The Boy Craftsman
by A. Neely Hall · English · Gutenberg #42650 · 465,849 chars · public domain (US)
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Title: The Boy Craftsman
Author: A. Neely Hall
Illustrator: N. P. Hall
Release date: May 5, 2013 [eBook #42650]
Most recently updated: October 23, 2024
Language: English
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOY CRAFTSMAN ***
Transcriber's Notes: Italic text is marked _thus_; bold text is
shown =thus=. Apparent typographical errors have been corrected and
hyphenation standardised. Unusual punctuation and original spelling
have been retained. Fig. numbers do not follow in strict numerical
order.
[Illustration: Front Cover.]
THE BOY CRAFTSMAN
HANDICRAFT BOOKS BY A. NEELY HALL
_8vo. Cloth. Illustrated with hundreds of photographs and working
drawings by the author and Norman P. Hall_
THE BOY CRAFTSMAN HANDICRAFT FOR HANDY BOYS (_Revised Edition_)
THE HANDY BOY (_Revised Edition_)
HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS
HANDICRAFT FOR HANDY GIRLS
CARPENTRY AND MECHANICS FOR BOYS
HOME-MADE GAMES AND GAME EQUIPMENT (_Revised Edition_)
OUTDOOR BOY CRAFTSMEN
BIG BOOK OF BOYS' HOBBIES
LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD COMPANY BOSTON NEW YORK
[Illustration: A BOY'S WORKSHOP.]
THE BOY CRAFTSMAN
Practical and Profitable Ideas for a Boy's Leisure Hours
BY A. Neely Hall
With more than four hundred illustrations by the author and Norman P.
Hall
[Illustration: Page Decoration.]
BOSTON
LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO.
COPYRIGHT, 1905, BY LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD COMPANY.
Published, August, 1905.
_All rights reserved._
THE BOY CRAFTSMAN.
Norwood Press
J. S. Cushing & Co.--Berwick & Smith Co.
Norwood, Mass., U.S.A.
Work hard--Play hard.
--THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
NOTE TO THE READER
The boy of to-day is ever on the lookout for new ideas which can be
adopted for his work and recreation, schemes which are practical and
which are thoroughly up-to-date. They must be helpful in suggesting ways
of earning money, as well as entertaining, for what boy of the present
day does not feel the need of such suggestions to aid him in raising the
funds necessary to carry on his work?
In none of the books published on boy's handicraft has the question
entered into consideration as to how he is to obtain the means with
which to buy such materials and apparatus as the work requires. A boy
should not expect to draw upon his father's purse for everything his
fancy desires. It is important that he learn to earn his spending money,
for in doing so he becomes independent and more careful as to how he
invests it. Having had the experience of working, the average boy learns
to so appreciate the value of hard-earned money that it is pretty
certain he will spend it only for something with which he can earn more
or which will prove useful to him in his work and play.
"The Boy Craftsman" has been undertaken with a view of helping boys with
their problems of earning money, as well as furnishing recreative and
entertaining work, and to this end the first portion has been devoted to
suggestions for the carrying on of a number of small business
enterprises, and the second and third parts to outdoor and indoor
pastimes for all seasons of the year.
In "Profitable Pastimes" a boy will find work that will make easy the
matter of earning money with which to buy such materials as he needs to
carry out the suggestions offered in the book, while the practical
knowledge acquired and the handiness developed in pursuing the several
lines of work is certain to be helpful to him in later years.
The tools and apparatus used are such as a boy of average ability can
procure with a little hustling, and can be purchased singly, or two or
three at a time, as his money permits. The materials at hand can be used
in thousands of different ways, and in preparing the chapters this has
been taken into consideration, these odds and ends being utilized
whenever it has been possible to do so.
Carpenter work is something with which every boy must familiarize
himself to a certain extent in order to do anything in the line of
construction, so the fitting up of a workshop and the proper handling of
tools have been described in the first two chapters, in view of making
it a simple matter to perform the work embodied in the rest of the book.
Technical terms and phrases have been eliminated from the text as far as
possible, and where it has been deemed necessary to include them, to
describe certain operations for which a boy should know the proper terms
or expressions, they have generally been explained in the first chapter
in which they occur. To simplify the matter of referring to the
definitions of these, they have been arranged alphabetically in Chapter
XXIX.
Some of the material contained in this book was originally written by
the author in the form of magazine articles for _The American Boy_ and
_The Boys' World_, and thanks are due the publishers, The Sprague
Publishing Company and The David C. Cook Publishing Company, for
permission to reprint it. This material has been revised and enlarged
upon, and is presented with new and additional illustrations.
The author is always glad to hear from his young readers, and to be of
assistance to them in answering any questions they wish to ask regarding
their work.
A. N. H.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,
May 31, 1905.
CONTENTS
[Illustration: Boy 'Fixing' Clock with a Hammer.]
PART I
_PROFITABLE PASTIMES_
CHAPTER I
PAGE
A BOY'S WORKSHOP 3
Value of a Knowledge of Carpenter Work--Location of Shop--A Solid
Work-bench--The Vise--Bench-stops--Carpenter's Horses--A
Bench-hook--A Mitre-box--A Sand-paper Block--A Strop--A Plumb--
Purchasing Tools--Tool-cabinets--Racks for Tools--A Carpenter's
Carrying-box--A Nail-box--Receptacles for Supplies--Workshop
Clothes--Care of Oily Rags and Waste.
CHAPTER II
THE PROPER HANDLING OF TOOLS 20
Care of Tools--The Cross-cut Saw and Rip-saw--Sawing--The
Back-saw, Compass-saw, and Gig-saw--Kerfs--The Jack-plane,
Fore-plane, and Smoothing-plane--Planing--Testing Work--The
Firmer-chisel--Paring--The Framing-chisel-Chamfering and Bevelling
--The Gouge--The Draw-knife--Boring--An Automatic-drill--
Hatchet and Hammer--Driving Nails--Withdrawing Nails--Toe-nailing
--Blind-nailing--Clinching--The Nail-set--Nails--Screw-driver
for Bit-stock--Screws--The Countersink.
SHARPENING TOOLS 37
Grinding Chisels, Gouges, Draw-knives, Knives and Hatchets--The
Washita Oil-stone--Whetting--Stropping--Sharpening Saws.
LAYING OUT WORK 42
Use of the Try-square--Gauging with Rule and Pencil--A Marking-gauge
--A Mitred Try-square--The Bevel--To Divide a Board.
CHAPTER III
THE BOY ABOUT THE HOUSE 47
Opportunities for Work--Outfit for Jobbing--The Hinge-lock--
Clothes-line Reel--A Broom and Dust-pan Rack--The Fly-killer--An
Ash-sifter--A Bread-board--A Plate-rack
CHAPTER IV
SUGGESTIONS FOR A BOY'S ROOM 57
Simple and Inexpensive Furnishings--What the Room should Contain--A
Cosey-corner--Pennants--Small Posters--Picture-frames--A
Writing-desk--Another Style of Desk--An Ink-stand and Pen-tray--A
Couch--A Window-seat--A Curio-cabinet--Book-shelves--A
Blacking-case--A Towel-rack.
CHAPTER V
HOW TO MAKE A DOLL-HOUSE 71
Store Doll-houses--Profit from making Doll-houses--The Materials
Required--The Base--The Floors--Partitions and Walls--Stairways
--Balustrades--Front and Rear Steps--The Gambrel Roof--The
Gable-ends--The Doors and Windows--Outside Trimmings--Casters--
The Chimneys--A Mantel and Fire-place--Andirons--The Interior
Woodwork--Painting the House.
CHAPTER VI
ANOTHER DOLL-HOUSE AND A STABLE 91
Packing-cases and Other Material--The Floor Plans--The Partitions
and Walls--The Elevator-shaft--The Windows--The Roof--The
Chimney--An Elevator--The Gable-ends--The Stairway--A Balustrade
--Other Details.
HOW TO MAKE THE STABLE 100
Dimensions of Stable--The First Story--The Roof--The Gable-ends--
The Stall Partitions and Feed-troughs--Windows--Ladder to Hay-loft
--Feed-hoist--The Drop-front--A Stable Door--Painting.
CHAPTER VII
FURNISHING THE DOLL-HOUSE 105
The Walls and Ceiling--Hardwood Floors--Carpets and Rugs--
Window-shades and Curtains--Portieres--Pictures--A Cosey-corner--
Buying Furnishings.
CHAPTER VIII
DOLL-FURNITURE 109
Metal Furniture--Miniature Mission Furniture--Material--Drawing
the Patterns--The Chairs--The Settee--Tables--A Side-board--A
Mirror--The Grandfather's Clock--Kitchen Furniture--The Beds--
The Dresser--A Wash-stand--Finishing.
OTHER CIGAR-BOX FURNITURE 122
A Folding-bed--The Dresser--A Wardrobe.
CHAPTER IX
A BOY'S PRINTING-SHOP 126
Location of Printing-shop--Equipment--Selection of Type--
Type-cases--A Rack for Type-cases--A Composing-stick--A
Composing-rule--Justifying--A Home-made Galley--"Pieing"--Proofs
--The Imposing-stone--The Chase--Furniture--Locking-up a Form--
Distribution--The Tympan--Overlaying--Underlaying--Gauge-pins--
Inking the Press--Care of Rollers--Neatness--Receptacles for
Materials--Care of Waste Paper and Oily Rags.
CHAPTER X
AMATEUR JOURNALISM 142
A Collection of Amateur Papers--Amateur Press Associations--Some
Methods of Printing Papers--Examples of Amateur Papers--The
Character of a Paper--Naming--The Frequency of Publication--The
Size of Page--A Stereotyped Heading--The Choice of Type--A Cover
--Binding--Advertisements--The Advertisers' Dummy--Second-class
Matter.
CHAPTER XI
A BOY'S DARK-ROOM 153
Profit in Photography--The Necessary Equipment--The Bedroom as a
Dark-room--The Bath-room as a Dark-room--Another Scheme for a
Dark-room--A Work-table--Running Water--A Water-tank--A Sink--
A Washing-box--A Drying-rack--Another Scheme for a Drying-rack--A
Cabinet--A Ruby-light--A Home-made Lantern--A Plate-lifter--
Classifying and Preserving Negatives--Manila Envelopes--A
Negative-case.
CHAPTER XII
A WINTER ENTERPRISE 169
An Opportunity for Making Money--A Snow Plough--A Scraper--A Snow
Shovel.
PART II
_OUTDOOR PASTIMES_
CHAPTER XIII
A BACK-YARD CLUB-HOUSE 175
How Some Boys Built a Club-house--A Mysterious Letter--Drawing the
Plan of a Club-house--The Material--Fishing Studs--Staking out the
Building--The Studs--Boarding up the Sides--The Roof--The Floor
--A Window-sash--A Batten Door--Wooden Latch--Calking up Cracks.
