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AMATEUR WORK,
ILLUSTRATED.
A PRACTICAL MAGAZINE OF
CONSTRUCTIVE AND DECORATIVE ART AND MANUAL LABOUR.
WITH SUPPLEMENTS,
Containing Designs ana tEorking trainings to ^rak, for Various pieces of Work, Earful ana ODrnanuntal,
AND
SEVERAL HUNDRED ILLUSTRATIONS.
VOLUME III.— NEW SERIES.
WARD, LOCK, BOWDEN & CO.,
LONDON, NEW YORK, AND MELBOURNE.
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INDEX TO VOLUME III. (NEW SERIES),
for
PAGE
Alarm to Clock, How to Attach an
Electric 211
Albumen Paper for Blue Prints ... 10 Amateur Bookbinders, Some Hints
for 34
Amateur Conjuring.
I. What to do and how to do it- Properties for Fitting Up --. 30 II. A Xew kind of Multiplying Coin... 69
III. A New Magic Wand for Card
Tricks i23
IV. Card Producing Wand (continued) 173 V. An Effective Sleight- of- Hand Trick 243
VI. A Cabinet of Marvels 272 (
VIZ. Illusion (continued) ... ... ... 314 ,
VIII. The Mysterious Drum 384 '
Amateur Jewellery : Manipulation
and Repairs 113
Amateurs Photographic Studio ... 2S9 1 Amateur Wood-engravers, Wrinkles
for 491
Architectural Hall Chair 232
Artistic, Picture^ Frames made from
Cot *i^ ... ... 209
Asbestos Blow-Pipe 22
Bailee. An Electrical 1
Bamooo Work, A Gong Stand in ... 90 Bamboo Work, A Stove Screen and
Music Holder in 313
rBanjo Makers, Wrinkles for 358
Bath. A Combined Fixing and
1 Toning ... ... ... ... ... 42
Battery for Experimenting, A 80
Bayonet-jointing a Lens, A Simple
Method of 116
Bedroom Overmantel, A Simple ... 193 Bedside or Pedestal Cupboard, A ... 332 Bell, The Electric— See Electric Bell.
Blacking, A Good Stove 300
Black Polish on Brass, How to
Obtain 211
Blow-Pipe, Asbestos 22
Blue Prints, Albumen Paper for ... 10 Bookbinders, Amateur, Some Hints
34 306
Bookbinders, Wrinkles for
Book Cabinets, Revolving.— See Re- volving Book Cabinets.
Bookcase with Sliding Doors
Book-rest, A Folding
Book-rest, A Pocket
Bracket, A Plush
Bracket, A Design for Corner
Bracket in Fretwork, Design for
Brasses, Rubbings of Monumental
Brass-mounting in Furniture, To Renew
Brass Work, To obtain Violet Colour
on
Broken Piaster Casts, To Mend
Bronze, Liquid j
Bronze Plaster Casts, To
Cabinet. A Portable Photographic
Developing 223
Cabinet, A New Coin 7o
Cabinet, A Quaint Corner 28
432
16
410 197
PAGE
Cabinet, Revolving Book. — See Re- volving Book Cabinet.
Cameras, Detective 573
Camera, An Easily Made 1S2
Camera, How to Make a Portable
Whole-plate 547
Cardboard Dark Slide for Photo- graphers, A 473
Carpet and Floor-cloth Laying, Hints
on 54
Carriage Jack, A 195
Casts, To Bronze Plaster 197
Casts, To Mend Broken Plaster ... 16 Cement for Fastening Glass to Tin... 535
Cement on Tiles, To Remove 345
Chain, How to Casta 390
Chair, An Architectural Hall 232
Chair, An Old English, in Cut
Leather 436
Chair, A Swinging Hammock. — See Swinging Hammock Chair.
Chameleon Table, A 386
Chestnut Roaster, A 39
Chicken-coop and Run, A 566
China-Painting, More Hints on ... 336
Chinese Varnish 500
Chucks for My Lathe.
I. The Driving Chuck— The Face- plate and its Attachments — The Drill Chuck— The Bell Chuck— The Mandrel — Wooden Chucks — The Pipe-maker's Chuck... ... n
II. The Independent Four-jaw Chuck 74 Church Clocks : How to Make One for a Trifle. I. Introduction — Wheels — Frame — Escapement — Drum for Winding — Maintaining Power ... .. 470
II. Weight Carried on Pulleys— Steel Wire Rope — Centre Wheel — Escape Wheel — Pallet— Pallet Arbor with Attachments — Pendu- lum — Mercurial Compensation
Pendulum 526
III. Dead-beat, or '• Graham" Escape- ment — Double Three - legged Escapement — Fly — Dial Work — Illuminated Dial — Hands — Con- clusion 595
Circular Saw by Wind Power. — See How to Drive a Lathe and Circular Saw.
Cleaning Soiled Engravings 16
Clock, Electric Alarm to 211
Clothes Sprinkler, A 197
Coal Box, A Fancy 79
Coin Cabinet, A New 70
Coloured Photos 569
Colour Photography 457
Combination Table, Cupboard, and
Coal Box, A 282
Combined Toning and Fixing Bath,
A 42
Conjuring, Amateur.— See Amateur
Conjuring. Constant Level Inkstand, A New ... 304 CornerCupboard with Curved Front, Design for a 521
PAGE
Covering for Steam Pipes 476
Crane, How to Make a Model Electric— See Electric Crane.
Crib for the Youngster, A 82
Cube on the Lathe, How to Turn a ... 326 Cupboard, A Bedside Pedestal ... 332
Cupboard, with Curved Front, A
Corner 521
Cupboard, A Lavatory ... 477
Cupboard, A Medicine 451
Cutter, A Model 218
Cyclists, Wrinkles for 237
Dark Room, A Frame with Sliding
Sashes for 185
Dark Slide, A Cardboard 473
Davenport Writing Desk, with Con- cealed Flap, A 199
Deer Horns, To Polish 546
Designs for Hanging Shelves and
Corner Brackets 3°5
Design for Corner Cupboard with
Curved Front 521
Design for Fretwork Bracket 557
Design for Overmantel in Carved
Wood 483
Designs, Three, for Fretworkers ... 608
Detective Cameras 573
Developing Cabinet, A Portable
Photographic 223
Dialyte Telescope 605
Dishes, To Coat Tin 54
Dissolving Spectres 461
Distributor, An Electric 469
Drawing-room Overmantel, A 432
Drawings or Diagrams for Lantern Use without the Aid of Photo- graphy 202
Drill Clamp, A 190
Drying Rack, A Negative 112
Easel Portfolio, An 496
Easel, Handy 577
Easily Made Camera, An 182
Easily Made Printing Press '564
Electric Alarm to a Clock, How to
Attach an ■ 211
Electric Bell : How to Construct it.
I. Temperature — Materials — Swedish
Iron — Magnet — Cores — Frame — Bobbins — Armature ... ... 345
II. Action of Electric Bell Explained — Trembling Bell— Wooden Base- Fitting Frame — Box — Tables I. to VI 395
III. Varieties of the Electric Bell ... 446
IV. Methods of Connecting up for
Various Purposes — The Morse
Key 487
V. Lines — Pressel — Line Wires_ — Underground Wires — Outside
Wires— Conclusion 536
Electric Crane, How to Make a Model. I. Making the Truck, Platform, and
Crane Arm ... 294
II. Motors — Starting and Stopping
Levers — Connections — Painting
— Conclusion 32°
INDEX TO VOLUME III. {NEW SERIES).
I' AGE
Electric Distributor, A'n 469
Electric Fire Engine, How to Make a
Model 605
Electric Lighting for Amateurs.
I. Introductory Considerations — The Value of Electric Lights— Light- ing Powers, etc. ... ... ... 356
II. Small Dynamos for Electric Light- ing— The Siemens Dynamo — Dimensions and Price of Dynamo Castings 366
III. Power Required to Work Dynamos
— How to Arrange the Lamps — Safe Carrying Capacity of Wires and Cables — Edison - Swan Lamps — Switches— Cut Outs, etc. 436
IV. Electric Lighting by Batteries— A
Four-Celled Single Fluid Chromic Acid Battery — A Double Fluid Chromic Acid Battery— Batteries for Night Lights 480
V. Electric Lighting by Accumulators or Secondary Batteries — Plates for Accumulators— Forming the Plates— Making and Charging the Cells 552
VI. Pocket Accumulators — Electric Jewellery — Making a Pocket Accumulator ... .. ... 592
Electric Roundabout 492
Electric Seesaw 529
Electrical Balance, An 1
Electroscopes 379
Enamel Paint, How to Use 21
Enamelling Photo Prints 100
Engine, A Lever 147
Engine without a Connecting Rod,
An 15
Engraving, Wood.— See Wood En- graving. Engraving on Glass for Magic- lantern Slides, To Transfer 222
Engravings, Soiled, To Clean 16
Equatorial Mounting for Telescopes.
— See Telescopes. Etching Metals, A New Method of ... 35
Fancy Coal Box, A... 79
Fancy Tables, Two 340
Fastening Glass to Tin, Cement for 535 Few Notes on Furniture Revivers, A 411
Few Ideas in Woodwork, A 157
Fire Engine, Electric 605
Fitments for Rooms 599
Flash Light, A Magnesium 99
Flower Pot Cover, A Sussex 331
Flowers, To Make Wax 516
Folding Book-rest, A 534
Folding Music Stand, A 143
Folding Tray-shelf, A 220
Footstool, A Strong, Useful Nursery 129
Force-pump, A Model 53
Forms and Stools, How to Make
Them 174
Frame, An Artistic Picture 2oy
Frame, with Sliding Sashes, for
Photographic Dark Room 185
Frames, Two Photo 118
Framing, Picture 204
Fret-saw for Lathes, A Simple ... 85
Fretwork, A Design for Bracket ... 557
Fretwork Note Rack, A 253
Fretwork, or Inlay Designs 274
Fretworkers, Three Designs for ... 60S Furniture Revivers, A Few Notes on 411 Furniture, To Renew Brass Mounting on 14
Gasfitting for Amateurs.
I. Tools — Pipe— Fixing Pendant —
Blowing Joints— Pipe Hooks ... 541 II. Boring with Bell Bit— Supports for Pipe under Floor— Cutting Hole in Pipe— Pipe Tongs— Gas Pliers — Screw-plate — Tube Cutters- Cork Slide Pendant —Testing for
Escape — Conclusion 602
Gold-leaf and Pith-ball Electro- scopes, How to Make 379
Gong Stand in Bamboo Work 90
Governor for Model Engine 287
Hall Chair in Ash or Oak, Easy Construction of an Architectural 232
Hall Stand, How to Make a 417
Hall, Treatment of Old-fashioned ... 30 Hammock Chair, A Swinging.— See Swinging Hammock Chair.
Handy Easel 577
Hanging Lamp and Jardiniere ... 590
Hanging Shelves, Design for 365
Hints for Amateur Bookbinders ... 34 Hints on Carpet and Floor-cloth
Laying 54
Hints on China Painting, More ... 336 Hints on House Decoration by Photo- graphy.— See House Decoration.
Hints for Student Decorators 306
Hot Water Fittings_ for Small Houses. I. Scope of these Papers— Theory of Hot Water Circulation — An In- teresting Experiment — The Tank System Explained — Best Form of
Boiler— Cost 86
II. Fitting Up the Pipes — Making Connections — Size and Position of Tanks ... ... ... , ... 131
III. Baths and their Fittings — Taps — Overflow Pipe— Waste Water — Safety Trays — Precaution in Using Hot Water Systems — Randall's Patent Taps — Con- cluding Remarks 190
House Decoration by Photography, Hints on. I. Selection of Negatives — Opalines for Ornamenting a Table — A Chess Board — Door Panels — Transparencies and their Produc- tion— Method of Mounting ... 58
II. Films for Transparencies — A Lamp
Shade — Ivory Films— A Hall Lamp — Transferotype Paper — Lamp Globes — Cups — Plates — Opals — Opal Enlargements — Printing on Fabric — Novel Method of Decorating Chair
Backs 107
III. Hall Lantern— Candle Brackets- Medicine Cupboard — China Cheese Stand — Flower Bowl — Method of Mounting Trans- parencies— Hand Screens — Fire Screens — Hanging Basket — Jardiniere ... ... ... .., 165
House Steps: How to Make a Pair
of 555
How to Make-up for the Stage.— See Make-up for the Stage.
Ideas in Woodwork, A Few 157
Improved PipeCleaner, An ... ... 476
Index, A Rough and Ready Way to
make an 210
Inlay Designs 274
Inkstand, A New Constant Level ... 304
Jack, A Carriage 195
Jardiniere 590
Jewellery, Amateur, Manipulation
and Repairs of 113
Joint between Glass and Zinc, A
Water-tight 35
Knife Cleaner, A Simple ..: ... 96
PAGF.
Lamp, Hanging 590
Lathe, Chucks for My. — See Chucks
for My Lathe. Lathe, How to Turn a Cube on the... 326 Lathe, A Simple Fret-saw for the ... 85 Lathe and Circular Saw by Wind
Power, How to Drive.
I. Introduction 256
II. Uprights — Vertical Axle — Cog- wheels— Reversing Gear — Con- clusion 278
Lavatory Cupboard, A , ... 477
Leaf-turner, A Magnetic 350
Lens, Bayonet Jointing a 116
Lever Engine, A 147
Leyden Jar, How to Make a 169
Lighting, Electric. — See Electric Lighting.
Limes for the Lantern 550
Liquid Bronze 4ID
Locomotive, How to Make a Model ... 522 Magic Lantern, How to Make and Use it, with Full Instructions for Making a £50 Outfit for £5. I. Introduction — The Body — What Wood to Use — Details of Con- struction 36
II. The Plinth— A Case for the Lan- tern — Lining the Body— The Lenses 67
I I I Fitting the Condensers— Carriers-
Lens Tubes Mo
IV The Lenses— Where to Buy and
How to Fit Them— The Burneis 160 V A New System of Dissolving— Fit- ting the Gas Tubes— The Rolling Curtain Effect— Lacquering the Brasswork— The Retort— Purifier
and Gas Bag 238
VI Making the Gases— Ether Satu- rator— Using the Light for Stage Purposes— A Word about Limes 2E6
Magic Lantern, Limes for 55°
Mrgic Lantern Slides, To Transfer
Engravings for 222
Magnesium Flash Light 99
Magnetic Leaf-turner, A 350
" Make-up " for the Stage, How to. VI. Female Make-up -Youthful Cha- racters— Costume Characters — Elderly Ladies— Character and Low Comedy Parts— General Re- marks on Making-up for Ladies- Dodges— Secret Recipes, etc. , etc. 25 VII. The Effects of Lines in Altering
Expression ^2
VIII Making-up for Various Characteis _ Low Comedy and Character Parts— Lawyers— Country Lad- Soldiers — Sailors, etc. — Death , Wan and Sallow Complexions- Dark Complexions 142
IX. Making-up for Various Characters (continued) — The Diunkard — Types of Different Nations, Scotch, Irish, French, Germans, Russians, Italians, Spaniards, Portuguese, Danes,& Wallachians 170
X. National Types (continued), Chinese, Japanese, Egyptians, Arabs, Persians, Hindoos, Ne- groes, American Indians, Other Characters, Clowns, Pantaloons, Statuary, Jews 229
XL On Whiskers, Beards, and Mous- taches—Home-made Beards and Whiskers— Materials Required- Bending the Wire— Braiding the Wire— Sewing Hair on Wire — Crepe in Hair and its Manipula- tion—The Proper Application of Whiskers and Moustaches ... 32S
INDEX TO VOLUME III {NEW SERIES).
XII. Removing the Make-up from the Face— The Right Way and the Wrong — Lead Poisoning caused through Impure Grease Paints — The Best Way of Removing the Make-up Effectually and Quickly — Washing in Warm and Cold Water — Removing Paint and Powder from the Hair — Open Wounds on the Face and their Cure — Reliable Theatrical Toilet Preparations for the Skin, Teeth, Eyes, and Hair ... ... ... 404
Medical Coil, A Pocket.— See A Pocket Medical Coil.
Medicine Cupboard, A 451
Metal Turning.
I. Choice of the Lathe 254
II. Texture of Metals— Tools ... III. Turning Small Rods— Steadies —
Light Bent Cranks 324
W . Jaw Chuck — Turning Cylinder Cover — Turning Piston Rings —
Dog-Chuck 374
V. Slotted Face-Plate— Bolts and Dogs — Turning Eccentric Sheaves — Lining Out— Chucking Plates — Double Sheave ... ... ... 424
^ I. Mandrel Turning — Wooden Man- drels — Solid Iron Mandrels — Conical Centres — Conical Man- drel — Mandrel for Turning Brasses ... ... ... ... 509
VII. Boring— Drills— Drill Plate ... 544 VIII. Conclusion 587
Metals, A New Method of Etching ... 35
Model Cutter, A 21S
Model Electric Orane.—See Electric
Crane.
Model Electric Fire Engine 605
Model Force Pump. A 53
Model Locomotive, How to Make a ... 522 Model Railway Building: Permanent
Way.
I. Introduction — Making Wheels — Foundation for Permanent Way
— Plan of Station Lines 1 ^7
II. Materials for Rails — How to Lay the Rails and Sleepers — Points and Shunts ... ... ... ... j62
III. Signals — Accessories — Conclusion 226 Monumental Brasses, Rubbings of ... 131
Mountant, A Good 84
Mounting Equatorial Telescopes. —
See Equatorial Telescopes. Music Holder in Bamboo Work ... 313
Music Stand or Book Rest. A Pocket 202
Music Stand, A Folding !,,
Negative, To Improve oo
Negative Drying Rack I12
Negatives, Paper 43
Negatives, To Remove Varnish from 424 New Method of Etching Metals ... 3- Notes on Novelties.
Journal of Microscopy and Xatural Science— Fruit Trade Journal— The Amateur Writer — The Optical Magic Lantern and Photographic Enlarger —The Amateur — The Art Workman 47 Wood Engraving — The Pitkin Pocket Lamp— Wilcox's Paper Letters — The Britannia Company's Buyers' Guide
— Brazz-o-line — The Amateur 100
Hasluck's Cabinet Worker's Handbook —Photography for Architects— The Building and Machine Draughtsman — The John Wilkinson Company's Tool Catalogue — Zilles' Fretwork .s— The Amateur — Electricity in Everyday Life — The Watkins Ex- posure Metre— Engineers' Tools ... 150 Engineers' Tools— The Photographic Art J:urnal 205
PAGE
Seed List — The Amateur — Electric
Catalogue 258
The Demon Water Motor — La Bril-
lantine 308
The Amateur— Lancaster and Sons'
Photographic Catalogue 360
SylvastOF — Vevers' Practical Amateur Photography — Gent's Electrical Cata- logue— Screws and Screw Making ... 412 The Photography Annual — Safety
Rudder Fittings 465
The Teacher's Handbook of Slojd — Electrician Primers — The Mimeo- graph— The Optical Magic Lantern and Photographic Enlarger— The Amateur ... ... ... ... ... 51S
The Cantilever Bowl Castor — Zilles' Working Drawings for Cabinet Makers— New Series of Geographical Models — Tool Merchant's Catalogue 560 The Victor Child's Carriage ... ... 614
Notes on Soldering 578
Note Rack, A Fretwork 253
Nursery Footstool, A 129
Old English Chair in Cut Leather ... 436 Old-fashioned Hall, Treatment of ... 30 Organ Building, Practical.
I. Simplicity of Construction — Advan- tages of Organ Building as a Hobby — The Tools Required — Specification and General De- scription of the Instrument ... 2 II. Woods — Kinds and Quantities — Ground Frame — Building Frame and Key Bench 63
III. The Bellows {continued) ... 119 — 177
IV. Wood Pipes {continued) ... 247 — 266 V. Metal Pipes 316
VI. The Soundboard 369
VII. Soundboard (continued) ... ... 439
VIII. The Keyboard 484
Organ, Tubular Pneumatic Action
for Small 561
Ornamental Clock Case, An 29
Ornamental Turning, Some Chapters
on Simple.
