +other support should be similarly mounted upon another block of wood. +Fasten the remaining wheel to an axle run through the holes in the +uprights, and, as it is unnecessary to have a spool upon the other end +of the axle, cut it off short and drive a nail through it to prevent it +from slipping through the holes. Having thus prepared the supports, +place them as far apart as you wish to extend the railway, and run a +cord around the two wheels and tie it. Then set the supports a little +farther apart, if necessary, to tighten the cord. Run another cord from +spool _D_ to + +=A Water-motor=, steam engine, or whatever power you can get with which +to operate the railway. A bicycle inverted with the tire removed from +its rear wheel has been used satisfactorily, as has also a +sewing-machine with the belt slipped off and the cord from the spool put +in its place. + +A good substitute for the tin tracks ordinarily sold in shops for toy +railways will be found in those shown in Fig. 78. These + +[Illustration: FIG. 78.--The Tracks.] + +=Tracks= consist of quarter-inch strips mounted upon pieces of +cardboard. Make a small gimlet-hole in one end of each stick, and drive +a short finishing nail in the opposite end (see Fig. 78). Cut the +cardboard strips the length of the sticks, and tack them to the sticks +as shown in the illustration. If inch and one-half spools are used for +the car wheels, the inside gauge of the tracks should be an inch and +three-quarters. By lapping the cardboard strips over the ends of the +sticks, and the sticks over the ends of the cardboard strips, and +placing the nail dowels in the ends of the sticks as in the drawing, a +strong track is formed when the pieces are fitted together. This may be +extended to any desired length by adding more sections to it. + +[Illustration: FIG. 79.--A Top View of Car Truck.] + +=The Cars= for this railway will have their trucks constructed alike, +and it is a simple matter to transform a car from one style into +another. Figure 79 shows a top view of a truck. For the bed of this cut +a three-eighths-inch board twelve inches long by two and one-quarter +inches wide, and, after rounding the ends as shown in the drawing, cut a +mortise at _A_ and _B_ two and three-eighths inches from either end. + +[Illustration: FIG. 80.--Spool Wheels.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 81.--The Completed Car Truck.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 82.] + +Procure two one and one-half inch spools for wheels, and drive a wooden +peg through the hole in each, cutting off the ends so they project a +little beyond the hole, as shown in Fig. 80. Then bore four holes in the +edges of the truck-bed with a gimlet at _C_, _D_, _E_, and _F_ (see +drawing), and, after setting the spools in mortises _A_ and _B_, pivot +them in place with small finishing nails driven into the wooden pegs. +These nails should fit loosely in the gimlet holes. In order to drive +them into the exact centers of the spools, it is best to locate these +points upon the ends of the pegs before placing the spools in the frame. +A quarter-inch hole should be bored in the top of the truck-bed at _G_ +and _H_ (Fig. 79) in which to fasten the two uprights _I_ and _J_ (see +Fig. 81). Make the uprights four inches long and whittle a peg upon the +lower ends to fit holes _G_ and _H_ (see Fig. 82). Bore a hole with a +gimlet in the top of each and run a piece of heavy wire from one to the +other, bending it as shown in Fig. 81. Fasten _K_ between _I_ and _J_, +as shown. Place a small brass ring upon the wire before you fasten it in +place. A small hook should be screwed into one end of the truck and a +screw-eye into the other end, for couplings, should you wish to hitch +two or more cars together. + +[Illustration: FIG. 83.--A Gondola Car.] + +=A Gondola Car=, such as shown in Fig. 83, should have its truck made +similar to Fig. 79, with the exception that it should be two inches +shorter, in order that cigar-box strips can be used for the side pieces. +Cut the strips an inch and one-half high and fasten them to the bed of +the car with brads. This car may be used as a trailer. + +The car shown in Fig. 81 is a rather crude affair, but with a little +more work may be transformed into a better looking car-- + +[Illustration: FIG. 84.--Side View.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 85.--End View.] + +=A Street Car= such as is shown in Figs. 84 and 85 being an example of +what can be made. The sides, ends, and roof of this car are made of +cardboard, the patterns for the cutting of which are shown on page 55. +Figure 86 shows a cross-section taken through the center of the car. The +two side pieces _A_ should be prepared first, as shown in Fig. 87. With +a ruler and lead-pencil draw in the windows about as shown in the +drawing, using double lines to indicate the sash. Then, with a sharp +knife, cut out the center of each just inside of the inner line. These +windows may be left open or may be covered on the inside with +tissue-paper. If tissue-paper is used, oil it to make it more +transparent. When the two sides have been prepared, bend each along the +dotted lines (see Fig. 87) and tack one to each side of your car truck +as shown in Fig. 86. When properly bent, the distance between the upper +part of the sides should be two and three-quarters inches. Cut the two +inner ends of the car the shape of Fig. 88, using a compass with a +radius of two and one-half inches with which to describe the curve at +the top. Draw in the panels and sash lines as you did those upon the +side pieces, being careful to get them on the same level, and cut out +the door and window openings. Fasten these end pieces between the sides +with glue, and also tack them to the uprights of the car (_I_ and _J_, +Fig. 81), which will come just inside of them. The roof is made in two +sections (_B_ and _C_, Fig. 86). For _B_ cut a piece of cardboard twelve +and one-quarter by three and three-quarter inches (Fig. 89), draw the +curved end with a compass, using the radius shown on the drawing, and +slit the corners as indicated by the dotted lines. When this piece has +thus been prepared, remove the wire from the top of the truck (see Fig. +81). Bend the cardboard over the sides and ends of the car, and lap +corners _D_ and _E_ over _F_ and _G_, and _H_ and _I_ over _J_ and _K_, +tacking them with thread to hold them in place. To fasten this part of +the roof to the top of the car, cut a number of small strips of linen, +and glue them to the under side of the roof and to the inside face of +the sides and ends of the car (see Fig. 86). The upper portion of the +roof _C_ should be made out of a piece of cardboard bent into the shape +of Fig. 90, and cut at the ends so the upper portion of _C_ projects a +little beyond its sides. Draw the ventilation lights upon the sides of +_C_ as shown on the drawings, and then fasten the piece upon the top of +_B_ with strips of linen in the same manner as you fastened _B_ in +place. _C_ should now have the same curve to its top as _B_. Cut and +glue a piece of cardboard in each end of _C_ to complete the roof. The +shape of this piece is shown in Fig. 91. The outer ends of the car +should be made as shown in + +[Illustration: FIGS. 86-94.--Details of Toy Street Car.] + +Fig. 92, and tacked around the ends of the wooden truck platform, and +also fastened to the under side of the roof with strips of linen. The +window openings may be cut in each end, but it will make a stronger +car if they are simply drawn upon it. Cut four cardboard steps similar +to Fig. 93 and tack them to the sides of the front and rear platforms. +When the car has been put together, replace the wire in the tops of +uprights _I_ and _J_ (Fig. 81), running the ends through the roof +(see Fig. 84). Paint the sides and ends of the car yellow with brown +trimmings, and paint the roof a light gray. Water colors can be used +for the purpose. Letter the name of your car-line upon the sides and +the number of the car upon each end and side. The route should be +lettered upon strips of cardboard with pins run through them as shown +in Fig. 94, these strips to stick in the roof of the car (see +Figs. 84 and 85). + +Having seen how the car is made, you will find it a simple matter to +make designs for + +=Other Cars=, using the same scheme for the trucks, and altering the +patterns for the sides, ends, and roof, to suit the design. + +Nothing has, as yet, been said about the + +=Operation of the Railway=, and though Fig. 76 probably shows +sufficiently clear how it is run, a few words may be helpful. The car or +cars are placed between the wooden tracks, and the trolley (or cord +attached to the ring on top of the car) is tied to the trolley-line as +in the illustration. Upon starting your engine, water-motor, or +whatever motive-power you have, the car will run from one end of the +track to the other. When it has reached the support of the trolley-line, +it will stop long enough for the cord trolley to pass around the wooden +wheel, and then run in the opposite direction until the other support is +reached. It will thus be seen that the trolley hangs to the upper part +of the cable, or trolley-line, in running one way, and to the lower part +on the return run. In changing the direction of the run, the ring to +which the trolley is attached slides to the other end of the car. + +[Illustration: FIG. 95.--The Railway Depot.] + +=A Station= such as is illustrated in Fig. 95 is made out of cardboard +and mounted upon a seven-eighths-inch board large enough to form a +railway platform. After cutting out the side and end pieces, with door +and window openings placed as shown in the illustration, fasten them +together with strips of linen glued in the corners. Make the roof low +and extend it over the platform upon each side and over the gable-ends, +as shown in the illustration. Paint the sides of the depot the +regulation depot red, and the roof a shingle or slate color. Paint the +door and window-sash black, letter the name of the station upon the +gable-ends, and with a ruler and lead-pencil rule off the boards upon +the sides, and the slate or shingles upon the roof. As this is a typical +railway station, two may be made of the same pattern, one for either end +of your car line. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +HOME-MADE TOY ELEVATORS + + +The elevator shown in Fig. 96 is a unique mechanical toy well worth +one's making. Release the little car at the top floor, and it will +descend to the ground floor, and then return to the starting point, +without you having to touch it a second time. A magical elevator? +Perhaps so. A little mechanical device performs the trick. + +The same plan may be followed for installing the doll-house elevator in +Chapter XIII, but the more stories there are the more fun there is in +operating the elevator. This is why I have adapted the scheme to + +=A Toy Office Building.= Six stories are shown in Fig. 96, but you can +make a modern sky-scraper with as many stories as you like. A +packing-case 3 feet 6 inches long, stood on end, was used for the model. +Another box or two can be added to the top for additional stories. +Besides the box, or boxes, get enough box boards for floors and +partitions. + +=Make the Floors= in two pieces (_A_ and _B_, Fig. 98), so the opening +for the elevator shaft can be cut out of the end of one piece in the +manner shown. This opening should be about 5 inches square. Mark out and +cut the boards for all of the floors at one time, and be careful to get +the shaft opening the same in each floor. Cut the notch _C_ in board _A_ +about 1 inch square. + +Fasten the floor boards in place with nails driven through the sides of +the box. + +=The Partitions=, a pattern for which is shown in Fig. 99, can be made +quicker by omitting the doorway, but this is easy to cut by sawing along +the sides and then splitting out the piece between the saw cuts. + +[Illustration: FIG. 96.--A Toy Office Building with Elevator.] + +=The Elevator Car= should be built up of cigar-box wood, as shown in +Figs. 101 and 102. The front portion (_D_) should be about 3 inches +wide, 2-1/2 inches deep, and 4 inches high, and the rear portion (_E_) +should be of the same width, 2 inches deep, and 2-1/2 inches high. +Fasten these upon the base piece _F_ as shown. + +=The Elevator Guides.= Bore the holes _G_ through the top and bottom of +the car, close to the sides, for guide wires _H_ to run through (Figs. +101 and 102). These holes may be bored with a screw-eye if you haven't a +gimlet or drill. Bell-wire, or almost any wire that you have on hand, +will do for the guides. Fasten two screw-eyes into the under side of the +top of the shaft, the same distance apart as holes _G_, and in the +proper position so they will come exactly over them (_I_, Fig. 100). Use +the car for determining these measurements. Then bore two holes through +the bottom of the shaft directly below the screw-eyes (_J_, Fig. 100). +Attach the wire to one screw-eye, run it down through holes _G_ in the +car, through one of the holes _J_, then across to and up through the +other hole _J_, up through the other set of holes _G_ in the car, and +attach to the second screw-eye _I_. + +=The Cables.= The elevator is lifted by means of cord _L_ (Figs. 97 and +101). Fasten this cord to a tack driven into the top of the car, then +run it up and over spool _M_ (Figs. 97 and 101), over spool _N_ (Fig. +97), and tie to weight _K_. + +=The Counter-balance.= A bottle, filled with sand to make it weigh more +than twice as much as the car, should be used for this. Screw a small +screw-eye into the cork to tie the cord to. + +The counter-balance runs up and down in + +=The Smoke-stack=, which is fastened to the back of the building (Fig. +97). Make the stack of cardboard mailing-tubes, joining them end to end +with bands of paper pasted around them. Fasten the stack to the back of +the building with wire straps, and brace the top as shown in Fig. 96, +but leave it unattached until you have adjusted + +=The Overhead Pulleys=, or _sheaves_. These are spools. You will see by +looking at Fig. 100 that spool _M_ turns on the axle _O_, and the ends +of this axle are cut to fit snugly in screw-eyes _I_. + +[Illustration: FIG. 97.--Section through Elevator Shaft.] + +Fasten pulley spool _N_ in the smoke-stack by means of a wooden axle +pushed through holes pierced in the side of the stack, as is shown in +the small drawing above, Fig. 97. Bore a hole through the back of the +building for the cable cord _L_ to run through (_P_, Figs. 97 and 100), +and cut another through the smoke-stack. + +=How the Car Operates.= When the weight and cord have been adjusted and +the smoke-stack erected, the elevator will run from the ground floor up +to the roof of its own accord, because the counter-balance is much +heavier than the car. To make it descend it is necessary to add weight +to the car, to make it enough heavier than the counter-balance so it +will drop of its own accord. This is done with + +=Ballast= consisting of a bottle of sand or salt of twice the combined +weight of counter-balance _K_ and the car. After filling the bottle, +cork it up, and screw a screw-eye into the cork. Then screw the eye of a +2-inch hook-and-eye into the roof of the building, directly over the +center of box _E_ of the elevator (_R_, Figs. 97 and 101), and attach +one end of a rubber-band to the hook and tack the other end to the top +of the elevator-shaft (Fig. 101). + +[Illustration: FIG. 98.--Floors.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 99.--Partitions.] + +With the hook and rubber-band properly adjusted, this is what happens +when the car ascends to the top of the shaft. The bottom of the rear +portion of the car strikes bottle _Q_, lifts it enough to release the +end of the hook (_R_), and the rubber-band springs the hook out of the +way (Fig. 97). The bottle remains upon the rear portion of the car, and +its weight carries the car to the bottom of the shaft. + +=To Make the Car Rise= to the top of the shaft again, remove bottle +_Q_. Replace the bottle upon the end of hook _R_, and it will be in +position for the next trip downwards. + +[Illustration: FIG. 100.--Front View of Elevator Shaft.] + +[Illustration: FIGS. 101 and 102.--Elevator Car Details.] + +Cut the holes _Y_ and _Z_ (Fig. 100) through the outside wall of the +shaft for hand holes through which to reach bottle _Q_ and hook _R_. + +[Illustration: FIG. 103.--Detail of Brake and Controlling Levers.] + +Figures 97, 100, and 103 show + +=A Simple Control= for stopping the car at the different floor levels. +Stick _S_ may be a piece of broom-handle, curtain-pole, or flagstaff. +Bore a hole through the bottom of the shaft, directly below holes _C_ in +the floors (_T_, Fig. 100), and slip the stick through hole _T_ and into +slots _C_. Then locate on one side of stick _S_ points just below the +under face of each floor, and upon the opposite side locate points just +above where the back edge of the elevator will come when the car is +raised to each floor level (Fig. 97). Remove the stick, and drill or +bore a small hole at each point marked; then replace it, nail a small +block (_U_, Fig. 100) across the top end to hold it in place, and drive +a nail, with its head filed off, into each of the holes. + +When stick _S_ is turned to the position shown in Fig. 97, while the car +is going down, the first nail below the car will project beneath it and +bring it to a stop; and if the stick is turned in the opposite direction +while the elevator is going up, the first nail above the car will +project over the back edge of portion _E_ and bring the car to a stop. + +=Two Levers= operate the brakes (_W_, Figs. 97 and 100). Cut these of +the shape shown in Fig. 103, and screw one to each side wall. Then tack +a piece of cord to stick _S_, wrap the ends of the cord once around, +slip them through screw-eyes _V_ screwed into the side walls, and tie to +tacks driven into levers _W_. + +[Illustration: FIG. 104.--An Outdoor Elevator.] + +One series of brakes can now be set by pulling forward one lever, and +the other series by pulling forward the other lever. By driving a nail +into stick _S_ at _X_ (Fig. 100), and a nail into the bottom of the +shaft, each side of stick _S_, the levers will turn the stick just far +enough in either direction to bring the brakes into operation. + +If there is a kitchen porch to your house, construct + +=The Outdoor Elevator= shown in Fig. 104 to run from the ground up to +that porch. If you live in an upper story of an apartment building, your +elevator can be made to run to a greater height, which, of course, will +make more fun. + +It will save considerable work to use the porch, because for one thing +you will not have to build an upper platform to stand upon to reach the +elevator car when it runs to the top, and for another thing the supports +for the guides and cable can be fastened directly to one of the porch +posts. + +[Illustration: FIG. 105.--Supports for Elevator Guides and Cables.] + +Figure 105 shows a large detail of + +=The Guide Supports.= Cross strips _A_, _B_, and _C_ should be 18 or 20 +inches long, about 2 inches wide, and 1 inch thick. At a distance of +about 1 inch from one end of strips _A_ and _B_ screw a screw-eye into +one edge, and 8 inches from those eyes screw a second screw-eye (_D_, +Fig. 105). Screw-eyes with 1/2 inch eyes are large enough. A dozen will +cost about 5 cents at the hardward store. The elevator guides are +fastened to these. + +Besides the screw-eyes there must be two clothes-line pulleys for the +cable to run over. These cost 5 cents apiece. Screw one pulley into the +edge of strip _B_, halfway between the two screw-eyes _D_ (_E_, Fig. +105), the other into an edge of strip _C_ at the same distance from the +end that you have placed the pulley in strip _B_ (_F_, Fig. 105). + +Nail strip _A_ to the porch post as close to the ground as you can get +it, strip _B_ to the same face of the same post, about 18 inches above +the porch railing, and strip _C_ to the opposite face of the post at the +same height as strip _B_. Nail these strips securely in place. + +If you cannot find a starch-box or other small box out of which to make + +=The Car=, go to a grocery store. You will be sure to find just what you +want there. It is not likely that the grocer will charge you anything +for a small box like this. If you have placed screw-eyes _D_ 8 inches +apart, as directed, the width of the box should be a trifle less than +this measurement, but if the box you pick up is wider the screw-eyes can +be spaced as much farther apart as is necessary to accommodate it. + +Figure 106 shows how the box is converted into the car. Screw two +screw-eyes into each side of the box, one above the other, as shown at +_G_, for the elevator guides to run through, screw another into the +exact center of the top (_H_) to tie the hoisting cable to, and screw +another into the exact center of the bottom to tie the lowering cable +to. Nail a narrow strip across the open front of the car, at the bottom, +to keep things from falling out. + +[Illustration: FIG. 106.--Elevator Car.] + +Get heavy wrapping-twine or stovepipe wire for + +=The Guides.= Attach these guides to screw-eyes _D_ in strip _B_, first, +drop them through screw-eyes _G_ in the sides of the car, and then +fasten to screw-eyes _D_ in strip _A_. + +=The Counter-balance= is a large can filled with earth, sand, or small +stones. Its weight must be equal to about three times that of the empty +car. Fasten the lifting cable through holes punched in opposite sides of +the can (Fig. 107). + +[Illustration: FIG. 107.--Counter-balance.] + +Use a strong wrapping-twine for + +=The Lifting Cable.