CHAPTER XIV
HOW TO BUILD A LOG-CABIN 186
The Pioneer Cabin--The Cabin of To-day--Selection of a Site--
Design and Size--The Material--Staking out the Cabin--The
Lock-joint--The Sills--Construction of Roof--Ridge Boards--A Log
Chimney and Fire-place--Calking--A Mud Floor--The Windows--The
Cabin Door--Wooden Hinges--Wooden Latch--The Latch-string--A
Mantel-shelf--Provision Cupboard--Rustic Seats--Bunks--A
Camp-table--A Few Pointers about Camping--Utensils--Other
Necessities--Provisions.
CHAPTER XV
HOW TO BUILD A CANVAS CANOE 201
Canoeing as a Sport--Popularity of Canvas Canoes--Materials--The
Bow and Stern Pieces--The Keelson--The Mould--Putting the
Framework Together--The Gunwales--The Ribbands--The Deck Beams--
The Ridge Pieces--The Deck Braces--The Cockpit--The Canvas
Covering--The Deck--Painting--The Cockpit Coaming--The Keel--
The Bilge-keels--Outside Gunwales--A Seat--How to mend Punctures
--A Single Paddle.
CHAPTER XVI
HOME-MADE TRAPS 218
Trapping as a Pastime--The City Boy and his Country Cousin--The
Figure-four Trap--A Box Trap--The Dead Fall--The Sieve Trap--The
Coop Trap--A Rabbit Snare--A Twitch-up--The Professional Trapper
--Wolves and Coyotes--Story of a Trapped Indian.
CHAPTER XVII
TOY GUNS, TARGETS, AND BOWS AND ARROWS 229
Ancient War Engines--New Idea for a Cross-bow--Shingle Arrows--A
Toy Pistol--Cardboard Bullets--A Shot-gun--An Elastic Sling--A
Boy's Barrel-hoop Target--A Simpler Target--How Points are Scored--
The Bow and Arrow--Length of Bow--The Bow-string--The Arrow-shafts
--Preparing Arrow-heads--Feathering--A Quiver--Proper Position
for Shooting with Bow--The Indian's Bow--How his Arrows were made
and Feathered--The Preparation of his Arrow-heads.
CHAPTER XVIII
AN OUTDOOR GYMNASIUM 243
Location for Gymnasium--A Horizontal Bar--Tumbling Mat--Parallel
Bars--The Punching-bag Platform--A Pair of Jump Standards--A
Vaulting Pole--A Spring-board--Hurdles--A Running Track--Method
of Starting for Short Sprints--Mark for Broad Jumping--An Athletic
Club--Athletic Meets.
CHAPTER XIX
A BACK-YARD CIRCUS 255
The Ancient Roman Circus--The Circus of To-day--How Several Boys
gave a Circus--Preparing the Yard for a Circus--Making the Ring--
Good Circus Seats--A Tent--Decorating the Tent--A Ticket Office--
A Turnstile--The Side Show--Cages for Side Show--Animated Animals
--The Elephant--The Giraffe--The Two-legged Wild Horse--The Wild
Man of Borneo--A Monkey's Make-up--The Ring Master--The Clown's
Suit--The Attendants--Ideas for a Performance--A Slapper--
Looping the Hoop on a Giraffe--A Chariot--Parades--The Advertising
Signs.
CHAPTER XX
SUGGESTIONS FOR FOURTH OF JULY 272
The First Fourth of July Celebration--Pyrotechnics Costly
and Dangerous to Make--The Making of Harmless and Inexpensive
Fireworks--A Fire-cracker Cannon--To fire the Cannon--A
Fire-cracker Mortar--Mimic Battles with Paper Soldiers--Another
Toy Cannon--To fire the Cannon--Firing Fireworks from
Kites--Firing a Pack of Fire-crackers from a Kite--Shooting
Nigger-chasers--Japanese Lanterns hung from Kite-strings--A
Shooting-torch--A Final Set-piece.
CHAPTER XXI
HALLOWEEN 281
Ancient Superstitions and Origin of Halloween--A Magazine
Bean-blower--A New Style of Tick-tack--A Clockwork Tick-tack--
The Goblin-man--The Disappearing Rope.
CHAPTER XXII
A BACK-YARD TOBOGGAN-SLIDE 291
One Advantage of a Small Slide--Location--Length--The Platform--
Framework--Railing around Platform--A Ladder--Making a Swift
Slide--A Home-made Sled--The Runners--Reënforcing the Runners.
PART III
_INDOOR PASTIMES_
CHAPTER XXIII
A MINIATURE THEATRE 303
An Interesting Entertainment--A Picture-frame Proscenium--The
Stage Framework--The Gridiron--The Stage Floor--The Drop-curtain--
Lighting the Theatre--The Footlights--Floodlights--Colored Lights
--Spotlights--Admission Tickets and Programmes.
CHAPTER XXIV
SCENERY, PROPERTIES, AND MECHANICAL EFFECTS 311
Materials for Scenery--An Ocean Scene--Additional Waves--Frames
for Drops--A Mid-ocean Scene--A Seashore Scene--A Field Scene--
The Trees--A Blockhouse Scene--Pine Boughs for Trees and Shrubbery
--Moss for Mounds and Hills--Rustic Bridges--A Pond or Lake--A
Street Scene--An Interior--A War Drama--Paper Soldiers--Scheme
for Marching Soldiers--Separate Standards--A Jointed Figure--Stage
Properties--Tents--An Indian Teepee--Battleships--Trains and
Wagons--Mechanical Effects--Thunder--Rain--Wind--Lightning--
The Roar of Cannon.
CHAPTER XXV
MAKING A TOY RAILWAY 331
The Trolley-line--Supports for Trolley-line--Power for Operating
Railway--Tracks--The Cars--A Gondola Car--A Street Car--Other
Cars--Operation of Railway--A Station.
CHAPTER XXVI
CLOCKWORK AUTOMOBILES 343
Procuring a Set of Clockworks--An Automobile Touring-car--The
Frame--Preparation of Clockworks--The Belt--Testing the Machine--
The Cardboard Sides--Wheels--Mud-guards--Lamps--The Steering-wheel
--A Horn--The Brake--The Chauffeur--Painting the Machine--An
Automobile Delivery Wagon--The Cardboard Sides--The Wheels--Other
Portions--Painting the Wagon--A Clockwork Railway.
CHAPTER XXVII
WORK TO DO WITH A KNIFE 356
How Boots were Marked in a Penitentiary--A Home-made Fountain Pen--
The Magic Pin-wheel--To Operate the Pin-wheel--A Wooden Chain and
Rattle--The Chain--The Rattle--Finishing the Chain and Rattle.
CHAPTER XXVIII
CORK TOYS 363
Materials Required--Cork Animals--A Pig--A Horse--The Elephant
--The Giraffe--A Porcupine--Other Animals--The Korka-bird--A
Duck--Canoes--Small Sail-boats--Cork Furniture--A Chair--The
Sofa--A Small Tabouret--A Toy Log-cabin.
CHAPTER XXIX
DEFINITIONS OF TERMS AND PHRASES 371
INDEX 385
LIST OF HALF-TONE ILLUSTRATIONS
(In addition to more than four hundred text illustrations.)
PART I
A Boy's Workshop _Frontispiece_
OPPOSITE PAGE
Treatment of a Boy's Room 58
Fig. 64.--A Colonial Doll-house 78
Fig. 96.--Another Style of Doll-house} 90
Fig. 97.--Interior View of Doll-house}
An Amateur's Outfit 128
A Group of Amateur Papers 142
Fig. 168.--A Handy Dark-room} 154
Fig. 172.--A Washing-box and Drying-rack}
PART II
In Camp for the Summer 175
A Boys' Log-cabin 188
Two Simple Cabins 198
Caught at Last 226
The Back-yard Circus 268
PART III
A Miniature Theatre 303
Fig. 330.--A Field Scene } 316
Fig. 338.--A Blockhouse Scene}
Fig. 339.--A Street Scene 320
Fig. 375.--The Car completed} 344
Fig. 376.--The Framework }
[Illustration: Boys at the Bank.]
[Illustration: Page Decoration.]
PART I
Profitable Pastimes
CHAPTER I
A BOY'S WORKSHOP
[Illustration: Boy with Box-kite and Boy at Work-bench.]
Carpenter work should be encouraged in a boy from the time he first
becomes interested in it, for besides being something with which to keep
him busy, the experience gained by its practice will be useful to him
all his life, no matter what branch of industry he may follow later on.
When a boy has learned the proper care and use of tools, and is able to
turn out neatly executed work, he will find the occupation a profitable
one, there being an unlimited number of things he can make in his shop.
Doll-houses for girl relatives, toys for brothers and cousins, and
articles for the household, such as are described in following chapters,
are a few of the many things he can construct. Many of these are salable
articles, besides being suitable for birthday and Christmas gifts, and
should bring a neat sum of money to the young carpenter.
A knowledge of carpenter work also develops in a boy a handiness for
devising and putting together articles and apparatus for his own use.
A boy should really have a shop where he can keep his tools and
unfinished work with no danger of them being disturbed, and where he
need not be afraid of littering the floor with shavings or of making too
much noise.
=The Workshop= may be fitted up by the boy himself, and a suitable place
can probably be found in the basement, barn, or woodshed. Here a corner
large enough to contain a work-bench, carpenter's horses, and
tool-cabinets, besides plenty of room to work in, should be partitioned
off, and a window that will admit a good supply of light made in one
side of the room, if one has not already been provided.
[Illustration: FIG. 1.--End View of Work-bench.]
=A Solid Work-bench=, six feet long, thirty inches wide, and thirty-two
inches high, should be constructed beneath the window. It is a good idea
to build this on to the wall if possible, as it is easier to make a
solid bench by doing so, and the firmer it is, the better.
First cut a two-by-four four feet long, and spike it to the wall below
the window, twenty-eight inches above the floor. Then saw two pieces of
two-by-four, twenty-eight inches long, for the legs, and two pieces,
thirty inches long, for crosspieces. Spike the crosspieces on to the
legs and on to the piece nailed to the wall, as shown in Fig. 1. Cut
three ten-inch planks, six feet long, and spike them to the crosspieces
so that they project twelve inches over the ends, but are flush with the
framework in front. Then cut a ten-inch board, six feet long, for an
apron, and, after cutting the ends as shown in Fig. 4, nail it across
the front of the bench.
[Illustration: FIG. 2.--Iron Bench-screw.]
[Illustration: FIG. 3.--Wooden Bench-screw.]
For fifty cents a fifteen-inch iron or wooden bench-screw, similar to
those in Figs. 2 and 3, can be purchased at a hardware store, and the
rest of
=The Vise= is simple to make. Figures 1, 4, and 5 show the details for
this.
Take a board thirty inches long by six inches wide for the jaw, and bore
a hole a little larger than the screw, six inches from one end. Bore
another hole the same size through the apron and table-leg, six inches
below the bench-top (see _A_ in Figs. 4 and 5). The portion of the iron
screw marked _B_ in Fig. 2 should be set into the hole bored in the
bench-leg and screwed at _E_ (Fig. 1), while the portion _D_ is to be
screwed to the jaw. If a wooden screw is used, the portion _C_ in the
drawing (Fig. 3) is nailed to the inside of the bench-leg.