I. Simplicity of Ornamental Turning
—Cost of Outfit— General Outline
of Method in Ornamental Turning 245
II. Eccentric Cutter — Shank — Body of
Cutter — Disc ... 297
III. Forgings for Slide Guides 334
IV. Fluting Cutter— Pulleys— Overhead
— Division Plate ... ... ... 302
V. Cutting Screws in the Lathe — Index Pointer — Stops— Best Slide Rest
for Ornamental Turning 444
VI. Turning Shallow Box — Process of Ornamenting — Turning Reel
Stand 508
VII. Instructions for Turning Orna- mental Patterns — Conclusion ... 546 Overmantel, A Simple Bedroom ... 193 Overmantel in Carved Wood, Design
for an 483
Overmantel, A Drawing-room 432
Over Piano, An 354
Paint Brush, How to Treat a New ... 117
Paint, How to use Enamel 21
Paint Spots from Wood, To Remove 14 Paper Negatives and other Substi- tutes for Glass 43
Paper, To Make Transparent 327
Paper or Leather, Waterproof ... 274
Papier Mache, To Renovate 270
Paste, A Good
Patent, How to Procure
Photographer's Sink, A
Photographic Developing Cabinet, A Portable 223
... 59° ... 500 7
PAGS
Photographic Printing Processes. IV. Silver Printing Processes — N;:;i- tives : Their Good and Bad Qualities — Contact Printing on Albumenized Silver Paper — Use- ful Hints— Trimming and Wash- ing the Prints — Toning Solutions — Toning with the Acetate of Soda Bath — Treatment of Prints with Common Washing Soda — Toning to a Purple Tone — Treat- ment of Prints with Salt — Toning to a warm Brown — Washing and Fixing— Final Washing and Dry*
ing 301
Photographic Still, How to Make a ... 134 Photographic Studio, An Amateur's 289
Photography, Colour 457
Photography, Portrait by Artificial
Light 17
Photography, House Decoration by. — See House Decoration.
Photo Frames, Two nS
Photo Lantern Slides: How to Make
them by a New Method 396
Photo Prints, Enamelling 100
Photos, Coloured 569
Picture Frame, An Artistic 209
Picture Framing 204
Pipe Cleaner, An Improved 476
Plaster Casts, To Bronze 197
Plaster Casts, To Mend 16
Plaster, Mixing ... 256
Plush Bracket, A 376
Pneumatic Action for Small Organs 561 Pocket Medical Coil, A.
I. Case — Coil— Bobbins 407
II. Insulator — Arrangement for Make
and Break Battery— Conclusion... 453 Pocket Music Stand and Book Rest... 202
Polish Deer Horns, To 546
Polish on Brass, A Black 211
Polish, A Quick Drying 2S
Polish to Stand Hot Dishes 507
Polish, Wax 97
Poultry Farm : How an Amateur made
one Pay 3S
Portable Developing Cabinet 223
Portable Whole-plate Camera, A ... 547 Portrait Photography by Artificial
Light 17
Practical Organ Building.— See Organ
Building. Printing Press, An Easily Made ... 564 Printing Processes, Photographic— See Photographic Printing Pro- cesses. Prize Scheme 17, 63, 149, 204, 258, 309,
360. 413, 466, 517, 570, 614
Pump, A Model Force 53
Putty, To Remove Old 91
Quaint Corner Cabinet, A 28
Quick Drying Polish, A 28
Rack, A Negative Drying 112
Railway Building.— See Model Railway
Building. Racquet: How to Re-string a Tennis 270 Refrigerator for Domestic Use, A
Simple 394
Revolving Book Cabinets, and How to Make them. I, Introduction — Material — Frame- work — Shelves — Bars— Feet —
Plate 341
II. Skirting — Alternative Revolving
Apparatus 3%z
III. Adaptibility of Revolving Cabinets — Substitute for Rails— Decora- tion — Provision for Folios and Large Volumes 420
INDEX TO VOLUME III. {NEW SERIES).
PAGE
IV. Step Arrangement of Revolving Cabinet — Revolving Cabinet with Turned Pillars and with Desk Top 512
Roaster, A Chestnut
Rosewood, Staining in Imitation of...
Roundabout, The Electric
Rubbings of Monumental Brasses
See-saw, The Electric
Sett -Board for Entomologists, How
to Make and Use 261
Sharpening Tools, A Stone for ... 332
Slides, To Transfer Engravings for
Magic Lantern 222
Sliding Doors, Bookcase with
Soap Box, A
Soiled Engravings, To Clean
Soldering, Notes on
Some Hints for Amateur Book-
bi nders
Spectres, Dissolving
Sprinkler, A Clothes
Stage, How to "Make-up" for.— See
How to " Make-up " for the Stage.
Stain for Floors, A Good
Staining in Imitation of Rosewood ...
Stand for Vase, A
Stand, How to Make a Hall
Steam Pipes, Covering for
Step-ladder, How to Make a
Still, How to Make a Photographic ... Stools, How to Make them Stone for Sharpening Tools, A
Stove Blacking, A Good
Stove Screen and Music Holder in
Bamboo Work
Student Decorators, Hints for Studio, An Amateur's Photographic Sussex Flower-pot Cover, How to Make a
Swinging Hammock Chair, A.
I. Introduction — The Wood Required
— Details of Construction... II. The Swing, and its Construction ...
331
Table, A Chameleon
Table, A Writing
Tables, Two Fancy
Telescopes, Equatorial Mounting for.
I. Motion of Stars Parallel with the Equator — The Polar Axis Co- ordinate to the Latitude of the Point of Observation — How to find the Angle of Elevation — Finding the true North — Con- erting Longitudes into Time,
PAGE
.. 386
.. 241 34o
East or West
234
II, Gnomon for the Polar Axis— Mode of Constructing the latter— Mark- ing the Declination Axis — Testing for Accuracy — Fixing in Position
— Clamping — Circles 275
Tennis Racquet, How to Re-string a 270
Telescope, Dialyte ... 609
Three Small Articles.
Soap-box or Tray — Stand for Vase or Water-jug — Small Plush Bracket ... 376
Tiles, To Remove Cement on 345
Tin Dishes, To Coat 54
Tools, A Stone for Sharpening ... 332 Toning and Fixing Bath, A Com- bined 42
Towel-horse, A Useful 41
Transfer Engravings on Glass, To ... 222
Transparent Paper, To Make 327
Tray Shelf, A Folding 220
Treatment of Old-fashioned Halt ... 30 Turn a Cube on the Lathe, How to ...126 Turned Work, A Watchstand in ... 98 Turners, A Watchstand for .. ... 19
Turning Metal. See Metal Turning.
Varnish, Chinese 500
Varnish from Negatives, To Remove 424
Violet Colour to Brasswork 432
Wash-hand Stand, A 262
Watchstand in Turned Work, A ... 98 Watchstand for Turners 19
PAGE
• 54 274
35
97 32
Waterproof Writing Ink, To Make
Waterproof Paper or Leather
Water-tight Joint between Glass and
Zinc, A
Wax Flowers, To Make
Wax Polish
Where Did I Put It?
Wheels for Hand-cart.
I. Tools — Nave — Frame — Spokes —
Spokeboy — Shoulder Gauge ... 427 II. Tenoning Spokes — Mortising Fel- loes— Templet for Felloes — Fit- ting up Wheel — Fixing Tyre — Boxing Wheels — Painting ... 502
Whitewash that will Not Rub Off ... 66 Whole-plate Camera : How to Make a
Portable 547
Wind-power : How to Drive a Lathe and Circular Saw by.— See Lathe, How to Drive. Wood Engraving for Amateurs.
I. What Wood Engraving is — The
Wood used — The Tools ... ... 5
Preparing the Tools — Pad or Sand
Bag — Eye — Glass and Stand — Ink
Dabber — Drawing on Wood
Transferring Designs to the Wood
— Photographing on Wood
How to Engrave 188
How to Remedy Mistakes — Taking Proofs — Ruling — Cross-hatching — White Cross-lining— Conclusion 216
Wood Working 116
Woodwork, A Few Ideas in 157
Woodworkers, Wrinkles for) 463
Wrinkle for Banjo Makers, A 358
Wrinkle for Cyclists, A ... 237
Wrinkles for Amateur Wood En-
II.
III.
IV. V.
91
125
gravers
Wrinkles for Bookbinders
Wrinkles for Woodworkers
Writing Desk, A Davenport
Writing Ink, To Make a Waterproof... Writing Table, A
491 306
463 199
54 241
INDEX TO SUPPLEMENTS OR FOLDING SHEETS.
Practical Organ Building — The Case
A Fancy Coal-box
Two Folding Photo Frames
Hints on Decorating the House by Photography
A Model Cutter
Finger-Plates or Panels in Fretwork or Inlay
Two Fancy Tables
Practical Organ Building — The Soundboard
An Old English Chair Upholstered in Cut Leather ...
Design for Overmantel in Carved Wood
A Portable Whole-Plate Camera with Bellows Body... Three Designs for Fretworkers
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INDEX TO "AMATEURS IN COUNCIL'
Accumulators, Dynamo for Charging,
520 Acme Drill Chuck, 571 AdaptiDg Parts . of Lathe for Overhead
Motion, 572 Altering Clocks, 208 American Clock, Re Query, 259 Amateur Appliances, 312 Amateur Dramatic Authorship, 363 "Amateur Work, Illustrated," Old
Series, 363, 415, 467 " Amateur Work." Binding, 50 "Amateur Work," Index to, 104 Amateur Work in the Colonies, 615 Amateur Work, Suggestions for, 206 "Amateur Work," Vol. II., New Series,
363
Amateurs' Testimony, 154 Amateurs' Work, 519, 571 Amateurs' Work and Iron Planes, 571 American Clock, 208, 259 American White Wood, 416, 519 Aphengescope, 520 Appliances, Amateur, 312 Article on Soldering, 416 Authorship, Amateur Dramatic, 363
Battery Coil, Defective, 208
Battery, Secondary, 361
Battery Wanted, 155, 206
Bellows, Camera, 52
Best and Fastest Shutter for both Time
% and Instantaneous Work, 49 Bichromate v. Bunsen Cell, roi Bicycle, £20 Bicycle Cement, 156 Bicycle, Safety, 415 Binding*" Amateur Work," 50 Blackboard, 310 Blue Printing Process, 103 Boat-building with Planking, Model, 153 Boat, Brass Fittings for, 364 Bookbinding, 52, 616 Bookbinders, Club for, 415 Bookcase and Screen, 363 Bookcases, Reviving, 519 Books on Electricity, 154 Box Corner Fittings, 519 Brass Fittings for Boat. 364, 415 Brass Angle Fittings for Box Corners, D 519
Brass Instruments, Repairing, 207 Brass Rods, 312 Brown Paper, Hand-made, 468 Brief Replies, 52 Building a Greenhouse, 104 Bursoolah, 416
Calico Diagrams, 52, 154 Camera, An Easily Made, 364 Camera Bellows, 52 Camera, etc., 312
Camera, Photographic, 206, 519
Cameras, Demon, 207
Canoe, Light, 104
Castings, 362
Castings for Hand Planing Machine, 104
Castings for Microscope, 51, 155
Castings for Simple Milling Attachment
for Lathe, 153 Cell, Bichromate v. Bunsen, 101 Celluloid, Composition of, T04, 208 Cement, Bicycle, 156 Chemical, Hygroscopic, 260 Chuck for Circular Saw and Milling
Cutter, t53 Circular Saw and Milling Cutter, Chuck
for, rS3 Clay Modelling, 468 Clock, American, 208 Clock for Reflecting Telescope, 616 ! Clocks, Altering, 208 Cloth, Spots on, 520 Club for Bookbinders, 415 t Coil, 310
Coil, Defective Battery, 208 Coil, Wire for, ior Colonists and " Amateur Work," 259 Colouring Walls of Dining Rooms, r56 Compact Folding Chair, 5r Composition of Celluloid, ro4, 208 Contributors, A Hint to, 154 Coop, Hen, 416 Copper, Etching on, 259 Copper Facing Carbon, 571 Copying Fretwork Designs, 207 Costume Making, Theatrical, 363 Crack in Flageolet, 52 Cricket Materials, Alending, 52 Criticism— An Offer to the Readers of
"Amateur Work," roi Criticism, 155 Crutch, Safety, r54 Cutter, A Model, r52, 468 Cutting and Polishing Pebbles, 572 Cyclostyle Ink, 50, 153
Defective Battery Coil, 208 Demon Cameras, 207 Designs, Fretwork, 416 Diagrams, Calico, '52, rs4 Difficulties, Photographic, T51 Dining Table. Telescopic, 206 Distributor, A Resin, 3ri Division Plate, 615 Dramatic Authorship, Amateur, 363 Dressing Table and Washstand, 102 Dulcimer Fittings, 104 Dynamo for Charging Accumulators, 520
Ebony Walking Sticks, 51 Electrical Matters, 414, 416, 468 Electric Bell, 616
Electric Bell Indicators, 208 Electric Bell, Switch for, 104 Electricity, Books on, 154 Emery Wheel, 468 Employment, Finding, 154 Enamel Paint, 52, 467 Errata, 364, 416 Etching in Copper, 259 Exercises in Woodworking, 571
Fastest Shutter for Instantaneous Work,
49 Few Ideas in Woodwork, 259 Files, Tempering, 311 Finding Employment, 154 Fire Hand Grenades, 312,468 Fitting Hatch to Model Yacht, 103 Flageolet, Crack in, 52 Flatting for Glass Jars, 616 Fluor-Spar, 312, 364 Folding-Chair, Compact, 51 Fountain, 520 Fountain, Self-acting, 364 French Polishing, 51 Fretwork Designs, Copying, 207, 416
Galvanised Work, Soldering, 260
Gear, Reversing, 414
Gilding, 50
Gilding Ivory, 4r6
Granite, Marble, etc., Imitations of, 468
Greenhouse, 416
Greenhouse, Building a, 104
Gauge, A Tinsmith's, 361
Hammers, 364
Hammer, Tinsmith's Blocking, 468
Hand and Foot Threshing Machines,
572 Hand-books, Technical Series of, 415 Hand Grenades, Fire, 3t2, 468 Hand-made Brown Paper, 468 Hand-planing Machines, Castings for,
104 Handy Substitute for Lathe Planer, 52 ■Harmonium, Adding Pedals to, 52 Hat and Umbrella Stand, 468 Hatch to Model Yacht, 103 Hen Coop, 416 Hint to Contributors, t54 How to make a Music Stool, 151 How to make a Phonograph, 208 Horns, Preparation of, 467 Hydraulic Motor, 207 Hygroscopic Chemical, 260
Ice Machines, r55
Imitations of Granite, Marble, etc., 468
Incubator, 416
Index to "Amateur Work," 104, 572
Indian Tools, Some, 48
India-rubber Stoppers, 154
INDEX TO " AMATEURS IN COUNCIL:'
Indicators, Electric Bell, 208
Inductorium, 151
Information Sought, 364
Ink, Cyclostyle, 50, 153
Instantaneous Work, Best Shutter for,
49 Iron, Soldering, 104 Ivory, Gilding, 416
Lads, Technical Instruction for, 414 Lantern, Magic, 520 Lathe, Slow Speed for, 362 Leads, Machine for Shaping, 208 Leaded Glass Windows and Aviaries,
260 Leaded Letters in Stone, 153 Lightning Paper, 156 Light Canoe to Carry One Person, 104 Lithographic Press, 154
Machine for Shaping and Guttering Leads for Stained-glass Windows, 208
Magic Lantern, 152, 520
Magic Lantern, Projecting Microscopic Slides with, 152
Magic Pocket Lamp, 310
Magnet torhold up 100 lbs., 519
Make your own Magic Lantern, 154
Marble, Imitations of, 468
Marble Top and Tiles for Washstand,
Medical Coil, Small, 519 Mending Cricket Materials, 52 Microscope, Castings for, 51, 155 Milling Attachment for Lathe, Castings
for, 153 Mirrors, Silvering, 416 Mitre Cutter, 152
Model Boat Building with Planking, 153 Model Cutter, 468 Motor, Hydraulic, 207 Model Locomotive Building, 571 Model Stationary Engine, 572 Model Steam Yacht, 207, 260 Model Yacht, Fitting Hatch to, 103 Modelling in Clay, 46S Music Stool, How to Make, 151
Negative, Removing Varnish from. 520 Netting, Oblong, 50 Nom de Plume, 616
Oblong Netting, 50
Odour of Paint, 520
Optical Illusion, 572
Organ Building, 153, 310, 361, 414
Organs, Scudamore, 311
Paint, Enamel, 52
Paint, Odour of, 520
Paper, Lightning, 156
Painting Shop Front, 414
Paper Screens, 616
Paper Pulp, 520
Parian Statuette Making, 520
Pedals to Harmonium, 52
Pentagraph, 363
Photographic Camera, 206, 519
Photographic Difficulties, 151, 208
Photographic Matters, 468
Photographic Papers, Sensitizing, 468
Phonograph, 208
Piano, Rehabilitation of, 362 .
Pictures, Varnish for, 153
Pictures, Zoetrope, 363
Pin Puzzle Box, 50, 155, 361
Plested's Patent Plane Iron, Chisel, and
Tool Sharpening Machine, 51 Pocket Lamp, a Magic, 310 Polishing, French, 51 Polish, Wax, 363 Portmanteau Stand, 311 Preparation of Horns, etc., 467 Preserving Snakes in Spirit, 520 Press, Lithographic, 154 Preventing Rust on Tools, 153 Printing and Rubber Stamp Making, 206 Printing Process, Blue, 103 Promised Subjects, 571 Prize Competition, 312 Pulp, Paper, 520 Puzzle Box, Pin, 30, 155, 361
Razor, Safety, 520 Razor Stone, 468 Reflecting Telescope, 468 Rehabilitation of Piano, 362 Removing Varnish from Negatives, 520 Repairing Brass Instruments, 207 Replies devoid of General Interest, 156,
208, 260, 3t2, 468 Reply Bookcase and Screen, 363 Resin Distributor, 3ti Reversing Gear, 414 Revolving Bookcases, 519 Rhomkorff Coil, 156 Rivetting, 155 Rods, Brass, 3r2 Rubber Stamp Making, 206 Rubber Stamps, Type for, 416 Rubber Stamps, 311 Rust on Tools, Preventing, 153
Safety Bicycle, 415
Safety Bicycle Fittings, 616
Safety Crutch, 154
Safety Razor, 520
Scrap Screen, 4T4
Screen, Threefold, 259
Screw Hammer, 616
Scudamore Organs, 311
Secondary Battery, 361
Self-acting Fountain, 364, 615
Sensitizing Photographic Papers, 468
Sewing Machine Stand, Utilizing, 155,
2°7. 4iS Shocking Coil, 616 Shop Front, Painting, 414 Shutter, Fastest for Instantaneous Work,
49
Silvering Mirrors, 467
Simple Ornamental Turning, 571, 6r5
Simplex Glazing, 4t6
Single Needle Telegraph, 260
Slide Rest, 572
Sliding Door for Bookcase, 616
Slow Speed for Lathe, 362
Small Medical Coil, 519
Snakes in Spirit, Preserving, 520
Soldering, Article on, 416 ,
Soldering Galvanized Work, 260
Soldering Iron, ro4
Some Indian Tools, 48
Specula Grinding, 312
Spots on Cloth, 520. 616
Staining Wood to Match a Pattern, 136
Stained Glass Windows, Machine for
Shaping Leads for, 208 Stand, A Portmanteau, 3d Statuette, Making Parian, 520 Steam Yacht, Model, 207 - Subjects for Amateur Work, 520 Suggestions for Amateur Work, 2o5 Switch for Electric Bell, 104
Table, Telescopic, 206
Technical Instruction for Lads, 414
Technical Series of Handbooks, 416
Telegraph, Single Needle, 260
Telephones, 616
Telescopic Dining Table, 206
Tempering Files, 311
Theatrical Costume Making, 363
Three-fold Screen, 259
Tinsmith's Blocking Hammers, 364, 468
Tinsmith's Gauge, 361
Tool Sharpening Machine, Plested's, 51
Tools, Some Indian, 48
Transparent Squares for Drawing
Purposes, 572 Type for Rubber Stamps, 416 '
Upholstering, 364
Utilizing Sewing Machine Stand, t55, 207, 415, 616
Vacuum in Vessel, 519 Varnish for Pictures, 153 Varnish for Violoncello, 6t6 Violin Making, 208, 4r5 Vulcanite, 416, 5tg
Walking Sticks, Ebony, 51
Walls of Dining Room, Colouriirg, 156
Wax Polish, 363 ^^
White Wood, American, 416
Wind Power to Workshop, 312
Wire for Coil, rot
Wood Engraving, 156
Washstand, Marble Top and Tiles, 153.
Yacht, Model Steam, 20j
Zoetrope Pictures, 363
PRINTED AT THE BOTOLPH WORKS, CROSSKEV SQUARE, LITTLE BRITAIN, E.C
rtt*ftD.LOCfiSC°1.0HOi
n
AN ELECTRICAL BALANCE.
2
AN ELECTRICAL BALANCE.
By ELECTRON.
balance is used to detect
sK ;=|N electrical
J s£k [gj the presence of very small charges of
(3V
electricity, in any body ; and many
interesting experiments may be made
It consists of a straw, with a suitable
very
with it
centre, balanced on the point of a needle on an
insulated stajid ; when an electrified body is
wire, and turning or filing the outside to a conical shape (as shown in Fig. 2), or it may be made from a piece of glass tube 1 inch diameter. Heat the tube in the flame of a spirit-lamp, and keep turning it round ; when hot, pull asunder the ends of the tube, and it will draw apart in a conical shape ; heat the thin end till the hole is. closed, and, with a triangular file, nick the tube round at the proper length, and cut it off. The centres can be fixed in the straw by a drop of sealing-wax. Then balance the straw in the
FIG. I.