= After tying this to the counter-balance, run it +over pulley _F_, then over pulley _E_, and tie to screw-eye _H_ in the +top of the car. The cable must be of the right length so when the +counter-balance has dropped to the ground the car will come just above +the porch railing, as shown in Fig. 104. Tie + +=The Lowering Cable= to the screw-eye screwed into the under side of the +car. + +As long as the weight of the car and its load remains less than half of +that of the counter-balance, the counter-balance will drop and by so +doing lift the car. The cable attached to the bottom must be pulled to +lower the car. + +Those of you boys who own a tree-hut, or intend to build one,[1] should +erect an elevator similar to the one just described, for hoisting +supplies to the hut. + +[Footnote 1: Plans for building Tree-huts, and a Dumb-Waiter for +supplies, are given in Chapter XXV of "The Handy Boy."] + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +HOME-MADE MECHANICAL TOYS + + +Those of you boys who have examined the little mechanical toys sold upon +the street corners just before Christmas probably have been surprised to +find how simply they are made, and perhaps it has never occurred to you +that you might make toys equally as good for presents for your younger +brothers, sisters, or cousins. Most of the smaller mechanical toys are +not only easy to make, but they require materials which cost little and +can usually be picked up at home. Sometimes it takes considerable +thinking and planning to discover just the things which can be adapted +to the various parts of toys; but that is where part of the fun of toy +making comes in. + +=A Buzz-saw Whirligig= is an interesting toy (Fig. 108). Lay out a disk +about 5 inches in diameter upon a piece of cardboard, locate the +position for the spool-end on the center of each face, and make four +rings outside of this. Divide the circumference of the disk into sixteen +equal parts, and lay off the teeth as shown. (Fig. 111.) The spool-ends +used for centers should have two holes drilled through them for the +twisting cord to slip through, and should be fastened to the disk with +glue or brads. + +A cotton string is best for + +=Operating the Whirligig.= After slipping it through the holes in the +spool-ends, tie the ends together. To work the toy, slip the first +finger of each hand through the loop of each end, and whirl the disk in +one direction until the string is twisted from both ends as far as the +center. Then pull firmly on the ends of the string, and the disk will +whirl in the opposite direction until the string is untwisted and +twisted up again in the opposite direction. As the strings twist, +slacken your hold upon the ends, and when it has wound up tight pull +again to make it whirl in the opposite direction. The disk should whirl +very steadily when working right, and the knack of making the string +twist so the disk will do so is attained with a little practice. + +[Illustration: FIG. 111.--Detail of Buzz-saw Whirligig shown in Fig. +108.] + +=The Clog-dancer= (Fig. 109) is an easily made loose-jointed doll. His +dancing-stage is a shingle or piece of stiff cardboard held on the edge +of a chair beneath your knee. He is held by means of the string attached +to his head, so that his feet rest lightly upon the stage, and he +is made to jig by tapping the outer end of the stage with the free hand. +With a little practice the figure can be made to go through the steps of +the most eccentric clog-dancer. + + +[Illustration: FIG. 108.--THE BUZZ-SAW WHIZZES WHEN YOU TWIST THE CORD.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 109.--THE ECCENTRIC CLOG-DANCER IS A CIRCUS IN +HIMSELF.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 110.--PULL THE STRING AND JACK JUMPS COMICALLY.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 112.--Details of Body of the Clog-dancer shown in +Fig. 109.] + +The more grotesque the dancer's appearance is, the more amusing his +dancing will be, so the cruder you make him the better. Figure 112 shows +the working details for his construction. The center part of a +thread-spool forms the _head_, and a spool-end and the rounded end of a +broom-handle form the _hat_. These three pieces are nailed together. The +_body_ is a piece of a broom-handle, and a spool-end nailed to it forms +the _shoulders_. Drive a nail into the end of the body, tie a string to +this, and run the string up through the hole in the head, and out +through a hole in the hat; tie the string to a fancy-work ring. + +The _arms_ and _legs_ are made of sticks whittled to the lengths marked +in Fig. 112, and about 1/4 inch in diameter, and are jointed by driving +tacks into their ends and connecting these with heavy linen thread. +Figure 112 shows how the feet and hands are cut, and how tacks are +driven into them for the thread connections. Paint the clog-dancer's +body, arms, and legs white, his head, hands, and feet black, and mark +his eyes, nose, and mouth upon his face in white. + +[Illustration: FIG. 113.--Details of Body of the Jumping-jack shown in +Fig. 110.] + +=A Toy Jumping-jack= is always amusing, and Fig. 110 shows a simply +constructed home-made model. You will see by Fig. 113 how the figure is +made. The peaked _hat_ is half a spool tapered down from the end to the +center; and the _head_ is the center from a darning-cotton spool, shaped +down at one end for a _neck_, and with eyes, nose, and mouth cut in on +one side. Figure 113 shows the diagrams for the front and back of the +_body_, the _arms_, and the _legs_. These are cut out of cigar-box wood. +Cut the neck stick A long enough to run through the head and hat, with a +square block on the end to fit between the body pieces. The blocks _B_ +should be of the same thickness as block _A_. Bore the pivotal holes +through the arms and legs in the positions shown, using a small gimlet +or red-hot nail with which to do the boring, and tie a piece of heavy +linen thread through each as shown. The arms and legs are pivoted on +brads driven through the front of the body into the back. + +When the body has been fastened together, bring the ends of the threads +together, and tie to a small ring; also knot the threads close to the +body to keep them together. In painting Jack, you might provide him with +a red coat, blue trousers and a blue hat, white stockings, and black +shoes. + +=A Cricket-rattle= is about the liveliest form of rattle ever devised +(Fig. 114). After constructing one for your sister or brother, you +probably will decide to make one for yourself. For this rattle, first +prepare a _notched spool_ (_A_, Fig. 116). The notches in this need not +be cut as perfectly as shown, but the notches in one end of the spool +must be exactly opposite those in the other end. Whittle the _handle B_ +to the shape and size shown, cut the strips _C_ out of cigar-box wood, +and prepare the block _D_ as shown. The groove in the edge of _D_ is cut +of just the right width to receive the end of the wooden strip _E_. The +length of _E_ is best determined after nailing the ends of strips _C_ to +_D_, and slipping the handle through the holes in strips _C_ and spool +_A_. It should extend from the groove in _D_ into the notches in _A_. +Make it as wide as the spool is high. Paint the rattle red or blue. + +[Illustration: FIG. 116.--Details of the Noisy Cricket-rattle shown Fig. +114.] + +=The Turtle Toy= which crawls along the floor when you alternately pull +and slacken a thread that runs through its shell, has always been one of +the most popular of mechanical toys, and you will be surprised to find +how easily our home-made model shown in Fig. 115 is put together. The +_shell_ is a small tin mold such as is used for molding jellies. One +about 4 inches long costs 10 cents. A mold having the form of a bunch +of grapes is a pretty good form for the turtle shell, as you will see +by the illustrations. + +[Illustration: FIG. 114.--WHIRLING THE CRICKET-RATTLE MAKES IT CHIRP.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 115.--THE CRAWLING TURTLE'S SHELL IS A JELLY +MOULD.] + +The _head_, the _tail_, and the four _feet_ are cut out of tin from a +can, and bent into the forms shown in Fig. 117. Then slits are cut +through the narrow rim of the mold by piercing the tin with the point of +a nail at the proper places for attaching them, as shown in the small +detail drawing, and the tab ends are pushed through the slits, bent +over, and clinched with a pair of pincers. + +[Illustration: FIG. 117.--How Head, Feet, and Tail are Attached to a +Jelly Mould to Make the Turtle shown in Fig. 115.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 118.--The Spool Wheels and the Rubber-bands which +Propel them.] + +A thread spool 1-1/4 inches long forms the _wheels_ on which the turtle +runs, and two rubber-bands 1-1/2 inches long propel it. Cut a piece of a +lead pencil a trifle longer then the spool, split it into halves, remove +the lead, and insert the rubber bands in the groove; then slip the piece +of pencil into the hole in the spool (Fig. 118). The rubber-band ends +must project an equal distance beyond the spool-ends. Before fastening +the spool to the tin mold shell, tie the end of a piece of heavy linen +thread to its center, and then wind about twenty turns about it. Pierce +a hole through each side of the mold a trifle in front of the center, +and after slipping pieces of string through the ends of the rubber-bands +(Fig. 118), tie them through the holes pierced through the sides of the +mold. Pierce a hole through the shell, directly over the center of the +spool, slip the free end of the thread wound on the spool through this +hole, and tie it to a fancy-work ring (Fig. 117). + +=To Make the Turtle Crawl=, place it upon the floor, pull on the ring, +and as the thread unwinds from the spool the rubber-bands will twist; +then slacken the thread, and the turtle will crawl along the floor. As +the rubber-bands untwist, the thread will wind up on the spool again. +Continue pulling and slackening the thread alternately, and the turtle +will continue to crawl. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +HOME-MADE TOPS + + +There are many styles of tops, probably more than you ever dreamed of, +and it will surprise you to hear that the owners of some of the most +curious forms are bearded men who take as much delight as any girl or +boy in spinning them. A few years ago on Murray Island, which is way +down among the South Sea Islands, top spinning took such a strong hold +upon the attention of the natives that they neglected their work, and +families often were without food, boys and girls having to go to school +hungry. Matters became so serious, in fact, as a result of this fad for +top spinning, that, finally, the head chieftain was compelled to +restrict it to certain days. There are many experts among these South +Sea Islanders. The men sing songs while their tops spin, cheer them on, +and take the greatest precautions to shelter them from wind. An eye +witness of a contest reported that the winning top spun 27 minutes, +which you must admit is a pretty long time. + +Whip-tops and peg-tops of several varieties can be purchased at the +corner candy store, but the kinds I am going to show you how to make +cannot be bought anywhere. + +=Clock Wheel Tops.= A splendid spinner can be made of the little +balance-wheel of a broken clock (Fig. 119). This little wheel is so +accurately made that it will spin very steadily from a minute and +one-half to two minutes. As the ends of this wheel's axle are pointed, +the top will stand in one spot as long as it spins. + +[Illustration: FIGS. 119 and 120.--Clock Wheel Tops.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 121.--Upholstering Tack Top.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 122.--How to Hold Upholstering Tack for Spinning.] + +[Illustration: FIGS. 123 and 124.--Details of Spool Top.] + +The toothed wheel shown in Fig. 120, or any of the other forms of wheels +from a clockwork will make good spinners, yet, unless you file their +pivot ends to points, they will not spin in one spot but will glide and +hop over the table in spirals. The friction thus produced decreases the +length of time that they will spin, but makes them none the less +interesting as tops. Great fun may be had spinning these wheel tops +around the balance-wheel top, while the latter is spinning. Figure 129 +shows how to hold a clock wheel between the thumb and first finger, for +spinning. Start it with a snapping movement of the fingers. + +=A Rug-tack Top.= A rug tack or large upholstering tack is another good +spinner. While the clockwork wheels are spun by twirling them by means +of the upper end of the pivots, the tack top is spun by holding the +spinning point between the thumb and first finger, as shown in Fig. 122, +then giving it a quick twirl and dropping it upon a table. The tack top +is an eccentric spinner. First it hops about in a very lively fashion; +then, when you think it is about ready to topple over, it regains its +balance and for some seconds spins quite as steadily as the clockwork +balance-wheel top. The tack top can be spun upon its head as well as +upon its point. + +[Illustration: FIG. 125.--A Shoe-polish Can Top.] + +=A Spool Top.= The top in Fig. 123 is made from a half of a spool and a +short piece of lead-pencil. Saw a spool into halves, and then taper one +half from its beveled end to the center. Sharpen the piece of pencil to +a point, and push it through the spool until its point projects just a +trifle. Spin the spool top in the same way as the clock wheel tops. + +=A Spinning Top Race-track.= By drawing a track upon a piece of +cardboard, as shown in Fig. 129, with an opening on the inside, great +fun may be had by starting any one of the small tops just described, +with the exception of the balance-wheel top, in the center of the space +inside of the track, and tilting the cardboard so as to cause the top to +spin through the opening on to the track, and around the track. There is +a trick in keeping the top from running off the track that can be +acquired only with practice. + +=A Shoe-polish Can Top= (Fig. 125). This is a sure-enough good looking +top, and it spins as well as it looks. It is made of a pencil, a +cone-shaped piece cut from a spool, similar to the top shown in Fig. +123, and an empty shoe-polish can. + +[Illustration: FIGS. 126-128.--Details of Shoe-polish Can Top.] + +The dotted line in Fig. 126 indicates how the end of the pencil sticks +through a hole in the shoe-polish can, then through the cone-shaped +piece of spool. The hole through the can must be located in the exact +center, so the top will balance properly. To find the center, place the +box bottom down upon a piece of paper, and with a pencil draw a line +around it. Cut the paper along the center, and you will have a piece the +shape and size of the can bottom. Fold the piece in half, then in half +again the other way (Fig. 127), open it up, and the intersection of the +two folds, indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 128, will be the exact +center. With the center located, place the piece of paper first upon the +bottom, then upon the top of the can, and punch a hole through the +center of it and the can, with the point of a large nail. Increase the +size of the hole enough to admit the pencil. + +[Illustration: FIG. 129.--A Spinning Top Race-track.] + +Spin this top in the manner shown in Fig. 125. Hold the upper part of +the pencil between your hands, with the palms together, and slide your +hands back and forth, first slowly, then rapidly. Release it so as to +cause it to drop squarely upon its point upon a level wooden surface. +The steadiness of this top's spinning will depend entirely upon the +accuracy with which you cut the center hole for the pencil. + +=A Spiral Top.= The top in Fig. 130 presents a curious appearance while +spinning, the spiral design upon it seeming to change its form as the +top revolves. + +[Illustration: FIG. 130.--A Spiral Top.] + +The only difference between the construction of this top and the +shoe-polish can top is in the substitution of the spiral disk for the +polish can. A pencil and cone-shaped piece of spool are required as in +the case of the other top. + +[Illustration: FIG. 131.--Diagram of Spiral for Spiral Top.] + +The spiral design for the disk, shown in Fig. 131, is large enough so +you can make a tracing of it on a piece of transparent paper, and then +trace it off upon a piece of cardboard. Fill in alternate rings with +black ink or water-color, in the way shown, then cut out the disk, +pierce a hole through its exact center to fit over the pencil end, and +glue the under side to the top of the cone-shaped piece of spool. Spin +this top in the same way as the shoe-polish can top is spun (Fig. 125). + +=A Merry-go-round Top= (Fig. 132) is a new idea easily carried out. You +will require a cardboard disk 12 inches in diameter, three spools, a +pencil, and some light-weight cardboard. + +[Illustration: FIG. 132.--A Merry-go-round Top.] + +Figure 133 shows the details for this top. If you haven't a compass, use +a large-sized dinner plate with which to draw the circumference of the +disk (_A_). Then cut a conical-shaped piece of spool (_B_), stick the +lead-pencil through it for a spinning point (_C_), punch a hole through +the disk to fit over the pencil, and tack the disk to _B_. Cut off a +third of the length of a ribbon spool for _E_, and fasten another spool +(_D_) to the top of the pencil. Spool _D_ should be glued fast to the +pencil, and the spool-end _E_ should turn loosely upon it. Coat the +lower part of the pencil with glue so it will stick fast in _B_. + +[Illustration: FIG. 133.--Detail of Merry-go-round Top.] + +=How the Top Spins.= When you have made this much of the top, spin it to +see how it works. Wrap the spinning cord--a strong light-weight +wrapping-twine--about spool _D_, in the same manner that you wind the +cord on any top; then, holding spool end _E_ with the left hand (Fig. +132), pull steadily upon the cord with the right hand until all is +unwound, and gently drop the top upon its spinning point. To get the +best results, the cardboard used for the disk platform must be very +straight. If it warps, flatten it by pressing it under a pile of books. + +[Illustration: FIG. 134.--How Horses are Mounted upon Top Platform.] + +=Horses and Riders= for the merry-go-round may be prepared like those +of the clockwork merry-go-round in Chapter X (Figs. 143, 146, and 147). +Figure 134 shows how two burnt matches or toothpicks are lashed to the +legs of the horses for supports, and Fig. 133 shows how holes are +pierced through the disk platform to stick them in. + +=A Flag= mounted upon spool _D_ will make the merry-go-round top +complete. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +HOME-MADE CLOCKWORK TOYS + + +The toys shown opposite page 90 are a few of the many mechanical toys +which can be operated by clockwork, and they are easy to make, too, +requiring no more mechanical ability than is possessed by the average +boy old enough to handle the simplest of tools. + +Generally it is easy to find an old clock somewhere about the house, and +a clock which has been discarded simply because it has become worthless +as a timekeeper is perfectly good for operating these toys, provided the +_mainspring_ is in working order. It is not necessary to have a set of +works for each toy, for they are so quickly fastened in place that but a +minute is required to transfer the works from one toy to another. + +Before commencing work upon the toys, get together + +=The Other Necessary Materials.= These will consist of cigar boxes, +cardboard, cotton or silk spools, glue, brads, and a few pieces from the +woodpile, with one or two additional articles which are mentioned later +on. Brads 5/8 inch and 1 inch in length should be purchased for +fastening the framework of the toys together, and the cigar boxes should +be about 8 inches by 4 inches by 2 inches in size. Remove the paper +from the boxes as described on page 175. + +=To Prepare the Clockwork= for use, remove it from its case, detach the +hands and face, and pry off the small wheel pivoted directly under the +hands; this wheel is shown at _A_ in Fig. 139. Remove also the +_balance-wheel B_ (Fig. 139) and the _lever C_ pivoted next to it, to +increase the speed of the remaining wheels. + +[Illustration: FIG. 139.--How the Clockwork Motor is Fastened to the +Cigar-box Cover. + +(This Box has been cut down to the Proper Length for the Ferris Wheel.)] + +Fasten the clockwork motor for + +=The Merry-go-round= shown in Fig. 135 to the cover of a cigar box, as +illustrated in Figs. 136 and 139, boring holes through the cover with a +gimlet for the _pivot_ ends on the back of the works to set into. Remove +the lower flange from a spool (_D_, Fig. 139) and fasten the spool on to +the central pivot of the clockwork in the position formerly occupied by +wheel _A_. The hole in the spool will be too large for the pivot and +must be filled up with sealing-wax. To do this, hold a piece of +sealing-wax above the spool and melt it with a lighted match, allowing +it to drip into the hole until the latter is about half full, then press +the wax down with the end of a match until it is compact, smooth it off +on the bottom of the spool, and make a dent in it with a pencil to +indicate the exact center of the hole. Heat the end of the pivot with a +lighted match, and press it into the dent in the wax, being careful in +doing so to get the spool straight upon the pivot. Cut a hole through +the bottom of the cigar box belonging to the cover to which you have +attached the works, for spool _D_ to project through (Fig. 139). + +=To Make the Standard= for the merry-go-round, cut four strips of wood 8 +inches long, and fasten one to each corner of the cigar box, turning the +bottom side of the box up; then cut a piece of 1/2-inch board 10 inches +square, locate its center _F_ by drawing diagonal lines from corner to +corner as shown in Fig. 140, bore a 1-inch hole through it at this point +for spool _D_ (Fig. 136), and then nail the box to the center of the +board as shown in Fig. 140. + +[Illustration: FIG. 135. A MERRY-GO-ROUND.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 136. A CLOCKWORK MOTOR.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 137. A FERRIS WHEEL.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 138. THE "FLYING AIRSHIPS."] + +[Illustration: FIG. 140.--Plan of Top of Standard for Merry-go-round.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 141.--Pattern for Tent of Merry-go-round.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 142.--The Tent ready to be Fastened upon a +Tent-pole.] + +=The Tent= should be laid out upon heavy white paper as shown in Fig. +141. After describing a circle with a radius of 9 inches, describe +another circle within it with a radius of 7-1/2 inches, this inner +circle (shown by dotted lines in the diagram) being drawn for a guide +in fastening the tent upon its tent-poles. Cut out the tent along +the outer circle, and from it cut a triangular piece about the size +of that included between lines _KL_ and _ML_ in the diagram. Cover +the under edge of _KL_ and the upper edge of _ML_ with glue, lap _KL_ +over to about _NL_, and rub down the edges with a cloth to make as +neat a joint between the pieces as possible (Fig. 142). Bore +a hole through each corner of the standard top (_G_, _H_, _I_, and _J_, +Fig. 140), then cut four sticks 7 inches long, sandpaper them until +smooth, and glue them into these holes for + +=The Tent-poles.= When the tent has dried, tack it to the ends of the +poles, being careful to make it set evenly upon them; cut a scalloped +border out of red or blue paper and paste it to the edge all around as +shown in Fig. 135, and stick a small flag in the peak. + +[Illustration: FIG. 143.