[Illustration: FIG. 4. FIG. 5.
Details of Bench-vise.]
In order to guide the bottom of the jaw, an arrangement similar to _F_
in Fig. 5 should be made. Make a mortise two inches long by one inch
wide near the bottom of the bench-leg and cut a strip of wood fifteen
inches long to fit loosely in it. Then shut the vise and mark upon the
inside of the jaw the place where the mortise comes in the leg. Nail
one end of the fifteen-inch strip to the jaw at this point, being
careful to get it in such a position that the other end will slide into
the mortise. Bore several holes in the strip and cut a peg to fit in
them. The jaw can now be kept parallel with the side of the bench by
adjusting the peg, which is very necessary in order to have the vise
grip a piece of work squarely.
When you have a long board to work upon, it cannot be held steady by the
vise alone. One end should be placed in the vise and the other rested
upon a peg stuck in a hole bored in the side of the bench. For boards of
different lengths, several holes should be bored, as shown in the
illustration of the finished bench (see frontispiece), and a movable peg
cut to fit in them.
=A Bench-stop= of some sort fastened to the top of the bench will be
found useful to push work against while planing it, when it is not
convenient to use the vise. Figures 6, 7, and 8 show the forms of stops
most commonly used by carpenters. Of these the metal stop shown in Fig.
6 is the most satisfactory, as it can be adjusted to different heights.
It costs but little and is easily put in place. A mortise is made in the
top of the bench to receive the lower portion of the stop, and the plate
_A_ is set flush with the bench-top and held in place with screws driven
into the holes in the corners. The centre of this plate (_B_) is
detached from the rest and mounted upon a small post, which can be
adjusted to the desired height by giving the screw at _C_ a few turns
with the screw-driver. The teeth in the edge of _B_ help to hold the
work in position.
[Illustration: FIG. 6. FIG. 7. FIG. 8.
Some Forms of Bench-stops.]
One of the simplest forms of stops is shown in Fig. 7. It consists of
two screws placed in the top of the bench, which can be raised or
lowered with the screw-driver to the height you desire.
The stop shown in Fig. 8 is made out of a block of wood with a "bird's
mouth" cut in one side. It should be nailed to one end of the bench in
such a position that the end of the work can be placed in the "bird's
mouth."
While most of your work will be done on the bench, and a good portion of
sawing done with the wood in the vise, large pieces, especially long
boards, are generally sawn while placed across horses.
=Two Carpenter's Horses= will be required. A good scheme for these is
shown in Fig. 9. The top is made out of a piece of two-by-four with
bevelled mortises cut in two sides of each end as in Fig. 10. These
mortises are made to receive the legs, and the angle of the bevel will
of course determine the angle at which the legs will spread. Cut the
legs out of four-inch boards, and bevel the lower ends to make them set
solidly upon the floor. Nail the legs firmly in place and brace them
with two boards cut and fitted in place, as in the illustration. When
the pieces have been nailed together, plane off the tops of the legs to
make them flush with the top of the horse, and trim the lower ends if
they require it until the horse is solid.
[Illustration: FIG. 9.]
[Illustration: FIG. 10.]
Boring, paring, and nailing on the bench will soon make the surface
uneven, unless something is placed beneath the work during such
operations. You should therefore make and use
=A Bench-hook=, such as shown in Fig. 11. A good size is ten by twelve
inches, but it may be made larger or smaller if desired. Nail a strip
along one edge of the under face and another strip along the opposite
edge of the upper face. The latter strip should have three kerfs cut in
it as shown in the drawing, one at right angles and the other two at
forty-five degrees. These may be laid off with a try-square, as shown in
Figs. 38 and 39 (Chapter II), or with the bevel, as shown in Fig. 42. Be
careful to keep the saw on the line and in a perfectly perpendicular
position in making these kerfs. The upper strip on the bench-hook serves
the purpose of a stop, and the kerfs make it possible to use the
bench-hook for mitring with the back-saw. Further description of the
uses of this handy article will be found in the following chapter.
[Illustration: FIG. 11.--A Bench-hook.]
[Illustration: FIG. 12.--A Mitre-box.]
You will need
=A Mitre-box= for cutting mitres in large work, and this may be made as
shown in Fig. 12. Cut two pieces of seven-eighths inch maple, or other
hard wood, twenty inches long by six inches wide, and one piece twenty
inches long by four inches wide. Nail the six-inch pieces to the edges
of the four-inch piece as shown in the drawing, after which you are
ready to cut the mitres. These should be laid out similar to those on
the bench-hook, by means of the mitred try-square or the bevel. With the
blade of the try-square or bevel extending across the top edges of the
side-pieces, mark off forty-five degree lines at _A_ and _B_, and a
ninety degree line at _C_, after which square the lines down both inner
and outer face of the side-pieces. When the lines have been accurately
drawn, it is a simple matter to make the kerfs, if you have had any
practice in sawing and can keep to a line.
No matter how skilful a carpenter is with his tools, he generally
depends upon his mitre-box in making mitres, for not only accuracy is
obtained by its use, but time is also saved. In using one be careful not
to let the saw cut into the sides of the kerfs, or the box will soon be
rendered useless for making accurate mitres.
[Illustration: FIG. 13.--Sand-paper Block.]
Before putting the finish upon a piece of work, the wood should be
thoroughly sand-papered. In many cases certain portions cannot be
reached by the hand, and so
=A Sand-paper Block= similar to Fig. 13 should be made. Cut a block of
wood five inches long, two and one-half inches wide, and seven-eighths
of an inch thick. Then place it in the vise, and bevel one end and round
the other as shown in the drawing. An inch and one-half from each end
cut "rabbets" one inch wide across the block, and make two blocks to fit
them. When this has been done, cut a strip of sand-paper two and
one-half inches wide and stretch it around the block, holding it in
place by driving the small blocks into the rabbets. You will find this
sand-paper block very handy, as some portion of it can be got into
almost every corner you will ever have occasion to sand-paper. The paper
may be quickly replaced with a fresh piece when worn out.
=A Strop= for putting keen edges on tools may be made out of a block of
wood, with a piece of shoe-leather, or section of an old razor-strop,
glued to one side of it.
=A Plumb=, similar to Fig. 14, is a handy article to have for outdoor
work, such as erecting posts in perpendicular positions. You will have
need of it in putting up such buildings as the back-yard club-house, the
log-cabin, and the erection of apparatus for the outdoor gymnasium, the
construction of which will be found in following chapters.
It consists of a stick, the sides of which have been planed up true and
parallel, with a notch in one end and a cord with a weight attached
fastened to the other end. The notch should be cut in the exact centre
of the end of the stick, and the nail placed in the other end directly
in line with the centre of the notch. An iron nut, or some such weight,
should be attached to the lower end of the cord.
By placing this stick at the side of an object, you can determine
whether or not it is plumb by the position of the string, which should
hang in the centre of the notch when the object is plumb. The length of
the stick may be made to suit the size of the work it is to be used
upon. Four or five feet is a good length for ordinary outside work.
[Illustration: FIG. 14.]
=In purchasing Tools= for your workshop it is not advisable to buy them
in chests, for they are almost always made of cheap material, and poor
tools are of no use to the boy who intends to do good work. It is a much
better plan to buy a few tools at a time, getting a good quality of
steel, and to gradually increase your outfit as your money permits. Then
if you really want a chest you can make it yourself. A hatchet, hammer,
saw, plane, chisel, jack-knife, bit and bit-stock, screw-driver, and
square are the principal tools you will require, and need be all you
have to start out with. Others may be got as you have need of them, and
may be selected from the following list, which includes probably all the
tools a boy would ever have occasion to use.
=LIST OF TOOLS FROM WHICH TO MAKE YOUR SELECTIONS=
1 14-inch Jack-plane.
1 18-inch Fore-plane.
1 9-inch Smoothing-plane.
1 22-inch Rip-saw.
1 20-inch Cross-cut saw.
1 12-inch Back-saw.
1 12-inch Compass-saw.
1 Gig-or Bracket-saw.
1 Ratchet Brace.
5 Auger-bits, 1/4-inch, 3/8-inch, 1/2-inch, 3/4-inch, and 1-inch.
1 Expansive-bit.
Several Gimlet Bits.
1 Screw-driver Bit.
1 Countersink.
1 Brad-awl.
2 Hand Gimlets.
1 Automatic-drill.
4 Chisels, 1/4-inch, 1/2-inch, 3/4-inch, and 1-inch.
2 Gouges, 3/8-inch and 3/4-inch.
1 Draw-knife.
1 Jack-knife.
1 Hatchet.
1 Hammer.
1 Tack Hammer.
1 Mallet.
2 Nail-sets (large and small).
1 Hand Screw-driver.
1 Wood Rasp.
1 Metal File.
1 Pair Cutting Nippers.
1 Pair Pincers.
1 Grind-stone.
1 Oil-stone and oil-can.
1 Strop.
1 2-foot Folding Rule.
1 Large Steel Square.
1 7-inch Try-square.
1 Bevel.
1 Marking-gauge.
1 Compass.
The proper care and handling of these tools is fully described and
illustrated in the following chapter. These directions should be
carefully read before you attempt to use the tools, especially the edge
tools.
=A Cabinet= will be found much better for an outfit of tools than a
tool-chest, as it can be more easily got at than a chest, where it is
necessary to lift several trays before you can reach a tool which has
been put in the bottom.
[Illustration: FIG. 15.--Tool-cabinet.]
The cabinet shown in Fig. 15 is made out of a box about three feet long,
two feet wide, and nine inches deep. Make a door from the box-cover,
fastening the boards together by means of two battens placed at the top
and bottom (see illustration). Nail a cleat on each side of the cabinet
six inches from the bottom, and make a shelf to fit upon them.
=Racks for Bits and Chisels= should be made similar to Fig. 16, and
fastened side by side to the inside of the cabinet.
Cut a strip of wood about the size of the battens, and make two slots in
it, one for the end of the saw to fit in and the other for the blade of
the try-square (see Fig. 15). This strip is fastened to the cabinet door
a few inches above the bottom batten.
[Illustration: FIG. 16.--Bit and Chisel Racks.]
Hang up the other tools on brass hooks.
After completing the cabinet, paint it inside and out, and fasten either
a hook or lock to the door.
When this cabinet becomes too small for your increase in tools, you can
keep those you use the most in it, and make
=Another Cabinet= for the special and less used tools. Either screw the
cabinets to the wall or support them upon brackets.
=Racks= may be made for any tools you wish to hang on the wall. A piece
of grooved siding nailed above the bench will do nicely for the large
square.
When you do outside work you will want something in which to carry such
tools as will be required to complete the job.
[Illustration: FIG. 17.--A Carpenter's Carrying-box.]