Electrical Balance.
presented to one end, it is attracted, and to the opposite end, it is repelled. Make a circular stand of wood, about 2\ inches diameter, and \ inch thick ; this may be cut by a chisel, and the edges filed smooth, or it may be turned, and a small moulding formed on the upper edge ; in the centre of this, fix a piece of sealing-wax \ inch diameter, and \\ inches long; melt the end of the wax, and fix it perfectly upright; then take a needle in a pair of pincers, and heat the eye end red hot, and stick it in the top end of the wax, being careful to have it vertical. Then get a piece of dry wheat straw, about 10 inches long, and make a notch in the centre, and fix in it a brass or glass centre or pivot. A brass pivot may be made by drilling a conical hole in the end of a piece of 3-1 6th inch brass Vol. in. (New Beries).— Par* 25.
F l 0.3. Wood ball on stand.
needle point, when it ought to swing round at the slightest touch. Fig. 1 shows balance- complete. Rub a dry glass tube with silk, and present it to one end, which will be attracted, and the opposite end will be repelled. A stick of sealing-wax rubbed with flannel will show the same phenomenon.
Make a ball 1 \ inches diameter, of dry wood, and cover it with tinfoil, bore a hole in it, and fix it on an insulated stand (as shown in Fig. 3), and make in a similar manner to the one de- scribed. When the ball is perfectly dry, strike it with a piece of flannel ; and on presenting it to
B
PRACTICAL ORGAN BUILDING.
the balance, one end is attracted, and the other repelled; showing that merely striking the ball has slightly charged it with electricity, which is indicated by the balance.
The whole of the apparatus must be perfectly dry, and free from dust, to make the experiments successfully.
PRACTICAL ORGAN BUILDING.
By AN ORGAN BUILDER.
(For Illustrations see Folding Sheet presented with this part.) 1. — Simplicity of Construction — Advantages of Organ Building as a hobby— The Tools' . Re- quired—Specification and General Description of the Instrument.
sjROM the appearance of an organ, an amateur might feel disposed to con- sider that to undertake the construc- tion of such an elaborate and apparently complex work would be a matter far beyond his power. However attractive might be the idea of building so noble and delightful an instrument, the prospect of mastering details, and ultimately obtaining any result commen- surate with the care involved, would appear so small that very few indeed, I think, would be disposed, on their own initiative, to entertain the idea of taking such a thing in hand.
Taking an organ piece by piece, however, every detail is perfectly simple in its construc- tion ; and in making and applying the different portions of the mechanism, and so building up an instrument, there is no insuperable, or even serious difficulty to anyone fairly acquainted with the use of tools, and endowed with the gift of patience and the power of taking pains. ThTe is no special trade to learn, and no special outiit of tools required, beyond what would ordinarily be included in the assortment of any- one who undertakes what might be designated the higher branches of amateur joinery or carpentry. The main skill required is to be able to plane a board true, and to make a good joint, and to be able to carry out all details of working and measurements with extreme accuracy.
Of course it must be recognised that the building of an organ, however small it may be,
demands a very considerable amount of time and work ; but not more so than hundreds of articles that amateurs undertake to construct in their leisure hours. But the pride and beauty of a well-finished organ, properly designed and carried out, with its exceptional delights, to say nothing of its intrinsic value, is well worth the devotion of far more time than many of the productions to which the class for whom I am writing have devoted their skill and patience. Indeed, I cannot imagine any item of work which will ultimately yield so much profitable enjoyment on its completion.
Before attempting to describe the organ, or considering the practical details of its construc- tion, we must first look to the tools necessary for the work. At the outset, the too^ like the work, must be of the best possible quality. Good work cannot be done without good tools ; the best are cheapest in the end. Common tools rarely keep good edges, and will dishearten the best workman. Cheap and nasty are twin brothers ; despair and failure, their nearest relations.
First, we require a good joiner's bench, sub- stantially made, planed quite true on the top, and with the necessary appurtenances of screw, stop, etc. The bench should not be less than 6 or 7 feet long ; indeed, if it could be 8, or even 9, feet in length, it would be better.
The following saws will be most wanted : — A rip saw, a panel saw, tenon, dovetail, and key- hole saws. The first is for ripping down boards, the second for fine-sawing and cross-cutting wide boards, and the three last are used in hosts of different details. For planes — a jack plane, for taking off the first shavings from the rough boards ; a trying plane, for making joints and finishing off the wood ; a smoothing plane, to take off the last clean shavings ; a 1£ inch rebate plane, for planing across the wood ; a toothing plane, to make the parts rough that are required to be more firmly held together with glue only, so that the glue may have more hold to the disturbed surface than the smooth places ; and a pair of No. 6 and 14, hollow and round. The hammer, mallet, and pincers, used in almost every trade, cannot be dispensed with. A good brace, and half-a-dozen pin bits, a rose countersink bit,
PRACTICAL ORGAN BUILDING.
and as many different sizes of centre-bits (not less than ten or twelve in all, but as many more as tbe amateur can afford), to range from \ inch to 1A- inches, and upwards. An expansion bit would be found fairly useful, but if a good set of centre-bits are obtained, they are more satis- factory than the shifting-bit. These bits would be required mainly in fitting in the pipes.
Xext, some chisels. These should vary from -J inch to \\ inches. The handiest will be found to be the \, \, f , \, f , 1 inch, and a \\ inch thin paring chisel. We shall also want two mortise chisels. The sizes for these should be T5B and \ inch.
A \, \, and f inch gouge will be very useful. A marking, cutting, and mortise gauge will be required, also two joiner's iron squares, with 4| •or 6-inch blade, and one with a 12-inch blade. We shall also want a large wood square, with a blade not less than 2 feet or 2 feet 6 inches long. (This, I should think, any amateur could make fur himself ; or if not, any joiner would make it at a very little cost.) A pair of cutting pliers, and a pair of round-nosed pliers, for the wire work. Three or four different sizes of bradawls and gimlets, a couple of screwdrivers, and a bevel, a 10-inch wood file, and an iron file of similar length ; also a small flat file, and a three- cornered file will be required.
Of course, we shall want a glue-pot— the larger the better — and two or three brushes are indispensable. Half-a-dozen hand-screws will be very useful, and a joiner's cramp, about 6 feet long, would be an acquisition, but is not absolutely necessary. An oilstone and one or two sharpening slips, and a soldering-iron will be required.
This completes the list of tools which may be considered practically indispensable. We may refer later to other tools ; but any not already enumerated, though useful in some special way, with a little pains may be dispensed with.
Thus equipped, we are in a position to think of the commencement of our work, and have to consider the type of organ most suitable for the capacity of an ordinary worker, and. at the same time, how we can lay down a design which will yield a maximum return for the labour bestowed on it. The specification which is best suited to
these considerations is probably as follows : — The organ is to contain one manual (compass C C to A, in altissimo 58 notes), four stops, and pedals. The stops will be : Open diapason, salcional, stopped diapason, and gemshorn. The three last stops will be enclosed in a swell box.
In this instrument we shall have a good selection of stops, and when finished it will be very suitable for hall or drawing-room ; while in a small church it would be very effective. An organist would be charmed with it as a practising organ ; an amateur player would find in it endless solace and enjoyment ; while for leading the music in public worship, it would be found a hundred times preferable to the mono- tonous harmonium.
Looking at the stops in detail, we have, in the first place, the dignified round lone of the open diapason, specially characteristic of the organ, and obtainable from no other instrument. The salcional produces a fine, soft, reedy quality for soft accompaniments. The stopped diapason, with its mellow tone, may be freely used by itself, and makes a pleasing combination with any of the other stops ; and the gemshorn, with its clear bright quality, adds a colour to the whole, without being in any way harsh or noisy. Enclosing the last three stops in a swell box does not in any appreciable degree detract from the quality of the pipes, or reduce the distinctive quality of each stop, as when the box is opened in the front (which can be done at the pleasure of the player in a way that will be afterwards described) ; it amounts almost to the same thing as the pipes being unenclosed. When the box is shut, however, the most pleasing distant effect can be produced, and still more effective crescendos and diminuendos obtained by the gradual opening and closing of the box.
The open diapason may be made either of wood or metal, whichever the amateur may prefer, and will extend from gamut G (lowest Qt on the keyboard) to A ; 51 notes in open pipes; and for the 0 C to F F sharp we shall have seven stopped pipes of large scale. These lowest notes may have the wind conveyed to the pipes form- ing the bass of the stopped diapason, thus making the two stops to answer from one set of
PRACTICAL ORGAN BUILDING.
pipes. The former, however, is by far the more satisfactory way, as the latter gives rise to wind- robbing and other evils. The stopped diapason will be carried right through from C C to A, in stopped wood pipes.
The salcional will be of metal from tenor C (lowest C but one), and the lowest octave grooved into the lowest octave of the stopped diapason. This grooving is the same as the conveying of the wind in the seven lowest open diapason notes just mentioned.
The gemshorn should be made of metal from tenor C to the top note. From C C to B we shall use open wood pipes.
The open diapason, if made of metal, will look very well as a front to the organ, though this would entail a rather considerable expense, the metal pipes being the most costly items in an organ ; and I should not advise any amateur to try and make his own metal pipes. This stop might be made of wood pipes. I leave it with the builder as to the choice of material for this all important stop, though, if circumstances will allow of the use of metal pipes, I would strongly urge the insertion of the same, for although the wood pipes, as an open diapason, give a full, round tone, there is not that clear, bright quality which a metal pipe alone can produce. Figs. 1 and 2 represent the organ front as it will appear when completed. Fig. 1 shows the front with the open diapason made of metal, and Fig. 2 is the front with wood pipes. The latter will look very well if it can be arranged for the pipe fronts to be made of oak or mahogany, and varnished or polished. The bright metal pipes, however, would be by far the more attrac- tive and imposing in appearance, as well as in tone.
The two sketches just referred to show two very economical and simple methods of forming a case, but they are, at the same time, none the less pleasing. Using the pipes in this way as a front dispenses with the necessity of orna- mental pipes. The ends of the case, if they are to show, will simply consist of two panels, one above the other, with a small moulding between them, to break the straight line.
A fair general idea will have been formed as to what would be the most suitable lines for our
instrument, and we conclude that it shall contain one manual, compass C C to A, in alt. 58 notes. This is the full compass of modern organs. Pedals, compass C C C to F, coupled to the lowest 30 notes of the manual.
Four stops, viz. : Open diapason, metal from gamut Gr to A in alt. with the lowest notes in stopped wood pipes ; salcional, tenor C to A in alt. in metal, and the lowest notes to be used from the stopped diapason ; stopped diapason, from 0 C to A in alt. throughout in stopped wood pipes ; gemshorn, C C to B in open wood pipes, and from tenor C to A in alt. in metal pipes. The case front to be as shown in Figs. 1 or 2, Fig. 3 represents a front of a more ornamental, type; but if this is to be used, it will necessitate the introduction of more pipes of greater length than the tune length of the note. This front may be made for the organ to be erected in a church, where ample height and space are at disposal.
The heights of the fronts will be 12 feet 8> inches, 1 1 feet 3 inches, and 12 feet, respectively. The width of Fig. 1 is 7 feet 3 inches, Fig. 2, 7 feet 9 inches, and Fig. 3, 6 feet 10 inches- The depth of all three will be 4 feet 2 inches- without the pedals, which project 2 feet beyond the front of the case.
It may seem that these dimensions are on a somewhat large scale ; but the more space there is provided for the different parts of the* mechanism and pipes, the better the instrument will be when completed. The height will, no- doubt, be considered a great drawback in many instances where the organ is built for a room -T but I will give directions as to how the front may be lowered considerably. Everything has been kept up high, so as to give the front eleva- tion a more imposing appearance. Fig. 3 must remain as it is. The width and depth cannot be conveniently reduced.
Towards the conclusion of these papers I will give some idea as to how a second manual, independent pedal organ, and composition pedals may be added, so that almost any sized two- manual instrument may be constructed on this principle. The making of metal pipes shall also be described.
Taking the organ with one manual, as we
WOOD ENGRAVING FOR AMATEURS.
have decided, and giving account of every detail, ■with, the exact measurement of every part, Trill give a clearer idea of organ building than "though I vrere to describe the action of the generality of organs. In the next chapter vre shall consider the quantity and kinds of wood "to be used in the construction of this instrument.
WOOD
ENGRAVING AMATEURS.
FOR
By AN AMATEUR ENGRAVER.
I.— What Wood Engraving is — The Wood used— The Tools.
PROPOSE in these articles to give the readers of Amateur \Voek an idea of the manner in vrhich wood blocks are engraved for printing purposes. I shall describe the tools used, and the methods of using them ; but the minute details of the art I shall not deal very fully with. This magazine is " written by amateurs entirely for amateurs," according to the prospectus, and, bearing this in mind, I shall, as an amateur engraver, try to present the subject in such a way as will be interesting to amateurs only. I shall not attempt to give ■elaborate lessons in the art, but shall describe the tools and processes which I consider most useful to the amateur. The art is a fascinating -one, and the tools are simple and inexpensive. Patience is the principal requisite, and whoever attempts to follow the instructions given, must bear this well in mind.
In the past four or five years I have engraved ■several hundred cuts, which have all been used in the columns of a newspaper, so the work must have been fairly well done. The " knack " of ■doing the work was picked up entirely from hints given by various engravers, and from ■experience that was dearly bought, in some cases. These hints, and the results of my experiences, I now give to the readers of Amateur Woek ; •and if closely followed, an ability to do a good job of engraving will be acquired.
What Wood Engraving is. — "Wood engraving is the cutting away of every part of the block that is not drawn upon, and leaving the figure to be
engraved standing in relief from the block. It is exactly the reverse from copper and steel engraving, as in the latter the metal is cut away where the design is, and is printed from by filling the parts engraved with ink, and subject- ing it to a heavy pressure, to sink the paper in enough to take the ink up. A wood-cut is exactly like printer's type, and is printed from in the same way.
The Wood used. — Boxwood is the wood prin- cipally used for engraving. It is of the closest grain of any wood, and that, with its light colour, makes it just the thing for the work. Maple is used sometimes, but its grain is coarser ; and after working on boxwood, cutting maple is very disagreeable work, be your tools ever so sharp. For large jobs, where no fine work is needed, it does very well ; but for fine, clear cut lines, box is the only wood that answers the purpose. For coarse poster work, niakoganj^, holly, pear, dogwood, and pine are used ; but for any work that the amateur may tr}-, box will be the only wood he will have any use for. Engravers' boxwood is imported largely from Turkey, and comes in small logs, a foot or less in diameter. These logs are sawed in blocks or "rounds," as the block-maker calls them, across the grain, and about an inch thick. These rounds are full of cracks and flaws, and formerly it was a very difficult matter to secure a perfect one large enough for large pictures. But the ingenuity of later days got around this difficulty, by saw- ing the blocks up into pieces, sorting out the different grades and qualities, and glueing these together again, so as to form blocks of any size, and all of about the same quality of wood. To give additional strength, tongues are inserted (as in Fig. 1). Sometimes these are in the shape of circular wooden rods, instead of flat tongues, as shown in the figure. In large estab- lishments, where large-sized pictures are needed in a hurry, several blocks are fitted with bolts and nuts, so that after the picture is placed on the block, it may be taken apart, and the pieces put into the hands of several engravers, who thus are enabled to get the job done much quicker than if one was obliged to do the whole. When the parts are all finished, they are bolted together again ; and so nicely do the boxwood-
WOOD ENGRAVING FOR AMATEURS.
fitters do their work, that no one could ever tell where the joints occur in the print.
Boxwood is of a yellow colour, streaked with reddish and sometimes black streaks. That of
draw on. Spots that look unusually white,
sometimes crumble away when the tool touches
them, as they are nothing but rotten pith. The
i blocks, as they come from the dealer, however,.
ri C.I. Showing manner of fastening Boxwood together to form blocks.
Fl C. 2 . Square Graver
F I C . 3 . Lozenge Grayer.
FIC. 4-. Scooper.
FIC.5. Chisel.
FIG. 6. Tint tool
\
F l c • 7. Relative size of a set of Tint tools
a pale yellow or straw colour is the best, and the graver will glide through it so easily that cutting it is a pleasure. The darker red wood is harder to cut, and is more brittle. The black spots generally cut well, but are not so good to
FIC. 8 Handle for Engraving tools.
are generally what they are sold for, and the amateur need give no particular attention to his wood, other than to tell the dealer what he wants, and pay his price. The pithy places are generally bored out, and plugged with good.
A SWINGING HAMMOCK CHAIR.
■wood ; so there is no trouble from theru. A little experience will tell one what is good and what is bad wood, better than any description. A good way for the beginner to buy his wood is to go to the dealer, of whom there are several in any large city, and buy a lot of " scraps " — pieces that have been sawed off blocks he has been fitting for someone else. For a small sum he can get all the wood he can use in six months. By the time he has used it up, he will be very well capable of selecting large blocks, as he will be likely to get odds and ends of all kinds and qualities of woods.
The Tools. — The tools used for engraving are few and inexpensive. They consist of gravers, tint tools, scoopers, and chisels. Half-a-dozen gravers, a dozen tint tools, and two or three chisels and scoopers each, make a complete outfit, and half that number are sufficient for ordinary work. They can be purchased of any large tool dealer for a very small sum. The illustrations show the various shapes and sizes. I would suggest, as a sufficient number to start with, six tint tools, and two each of gravers, scoopers, and chisels. Do not be in a hurry to buy too many at once, as you will find that after a while you will be doing all the work with a very few ; and as time progresses, the styles and sizes best adapted to your work will become apparent to you. Fig. 2 shows the square graver, full size, and Fig. 3 the lozenge graver. The latter style is not so useful as the square, however, and need not be bought at first. Fig. 4 shows the scooper, and Fig. 5 the chisels. Fig. 6 shows the full-sized tint tool, and Fig. 7 the relative sizes of a set. These tools are all put in handles, the style shown at Fig. 8 being most popular. These handles are made of hard wood, and are flat on one side. The various sizes and shapes of tools should be numbered, so that there will be no delay in picking them up.
A Photographer's Sink can be made of wood smeared over with 4 parts resin, 1 part gutta percha, and a little boiled oil, melted together and applied hot to the perfectly dry wood. Do
not use zinc.
A SWINGING HAMMOCK CHAIR.
By CLERICUS SECUNDUS.
I. — Introduction — The Wood Required— Details of Construction.
E live in an age of discoveries — scientific and philosophic. The fact, in so far as science is concerned, will not have escaped the readers of Amateur Work (who, of course, are all intelligent men) ; but they may not have noticed that the discovery which appeals most closely to the average mortal, which, in fact, we "feel in our bones," belongs to the domain of philosophy.
Some of us, at least, there are who, on a bitter winter's morning, have felt the attraction (in a quasi literal sense) of the bed-clothes, and have allowed what we thought was the voice of duty to worry us into parting company with our warm friends. Or, per- haps it has been the heat of the summer sun, and the drowsy drone of the busy bee (of course that substantial dinner had nothiug to do with it), whose soporific influences we have had to shake off, feeling more or less like heroes as we faced the work and worry of life.
Well, we were mistaken, all of us, and it appears it would have been more virtuous on our part — or, at all events, more conducive to the higher interests of the race— if we had turned a deaf ear to the importunate voice which bade us be up and doing, and turned over for aaother snooze.
Anyhow, a high philosophic authority has discovered that what ails the age and the race is too much of activity and toil, and that the gospel which we need is the gospel of .Rest.
If, then, any intrusive remarks be made, from within or from without, as to the utility of going in for the citltus of the dolce far niente by the manufacture and use of our hammock chair, the reader can beat off the enemy by firing philo- sophical dicta at him ; but he need follow the philosophy of Rest no further, unless he pleases. Who first invented the hammock chair on the principle herein described, deponent knoweth not; but (to drop the third person sing.) my discovery of it was on this wise : —
8
A SWINGING HAMMOCK CHAIR.
In one of my visits to the Paris Exhibition, I happened to enter it from the Trocadero end, and was struck by the exceedingly comfortable (and lazy) aspect of an individual rocking him- self in a chair of novel contrivance (patented), and distributing prospectuses to such as came ■within his reach. Later on, passing through one of the sections, I came across a contri- vance on like prin- ciples (likewise protected), and re- ceived from a business-like look- ing young woman prospectus No. 2.
How they re- concile their rival ■claims I have no means of knowing; but in case any amateur should be too indolent or too busy to undertake the manufacture of the chair him- self, I add (by the courtesy of the Editor and Proprietors of
Amateur Woek) the names and Paris addresses of both manu- facturers.
1st. "LeHamac- chair Ifaertens," sold by the Franco-American Commission ; office — 46, Eue Ste. Anne.
2nd. " Siege-abri artieule, le Francais" ; depot — 13, Eue Mandar. Price, in each case, 35frs.