--Full-size Pattern for the Horses of the +Merry-go-round.] + +=The Horses.= A full-size pattern for these is shown in Fig. 143. Take a +piece of _tracing-paper_ or any thin transparent paper, and place it +over the pattern and make an exact copy; then rub a soft lead-pencil +over the other side of the paper, turn the paper over with the blackened +side down, and transfer the drawing six times upon a piece of +light-weight cardboard. Paint the horses with water-colors, using the +pattern as a guide for shading and marking them, then cut them out with +a sharp knife or a pair of scissors. + +Figure 144 shows the pattern for + +=The Sleighs.= Draw this out upon a piece of cardboard, cut it out and +fold along the dotted lines, then turn in the flaps and glue them to the +dashboard and to the back. Cut two seats by the pattern given, bend down +the flaps and glue them to the sides of the sleigh, and make the back +for the front seat like that on the back seat (Fig. 145). Then make +another sleigh similar to the one just completed, for two are required +for the merry-go-round. Paint the sleighs green or yellow with trimmings +of a lighter shade. + +[Illustration: FIG. 144.--Pattern for the Merry-go-round Sleighs.] + +Figure 136 shows + +=The Shafts= upon which the horses and sleighs are mounted. Cut them +5-1/2 inches long, whittle them round, and rub them down with +sandpaper. The shafts are fastened in a spool hub which has five holes +bored in it (_E_, Fig. 136); bore the holes with a gimlet or small +drill, marking them off first with a pencil to be sure of getting them +spaced at equal distances. Point the ends of the shafts and glue them +into the holes in the hub, then connect this spool to spool _D_ with a +piece of a lead-pencil 2 inches long (Fig. 136). + +[Illustration: FIG. 145.--A Completed Sleigh showing Attachment to +Shaft.] + +To fasten the horses to the shafts, punch a hole through three of them +at _X_ (Fig. 143) and slip each one over a shaft, then tack the other +three horses to the ends of these shafts at the point _X_. To fasten the +sleighs to the remaining shafts, glue one end of a piece of paper to the +back of the front seat and the other end around the shaft (Fig. 145). + +=The Girl Riders= for the sleighs are shown full size in Fig. 146, and + +=The Boy Riders= for the horses are shown full size in Fig. 147. Make +tracings from the patterns as you made that of the horse and prepare +four girls and six boys. Paint their clothes in bright colors. Cut a +second leg for each boy rider, so he can be made to sit astride of his +horse, and glue the leg to his hip as shown in Fig. 148. Cut a slit in +each seat of the sleigh and stick the flaps on the girl riders in them. + +[Illustration: FIG. 146.--Full-size Pattern for the Girl Riders.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 147.--Full-size Pattern for the Boy Riders.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 148.--How the Second Leg of the Boy is Attached.] + +=For the Platform= shown directly under the horses and sleighs in Fig. +135, cut a piece of cardboard 11 inches in diameter; if you choose to +make the Ferris wheel before the merry-go-round, you may use the center +pieces removed in cutting out the rims, as noted in Fig. 153. Punch a +hole through the center of this disk large enough for the peg connecting +spools _D_ and _E_ to slip through. This platform rests upon the top of +spool _D_ and revolves with it. + +=To Operate the Merry-go-round.= The key by which the mainspring is +wound up is shown screwed in place on the under side of the cigar-box +cover in Fig. 139. While winding the mainspring, it will be necessary to +have some means of checking it so it will not unwind at the same time, +and the best scheme for a check is to bore a small gimlet hole through +the cover of the cigar box and stick a match through this and run it +between the spokes of one of the clock wheels so as to prevent it from +turning. Then when you have wound up the spring and are ready to start +the merry-go-round, all you have to do is to pull out the match. + +The model of this toy which the author has before him runs for five +minutes with one winding, and any boy can make one which will run as +well if he follows the directions given and uses a reasonable amount of +carefulness in the work. + +=Other Animals= than horses may be used if you wish to follow the +arrangement of some of the latest merry-go-rounds, and pictures of these +may be found among the colored cut-outs sold in the stationery stores, +or if you can draw well, you may copy them from books and magazines. +Great fun may be had by changing the positions of the boy riders, making +them ride backward part of the time and sometimes two and three boys on +a horse. + +Doubtless you have heard of the famous Ferris wheel, and a good many of +you have ridden in the smaller wheels patterned after it, at the +amusement parks, so you will be interested in making + +=A Miniature Ferris Wheel= like the one shown in Fig. 137. + +=The Standard= for supporting the wheel (Fig. 149) consists of two +triangular supports, one with a spool hub fastened to its top for the +axle of the wheel to run through and the other with the cigar box +inclosing the clockwork fastened to it. Figures 150, 151, and 152 show +the construction of these supports. Cut strips _P_ and _Q_ 12 inches +long and _R_ 10 inches long, and trim off the upper ends of _P_ and _Q_ +so when they are nailed together the lower ends will be 8 inches apart; +nail strip _R_ to the lower ends of _P_ and _Q_ (Fig. 150). To fasten +the spool hub to its support, smear one side of a piece of tape with +glue and wind it several times around the spool (Fig. 151), then set the +spool on top of the support and press the ends of the tape against the +sides of strips _P_ and _Q_ (Fig. 152). + +[Illustration: FIG. 149.--Standard for the Ferris Wheel.] + +=The Clockwork Motor= for the Ferris wheel is fastened to the cover of a +cigar box just as that for the merry-go-round was fastened (Fig. 139), +but the length of the box is cut down as much as the clockwork will +allow to make the box as square and compact as possible. + +It is very necessary to have the axle bearings exactly on a line in +order to have the wheel run smoothly, so, in fastening the cigar box to +its support, be sure that the center of the hole in spool _D_ (Fig. +139) is on a level with the spool hub on the opposite support. Nail the +supports to a 10-inch by 12-inch board, 8 inches apart, and fasten a +cigar box between them for + +=The Station Platform= (Fig. 149). + +[Illustration: FIG. 150.--Make Two Supports like this for the Ferris +Wheel Standard.] + +[Illustration: FIGS. 151 and 152.--How a Spool is Fastened to the Top of +the Support for a Hub.] + +=To Make the Wheel=, first lay out the rims upon a piece of heavy +cardboard, using the radii shown in Fig. 153 for describing the circles, +then lay the sheet of cardboard upon a board and + +=Cut out the Rims= with a sharp knife, being careful not to run off of +the pencil line. The + +=Hubs= of the wheel are spools with six holes bored in them for the +spokes to fit in (Fig. 156). Cut six + +=Spokes= 5-3/4 inches long by 1/8 inch thick for each hub, and cut a +slot in one end of each for the cardboard rims to fit in (Figs. 154 and +157). Use a saw rather than a knife in making the slots, for it will +make a kerf of just the right width to receive the cardboard and will +not be so apt to split the ends of the slender spokes. Whittle the hub +ends of the spokes to fit the holes in the spool hubs (Figs. 154 and +157). In + +[Illustration: FIG. 153.--How to Lay out the Cardboard Rims of the +Ferris Wheel.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 154.--The Spokes Fitted into the Spool Hub.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 155.--The Rim Slipped into the End of the Spokes.] + +=Putting together the Spokes, Hubs, and Rims= of the wheel, first stick +three spokes in a hub and slip a rim into the slots in their ends, then +stick the remaining spokes into the hub, one at a time, and spread the +rim enough so it can be slipped into their slots (Fig. 155). + +[Illustration: FIG. 156.--A Spool Hub for the Wheel.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 157.--How the Spokes, Rims, and Axles are Fastened +Together.] + +When the hubs, rims, and spokes have been assembled, lay them aside and +get some heavy wrapping-paper or thin cardboard out of which + +=To Make the Cars.= The pattern for the cars is shown in Fig. 158, and +on it you will find all the dimensions necessary for laying it out to +the proper size. It will be understood that the unfigured portions of +the drawing are the same as those with dimensions marked upon them. The +dotted lines at the door and window openings indicate where the cutting +is to be done, while all other dotted lines indicate where the cardboard +is to be _scored_ and folded. + +[Illustration: FIG. 158.--Pattern for the Ferris Wheel Cars.] + +Use a ruler in making the drawing of the car to get the lines straight, +and when you have finished it go over it carefully and compare it with +the illustration to be sure it is correct, after which make a careful +tracing of it, turn it over and transfer the drawing five times upon +cardboard. These and your original drawing will give you the required +number of cars. Cut out the openings with a sharp knife and then do the +rest of the cutting with a pair of scissors; punch a 1/4-inch hole in +each end of each car with a lead-pencil (Fig. 158), being careful to get +the holes exactly opposite. In folding and gluing the cars, slip the +flaps inside and bend the roofs so they will follow the curve of the +ends (Fig. 159). + +[Illustration: FIG. 159.--A Completed Car for the Ferris Wheel.] + +When the cars have been completed, cut six sticks 5 inches long, whittle +them down until they are about 3/16 inch in diameter, and sandpaper them +until they are perfectly round and smooth. These sticks connect the rims +of the wheel and form + +=The Axles= from which the cars are hung (Fig. 159). Great care must be +used in fastening them between the rims, for they are easily split, and +the best way to do is to start a hole first in the ends of each axle +with an awl or by driving a brad part way in and then withdrawing it; +then drive a brad through each spoke of one rim into an axle (Fig. 157); +slip the other ends of the axles through the holes in the ends of the +cars (Fig. 159), and nail the spokes of the other rim to them. + +=To Mount the Wheel= upon its standard, whittle an axle 8-1/2 inches +long to fit the hubs, then hold the wheel between the two uprights, with +the hubs on a line with the spool bearings and run the axle through the +holes (Fig. 137). + +=Build Steps= at each end of the platform out of heavy writing-paper or +light cardboard. Fold the paper or cardboard back and forth, making +pleats about 1/4 inch wide for the steps, and after gluing it in place +cut out the _balustrades_ and glue them to the edges of the steps. Make +the top step low enough so there will be about 1/4-inch clearance +between it and the bottom of the cars (Fig. 137). + +After you have made a final inspection to see that everything has been +put together properly, your toy will be ready for operation, and I am +sure that when you set the clockwork machinery in motion, and the little +wheel begins to revolve slowly with each little car balancing upon its +axle, you will agree that you have constructed a very interesting toy. + +=The "Flying Airships"= is a riding device consisting of a number of +cars suspended by steel cables from large arms pivoted to the top of a +tower. When the machinery is started, the arms begin to revolve slowly, +and the motion produced causes the cars to swing out away from the +center. As the speed of the arms increases, the cars swing out farther +and farther, until when the highest speed has been reached the cables by +which the cars are suspended have taken an oblique position and raised +the cars some distance above the ground; then the speed of the engine +is gradually diminished, and the cars finally regain their former +position. This piece of apparatus is also known as an _aerostat_. + +You will find the miniature flying airships (Fig. 138) easy to construct +after making a merry-go-round or Ferris wheel, as many of its details +are identical with those of the other toys. + +=The Standard= for the toy is made similar to the one for the +merry-go-round (Fig. 135), except that the top board is omitted and a +circular piece of cardboard of the size of the disks removed in cutting +out the rims of the Ferris wheel is substituted in its place. Cut a hole +through the exact center of the piece large enough so it will fit over +spool _D_ (Fig. 136). + +=Cut a Mast= about 14 inches long and of the diameter of the hole in the +spool and stick it into spool _D_; then 3 inches below the top of the +mast fasten a spool with four horizontal arms 6 inches long glued into +holes bored in it. Fasten a crosspiece 4-1/2 inches long to the end of +each arm with brads, and from these suspend + +=Cars= made similar to those of the Ferris wheel, with cords. Set a +small flag in a hole bored in the top of the mast and then run cords +from the top of the mast out to the ends of the arm pieces. + +With this toy the cars cannot be swung out obliquely as on the large +flying airships except by + +=Increasing the Speed of the Clockwork.= This can be accomplished by +removing one or two of the wheels of the clockwork, but it is not +advisable to take out more than one wheel in addition to those removed +for the merry-go-round (Fig. 139) because the mainspring would require +rewinding too often to make the toy enjoyable. + +=An Electric Motor= can be belted to these toys as a substitute for the +clockwork, if you own one and prefer to try it out. + +The clockwork toys just described were invented by the author for his +book "Handicraft for Handy Boys," and were the first designs, he +believes, devised for home-made mechanical toys of this nature. No doubt +you have noticed that manufacturers of the so-called "construction +sets"--steel and wood strips supplied with bolts and screws for +assembling--have used these very same forms of models to show what can +be made with their outfits. But your Ferris wheel, merry-go-round, and +aerostat, built as described in this chapter, with materials picked up +at home, will be the equal of any that can be built, and you will have +the satisfaction of knowing that you haven't required an expensive +"construction set" for making them. + +All sorts of toy vehicles can be operated by clockwork. Figure 160 shows + +=An Automobile=, and Fig. 161 shows how the clockwork motor is mounted +upon the chassis and belted to the driving wheel. The same scheme that +was used for the cars of the toy railway described in Chapter VI will be +followed in making + +[Illustration: FIG. 160. THE CAR COMPLETED.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 161. THE FRAMEWORK.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 162.--Top View of Wooden Frame.] + +=The Frame= of the automobile, as that is about the simplest way, and +makes a light, easy-running vehicle. The bed will be cut of a different +pattern, however, as will be seen in Fig. 162. Lay out the piece to the +dimensions shown upon this drawing, and then cut it out, making a +mortise in each end for the wheels to fit in. The spool wheels should be +mounted in the same manner as those of the railway cars, for which see +Fig. 80, Chapter VI, and the directions upon page 51. One end of spool +_A_ should be pivoted with a longer finishing nail than those used for +the other pivots, so that when driven in place about half an inch will +project beyond the frame. A small silk spool should be fastened upon +this for a belt-wheel (see _B_, Fig. 162). The hole in one of these +spools is about three-sixteenths of an inch in diameter, so, in order to +make it fit tightly upon the nail, it is necessary to fill in around the +nail with sealing-wax. To do this, turn the wooden frame upon its edge +and place the spool over the nail, being careful to get the nail in the +exact center of the hole. Then hold a stick of sealing-wax over the +spool, and with a lighted match melt the end and allow it to drip into +the hole. When the hole has been partially filled, allow the wax to +harden a little, and then press it down around the nail with the end of +a match, being careful not to throw the spool out of center by doing so. +The hole should then be filled to the top. + +We are now ready to prepare the clockwork for mounting upon the wooden +frame. The works shown in Fig. 161 are from an alarm clock, but if you +have a striking clock, or one with works a little different from those +shown in the illustration, it does not make a bit of difference in the +scheme for attaching the works. The three parts shown in the foreground +of Fig. 161 must first be removed from the works. These will be +recognized readily in any clock, as they are pivoted close together, and +regulate the speed of the other wheels. When they have been removed, the +mainspring will unwind rapidly. The frame of the works shown in the +illustration is held together with nuts, so that in removing the wheels +it was necessary to unscrew two of them, spring the frame open enough to +let the wheels drop out, and then replace the nuts again in their former +positions. If the frame of your clockwork is riveted together, the +wheels will have to be broken out. A small silk spool, such as _B_ (Fig. +162), should be fastened upon the small pivot which originally operated +the clock's hands, for a belt-wheel. Lay the works upon a table with the +face-side down, and, after centering the hole of the spool upon the +pivot, fasten it in place with sealing-wax in the same manner as you +attached spool _B_ (Fig. 161). + +The works should now be attached to the wooden frame. Place them with +the striker uppermost, near the edge of the frame, so that the small +belt-wheels are in line with one another. Then bore a number of gimlet +holes in the wooden frame and run copper wire through them, passing it +around the posts of the clock-frame and twisting its ends until the +works are firmly fastened in place. + +A rubber band about an eighth of an inch wide and long enough to reach +from one belt-wheel to the other should be procured for + +=The Belt.= This should stretch just enough to cling upon the spools, as +more than that would cause too much friction. + +Before going any further with the construction of the automobile + +=Test the Machine=, to be sure that it is in perfect running order. Wind +up the mainspring, pressing a finger against one of the wheels to hold +it in check until you are ready to start the machine. When properly +made, the clockwork automobile should run a distance of from twenty to +twenty-five feet upon a wooden floor, while about three-quarters of that +distance should be covered upon a floor with a fairly smooth carpet. + +=The Cardboard Sides= and other details of the automobile should now be +made. The patterns for these have been so shown in Figs 163 to 170 that +they can easily be laid out to the proper shape and size by means of the +process of enlarging by squares described on page 175, Chapter XVII. +White cardboard should be used upon which to draw these pieces, and the +thinner it is the easier you will find it to work with. + + +[Illustration: FIGS. 163-170.--Patterns for the Automobile +Touring-car.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 171.--Chauffeur.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 172.--Cardboard Side of Automobile.] + +First prepare the two sides, cutting them out by the pattern of Fig. +163. Then glue the bottom edge of each side to the edge of the wooden +frame, cutting holes in the left side for the belt-wheels and projecting +posts to run through (see Fig. 160 and _A_, _B_, _C_, _D_, and _E_, Fig. +172). The top to the front of the car should now be cut as shown in Fig. +173, the distance between the sides being measured to get the piece of +proper dimensions. Bend the edges as in Fig. 173, and glue them to the +inner surfaces of the side pieces as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. +172. In the same way cut and glue a piece of cardboard between the side +pieces at _G_ and _H_ (Fig. 172) for the seat-backs. The bent edges of +these pieces are shown by dotted lines in the illustration. Draw four + +=Wheels= as shown in Fig. 164, using a compass with which to describe +the circles, and cut them out with a sharp knife. You can cut out +between the spokes, if you wish, or leave them solid. Glue the wheels to +the cardboard, placing their centers about as located at _I_ and _J_, +Fig. 172. Four + +=Mud-Guards= should be cut like Fig. 165, with flaps made along one +edge. Then bend these guards around the tops of the wheels, and, after +applying glue to the flaps, press them against the cardboard side, +holding your fingers upon the flaps until the glue has dried (see Fig. +160). The guards should be placed a little above the tops of the wheels. +Cut four + +=Lamps= like Fig. 166 and glue end _K_ of two upon the front of the +automobile at _L_ (Fig. 172) and one of the other two upon each side at +_M_. These lamps are shown in position in the illustration of the +completed automobile (Fig. 160). Draw and cut + +[Illustration: FIG. 173.--The Hood.] + +=The Steering-wheel= similar to Fig. 167, and, after pivoting it to the +end of a strip of cardboard with a pin as shown in Fig. 174, bend the +lower end and glue it to the under side of the cardboard top _F_ at _N_ +(see Fig. 172, also Fig. 160). Make a + +=Horn= like Fig. 168 and glue it to the steering-wheel as shown in Fig. +174. A strip of cardboard about the size of that used for the upright of +the steering-wheel should be cut for + +=The Brake=, and glued to the inside surface of the right side of the +car at _O_ (Fig. 172). + +=The Chauffeur= should now be made. Cut his head and body the shape and +size of Fig. 169, drawing the face upon each side with goggles over the +eyes. Cut the arms in two pieces the shape of _P_ and _Q_ (Fig. 170), +and then pivot _P_ to _Q_ at _R_ and the end of _Q_ to the shoulder of +the body at _S_, using thread for fastening the pieces together. Paint +the hat, coat, sleeves, and gloves a leather color, and the face flesh +color. The body should then be fastened to the hammer of the clockworks +with sealing-wax, as shown in Fig. 171, while the left hand should be +glued to the edge of the steering-wheel and the right to the end of the +brake (see Fig. 160). By thus attaching the body to the end of the +hammer, and winding up the small spring, the chauffeur will shake +violently when the auto runs across the floor, showing the vibrations of +the machine in a greatly exaggerated and amusing manner. + +[Illustration: FIG. 174.