=A Carpenter's Carrying-box= should be made. Such a box is shown in Fig.
17. The box should be about twenty-seven inches long to accommodate the
saws, and it would be well to make the width eight inches and the height
sixteen inches. First prepare the end-pieces, making them six by sixteen
inches and rounding the tops with the compass-saw, as shown in the
illustration. Then cut a board twenty-five inches long by six inches
wide for the bottom and nail the end-pieces to the ends of it. Make the
side-pieces twenty-seven by eight inches, and nail them to the
end-pieces and to the edges of the bottom board. The handle consists of
a broom-stick fitted into holes bored near the tops of the end-pieces.
This box should be used for tools only, and not have nails, screws, and
bolts mixed up with them, for these supplies should be kept in a special
=Nail-box=, with compartments for the different sizes of nails, screws,
hooks, screw-eyes, hinges, etc. One of the best kinds of boxes for this
purpose is a knife-box such as can be bought for ten or fifteen cents.
This is divided in two and has a handle attached (see Fig. 18). The two
compartments should be sub-divided into smaller boxes, either with
pieces of cigar-boxes, or with pieces of tin bent at the ends and
fastened to the sides of the box, as shown in the illustration.
[Illustration: FIG. 18.--Nail-box.]
=Supplies= of nails, brads, etc., should be kept in cans and cigar-boxes
of different sizes, and it is a good idea to letter these receptacles
that you may be able to put your hands upon what you want without having
to hunt for it.
=Shelves= will be handy to keep paint-cans and these boxes on.
=Workshop Clothes=.--Old clothes should be worn in the shop, as
carpenter work is rather hard upon them, especially the trousers. Better
than these is a pair of overalls and perhaps a jumper. They are easy to
work in and wear better than anything else.
=A Few Hooks= should be placed on the wall for hats and coats, and for
your working clothes, if you change them in the shop before and after
work.
To prevent your tools from being carried off, and your work from being
disturbed, it is advisable to have a lock upon the door and keep your
shop locked up when you are away.
To avoid danger of fire, keep combustible articles, such as oily waste
and rags, in covered tin cans, and do not allow shavings and rubbish to
accumulate.
CHAPTER II
THE PROPER HANDLING OF TOOLS
[Illustration: Boy at Grind-stone and Boy with Bit-stock.]
Before using a tool be sure you understand the proper handling of it,
for there is probably nothing more easily injured than an edge tool in a
sharpened condition. An inexperienced person is very apt to dull or nick
a tool by striking its edge against nails or by using it for purposes
other than what it was made for. For this reason a carpenter is very apt
to refuse a boy, or any amateur for that matter, the use of his tools,
and he is right in doing so. Just imagine the amount of work it makes
for him to put the tools in shape after they have been returned in all
sorts of conditions. A little rubbing on the oil-stone, with an
occasional grinding, is all his tools require when he is using them, but
to remove nicks made by his young friends wastes too much of his
valuable time.
A good rule to observe, boys, is never to lend tools to any of your
friends, for though they may be as careful in handling them as you are,
the chances are they will not be. You had better be a little "grouchy"
in this respect, than to have tools which are unfit to do good work
with.
The following directions, together with the illustrations, should make
the handling of your tools perfectly clear, and you will find among
these a number of hints as to the care of tools that should be carefully
adhered to in order that you may keep them in good condition.
=Saws.=--A boy can get along with two saws, a cross-cut saw for general
use and a compass-saw for finer work, such as circular sawing, and
cutting thin wood where a large saw would be too coarse and apt to split
the work. But you will often have need of a rip-saw, back-saw, and
bracket-saw. They were therefore included in the list of tools on page
14, and you can add them to your outfit as your money permits.
=The Cross-cut Saw= is, of course, intended for cutting across the
grain, while the rip-saw is for cutting with the grain, or ripping. The
former saw can be used for rip-sawing, but the operation is much slower,
and when you have much of it to do, as in ripping a six-foot board, for
instance, you will find the work tedious.
=The Rip-saw= is not fit for cross-cutting, as it leaves the cut fibres
in a very rough condition.
The difference in these two saws lies in the shape of their teeth. This
can be seen by picking them up and examining their cutting edges. You
will find the teeth are bent out of line, the first to the right side
and the next to the left. This is known as the "set" of the teeth, and
the quality of your work will depend largely upon the care with which
the teeth have been sharpened and set. At first you may confuse these
two saws, but if you will notice that the teeth of the cross-cut saw
come to sharp points and are bevelled on the sides, while those of the
rip-saw are not sharpened on the sides, and instead of being pointed on
the ends are chisel-shaped (see Figs. 19 and 20), you will have little
trouble in distinguishing them.
[Illustration: FIG. 19.--Teeth of Cross-cut Saw.]
[Illustration: FIG. 20.--Teeth of Rip Saw.]
[Illustration: FIG. 21.--Position for Sawing.
FIG. 22.]
=Sawing.=--Small pieces may be sawn while held in the vise, but, as a
rule, large work is placed across a couple of horses. It is generally
the most convenient way. Grasp the saw in the right hand, and take the
position shown in Fig. 21, with the left knee upon the work to hold it
in place, and the left hand at the edge of the board. The thumb should
be pressed against the saw-blade to guide it until the cut has been well
started, as shown in Fig. 22. Without the aid of the thumb the saw is
liable to slip off the mark and make an ugly cut in the wood. First use
a few short strokes until the saw has started to cut. Then use a long,
steady stroke, putting all of the pressure upon the down stroke. Be
careful to keep the saw to the line and in a perpendicular position, so
that the cut will be square on all sides. If it starts to run away from
the line, a slight twist of the blade will return it.
When a board has been sawn nearly in two, remove the weight of your knee
from it, and hold the board with the left hand to prevent it from
splitting off.
[Illustration: FIG. 23.--Position for using the Back-saw.]
Fig. 23 shows the correct position for using
=The Back-saw=, which is intended for more delicate work than the larger
saw, such as can be sawn on the bench-hook or in the mitre-box. It makes
a finer cut, its teeth being smaller and more closely set.
The blades of
=The Compass-and Gig-saws= are small and narrow, the former being used
for circular cutting, as the name would imply, while the latter is
employed in cutting very thin wood and in making delicate curves. The
blades of these saws, especially the latter, are easily broken, and must
be handled with care. The teeth are arranged so as to cut with and
against the grain.
The slot made by removing the fibre of the wood in sawing is known as
=A Kerf=. The term is used a good deal in carpenter work, so it is well
to know its meaning.
The carpenter of to-day is generally supplied with all manner of
planes,--rabbeting-planes, beading-planes, circular-planes, ploughs,
etc.,--besides the more commonly used jack-plane, fore-plane, and
smoothing-plane. Each of these planes has a special form of work to do,
but ordinarily a boy will have occasion to use but the last three named,
and many get along with but a jack-and a smoothing-plane.
=The Jack-plane= is the plane you will first need to remove the rough
surface of undressed lumber, and also to reduce quickly the thickness of
wood. The cutting edge of the blade is ground so as to gouge the wood,
removing thick shavings, but leaving ridges and hollows which must
afterward be removed by a fore-plane or smoothing-plane. There is one
trouble in using the smoothing-plane for this operation, however, and
that lies in the danger of it following the hollows formed by the
jack-plane, making a smooth but uneven surface.
=The Fore-plane=, on the other hand, has a long enough stock to prevent
the blade from cutting the lower portions until the high portions have
been removed. Although a fore-plane can be used alone for smoothing
large work, it is more convenient to finish up with
=The Smoothing-plane=.
The Stanley iron plane, shown in Fig. 24, is a great improvement over
the old-style wooden ones, and is the most popular plane used to-day. It
is more easily handled, as its iron is quickly put in place and
adjusted. The illustration gives the names of the various parts. The
cap (_B_) is screwed to the plane-iron (_A_), and both are held in the
stock (_F_) by means of the clamp on the end of the wedge (_C_). The
thumb-screw (_D_) regulates the degrees of fineness of the plane-iron,
while the lever (_E_), which moves from side to side, straightens the
position of the iron. The base of the stock is known as the sole, or
face.
[Illustration: FIG. 24.--Stanley Iron Plane.
_A._ Plane-iron. _B._ Plane-iron Cap. _C._ Wedge or Clamp. _D._
Adjusting Screw. _E._ Adjusting Lever. _F._ Stock.]
The Bailey plane is somewhat similar to the Stanley, the upper portion
being of iron with screw adjustment, but the base being of wood. Its
cost is much less than that of the entire iron plane, and you will
probably find it as satisfactory if you do not care to spend the
additional amount for the Stanley plane.
=For Planing=, take the position shown in Fig. 25, with the left foot a
little in advance of the right, the right hand grasping the handle of
the plane and the left holding the knob on the fore part of the stock.
Use a long, steady sweep, and bear with equal pressure from the
beginning of a stroke to the end, to avoid the hollows that are so
easily made by taking shavings of different thicknesses. Do not drag the
plane-iron over the work in returning it for another stroke, as it will
dull its edge.
You will often come across wood with a crooked grain, which runs
diagonally through the piece, terminating at the surface. There is a
right way and a wrong way in planing this, just as there are two ways of
stroking a cat's back, one smoothing the surface, while the other
roughens it. When you find a piece of wood with this kind of uncertain
grain, you will probably have to change the direction of your planing a
number of times before finishing the surface, in order to plane with the
grain.
[Illustration: FIG. 25.--Take this Position for Planing.]
In planing end-wood, you will have trouble in preventing the corners of
the piece from splitting off unless it is placed in the vise in front of
another block of wood, the planing being done toward the block. Or one
corner may be chamfered with the chisel, as shown in Fig. 29.
=Testing Work.=--It is necessary to test work frequently while planing,
in order to locate the high places and avoid taking off too much on the
low places. This may be done by squinting one eye and holding the board
on a level with the other eye, so that you can look down the length of
it as in sighting a gun. The uneven places show up very plainly in this
way.
Work is also tested by means of the try-square. Place the handle of the
square against the edge of the work with the blade of the square
extending across the planed surface, and move it the length of the
board. Any irregularities in the surface will show themselves as the
blade passes over them. In planing up a block of wood, plane up one side
and, after proving it to be true, use it for the "tried edge," testing
the other sides with the handle of the square pressed against its
surface.
There are a number of forms of
=Chisels=, but the only two classes you will probably ever be in need of
are the firmer-and framing-chisels. The former are intended for hand use
only, while the latter are used for heavier work, such as mortising,
where it becomes necessary to use the mallet.
=In Using a Firmer-chisel=, the work should be placed in the vise or be
otherwise held in position, that both hands may be kept upon the tool,
the right hand grasping the upper end of the handle and doing the
pushing, while the left hand holds the lower part of the handle and acts
as a guide in working it.