I trust this gratuitous advertisement will compensate the makers for any loss they might otherwise be supposed to suffer, and merely add, in my own defence (1), that there is no sort of indication that the protection extends to the
FIG. I. — SKETCH OF CHAIR. SCALE T IN. EQUAL I FOOT. A, BACK ; B, SEAT ; C, ARMS \ D, SUPPORT OF ARMS ; E, CONNECTION OK SUPPORTS AND LEGS; F, LEGS; G, FOOT-PIECES; H, FOOT-REST; I, CROSS-PIECES TO CARRV CANVAS ; J, FRONT OF SEAT ; K, CHAIN TO REGULATE IN- CLINATION OF BACK ; L, EYES TO WHICH CHAINS MUST BE FIXED ; M, ALTERNATIVE SHAPE FOR ARM ; N, SKETCH SHOWING HOW TO FASTEN CANVAS TO CROSS-PIECES.
British Isles ; and (2), that I know nothing more of the chairs than is given in the afore-mentioued circulars, and that the modus operandi herein described is entirely my own conception.
To begin, then, with the wood. It had better be hard, so as not to be too bulky, else our
chair will look clumsy. Ash will do as well as any, but the maker must consult his means, mechanical and financial, and act accordingly.
The top and bot- tom cross - pieces should be 2 inches wide, and the piece in front of the seat \\ inch diameter. All the otherpieces should be from 1} inch to \\ inch broad. As to the width, if the wood in the rough be 1 inch thick, it will answer all pur- poses. They should all be slightly chamfered or rounded off at the edges, and bored for the rivets \w inch from the end . This does not apply to the for- ward end of the arm, where the hole must be \\ inches from the end.
The following dimensions may perhaps be con- sidered excessive. The chair is made to my size, and my inches are rather above the average ; and although candid friends say my breadth is not in proportion to my height, it is otherwise with the chair; for I like an easy chair — i.e., one that it is possible to turn round in. The reader had better examine the given dimensions carefully, and alter them according to size or taste.
A SWINGING HAMMOCK CHAIR.
The pieces required are the following :-
Nl'-MBER HEEDED
LETTEIt
IX SKETCH
Ft. in.
Back
Seat
Arms
Support of arms... Connection of arms
Legs
Foot-pieces
Foot-rest
Top cross-piece ...
Bottom ditto
Front of seat
The cross-piece, to take the canvas at the bottom (likewise 2 inches wide), might also he mortised, in which case it must be \ inch less in length ; but it might come in the way of the rivet which holds the foot-pieces, and hence it had better be screwed on at the back, the length
given bringing the
flush with
outside of the
is important
comfort sake
the foot-rest
The back, notably, may well be somewhat less; but I object to having the cross-piece just catch the back of my head, and the size indicated allows of the head resting on the canvas below it. Again, the legs must be care- fully looked to, as it is important that their length should be so adjusted as to allow of the feet resting fairly on the foot-rest.
The letters in the sketch and in the list of materials will do away with any doubt as to the parts described ; and Fig. 1 will give a sufficient idea of their several places and modes of fixing.
The parts had better be rivetted together, though at a pinch, 1 * inch -wood screws, or nuts and bolts might be made to answer the purpose.
In the dimensions given for the top cross- 'to which the seat is attached, and which must be 2 inches wide), \ inch is allowed for each tenon. This is also the case with the round piece in front of the seat, which must be \\ inches in diameter. These, it is almost needless to saj', must be solidly mortised in.
FIG. 2.— SKETCH OF CHAIR ON SWING, ONE-SIXTEENTH FULL SIZE. A, CHAINS FOR FIXING CHAIR ; B, CHAINS FOR REGULATING INCLINATION OF BACK ; C, CHAINS FOR SUPPORTING CHAIR ; D, IRON ROD TO CARRY CHAINS AND KEEP THE FRAME TOGETHER ; E, IRON kODS TO PREVENT THE FRAMES FROM SLIPPING APART.
should remain at right angles to the legs ; but the foot-pieces being rivetted like the rest of the chair, a screw, or wooden peg, must be driven into these pieces just forward of the leg (c, Fig. 1), to prevent their falling outward. If preferred, however, I do not see but what- the foot-pieces, instead of being rivetted, might be simply screwed on in the position indicated.
It will probably be found convenient to
10
A SWINGING HAMMOCK CHAIR.
construct the chair as follows : — Prepare all the pieces required, then rivet the back and legs to the seat, mortise the top cross-piece and the piece in front of the seat, and screw on the bottom cross-piece. We now have the frame- work of our chair, minus arms and foot-rest.
Now is the time to fasten on the seat. As to the material of which this latter is to be com- posed, the maker must suit his means or fancy. Stair carpet will answer every purpose, and has the advantage of variety in the matter of pattern. On the other hand, canvas harbours dust less, and has the further advantage of being cooler.
The American chairs have a kind of striped canvas, which, if procurable in England, will perhaps be found most suitable.
To get at the length required, stretch the chair frame on the floor, face downward, measure its extreme length, and add 6 inches for turning in. The canvas may be bound over at the ends, to prevent the material from tearing away, or i inch may be turned under, and the nails driven through the double thickness.
Nail the canvas on the under edge of the back cross-piece, and bring it over the back and down the front of the cross-piece in question. (Fig. 1, n, will give an idea of what I mean.) This will tend to equalise the strain on canvas and cross-piece.
Then passing the canvas under the chair — which is supposed to be face downward on the floor— stretch it taut over the frame, pass it under the bottom cross-piece, and fasten it on the upper edge as before.
The other parts, i.e., the arms, supports, and connecting pieces, may now be rivetted on, as may also the foot-pieces, the foot-rest having first been screwed ou.
The chair will now resemble Fig. 1, less the chains, of which more presently.
It will add both to the appearance and comfort of the chair if, instead of the straight arms shown attached to the chair, arms curved, as at m, be substituted. These should be of 1J or even 2-inch wood, and being cut as near as possible with the saw, must be finished off with rasp and file.
Unless, however, the amateur has access to a
powerful fret or scroll saw, it may give him some little trouble, and, after all, the arms shown in the sketch will answer every purpose, and leave the chair well within the powers of the most elementary knowledge and the simplest tools.
We now have our chair complete ; but as Jones said of his friend whose portrait he was contemplating, it "wants hanging."
The^deal and idyllic method would be doubtless to fasten it to the low-hanging bough of some giant of the forest, or some lesser grandee in the park of some one of the " stately homes of England."
But, alas ! " spreading chestnut" (and other) trees do not grow about the homes of most of us; that enterprising builder of the "semi- detached," Mr. Jerry, having omitted that item from his " desirable residences."
Should any of my readers be the enviable possessor of broad acres, etc., the plan about to be suggested can easily be adapted to his more desirable circumstances. But I write for the less favoured chiefly, and, moreover, the plan proposed will permit of the chair being put up anywhere, thus adding materially to the comfort of a visit to the country or the seaside. (To be continued.)
Albumen Papee for Blue Prints.— Very pretty effects may be produced by printiDg on ordinary albumen paper sensitized with the following solution : —
Citrate of iron and ammonia . 2f drachms Dissolved in water.. .. 2 ounces
Eed prussiate of potash . . 2£ drachms Dissolved in water.. .. 2 ounces
Mix equal parts just before using, as the mixed solution will not keep, and float the paper as on the silver bath, film down, for half a minute or so, and suspend by one corner in a dark room to dry. Detail can be brought out almost equal to silver prints, while the ease of working and the cheapness make it quite desirable. The prints can be mounted and burnished. Do not try to keep the paper sensitised, but make up fresh when wanted.— J. T. M.
QIIUCKS FOR "MY LATHE:
II
CHUCKS FOR "MY LATHE."
By REV. J. L. DWYER, B.A.
-The Driving Chcck — The Face-plate and its Attachments — The Drill Chuck — The Bell Chcck— The Mandrel — Wooden Chucks — The Pipemaker's Chuck.
Jjppl^l LATHE -without chucks is quite t =p l$j useless; so it is probable that I would IjggLlg have given some description of these indispensable adjuncts, even if our indulgent Editor, ever mindful of the requirements of his readers, had not requested me to do so. I will touch very lightly on the more common order of chucks, because thej- were described at length .in an admirable series of articles, written by Rev. James Lukin, which appeared a few years ago in the first series of this magazine. At the same time, it would not do to pass them over in silence, as I know there are many new readers and subscribers who would be unable to refer to the early pages, and might, therefore, be at a loss to know how a driving chuck or face- plate is manufactured.
The chucks usually siipplied with new lathes are : (1) driving chuck, (2) face-plate, (3) drill chuck.
The Driving Chuck is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. I usually make its diameter equal to the height of the lathe centres, and the thickness of the plate from one-ninth to one-twelfth the height of lathe centres. Thus, for a 3-inch centre lathe the plate would be 3 inches diameter and ^ inch thick. In a larger lathe it may be some- what smaller and thinner in proportion. Thus, for my 6-Lnch centre lathe the driving chuck is 5 inches diameter and £ inch thick. If the pattern is made at home, the boss should be much larger and longer than the finished size of chuck, something like that shown by the dotted lines, as I find that the castings are often spongy just at that place.
To make the chuck, it should be clamped centrally to the face-plate of the working lathe, and the hole bored out by holding a drill against it, which is advanced by the poppet screw. The hole left by the drill ought to be trued out perfectly with an inside tool, held preferably in the slide-rest, and it will be ready for screwing.
This could best be done, if the working lathe is screw-cutting, by putting on the appropriate change wheels, and cutting it out with an inside tool ; but I find it is nearly as good to cut it with a tap, advancing it carefully with the poppet screw, and giving the lathe a few turns every now and again, to see that the tail end of the tap runs true.
Having screwed it, the driving chuck should be run on the nose of its own lathe, and turned all over, and the boss turned to the proper length and diameter.
This turning of the boss could well have been done before it was screwed ; better, indeed, than afterwards ; and if there were any blow holes, they could be detected before a good deal of work had been expended on the casting. A few holes, drilled and tapped for driving pins, will complete this chuck. The driving pins will vary from | inch to f inch in lathes from 3-inch to 8-inch centres. The driving pins are frequently not screwed at all, being sometimes held in by simple friction, and at other times a set screw nips them in the hole. Sometimes, again, a rib radiating from the centre strengthens the part where the holes come ; but this would prevent the chuck from being turned at the back, which is not advisable.
The Face-plate is shown at Eig. 3. When one only is used, it ought to be as large as the lathe will take in, i.e., nearly double the height of centres in diameter; but for a lathe of more than 5-inch centre, it would be well to have a couple. For a 6-inch gap lathe, one 8 inches diameter, and one from 14 inches to 18 inches would be suitable ; the thickness of web would vary from | inch to f inch, according to the size of lathe. In very large face-plates it is better to put strengthening ribs than to have them of exces- sive weight. The arrangement of slots (shown in Fig. 3) is very convenient for a small plate, but in larger ones they would be far more numerous. If a bolt is required, however, in a part where there is not a slot, holes can easily be drilled, and after some time they will get so numerous that few new ones will be wanted. Slots may, indeed, be avoided altogether in small face-plates ; and where one has to be turned with hand tools, it would be well to get
12
CHUCKS FOR "MY LATHE P
the plate cast plain, and bore the holes after it has been turned. All the slots should be of a ■uniform width, varying from \ inch to f inch, according to size of plate. In connection with the face-plate should always be found some other attachments, viz. :
Clamping -plates. — Of these, four or five will be ■sufficient ; they are usually made of iron, punched or drilled in one, two, or three places. Figs. 7 and 8 show some suited for 4-inch to 6-inch centre lathe. Fig. 6 shows clamping-plates used to affix a small face-plate to a large one while the former is being bored. It will be seen that the tightening of the bolt will hold the work very firmly ; four would be used for such a job. It will be seen that the back ends of the clamping-plates rest upon —
Packing Pieces. — Of these it would be well to have a good stock, and thejr can very easily be made by sawing four or five 1-inch lengths each, from bars of square iron, ranging from -J- inch to =| inch square. Thinner ones had best be cut from flat iron, but an inch long is quite enough for any likely to be required by the amateur. When they are longer they look ugly, knock the knuckles, and are perpetually in the way. All the attachments for the face-plates should be kept neatly stowed away in a shallow drawer, so that no difficulty will be experienced in finding, at a moment's notice, what is required. I may here mention another very useful attach- ment for the face-plate, which, I thought, until very recently, was my own invention, viz. —
Bog Jaws. — These are shown in Figs. 9 and 10, and make a face-plate almost as useful as the expensive four-jaw chuck. The sizes illus- trated will suit any lathe from 4-inch to 6-inch centre, and can be made with little trouble. I usually turn them from square cast steel, which I leave soft. To make four, as shown, take a piece of steel 1J inches square, 11 inches long; centre it, and turn down the parts required for the shanks ; then cut the four asunder, and tap the parts required for the bolts. I may mention that the shoulders should be square and true. The hole for the transverse screw should next be drilled and tapped. If anything, it should slope a little towards the centre, as shown, very much exaggerated, in Fig. 11. This will make
the work bed truly against the face-plate when the screws are tightened up. The transverse screw is also made of square cast steel, left soft. It is § inch diameter, and as much longer than the hole. One end is left square to fit a key, and a little steel button, with its face roughened and hardened like a vice-jaw, is affixed rather loosely to the other. It is really affixed like a spherical washer, as seen in Fig. 12. A centre punch will expand the end of the screw enough to prevent the washer from falling off. The holes in the face-plate should be tho same size as the shank of the dogs, as should also be the width of the slots.
It is scarcely necessary to explain how these dogs may be used. If a thick disc has to be. turned on the face, it is laid centrally on the face-plate, the dogs are slipped into the nearest holes, bolted down, and the transverse screws tightened up until the work is quite firm. Again, if the hole for crank in an eccentric is' required to be bored, it is evident that it can be held eccentrically as well as concentrically. I now pass on to —
The Prill Chuck.— This is shown in Fig. 4, and a reducer is seen in Fig. 5. I usually make it of Bessemer steel, but some people use cast iron. The tapping of the hole is rather difficult, and requires three taps — taper, intermediate, and plug. Even with them it is sometimes hard to catch the thread.
It is sufficient to have the hole for drills \ inch diameter, for small lathes, and the steel set screw should be from J inch to § inch. The head should project as little as possible, else it might catch the hand of the operator ; and that it would give an ugly knock, I can personally testify.
If a large drill, say from \ inch to f inch, is required, steel the full size of the hole may be used ; but it would be great waste to use steel | inch thick for a \ inch drill. It is well, then, to have plugs which fit the chuck tightly, and are drilled with smaller holes.
I have plugs from \ inch to \ inch, and bars of good steel to fit them. If I want a drill ft inch diameter, I put the \ inch plug in place, put in the ^-inch steel bar, and nip it with the set screw, cut off the required length with the
CHUCKS FOR "MY LATHE."
15
edge of a file, thin down the part required with the file (the lathe running during the cutting off and thinning processes), until it is less in diameter than iV inch ; then flatten the point, form the diamond point with a smooth file, harden and temper, and the drill is ready for work. This takes a very few minutes indeed.
For a \ inch drill I would use steel \ inch diameter, and so on.
This chuck is useful for many other purposes: e.g., I have a number of brass plugs, to some of which I can attach work with solder; others have screwed holes, which take screws while the heads are being finished. In others, again, the
FIC.I3.
FIGS. I AND 2. — DRIVING CHUCK.
FIG. 3. — FACE-PLATE.
FIG. 4. — SECTION OF DRILL CHUCK.
FIG. 5. — REDUCING PLUG FOR DRILL CHUCK.
FIG. 6. — METHOD OF USING CLAMPING PLATES WITH FACE- PLATE.
FIG. 7 AND 8.— SIDE AND END VIEWS OF STRONG CLAMPING PLATE,
FIC.6.
DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES.
| FIGS. 9 AND 10.— SECTION AND END VIEW OF DOG JAWS. FIG. II. — SHOWS HOW SCREW SHOULD POINT TOWARDS
CENTRE. FIG. 12. — SPHERICAL WASHER AT END OF SCREW. FIG. 13. — FRONT VIEW OF BELL CHUCK. FIG. 14. —PRONG CHUCK FOR TURNING WOOD. FIG. 15. — SECTION OF PIPEMAKER'S CHUCK. FIG. 16.— END VIEW OF DITTO.
14
CHUCKS FOR "MY LATHE:
holes are large enough to take the tenon pieces, cast to certain portions of model engines which require to be turned. If I want to turn the faces of little nuts, I put a piece of steel of appropriate size in its plug, turn it down to the required size, leaving only a short length pro- jecting from the chuck, screw it to fit the nuts, and I can run them on and finish them as fast as possible. The pronged chuck for wood (Fig. 14) also fits into the drill chuck. I must pass on to —
The Bell Chuck. — This, I think, is not a favourite with anybody (although useful for a great variety of work), principally because the screws hit the knuckles most unmercifully. Its construction is so well seen in the engraving, that it scarcely requires any description. It should be turned inside and out, slightly tapered inside, and when the screws meet in the centre, the heads should project as little as possible. I make them hexagon for a box spanner, not with a hole for a" tommy, as shown. If the internal diameter of the chuck is more than 2 inches, it is well to have eight screws — four in one plane towards the front, and four others farther back. The points of the screws should be hard, and they will vary in diameter from f inch to § inch. Although not, in one sense, a chuck, I may be permitted to mention —
The Mandrel. — This is a bar of metal running between the centres, turned often slightly taper, so that a ring can be forced on and turned on its outside. Sometimes mandrels are parallel, as when an engine cylinder is driven on one, in order to have its flanges turned true to its axis. I will next pass on to —
Wooden Chucks. — These are most useful, and at one time constituted the chief stock-in-trade of the brass finisher. They are best made of boxwood, but beech does very well. A good number should be kept on hand. They are easily made. A block of wood is fastened to the face-plate with screws, the front is faced up, and a hole bored of suitable size* for the lathe- nose. The tap is then inserted and screwed in, taking care that it is true with the axis of the lathe. If the hole is not a thoroughfare one, three taps will be required, as was the case with the drill chuck, or else it should be chased
with a screwing tool. The block is then taken off the face-plate, screwed on to the lathe-nose, and the outside and front turned true. If at any future time we want to turn a box, or any- thing round, it is only necessary to turn a hole in the chuck that it will fit, drive it in, and it will easily stand to be turned. A new chuck need not be made for each piece of work. If the new ones are made use of for the smaller pieces of work, the holes can be gradually enlarged to take work of increasing diameter, until the shell is too thin to hold. Then it can be turned off, and a new hole sunk deeper ; for there are usually two or three depths of holes in a chuck, the holes being rarely more than \ inch deep. Another description of wooden chuck is shown in Figs. 15 and 16, and may, I think, fairly be called —
The Pipemaker'1 s Chuck, as it is largely used by men of that craft. It consists of a good stout block of tough wood, like ash, screwed on ' to the lathe-nose, and turned down true ; a hollow is made where shown, and a hole bored across, so that the wood is comparatively thin there, and can spring. The centre hole is drilled next, the section cut out, as seen, and a bolt passed through the jaws. There is enough spring to admit of some difference in the size of the work which this chuck will admit. My mechanical brother has one of these chucks, and thinks very highly of it ; but I must confess that I never had one myself, and per- haps, in consequence, do not think much of it.
I must now conclude this paper ; but in my next I hope to describe the king of chucks — the independent four-jaw chuck, and a couple of two-jaw chucks of my own design.
Brass-mountings in Furniture when tarnished may have their lustre renewed by first rubbing them with a strong lye of wood ashes, then pickling them in diluted aqua fortis of sufficient strength to remove the stains, washing them in pure water, and drying by artificial heat. — Builder and Woodworker.
Paint Spots may be removed from wood by covering them with a thick coating of lime and soda. Wash off after twenty-four hours.
AN ENGINE WITHOUT A CONNECTING ROD.
15
AN ENGINE WITHOUT A CONNECTING ROD.
By ELECTRON.
HIS engine consists of few parts, and will not be difficult to construct ; it may be used for working a pump, or any machinery not requiring great speed.
means of a guide, but when a pump is fixed to tbe engine, it takes the place of tbe guide.
The cylinder is \\ inches bore, and 3 inches stroke; it is bored and fitted in the same manner as described for " Beam Engine," in Part 24 of Amateur "Work (New Series), except that the bottom cover is circular, and turned bright. Four brackets are cast on the cylinder, by which it is bolted to bed-plate ; these must be filed on
KJl
FIC 2. Plan of Engine
F I C. I Side Elevation of Engine with crank removed.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan view. It will be seen from the drawing that the crank receives its motion direct from the piston-rod by means of brasses working in a slot or link. The piston rod is kept parallel by
the underside, parallel to the bore of cylinder. They can be marked by means of a scribing block.
The bed -plate is 12 inches long, and is of the box form, the metal being \ inch thick.