--The Steering-wheel.] + +It is now only necessary to + +=Paint the Machine= to complete it. The photograph (Fig. 160) shows +where different colors are needed. The lamps, top, ends, and sides of +the front portion of the car should be painted the color of brass, and +the rest of the sides, with the exception of a strip along the bottom +and the edge of the arms, should be painted vermilion. Paint the inside +of the car and the edges of the seat-arms tan color, to represent +leather upholstering. With black paint, or ink, stripe off the door and +trimmings upon the sides and top of the machine, as shown in Figs. 160, +172, and 173. Blacken the brake and steering-wheel and the spokes and +rims of the wheels. Along the bottom of each side glue a strip of +cardboard for the running-boards. + +When you have tired of your touring-car, you can easily convert it into + +=An Automobile Delivery Wagon=, such as illustrated in Fig. 175. To make +this you will require the same frame as that used for the touring-car, +with the clockworks and belt-wheels attached in the same manner. If you +have made the touring-car, remove the cardboard sides from its wooden +frame, separating the cardboard from the wood carefully so you can put +the machine together again when you wish. If you haven't made this +automobile, you will find the details for the construction of the frame +in Figs. 161 and 162, and the manner of performing the work described on +pages 104 to 107. + +[Illustration: FIG. 175.--An Automobile Delivery Wagon.] + +=The Cardboard Sides= are much easier to prepare than those for the +touring-car, as they are straight and require but little cutting. The +outline for these is shown in Fig. 175, surrounding the drawing of the +completed wagon. Lay out one side upon a piece of cardboard, using the +dimensions given upon the drawing, and then place it upon a board and +cut it out with your knife. Using this as a pattern, place it upon +another piece of cardboard and run a pencil around its edges, thus +marking out the second side. In cutting out the latter piece, run your +knife a little inside of the line in order to allow for the increase +in size caused by marking it out with the first cardboard side. Having +prepared the two sides, draw panels upon them in some such form as +shown in the illustration, separating them with three lines. Draw a +small window, with its top slightly arched, near the front edge of +each side, and cut an opening for it (see illustration). + +Glue the sides to the edges of the truck in the same manner as those of +the touring-car were done, piercing holes for the posts of the clockwork +to fit in, and openings for the belt-wheels to project through, in the +left side. Cut a piece of cardboard for the back of the wagon, fit it +between the sides, and fasten it in place by gluing a number of linen +strips to it and the sides upon the inner or unexposed surfaces. Then +cut a piece of cardboard for the roof, making it about two inches longer +than the sides, to give it the proper projection over the front of the +wagon. Fasten this piece in position in the same manner as you fastened +the back of the wagon. + +Make the floor and footboard for the wagon out of a piece of cardboard +bent as shown in Fig. 175, and fasten it across the top edges of the +projecting portions of the sides with linen strips. Cut a strip for a +seat, and fit it between the sides an inch and one-half above the floor. + +=The Wheels= of an automobile wagon contain fourteen spokes, but as you +have the pattern for the touring-car wheels of twelve spokes, you can +just as well use it in making the wagon wheels. They should be mounted +upon the sides of the wagon, a trifle above the bottoms of the spool +wheels, as shown in the illustration, so they will not touch the carpet +when the machine is operated. + +=All Other Portions= of the wagon should be made of the same patterns +given for the touring-car, viz. the chauffeur (Figs. 169 and 170), the +steering-wheel (Figs. 167 and 174), the brake (Fig. 160), and the lamps +(Fig. 166). As the legs of the chauffeur will show, it will be necessary +to cut a pair out of cardboard (the drawing shows the shape clearly +enough to work by) and fasten them to his body. Fasten the chauffeur +upon the seat and glue his left hand to the steering-wheel, placing the +latter in front of him, as shown in the drawing. Stick the lower end of +the cardboard upright of the steering-wheel upon a pin run through the +wagon floor from the under side. Glue the upper end of the brake to the +chauffeur's hand and the lower end to the side of the wagon. + +=Paint the Wagon= with water colors, making the sides, end, and roof +olive green, the steering-wheel, brake, and spokes of wheels black, and +the lamps yellow or the color of brass. In painting the sides show the +battery compartments upon them below what would properly be the bottom +of the wagon (see illustration). Leave the cardboard white below this +box, as it represents no portion of the machine, but is necessarily +brought down so far to conceal the wooden frame. It will give the +machine a more finished appearance if, after painting, you go over it +with black paint and a fine brush and stripe the panels upon the sides, +following the lines which you drew upon them with a pencil. Letter the +word "Delivery" upon the center panel of each side, and the firm name in +the small panel between the lamp and window. + +By attaching a set of clockworks in the same manner as described for the +automobiles, you can make + +=A Clockwork Railway=, constructing the cars similar to the street car +shown in Fig. 84, Chapter VI, and using the schemes in the same chapter +for the tracks and depots. + +Each car should be provided with a clockwork motor, because a single +clockwork is not strong enough to pull more than one car. Let me know +how you succeed in building a clockwork railway. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +HOME-MADE ELECTRICAL TOYS + + +An entire volume might be filled with plans for electrical toys and yet +not exhaust the innumerable forms that are within the ability of a boy +to construct. There is room in this chapter for only a few, and I have +selected simple ideas, those that can be carried out by a boy having no +knowledge of working with electricity, with materials that can be +obtained at an expenditure of little or nothing. Thus every boy will be +able to make these electrical toys. + +=The Electro-Magnet Derrick= shown in Fig. 176 will hoist nails and +other small pieces of hardware from the floor to a table top, and as the +_boom_, or arm, can be swung from side to side, and raised and lowered, +loads can be moved from place to place in the same way as with large +derricks. The toy derrick may be used for loading and unloading toy +wagons, carts, and trains of cars, provided, of course, you use iron or +steel of some sort for your loads. It is easy enough to get nails, +brads, tacks, and odd pieces of hardware for the purpose. The model from +which Fig. 176 was made has lifted a bunch of two hundred and +eighty-four brads 3/8 inch long. By using smaller brads, or tacks, a +much larger number could be lifted. + +The first part of the toy to construct is + +=The Electro-Magnet.= The difference between an electro-magnet and the +toy variety of horse-shoe magnet with which every boy is familiar, is +that the electro-magnet retains its magnetism only so long as an +electric current is passing around it, while the steel magnet retains +its influence permanently, after being magnetized, unless it happens to +be demagnetized by subjection to heat, or in some other way. + +[Illustration: FIG. 176.--An Electro-Magnet Derrick.] + +Figures 177 to 179 show the details for making a simple home-made +electro-magnet. + +An electro-magnet consists of a center _core_ of soft iron, wrapped with +a coil of insulated wire. When an electric current passes over a wire, a +_magnetic field_ is formed around the wire; and when several turns of +insulated wire are wrapped about a soft iron core, the magnetic fields +of all the turns of the coil, or _helix_, combine, forming a very strong +magnetic field which strongly magnetizes the iron core. As I have said +before, this magnet loses its magnetic influence the instant the current +ceases to pass through the surrounding coil of wire. + +[Illustration: FIGS. 177-179.--The Electro-Magnet.] + +You will need a machine-bolt or carriage-bolt 2-1/2 or 3 inches long, +and 1/4 inch in diameter, for the core of the magnet, some insulated +electric-bell wire for the coil, and a piece of heavy cardboard. Cut +three washers of a trifle larger diameter than the bolt-head, out of the +piece of cardboard (Fig. 178), and slip these over the bolt as shown in +Fig. 179--one at the bolt-head end, the other two at the nut end; then +screw the nut on to the end of the bolt. + +[Illustration: FIG. 180.--How the Electro-Magnet is Connected up.] + +Before starting to wind the insulated wire upon the bolt, pierce two +holes through the inner cardboard washer of the two at the nut end. Then +stick the end of the wire through one of these holes, and pull a length +of 4 or 5 inches of the wire out between the two washers. Starting at +this end of the bolt, then, wind the wire around the bolt, keeping the +turns even and each turn pressed close against the preceding turn. When +the washer at the head end of the bolt has been reached, wind back to +the starting point; then wind back to the washer at the head a second +time, and again back to the starting point; and so on until six or eight +layers of wire have been wound in place. An even number of layers will +bring the free end of the wire back to the double-washer end. Slip this +end through the second hole in the inner washer, and bring it out +between the two washers, as you did the first end. Then screw the +bolt-nut tight against the washers, to hold the wire ends in place (Fig. +177). The outer cardboard washer will prevent the nut from chafing the +insulation on the wire ends. + +Now connect the ends of the coil to the binding-posts of a battery cell, +and you will be surprised to find what a strong magnet the head of the +bolt core has become. + +One end of the magnet coil should be connected to a dry-cell, and the +other to a switch; and another wire should connect the switch with the +dry-cell (Fig. 180). + +=A Home-made Switch= that is easily made is shown in Fig. 181. Cut +strips _A_, _B_, and _C_ (Fig. 182) from a tomato can. Tack the turned +up ends of _A_ to a wooden knob (_D_). This forms the switch lever. +Strips _B_ and _C_, folded in half, and punched near the ends, form the +binding-post plates. + +[Illustration: FIG. 181.--A Home-made Switch.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 182.--Details of Switch.] + +Figures 181 and 182 show how to mount the lever and binding-post plates +upon the switch base. Pivot lever _A_ with a small screw passed through +a hole punched near its end, and through the hole near the folded end of +plate _C_. Fasten plate _B_ with a rug-tack (_F_) so the lever will come +in contact with it. Screw-eyes _E_ form the binding-posts. + +[Illustration: FIG. 183.--Detail of Mast.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 184.--Detail of Pulley.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 185.--Detail of Boom.] + +Instead of using a separate base, the switch can be mounted as shown in +Fig. 176, upon the base of + +=The Derrick=. Cut the base about 8 inches wide and 10 inches long (_A_, +Fig. 176). The _mast_ (_B_) is a piece of broom-handle or curtain-pole +16 inches long, and fits loosely in a hole bored in the base. Figure 183 +shows a detail of the mast. The _pulley_ upon its upper end (_C_) is +made of two spool-ends nailed together (Fig. 184), and it turns upon the +axle _D_, which slips through holes in the _plates E_ nailed to the end +of the mast. The _lever F_ sticks in a hole in the mast, close to the +platform. This is used to swing the _boom_ from side to side. Screw-eye +_G_ is placed several inches above _F_ to serve the purpose of a pulley +to guide the hoisting cables. + +Figure 185 shows a detail of the _boom_. Cut the side sticks _H_ 18 +inches long, and fasten between them the _separators I_, which should be +just long enough to allow clearance for the _spool pulley J_. The pulley +is mounted on the axle _K_. Screw the lower ends of the boom to the +mast, at a point 2-1/2 inches above the base. + +=The Windlass= for raising the derrick boom, and for hoisting the loads, +is shown in detail in Fig. 186. Bore a hole through upright _L_ for the +axle _M_ to stick through, and cut axle _M_ enough smaller than the +spool drums _N_ so they will turn easily. Fasten a crank and handle to +one end of each spool, and drive a brad through each end of the axle to +prevent the drums from sliding off. Cut four notches in the inner flange +of each spool, as shown, and pivot the catches _O_ to the post _L_, in +the positions indicated, so they may be thrown into the notches to lock +the windlass (Fig. 176). + +[Illustration: FIG. 186.--Detail of Derrick Windlass.] + +=The Hoisting Cables= should be made of strong cord. Fasten one end of +the cable for raising the boom to a nail (P, Fig. 176), and run this +cord up and over the mast pulley, then down through screw-eye _G_ and +over to one drum; tie it securely to the drum so it will not slip +around. The other cable should be fastened between the nut and washer +of the magnet, as shown in Fig. 180, run up and over the boom pulley +_J_, then through screw-eye _G_, and tied to the second drum. + +Figure 176 shows how the dry-cell may be strapped to the base board in +front of the mast, and how the wires that connect the electro-magnet, +switch, and cell should be twisted around the hoisting cable, part way, +and the remainder of their length allowed to hang. Be sure to cut the +wires long enough to reach from a table-top down to the floor. Use +flexible wire if you can get it. + +By mounting the base upon spool wheels, your derrick can be moved along +a table-top. Spool-ends may be used for the wheels, and can either be +screwed to the edge of the base, or be fastened upon axles as the wheels +of the _Electric Motor Truck_ are fastened (Figs. 203 and 208). + +=How the Derrick Works.= It is probably unnecessary to explain that a +load is picked up by throwing over the switch lever to the contact point +and closing the circuit, and that it is dropped by throwing off the +switch lever and opening the circuit--which causes the electro-magnet to +lose its magnetism. + +=A Toy Shocking Machine.=.The little shocking machine shown in Fig. 187 +is a harmless toy with which you can have an endless amount of fun when +entertaining friends. The shock it produces is not severe, but strong +enough to make your friend's arm and wrist muscles twitch, and perhaps +cause him to dance. Large shocking coils contract the muscles to such an +extent that it is impossible to let go of the metal grips until the +current has been shut off, but in our small shocking machine the handles +can be dropped the instant the person holding them wishes to do so. + +[Illustration: FIG. 187.--Detail of the Toy Shocking Machine.] + +The shocking machine consists of an _induction-coil_, an _interrupter_, +and a pair of _handles_, all of which are easy for a boy to make, and a +_wet_ or _dry battery_ of one or two cells to furnish the current. + +[Illustration: FIGS, 188-191.--Details of Induction-Coil.] + +=The Induction-Coil= is the first part to make. This is shown in detail +in Figs. 188 to 191. The coil has windings of two sizes of wire upon an +iron core. For the core buy a 5/16-inch carriage-bolt 2-1/2 inches long, +and for the wire coils get some No. 20- or 24-gauge electric-bell +insulated copper wire, and some No. 30-gauge insulated magnet-wire. To +keep the wire from slipping off the ends of the bolt core, cut two +cardboard ends about 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Slip one of these on to +the bolt next to the head, and the other one next to the nut, as shown +in Fig. 188. + +Three layers of the coarse wire should be wound on first, for + +=The Primary-Coil.= Pierce a hole through one cardboard end, stick the +wire through it, and allow about 5 inches to project upon the outside; +then commence winding the wire upon the core, placing each turn close to +the preceding turn. When the opposite end of the bolt has been reached, +wind back to the starting point, then work back to the other end again. +There will be in the neighborhood of 175 turns in the three layers. Cut +off the wire so there will be a 5-inch projection, and stick the +projecting end through a hole in the cardboard end. This completes the +primary-coil (Fig. 189). + +Before winding the small wire on top of the primary-coil, to form + +=The Secondary-coil=, wrap the primary-coil with a layer of bicycle +tape, or glue several layers of paper around the coil. Then wind on the +small wire as you did the coarser wire, being very careful to get it on +evenly and smoothly. Wind eleven layers on the coil, and run the end of +the eleventh layer out through the cardboard end (Fig. 190). There +should be about 100 turns of this wire to the layer, or 1100 turns in +all. + +A crank arrangement can be rigged up to make the winding easier, but +with patience, and by doing the work slowly, the wire can be wound +almost as well by hand. It is difficult to keep track of each preceding +turn, while winding, because of the fineness of the wire, and on this +account it is a good scheme to coat each layer with bluing after it has +been wound on, so that each turn of the following layer will show +plainly against the stained layer beneath it. Figure 190 shows the +complete induction-coil. + +Cut a base block 5 inches wide and 7 inches long, bevel the top edges to +give it a trim appearance, and mount the induction-coil to one side of +the center (Fig. 187), strapping it in place by means of two tin straps +similar to that shown in Fig. 191, cut from a tin can. + +The projecting ends of the primary-coil connect with the battery, while +the two ends of the secondary-coil connect with the handles. Make three +binding-post plates out of folded pieces of tin, similar to plates _B_ +and _C_, in Fig. 182. Tack two of these to the end of the base and +connect the secondary-coil wires to them (Fig. 187), and tack the third +near one end of the induction-coil and connect one primary-coil wire to +it (Fig. 187). + +=For the Handles= take two pieces of broom-handle 3-1/2 inches long, and +cover each with a piece of tin (Fig. 192). The pattern for the tin +covering (Fig. 193) shows how tabs are prepared on the ends and holes +punched through them for connecting with the induction-coil. The +connecting wires should be 5 or 6 feet long. Flexible wire is better +than bell-wire for these, because it is more easily handled in passing +the handles around. Tack the tin covering to the pieces of +broom-handle. + +[Illustration: FIGS. 192 and 193.--Details of Shocking-coil Handles.] + +The purpose of the induction-coil is to raise the voltage of the +battery. The flow of current must be an interrupted one, in order to +shock, and therefore + +=An Interrupter= must be inserted between the battery and one of the +wires leading to the primary-coil of the induction-coil. There are +several ways to construct an interrupter, but the scheme which I have +invented for the model of this shocking-machine (Fig. 187) serves the +purpose nicely, and is a neat appearing little piece of apparatus. This +interrupter is easily constructed as you will see by the working details +shown in Figs. 194 to 198. + +[Illustration: FIG. 194.--Interrupter for Shocking-coil.] + +Cut the base block _A_ 1-1/2 inches wide and 2-1/2 inches long. Make the +shaft _B_ 2-3/4 inches long and of a diameter equal to the hole in a +thread spool; and prepare the crank _C_ to fit on the end, and drive a +brad into it for a handle. Fasten the crank to the shaft with glue, or +by driving a small brad through the two. The shaft supports _D_ should +be prepared as shown in Fig. 196, 1-1/4 inches wide across the bottom, +5/8 inch wide at the top, and 1-3/4 inches high. Bore a hole through +each, a little below the top, and large enough so the shaft will turn +easily, and fasten these supports with brads to the sides of base _A_. +Drive eight brads into a thread spool, spacing them equidistant from one +another, and mount this spool upon the shaft (_E_, Fig. 194), first +slipping the shaft through one support, then through the spool, and then +through the other support. Drive the spool brads a trifle into the shaft +to hold the spool in position. + +The projecting arm _F_ (Fig. 194) is a strip of tin cut from a can, and +must be long enough so each nail-head will strike its end when spool _E_ +is revolved. Drive a nail into base _A_, at _G_, and, after bending +strip _F_ as shown in Fig. 198, fasten it with brads upon the top of an +upright made similar to _H_ (Fig. 197), and nail this upright to the end +of base _A_. The upper end of strip _F_ must be bent so it will bear +down upon the head of nail _G_. + +The wire from the primary-coil which is as yet not connected should be +attached to nail _G_, and one battery wire should be connected to a +binding-post plate _I_ fastened to the lower end of strip _F_. Figure +198 shows how the binding-post plate is made out of a doubled piece of +tin, with a hole punched through it for a small binding-screw. + +This completes the interrupter. Mount it beside the induction-coil upon +the base block, and connect it with the battery and the induction-coil, +as shown in Fig. 187. Connect the battery cells in series. Two cells +will be enough. + +[Illustration: FIGS. 195-198.--Details of Interrupter.] + +=How the Interrupter Works.= When you turn the crank of the interrupter, +each nail in spool _E_ raises the end of strip _F_, in passing it, thus +breaking the electrical contact between it and the head of nail _G_. If +the strip has been bent properly, it will spring back into contact with +the head of nail _G_, and each time the contact is made, the person +holding the handles will receive a shock. The strength of the current +can be regulated somewhat by the speed with which the interrupter crank +is turned. The shocks are stronger and more distinct when the crank is +turned slowly. + +Home-made electrical toys of a light construction are easily operated by +a toy motor, when the motor and battery cell are not carried by the toy; +but when both are transported, as in the case of a wagon, the +construction must be very carefully worked out, or the motor will not be +powerful enough to drive the wheels. + +=The Toy Electric Motor Truck= shown in Fig. 199 is of light +construction, the axle bearings produce very little friction, and the +battery is light and of a powerful type. + +[Illustration: FIG. 199.