=Paring= with the chisel consists in trimming a piece of wood to a given
line. It is an operation very often resorted to in finishing the end of
a piece of work instead of planing, and in trimming up a curved edge
such as is shown in Fig. 26. Here the line _AB_ represents the line of
the finished end of a piece of work. The board is first placed in a vise
and the wood removed to about one-quarter inch of _AB_ with a
compass-saw, following the curve of the line as nearly as possible. Then
lay the piece upon the bench-hook (Fig. 11, Chap. I), and pare to the
line with the chisel, as shown in Fig. 26.
[Illustration: FIGS. 26 AND 27.--Paring.]
The chisel is often used to pare down the surface of a piece of work to
a given line, as shown in Fig. 27.
=The Framing-chisel= should be held in the left hand, and the blows
dealt upon the handle with the mallet in the right hand. In handling the
framing-chisel the bevel of the blade should be toward the work, which
is just the opposite from that shown in Figs. 26 and 27. Unless this is
done the chisel will not cut down squarely but will cut in under, as it
cannot be guided as easily as the firmer-chisel can, with both hands to
hold it.
=Chamfering and Bevelling= are somewhat similar operations. They consist
in cutting the edges of a piece of wood, as shown in Figs. 28 and 29.
[Illustration: FIG. 28.--Bevel.]
[Illustration: FIG. 29.--Chamfering.]
The corner of a block of wood is very often chamfered, when planing
end-wood, to prevent the wood from splintering. It can only be done, of
course, before the adjoining side has been planed up, that a square
corner can be obtained again when the work is finished.
=The Gouge= is a chisel with a curved section, its use being for cutting
grooves and curvatures in a piece of work where the chisel cannot be
employed.
=A Draw-knife= is very handy for quickly reducing the size of material
and in rounding sticks. The blade is drawn toward you instead of being
pushed as in the case of a plane or chisel.
=Boring.=--Probably the only trouble you will have with the bit and
bit-stock will be in holding the brace in a perfectly vertical position
so as to bore a straight hole.
The centre of the hole should first be located upon the work. Then,
after selecting the right size of bit and securing it in the clutches of
the bit-stock, grasp the handle of the stock with the right hand and
place the left hand on the top knob. Set the point of the bit against
the work and bore steadily until the point appears upon the opposite
side. The bit should then be withdrawn and the rest of the hole bored
from the other side. This prevents the fibre around the hole from
splintering off, as it is likely to do when a hole is bored all the way
through from one side. To bore a hole in a piece of work held in the
vise, clamp a waste piece of wood in the vise with it, and bore straight
through the work into the waste piece.
When boring hard wood or using large bits increased pressure is
necessary to operate the brace and at the same time steady the bit. This
can be obtained by allowing the chest to bear upon the top knob.
Holes two inches or more in diameter do not require a bit that size, for
smaller holes can be bored and these trimmed to the required opening
with a chisel or with the keyhole-saw. Whatever style of bit-stock you
buy, get one with a fair length of arm, as a good leverage cannot be
obtained with a short one.
=An Automatic-drill= is a handy tool to have in the shop, although not a
necessity. You have probably seen carpenters use it in drilling holes in
hard wood, before driving in finishing nails or screws. It beats the awl
and gimlet for speed, and is a tool which can be used in places where
neither of these could be operated. The handle of the tool contains a
number of sizes of drills.
This tool must be used with care, as the drills snap off very easily
when the tool is handled roughly or twisted from side to side while
boring a hole.
=The Hatchet= is an indispensable tool, for it can be used for a good
deal of your rough work, such as splitting and paring. It requires
practice to handle one successfully, however. A misplaced blow will
sometimes ruin your work, either by cutting into it or striking grain
which runs off into the portion to be finished. With straight grained
wood it is not so difficult to pare to a line with the hatchet. The wood
should be removed to within less than an eighth of an inch of the line,
as the work must be dressed up afterward with the plane.
It is well to have
=A Hammer= with a fairly heavy head for large work, and a lighter one
with which to drive small nails.
=Driving Nails.=--The nail should first be held in position with the
thumb and first two fingers, and given a few light raps with the hammer
to start it. Then remove the fingers, and drive the nail home with
steady blows, being careful to hit the head squarely so it will not
bend.
Although a bent nail can be driven home with the proper stroke, it is
generally easier and quicker to withdraw it and either hammer it out
straight or use another.
A pair of pincers are handy for
=Withdrawing Nails=, especially nails whose heads are too small to be
gripped with a claw hammer; but for removing large nails a stronger
leverage is necessary. This can be obtained as shown in Fig. 30. The
head of the nail is gripped in the claw of the hammer and a block of
wood placed beneath the head. The handle of the hammer is then pulled
toward you, as shown in the illustration. The block, besides increasing
the leverage, prevents the hammer-head from injuring the surface of your
work, and makes it possible to withdraw the nail in a fairly straight
condition.
[Illustration: FIG. 30.--Withdrawing Nails.]
[Illustration: FIG. 31.--Toe-nailing.]
=Toe-nailing= consists in driving nails diagonally into a piece of wood.
It is used in fastening the ends of uprights, as shown in Fig. 31, where
the nails cannot be driven in any other way, and also where there is
danger of a board springing. You will often find it convenient to use
this form of nailing when the nails are too long to be driven straight
into the work.
=Blind-nailing= is a form of toe-nailing used on tongue and grooved
boards in which the heads of the nails are concealed below the surface,
as shown in Fig. 32.
[Illustration: FIG. 32.--Blind-nailing.]
=Clinching.=--When nails come through a piece of wood their ends should
be clinched. This is done by having some one hold a hard surface, such
as the head or blade of a hatchet, against the under side of the work,
or by laying the hatchet down and resting the work upon it, while you
drive the nail. The point of the nail will bend over when it strikes the
hard surface and sink into the wood. This is the best method to use in
fastening boards together with battens, in rough work, as the clinched
nails act as rivets, preventing any possibility of the boards pulling
apart.
Do not drive the head of a nail into a finished surface with the hammer,
as you are likely to mar the wood in doing so. Leave this--the "setting"
of the nails--until the piece of work has been put together. Then go
over it and drive the heads below the surface with
=The Nail-set=, holding the tool as shown in Fig. 33. The holes made by
the heads should be filled up with putty before the finish is put upon
the wood.
Before driving nails into hard wood, holes should be made with the
brad-awl or drill, to prevent them from splitting the wood, and to make
it easier to drive them in without bending. The holes should be a trifle
smaller than the nails. Always drill a hole before driving a nail into
thin wood or near the edge of a piece.
A nail can be driven more easily if its point is rubbed over a piece of
soap. This is something you should remember to do when nailing hard
wood.
=Nails.=--Iron, galvanized-iron, wire, and copper nails are
manufactured, but of these the wire nail is the most commonly used for
all kinds of work, it being more easily handled, not so liable to snap
off, and there being less danger of splitting your work with it than
with the iron nails.
[Illustration: FIG. 33.--Setting Nails.]
You will notice the iron nails have two smooth sides and two rough ones.
In using these it is necessary to drive them with the smooth sides
parallel with the grain, otherwise they are sure to split the work.
Nails are classified according to their shape and gauge. The only kinds
you will probably ever have occasion to use are the Common, or nail for
all ordinary work; the Finishing-nail, with the small head used on
finish work; and the Brad, or small-sized finishing-nail. You can buy
these by calling for the length you require, but it is more businesslike
to use the standard terms by which all carpenters know them.
The following table gives these terms, together with the length in
inches:--
2-Penny Nails (1 inch long).
3 " " (1-1/4 inches long).
4 " " (1-1/2 " " ).
5 " " (1-3/4 " " ).
6 " " (2 " " ).
7 " " (2-1/4 " " ).
8 " " (2-1/2 " " ).
9 " " (2-3/4 " " ).
10 " " (3 " " ).
12 " " (3-1/4 " " ).
16 " " (3-1/2 " " ).
20 " " (4 " " ).
30 " " (4-1/2 " " ).
40 " " (5 " " ).
50 " " (5-1/2 " " ).
60 " " (6 " " ).
All nails longer than three and a half inches (20d to 60d inclusive) are
known as spikes.
It is desirable to have
=A Screw-driver= which will set in the clutches of your bit-stock,
besides the ordinary kind, for it is more quickly operated, and screws
can be driven in hard wood easier on account of the greater amount of
leverage you get with it.
Holes should be drilled in hard wood before driving screws into it.
=Screws= are made with round and flat heads. The round-headed screw is a
finishing screw, and its head is left exposed on the surface of the
wood; but the flat-headed screw should be countersunk, that is, sunk
below the surface. To do this you must drill a hole before driving in
the screw with
=The Countersink=, which is a drill made to fit in the bit-stock, and
bores a hole the shape and depth of the screw-head.
SHARPENING TOOLS
Be sure you understand the process of sharpening tools before you
undertake to use the oil-and grind-stones.
All tools are not sharpened alike, and you will need to know the
different ways in order to get their cutting edges the right shape to
serve their different purposes.
=Grinding= is the most difficult part of the work, and most boys have
trouble with it. One fault lies in using the grind-stone too frequently,
grinding the edge of a tool when it requires only a little rubbing upon
the oil-stone to put it in shape, and thus wearing down the tool
unnecessarily. Again, by not keeping the stone sufficiently wet, the
heat produced by the friction takes the temper out of the steel, making
it soft and useless until retempered.
If you have a stone with a crank arrangement, it will be necessary to
have some one turn it while you control the tool. The stone should be
turned toward the grinder and the tools held upward so the stone grinds
against the edge instead of from it. Move the tools sideways across the
stone so as to wear it down evenly and help prevent the formation of
ridges in the stone, which are very easily produced.
[Illustration: FIG. 34.--Grinding the Chisel.]
Figure 34 shows the position to take in grinding
=Chisels=. Hold the handle of the tool in the right hand and rest the
palm of the left hand upon its blade. Then lower the edge upon the stone
until the bevel strikes it flatly, and bear down upon the blade with
your left hand. Continue the grinding until the bright line of the dull
edge has disappeared and an invisible edge has been obtained. Stop when
this point is reached or the edge will become feathery and break off,
necessitating regrinding. Grind upon the bevelled edge only, and hold
the tool in the same relative position, to prevent the bevel from
becoming rounded. The angle of the bevel should be about twenty-five
degrees. To keep this angle the same, it is desirable to have a rest,
consisting of a board nailed to the frame of the stone, upon which to
support the handle of the chisel.
=Gouges and Draw-knives= are ground similarly, the former being rocked
from side to side, in order to grind the curved bevel uniformly.
=Plane-irons= are held with both hands, as shown in Fig. 35, and ground
the same, except that the corners of the smoothing-and fore-plane irons
are slightly rounded, while the edge of the jack-plane iron is a little
higher at the corners than in the centre, to give it the qualities for
removing thick shavings. It is more difficult to keep the line between
the bevel and upper part of the iron straight than in grinding chisels,
on account of the wider blade.
[Illustration: FIG. 35.--Grinding the Plane-iron.]
=Knives and Hatchets= are ground upon both sides of the blade.