16
AN ENGINE WITHOUT A CONNECTING ROD.
Chipping pieces must be east on for the cylinder brackets, crank shaft bearings, and guide ; these must be filed straight and parallel. The cylinder is bolted down by four bolts, a centre line being drawn on the bed-plate, to set it by.
The crank shaft bearings are cast iron with brasses, and loose covers fixed by screws ; the brasses must be fitted so that their centres are in line with the centre of cylinder. The bearings are fixed to bed-plate by two bolts in each. The link in which the crank works is of wrought iron or steel ; bosses are formed on the back, in which the piston rod is screwed ; the face must be filed straight and the edges parallel ; the width is \ inch ; a block or dis- tance piece is fitted at each end, and a bolt put through each end to secure it. When these bolts are screwed up, a hole should be drilled through the nut and end of bolt, and a pin in- serted, to prevent it working loose.
The guide is drilled with £-inch hole to fit piston rod, and bolted to bed-plate by two bolts ; the hole must be in line with centre of cylinder.
The crank shaft is of wrought iron, the web being forged solid. Turn the shaft § inch diameter, and turn two recesses \ inch diameter, to fit into bearings. The shaft should be made \\ inches longer than is required, and \ inch at each end, turned down to § inch, and screwed for a nut. Then cut the web out, by drilling holes in it, and cut out with a chisel ; file the web out square, and fix to each end of shaft a piece of iron, by the nuts already fitted ; drill in each piece of iron a hole for lathe centres for turning crank pin, which must be \\ inches from centre of shaft, and fix them in line with the centre of pin ; also fix firmly between the iron and the web two pieces of wood, to prevent shaft bending while turning the pin ; then fix in the lathe, and turn the crank pin \ inch diameter. Strong brasses must be fitted into the link, with a flange at each side, and bored to fit crank pin.
The fly-wheel is 10 inches diameter, with the rim and edges turned true ; it must be bored to tit on shaft, and is fixed by means of a key, a keyway being cut in the shaft, and in the boss of wheel.
The eccentric sheave is of iron, about \\ inches diameter, with brass straps fixed by bolts ;
a tenon about \ inch square is turned on the edge, and a corresponding groove is turned in the straps. The eccentric rod is of iron, with a double end, and connected to slide valve spindle- by a small bolt. A keyway is cut in the eccen- tric sheave and in the shaft, and the sheave- fixed by means of a key.
The slide is set so that the port is just begin- ning to open when the piston arrives at that end of cylinder.
The whole must be fitted together so that each part works easily, but without any slack- ness. The bed-plate should have six holes drilled in it, to fix it to a wood foundation, and all the iron work not finished bright should be painted, to give it a neat appearance. A single- crank may be used instead of a crank shaft ; but in this case another bed-plate will be required for the outside bearing.
Cleaning Soiled Engravings. — It frequently happens that fine engravings, notwithstanding every precaution, become soiled and stained, and a recipe for restoring them is valuable. Put the engraving on a smooth board, and cover it with a thin layer of common salt, finely pulverised \. then squeeze lemon-juice upon the salt until a considerable portion of it is dissolved. After every part of the picture has been subjected to- this treatment, elevate one end of the board so- that it will form an angle of about forty-five degrees with the horizon. Then pour on the engraving boiling water until the salt and lemon- juice are well washed off. It will then be per- fectly free from stain. It must be dried on the board, or on some smooth surface, gradually. If dried by the fire or sun it will be tinged of a dingy yellowish colour. — Wilson's Photographic Magazine.
An excellent and quick way to Mend Broken" Plaster Casts and impressions is to paint the broken surfaces over two or three times with very thick shellac varnish, and at each applica- tion to burn out the alcohol over a flame. When the shellac is sufficiently soft, press the parts together, and hold in position to cool. It will be as strong as it was before broken.
PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARTIFICIAL LIGHT.
17
AMATEUR WORK
PRIZE SCHEME.
EADERS of Amateur "Work will be pleased to hear that tlie Publishers have authorised me to offer the
sum of
THREE GUINEAS PER MONTH
in prizes, with the object and in the hope of encouraging Amateurs, by means of competition, to raise the standard of their work to a higher -degree of excellence.
I shall endeavour to give everyone in turn a -chance of competing ia the class of work which he has adopted as his own particular hobby ; while the "good all-round" men will find an ample variety of subjects on which to test their skill.
This month I offer the following prizes for competition : — ■
I. A PRIZE OF ONE GUINEA for the best written paper describing the construction of any article of woodwork (other than fretwork, althougb fretwork luay'be used as an ornamental part of the article if desired.) Simplicity of construction in the article described will be considered in awarding tbe prize. It is desirable that the paper should be accompanied by drawings, which need not of necessity be highly finished ; and the MS. should not exceed two thousand words in length, although it may be as short as one hundred words, with an equal chance of success. The Publishers reserve the right to publish any MS. sent in. II. A PRIZE OF ONE GUINEA will be given for the best print from a half-plate view negative. Both print and negative must be the production of the competitor, I do not require the negative to be sent up with the print, but the winner of the prize must be prepared to produce the negative for inspection if desired. A competitor may send in as many prints as he pleases, but each print must be mounted, and have the competitor's name and address clearly written on the back. III. A PRIZE OF ONE GUINEA will be given for the best specimen of Fret-Cutting in any of the following woods : — Pear, Walnut, Oak, Cherry, Holly, or Ihree-ply Fretwood. The chief con- eideration in awarding the prize will be excellence of workmanship, design being a secondary con- sideration, so that the simplest piece of work will stand an equal chance with the most elaborate design.
R ULES.
(1). All articles sent in for competition must be tbe work of bona fide amateurs ; and by an amateur is meant a workman who does not earn money by the par- ticular class of work in which he competes.
(2). All articles in this competition must be sent in not later than December 31st, carriage paid, and addressed — The Editor op Amateor Work, Warwick House, Salisbury Square, London, E.G.
(3). Each article must have a label attached bearing tbe name and address of the competitor, and the number of the competition for which he enters.
(4). The decision of the Editor shall be final.
PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARTIFICIAL LIGHT.
By L. L.
NO WING that a great number of the readers of Amateur Work are in- terested in photography, and feeling sure also that many are in the same position as myself, viz., with only a few brief moments between daylight and dark that we can call our own, except for a few weeks, perhaps, in the middle of summer, I thought that a short account of how I managed to solve the difficulty (to me) of taking portraits by night — the whole of the processes, from the taking of the negative to the mounting of the finished print being done by means of artificial light — would be perhaps interesting and instructive to many of our readers who, like myself, are fond of photography, but cannot get at it in the day- time. I may say that my hobby is portrait taking, and though I do not do it altogether for profit, still a few shillings come acceptable in helping to defray expenses.
To begin with : I am fortunately the happy possessor of a Boss No. 1 Carte-de-visite lens. My camera is an ordinary half -plate Merveilleux, tripod stand, and the usual kit of an amateur. My dark room is the wash-house, where the sink comes in handy for washing negatives, etc. My dark lantern I made myself ; it is of tin, triangular in shape, no bottom ; the back, on which is fixed a handle to lift it by, is plain tin, with holes at the bottom to admit air; one side is a sheet of plain glass, painted with two coats VOL. III. (n.8.)— o
PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY PI ARTIFICIAL LIGHT.
of Aspinall's flamingo red, the other side painted with two coats of canary ; this makes a capital ruby and yellow light. I have two backgrounds that cost me about 2s. 6d. each. They consist, simply, of four yards each of brown and slate sateen; each piece was cut in two, and joined so as to make a good-sized back- ground, and with a roller and stick it answers admirably. The seam, if neatly made, does not show in the negative. These backgrounds I use for vignette and f portraits. If full length portraits were required, I used the wall of the room, and the ordinary furniture.
My first experiment was in this manner : I happened to see a coil of magnesium ribbon in a chemist's shop, on my way home; a thought flashed into my mind, why not try it for negative taking ? So I bought it, and the same evening commenced operations. I got my wife to consent to be the subject of my first experi- ments ( " poor victim, ' ' says some sarcastic reader) , and having focussed carefully by the light of a good duplex lamp, I was ready to commence. I made a lamp, or lamp stand, thus : — In a tin candlestick I fitted a cork, and into the cork thrust a piece of wire about 15 inches long, and bent about 3 inches off the end into a right angle ; on this I hung a strip of magnesium ribbon. I stood it on a table close to the tripod, and when ready to make the exposure, lit it, and took off the cap ; I took it into the " dark room " (wash-house) and commenced, with much speculation as to the result, to develop it. It proved to have been very correctly exposed, and the image came up very well ; but the smoke from the ribbon whilst burning had wafted in front of the lens, and caused the figure to look something like the ghost of Hamlet's father, as he rises from the trap-door of a country stage. I was not to be daunted, however, and tried again, taking good care this time to have the light far enough away from the lens. On making my second exposure, and developing the plate, I had just as bad luck, but in a different way. Owing to my placing the lamp on one side, there was a deep shadow on the opposite side, and that side of the face was also too much shaded. This was very disheartening. I could not spend any more time on it that evening, so I
deferred the affair till next day, to put my considering cap on. The result of my delibera- tions was that I decided to try two lights, placing one each side of the sitter, and about two feet in front. I got my little girl to light one piece of ribbon as 1 lit the other, and as they lit simultaneously I removed the cap, replacing it when I thought sufficient exposure had been given. On developing this I was pleased to find the result very good indeed— a negative that could not be distinguished from one taken by day- light, full of detail and of good printing quality. I may say that I only use one kind of plate — Ilford ordinary. I find that by sticking to one make, one gets accustomed to it, and can obtain far better results than by trying first one make and then another, till the mind gets hopelessly muddled in the vain endeavour to understand the peculiarities of all of them. The developer I use is the one recommended by the maker, and here I say, fix on a developer, and use it till you understand its working, and can regulate it- to a nicety.
I adopt a tentative method of development, as- follows : — I pour into the measuring glass one ounce of the pyro solution, and only half an ounce of the ammonia and bromide solution, and pour this over the plate. If the image does not appear in about half a minute, I then add more of the ammonia solution; but if, on the contrary, it comes up directly, I pour the developer back, flood the plate with water, and add water to the developer ; by this method the development is more under control. With regard to exposure, I find that with my Eoss lens, working at F/6, a piece of ribbon, four inches long, in each lamp gives the right ex- posure. There are lamps in the market for night photography ; but the good ones are expensive, and I imagine that the cheaper forms would not answer any better than the simple method I have described. Now a word of caution. It is advisable to keep whatever lamp you have in the room still burning while you make the exposure, placing it in such a position that it will not cast a shadow that will show in the negative, as if the room is in darkness when you light the magnesium ribbon, the sudden glare is more trying to the sitter's eyes than if
A WATCH-STAND FOR TURNERS.
19
a good light was already burning. Caution your sitters not to be startled at the light, and let them fix their eyes on a dark spot, as a dark object causes the pupil of the eye to dilate. Focus sharply : a good plan to do this, is to get the sitter to hold a piece of printed paper just below the chin ; the letters seem to me to be much plainer and easier to discern than the features of the sitter; and if you can get the reading sharp, the sitter's features will be sharp also.
A few words about printing processes, and I have done. Of these there are two kinds that can be used wholly by artificial light ; these are alpha paper and bromide paper. Each of these are sold in two kinds, rough and smooth surface, and the bromide paper in two degrees of rapidity; the slow is the best to use for contact printing. The alpha paper gives prints resembling those obtained on ordinary albumenised silver paper, and of various tones, from red to black. I like it very well, but much prefer the bromide paper, for its beautiful engraving black tone and pure whites. I consider there is nothing to beat it for artistic effect, unless it is the platinotype. It requires about from 20 to 30 seconds' exposure to the light of a Bray's No. 6 gas-burner, or a good lamp. I use a Hink's duplex, with a ground-glass shade or globe, and I find it answers admirably ; so no one need be at a loss to print, even if they have no gas, as the lamp does equally as well. Directions for working the paper are given in every packet, the prices of which are 6d. per dozen sheets J-plate size, and Is. 2d. ^-plate size. The process, in brief, is as follows : — The paper is placed in the printing frame as for ordinary silver printing, and exposed at a distance of six inches from the lamp, or gas. I keep turning the frame round so that all parts of the negative get equally lighted ; it is then taken into the dark room and put away, and another printed ; and so on till all that are required are printed. All the manipulations must be carried on by the ruby lantern, as the paper is as sensitive as the plates, or nearly so. The paper is immersed for a minute in water, and then placed in the de- veloper, which is the ferrous oxalate. It is advisable to develop only two or three at a
time, as the development is rather rapid. When the print is sufficiently dense, it is taken out of the developer, and placed, without washing, in a clearing solution of alum and citric acid ; after remaining a few minutes in this, they are washed, and then transferred to the hypo fixing bath for five minutes, and then washed in the usual way : no toning required. The prints must be allowed to dry by themselves, and not be blotted, as the emulsion is rather sticky. The prints when dry are mounted in the usual way. Morgan and Kidd's, Fry's, and the Eastman bromide papers are treated in much the same way.
In conclusion, let me say that although in this short account of an amateur's failures and successes there is nothing particularly new, yet I trust it may be of some service to our readers who may not be aware of the fact that they can practise their favourite hobby by night ; and, also, to hope that others will give us the result of their experiments in this direction.
A WATCH-STAND FOR TURNERS.
By ED. C. ROE, Jun., Silver Medalist of the City and Guilds of London Institute.
SHORT time back, it was my privilege to place before the fretworking mem- bers of the amateur fraternity a watch-stand for their especial benefit ; and now, in designing a stand especially for construction by lovers of turning, it is hoped that the said design will prove useful and worthy of repro- duction. It is a notorious fact that an article made of turned work completely is apt to appear monotonous, and therefore I have ventured to make the base of the stand square ; but, of course, a turned base may be used if desired, without detriment to the general effect. For the benefit of those who are adepts in the art of fretworking, suggestions are given for filling in the lower apertures, and also the back sup- port. At any rate, there they are ; and whether they are omitted or included, it will make but very little difference to the practical utility of the article.
Our first job had better be to turn the sunk
-20
A WATCH-STAND FOR TURNERS.
disc which forms the receptacle for watch. This .is preferably turned on a taper screw chuck.
The button at back will cover hole on the out- :^ide, and the velvet or plush, with which we =shall have to line it, will perform the same duty
inside. For the support under this we shall
require to turn a ring to section given, and
afterwards cut out sufficient for our job.
The base, if made square, will require to be
worked with either a plane or router ; work
the ends first, and then
the sides. It will now
•be as well to fit the
supporting segment
to the base first. One dowel in each end will
be sufficient, say \
The back support is, if turned, made up of three segments of circles do welled together; but it would be preferable if it can be cut out, as a whole, by a fret-saw. It can be fixed from the front of watch-holder, and from underside of base. The front must be carefully cut, as shown in side section.
The top, or cresting, will need very little explanation. The upper part is tapered off to take the top knob. The turned drops at the side should be affixed with dowels. Of what material to make the stand, is an open question. Such small articles look exceed-
square,
,©
Fret at B
•of an inch thick. Do not glue on yet, but let it fit tightly. Now the watch-holder requires scribing down on to the top of supporting segment, at an angle, as shown by side section. This is rather a particular job, and requires to be neatly done ; so let patience abound, in con- junction with keen tools. The method of fixing is by driving a fine screw from under side of support.
ingly well executed in olive wood ; holly would look nice, mounted with ebony or other dark wood knobs, despite a rather funereal aspect. The four feet do not call for any explanation. A design is not submitted for the watch-hook, for so many different patterns are now purposely made and sold, that the home manufacture of such small metal work is almost out of the question ; therefore, search a dealer's list, and
HO IF TO USE ENAMEL PAINT.
21'i
make a suitable selection. Note that the front elevation is drawn as though the watch-holder and cresting were vertical. This has been done for the sake of clearness and space, and is
Velvet
SECTIONAL END ELEVATION.
therefore not a true elevation, as taken from the side sectional elevation.
The bottom fret must be fixed well back from the face ; if the frets are cut out of J-inch stuff, keep flush at back. The fret in back support should be fixed in the middle. It will be observed that the front of back support penetrates the fret.
The sinkings in the side pendants should be cut out previous to turning, and may be either
left plain, matted, or a small ornament cut in, as suggested.
To complete the job, it requires polishing, and then the watch-holder filled in with a piece of velvet, for the watch to rest against. Place the watch in position, and then ask the question whether my hopes that the result would amply repay the labour expended have been fulfilled..
HOW TO USE ENAMEL PAINT.
By A CORRESPONDENT.
WING to the fact that enamels arfc- really varnish-paints, that is, that^ they combine the properties of varnish and of paint, the covering power, or opaque- density, of enamel is not great. Some makers- try to overcome this drawback, which is in- separable from the nature of the case, by making the enamel thick ; this is, of course, an advan- tage as far as the increase of density is con- cerned, but renders the laying of the materia]!- more difficult. The " weeping" effect of much of the enamel put on by amateurs has become proverbial, and if another coat is applied, thet effect is not improved, for the thick enamel demands a considerable quantity to cover the surface, and it begins to flow, downwards, of course, before it is quite set.
To obviate this fault ought to be the object of" every user of this fashionable material; and though another plan has been suggested in Amateur Work, I feel sure that anyone who tries the cheap and simple plan about to be- described, will be pleased with the result.
I shall suppose the article to be enamelled is- a new one. Obtain some size and some best, osr gilder's, whiting. The size must be good, and. the whiting dry ; many shops sell the whiting, damp ; it will, however, soon dry if bought a little while before it is required. The size can be melted in a jar or saucepan ; it is not to b&- exposed to fierce heat, but may be placed at a.. corner of the stove, and not on the fire. As a further security against burning, a little water- may be put in the vessel before melting the size, and care must be taken not to leave the?
22
ASBESTOS BLOW-PIPE.
s'ze to form a pellicle or skin upon the surface through too long a continuance of exposure to heat. If any skin or scum forms, it is to be removed and thrown away, or the size can be strained for the same purpose.
The whiting is to be pounded up finely, which is a very easy matter if it is dry, and scattered gradually into the melted size. When enough is mixed to give the size a little body, the colour is to be matched as nearly as possible to the finishing colour, using fine powder colours, or in the case of those powder colours, such as umber, ochre, etc., which are not fine, ground in water. We must remember that size colours dry lighter, though the reverse is the case with oil paints. Coat the article quickly, using the size colour lukewarm, and applying the colour in a warm room. When dry, it may be care- fully and lightly rubbed with fine glass-paper, No. 1 for choice, and, if needful, another coat of size given ; but if two coats are put on, let both be thin. Do not rub the sharp edges with the glass-paper, because that would lay bare the wood, and, if needed, should have been done before the size colour was applied. In fact, any article intended for painting should always have the extreme sharpness of the arrisses removed by the wood-worker.
The pigments suitable for tinting the colour are the ochres (ground), the siennas and umbers, raw and burnt, also ground ; Venetian and Indian red, Brunswick greens of all the shades sold, Prussian blue, ultramarine (so-called), celestial blue, the various shades of purple brown, ivory black, Dutch pink, and some others.
On this foundation lay the enamel sparingly, and be sure it is not too thick, for it is quite impossible to lay on any liquid coating well and smoothly with a brush if it is thick ; for thick covering, a trowel would be the appropriate tool, and it is quicker and in every way better to put on two thin coats than one coat which is intended to cover the grain of the wood and to retain a high gloss and a hard level surface.
These three good qualities are not to be obtained by one coat of even the most opaque, glossy, and hard drying colour yet manu- factured.
For articles not new mix up some white lead paint, using turps chiefly, and but little linseed oil, matching the intended colour carefully ; or size colour, as above, may be used, diluted with a little water. Strong size is not to be used over any paint, or it will cause the paint below it to crack and peel off.
In case of a second coat of enamel being required, "let patience have her perfect work," being quite sure that it is dry and hard before the application of another coat.
These hints, which are founded on experience, are offered to our readers in order that they may be more successful in the management of these materials, which are said to beautify everything, but which without some care and skill they certainly fail to do.
ASBESTOS BLOW-PIPE.
By L. S. D.
HERE are possibly few who devote their leisure hours to amateur pursuits, that have not at times experienced the use of a blow-pipe ; not alone in the repair of the numerous articles of household use, in brass and tin ware, but in the making and repair- ing of jewellery, chemical experiments, model making, etc., etc.
To those who live in towns where gas is avail- able as a heating power, with or without a blast apparatus, the little blow-pipe I am about to describe will not be of much service ; but to others, who, like myself, live in out of the way places in the world, and who have to content themselves with the modest flame of a spirit or oil lamp, the case is different ; and though there are numerous inventions, more or less expensive, which, to a certain extent, meet their requirements, they all, to my experience, have their defects ; some, the self-acting spirit lamps, are, to the inexperienced, dangerous, while the chief defect in all that I have tried, is, that you cannot get the jet of flame (as in the gas-blowers with flexible tubes) in the exact spot you want it without a considerable amount of twisting and turning, not always successful, and which generally results in burnt fingers, or a bad job.