--A Toy Electric Motor Truck.] + +Get an oblong shaped cigar-box for the _bed_ and _sides_ of the truck, +several large thread spools for _wheels_ and _pulleys_, two small +silk-thread spools, four lead-pencils, or sticks whittled perfectly +round and 1/4 inch in diameter, for _axles_, _belt-shaft_, and +_steering-wheel post_, and six screw-eyes 5/16 inch in diameter for the +_bearings_. + +First, place the cigar-box in a wash-boiler or wash-tub of hot water, +and allow it to remain there until the paper labels have soaked off or +loosened sufficiently so they can be scraped off with a knife. + +[Illustration: FIG. 200.--Top view of Electric Motor Truck.] + +Then, after the box has thoroughly dried, cut the two strips _A_ (Fig. +208), and fasten them to the bottom, one at each side. Screw the +screw-eye axle bearings into these strips. Place them at equal distances +from the ends of the strips. + +=The Wheels= are made from the flange ends of the large spools. Figure +202 shows the front pencil axle. Slip the center portion of one of the +large spools on to this for a pulley, then stick the pencil ends +through the screw-eyes in strips _A_, and glue the spool-end wheels on +to them. The rear axle is like the front one, with the spool pulley +omitted (Fig. 203). + +=The Upper Shaft= shown in Fig. 201 supports a spool pulley like the one +on the front axle, and its screw-eye bearings should be screwed into the +top edge of the sides of the box (Fig. 200), directly over the front +axle. Slip a silk-spool on to each end of this shaft to keep its ends +from slipping out of the screw-eyes. + +[Illustration: FIGS. 201-203.--Details of Axle and Belt Shaft.] + +=The Belts.= As you will see by Figs. 200 to 202, the upper large pulley +is belted to the motor pulley, and another belt extends from the upper +shaft down to the pulley on the front axle. Rubber-bands make the best +belts. Cut a hole through the bottom of the cigar-box for the belt +extending from the upper shaft to the front axle to pass through. Screw +the toy motor to the cigar-box with its pulley directly in line with the +upper shaft pulley. Wrap the spool pulleys with bicycle-tape, to keep +the rubber-band belts from slipping. + +=The Battery.= A dry battery is too heavy for the motor truck to carry; +so we must make a special two-cell battery like that shown in Fig. 204. +Two glass tumblers to hold the solution, a pair of battery zincs, a pair +of carbons, and a bi-chromate of potash solution, are needed. Old +battery zinc pencils with several inches of the eaten end cut off (Fig. +206) will do for the zincs, and the carbons from worn-out dry-battery +cells cut to a corresponding length will do for the carbons. Fasten +together the zincs and carbons with rubber-bands, as shown in Fig. 207, +after wrapping a piece of bicycle-tape around the upper end of the +carbon and inserting a small wad of it between the lower ends of the +carbons and zincs, to keep them from touching one another. + +[Illustration: FIG. 204.--Two Home-made Battery Cells Connected in +Series.] + +Figure 205 shows a completed cell, and Fig. 204 how the two cells are +connected in _series_, that is, with the carbon of one connected to the +zinc of the other. Twisting the connecting wires into coils, as shown, +is a good method of taking up the slack. + +[Illustration: FIG. 205.--A Single Cell.] + +[Illustration: FIGS. 206 and 207.--Details of Zinc and Carbon.] + +=The Bi-chromate Battery Fluid= is made up of bi-chromate of potash, +sulphuric acid, and water, in the following proportions: + + 4 ounces of bi-chromate of potash + 4 ounces of sulphuric acid + 1 quart of water + +In making up this solution, first add the acid to the water,--_never add +the water to the acid_--and then, when the solution is nearly cool, add +the bi-chromate of potash. Pour the acid into the water slowly, because +the combination of the two creates a great deal of heat, and if the +heat forms too quickly your glass bottle is likely to split. Label the +bottle in which you put this solution POISON. + +As the bi-chromate solution attacks the zinc element of a cell even when +the current is not being drawn upon, the zinc should be removed when the +cell is not in use. + +=Amalgamating a Zinc Pencil.= To reduce the eating away of a zinc pencil +used in a bi-chromate solution, the zinc should be amalgamated by +rubbing a thin coat of mercury over its surface. Dip the zinc into the +solution, first, then with a rag dipped in the solution rub the mercury +on to it. + +Cut an opening through the cigar-box large enough for the two tumblers +to set in. Then cut a strip of tin about 1 inch wide and 8 inches long, +and bend it into a U-shaped hanger, to support the tumbler bottoms. Slip +the hanger ends under strips _A_, bend them against the sides of the +box, and fasten with tacks (Figs. 208 and 209). + +[Illustration: FIG. 208.--Plan of Motor Truck Bottom.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 209.--Section through Bottom.] + +Figure 200 shows how the battery cells are connected. A small switch can +be fastened to the side of the truck to shut off and turn on the +current, but, instead, you can simply withdraw one pair of elements from +its tumbler to shut off the current. When through playing with the +truck, however, it is important to remove both pairs of elements and +wash them off, because the bi-chromate solution attacks the zinc +elements even when the current is not in use. As the bi-chromate +solution stains very badly, it is advisable to operate the motor truck +only where there is no danger of ruining anything in case some of the +solution spills, as in the basement or workshop. If you wish to use a +dry-cell instead of the pair of bi-chromate cells, you can place the +cell upon the floor and make the wires connecting it to the motor long +enough so the truck can run back and forth across a room. + +[Illustration: FIG. 210--Details of Seat and Canopy-top.] + +=The Seat and Canopy-top= details are shown in Fig. 210. Make these in +about the proportion to the cigar-box shown in Fig. 199. Fasten the seat +to the edge of the seat-back _B_ with glue and brads, and then fasten +the side pieces _A_ to the ends of the seat. The dashboard _E_ is nailed +to the bottom piece _D_, and _D_ is nailed to the lower ends of side +pieces _A_. Figure 211 shows the pattern for the canopy-top. Make it of +light-weight cardboard, or heavy writing-paper. Slash the ends as shown; +then turn down the corners, and lap and glue them to form the +turned-down canopy ends. Fasten the ends to the canopy uprights with +tacks. + +[Illustration: FIG. 211.--Pattern of Canopy-top.] + +=The Seat-arms= are pieces of bent wire, with their ends stuck into +holes in the canopy uprights and front edge of the seat. + +=The Steering-wheel= is a section of a spool 1/8 inch thick, and is +glued upon the end of a pencil or a stick. Run the lower end of the +pencil through a hole in the bottom of _D_ (Fig. 210). For + +=The Levers=, fasten two small sticks to the end of the bottom piece _D_ +with small staples. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +A HOME-MADE TOY SHOOTING GALLERY + + +[Illustration: FIG. 212.--The Completed Toy Shooting Gallery.] + +This interesting toy, with its funny animal targets, and a harmless +pistol with which to shoot at them, will provide an endless amount of +fun for a winter's evening or stormy afternoon. + +Figure 212 shows the completed toy, and Fig. 213 the box that forms + +=The Framework.= The targets can be arranged to suit the form of box +that you find, and the number may be increased or decreased to suit the +space. + +[Illustration: FIG. 213.--The Box Framework.] + +The right position for the box is upon its side so its open top forms +the front of the target box (Fig. 213). The horizontal piece _A_ (Fig. +213) is fastened between the ends of the box, to support targets. It is +held in place by nails driven through the box ends into its ends. If +your box is much larger than the one shown in the illustration, you can +provide two crosspiece supports for targets, instead of one. + +=The Circular Target= should be drawn upon a piece of cardboard with a +compass, or, by marking around a cup or small saucer to make the outer +circle, marking around a can cover for the second circle, and a coin for +the center circle. Blacken the outside and center rings with ink, or by +rubbing with a soft pencil. + +[Illustration: FIGS. 214-215.--Details of Targets.] + +Figure 214 shows how the target should be hinged in place to the +horizontal strip _A_. Tack or glue the lower edge of the piece of +cardboard to a block of wood _B_. Then cut a hinge-strip out of a piece +of dress lining, and either tack or glue one-half of it to block _B_ and +the other half to the target support _A_. + +=The Animal Targets= are made with pictures cut from magazines and +newspapers. The pictures should be colored with crayons or water-colors, +to make them as nearly like their right colors as possible. + +After cutting out the pictures, paste them upon cardboard, mount the +pieces of cardboard upon blocks of wood, as shown at _B_ and _C_ (Figs. +214 and 215), and hinge the blocks to the target supports with cloth +strips. _B_ shows the method of hinging the targets to strip _A_, and to +the lower side of the box, and _C_ shows the method of hinging the +targets to the ends of the box. The former targets fall backwards when +struck; the latter targets swing sideways when struck. + +[Illustration: FIG. 216.--The Card-shooting Pistol.] + +Figure 216 shows + +=The Card-shooting Pistol=, and Figs. 217, 218, and 219 show the details +for making it. Cut block _A_ about 8 inches long, and block _B_ about 3 +inches long. Nail _A_ to _B_ as shown. Then take two rubber-bands, loop +them together end to end, as shown in Fig. 218, and fasten one end of +the looped bands to the end of block _A_ by means of a nail driven into +the block and bent over as shown in Fig. 217. Cut a piece of cardboard +about I inch square, notch the center of two opposite edges (Fig. 219), +and fit the loop of the free end of the rubber-bands over the piece of +cardboard and into the notches, as shown in Figs. 217 and 218. This +completes the pistol. + +The toy pistol shoots small squares of cardboard, placed in it as shown +in Figs. 216 and 218, with one corner slipped beneath the rubber-band +loop. + +=Number the Targets= as shown in Fig. 212, marking the circular target +"25," four of the animal targets "10," and the remaining four "5." Each +number represents the score of that particular target. + +[Illustration: FIGS. 217-219.--Detail of Card-shooting Pistol.] + +=When Shooting=, stand 3 or 4 feet away from the target box. Aim at the +circular target, because that one counts the most. If you miss it, there +is the chance, of course, of hitting one of the other targets below or +to one side of it and making a smaller score. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +A HOME-MADE DOLL-HOUSE + + +There is nothing more interesting to build than a doll-house, and the +construction is within the ability of the average girl. If brother is +willing to lend a hand with the carpenter work so much the better. +Sister can attend to the finishing and furnishing, which are important +parts of the work that she can do more handily than a boy can. But there +is no reason why either a girl or boy cannot undertake a doll-house like +that shown in Figs. 220 and 221, and carry the work to a successful +completion, by carefully following the instructions and diagrams in this +chapter. + +=The Building Material.= The doll-house in the photographs was built of +packing cases. You can buy these at a drygoods store at 15 or 20 cents +apiece. + +=The Floor Plans= are shown in Figs. 222, 223, and 224. Your boxes may +make it necessary to alter the dimensions given, but that will be simple +to do. Patterns for + +=The Partitions= are shown in Figs. 225 and 226. In cutting the +second-floor partitions (Fig. 226), miter one edge of _E_ and _F_ to +allow for the bedroom door opening, shown upon the plan, and miter the +edges of _G_ to fit between them above the door. The mitering is shown +in the drawings (Fig. 226). + +Besides cutting a stair opening in the second floor, make an opening +three by five inches in the second and third floors for + +=The Elevator-shaft.= Care must be taken to have these openings exactly +over one another. Make the opening in the second floor six by eight +inches in the place indicated upon the plan. This will allow for the +elevator shaft and stairway. No stairway has been built to the third +story, as the elevator serves the purpose, and one would take up too +much of the ball-room space. + +=The Side Walls= should measure nineteen inches wide by twenty-four +inches high, and the other two walls thirty inches wide by twenty-four +inches high. That portion of + +=The Rear Wall= enclosing the kitchen and bathroom is hinged to open +(see Fig. 222), and + +=The Front Wall= is made in two sections, each hinged to a strip of wood +an inch and one-half wide nailed to the two edges of the house, as shown +in Fig. 220. + +=The Windows= are four by five inches, so four-by-five camera plates can +be used for the glass. + +=The Roof= had best be made in two sections, each measuring twenty-eight +inches long by twenty-four inches wide. Fasten the boards together with +battens on the under side and, after mitering the upper edge of each, +nail them to the house so that the ridge is fifteen inches above the +third floor. Then nail a board nineteen inches long by ten +inches wide in the peak of the roof (_D_ in Fig. 228), and +a narrow strip three inches from each side wall (_K_ and _L_ in Fig. +224). These cut off the triangular shape of the ball-room and give it a +better appearance. + +[Illustration: FIG. 220. THE HOME-MADE DOLL-HOUSE.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 221. INTERIOR VIEW OF DOLL-HOUSE.] + +[Illustration: FIGS. 222-226.--Plans of Doll-house and Patterns for +Partitions.] + +=The Chimney= is a solid block of wood with narrow strips nailed to all +sides near the top (Fig. 227). Make it eight or ten inches long, and cut +off the bottom to fit the slant of the roof. Paint the block red, and +mark off the mortar joints in white. + +=An Elevator= is something which is found in but few doll-houses. It was +built in this house, thinking it might please the young mistress, and it +proved such a success that the scheme has been worked out carefully in +Figs. 228, 229, 230, 231, and 232, that you may include it in the house +you build. + +[Illustration: FIG. 227.--The Chimney.] + +The cutting of the elevator-shaft has already been described. For +material, procure two small pulleys such as is shown in Fig. 230, four +feet of brass chain, six feet of No. 12 wire, half a dozen +double-pointed tacks or very small screw-eyes, a short piece of lead +pipe, and a cigar-box. Make + +[Illustration: FIG. 228.--Front View of Elevator-shaft and Stairs.] + +[Illustration: FIGS. 229-232.--Details of the Elevator.] + +=The Car= out of the cigar-box, cutting it down to two and one-quarter +inches wide, three and three-quarters inches deep, and seven inches high +(see Fig. 231). Place two of the double-pointed tacks or screw-eyes in +each side of the car for the guide-wires to run through and another in +the center of the top from which to attach the brass chain. + +=The Guide-wires= are made of very heavy wire that will not bend easily. +Cut two of a length to reach from the first floor to the ball-room +ceiling, and after running them through the tacks in the sides of the +car, stick their ends into small holes bored at _E_, _F_, _G_, and _H_ +(Fig. 228). The upper holes should be bored through the ball-room +ceiling, while the lower ones need be bored but part way through the +first floor. Care must be taken to have these holes in the correct +position, so the elevator will run up and down upon the wires without +striking the sides of the shaft. The easiest way of fastening the wires +in place is to run the upper ends through the holes, until the lower +ends can be set into their sockets, and then drive two double-pointed +tacks over the top of each wire, as shown at _E_ and _F_ in Fig. 228. + +Now run the elevator up to the top of the shaft, and mark upon the +ceiling where the screw-eye in the top of the car strikes. At this point +bore a hole through the ceiling and two inches back of it bore another +hole, through which to run the weight-chain. When this has been done, +cut a short block of wood to fit the peak of the roof and + +=Screw the Pulleys= into it two inches apart (Fig. 229). Fit the block +in the peak of the roof, centering the front pulley over the top of the +car as nearly as possible, and drive a couple of nails through the roof +boards into it to hold it in place temporarily. Then + +=Attach the Chain= to the tack in the top of the car, slip a piece of +lead pipe about an inch long over the chain, allowing it to set on the +top of the car to make the latter heavier (Fig. 231), and run the chain +up through the first hole in the ceiling, over the pulleys, and down +through the second hole. To the end of the chain attach a piece of lead +pipe for + +=The Counter-balance= (_C_, Fig. 232). This should be just heavy enough +to make a perfect balance between it and the car, which can be obtained +by whittling off the end of the pipe until the weight of the two is the +same. Make the chain of sufficient length so the weight will rest upon +the first floor when the car is at the third floor. You can now tell +whether or not the pulleys are in the right positions. When they have +been adjusted properly, nail the block firmly in place. + +=The Gable-Ends.= The front gable-end consists of four pieces (_A_, _B_, +_C_, and _D_, in Fig. 233), the dimensions for the cutting of which are +given in the illustration. After preparing these, nail _A_, _B_, and _C_ +in their proper positions in the gable of the roof, and trim the edges +of _D_, if they need it, to fit between. To prevent the movable section +from pushing in too far, it will be necessary to nail a narrow strip of +wood to the roof and third floor, just inside of it. The rear gable is +made in one piece, and is fastened in place permanently. + +[Illustration: FIG. 233.--The Front Gable-End.] + +The movable gable and all hinged portions should have + +=Spring-Catches= with which to shut up and lock the house (see the +illustrations). + +=The Stairway= is shown in Fig. 228, and the details for its +construction will be found in Figs. 234, 235, 236, 237. This stairway is +made in two parts, with a platform between. Cut a block of wood the +shape and size shown in Fig. 234 for the platform, with notches at _A_ +and _B_ for the tops of the lower stringers to fit in. Then + +=Prepare Two Stringers= of thirteen steps similar to Fig. 235, and two +stringers of five steps similar to Fig. 236, laying off the steps by +means of a cardboard pattern, or _pitch-board_, of the size shown in +Fig. 237. After cutting out these pieces, fasten the tops of the lower +stringers in the notches A and B in the platform, and nail the platform +in its proper position in the corner of the hall. When this has been +done, nail the bottoms of the upper stringers (_E_ in Fig. 236) to the +sides of the platform at _C_ and _D_ (Fig. 234), and set the tops in +notches cut in the edge of the second floor. + +=The Treads and Risers= of the steps--the horizontal and vertical +boards--should be cut out of cigar-box wood. + +[Illustration: FIGS. 234-237.--Details of Stairs.] + +Cut + +=The Newel-posts= out of short square blocks, and + +=The Hand-rails= out of strips of cigar-box wood. Make a groove in the +under side of the hand-rails to receive the ends of + +=The Balusters=, or spindles. Toothpicks are of just the right size for +balusters. + +The delicate portions of the stairways should be glued in place. Make +slits in the stair treads to stick the bottoms of the balusters in. + +=The Front Steps= are clearly shown in Fig. 220. Make the solid +balustrades out of pieces of box board, and the step treads and risers +out of cigar-box wood. Prepare the rear steps in the same way. + +=Cut the Window Openings= in the places indicated upon the plans (Figs. +222 to 224) and the photographs. First bore holes in the four corners of +each window space; then saw from hole to hole with a compass-saw. + +Old camera plates are excellent material for + +=The Window Glass.= Fasten the glass in the openings with small brads in +the same way that glass is fastened in picture-frames, and putty it in +the same way that window glass is puttied, to hold it firm. + +=The Front and Rear Doors= can be painted upon the front of the house. +Openings are not necessary. + +=The Outside Trimmings.= Strips of cigar-box wood should be cut up for +the outside door and window casings, and be tacked around the openings +as shown in Fig. 220. Nail a molding or a plain strip of wood to the +front edge of the third floor, as shown in Fig. 220. + +=Castors= will make it easier to move the doll-house about. Cut four +blocks of wood, fasten a castor to each, and nail one block inside each +corner of the foundation frame. + +=The Interior Woodwork.= Cigar-boxes make excellent hardwood floors. Fit +the pieces close together and fasten with small brads. + +Make the door and window casings, picture-moldings, and baseboards out +of strips of cigar-box wood. + +After completing the carpenter work of the house, + +=Set the Nail-heads=,--that is, drive them below the surface of the +wood,--putty these holes and all cracks and other defective places, and +sandpaper rough surfaces. + +=Paint the House= a cream color, with white trimmings and a green roof. +Stripe the foundation walls to indicate courses of stone work. Paint the +front door a mahogany color, with panels indicated upon it, and make the +rear door white. The painting of the chimney has already been described. + +The inside walls should be finished as suggested in Chapter XIV. The +woodwork may be oiled, or painted with white enamel or any other color +desired. + +=A Colonial Doll-house= with a number of features not included in this +house is described and illustrated in Chapter V of "The Boy Craftsman." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +FURNISHING THE HOME-MADE DOLL-HOUSE + + +With the carpenter work of a doll-house completed, the finishing of the +inside,--wall papering and painting,--and selecting of furnishings for +the various rooms, remain to be done. This requires as much care as the +building of the house, and while any boy can do the work, the help of a +sister will perhaps simplify matters and give to the rooms a daintier +appearance. + +=The Walls and Ceiling= of the kitchen and bathroom should be painted +with white lead or white enamel. For the other rooms select paper having +a small design, such as is to be found on most ceiling papers. If you +have ever watched the paper-hanger at work, you have noticed he puts on +the ceiling first, allowing the paper to run down the walls a little way +all around instead of trimming it off. Then he hangs the wall paper, and +if there is no border to cover the joints of the ceiling and wall papers +he carries the wall paper up to the ceiling. Use flour paste to stick on +the paper, and a cloth or photograph-print roller to smooth out the +wrinkles. The dining-room should have a wainscot of dark paper below the +chair-rail, and a paper with little or no figure upon it above. + +=All Hardwood Floors=, the stairs, door and window casings, baseboards, +and picture moldings should be varnished thoroughly or given several +coats of boiled linseed-oil. + +All floors, with the exception of the kitchen, bathroom, and hardwood +floors, should be fitted with + +=Carpets.= If you do not happen to have suitable scraps on hand, they +can be procured at almost any furnishing store where they make up +carpets. Select pieces with as small patterns as possible. The floors of +the bathroom and kitchen should be covered with oilcloth. + +=Rugs= for the hardwood floors may be made out of scraps of carpet. + +=Window-shades= may be made for each window out of linen, and tacked to +the top casing so that the bottom of the curtain reaches just above the +center of the opening. Each window should also have + +=Lace Curtains= made out of scraps of lace. They should either be tacked +above the windows or hung upon poles made out of No. 12 wire, cut in +lengths to fit the windows. Screw small brass hooks into the top +window-casings for the poles to hang upon. + +=Handsome Portières= for the doorways can be made with beads and with +the small hollow straws sold for use in kindergartens. For the + +=Bead Portières=, cut threads as long as the height of the door and +string the beads upon them, alternating the colors in such a way as to +produce patterns. Then tie the strings together to a piece of wire the +width of the doorway, and fasten the wire in the opening. The + +=Straw Portières= are made similarly. + +From magazine illustrations you can select + +=Suitable Pictures= for each room, but if you are handy with brush and +pencil you may prefer to make the pictures yourself. These may be +mounted upon cardboard and have their edges bound with passe-partout +paper to give the effect of frames, or frames may be cut out of +cardboard and pasted to them. Hang the pictures to the picture molding +with thread. + +=A Cosey-corner= may be fitted up in the ball-room by fastening a strip +of a cigar-box in one corner an inch and one-half above the floor for +the seat, and hanging draperies on each side of it. Pillows may be made +for it out of scraps of silk stuffed with cotton. + +A doll-house properly proportioned in every detail, including the +selection of its furniture, is pleasing to look at, and is to be desired +much more than some of the specimens to be found in the stores. These +very often have parlor chairs larger than the mantel, beds that either +fill two-thirds of the bedroom space or are so small they are hidden +from view by the chairs, and other furniture accordingly, all having +been selected without any thought as to size or fitness. + +Care must be taken, in buying the furniture, to have the pieces suitable +to the rooms. It will no doubt require more time than to purchase the +first sets you come across, but when you have completed the selections, +the result will be a much better appearing doll-house. + +By carefully searching the toy-shops you are almost certain of finding +what you want for the various rooms, as about everything imaginable in +furniture has been manufactured. Porcelain bath-tubs, wash-basins with +real faucets and running water, gilt furniture, chandeliers, and such +articles are tempting to buy. But it is rather expensive to fit up a +house in this way, for, though each piece may not amount to very much, +they count up very quickly. + +The suggestions for the making of cigar-box furniture in Chapter XVII, +and spool and cardboard furniture in Chapter XIX, will give you plenty +of material for furniture and save you the expense of buying this part +of the furnishings for your house. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +A HOME-MADE TOY STABLE + + +[Illustration: FIG. 238.--Exterior of Stable.] + +The stable illustrated in Figs. 238 and 239 is designed in keeping with +the doll-house in Chapter XIII. It is shown in the background of the +photograph of this doll-house (Fig. 220). If you prefer a garage instead +of this stable, you may omit the stalls, and make one or two large +windows in the rear wall in place of the small high windows shown. The +building's construction is very simple. The dimensions are: width, +twenty-four inches; depth, twelve inches; and height, twenty-two inches. +The barn contains five stalls on the ground floor and a hay-loft above. + +[Illustration: FIG. 239.--Interior of Stable.] + +To build the stable according to the drawings, a box ten by twelve by +twenty-four inches should be procured for + +=The First Story.= If you have a box of different proportions it will be +a simple matter to make such alterations in the details as it will +require. + +=The Roof= is made in two sections, each fifteen by eighteen inches, and +is fastened to the top of the box so that the peak is twenty-two inches +above the bottom. + +=The Gable-End= is made in four pieces, as shown in Fig. 240, _A_, _B_, +and _C_, to be nailed in place, and _D_ to be movable as in the case of +the doll-house. Make a three-by-five-inch window in the center of _D_, +and fasten the glass in place with strips cut as described in Chapter +XIII. Strips should be nailed to the roof just inside of the movable +section to prevent the latter from setting in too far, and a spring +catch fastened to _C_ and _D_ as shown, to hold the movable section in +place. + +[Illustration: FIG. 240.--Front Gable-End.] + +Figure 241 gives the patterns and measurements for + +=The Stall Partitions=, four of which should be cut out and fastened to +the floor of the stable four inches apart, or so they will divide the +inside width into five equal stalls. + +[Illustration: FIG. 241.--Stall Partitions.] + +=The Feed-troughs= are made out of two strips of cigar-boxes fitted +between the stalls, as shown in Figs. 239 and 241, and are fastened in +place by means of brads and glue. Above the stalls cut + +=Small Windows= an inch and one-half square in the rear wall. These are +the ventilating windows for the stalls, and may be left open. + +Figure 242 shows the construction of + +=A Ladder= to the hay-loft. This is made out of two sticks twelve inches +long, with strips of cigar-boxes two inches long glued to them half an +inch apart, as shown in the drawing. Cut away a section of the hay-loft +floor two inches square and stick the end of the ladder up through the +opening, fastening the uprights to the edge of the floor (see Fig. 242). + +[Illustration: FIG. 242.--Ladder to Hay-loft.] + +A stick about three inches long, with a very small pulley attached near +the end, should be fastened in the peak of the roof for a + +=Feed-hoist= (see Fig. 238). + +The first story has + +=A Drop-Front=, as shown in Figs. 238 and 239. This is made from the +box-cover. Fasten the boards together with battens placed upon the +inside, and hinge it to the bottom of the stable. Nail two cleats to the +under side of the floor (see Fig. 238) to lift it off the ground just +enough to allow the front to drop without springing its hinges. + +When the front is down it forms an incline upon which to run the horses +into the stable. For this reason it is not advisable to cut an opening +in it, but merely + +=Represent a Stable Door= on the outside (see Fig. 238). This is done +with paint and a fine brush. First paint a green panel in the center of +the front, and then mark off a couple of panels within this space with +black paint, and stripe them diagonally to represent beaded-boards. + +With strips of wood half an inch wide make + +=A Simple Trim= around the door, the sides of the stable, and around the +gable, as shown in the illustration. + +When the carpenter work has been finished, + +=Paint the Inside= of the stable white, and the outside the same colors +as used for the doll-house (see description in Chapter XIII). + +=If you Prefer a Garage=, use your ingenuity to fit up the interior of +the building as you think it ought to be. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +A HOME-MADE DOLL APARTMENT BUILDING + + +The doll apartment building in this chapter is a new idea in +doll-houses. By the illustrations you will see that the apartment +building is three stories high, and consists of three units--each one +story high--and a roof. During playtime the units are arranged side by +side upon the floor so as to form a six-room apartment (Fig. 244); and +afterward they are piled up one upon another as shown in Fig. 243, and +the roof placed on top, in a compact form that takes up but little floor +space. + +=Building Material.= The apartment building is built out of grocery +boxes. The boxes used for the units must be of equal size, and the thing +to do is to select those in which a standard brand of goods come packed. +If one grocery store doesn't have what you want, go to another. If the +sides and ends of the boxes are in one piece, it will greatly simplify +the matter of cutting the door and window openings. + +=The Room Dimensions.= The boxes used in the model illustrated were 28 +inches long, 13 inches wide, and 8 inches deep. These provided space for +a vestibule 3 inches by 8 inches, a reception-hall 8-1/2 inches by 8 +inches, a living-room 12 inches by 18-1/2 inches, a dining-room 12 +inches by 15 inches, a kitchen 12 inches by 8 inches, a pantry 7 inches +by 3 inches, two bedrooms--one 12 inches square and the other 12 inches +by 8 inches, and a bathroom 7-1/2 inches by 6 inches (Fig. 245). You may +have to vary the sizes of your rooms a trifle, if you get boxes of +different proportions, but it is probable that you can keep to the same +plan arrangement. + +[Illustration: FIG. 245.--Plan of the Six-Room Doll Apartment.] + +=The First Story Unit= is shown in Fig. 246, and diagrams of its two +partitions _A_ and _B_, are placed to the right of it; Fig. 247 shows + +=The Second Story Unit=, with diagrams of its three partitions _C_, _D_, +and _E_, placed to the left and right of it, and Fig. 248 shows + +=The Third Story Unit=, with diagrams of its two partitions _F_ and _G_ +placed to the left of it. + +[Illustration: FIG. 244.--HOW THE THREE STORIES ARE ARRANGED SIDE BY +SIDE TO FORM A SIX-ROOM APARTMENT.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 243.--THE MOST STYLISH APARTMENTS IN DOLL TOWN.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 246.--The First Story Unit and Diagram of +Partitions.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 247.--The Second Story Unit and Diagram of +Partitions.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 248.--The Third Story Unit and Diagram of +Partitions.] + +=Mark the Door and Window Openings= carefully upon the sides of the box, +making them as nearly as possible in the same proportion to the wall +space as is shown in the illustrations. Then, in cutting the openings, +bore a number of small holes a trifle inside of the lines, to make an +opening large enough to insert a small keyhole-saw or bracket-saw, and +the cutting will be easy to do. + +=The Bay Windows= on the second and third stories are built of cigar-box +wood. Instead of cutting away the entire width of the box at the points +of attaching these bays, it is a better plan to leave a narrow strip +over the opening, as shown in Fig. 249. This will hold the walls +together, and will form a "beam" across the ceiling. The side edges of +the pieces that form the front of the bay must be slanted off so as to +fit at the proper angles, and the window openings must be cut carefully, +because the margin of wood around them is narrow and will split easily. +Fasten together the members of the bays, also the inside partitions, +with glue and brads. + +[Illustration: FIG. 249.--In Cutting the Opening for the Bay Windows, +leave a Narrow Strip over the Opening, as above, for a "Beam."] + +=The Joints between the Units=, when piled one upon another, are +concealed by a band of wood 1/2 inch wide nailed around the front and +two ends of the bottom of the second and third story units (Figs. 247 +and 248). These bands should project about 1/4 inch below the bottoms of +these boxes, so as to set down over the boxes beneath. They must not +extend around the back of the boxes, and cannot be fastened to the +first story box, because they would interfere with placing the boxes +close together as in Fig. 244. + +The first story unit must be raised to the same floor level as the other +stories, however, and a thin board of the same thickness as the +projection of the strips on the second and third story units must be +nailed to its bottom to bring it to the same level (Fig. 246). + +[Illustration: FIGS. 250 and 251.--How the Removable Roof is +Constructed.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 252.--How the Chimney and Chimney Cap are Made.] + +=The Roof Construction= is shown in Fig. 250. Boards _H_ (Figs. 250 and +251) should be cut of the right size to form a projection of 1-1/2 +inches over the front and ends of the building, and the piece _I_ should +be cut to the proper shape and size to form an equal projection over the +bay windows. Strips _J_ and _K_ are 1 inch wide, and should be fastened +to boards _H_ so they will come exactly over the front and end walls +when the roof is set in place. Block _L_ should be cut of such a shape +and size that when nailed to strip _K_ its front edges will come +directly over the walls of the bay windows. A narrow strip nailed to the +under side of the roof boards, close against the walls, will conceal the +joint between the roof and top story and make a good finish molding. + +=The Chimney= is made of two blocks (_M_ and _N_, Fig. 252). Notch the +lower block to fit over strip _J_, and cut the cap block large enough to +project 1/8 inch all around. + +=The Windows.= Old photograph plates can be cut down to the proper sizes +for the window openings, but it will not cost much to have the +paint-shop man cut them out of new material, if you haven't any. The +glass should be just a trifle smaller than the openings. Fasten it in +place with narrow strips of cigar-box wood. Window sashes can be +indicated by striping the glass with black paint. + +=Make the Front Door= out of a piece of cigar-box wood, and set a piece +of glass in an opening cut about the size shown in Fig. 243. This door +may be hinged to open, but it is better to fasten it in the opening, +because small pieces are easily broken off their hinges. Fasten a small +block below the front door for a step (Fig. 243). + +=The Inside Doorways=, in the ends of the first story unit and in the +back of the second and third story units, may be fitted with pieces of +board that can be set in when the units are piled up in the form of the +building, but it is not necessary to make this provision. + +=The Interior Trim.= The door and window casings, picture moldings, +baseboards, and other trimming should be made out of strips of cigar-box +wood. Tack the strips in place with short brads. + +[Illustration: FIG. 253.--The Living-Room Mantel.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 254.--Details of Mantel.] + +=A Fireplace= must be provided for the living-room, and one easily +constructed out of four pieces of wood is shown in Figs. 253 and 254. +Cut blocks _O_ and _P_ of the same thickness, and make the shelf piece +_Q_ of the proper size to project an equal distance over the front and +ends. Fasten the pieces together, then glue red paper to the wood, and +when this has dried mark off brick courses with a pencil. The joints may +be accentuated by striping with white or black paint. + +=Lighting Fixtures=, simple to make, are shown in two splendid forms in +Figures 255 and 257. Small brass screw-hooks such as are shown in Figure +256 can be purchased at any hardware store, and a couple of dozen of +these, a lead pencil, and a number of large beads, will furnish you with +enough material for making fixtures for every room in the apartment. + +You will see by Fig. 256 that the lighting fixture shown in Fig. 255 +consists of a screw-hook with its hooked end stuck through one of the +little brass plates removed from another screw-hook, and then pushed +into the hole in the end of a short piece of lead-pencil. Cut the pencil +end about 1/2 inch long, push out the piece of lead, and if necessary +enlarge the hole to accommodate the hook end. If the piece of pencil +comes apart where glued, re-glue it. Glue the little brass cap to the +top. Paint the pencil end white, to represent glass, and indicate metal +division strips, or _leading_, with black paint or ink. + +[Illustration: FIGS. 255-258.--Two Lighting Fixtures and how to Make +Them.] + +The lighting fixture shown in Fig. 257 is made in the same way as the +other one, except that a bead instead of the pencil end is used for a +globe (Fig. 258). + +The fixture in Fig. 255 is better suited to the living-room and +dining-room, and for fastening each side of the front door; the fixture +in Fig. 257 is better for the other rooms. + +=Decorating.= Suggestions for decorating a doll-house are given in +Chapter XIV, but here are some additional ideas to suit the conditions +of the apartment. It is the modern practice to tint walls of apartments, +and the best plan is to cover the walls of each room with plain paper, +using a paper of a different color for each room. + +The dining-room should have a plate-rail on which to stand plates +(pictures of plates cut from advertisements and pasted upon cardboard), +and the walls below the plate-rail should be paneled with strips of +cigar-box wood for division strips (Fig. 244). + +=The Outside Walls= of the apartment building are supposedly brick; +therefore paint them a good red, brown, or yellow brick color, and paint +the roof cornice, and the horizontal bands between stories, white, as a +contrast. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +HOME-MADE DOLL FURNITURE + + +The metal furniture which you can buy is very pretty when it is new, but +this new appearance does not last long after it has come into a +youngster's possession, for the pieces are very slender and delicate, +and thus easily broken. + +Wooden furniture is the most durable kind, and plain and simple pieces +will generally outlast the fancy ones. The designs illustrated in this +chapter make very substantial pieces, as there are no spindle legs or +fancy arms to break off. They follow the lines of the mission furniture, +that simple style used in the early American mission schools, and which +is to-day being extensively made in handsome pieces for the furnishings +of modern homes. You will find the + +=Miniature Mission Furniture=, illustrated and described in this +chapter, simple to make and something which is easy to sell, for there +is nothing like it at present upon the market. + +Cigar-boxes furnish the nicest material for making this furniture, and +the various parts can be cut to the right shape and size with + +=A Scroll-saw.= Procure small brads and glue with which to fasten the +pieces together. + +=To Prepare the Cigar-boxes= for use, place them in a tub of boiling +water and let them remain there until the paper labels readily pull off. +Do not use a knife in removing the paper, as it is likely to roughen the +wood. The paper will come off by allowing it to soak long enough. When +the boxes are clean, set them in the sun to dry, after binding the +covers to the backs to prevent them from warping. Pull the boxes apart +when they are thoroughly dry, and throw out such pieces as have printing +upon them, for these would spoil the appearance of the furniture if +used. + +In order to simplify the matter of cutting the parts that make the +furniture, the curved pieces have been drawn out carefully on page 177, +so that they can be laid off upon the strips of cigar-boxes without any +trouble, by the process of + +=Enlarging by Squares.= These drawings are shown one-quarter of their +full size (half their width and half their height). To enlarge them +procure a piece of cardboard nine by thirteen inches, or a little larger +than twice the size of the drawing each way, and divide it into squares +just twice the size of those on page 177. That will make sixteen squares +in the width of the cardboard and twenty-four in the length, each half +an inch square. In order to get the squares spaced equally, it is best +to lay off the points first with a ruler along the top, bottom, and two +sides of the sheet of cardboard, and then connect the points with the +ruler and a sharp lead-pencil. Then number the squares as in the +illustration, using the figures along the sides and letters across the +top and bottom of the sheet. + +With the sheet of cardboard thus prepared it is a simple matter to + +=Reproduce the Drawings= of Figs. 259 to 266 by locating the points of +the curves and corners of the pieces, as shown in the illustrations, in +corresponding positions in the squares on your cardboard sheet. The +curves may be drawn in by eye, after locating them with reference to +their surrounding squares, but the surest way of enlarging them +accurately is by laying off the points where the curve strikes each +horizontal and vertical line in the illustration, upon the enlarged +drawing. These points can then be connected with a curved line. + +Make all of the lines heavy so they can be distinguished from your guide +lines, and after carefully going over the drawing, comparing it with +that on page 177 to see that no mistake has been made in locating the +points in enlarging, cut the various pieces apart. These will give you + +=The Patterns= with which to mark out the pieces on the wood. + +We will first note the construction of + +=The Chairs= shown in Figs. 267 and 268. These are four and one-half +inches high, two inches wide, and an inch and one-half deep. Cut the +back for the chair in Fig. 267 four and three-eighths inches high and an +inch and three-quarters wide, the sides by the pattern in Fig. 259 and the +seat an inch and one-quarter by an inch and three-quarters. With the +pieces cut out, fasten them together with brads and glue, placing the +seat between the arms and back so that it is an inch and one-half above +the base. + +[Illustration: FIGS. 259-266.