Of course, the edge of a tool is left in a very rough condition by the
grind-stone, and must be rubbed up on an oil-stone before it is fit to
cut with.
There are many makes of whetstones, many good ones and many worthless
ones. Above all things, don't buy a cheap one, for it will be impossible
to obtain keen edges upon it.
One of the best stones upon the market is
=The Washita Oil-stone=, a Kansas stone of medium hardness, free from
grit and lumps, and of good quality through and through.
[Illustration: FIG. 36.--Whetting a Plane-iron.
FIG. 37.]
In rubbing up a plane-iron, grasp the end between the thumb and fingers
of the right hand and place the palm of the left hand across the iron to
bring the necessary pressure upon it (see Fig. 36).
Instead of holding the blade on the stone at the angle of the bevel, tip
it to an angle of about thirty-five degrees, or ten degrees more than
that of the bevel. With it held in this position, rub it back and forth
upon the stone with a rotary motion, making a second narrow bevel along
the edge of the tool (see Fig. 37). Be careful to keep the blade in the
same position, to prevent the bevels from becoming rounded. By exerting
a steady upward pressure against the end of the tool with the right
hand, and an equal downward pressure in the centre of the blade with the
left hand, this is easily accomplished.
The rough edge which appears on the back of the blade is removed by
rubbing the flat side of the iron over the stone a few times. Care must
be taken to keep the iron perfectly flat or a bevel will be formed.
=A Strop=, consisting of a piece of leather fastened to a block of wood
as described in the foregoing chapter, should be used after the
oil-stone, to put a fine edge upon the tool. The tool is stropped in the
same way as a razor is done.
=Saws= require sharpening but once in a great while if proper care is
taken of them. When they do become dull, or need to be set, it is
advisable for you to pay an experienced person to do the work rather
than attempt it yourself.
LAYING OUT WORK
A two-foot carpenter's folding rule should generally be used in laying
off measurements and a sharp-pointed pencil or brad-awl to locate the
points. To connect the points it is necessary to have a straight-edge--a
steel framing-square (Fig. 42) for large boards and a small try-square
(Fig. 38) for smaller pieces--and a pencil or knife.
[Illustration: FIGS. 38-39.]
A pencil may be used in connecting points upon rough work, but for
greater accuracy a knife should be used, as it makes a thinner and
cleaner-cut line. In making knife lines, the square must be held very
firmly, to prevent it from slipping and allowing the knife to run out of
its course.
To draw lines across a board at right angles to one edge (which should
be the straight or "tried edge" of the board) with the steel-square,
place one arm of the square parallel with the tried edge and mark along
the other arm. To perform the same operation with the try-square, place
the handle against the tried edge, as shown in Fig. 38.
Oftentimes it becomes necessary to draw a line parallel to the tried
edge. This may be done roughly with the rule and pencil, as shown in
Fig. 40. Grasp the rule in the left hand, with the first finger touching
the tried edge of the board, and hold the pencil point against the end
of the rule with the right hand. Keeping this position, with a steady
hold on the rule and pencil, move your hands along the board. The result
will be a line parallel to the tried edge.
[Illustration: FIG. 40.--Gauging with Rule and Pencil.]
At first you may have trouble in making a straight line, but with
practice you will be able to hold the rule and pencil steadily.
For particular work, where it is necessary to get a perfectly straight
and parallel line,
=A Marking-gauge= should be used. This is nothing more than the above
principles combined in a tool. It consists of a graduated shaft, or
rule, with a small needle or spur in one end, which slides through a
mortise made in a block of wood known as the head.
[Illustration: FIG. 41.--Using the Marking-gauge.]
To operate the gauge, set the adjustable head at the required division
on the shaft, and then grasp the head and shaft with the fingers of the
right hand, as shown in Fig. 41. Place the outer face of the head
against the tried edge of your work, and then, pressing the spur into
the wood, move the gauge along the board, at the same time keeping the
face of the head firmly against the edge of the board. The gauge is much
more convenient than the other method of drawing parallel lines, for you
can repeat the measurement as often as you wish, having once adjusted
the head, without having to lay it off again.
=A Try-square= with a mitred handle costs but little more than the
ordinary make, and is much handier, inasmuch as it can be employed in
making mitres, by placing the bevelled end against the side of the work
instead of the straight side (see Figs. 38 and 39).
[Illustration: FIG. 42.]
=The Bevel= is in reality a try-square which can be adjusted to any
desired angle. To set it at an angle of forty-five degrees, place it on
the steel-square, as shown in Fig. 42, with the handle against the inner
edge of one arm of the square and the blade resting on both arms. Move
the blade until it strikes equal distances on the arms (this is shown at
four inches in the drawing) and tighten the screw while it is in this
position. Other angles may be drawn out upon a piece of wood and the
bevel adjusted to them so these angles can be laid off upon other
pieces. You will find the bevel handy for reproducing angles. However,
if you are supplied with a mitred try-square you can easily dispense
with it for ordinary work.
There will be times when you wish
=To Divide a Board= into a number of equal parts, which may be found to
be fractions of an inch that cannot be easily laid off with the rule in
the ordinary way. It can be accomplished with a pair of compasses, but
until you become practised in their use, it will take some little time
in setting them, dividing, resetting, and redividing, until the exact
divisor is obtained. A much quicker method is that performed with the
rule, as shown in Fig. 43.
Suppose you wish to divide a board four and three-quarters inches long
into five equal parts. Place your rule across the board, as shown in the
illustration, one end at one edge and the "five-inch" division at the
opposite edge. Mark off the five divisions and then square the lines
across the board at these points with the try-square. This will give you
the required five equal parts.
[Illustration: FIG. 43.--Dividing a Board Equally.]
In the same way longer boards may be divided up by using two-and
three-inch divisions on the rule instead of one-inch, and smaller pieces
by using half-and quarter-inch divisions.
CHAPTER III
THE BOY ABOUT THE HOUSE
[Illustration: Boy with Carrying-box, Mother in Kitchen.]
There are generally repairs of some kind to be made about the
house--such as mending screens, renewing window-ropes, repairing wooden
walks, patching fences, etc.--which a boy can do, besides many ingenious
articles for the house which he can make in his workshop. Ideas for
labor-saving devices which cannot be bought upon the market present
themselves now and then, and if there is a boy in the neighborhood to
carry them out, the housekeeper will be only too glad to pay him for
doing the work.
For general jobbing you will require a carpenter's carrying-box (Fig.
17, Chap. I) in which to carry your tools, and a nail-box (Fig. 18) for
nails, screws, hinges, and such hardware as you will need upon the job.
With these you will have a complete outfit.
A few suggestions as to what you can do and what you can make are
described and illustrated in this chapter, and should give you plenty of
material to work upon when you open up your carpenter-shop. Besides
these ideas, you will find most of the articles in the following chapter
suitable for the house and pieces of furniture for which it will be easy
to secure orders.
=The Hinge-lock=, in Fig. 44, is one of the most serviceable
window-locks that can be had, for it can be so placed as to allow the
window to be opened a few inches for ventilation, and at the same time
prevent further opening.
The hinge is screwed to the upper sash-frame several inches above the
centre sash-bar, according to the distance the window is to be opened
(see illustration).
It will be seen that when the hinge is opened, as in the drawing,
neither sash can be opened past the hinge; but when the hinge is folded
flat it will not interfere with the opening of either sash.
[Illustration: FIG. 44.--The Hinge Window Lock.]
This lock would probably be more extensively used if people knew how
simple and satisfactory it is. As the hinges cost but a few cents a
pair, and are put on very quickly, a boy should realize a fair sum of
money in a short time supplying these locks.
=A Clothes-line Reel=, such as shown in Fig. 45, is an article no
housekeeper should be without. Its use does away with twisted, tangled,
and knotted clothes-lines.
As they require but little material, and the cost of that amounts to
almost nothing, the manufacture of these time-saving devices, for the
neighbors, should prove profitable.
[Illustration: FIG. 45.--A Clothes-line Reel.]
The reel consists of two strips of wood sixteen inches long by three
inches wide for the sides, and two pieces of broom-handles sixteen
inches long for the horizontal rods (see Fig. 45). Five inches from
each end of the side-pieces, bore a hole the size of the broom-handle.
With the pieces thus prepared it is a simple matter to fit them
together, as in the illustration, placing the broom-handles in the holes
bored for them, and fastening them so the side-pieces are nine inches
apart and a handle five inches long projects on either side. It is
probably needless to say that the ends of the broom-sticks are held in
the hands when operating the reel.
[Illustration: FIG. 46.--Broom and Dust-pan Rack.]
=A Broom and Dust-pan Rack= is a handy article for the kitchen or
broom-closet, and can be made as shown in Fig. 46.
A rack to hold a large and small broom, dust-pan, and brush, should
measure three feet long, three inches wide, and be made out of a
seven-eighths-inch board. Bevel the edges and place four brass hooks in
the front, as shown in the drawing, from which to hang the broom,
dust-pan, etc.
Brooms should always be dampened and put away, handle down, according to
the advice of an old broom-maker, who claims that by so doing the straws
are kept from becoming brittle and the broom lasts much longer. The
brooms should therefore have screw-eyes placed in the handle, just above
the tin binding, to hang upon the hooks, as shown in the illustration.
The rack should be screwed to the wall.
[Illustration: FIG. 47.--A Fly-killer.]
Fly-papers and poisons are deadly enemies to the house-fly, but none are
as effectual or as quick acting as
=The Fly-killer=, shown in Fig. 47. This simple device consists of a
piece of screen-wire, about four by five inches, stuck into a slot made
in the end of a stick, and fastened in place with tacks driven through
the end of the handle and clinched upon the under side.
If possible, cut the wire with a selvage along the front edge, and trim
the roughness from the other edges to prevent scratching.
The fly-killer is hung up by a screw-eye placed in the end of the
handle.
[Illustration: FIG. 48.--An Ash-sifter.]
With the fly-killer a person can strike at a fly with almost a certainty
of killing it. As the screen-wire is not easily seen by the fly, and the
mesh allows the air to pass through, there is nothing to alarm him.
These little things are quickly made, and when you show your customer
how effective they are, you will find no trouble in disposing of them.
=An Ash-sifter= that is dust-proof and very satisfactory is shown in
Fig. 48. It is made out of a packing-case about three feet long,
eighteen inches wide, and twenty-four inches deep.
Set the box upon two-by-four stilts in the shed or yard (braced as shown
in the illustration), in such a position that the bottom of the box will
be on a level with the top of the alley ash-box. Then cut an opening
through the shed wall and end of the box, as shown at _AB_, for the
removal of ashes. Two strips are nailed to the sides of the box (seven
inches below the top) for tracks for the sifter to run upon, and below
this, at _C_, a board slide is placed to dump the ashes, which shake
through the sifter, out of the opening in the end of the box into the
ash-box. Nail one half of the cover to the top of the box and hinge the
other half to it.
[Illustration: FIG. 49.--The Sifter.]