ASBESTOS BLOWPIPE.
23
The advantage of the asbestos blower is that it carries its lamp with it wherever it goes, and having a flexible tube, the jet can be directed into all out of the way corners, which is im- possible with any others that I have tried.
Possibly the self-acting blow-pipes mentioned in Melhuish's list might be an exception, but I have not tried them. However, my little blower, which I have christened, " The Asbestos Blow- pipe," must take its chance with these ; and I feel certain, to those who will give it a trial, it will hold its own, and equal, if not excel, any other of a similar cost now in the market.
I cannot claim it, I regret to say, as an inven- tion of my own, otherwise I have found it so useful I should have been disposed to patent it. Some years ago, when travelling on the Con- tinent, I noticed a working jeweller using it, and the facility with which he melted some of the harder metals, such as brass and silver, in a few seconds, attracted my attention ; and after a little palaver, I induced him, for a trifling consideration, to part with it, and I have never regretted my purchase. On arriving at home I took it to pieces, and examined its mechanism, and subsequently fitted it up with appropriate table and bellows, improving on the primi- tive arrangement I had seen on its first intro- duction to me, which was that I have shown in Fig. 4.
The sketches are almost sufficient to describe it ; but a few remarks may not be out of place. Those amateurs who do not understand, or have not the appliances for metal spinning, will have to call in the aid of a coppersmith or skilled mechanic to make the bowl or cup. It is made of thin sheet copper, shaped as in Fig. 1. It may be made any convenient size, according to requirements. If for constant use, it should be a trifle larger than sketch, which is drawn to the size of the one I have in use. I may state that the larger and deeper the cup, the longer it will burn without a fresh supply of spirit ; mine, when properly filled with good proof spirit, burns from five to seven minutes.
A common mouth blow-pipe is passed through the cup, and firmly and securely brazed at b. For convenience in subsequent operations, it is better to have the cup made in two pieces, with
an open cap (as shown in Fig. 3) to fit tightly on to it. The end of the pipe (Fig. 2) should terminate in a bulb for attaching the india- rubber tube to, and as more convenient for the mouth, when used without blast apparatus. The further requirements are some asbestos and a small piece of very fine brass wire gauze. The asbestos I use is that used by machinists for stuffing ; it must be shredded, and closely packed in the lower part of the cup, as shown at d ; some little experience is required in this, for if too tight it will not absorb the spirit, while, on the other hand, if too loose, it will not absorb sufficient.
The nozzle of the pipe should project about J inch above the stuffing, a small piece of brass gauze, cut circular to fit over the asbestos (o, Fig. 1), with a hole in the centre for the pipe, must now be put on, and the blow-pipe is complete with its lamp attached. When required for use, pour some proof spirit into the cup, taking care that none goes down the pipe ; if properly packed, it should absorb from one to two teaspoonsful. After waiting a short time for the spirit to run down into the asbestos, return the superfluous spirit flowing over the gauze back into your bottle ; it is sometimes advisable to leave a slight overflow, as it assists the absorbed spirit to ignite. Now slightly warm the bowl over a candle, match, or spirit lamp. I always use the latter, keeping it alight while I have the blow-pipe in use. By slightly inclining the mouth of the cup over the flame of the lamp, the spirit in the cup will soon ignite ; this may be assisted, if it does not light readily, by a slight blast. When thoroughly alight, a small blue flame appears at the top, and, on applying the blast, a thin powerful jet of flame is thrown out, which, as I before stated, should last in the smaller bowls for five or seven minutes, accord- ing to the force of the blasts, long enough to complete any small job in soldering and brazing. The pipe can be put down while refixing or changing the work, and on renewing the blast, provided too long a time does not elapse, it will still be found to be alight ; it should, however, be placed in such a position that the spirit will not run out. When the lamp goes out, fresh spirit must be added, then proceed as before,
24
ASBESTOS BLOW-PIPE.
taking care that the light has gone out before supplying it, otherwise an accident might occur by the explosion of the spirit in the replenishing bottle. If it does not work properly under these conditions, it must be owing to the spirit being too weak, or to improper absorption, in which latter case the asbestos must be taken out, reshredded, and repacked.
Nevertheless, it answers its purpose very well,. and has this advantage, that it costs only a trifle : two or three feet of india-rubber tubing, about an inch or two of brass tubing, an india-rubber wind-bag, or regulator, and a small pair of bellows — which any amateur, if he turns his hand to, could make himself ; or failing this, the kitchen bellows might, on an emergency, be-
. T. — BI.OW-P1PE : A, CAP FITTING ON ATo; B, JOINT WHERE PIPE IS SOLDERED TO CAP ; C, GAUZE WIRE APRON ; D, ASBESTOS STUFFING ; E, PIPE, 8 INCHES LONG, WITH MOUTH-PIF.CE ATTACHED AS SHOWN IN FIG. 2. FIG. 3. — BOWL AND CAP. FIG. 4.— APPARATUS COMPLETE ; G, INDIA-RUBBER WIND-BAG ; H, STAPLE ATTACHING BELLOWS TO TABLE * I, SPRING ON BELLOWS ; K, WIRE STIRRUP FOR WORKING BELLOWS. FIG. 5. — BELLOWS SHOWING MODE OF ATTACHING SPRING I.
The table and fittings require little explana- tion. It is needless to state that a blast apparatus of some description renders the blow-pipe much more efficient than when used with nature's blast, the lungs ; and there are many appliances of the kind more suitable than the one I have given.
called in to do duty. The bellows should have a steel spring (a piece of stout clock spring would do), attached by a screw near the nozzle, working in a staple near the centre of upper flap ; this is best understood by referring to- Fig. 5. The spring must be curved in such a.
HOW TO MAKE-UP FOR THE STAGE.
25
■way that it has the effect of drawing the flap upwards -when the pressure of the foot on the ■wire stirrup, k, is relieved. The -wind-bag or regulator, which should be about the size of the palm of your hand, and tubing, can be procured for a trifle from any chemical instrument maker ; the brass tubing is used for attaching the tubing at b, to wind-bag. The rest needs no further explanation ; but I shall be pleased to furnish any amateur, who desires to try his hand at it, with any information he may require. Possibly, to some of your readers, it may be no novelty, though I have seen no mention of it in Amateuk Wokk.
HOW TO MAKE-UP FOR THE STAGE.
By PROFESSOR LIONEL ARTHUR.
VI. — Female Make-up— Youthful Characters— Cos- tume Characters — Elderly Ladies— Character and Low Comedy Parts — General Remarks on Making-up for Ladies— Dodges, Secret Recipes, &c, &c.
jjgs^HE make-up for female characters runs much upon the same lines as that for male parts. In ordinary characters —
at least all those where youth and beauty are conspicuous — actresses, both amateur and pro- fessional, know well enough how to improve their appearance, whether their looks be good, bad, or indifferent. To such adepts in the art I can teach but little ; and as most ladies are pretty good judges in this direction, they may safely be allowed to rely on their own taste and discretion when a successful make-up is the question. But when an actress is called upon to play an elderly part — characters which the majority despise and hate, although so much artistic success can be gained in them — and to transform her fair young face into an old and ugly one, then the novice requires certain in- structions, so that she may achieve success in the make-up of the character.
These are, however, not the only characters which require a good deal of making-up ; for there are also low comedy and "character" parts, which require just as much care bestowed
upon them. There is a practice followed in this country — as I have already pointed out — of allowing boys and youths, with suitable voices and looks, to play female characters. This is especially the case at schools and colleges ; and although it is a proceeding I entirely disagree with, the fact remains that it is done very ex- tensively ; and for this reason I must therefore just give a few hints for making-up the young and beautiful girl, as well, also, as the old hag, the gipsy, and the market-woman.
Young Women. — I do not think it advisable to use grease paints generally for this class of character, because the desired effect can be more easily arrived at by using rouge and powder, &c. Wash and dry the skin thoroughly, and well powder the face and neck with Clark- son's Lillie Powder, which is one of the best powders put up, and is used by all the leading; actresses. It is sold by W. Clarkson, Wig Maker, Wellington Street, Strand, W.C. Failing this, the best pearl powder should be used. With a nice soft hare's-foot apply a little car- mine powder high up on the cheek-bones, and carefully blend off. Apply some also under the eyes, which will brighten them up considerably. A faint tinge may also be applied under the eyebrows (not on the eyelids) and on the chin. We now take the fine camel-hair lining brush, and the burnt umber water colour, and draw thin lines immediately below the bottom eye- lashes, and immediately above the upper ones. The eyebrows are next touched up with the special eyebrow pencils, or the ordinary grease paints, black or brown. To the lips apply a thin coating of Grenadine, which gives them a. bewitching and fresh colour. The teeth should be kqpt pearly white. These are shown off to greater advantage if the gums are of a ruby redness ; I generally find that the use of quinine in the tooth-powder will accomplish this object. The eyelashes may be painted with a dark water colour, in some cases ; this is best done by another hand. The whole of the make-up is toned down by a final slight powdering ; and if these instructions are implicitly followed out, it is quite possible to turn an ordinary or plain face into an exceedingly pretty one — on the stage. The countenance may be considerably
26
HOW TO MAKE-UP FOR THE STAGE.
altered by changing the shape of the mouth and the nostrils, etc., etc.
Elderly Ladies for Costume Plays. — In the old comedies, "powder" or "costume plays," the elderly lady is always very much in evidence, and I now give the make-up for such parts. Proceed exactly as in the foregoing instructions. When the make-up is so far completed, put in, with the brown lining pencil, a few furrow lines on the forehead, two or three broadish ones running from the inner corners of the eyes towards the cheek-bones, one or two thinnish ones under the eyes, one each side of the nose, leading down on a level with the mouth, and a few wrinkles round the throat. Next shade, with the brown lining pencil, the hollows at each corner of the mouth, the hollow under the nose, in centre of the upper lip, and the hollow beneath the lower lip. Make the eyebrows grey with silver powder, and place one or two "beauty spots" about the face according to taste. A court wig is worn in these characters, and should be carefully adjusted. The hands and arms in all female characters must receive careful attention.
Character and Low Comedy Parts. — For such parts as these the make-up requires to be of a more elaborate and bolder nature. This amount of boldness depends entirely upon the size of the stage and theatre or hall. If the actress is about to perform in a large theatre, then the make-up must be somewhat harsh and bold, requiring very little toning down or softening off; but if the stage or hall is a small one, where the actors are extremely near to the audience, then the work must not be overdone. Commence by preparing the skin to receive the make-up in the same way as that given for male characters. The way to make up such a character as Mrs. Bouncer in " Box and Cox " — a specimen of the elderly landlady class — is as follows : — Give the face a thin coating of Fox's No. 2| medium flesh colour grease paint. Apply to the cheek-bones, the chin, and under the eyebrows, a fair amount of carmine. Line with ■umber the line beneath the lower eyelashes, and introduce all the lines about the eyes, nose, mouth, and forehead, as described in the last chapter ; the only difference being that in this
case a little exaggeration is allowable, especially in a large theatre. A special wig is worn, or perhaps what is technically termed a "front." These are only used, however, when a cap is worn to cover the rest of the head. They may be purchased from Fox or Clarkson, and cost from 5s. to 7s. each, or may be hired on reason- able terms. A pair of good full dark eyebrows should be put on in these characters, and one or two teeth may be stopped out with email noir. For very aged parts, such as that of an old witch or hag, more work has necessarily to be in- troduced upon the face. The furrows on the forehead, and wrinkles about the face, must be bolder and more frequent, and these should be put in upon a groundwork of pale flesh colour and chrome yellow ; and we see next to no colour in a face of this description. A pair of rough bushy, but rather sparse, white eye- brows must be put on, and a long-haired white wig worn. The hair upon the- wig must be in a very unkempt condition, which helps to give a dissipated appearance to the character. Nearly the whole of the teeth must be stopped out, which adds greatly to the effect of a character of this class. The hands and arms must also be attended to in witch characters. Bub the back of the hands with chrome yellow, and then give them a dusting with fuller's earth ; then rub some brown lining colour in between the knuckles, and put in a few lines on the knuckles and finger-joints. This will give them a shrivelled and bony appearance. Put in the veins on arms and hands with the veining pencil, and the make-up is about complete.
General Remarks on Ladies' Mahe-up. — I have given above a few hints to the ladies — or those who play ladies' characters — as far as regards costume and character parts. There are, how- ever, a good many amateur actresses who regard making-up as unworthy of any great consideration on their part — in fact, think it quite a matter of secondary importance. Nature has, no doubt, endowed these charming creatures with an abundance of good looks and regular -features ; therefore, they say to themselves that any artificial adornment is unnecessary in any shape or form. Now, this is quite a fallacious
HOW TO MAKE-UP FOR THE STAGE
27
idea, and one which I have seen demonstrated upon the amateur stage many times. Those who follow out the dictates of their clever ideas in this direction, appear precisely the same on the stage as they do off ; but with this exception, the face has lost its colour, the eyes their sparkle and brightness, and there are heavy shadows about the eyes, nose, and mouth. Ladies of this class can hardly be called actresses, for they must know but very little of the profession and the requirements of the actor's art, or they would know that, absolutely, the human countenance requires, when before the artificial glare of the footlights, a certain amount of making-up, no matter how perfect it may be in the pure light of day. The fact, seeming^ so strange until quite grasped, has to be ever in mind, that a particular colour seen over the foot- lights does not present its natural tints as in the daytime. There is nothing really strange about this. It is only a more vivid example of the optical illusion of all artificial light, unless it is possessed of as much — or more — of the blue rays of daylight, such as the electric arc light. Therefore, it is this effect of artificial light that must guide artistes in their selection of colours ior making-up ; and this same law compels them, when they have selected the right colours, to use them several shades darker than would be necessary in the daylight. The above is quite sufficient to show that making-up, instead of being ignored, should form a particular study ior all artistes, although its capabilities, while being exercised to the uttermost, should never be outraged in the slightest degree. In the art of acting, one of the first principles is to be able to successfully counterfeit the original ; and to go beyond counterfeiting, is to go beyond the art of acting. "Within certain limits, an artiste is perfectly justified in going outside the beaten track ; but as all arts have fixed and peremptory rules for the guidance of their followers, so it is incumbent upon those followers to work well ■within the guiding lines provided for them. And as making-up is a part and parcel of his- trionic art, so is it regulated by the first principles of that art ; besides being of itself the main example of that counterfeiting which has just been said to be one of the first principles of
the actor's art. Headers will now see the use and importance of making-up, and also the necessity for actors and actresses in making the matter a complete study by itself. And now for a few practical hints and secrets anent female make-up. Ladies, who are not artists, are advised that the laws which govern the arts of figure drawing and painting should first be carefully mastered ; following this up by studying the peculiar effects which the concentrated glare of the footlights has upon the work — a matter which must be well understood. The different colours of this light present difficulties such as cannot be ignorantly vanquished, nor even easily under- stood, by the unstudied ; but with a bare rudi- mentary knowledge of painting and anatomy, and the ability to appty it properly to otir work, these difficulties will soon disappear. In making-up the face, it is primarily necessary to obtain the required general tint ; and this, in nature, is never, either in man or woman, a pure white. The general tint of the finest natuial complexion is rather yellow than white ; and for this reason yellow should form one of the colours for female make-up for the stage. By this yellow I do not mean that such a quantity should be employed as to give the face a "jaun- diced " appearance, but merely just enough to prevent it looking pure white and pink. In juvenile parts, actresses are advised to use a mixture of chrome yellow (powder) and carmine, diffused over the face pretty equally, with the colour heightened at that part of the cheeks which may be preferred. This done artistically gives a very healthy and natural glow of youth to the face and features, which, though even plain in mould, thereby receive a pleasing appearance. The yellow, it will be seen, is quite toned down by the carmine, until it really ceases to be perceptibly yellow ; and which, in return, modifies the brightness of the carmine. These together produce a mellow, warm flesh colour, and if used in conjunction with grease paints, and then finished by the application of powder all over, a good effect can be guaranteed. Eegarding the powder, the following can be recommended as a useful, clean, and harmless preparation, being prepared from arrowroot : — Take a quantity of the finest arrowroot, which
28
AN ORNAMENTAL CLOCK CASE.
mutt he quite free from moisture (and for this reason it is as well to dry it before the fire), and pound it into a fine powder in a mortar ; divide this into parts, and colour these by adding to one a little Armenian bole, to another carmine, to another chrome, to another ruddy rouge, and so on, leaving the last portion free from any colour whatever. The colours must be used very spar- ingly, just enough, in fact, to give the desired tinge to each powder. Mix each part well in the mortar, and put ready for use in round shallow tin boxes, and keep as air-tight as possible, to prevent the absorption of moisture from the atmosphere. If a broad rubber band be placed round the joint of the lid and box, it will keep the powders perfectly dry. The various coloured powders thus obtained will all be found exceed- ingly useful; but the two most generally required aro those coloured with carmine and Armenian bole. Actors will find the use of the latter one, and actresses that of the former one, very much more effective than the use of a plain white.
A Quaint Corner Cabinet, especially suitable for a boudoir or sitting-room, and which can stand upon the floor or be hung on the wall, is made from the small clothes-horse, which comes three feet in height. The horse is opened to the form of a triangle, bringing the opposite ends together and fastening them securely. Three shelves, J inch thick, are cut to rest upon the three sets of bars, having the angles cut to fit around the uprights. The front of the shelves are then decorated with a narrow fretwork border, or ornamental moulding, and the cabinet finished in white and gold. In place of the fretwork the front of the shelves may be ornamented with bands of chamois skin cut in a decorative open work design, and lined with yellow silk, or with such other decoration as fancy may suggest. — Builder and Woodworker.
To make a Quick-drying Polish to finish wood applied without friction, dissolve 4 ounces best shellac in two pints strong alcohol, add 2 pints linseed oil and 1 pint spirit of turpentine, shake and add 4 ounces sulphuric ether (common ether) and 4 ounces aqua ammonia. Shake when used, and apply with a sponge lightly.
AN ORNAMENTAL CLOCK CASE.
By CBAS. A. PARKER.
N the present article it is the writer's intention to show how an amateur woodworker may readily construct a very neat and useful wooden clock case, to contain one of the ordinary cheap American nickel - plated drum-shaped clocks, usually sold at novelty stores for about four shillings ; and as the design consists chiefly of simple fret-cut work, it will come well within the scope of an amateur. By reference to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the front and sides are fret-cut, the remainder of the case being formed of evenly planed lengths of wood of the required size, which are glued together in the form of a box or case, having a door behind by which to gain access to the clock, for the purpose of winding and setting the hands.
The first proceeding will be to mark out a full-size pattern of Fig. 1, the measurement being 9,} inches by 3| inches, employing a sheet of paper of double thickness, in order that two of these patterns may be cut out by means of a pair of scissors, after which they are to be pasted on to a board of sufficient size, \ inch thick, which is then carefully sawn to the outline by a fret-saw, care being taken to saw square through the board. When the two sides have been prepared, a paper plan of the front of the case (Fig. 3) is then drawn on another sheet of paper, the outside measure- ment of this being 6| inches by 5j inches, having an opening 4 inches in diameter in the centre; and when this is ready, it is pasted on to a suitable piece of J-inch wood, which is afterwards sawn to the outline, the same as before. A narrow strip of wood of the same thickness is also marked out and sawn to the form of Fig. 4 ; this being the shaped top of the railing at the back of the case. The flat top of the case, which may be the same thickness as the front, will measure 5$ inches by 3£ inches ; this may have one of the long sides curved or rounded, as shown at a (Fig. 5), or, if preferred, it may be left square, and a narrow strip of beading can be afterwards stuck on.
AN ORNAMENTAL CLOCK CASE.
29
The bottom of the case, which is shown at b (Fig. .5), is a piece of J-inch wood ok inches by 2| inches, planed up smooth, square, and true. Thus prepared, the case is readjr for putting together ; but before this is done, it will be
top and bottom of 5 inches. "When the glue has set, the other side may be put iu position, when the case will be ready for the door, which is formed of a single piece of 3l-inch wood measuring o\ inches by 5-J- inches, being hung
necessary to plane up a
couple of pieces of deal
to measure o| inches by
2| inches, and f inch thick.
If good glue is used fcr
putting the case together,
screws and nails will be
rendered unnecessary ; lay
one of the fret-cut sides
on a flat surface, then take
the fret-cut front and the
top of the case, and having
glued the edges, place them
in position on the side of
the case, as shown in the
sectional diagram (Fig. 5).