--Patterns for Furniture.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 267. Chairs FIG. 268.] + +Cut the back for the other chair (Fig. 268) four and one-half inches +high by two inches wide, the seat an inch and a quarter by an inch and +three-quarters, and the sides an inch and three-eighths wide by two and +one-half high. To get the curve in the bottom edge of the side pieces, +use the pattern in Fig. 259. + +=The Settee= (Fig. 269) should have its sides cut by the pattern of Fig. +260. Make the back piece three and three-quarters inches wide and three +and one-quarter inches high, and the seat three and three-quarters +inches by an inch and one-half. Fasten the seat against the back an inch +and one-half above the base. + +[Illustration: FIG. 269.--A Settee.] + +=Tables= for the living-room, dining-room, bedroom, ball-room, and +nursery of a doll-house may be patterned after the designs of Figs. 270 +and 271. These should be two and one-half inches high to be of proper +proportion for the chairs. + +[Illustration: FIG. 270.--A Table.] + +The pieces necessary to make Fig. 270 are a top two inches square, two +sides an inch and one-half wide by two and one-half inches high, and a +shelf an inch and one-quarter square. Fasten the pieces together as in +the illustration, placing the shelf between the side pieces an inch from +the bottom. + +The other design (Fig. 271) will do nicely for + +=A Dining-room Table=, or table for the center of the living-room. The +top of this should be five inches long and three inches wide. Cut the +side pieces by the pattern in Fig. 261 and, after fastening them to the +under side of the table-top four inches apart, brace them with a strip +three and three-quarters inches long by half an inch wide, as shown in +Fig. 271. + +[Illustration: FIG. 271.--Another Design.] + +=A Side-board= similar to Fig. 272 should be made for the dining-room. +The pattern for the side pieces is shown in Fig. 262. After sawing these +out, cut a piece seven inches long by three inches wide for the back and +fasten the side pieces to the edges of it. The location of the shelves +can be obtained best by referring to Fig. 272 and the pattern in Fig. +262. Cut the bottom shelf (_A_ in Fig. 272) three inches long by an inch +and one-quarter wide and fasten it to the side pieces half an inch above +the base (line 24 on pattern, Fig. 262). Make shelf _B_ three by one +inches and place it at line 22. _C_ should be three and three-quarters +inches long by an inch and one-half wide, with a small notch cut near +each end with your knife, to make it fit over the side pieces (see +illustration). Cut shelf _D_ three inches long by half an inch wide, +fastening it in place at line No. 17, _E_ three inches long by +seven-sixteenths of an inch wide, fastening it at line No. 15, and _F_ +three inches long by three-eighths of an inch wide, fastening it at line +No. 13. The top shelf (_G_) is three and three-quarters inches long and +half an inch wide and is fastened to the tops of the side pieces as +shown in the drawing. + +The lower portion of the side-board is inclosed with two doors two +inches high by an inch and one-half wide. Small pieces of cloth may be +used for hinges, but it is better to use pins, running them through the +shelf above and below (_A_ and _C_, Fig. 272) into the doors. Stick the +pins near the edge of the doors and see that they are straight, so the +doors will open easily. A small mirror attached to the back between +shelves _C_ and _D_ will complete this piece of furniture. + +[Illustration: FIG. 272.--A Side-board.] + +=A Mirror= in a frame should be made for the living-room of the +doll-house. A neat and suitable design for one of these will be seen in +Fig. 273. For its construction cut two sides by means of the pattern in +Fig. 263, a piece five inches long by three inches wide for the back, +and a strip three inches long by three-eighths of an inch wide for a +shelf. Fasten the sides to the edges of the back piece, and the shelf +between the sides about three-quarters of an inch above the base. Now +procure a mirror such as you can buy in a toy-shop for five or ten cents +(or a piece of a broken mirror cut down to the right size will do very +nicely), and attach it to the center of the back. + +[Illustration: FIG. 273.--A Mirror.] + +=The Grandfather's Clock= (Fig. 274) makes an effective piece of +furniture for the hall or living-room, and is easily made. Figure 264 +shows the pattern for the front of this clock. The back is made the +same, with the omission of the square opening cut in the front frame for +the clock-face. Cut a block of wood two by two by three-quarters inches +to fit between the frames at the top. After nailing the pieces together, +procure a face from a toy watch, and fasten it in the opening made for +it in the front frame. A button suspended by means of a piece of thread +from a tack placed in the bottom of the block forms the pendulum. + +It will be unnecessary to give any suggestions for + +[Illustration: FIG. 274. A Grandfather's Clock.] + +=Kitchen Furniture=, such as chairs and tables, for these can also be +made out of cigar-box wood similar to the designs illustrated in this +chapter, with perhaps a few modifications which will make them simpler. + +Now for the making of some pieces of bedroom furniture. You will find in +Figs. 275 and 276 two designs that are easily carried out, one or both +of which may be used for + +=The Beds= of a doll-house. To make Fig. 275, cut the head and foot by +means of the pattern in Fig. 265, and cut the two sides by means of the +pattern in Fig. 266. After preparing these pieces and fastening them +together as shown in the illustration (Fig. 275), cut a few strips a +quarter of an inch wide for slats and fasten them between the sides of +the bed. It is advisable to fasten these in place to prevent them from +being lost. + +The side pieces for the other bed (Fig. 276) are cut out with the same +pattern (Fig. 266). + +[Illustration: FIG. 275.--A Bed.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 276.--Another Design.] + +Make the head and foot pieces three by four and one-half inches, cutting +a piece two by an inch and one-quarter out of the top of each as shown +in the drawing (Fig. 276), and using the pattern of the other bed for +cutting the curve in the bottom edge. Nail the pieces together in their +proper places, after which cut some slats and fasten them in the bottom. + +=The Dresser= (Fig. 277) is made somewhat similar to the side-board. Cut +the sides by the same pattern (Fig. 262) and fasten them to the edges of +the back piece, which should be six and one-half inches high by three +inches wide. Cut shelf _A_ three by one and one-quarter inches, _B_ and +_C_ three by one and one-eighth, _D_ three by one and three-sixteenths, +and _E_ and _F_ one-half by one and one-quarter inches. Fasten shelf _A_ +between the sides at line No. 24 (see Fig. 262), _B_ at line No. 23, _C_ +at line No. 22, _D_ at line No. 21, and notch the ends of _E_ and _F_ to +fit over the side pieces at line No. 20. + +[Illustration: FIG. 277.--A Dresser.] + +Drawers to fit the lower shelves of the dresser may be made out of small +strips of cigar-boxes or pieces of cardboard, glued together. A small +mirror fastened in the position shown in the drawing will complete the +work upon this piece of furniture. + +=A Wash-stand= can be made for the bathroom and each of the bedrooms +similar to Fig. 278. The sides for this should be five inches high by an +inch and one-quarter wide, and the shelves one by three inches. Fasten +the lower shelf three-quarters of an inch above the base, and the top +shelf at a height of two and one-half inches. When the stand has been +put together, fit a round stick, about an eighth of an inch in diameter, +in holes made in the sides with a gimlet (see illustration). This forms +the towel-rack. Hang a small drapery over the lower portion of the +stand. + +[Illustration: FIG. 278.--A Wash-stand.] + +=Finishing.= When the pieces of furniture have been completed, they +should be rubbed down with emery-paper to remove the rough edges, and +also any rough places that may have been caused by soaking the boxes in +water. Then give the wood several coats of linseed-oil. This makes a +beautiful finish for this kind of wood, which may be improved by adding +a coat of wax. The little hearts may be painted upon the pieces as shown +in the illustration, with a small brush and red paint, or may be cut out +of red paper and glued to the wood. + +If desired, the bedroom furniture may be painted with white enamel. + + +OTHER CIGAR-BOX FURNITURE + +In Figs. 279 and 282 will be found some pieces of furniture that are +simpler to make than those just described, and although they may not be +so pretty, they present a very good appearance when neatly made. + +The author constructed many pieces of this furniture when a boy, and +found them suitable as presents, and something that was always easy to +sell. + +The cost of making a set amounts to but a few cents, cigar-boxes being +the principal material. They are also very quickly made, as the boxes +require but little cutting. + +[Illustration: FIG. 279.--A Doll's Folding-bed.] + +For the construction of + +=A Folding-bed=, such as is shown in Figs. 279 and 280, select two +cigar-boxes, one of which will fit inside the other. The smaller box +should be a little shorter than the inside opening of the larger box. + +[Illustration: FIG. 280.--Folding-bed (open).] + +[Illustration: FIG. 281.--Foot.] + +After removing the paper from each, place the smaller box inside the +larger one, as shown in Fig. 279, so that the bottom of the inner box is +flush with the edge of the outer box. Then drive a brad through both +boxes on each side, about three-quarters of an inch from the end as +shown at _A_ (Fig. 279). These brads should run through the outer box +into the bottom of the inner box, and should be driven in carefully so +as not to split the wood. The inner box should now fold down as shown in +Fig. 280, moving upon the brad pivots. Purchase a five or ten cent +mirror and fasten it to the front of the bed, after which cut two wooden +feet similar to Fig. 281 and glue the pegs on the ends of these in +gimlet holes made above the mirror. Finish the wood the same as +described for the other cigar-box furniture. + +[Illustration: FIG. 282.--Dresser Completed.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 283.--A Doll's Dresser.] + +=The Dresser= shown in Fig. 282 is made out of a box the same size as +the larger one used for the folding-bed. Saw the sides of the box in +half, crosswise, and remove the upper half and the end piece. Then nail +the end across the tops of the remaining halves of the sides. When this +has been done, divide up the lower portion of the box into compartments +as shown in the drawing (Fig. 283). This should have a small drapery +hung over it. The upper portion of the dresser should have a mirror +attached to it, and some lace draped over the top and sides will add +greatly to its appearance. + +All you will have to do in making + +=A Wardrobe= will be to fasten some small hooks inside of a cigar-box, +attach the cover with a strip of linen--the same way it was attached +before you soaked it off--and hang a mirror on the front. + +These pieces of furniture were designed for separate sets, and would not +do for doll-houses the size of those in the preceding chapters, unless +the boxes were cut down to smaller proportions. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +HOME-MADE CIGAR-BOX TOYS + + +Cigar-boxes are splendid material for a variety of home-made toys. In +this chapter are shown some easily constructed wagons, a +Jack-in-the-box, a cradle, and several tables and chairs of a different +pattern from the doll furniture for which working drawings were given in +the preceding chapter. + +Get an assortment of shapes and sizes of boxes at a cigar store, and +prepare them for use as directed on page 175. Use 3/8 inch and 1/2 inch +brads, and glue, for fastening the pieces together. + +A scroll-saw, bracket-saw, coping-saw, or a very sharp jack-knife should +be used where + +=Cutting= is necessary. Do not attempt to split the wood, as the grain +is seldom straight, but lay it down upon a board and _score_ it with a +knife in the way in which you would score a piece of cardboard; then +break it along the scored line, or continue cutting until the piece is +cut in two. If you use a saw, cut a little away from the outlines of the +work and then trim up with a knife and sandpaper. + +The wagons, Jack-in-the-box, and doll furniture shown in this chapter +were designed with the idea of saving as much cutting as possible, and +you will see by the illustrations that in many cases the boxes are not +altered. + +=The Express-wagon= shown in Fig. 284 is made out of a long flat box. +Cut down the sides at the front and construct a seat on top of the sides +as shown in Fig. 286. Cut the front wheels about 2-1/4 inches in +diameter and the rear wheels about 2-3/4 inches in diameter. If you +haven't a compass with which to describe the circles, you can mark out +the wheels with cups or glass tumblers. Cut the wooden axles as shown in +Fig. 286, making the front axle--for the smaller wheels--deeper than the +rear one, then fasten them to the wagon and nail the wheels to their +ends. Drive a tack into the front of the wagon-box and tie a cord to it, +or, if you have a small toy horse to hitch to the wagon, fasten a pair +of shafts to the under side of the box as is shown upon the two-wheel +cart. + +[Illustration: FIG. 286.--Cross-section of the Express-wagon.] + +=The Cart= in Fig. 285 is made out of a square flat box with its wheels +fastened to the center of the under side. Make the wheels about 2-3/4 +inches in diameter. + +[Illustration: FIG. 284. AN EXPRESS-WAGON.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 285. A CART.] + +=The Auto Delivery-wagon= (Figs. 287 and 288. See _Frontispiece_) +requires two boxes 8-1/2 inches long, 5 inches wide, and +2-1/2 inches deep. You will see by the illustrations that one box is +inverted upon the other. Before fastening them together, remove the two +ends of the upper box and the rear end of the lower box (leaving the +front end for the _dashboard_), and cut 2 inches off the sides at the +front and an additional piece 1 inch by 1-3/4 inches from the sides of +the upper box for windows. Fasten the boxes together by nailing strips +to the ends of side pieces. Nail a narrow strip across the top of the +rear end of the wagon and hinge a drop _end-gate_ to the wagon-bed with +cloth strips. Support the end-gate with a cloth strap. Tack a curtain of +black cloth to the top cross strip and sew two cloth straps to the +curtain, so that it may be fastened up in a roll, as shown in the +photograph. Make the wheels and axles like those of the express wagon, +but cut the front and rear wheels, also the two axles, of equal size. +Cut out a small steering-wheel and fasten it on a short wooden rod +inside of the dashboard. Make a seat and seat back, nail the back to the +seat, and then fasten the seat between the sides of the wagon just below +the windows. + +=A Jack-in-the-box= (Fig. 289) is a simpler toy to make than you might +imagine. The box should measure about 5-3/4 inches by 5-3/4 inches by 5 +inches. Hinge the cover to the top with two pieces of heavy cloth; glue +one piece to the inside of the cover and box, and the other to the +outside. Drive a small tack into the front edge of the cover, and below +it fasten a small hook on to the box; the hook may be bent from a short +piece of wire. + +A spiral spring from an old bed-spring will do for Jack's body, but if +you cannot get one of these it is a simple matter to make a spring. +Take a piece of No. 12 gauge wire about 10 feet in length and wind it +around a rolling-pin or anything that is cylindrical and about 2-1/2 +inches in diameter. Fasten this spring with doubled-pointed tacks upon a +piece of wood cut to fit the inside of the box (Fig. 290), then procure +a small doll's head, baste a circular piece of cardboard to the top of +the spring and to this sew the head. Make a cloth fool's cap to glue on +Jack's head, covering his hair entirely, and also a loose jacket to fit +over his spiral body; for these use any bright-colored cotton cloth that +will fall into folds easily. Tack the base of the spring to the bottom +of the box. + +[Illustration: FIG. 297. Leg of Dining-table.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 296. Pedestal of Center-table.] + +Make the seat for + +=The Round-seated Chair= shown in Fig. 291 2 inches in diameter, the +back 5 inches high, 2 inches wide at the top, and 1-1/4 inches wide at +the seat; cut the front leg 2-1/8 inches high by 1-1/4 inches wide. + +=The Round Center-table= (Fig. 292) should have a base built up of four +strips as shown in Fig. 296. Cut the circular top 5 inches in diameter. +A saucer may be used with which to mark this out. + +Select a long flat box for + +=The Dining-table= shown in Fig. 293, and after making four built-up +legs as shown in Fig. 297 fasten them into the four corners of the box +table top with brads and glue. + +[Illustration: FIG. 295. A DOLL'S CRADLE.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 291. A ROUND-SEATED CHAIR.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 289. A JACK-IN-THE-BOX.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 292. A ROUND CENTER-TABLE.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 293.--A DINING-TABLE.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 290.--THE SKELETON OF THE JACK-IN-THE-BOX.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 294.--A SQUARE-SEATED CHAIR.] + +In making the little + +=Square-seated Chair= (Fig. 294), cut the seat about 2 inches wide by +2-1/4 inches deep, the front legs 2-1/8 inches high by 3/8 inch wide, +and the back legs 4-1/2 inches high by 3/8 inch wide. Brace the legs and +back with crosspieces, and you will have a very firm and artistic +dining-room chair. + +Select a box about 9 inches by 5 inches by 2-1/4 inches in size for +making + +=The Doll's Cradle= shown in Fig. 295. Cut the two rockers by the +pattern in Fig. 298 and fasten them to the bottom of the box 1 inch from +the ends. Use the rim of a breakfast plate in drawing the arc of the +rockers; then draw the rounded ends, being careful to get them alike. +Saw out the rockers very particularly so as not to split off the ends. +Fasten the pieces to the cradle box with brads driven through the box +bottom into their top edge. + +[Illustration: FIG. 298.--Pattern for Cradle Rockers.] + +After the cigar-box toys have been made, rub down the wood with fine +sandpaper. Then drive all nail-heads below the surface, fill up the +holes with putty stained to match the wood as nearly as possible, and +finish with two coats of boiled linseed-oil. Apply the oil with a rag, +then wipe off all surplus oil with a dry cloth. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +HOME-MADE SPOOL AND CARDBOARD TOYS + + +All that is required for making the little toys shown in this chapter +are spools, cardboard, paper, a straight-grained stick out of which to +cut pegs, some tacks, pins, and glue. + +[Illustration: FIG. 299.--Doll Carriage.] + +Did you ever see a better model of + +=A Baby Carriage= than that shown in Fig. 299, with its rounded ends, +arched bottom, and adjustable hood? It is easy to make. + +Figure 300 shows the details for constructing the carriage body. Cut +four wooden pegs to fit loosely in the holes of four spools of equal +size, and make them of the right length so when slipped into the holes +their ends will project about 1/4 inch beyond the spool ends. Then cut +the bottom strip _B_ 5 inches long by the width of the spools, bend it +slightly as shown, to give a curve to the carriage bottom, and tack the +ends of the strip to two of the spools (_A_). + +[Illustration: FIGS. 300-302.--Details of Doll Carriage.] + +The sides _C_ are of cardboard and should be 1-1/2 inches wide at the +widest point, by the length of the carriage body. Punch holes through +these side pieces in the right places for the ends of the pegs in spools +_A_ to stick through. + +Before fastening the side pieces to spools _A_, you must attach the +wheels (Figs. 301 and 302). Cut the cardboard uprights _D_ 3-1/2 inches +long and 1/2 inch wide; then after cutting holes through each near the +ends, for the spool pegs to slip through, cut down the width between the +holes to about 1/4 inch (Fig. 302). Slip the lower ends of uprights _D_ +over the pegs in spool wheels _E_, then the upper ends over the pegs in +spools _A_. Glue the upper ends to the ends of spools _A_, then slip the +carriage sides _C_ over the pegs of spools _A_, and glue them in place. + +[Illustration: FIG. 303.--Baby Carriage Hood.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 304.--Diagram of Hood.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 305.--Carriage Handles.] + +The carriage hood (Fig. 303) is made of a piece of stiff paper about +4-1/2 inches square (Fig. 304), slashed in three places along two +opposite edges for a distance of about 1-1/2 inches, and then folded +over as indicated by dotted lines. Bring together the ends of the +slashed edges of the piece of paper, as shown in Fig. 303, coat them +with glue, and press together until the glue has dried. Punch a hole +through each side of the top, as shown, for the projecting ends of the +spool peg to slip through. + +The carriage handle is made of two cardboard strips (_F_, Fig. 305), and +a match (_G_). Stick the match through holes made near the ends of +strips F, and glue the lower ends of the strips to the inside face of +the sides (Fig. 299). This completes the carriage. + +[Illustration: FIG. 306.--The Two-wheel Cart. +FIG. 307-309.--Details of Cart.] + +=The Two-wheel Cart= (Fig. 306) is made of a small box cover, and one of +the spools on which crochet-cotton comes. Prepare a bent piece of +cardboard like that shown in Fig. 308, with ends _A_ turned down at the +proper points so there will be only room enough between them for the +spool to turn freely. Punch a hole through each turned down end for a +stick axle to run through. + +[Illustration: FIG. 310.--Merry-go-round.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 311.--Teeter.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 312.--Cardboard Strip for Merry-go-round and +Teeter.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 313.