The Boy Mechanic: Volume 1 | Page 7

old shoe soles to crosspieces
[Illustration: Made from Barrel Staves]
placed one-third of the way from one end as shown. --Contributed by David Brown, Kansas City, Mo.

** Fish Signal for Fishing through Ice [10]
Watching a fish line set in a hole cut in the ice on a cold day is very disagreeable, and the usual method is to
[Illustration: Bell and Battery in a Box]
have some kind of a device to signal the fisherman when a fish is hooked. The "tip ups" and the "jumping jacks" serve their purpose nicely, but a more elaborate device is the electric signal. A complete electric outfit can be installed in a box and carried as conveniently as tackle.
An ordinary electric bell, A, Fig. 1, having a gong 2-1/2 in. in diameter, and a pocket battery, B are mounted on the bottom of the box. The electric connection to the bell is plainly shown. Two strips of brass, C, are mounted on the outside of the box. The brass strips are shaped in such a way as to form a circuit when the ends are pulled together. The box is opened and set on the ice near the fishing hole. The fish line is hung over a round stick placed across the hole and then tied to the inside strip of brass. When the fish is hooked the line will pull the brass points into contact and close the electric circuit.

** Homemade Floor Polisher [10]
A floor polisher is something that one does not use but two or three times a year. Manufactured polishers come in two sizes, one weighing 15 lb., which is the right weight for family use, and one weighing 25 lb.
A polisher can be made at home that will do the work just as well. Procure a wooden box such as cocoa tins or starch packages are shipped in and stretch several thicknesses of flannel or carpet over the bottom, allowing the edges to extend well up the sides, and tack smoothly. Make a handle of two stout strips of wood, 36 in. long, by joining their upper ends to a shorter crosspiece and nail it to the box. Place three paving bricks inside of the box, and the polisher will weigh about 16 lb., just the right weight for a woman to use. The polisher is used by rubbing with the grain of the wood. --Contributed by Katharine D. Morse, Syracuse, N. Y.

** Tying Paper Bag to Make a Carrying Handle [10]
In tying the ordinary paper bag, the string can be placed in the paper in such a way that it will form a handle to carry the package, and also prevent any leakage of the contents. The bag must be long enough for the end to fold over as shown in Fig. 1. The folds are made over the string, as in
[Illustration: Stages in Tying a Bag]
Fig. 2. The string is then tied, Fig. 3, to form a handle, Fig. 4. --Contributed by James M. Kane, Doylestown, Pa.

** Equilibrator for Model Aeroplanes [11]
On one of my model aeroplanes I placed an equilibrator to keep it balanced. The device was attached to a crosspiece fastened just below the propeller between the main frame uprights. A stick was made to swing on a bolt in the center of the crosspiece to which was attached a weight at the lower end and two lines connecting the ends of the planes at the upper end. These are shown in Fig. 1. When the aeroplane tips, as
[Illustration: Warping the Aeroplane Wings]
shown in Fig. 2, the weight draws the lines to warp the plane so it will right itself automatically. --Contributed by Louis J. Day, Floral Park, N. Y.

** Repairing Christmas-Tree Decorations [11]
Small glass ornaments for Christmas tree decorations are very easily broken on the line shown in the sketch. These can be easily repaired by inserting in the neck a piece of match, toothpick or splinter of wood and tying the hanging string to it.
[Illustration: Repaired Decoration]

** Homemade Scroll Saw [11]
A scroll saw, if once used, becomes indispensable in any home carpenter chest, yet it is safe to say that not one in ten contains it. A scroll saw is much more useful than a keyhole saw for sawing small and irregular holes, and many fancy knick-knacks, such as brackets, bookracks and shelves can be made with one.
A simple yet serviceable scroll saw frame can be made from a piece of cold-rolled steel rod, 3/32 or 1/4 in. in diameter, two 1/8-in. machine screws, four washers and four square nuts. The rod should be 36 or 38 in. long, bent as shown in Fig. 1. Place one washer on each screw and put the screws through the eyelets, AA, then place other washers on and fasten in place by screwing one nut on each screw, clamping the