It will be necessary to glue
one of the pieces of wood
just prepared to the inside
of the case in the form
of a fillet, as shown>t c (Fig. 5), the bottom
being afterwards glued in the position indicated
at b, with the other fillet glued on the inside, in
such a position as to allow a space between the
FIG. I. — CLOCK CASE COMPLETE. FIG. 2. — SIDES. FIG. 3.— FRONT. FIG. 4.— TOP OVER RAILING. FIG. 5.— SECTION OF CASE. FIG. 6. — RAILING. FIG. 7. — BRASS TURN BUTTON. FIG. 8. — FRETWORK RAIL FOR TOP OF CASE. FIG. 9. — TURNED RAIL, FULL SIZE, FOR TOP OF CASE.
in position by means of a pair of -J -inch brass hinges, a small brass turn button, similar to Fig. 7, serving to keep it closed.
It will be found a great improvement if three thin strips of black wood are glued across the front of the case, in the position shown in Fig. 1, as it re- quires something of this kind to relieve the wood. Next, for the railing, which is shown in Fig. 6, turn, or get turned, six small spindles f inch long, leaving a slight tenon, of l inch thick at each end, to hold them in the rail These spindles are fitted
at top and bottom, into holes bored in the rails, which are a couple of strips of wood f inch by J inch, forming a very neat little railing, similar in appearance
30
AMATEUR CONJURING.
to Fig. 9, that may be glued in position on top of the case at the back, as shown in Fig. 1 ; the final finish being given by the shaped piece (Fig. 4), which is glued on to the top rail, the two sloping edges of this piece of wood being furnished with a couple of thin slips o£ wood, as shown at a, Fig. 4, which are glued ou to them in the position indicated at b. Another style of railing for the top of the case,, which may be preferred by some, is shown in Fig. 8. In order to dispense with the turned wooden spindles, it can be formed of a single piece of carefully cut fretwork, or, if desired, the six pillars may be fitted into a piece of fretwork, formed of a series of half-circles, of the distance of the spindles apart, with a smaller circle in the spaces between them, similar to the upper portion of Fig. 8 ; the smaller circles may be readily drilled by means of a centre-bit. In glueing up the wood, always remember that glue applied hot and thin will make the best joint, as it is thereby enabled to penetrate the pores of the wood.
If the case has been made in mahogany or walnut, and the reader is unable to French polish the work, a very good effect will be obtained by giving it several coats of knotting varnish, which may be rubbed in by means of a soft woollen cloth, similar to French polish. It will be found to dry quickly, with a highly glazed surface.
The Old-fashioned Hall is somewhat diffi- cult of treatment, as the long straight lines do not lend themselves to artistic ends. The lines must be broken, and the best method is by the use of Moorish lattice-work, dropping a couple of light arches from the ceiling, directly over and in a fine with the foot of the staircase, letting them meet over the newel post ; a Japanese bead-curtain dropped from the hall arch head permanently fastening it against the wall at the height of the newel post. The arch heads should be made of the same kind of wood as that used in the finish of the hall, and may be simply carved, deriv- ing their principal value from their shape. — Builder and Woodworker.
AMATEUR CONJURING:
WHAT TO DO, AND HOW TO DO IT. By ARTHUR BARLEY.
I. — Properties for Fitting-up.
THINK it would not be out of place, at the beginning of these papers, to just say a few words on fitting-up your properties ready for an entertainment. Some of you may say, " We don't want to know how to fit up ; we want to know some tricks " ; but I have always found that if you have your properties arranged in proper order, a trick goes off as well again as if you had to hunt for this, and look for that, which you quite for- got until the trick was about half done. There is no need for large, unwieldy, gilded tables, with a tablecloth hanging all the way down the front ; your audience will be sure to suspect it. Neither is there need to have a pointed cap and long dressing-gown, with mysterious signs all over them.
These, then, are the necessaries : You may get two light gipsy-tables, those with the tripod stand, which are very cheap now. If you are a turner, you will, perhaps, get more pleasure- from making them yourself ; but be that as it may, we shall require two. Now, as to trap- doors in them. I do not fancy trap-doors myself ; but for the benefit of those who do, I will describe the making. First of all, pull the legs out so as to get the top handy for working at; then, with a fret-saw, cut your traps to fancy. The square ones are the easiest to make, and they act as well as any. After you have cut the wood out, hinge it with a pair of small brass hinges \ I do not say one hinge, because if you only put one on, you will soon find that sometimes your trap refuses to open. Then cover the top of the table with green cloth. Glue the cloth on, tack round the edge, to prevent the cloth curling up. Fig. 1 shows under side of table. Then cut a piece of wood to form the tray, or " servante," as it is technically called, as in Fig. 2. I cannot give the shape, as the tables vary in size and pattern. Now get some fringe, about 4 or 5 inches deep, and tack all round the edge, except about 8 inches
AMATEUR CONJURING.
31
at the back, where the fringe would be in the way when 3~ou were taking anything from the " servante." The depth of the fringe must be regulated by the depth of the " servante " from the top of the table. Then get a piece of clock spring, and]fasten it so that it holds the trap up, as in Fig. 1. The " servante " should also have some cloth fastened on it, so as to deaden the
the conjuring apparatus proper. Have your screen fixed very firmly, as a friend of mine, giving an entertainment some little time ago, accidentally knocked down hisjscreen, and the audience had the pleasure of seeing him placing a bank-note in the centre of a candle in prepara- tion for his next trick.
Do not have a lot of entirely useless things
I l.'i
B
I
i
f/'//
\ i
|
© s |
■ ° •, |
^ |
|
s |
F i c I . Underside of Table
sound of anything dropped through the trap. The table is now finished.
"When perform- ing, the two tables should have plants standing on them, so that no inquisi- tive individual, who may come prowling around, may see the traps. Now borrow a couple of chairs, and place one near each table. Then get the kitchen table, and tack fringe round all the sides, except the one on which the drawer is. Pull the drawer about 8 or 10 inches open, and you have a splendid ' ' servante " (see plan , Fig. 3). There is no necessity to have a stage, side- wings, curtains, etc. ; but you may have a screen behind, to which you may retire at " half-time." That is everything you require, of course excepting
fig 3 Plan showing arrangement of room for entertainment.
FIG. I. — A, SPRING ; B B, HINGES ; C, DOOR ; D, STAY TO KEEP
DOOR IN PLACE WHEN NOT IN USE. FIG. 3. — A, KITCHEN
TABLE ; B B, SMALL ROUND TABLES ; C C, CHAIRS ; D, DRAW FOR " SERVANTE."
F I C . 2 . Section of Table
littered about, as they only hinder you. Do not do a trick twice, however well you can do it, as you may be sure that the person who asks you has an inkling of how the trick is done, and only wants you to do it again, to make certain. Do not turn your back to your audience, as they are nearly certain they saw you do something when your back was turned. Do not take notice of any remarks your audience may make, as there is generally one individual, at least, whe " knows how that's done." Do not get flurried, or you are nearly sure to make a mess of the trick you are doing.
In my next article I will give a few hints on " sleight of hand proper."
32
WHERE DID I PUT IT?
WHERE DID I PUT IT?
By C. MAYNARD WALKER.
E^ HERE was a letter came for you, dear,
while you were in the city — I'll
get it for you now Dear me !
where did I put it ? — I cannot find it any- where." "Really, Maud, you should be more careful ; that is a most important letter, and its loss would be a serious matter for me." "Well Arthur, I am awfully sorry I have misplaced it for the time, but it must turn up somewhere ; hut I do wish we could have some handy con- trivance for holding letters and papers securely — one is so apt to lay a piece of paper or letter down in a hurry, and forget all about it directly. I think, if I were a man I would contrive some- T* thing of the sort off- hand!" The above, not altogether imagi- nary, conversationmust be the writer's excuse for devoting a short article to a most handy and useful household knicknack, in the form of an improved spring- clip letter guard,
which, while being sufficiently ornamental for the position it is intended to occupy, is very easily made at a trifling cost ; and unlike the ordinary hinged or open guards, will, by means of a spring, hold the smallest piece of paper as securely as a packet of letters ; thus fulfilling a very general requirement in a private house, or even a place of business. Fig, 1 represents the finished article in use, Fig. 2 being a back view of the same, showing the method of construction. Of course, any number of guards may be put
together in the same manner ; but probably three or four will meet most requirements. Fig. 1 was made of ordinary deal, J inch thick ; but the quality of the material I must leave entirely to the reader. Having decided this point, cut a length 13 inches by If, shaped as in Fig. 2, for the back ; the particular shape is unimpor- tant, so that it is unnecessary to give a separate sketch. It will be seen that the object of what little ornament there is upon it, is to hide it, as much as possible,
in the front, upper curved
FIG. I.— FkONT.
In the part a hole is made by which to hang it to a nail, etc., when in use. Fig. 3 is a full-size pattern of the guard, of which for a pair, as shown, sis pieces are to be cut. In order to get the pattern, it will be most convenient to lay a piece of tracing paper over the illustration, and having pasted it on the wood, and cut out one piece, an in- definite number of copies may be obtained by a simple method, which, as it is applic- able to all kinds of fretwork, of which a number of copies are required, the reader will pardon me turning aside for a Unless for very large any other method, and deem any pattern that is worth working up at all, is worth while keeping the first cut as a printing block for further supplies. Having cut out the pattern as true as possible, and corrected — by filing, or otherwise — any error that can be remedied ; take ordinary black ink, copying by preference (but any sort, black, red, or blue will answer), and add sufficient sugar or syrup to give it a slightly thicker
FIG. 2. —BACK.
moment to describe work, I seldom use
WHERE DID I PUT IT 7
33
consistency than could be used for writing ; keep this in a well-corked bottle. Now make a dabber (Fig. 4), by covering a small bundle of old rag with a piece of cloth, forming a flat round knob of about 2 inches wide ; this should be well wetted and squeezed, so as to be damp all through. Youthen have to simply apply it to the mouth of the ink- bottle, with a shake to get suffi- cient upon the surface ; " dab " the face of the pattern, in such a manner as, although covering the work well, to leave very little ink. Having pre- viously damped some white paper, lay it upon two or three thicknesses of cloth ; lay the inked pattern face down, and apply a little pressure, as experience will teach, and you can take off as many prints as you like. I think, by the way, this was the earliest method of printing. Be careful not to over-ink, or you will get irregular fuzzy outlines. But to return to our work. Having cut out the material as described so far, cut three pieces of steel spring for each rack ; these should be two inches long ; what is known as •'crinoline" spring will answer very well, about § inch wide ; a small hole should be punched in 4._" DAIJB
FIG. 3. — FULL SIZE PATTERN OF GUARD. CUT SIX FOR A PAIR
both ends, to facilitate which, the ends should bo softened by heating in a lamp flame to a dull red ; the corners of each end should also
be turned over, so that when they are fitted into position they will enter the wood, and make the work rigid. Cut three holes in the back \ inch deep, as shown in Fig. 2, the lower one If inches from the bottom, the middle one 4J inches, and the upper one "-^inches from the bottom, measuring from the centres of the holes. Now, by means of small screws, fasten one end of each spring to the centre tab of each guard from behind ; screw up tight, so that the bent corners of the steel enter the wood ; pass the other end of steel through the back from the front, and screw on to the back, as in Fig. 2, beginning at the top one ; adjust the clips to what degree of tightness you prefer, by bending them before screwing to back. Paint, polish, or stain, as your taste may prefer ; then, I think, you will agree with me that you are in possession of a pair of very 'useful and handy articles, and shall not be sur- prised to hear that you printed off a number of copies, and made up a few as acceptable presents to your friends.
vol. in. (n.s.) — D
34
SOME HINTS FOR AMATEUR BOOKBINDERS.
SOME HINTS FOR AMATEUR BOOKBINDERS.
By FRANK S. MORTON.
FIG. I. — PRESS COMPLETE, SHOWING BOOK UNDER PRESSURE, AND HAVING PIECES OF WOOD ABOVE AND BELOW TO PROTECT BINDING.
^|0R such a useful hobby, bookbinding
presents about as many difficulties
yg in the way of complete success as
any I know ; but it can be mastered
by the amateur at home, and with lots of
patience, and a
very few tools, ex- cellent work can
be done. I have
puzzled for hours
over volumes of
m agazines I wished
to bind up ; the
trouble being, per- haps, that I set
my standard too
high. But the result well
repaid the labour when I
was able to turn out a
presentable book. A few
stray hints that I have
learnt by experience may
be of benefit to some
brother amateur.
To have the book come
out in good shape, it
must be kept under pres- sure a good deal, and
therefore a press of some kind is needed.
very simple arrangement for the purpose is shown in Fig. 1. A thick pieee of plank is cut to dimensions large enough for the largest book that it will be likely to be needed for. Cut four notches in the ends, as shown in Fig 2. Both the upper aud under planks may be of the same size, or the upper one inay be in two pieces for different sized books, which I think is the better way. Four common carriage bolts, with plenty of thick washers, are used to screw the two together as in Fig. 1. As the planks are likely to be scarred, it is better to keep smooth pieces of board, to go between them and the book, getting new pieces as they also become scarred. With this arrangement much or little pressure can be
b
D
obtained ; and while it may not be as good as an ordinary press, it has the merit of taking up but little room when not in use. It is cheaply made, and easily worked.
A good way to finish the edges of the book is to sprinkle them with coloured inks. To do this, clamp the book, edge up, in the pressing boards, putting pieces of paper between the covers and fly-leaves, and bending them back over the covers to protect them. Take a stiff
brush — an old
tooth-brush is good
— and dip it into
the ink, taking
up a very little.
Scrape the brush
over a piece of
wood till most of
the ink is gone,-
trying it over a
piece of paper
until no blots fall from
the brush. Then rub it
over the stick, holding it
over the book, and a
fine sprinkle of ink will
fall on the edges. If
tightly clamped together,
the ink will not pene-
^-j trate the book ; then do
the ends the same. A
— ' nice-looking edge is made
by first sprinkling with A red, and then with black. Any spots that are on the edges should be taken out, as much as possible, with fine glasspaper, after the book is clamped in place. The ink sprinkling will cover up a multitude of sins, however, in the way of marks and spots.
Lettering and finishing in gold is a difficult operation for the amateur to perform without considerable practice. "With the tools described in the article on " Home-made Tools for Let- tering and Finishing Books," which was pub- lished in Part XIX. of this magazine, good work can be done after practice. I never found it so easy to work the lettering first, and then pencil in the glaire and finish, as I did to coat with glaire first, and work the gold in with the first
SHOWING POSITION OF NOTCHES.
SOME HINTS FOR AMATEUR BOOKBINDERS.
35
impression. The surface to be gilded or lettered should be coated evenly with the glaire, and allowed to dry. Then coat again, taking care not to rub off the first coat ; allow it to dry thoroughly, and then rub over with cotton slightly oiled. This will mate the gold adhere. If the gold sticks to the brass or copper wheels, roll them in lard before putting them over it. The line work is comparatively easy to the lettering. There is danger of spoiling the book in the latter operation unless expe- rience enables one to do it safely. The best way for an amateur is to use labels, printing them before he sticks them to the back of the book ; scraps of thin black and red leather come in handy for this. For a book bound in sheep, one black and one red label look well. For morocco, black is good for both. If the amateur is in possession of a printing outfit, he is well prepared to turn out first-class labels with ordinary printer's type. To do this, lock up the lines of type selected in the chase, using only metal furniture to fill out with. The smaller the chase the more handy the operation. Heat chase, type, and furniture by laying face up on a piece of sheet iron over a large lamp or gas jet. Heat slowly and carefully until the type will hiss. In the meantime have your press ready, the impression regulated, and the piece of leather to be used for a label coated with glaire and gold. When the right heat is obtained, transfer the chase to its place on the press as quickly as possible, and get the type pressed into the leather as soon as it can be done. The chase and metal furniture will help to hold the heat until the gold is set. Bub a little lard over the type just before taking it from the place where it is heated. Care must be taken in heating the type not to melt it. A good way to t^H about the heat is to lay a thin piece of type on the iron by the side of the chase ; it will melt quicker than the large type ; and when it starts, move the chase farther away from the heat. Labels can be successfully printed this way, and look fine if properly put in place. Cut to the proper size, and trim the edges down to nothing, looking out that the knife not notch into them. Glue and smooth carefully into place, and the job is done.
Where the name is to be printed directly on the book, the copper type and holder referred to above can be used, unless regular tools are at hand. A point to remember is that better work can be done if the holder is heated as well as the type, so as to hold the heat longer.
A little lacquer puts a fine finish on the book. The following recipe is a good one, and the lacquer made according to it gives a rich looking surface. Pulverise and dissolve 1 ounce of shellac, \ ounce each of sandarach, mastic, and benzoin, in 6 ounces of alcohol ; then add \ ounce of Venice turpentine, and filter. This will give a lacquer of fine colour and a good polish, and when rubbed over the leather it will impart an excellent finish. A very little should be used, as it dries very quickly, and if too much is used it will dry streaked.
For the end paper, which is stuck down over the inside of the cover, thick manilla paper is good for ordinary work ; it isj strong, and looks well if a good quality of paper is used. It saves the trouble of making up marbled paper, and for many books looks fully as well.
A New Method of Etching Metals. — The Berlin Papier Zeitimg in a recent issue describes what appears to be a decidedly improved method of etching metals, such as zinc, from which it is desired subsequently to take prints. The image is transferred in the ordinary way to the surface of the zinc plate, which is backed with asphalte and immersed in a bath of dilute acid. One terminal of an electric current proceeding from a dynamo is connected with the liquid, the other with the zinc plate. As soon as the current passes, the metal commences to be attacked with such rapidity that in a few minutes the exposed portions are eaten in to the depth of the thickness of a sheet of paper. In this manner the zinc may be very rapidly etched to any depth desired.
To make a Watertight Joint between Glass and Zinc, for a small aquarium, melt together Burgundy pitch, 150 parts; gutta pereha in sheets, 25 parts; ground pumice stone, 75 parts.
36
THE MAGIC LANTERN: HOW TO MAKE AND USE IT.
THE MAGIC LANTERN : HOW TO MAKE AND USE IT.
WITH FULL INSTEUCTIONS FOE MAKING A £50 OUTFIT FOE £5.
By W. A. ALLEN, Inventor and Manufacturer of Lime- Light Apparatus.
I. — Introduction — The Body — What Wood to use — Details of Construction.
ES, my dear reader, you can smile. I
know you will say it is impossible,
[and that the lenses will cost three
times the amount ; or that one gas-bag will take
all the money. But, extraordinary as it may
seem, it can be done; a first-class lecturer's tri-
unial dissolving lantern, with all the latest
improvements, a pair of 10 feet gas-bags, and
all the necessary apparatus for the making and
working of the gases, in the bargain. Yes, all
the lot for £5.
It is universally acknowledged that magic lanterns afford the very best means of enter- taining both old and young ; and, as the Arch- bishop of Canterbury observed, as a religious, moral, and educational agent it has no rival ; and now, that through the aid of photography, slide-making is so simple, every amateur work- man should possess one. The pleasure he will be able to shower on the juvenile members of his acquaintance, ought alone to repay him, to say nothing of the profit it is possible for him to make.
But, of course, there are lanterns and lan- terns ; and, say what you will, there is nothing like the lime-light. You will probably say it is dangerous ; well, all I can say is, that if you follow my instructions, it is perfectly safe, and impossible to have an explosion.
The process of making the gas, or rather the gases, is so simple, that a child can. do it ; but if the working expenses are not so much an object, you can hire the cylinders ready filled. I am afraid many of my readers' pockets will not allow them to run to that, so I must show them how to make our old friend the gas-bag, but it will be a new style ; also tanks, with water - pressure, the ether saturator, etc.
I also propose to show you something new in
the way of a rolling diaphragm for the curtain effect, an aphengiscope for exhibiting opaque objects, water tank to show animalculaj, etc.
Hitherto high-class magic lanterns have been considered outside the scope ■ of the average amateur ; but why, I never could understand, as like everything else, it is very simple when you know the way, and the tools are few and inexpensive.
Tlie Body. — A glance at Fig. 1 will show you the sort of thing we are going to make. Mahogany, French polished, is usually employed, but any wood will do. I have made one of American white wood, called bass, and decorated with chez-lui enamel.
This wood is very easy to work, fine and close in the grain, takes a good polish, and is light and cheap. If ebonised and polished, nothing can beat it, either for appearance or utility.
Mahogany is considered the correct thing, but is hard to work, heavy, and expensive.
Having decided upon the wood, I must explain how the case is made, so that you will know the size and quantity required. The side shown in Fig. 1 (where you will stand to work the lantern when exhibiting), is made of a framework 1 inch wide, with a stile in the centre, and should be about ^ inch thick ; it can be halved together, but better far to be mortised; this will take a piece 24 by 4 inches by f inch, minus the saw-cut ; but as we are not working to hair-breadths, it will not matter if our lantern is \ of an inch more or less.
The left-hand division must be rabbeted out to take the panel a, or it can be secured flat on the back if the rabbeting is too much trouble.
The right-hand division is for the little door, b, which is framed of \ inch square ; for this we shall require about 5 feet of \ \ty \ inch.
It must be hinged on the right-hand side, so that when it is opened, to manipulate the gas, the light will be thrown on the back of the audience, and not on the sheet.