Make the sifter eighteen inches square by six inches deep, using
six-inch boards for the frame and one-third or one-half inch wire-mesh
for the bottom (see Fig. 49) Fasten four trunk-casters, such as are
shown in Fig. 50, to the bottom of the frame, and fit a broom-stick in
one side for a handle. A slot must be cut in the end of the box for the
handle to fit in.
[Illustration: FIG. 50.
Trunk-caster.]
=A Bread-board= may be made out of a seven-eighths inch maple board
about ten by eighteen inches, with the surface planed perfectly smooth
and the edges bevelled or rounded. A hole should be bored near one edge,
so it may be hung up in the pantry.
The dining-room is not complete without
=A Plate-rack= for the display of pretty pieces of china. Figures 51 and
52 show the details for the construction of a rack of three shelves, and
in size three feet long and two feet ten inches high. Although the
design is very simple in outline, it is such as will make a pleasing
piece of furniture when neatly carried out.
[Illustration: FIG. 51.--A Plate-rack.]
Prepare the two side-pieces the shape and size shown in Fig. 52, and cut
the shelves two feet ten inches long by the widths given in the drawing
(Fig. 52). One groove should be made in shelf _A_ and two in shelves _B_
and _C_, for the edges of plates to stand in. These grooves are cut
with a chisel, and should be made V-shaped as shown. Narrow strips of
wood may be nailed along the shelves as substitutes for the grooves if
you wish, but the work required to plane up the strips will amount to
about as much, and they do not present as neat an appearance.
[Illustration: FIG. 52.]
Having cut out the shelves and side-pieces, you are ready to put the
rack together. For this purpose you should use finishing-nails so their
heads will not make very large holes in the surface of the wood. Fasten
the bottom shelf (_C_) between the side-pieces seven inches above the
bottom, the middle shelf (_B_) ten inches above that, and the top shelf
(_A_) nine inches above the middle shelf. The inner edges of the shelves
should be fastened flush with the edges of the sides. In the bottom
shelf place a row of brass hooks for cups to hang upon.
It is necessary to fasten three strips two inches wide between the sides
in the back of the rack (as shown in the drawing) for the tops of the
plates to rest against. Two holes should be bored in the top strip, by
which to hang the rack on nails or hooks fastened in the wall.
After completing the carpenter-work, finish the rack with a stain which
will harmonize with the color scheme of the room in which it is to hang.
CHAPTER IV
SUGGESTIONS FOR A BOY'S ROOM
[Illustration: Boy Reading, Boy Writing.]
It is far better for a boy to spend his evenings in the house than out
upon the street. He need not be without his friends there, for if he has
an attractive room, with books to read, games to play, and puzzles to
solve, the boys of the neighborhood will soon find it out and be only
too glad to have a chance to visit him, knowing they will be sure of
finding plenty of things to interest them.
The simpler the furnishings of a boy's room are the better. Plain and
substantial furniture which will stand perhaps a little rougher usage
than that in other rooms of the house, and handy places for storing away
his traps, are what are needed.
The room should be his den where he can keep what he pleases, and
arrange the fittings to suit his individual tastes. Shelves for his
books and magazines, a cabinet for various collections, boxes for
miscellaneous articles, and a desk at which he can study and keep his
accounts, are a few of the things the room should contain. These pieces
can easily be constructed in the workshop, by following the directions
given in this chapter.
On the opposite page is shown a scheme for a boy's room suggestive of
his sports, games, and handicraft, and while everything is simple and
inexpensive in the furnishings, it makes a room that will strike the
fancy of the average boy.
Nothing appears more attractive than
=A Cosey-corner=, such as shown in the illustration, and it is a simple
matter to fit one up. A home-made couch, box, or seat of some sort
should be constructed to set in the corner, a shelf fastened to one wall
a foot or more above it, and several shelves hung on the adjoining wall,
as shown in the drawing.
Purchase several yards of a dark shade of green denim, and enclose the
corner with three strips (see illustration). The upper strip is
stretched across the corner at the ceiling, and the other two attached
to its ends and allowed to hang to the floor. It is a good idea to make
also a dado of the same material within the corner from the baseboard to
the under side of the shelves.
=Pennants= representative of the various colleges can be made out of
cheese-cloth, and a string of these hung across the corner at the
ceiling will produce a pretty effect.
The walls of the room may be brightened with
=Small Posters=, which it is an easy matter to obtain nowadays, and
small pictures mounted upon colored mats and fastened behind glass by
means of passe-partout paper are always attractive.
[Illustration: TREATMENT OF A BOY'S ROOM.]
=Picture-frames= can be made out of narrow moulding, the corners of
which have been mitred in the mitre-box to make them join neatly.
A frame which has proven satisfactory for small posters and pictures not
requiring glass is one made out of common laths. The ends of the laths
are not mitred as is usually the case in making frames, but are fastened
together with what is known as a "butt-joint"; that is, the ends of each
piece are set against the ends of the adjoining pieces. The simplest way
of fastening them together is by means of small strips of wood nailed
across the corners on the back of the frame.
Although this frame might be expected to have a clumsy appearance, it
has not, and when thoroughly sand-papered and finished with a dull green
stain is very pretty.
[Illustration: FIG. 53.--A Writing-desk.]
=The Writing-desk= shown in Fig. 53 is constructed out of a box, and
makes a pretty piece of furniture when completed.
Procure a box as free from defects as possible, and with fairly wide
boards, so there will be but few cracks. The cover should be in not more
than two pieces, as it forms the drop-front of the desk, and it would
be difficult to fasten more together. The boards must be fastened with
"dowels" and cleats on the edges, as shown in Fig. 54, as cleats upon
the inside of the drop would be in the way.
[Illustration: FIG. 54.]
Dowelling consists in boring holes along the edge of each board and
fitting pegs in them. Of course the holes must be bored in exactly the
same relative positions in each piece so that the end and sides of the
boards will be flush with each other when the pegs have been put in
place. To get the holes correctly bored, place the boards together in
the vise with two edges flush and uppermost, and square lines six inches
apart across the edges, after which locate the centres of the holes on
these lines. Be careful to bore the holes straight, and make them a
little longer than the pegs. Cut the pegs out of hard wood and make them
large enough to fit tightly in the holes.
The pegs as well as the two edges of the boards should be smeared with
glue before being put together. Then, after driving in the dowels, clamp
the pieces together and lay them aside until the glue has thoroughly
dried. In order to make a neat joint between the two boards, it is very
necessary to have the two edges planed perfectly true and square.
While the boards of the drop-front are drying, you can prepare the
inside of the box. A boy's desk should be supplied with plenty of
pigeon-holes and drawers. They are as necessary as pockets are in his
clothes. Split-up cigar-boxes may be used for these divisions, and, by
making the upper ones of the right size, cigar-boxes may be fitted in
them for drawers. The paper should be removed from the boxes as
described in Chapter VIII. Fasten small silk-spools to the front of the
drawers for knobs.
When the dowelled pieces have dried, nail a small moulding around the
two end edges and one side edge, mitring the ends so as to fit together
as shown at _A_ (Fig. 54).
The drop-front should be hinged to the box with two hinges placed on the
inside, as shown in Fig. 53, and brass chains attached to screw-eyes
screwed into it and the inside of the box.
For the top of the box, purchase a moulding a little larger than that
used around the edges of the drop-front and mitre it at the corners, as
shown in the illustration.
Before putting any finish upon the desk, sand-paper the wood, set the
nails with a nail-set, and fill all holes and cracks with putty. A
couple of coats of white enamel applied to the outside will produce a
very pretty effect, and the inside may be finished with linseed oil,
which makes a beautiful finish for the cigar-boxes.
The desk should be supported on two iron brackets (enamelled to match
the desk), screwed to the wall and under side of the desk.
In Fig. 55 will be found
=Another Style of Desk=, which, though not as simple to make, may be
preferred to the first design.
[Illustration: FIG. 55.--Another Style of Desk.]
Cut two boards fifteen inches long by twelve inches wide for the sides,
and taper each from twelve inches at one end to eight inches at the
other end. Cut a board twelve by thirty inches for the bottom and
another eight by thirty for the top, and nail them to the end pieces,
after which saw the boards for the back and drop-front. Dowel and glue
the drop-front boards together, nail a moulding around three edges, and
hinge the piece to the desk, as in the case of the other design.
Partition off the inside of the desk as shown in the illustration, and
nail a moulding around the top. Finish the wood in the manner described
for the other desk.
=An Ink-stand and Pen-tray=, suitable for your desk, can be made out of
a cigar-box, as shown in Fig. 56. Slope the edges with your jack-knife
and cut several notches in them for pens and pencils to fit in. The wood
should then be sand-papered and oiled.
[Illustration: FIG. 56.--Ink-stand and Pen-tray.]
=A Couch= for the cosey-corner of your room can be made out of two boxes
about three feet long, two feet wide, and eighteen inches deep.
[Illustration: FIG. 57.--A Couch.]
Remove one side of each box and nail the covers on, after which place
the two boxes end to end and fasten them together with strips nailed
across them at _A_, _B_, and _C_ (Fig. 57). An incline about eighteen
inches long should be fastened to one end, as shown in the drawing. The
inside of the boxes may be partitioned off and used for storing away
magazines and pamphlets.
[Illustration: FIG. 58.--A Window-seat.]
For the covering of the couch procure several yards of cretonne, some
cotton batting or an old quilt to pad the top, a box of
upholstering-tacks, and several dozen brass-headed tacks. After
spreading the padding over the couch, cut a piece of cretonne large
enough to cover it and tack it to the edge of the boxes, using the
upholstering-tacks for the purpose. Make a valance of the same material,
gathering the cretonne so as to form a heading at the top, and tack it
around the box. Then place the brass tacks along the top of the valance
about two inches apart.
If a couch is too large for your room you can make
=A Window-seat=, such as is shown in Fig. 58. Cut the arms the shape
shown in the illustration and fasten them to the ends of the box. Batten
the boards forming the box-cover on the under side. Then tack cretonne
on to the cover, arms, and outside of the box, placing padding
underneath the cretonne to make it soft, and line the inside of the box
with some dainty colored goods. When this has been done, hinge the cover
to the box with large fancy brass hinges.
The appearance of the seat will be greatly improved by placing brass
tacks along the edges of the arms and seat, about two inches apart. The
inside of the box will make a handy receptacle for clothes and linen.
[Illustration: FIG. 59.--A Curio-cabinet.]
For those interested in making collections of stamps, coins, stones,
insects, etc.,
=A Curio-cabinet=, similar to Fig. 59, will make it possible to keep all
specimens arranged in order, each set of curios occupying a shelf by
itself.
Such a cabinet should be made of bass or whitewood, as these can
generally be obtained in greater widths, are cheaper, and less defective
than other material. If you make your cabinet five feet high, two feet
wide (inside measurement), and twelve inches deep, purchase twelve-inch
boards, as these make it possible to have the sides in one piece and the
back in two, a great advantage, as there will then be but one crack, and
that up through the centre of the back.