--Boy and Girl Riders for Merry-go-round and +Teeter.] + +Then cut two slots through the box cover the same distance apart as ends +_A_ (Fig. 307), centering the pair both crosswise and lengthwise of the +cover, and stick ends _A_ through the slots and glue portion _B_ to the +cover. Cut the wheel axle enough smaller than the spool hole so the +spool will turn easily, then push it through the hole in the spool and +the holes in ends _A_. + +Glue the end of a cardboard strip to the under side of the cover for a +shaft. + +=The Toy Merry-go-round= in Fig. 310 consists of a strip of heavy +cardboard turned up at its ends (Fig. 312), tacked at its center to the +end of a stick cut small enough to turn easily in the hole in a spool. + +The spool slipped over the stick is grasped by the right hand, and the +left hand starts the merry-go-round and keeps it in motion by twirling +the stick to which the cardboard strip is fastened. + +The boy and girl riders, shown in Fig. 313 are of the right size so you +can trace them off upon a piece of tracing-paper and then transfer to +cardboard. After cutting them out of the cardboard, color both sides +with crayons or water-colors, and glue them to the turned-up ends of the +cardboard strip. + +[Illustration: FIG. 314.--Doll Swing.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 315.--Detail of Swing.] + +=The Teeter-Board= (Fig. 311) is made of the same kind of a strip as +that used for the merry-go-round (Fig. 312). Tack this strip at its +center to the side of a spool, and mount the spool in a cardboard frame +in the same way that the spool wheels of the cart are mounted (Figs. +308 and 309); but make the peg axle to fit tight in the spool hole. +Prepare a boy and girl rider similar to those made for the +merry-go-round (Fig. 313). + +The teeter is operated by turning the end of the spool axle first one +way then the other. + +[Illustration: FIGS. 316 and 317.--Details of Swing Seat.] + +=The Doll Swing= shown in Fig. 314 has a cardboard base, with two spools +fastened to it 4 inches apart to support the framework. Tack the base to +the ends of the spools. The framework uprights are tightly rolled tubes +of paper 10 or 12 inches long, and the top crosspiece is another paper +tube 4 inches long. Stick the lower ends of the uprights into the spool +holes; then fasten the crosspiece to their tops by running pins through +it and into the upright ends (Fig. 315), and then lashing the +connections with thread as shown in Fig. 314. + +[Illustration: FIG. 318.--Sofa.] + +The swing seat is made of a spool with a cardboard back fastened to it +(Figs. 316 and 317). Suspend the spool with thread from the top of the +swing crosspiece. + +[Illustration: FIGS. 319-321.--Details of Sofa.] + +=A Sofa= with arm rolls, like that shown in Fig. 318, is a good example +of what can be made in spool-and-cardboard doll furniture. Prepare the +seat and back out of a single piece of cardboard, curving the top and +ends of the back as shown, and making the width of the seat the same as +the length of the spool arms. Fasten the spools by means of a strip of +paper bent over them as shown in Fig. 320, and glued to the seat. Use +small silk-thread spools (Fig. 321) for feet, and glue them to the seat +at the four corners. + +[Illustration: FIG. 322.--Chair.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 323.--Square Center-table.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 324.--Round Center-table.] + +=The Chair= (Fig. 322) has a seat and back made out of a single piece +of cardboard, with one-third of its length bent out for the seat. Glue +the seat to a spool base. + +=The Square Center-table= (Fig. 323) has a crochet-cotton spool +pedestal, and its top is a square piece of cardboard. Glue the spool to +the exact center of the top. + +=The Round Center-table= (Fig. 324) is made similarly. Use the rim of a +cup for marking out the circular top. + +With a little ingenuity you will be able to devise a great many other +pieces of doll furniture, and other toys as well. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +A HOME-MADE TOY MAIL-BOX + + +Who wants to play at being Uncle Sam, and have a postal system right in +the house, or out on the front porch where it will be convenient for the +children next door to enjoy it, too? Every small boy and girl loves to +play postman, collect mail from the toy mail-box, cancel the stamps, +sort out the letters into the proper routes, and then deliver them to +those whom they are addressed to. + +The mail-box shown in Figs. 325 and 326 is easily made, and with + +=The Working Material= on hand can be completed in an evening. Two +sheets of cardboard, a piece of muslin, some silver paper or paint, a +piece of tape about 2 yards long, and a needle and thread, are required. +The cardboard should be stiff enough to hold its shape, and yet be of +light enough weight to cut and fold easily. Sheets 22 inches by 28 +inches can be bought at any printing-shop, and at some stationery +stores, and will not cost more than 10 cents a sheet at the most. If you +have some large cardboard boxes, however, you can use them instead by so +laying out the different parts that the corners of the boxes will come +in the right places for the corners of the mail-box. + +[Illustration: FIG. 327.--Diagram for Making Sides, Ends, and Bottom of +Mail-box.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 328.--Diagram for Making Top.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 329.--Diagram for Making End Pieces of Letter-Drop.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 330.--Diagram for Making Front Piece of +Letter-Drop.] + +Figure 327 shows the diagrams for + +=Making the Sides, Ends, and Bottom= of the mail-box, with the +dimensions of every portion marked upon them. Use a ruler with which to +guide your pencil in drawing the straight lines, and a compass or the +rim of a 9-inch plate for describing the arcs for the round tops of the +end pieces. You will see that the front, one end, and the bottom are +made in one piece, and that the back, other end, and a second bottom (to +make that portion doubly strong) are cut from another piece. + +[Illustration: FIG. 325.--THE HOME-MADE MAIL-BOX STRAPPED TO THE FACE OF +A DOOR.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 326.--THE HOME-MADE MAIL-BOX STRAPPED TO A CHAIR BACK.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 331.--The Sides, Ends, and Bottom folded ready to be +put Together.] + +The dotted lines upon the diagram indicate where the cardboard should be +folded. Figure 331 shows the sides, ends, and bottom folded ready to be +put together. Turn the flaps inside, and glue them to the end pieces, +and glue the two bottom pieces together; also sew the cardboard with a +double thread to make the joining doubly secure. + +[Illustration: FIG. 332.--Top, showing how Portion is Bent up for Back +of Letter-Drop.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 333.--Ends of Letter-Drop.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 334.--Front of Letter-Drop.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 335.--Top, with Letter-Drop Completed.] + +=The Top of the Box=--the diagram for the cutting of which is shown in +Fig. 328--has a piece 3 by 7 inches cut out on all but one long side, +and bent up to form the top of + +=The Letter-Drop= (Fig. 332). The diagram for the ends of the +letter-drop is shown in Fig. 329, and for the front in Fig. 330; Fig. +333 shows how cloth flaps are glued to the end piece; and Fig. 335 +shows how the end pieces are fastened to the top of the box by means of +these flaps. Glue a strip of cloth to each side of the lower edge of the +letter-drop front piece for hinges (Fig. 334), and glue one to the +inside and the other to the outside of the top of the box (Fig. 335). +Attach rubber-bands to the front and ends of the drop to make it spring +shut. Glue and sew the top of the box to the flaps provided on the front +and back for the purpose. + +[Illustration: FIG. 336.--Diagram for Making Collection-drop.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 337.--How the Collection-drop is Folded.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 338.--The Collection-drop Hinged in Place.] + +Figure 336 shows the diagram for + +=The Collection-drop=, and Fig. 337 how it looks folded. Hinge the drop +to the box with a cloth strip (Fig. 338). + +=Reinforcement.= When the work has been finished thus far, cut a number +of strips of muslin 1 inch wide and reinforce the corners with them. +Then take the 2-yard length of tape, which you procured, and sew it to +the back of the box to hang it up by. + +=Covering the Box.= Silver paper makes the nicest finish for the +mail-box, and can be bought of a stationer; but you may paint the +cardboard with aluminum radiator paint instead if you prefer. If you use +silver paper, stick it on with flour paste. + +After the paper or paint has dried, paste + +=A Collection Schedule Card= upon the front of the box. You will need, +also, to + +=Letter= the words, "Pull Down," "Letters," etc., where they are shown +in the illustrations. + +=Hang up the Mail-box= by means of its tape strap, within easy reach, +upon the face of a door (Fig. 325), or to the back of a chair (Fig. +326). + +=For a Mail-bag= use a school-book bag, or make one just like a real +postman's out of brown denim or cambric. Letter "U. S. Mail" upon the +bag with black paint, or cut the letters from black or white muslin and +glue them in place. Provide a long strap to reach over the postman's +shoulder. + +=The Way to Play Post-Office= is for several children to attend to the +writing of letters and wrapping of parcels, another to play mail clerk, +who puts the post-marks on the mail and sorts it out into "routes" and +another to play postman. + +Canceled stamps from old letters may be re-used on the play letters, and +a rubber-stamp dater such as they sell at the stationer's for 10 cents +may be used for printing the post-marks. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +A HOME-MADE REFLECTOSCOPE + + +[Illustration: FIG. 339.--The Complete Reflectoscope.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 340.--Detail of Ventilator Top.] + +This reflecting lantern, shown completed in Fig. 339, is more magical in +its operation than a magic-lantern is, because, instead of projecting +through transparent slides, it reflects opaque pictures. That makes it +possible to use magazine and newspaper pictures, post cards, and +photograph prints. You may reflect a greatly enlarged picture of the +movements of your watch, and by placing your face against the opening in +the reflectoscope, you may show a view of your mouth opening and +closing, giant size. The ease with which slides are obtained makes this +a desirable lantern to own. + +[Illustration: FIG. 341.--Plan of Reflectoscope.] + +=The Material.= You must get a box about 10 by 10 by 20 inches in size +for the case of the reflectoscope, two oil-lamps, or two 16 or 32 +candle-power electric lamps with the parts necessary for connecting them +to the electric lighting circuit, three 1-lb. baking-powder cans and two +tomato cans, two pieces of tin about 6 by 10 inches in size, and a lens +from a camera, field glass, opera glass, magic-lantern or bicycle-lamp. + +The bottom of the box will be the front of the reflectoscope. + +[Illustration: FIG. 342.--Cross-section of Reflectoscope.] + +=Cut the Lens Opening= through this, at the center of its length, and a +trifle above the center of its width. Make the hole a trifle larger than +the lens. + +=Cut Ventilator Holes= 3 inches in diameter through the uppermost side +of the box, near to the ends and bottom. + +Figures 341 and 342 show + +=The Interior Arrangement= of the reflectoscope. Place the lamps in the +corners of the box, next to the front, and tack in back of them the +pieces of tin for reflectors (_A_, Figs. 341 and 342). Bend the +reflectors to the curve shown. + +=If Oil Lamps are Used=, their tops will project through the ventilation +holes, as shown in Fig. 342. These openings must be inclosed with + +=A Hood which will Conceal the Light=, yet allow the heat to escape. The +most satisfactory arrangement is that shown in Figs. 339 and 342. A +baking-powder can with its bottom removed (_B_) is slipped over the lamp +chimney and fitted into the ventilation hole; then a tomato-can (_C_) is +inverted over the top of the can and fastened in the slotted ends of +three wooden peg stilts (_D_, Fig. 340), and the pegs are fitted into +holes made in the top of the box (Figs. 339 and 342). Fasten the can in +the slots of the stilts with tacks (Fig. 340). + +=If Electric Light is Used=, the hooded ventilators may be omitted. Any +boy who understands the wiring of electric-lamp sockets, plugs, and +drop-cord will know how to wire up the reflectoscope. + +Mount the Lens in a can or mailing-tube jacket (Fig. 343). If you use a +can, remove the bottom. If the lens is smaller in diameter, make a band +of cardboard strips to fit around the edge, as shown in Fig. 344, and +glue these strips to the inside of the can or mailing-tube. The lens +jacket should fit loosely enough in the reflectoscope box opening so it +will slide back and forth for focusing. Make a tin collar to fit around +the jacket, and tack it to the front of the box, to prevent light from +escaping (Fig. 339). + +Before putting on the back of the reflectoscope box, + +=Putty up all Cracks= between the boards in the top and front, to make +the box light-tight; then + +=Paint the Inside of the Box= and the cover boards with lamp-black +thinned with turpentine, so there will be no reflections other than +those produced by the lamp reflectors and the picture. + +[Illustration: FIGS. 343 and 344.--Details of Lens Mounting.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 345.--View of Back of Reflectoscope.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 346.--Detail of Post Card Holder.] + +=Nail the Back Boards in Place=, leaving an opening about 7 inches +square directly opposite the lens. Cut a piece of board to fit this +opening (_E_, Fig. 345) for + +=The Picture Holder=, and hinge it in place. A frame for post cards to +slide in should be fastened to the picture holder, as shown in Fig. 346. +First nail strips _F_ to board _E_, then tack strips _G_ to them so +their edges project over strips _F_. A little wooden button (_H_, Fig. +345) will fasten the holder board shut while each picture is being +projected. + +=The Lens Reverses Pictures= in projecting them, and in order to have +them projected right-side up on the screen it is necessary to slip them +into the holder frame upside down. + +=Adjustments.= After you have built your reflectoscope, you may find it +does not throw sharply-defined images upon your projection screen. In +that case you must readjust the focus of the lens, the curve of the lamp +reflectors, and the distance between the lens and the projection screen, +until the best possible results are obtained. Inasmuch as the positions +will vary with different lenses, it is impossible for me to give any +hard and fast measurements. You will have to determine the distances +yourself. + +The stronger the light, the brighter the projected image will be; +therefore, use the strongest light you can get, and place the lantern +not more than five feet away from the screen. + +Unless you use an anastigmat lens such as the better grade of cameras +are fitted with, you will discover that the corners of pictures are +indistinct when you have brought the centers to a sharp focus. This +indistinctness can be corrected to a great extent by blocking out the +holder to curve the post cards and other pictures so that the ends are +closer to the lens than the center is. + + + + +INDEX + + + A + + Airships," clockwork "flying, 102. + + Animal targets for toy shooting gallery, 142. + + Apartment building, doll, 165. + + Automobile, clockwork, 104. + + Automobile delivery wagon, clockwork, 112; + cigar-box, 192. + + + B + + Baby carriage, doll, 196. + + Ballast, toy elevator, 63. + + Balusters, doll-house stairway, 154. + + Battery, a bi-chromate of potash, 135. + + Bead portieres, doll-house, 157. + + Beds, doll-house, 183, 187. + + Bi-chromate battery fluid, 136. + + Boat, toy motor-, 33. + + Box-kite, 12. + + Bridle, Malay kite, 12; + box-kite, 16. + + Buzz-saw whirligig, 71. + + + C + + Cables, toy elevator, 61, 69; + electro-magnet derrick, 123. + + Cardboard toys, 196. + + Carpets, doll-house, 157. + + Carriage, doll baby, 196. + + Cars, toy railway, 50; + gondola, 52; + street, 52; + other forms of, 56; + elevator, 60, 68, 150; + Ferris wheel, 99. + + Cart, cigar-box, 192; + cardboard, 199. + + Chairs, cigar-box, 176, 194, 195; + cardboard, 203. + + Chauffeur for clockwork automobile, 111. + + Cigar-boxes, to prepare, for use, 175. + + Cigar-box toys, 191. + + Clock, a grandfather's, 182. + + Clock wheel top, 81. + + Clockwork automobile, 104. + + Clockwork automobile delivery wagon, 112. + + Clockwork Ferris wheel, 96. + + Clockwork "flying airships," 102. + + Clockwork merry-go-round, 89. + + Clockwork motors, 89, 97; + increasing speed of, 103. + + Clockwork railway, 116. + + Clockwork toys, 88. + + Clog-dancer, toy, 72. + + Control, toy elevator, 65. + + Cosey-corner, doll-house, 158. + + Counter-balance, 61, 69. + + Cradle, doll's, 195. + + Cricket-rattle, 75. + + Curtains, doll-house, 157. + + + D + + Decorating, doll-house, 156; + doll apartment, 173. + + Delivery-wagon, clockwork automobile, 112; + cigar-box, 192. + + Derrick, electro-magnet, 117. + + Doll apartment building, 165. + + Doll-house, 145; + furnishing the, 156. + + Dresser, doll, 185, 189. + + + E + + Egg-beater motor-winder, 31. + + Electrical toys, 117. + + Electric motor truck, toy, 132. + + Electro-magnet, 118. + + Electro-magnet derrick, 117. + + Elevator, model aeroplane, 25. + + Elevators, toy, 59. + + Elevator, toy office building, 59; + an outdoor, 67; + doll-house, 148. + + Enlarging by squares, 175. + + Express-wagon, cigar-box, 192. + + + F + + Feed-hoist, toy stable, 163. + + Feed-troughs, toy stable, 162. + + Ferris wheel, clockwork, 96. + + Fin, model aeroplane, 26. + + Fireplace, doll apartment, 171. + + Fixtures, doll apartment lighting, 171. + + Floors, toy office building, 59; + hardwood, for doll-house, 157. + + "Flying airships," clockwork, 102. + + Flying-line for kites, 12. + + Folding-bed, doll, 187. + + Furniture, cigar-box, 174, 194; + cardboard, 203. + + Fuselage, model aeroplane, 22. + + + G + + Gable-ends, doll-house, 151; + toy stable, 161. + + Garage, toy (_see_ Stable). + + Gondola car, 52. + + Grandfather's clock, 182. + + Guides, toy elevator, 61, 69, 150. + + + H + + Hand-rail, doll-house stairway, 153. + + Horses for merry-go-round, cardboard, 86, 92. + + House, doll-, 145; + furnishing the doll-, 156; + doll apartment, 165; + furniture for doll-, 174, 194, 203. + + + I + + Induction-coil, 126. + + Interrupter, shocking-machine, 129. + + + J + + Jack-in-the-box, cigar-box, 193. + + Jumping-jack, 74. + + Jumping-jack operated by windmill, 7. + + + K + + Kite, a Malay, 9; + a box-, 12. + + Kite-reel, a hand, 17; + a body, 19. + + + L + + Launching a model aeroplane, 31. + + Lighting fixtures, doll apartment, 171. + + + M + + Magnet, electro-, 118. + + Mail-bag, toy, 209. + + Mail-box, toy, 205. + + Malay kite, 9. + + Mantel, doll apartment, 171. + + Mechanical toys, 71. + + Merry-go-round, top, 85; + clockwork, 89; + cardboard, 201. + + Mirror, doll-house, 181. + + Mission furniture, doll, 174. + + Model aeroplane, 21; + propellers for, 27; + motors for, 29; + motor-winder for, 31; + launching a, 31. + + Motor-boat, toy, 33. + + Motors, clockwork, 89, 97; + increasing speed of, 103. + + Motors, model aeroplane, 29; + winder for, 31. + + Motors, water-(_see_ Water-motor). + + Motor, toy motor-boat, 37. + + Motor truck, toy electric, 132. + + Motor-winder, egg-beater, 31. + + + N + + Newel-post, doll-house stairway, 153. + + + O + + Office building elevator, toy, 59. + + + P + + Partitions, toy office building, 60; + doll-house, 145; + stable stall, 162. + + Pictures, doll-house, 158. + + Pinion-wheel windmill, 2. + + Pinwheel, a paper, 1. + + Pistol, toy, card-shooting, 143. + + Planes, model aeroplane, 24. + + Portieres, doll-house, 157. + + Post-office with mail-box, to play, 209. + + Primary coil, induction-coil, 127. + + Propeller-shaft, model aeroplane, 29; + toy motor-boat, 35. + + Propellers, model aeroplane, 27. + + Propeller, toy motor-boat, 35. + + Pulley-wheel, 42, 45, 62, 151. + + + R + + Race-track, spinning-top, 82. + + Railway, toy, 47; + trolley-line for, 47; + power for, 49; + tracks for, 50; + cars for, 50; + gondola car for, 52; + street car for, 52; + other cars for, 56; + operation of, 56; + station for, 57; + clockwork, 116. + + Rattle, cricket, 75. + + Reel, a hand kite-, 17; + a body kite-, 19. + + Reflectoscope, 210. + + Riders for merry-go-round, 86, 94. + + Risers, doll-house stairway, 153. + + Rugs, doll-house, 157. + + Rug-tack top, 82. + + + S + + Secondary-coil, induction-coil, 127. + + Settee, doll, 178. + + Shocking machine, 124. + + Shoe-polish can top, 83. + + Shooting gallery, toy, 140. + + Side-board, doll, 180. + + Sleighs for merry-go-round, cardboard, 93. + + Sofa, doll, 203. + + Spinning-top race-track, 82. + + Spiral top, 85. + + Spool and cardboard toys, 196. + + Spool top, 82. + + Stable, toy, 160. + + Stairway for doll-house, 152, 154. + + Station for toy railway, 57. + + Straw portieres, doll-house, 158. + + Street car, toy, 52. + + Swing, doll, 202. + + Switch, electro-magnet derrick, 121. + + + T + + Tables, cigar-box, 179, 180, 194; + cardboard, 204. + + Tack top, 82. + + Targets, toy shooting gallery, 142. + + Teeter-board, 201. + + Thrust bearings, 23, 35. + + Top, clockwork, 81; + rug-tack, 82; + spool, 82; + spinning, race-track, 82; + shoe-polish can, 83; + spiral, 85; + merry-go-round, 85. + + Tops, 79. + + Track, spinning-top race, 82. + + Tracks, toy railway, 50. + + Treads, doll-house stairway, 153. + + Trolley-line, toy railway, 47. + + Troughs, toy stable feed-, 162. + + Truck, toy electric motor, 132. + + Turtle toy, 76. + + + V + + Varnish-can water-motor, 38. + + + W + + Wagon, cigar-box express-, 192. + + Wardrobe, doll, 190. + + Wash-stand, doll, 186. + + Water-motor, a varnish-can, 38; + another form of, 42. + + Wheel, clockwork Ferris, 96. + + Wheel, water-motor, 39, 43. + + Whirligig, a buzz-saw, 71. + + Winder, model aeroplane motor-, 31. + + Windlass, electro-magnet derrick, 123. + + Windmill, a paper, 1; + a pinion-wheel, 2; + a four-blade, 4; + an eight-blade, 5; + jumping-Jack operated by a, 7. + + Window-shades, doll-house, 157. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Home-made Toys for Girls and Boys, by A. Neely Hall + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 41669 *** |