If a little bead is run all round, it will form a good stop for the door, and make it more light- tight when closed.
The two panels can be very thin, say \ inch, and we shall require about 23 by 9 inches by
\ inch.
THE MAGIC LANTERN: HOW TO MAKE AND USE IT.
37
In the door panel ive must cut three holes with the fret-saw, to take blue glass windows, which enable the operator to see that the lights are going on all right. The holes are about 2 inches in diameter.
The glass is put in with putty, and a brass ring- screwed on the front to make a finish ; the centre one, in the centre of the door ; the lower one, about 5 inches from the plinth ; and the upper one, about 4 inches from the top ; in other words, opposite the nipples of the burners. Fig. 2 will give us the measurements.
We shall also require a brass knob to open it hy, and a brass button at the top left-hand corner to secure it with.
Fig. 3 is the other side
getting at the inside should anything go wrong with the burners. One of the great faults of most makers is, that the tubes and fittings are too small and fragile, easily put out of order, and having no provision or convenience for getting at them ; conse- quently the poor exhibitor is frequently compelled to send it back to the makers to be repaired.
This door must also be hinged at the front or left- hand side of the lantern, have a brass knob to open it with, and a brass button on the right-hand top corner to secure it.
The stiles are best about f inch wide and f inch thick ; we shall want for this a piece 22 by 1£ inches by -| inch, and for the panel 2 pieces of J inch 21 by 9 inches.
"^
F IC. 3.
0
§
12
to correspond with Fig. 1, and it is also made of framework, as before, but without the stile in the centre ; so we shall only require a piece 24 by 3 inches by | inch.
It is filled up with one big door, to allow of
The front, Fig. 4, is a plain piece of wood 24 by 12 inches by f inch, with three holes 4i inches diameter (cut with the fret - saw), to take the cases that carry the condensing lenses.
38
HOW AN AMATEUR MADE A POULTRY FARM PAY.
For the back we require a piece of § inch, same size as the front, and in which there are no holes of any sort ; this is different to any lantern you have ever seen, and the advantages of which you will see later on.
HOW AN AMATEUR MADE A POULTRY FARM PAY.
By J. E. E. J. HARRIS.
N enthusiastic poultry fancier once put the question to himself— Do poultry pay ? and selecting various breeds by way of trial, he proposed to test the question by experience. Renting a house with under an acre of meadow land adjoining, he proceeded, at an expenditure of about five pounds, to convert an old cow lodge into a poultry house, with divisions therein to accommodate seven different breeds of fowls. Some forty shillings were ex- pended in wire netting to partition off about a quarter of the meadow into poultry runs leading from the fowl house ; so that each variety had dormitory and runs to its own separate use.
Coloured Dorkings are fine full-breasted, short-legged, and large birds. As a table fowl there is no variety comes near them for sweet- ness and delicacy of flesh, for quality and quantity of meat, alike rich, tender, and full of flavour ; and their eggs being on a par with their table qualities, our friend selected two dozen of this breed to start his poultry farm.
The Plymouth Bock has its admirers, and some fanciers declare they would not be without this breed if they wish to secure strong broods of early spring chickens, and a constant supply of large brown-shelled eggs. "Why the brown- coloured egg should sell in the market better than the white one of the Dorking or the Ham- burgh, is a detail which passes comprehension. It has been said that the brown eggs are richer in flavour than the white ones ; but surely depth of colour in the shell cannot impart depth of tone or quality to the taste. At any rate, twelve Eocks were added to the farm stock, that their behaviour might be compared with others, and judged upon.
The Langshan, with some breeders, is a very favourite class ; a good layer of rich brown eggs, and not prone to sitting — half a dozen of these found their way to keep company with the Eocks and the Dorkings. The Americans have a strong fancy for the Silver Wyandotte ; a plump table bird, standing confinement well, laying a brown egg, and thriving like the Eock, anywhere, under any conditions. Half a dozen, Wyandottes were added to the farm stock.
Broody hens in the early season are sometimes- very difficult to obtain ; and with a view to a large quantity of spring chickens, recourse was had to some of the more determined sitting breeds, and six Light Brahmas, six Buff Cochins, and twelve Partridge Cochins were imported ; so that, with eggs and chickens, all emergencies might be duly provided against. Six dozen fowls in all, costing, at three-halfpence per bird per week, nine shillings for subsistence, and reckoning the outlay for buildings, etc., and the' cost of the fowls, five shillings per head for true- bred birds, as so much invested capital, to return interest in kind.
Some fanciers hold that one penny per head per week, especially upon a grass run, is suffi- cient allowance for food ; but birds in runs depend almost entirely on their keeper for what- ever they may eat, and if at three-halfpence the- birds would never refuse a little more, then three-halfpence has not exceeded the bounds of moderation and domestic economy, when applied to the amateur's egg basket. Starting with the commencement of the year, proceed to enter the weekly expenditure. But why, it may be asked, commence poultry keeping in January when hens are not in full lay till spring. Simply be- cause a stock of laying hens is not readily attain- able when birds are in full profit, and their owners have had the loss of keeping them in. idleness during the winter.
Now, we often read in many of the excellent poultry manuals that such a breed is a laying fowl through the winter, that another will be in, full lay nigh ten months out of twelve, and that some special laying breeds are possessed of such remarkable fecundity, they almost lay two eggs per day in the height of the season, when visitors from the town swarm into the country, and must
A CHESTNUT ROASTER.
39
have their matutinal new-laid eggs at any cost and under any conditions. But experience teaches a little, and Dorking or Cochin, Kock or Brahma, these birds seem to have some rooted antipathy against providing a constant supply of eggs when the fowl-runs are white with snow, and the water in the drinking troughs is frozen up. January is the birds' holiday time; February, and one or two old hens will take a turn at egg production, as if in preparation for starting the machinery in motion to fully realise the farmer's dream of profit — a plentiful supply of March hatched chickens.
. It will not be out of place here to put on record the chicken butcher's estimate of the various breeds mentioned in this paper, without regard to quality of egg, and looking at the birds solely for their value, when cooked and on the table. The Dorking holds the place of pre- eminence; in fact, as table birds, the butcher will hardly look at one of the others.
The Bock's yellow legs and yellow skin are two great objections, and though the flesh is rich, it is neither so rich nor so juicy as that of the Dorking, and the traces of yellow fat to be found in the bird, are strong objections to the breed as an article of diet. These same remarks apply with equal force to the "Wyandotte, the Langshan, the Cochin, and the Brahma, and each is rejected by the butcher on account of the feathered leg, the lean breast, and a certain rankness of flavour in the flesh.
During the early spring months, say up to the end of June, some three hundred chickens were hatched; about half of these being feather- legged, were sold at two shillings a couple, the other half realised three shillings the brace. Over eighty dozen eggs were sold at an average of one shilling per dozen ; and there was, besides, a liberal egg supply for a household of eight persons. The total cost of keep for twenty-six weeks amounted, at nine shillings per week, to eleven pounds fourteen shillings. Sales of chickens reached eighteen pounds fifteen shillings ; eggs realised four pounds ; making a total on the credit side of twenty- two pounds fifteen shillings, and a profit of eleven pounds one shilling ; not allowing anything for the rich
manure which helped to bring to perfection a magnificent crop of potatoes, which lasted the fanrity till new potatoes came in the following year, and not counting the pleasure of enjoy- ment at will of a somewhat scarce article of diet — a genuine new-laid egg.
A CHESTNUT ROASTER.
Bv II. J. W.
||S Christmas is fast approaching us, and it never comes without chestnuts, I thought a short article on a roaster might be acceptable to our amateur tin-smiths, who no doubt have received many a lecture for baking chestnuts on the fire-grate, when all of a sudden one bursts and makes a report like a gun, scaring the elderly ones out of their senses.
The bottom is made of No. 22 Birmingham wire-gauge sheet-iron, and has a lock seam (see "Joints used in Tin-plate Working," Vol. II., page 289). It has eight clamps (see d, sectional elevation) rivetted on the sides, and on to these is dropped a perforated bottom. A hole is cut out of the side, and a door rivetted on ; a hasp is also secured to door by means of rivets. The top is wired with J-inch rod ; and the bottom has four legs, rivetted, which should be of same material as the fire-pot. The fuel used is char- coal. The roaster, as will be seen from the sectional elevation, is separate from the bottom or fire-pot. The material used is 2 inches by 10 inches. The sides are tapered ; the outside apartment is for water, the inside to roast the nuts. The cover is hinged on, and a knob is placed on opposite side of the hinges (see e. side elevation).
Handles are also rivetted on each side of both fire-pot and roaster ; the latter to lift same from fire if desired (see c).
b represents a vent for the steam, and is a bottle-screw, with a hole made in it, and has a taper cylindrical tube soldered on ; the latter has a " soldered seam."
a represents a bottle-screw, wherewith to fill the water partition. A knob is placed on
40
A CHESTNUT ROASTER.
centre of cover; or, if preferred, a fancy tin ornament, like shape shown in drawing.
The oven rests on the edge of the water apart-
The seams for both compartments are made alike, the bottom being " turned up," and sides " lock-seamed."
Back elevation.
Side elevation
End Elevation
A Bottle screw. B. Vent tube C Handles D Supports, Z Knob.
Loncituoinal Sectional Elevation
ment, and is soldered to same, as will be seen in sectional elevation ; the latter being panned to tapered sides, and resting on wired top of fire-pot.
I should not advise an amateur to attempt making the above article until he has mastered the construction of joints in tin work, when he might at once proceed without fear of failure.
A USEFUL TOWEL-HORSE.
41
A USEFUL TOWEL-HORSE.
BEING THE FIEST OF A SEBIES DEALING WITH' AETICLES OF HOUSEHOLD UTILITY.
By ED. C. E OE, Junr., Silver and Honours Medalist City and Guilds of London Institute.
We have, doubtless, all heard or seen about the enamel paint which is stated to be the paint for amateurs' use. Be this as it may, it is undoubtedly a very useful composition ; and our towel-horse, when completed, is just the thing on which to try our skill at enamelling. The
S3T is probable that here and there will be found a reader who will remark, " What an extremely simple thing to publish, namely — How to make a towel-horse." Now, I have observed many times, that such simple, useful, and quickly made articles of utility are very welcome to the worker who has only a limited amount of spare time, and plenty of room to be occupied by such things. This being the case, I venture to place this paper before you, and trust to be able to continue from time to time short papers similar to this, on easily made and tasty articles of furniture, etc., for household use.
|
~y |
||
|
F ■ |
||
|
' |
choice of tint used will, of course, be governed by taste and circumstances ; but I would ask the worker to give a passing glance to a broken white tint which, I believe, is termed " Ivory." Now, if this paint is used, when you purchase you will have full instructions with it, so that it will be unnecessary for me to occupy both time and space with a repetition of such.
The best material to use in the construction of the horse is, if we intend painting, pine ; if French polishing or varnishing be preferred, pine may still be used with effect, but, generally speaking, hard wood is preferable, on account of its superior appearance and strength.
42
A USEFUL TOWEL-HORSE.
The sketches are to the scale of Ih inches to a foot, the details being half size ; the radii of the curves are figured, so that no difficulty should occur on that score.
Our first operation must be to cut out the four legs. When setting out, allow 1 inch extra length to each, for the tenon into top, e ; half size section of legs is shown at a. Be particularly careful, when cleaning up, to work square to the face of the stuff. The four legs may now be placed together, and the mortises set out to take the tenons on the cross bars, b and c. J elevations are shown half size of each ; but if it is preferred, the two together, taken as J eleva- tion, would look well ; if this is done, both may be alike. The mortises will be sufficiently large if they are \ inch long by \ inch wide. It is not necessary to drive the mortises through ; if they are stubbed in about f inch, and good glue be used when putting together, the strength given will be found all that is requisite. Should any doubt be entertained, the bottom cross-piece may be tenoned through; but, in any case, it is not necessary to treat the middle one so. The tenons on top of legs will require to be /^ inch in thickness, as shown by dotted lines at A, and if left about 1 inch long it will be found ample.
The top is prepared in two portions — one being e, the other n ; we must get out the e pieces first, and after planing up all round, set out the mortises to take the tenons on top of legs (4 elevation is shown at e) ; these mortises run through, being wedged on the top side, and afterwards cleaned off flush. It is often advisable to lower the top of the tenon below the surface of surrounding stuff by means of a gouge ; this precaution is taken in case of shrinkage occurring, as the tendency would be to force off the top piece. The mortises for the two rails require cutting in the edge of e, in position shown at m on e, and then we can work the hollow, which is best done by working first the ends or across the grain, and afterwards the sides, or with the grain. Having fitted the legs into top, the cross-pieces, c and d, require cutting out, and mortising, and tenoning for the rails ; the mortise should be about J inch by | inch (see Fig. g).
The mortises in e should be about 1 inch deep, and in b and o it can be arranged, if care be taken, not to run these through, but after glueing, to put in a skew nail from the under side.
Of rails we require four — two to section h, and two to section g ; the length is really conditional upon circumstances, but I would suggest 2 feet 6 inches long as being convenient. The tenons on the ends will, of course, be set out in accord- ance with the mortises, and cut before working into shape. The ends of the rails, as section h, will require careful scribing to the hollow on e ; a half size elevation of this is shown at i.
I think that it is quite clear, from the sketches, that there are two top rails in the position shown at h.
The remaining things to be seen to are the top pieces shown at d ; these, it will be observed, are worked hollow on both sections. Care must be exercised to work the hollows evenly, as- otherwise, when finished with a shiny surface, defects are easily discernible. Perhaps the hint to prepare a rubber from a piece of waste wood, in section the reverse of the hollow, on which to stretch the glasspaper, will prove of use.
I can imagine the voice of our Editor saying, in mild yet suggestive tones, that all things, even towel-horses, must have an end, and there- fore we must hasten to screw the two top pieces on with a couple of screws to each, and reach that end which I have hinted at.
In conclusion, I would refer the worker to that remedy for all ills, namely, "Amateurs in Council," should anything unforeseen crop up>.
Combined Toning and Fixing Bath. — The formula is as follows : —
Dissolve in warm water . . 10 ounces
Acetate of soda . . . . 2 drachms
Sulphocyanide of ammonium 2 ,, Hyposulphite of soda.. ..20 ,,
And when quite cold add to the above 5 grains of chloride of gold previously dissolved in about 1 drachm of distilled water. The above bath has given me such satisfaction that for some time now I have used no other, except for pur- poses of experiment. — Photo. Review.
PAPER NEGATIVES, AND OTHER SUBSTITUTES FOR GIASS.
43
PAPER NEGATIVES, AND OTHER SUBSTITUTES FOR GLASS.
By R. A. R. BENNETT, BA. (Oxon). President of the Photographic Section of the Oxford Nat. Hist. Society, Ben. Sec. of the literary Photographic Club, etc.
*jTTF, substitution of paper for the glass 3 of the ordinary dry-plate has been received by many -workers as an entirely new and original idea, and looked upon as being the dream of the future, when no thoughts of broken negatives, heavy packages requiring additional aid for their transportation, and boxes of unexposed plates, opened by the ruthless hands of unscientific Custom House officials, shall harass the mind of the enthusi- astic tourist travelling in company with his camera.
A certain amount of advantage certainly appertains to the use of paper, or films, in the place of glass. They are enormously lighter, and pack into a much smaller space for travelling; then, when developed, they can be packed tightly into boxes for storage, and several dozen will go into the place of half a dozen negatives on glass. Their unbreakableness is also an advantage, even at home, for sad mis- fortunes have occurred to careless operators who have let fall a box loaded with glass negatives.
The use of paper for glass is not, however, by any means a new one ; it was attempted many years ago, even in the days of the old collodion process ; but it was found impossible to free the paper from grain, and therefore the attempt was given up. Great improvements have, how- ever, been made in it of late years, and it has now come largely into use.
One advantage possessed by paper over glass, from a purely technical point of view, is, that paper is not apt to suffer from "halation," which is the bane of all interior work. It has been debated by numerous authorities, what the cause of halation may be ; but whether it is due to reflection from the back of the glass, diffraction caused by "motes" floating in the air, or unequal dispersion of the rays from
a brilliantly lighted object by the glass of the lens, certain it is that, as a general rule, halation may be ignored when we are using paper as a support for the film instead of glass.
For cloud effects, film negatives are to be preferred, as they can be printed from either side ; they are also an advantage, for the same reason, when we desire to use the negatives for photo-mechanical or carbon printing, and for Eastman's transferotype paper, which, if used with a glass negative, requires to undergo the process known as " double printing," if the picture is to appear as in nature, and not reversed, i.e., the left side right, and the right side left.
For all these reasons paper is to be preferred to glass ; but many are hindered from the use of paper, by the disadvantages incidental to making the paper transparent, which is generally achieved by soaking it in oil or vaseline ; this, of course, adds an additional element of difficulty, as the oil or vaseline may not conduct itself in a proper manner. Moreover, it has practically been found impossible to entirely eradicate the grain of the paper, and therefore the plan of only using a temporary support, and after- wards removing the film, was introduced. Unfortunately, this also has its drawbacks, since the film does not always leave the support with the readiness required ; and to damage a valuable negative in the last stage of its manipulation, is rather exasperating.
Lately, however, there have been introduced the already well-known ivory and celluloid films ; and so many obstacles have been over- come by their use, that it seems not unlikely that at some future time we may have a celluloid, or other film, which will combine the advantages of the paper (which has its own commendable properties, chief of which is the fact that it can be used in a continuous roll, while celluloid cannot) and those of the transparent celluloid films. For the present, the best course to adopt is the use of plates when at home, and weight does not much signify, and the use of films when travelling abroad, in which case the increased facility of porterage, etc., overcomes the additional work to be expended on them on returning home.
44
PAPER NEGATIVES, AND OTHER SUBSTITUTES FOR GLASS.
Paper and films alike can be developed just in the same way ; and as instructions have been given as to ordinary development in this maga- zine, it is unnecessary to occupy space by re- capitulating them. The metabisulphite of potash developer has been warmly recom- mended for films. The following is the formula —
Pyro Solution. — Pyrogallic acid, 480 grains ; metabisulphite of potash, 480 grains ; distilled water, to make 15 ozs. of solution.
Bromide Solution (restrainer). — Ammonium, bromide, 480 grains ; distilled water, to make 4 ozs. of solution.
Ammonia Solution {accelerator). — Liquid am- monia (-880), 1 oz. ; distilled water, 9 ozs.
Or, Potash and Soda Solution {accelerator). ■ — Carbonate of potash, 480 grains; carbonate of soda, 480 grains ; ferrocyanide of potash, 480 grains; distilled water, to make 10 ozs of solution.
With this developer you can begin by diluting 1 drachm of pyro solution to measure 1 oz., and add i drachm of the soda and potash solution as accelerator ; or, if you prefer the ammonia solution, you can begin with 1 drachm of that. In my own practice I always prefer to begin with too little accelerator, and gradually add more till the whole picture is well out.
The bromide solution will not be required, except in cases of over-exposure ; or, if you prefer to be cautious, you can add a few drops before beginning to develop, and increase the quantity if the picture is found to have been over exposed.
The ferrous oxalate developer may be used to develop films, and the lately introduced hydro- quinone also suits them especially well, on account of its tanning action on gelatine, which, of course, hardens the film to a certain extent, and renders it less liable to come to grief afterwards.
A short account of each of the different brands of films and paper negatives will be of use, as most of them have more or fewer peculiarities of their own, which necessitate different treatment from other makes.
Morgan and Kidd's Negative Paper. — This being a sample of the original paper support, a de- scription of how to manipulate it will be useful
for those who favour this process. The makers state in their instructions that a very prolific source of failure with this paper is under- development. If a glass negative is taken, and a piece of paper of similar thickness to that of the negative paper is placed at the back of it, it will be found that when the glass negative is viewed through and straight down (i.e., by reflected and transmitted light), the shadows appear veiled and not very brilliant, although the negative may be of perfect printing quality. This gives us a standard by which to judge the printing density of the paper films.
All papers, or films, are placed in a dish of cold water before developing for two minutes, in order that the developer may flow evenly over the surface at once on being inserted in the develojsingbath. A glass-bottomed dish answers well to develop in, as the paper clings to the bottom if the developer is poured off; and, therefore, by holding the dish up to the light at intervals, pouring off the developer, the progress of development can be easily watched.
The developer given before, or any other, may be employed, and when developed the paper is passed through an alum bath, which should always be done, as this tends to prevent the film becoming blistered or frilling, and then fixed in a solution of 6 ounces of hyposulphite of soda to the pint of water. If any stain is perceived on the negative, soak it in a clearing solution of alum (saturated solution), two parts, citric acid, one ounce. Then wash thoroughly in running water for several hours, and dry. The drying has to be conducted in a peculiar manner, either on a glass plate covered with talc, or, which is best (as that is rather uncertain in its action), on one coated with collodion. Take a perfectly