After cutting the side-pieces the correct length, finish their edges as
in the drawing. Then cut nine boards two feet long for the shelves,
which are to be placed six inches apart.
Commencing at the top of each side-piece, lay off the thickness of a
shelf, which will be about seven-eighths of an inch, and square the
lines across the boards; then lay off the next shelf six inches below,
and so on down to the bottom. Cut along these lines to a depth of
three-eighths of an inch with a saw, and remove the wood between with a
chisel. When all the grooves have been cut, slip the shelves into them
one by one, and nail them to the side-pieces. After fastening the
shelves, cut the two twelve-inch boards for the back and nail them in
place.
While it is customary to put sash-doors on cabinets, this will be too
difficult a job for you to attempt. A very pretty and inexpensive door
may be made as in the illustration. Make a frame out of two-inch strips
to fit the opening, and stretch some green denim over it, tacking it to
the inside of the frame. The ends of the strips forming the frame should
be mitred and either nailed together or fastened with dowels and glue,
as described in the construction of the desk (see Fig. 54). Hinge the
frame to the cabinet.
To finish the cabinet, rub it down with sand-paper, set the nails with a
nail-set, and putty up all holes, after which stain the wood green, a
shade darker than the denim panel in the front.
Although the shelves may be simply stained, they will be much nicer for
holding curios if covered with felt.
It might be well to suggest that you number each curio, and make a
catalogue of these, together with the names and any data you have
concerning them. The catalogue may be hung on a hook upon the inside of
the door, where it can always be found.
A pretty set of
=Book-shelves= to hang upon the wall can be made with three boards
twenty-four inches long by eight inches wide, four dozen spools all of
the same size, and two pieces of rope about four feet long and small
enough to fit in the holes of the spools. By saving the empty spools
from your mother's work-basket, and having your friends save their
spools for you, it will not be very long until you have the required
number. Spools upon which number thirty-six cotton thread comes are of
the best length.
Bore holes in the four corners of each board. Then, beginning with the
board which is to form the bottom shelf, pass the ropes down through the
holes on one side, across under the shelf, and up through the holes on
the opposite side. String six spools on each rope and put the ropes
through the holes in the next shelf; then string six more spools on each
rope and run the ropes through the next or top shelf. Tie the ropes
together about a foot above the top shelf, fringing the ends to form
tassels. Figure 60 shows the shelves completed.
[Illustration: FIG. 60.--Spool Book-shelves.]
=A Blacking-case= made similar to Fig. 61 is a handy article for a boy
to have in his room. As the friction from a rag rubbed over the shoe
produces a finer polish than a brush when polishing paste is used, the
box is provided with an arrangement by which a rag can be rubbed over
the shoe without much effort (see illustration).
[Illustration: FIG. 61.--A Blacking-case.]
Procure a box about the size of a soap or cracker-box, and fasten a
board in it for a foot-rest, as shown at _A_ in the drawing. On each
side of this place a piece of a broom-handle a little shorter than the
inside width of the box, and pivot them at the ends with wire nails
driven through the sides of the box, as shown in the illustration.
Gimlet holes should be made in the sides of the box so the nails will
fit loosely in them. Procure a strip of canton-flannel twenty-four
inches long by six inches wide, and, after sewing two brass rings to
each end, pass the cloth under the rollers and over the foot-rest, as
shown in the illustration.
The lower part of the box will hold your boxes of blacking and the
brushes. To have access to this, a board should be removed from the side
of the box and hinged as at _B_ and _C_ in the illustration. Place a
button-catch just above it to keep it shut. Fasten together the boards
forming the box-cover with battens, and hinge them to the end of the
box. The outside of the case will be improved greatly if covered with
denim.
After applying the paste to the shoe, the foot should be slipped under
the cloth which passes over the foot-rest. Two fingers of each hand
should then be placed in the rings and the cloth pulled back and forth
over the rollers until the shoe is polished.
[Illustration: FIG. 62.--A Towel-rack.]
=A Towel-rack=, such as is shown in Fig. 62, is made in four pieces,--a
board about eighteen inches long for the back, two arms six inches long,
and a piece of broom-handle eighteen inches long. After cutting out the
arms the shape shown in Fig. 63, bore a hole large enough for a
broom-handle to fit in each. Bevel the edges of the eighteen-inch board,
and then nail it to the arms, driving the nails through this piece into
the arms. Fit the piece of broom-handle into the holes bored for them,
and trim off the ends so that about one inch projects beyond the face of
each arm.
[Illustration: FIG. 63.]
Sand-paper the wood, and either paint or varnish it. Attach screw-eyes
to the top of the back board and hang the rack by these to hooks placed
in the wall.
CHAPTER V
HOW TO MAKE A DOLL-HOUSE
[Illustration: Boy Presenting Doll-house to his Sisters]
The average store doll-house is made of thin wood, which is full of
defects and likely to warp, besides being put together in such a flimsy
manner as to soon fall apart. The majority of these are imported houses,
designed and planned in foreign styles, the exteriors being covered with
clumsy ornament and gaudily painted, while the interiors are very poorly
planned and proportioned. Americanized doll-houses are seldom seen in
the market, and the few there are will generally be found very
expensive.
There is probably nothing more interesting for a boy to make than a
doll-house. It is like building your own house on a small scale, the
details and proportions having to be just as carefully worked out to
make a good-appearing house. Try the construction of a house for one of
your girl relatives and see how much she will appreciate it. Then having
completed one and learned the many little tricks there are in doing this
work, you will find it quicker and easier to turn out others to sell.
Neatly made houses are always salable, and it should be an easy matter
for you to make arrangements with a toy dealer in your town, to place
some of your work in his store to sell on commission.
The doll-house designed and detailed in this chapter is easily
constructed and
=The Materials Required= do not amount to very much. Boards ten inches
wide and one-half inch thick are preferable for the general
construction, with a few four-inch boards one inch thick for the base
and a few other details. Basswood probably will be found the easiest
wood to work with, as it is soft, straight-grained, and free from knots.
Packing-cases may be used to advantage when they are of the right size,
but they are generally made of a cheap grade of pine, full of knots and
other defects that make it difficult to do a good job.
Cigar-boxes make the nicest material for the interior finish, and a
number of all sizes should be procured for this purpose. Prepare the
boxes for use as described in Chapter VIII.
Fourpenny nails should be purchased for the rough carpenter work, and
brads and glue for attaching finishing-strips and all light wood. Paints
and other material are specified as required.
As shown on the plans (Figs. 65, 66, and 67), the house described in
this chapter is of three floors, containing nine rooms, and is in size,
thirty inches wide, twenty inches deep, and three feet high.
[Illustration: FIGS. 65-70.--Plans of Doll-house and Patterns for the
Partitions.]
=The Base=, or false basement, should be made first. It consists of two
four-by-one inch boards thirty inches long and two twenty inches long,
with the ends mitred and fastened together in the form of a frame.
Upon this
=Lay the First Floor=, allowing but one-half inch of the boards to bear
on the frame on all sides. Then lay off the first-floor plan (Fig. 65)
upon this floor with a pencil and square, locating the partitions by
means of the dimensions given on the plan.
=Make the Partitions= _A_, _B_, and _C_, the shape and size shown in
Fig. 68, and nail them to the places marked out for them on the floor.
=The Stairs= from first to second floors (Fig. 71) should now be
constructed as described later under the head of "Stairways," as it
would be difficult to set them in place after the walls are up.
=Make the Front and Rear Walls= twenty-nine inches wide and twenty
inches high, and nail them to the edges of the floor. The outside
surface of the walls should now be in line with the base. Leave the
cutting of the windows until the rest of the house has been put
together. The walls may be prevented from spreading by means of
temporary braces nailed across the tops.
=Lay the Second Floor=, cutting a three by ten inch stair opening in the
place indicated on the plan (Fig. 66), and fasten the boards to the
front and rear walls. Draw upon this the second-floor plan, and
=Cut Out Partitions= _D_, _E_, _F_, and _G_, as shown in Fig. 69.
[Illustration: FIG. 71.--Details of Inside Stairs.]
After nailing these partitions to the places marked out for them, and
building in the stairs,
=Lay the Third Floor= (Fig. 67), cutting a three by seven inch stair
opening, and fastening the boards in place as you did those of the
second floor.
=Stairways.=--While each stairway should be built before the floor above
is laid, in order that the work can more easily be done, they have been
left for description here, that they might be spoken of in a general
way. In Figs. 71, 72, 73, 74, and 75 will be found complete details for
these.
The first things to prepare are
=The Stair Stringers=, or supports for the steps (treads and risers).
Cut from a piece of cardboard what is known as
=The Pitch-board=, the pattern by which to lay out the steps (Fig. 73).
Then draw a line lengthwise upon a thin strip of wood (_AB_ in Fig. 72),
and lay off the pitch-board on this as shown in Fig. 72--sixteen times
for the first to second story stairs and fifteen times for the second to
third story stairs. Draw the line _DE_ parallel to _AB_, and the lines
_CD_ and _EF_ as shown. Then cut out the stringer along the lines
_CDEF_, being careful in doing so not to split off the corners. Prepare
two stringers for each flight of stairs.
=The Treads and Risers= should be cut as shown in Fig. 74, and the
=Newel-posts and Hand-rails= as shown in Fig. 75. Make a small groove in
the bottom of the hand-rail as shown in the drawing. Toothpicks are of
just the right size for
[Illustration: FIGS. 72-75.--Details of Inside Stairs.]
=The Balusters.=--As brads are likely to split the thin cigar-box wood,
the staircases should be put together with glue. First fasten the
stringers in place, cutting a slot in the edge of the floors for the
tops to set in, as shown in Fig. 71. Then glue on the treads and risers,
and cut the bottom of the newel-post to fit over the second step. The
lower end of the toothpick balusters are set into slits cut with a knife
in the treads, and the upper ends fit in the groove cut in the
hand-rail.
=The Balustrades= around the stair openings on the second and third
floors are made in the same way (see Fig. 71). As finished floors are to
be laid in the halls, as described later, it will be well at this point
to fasten a strip from a cigar-box around the stair openings, upon which
to fasten the newels and in which to stick the ends of the balusters.
The drawings give every detail and measurement necessary for the making
of these stairs, and everything will work out correctly if the
directions are closely followed.
[Illustration: FIG. 76.--The Front Steps.]
[Illustration: FIG. 64. A COLONIAL DOLL-HOUSE.]
=The Front Steps= are made as shown in Fig. 76. Cut out two balustrades
the shape and size shown in the drawing. Then prepare two stringers of
five steps, cutting them exactly the same as for the other stairs, and
glue them to the inner faces of the balustrades. The treads and risers
are the same as for the other stairs, except that they are four
inches in length. Cut the top platform two and one-half inches wide.
=The Rear Steps= may be built similar to the front, or may be made
simpler by leaving off the risers and balustrade.
=The Ends of the House= should measure twenty inches square. Fasten the
boards together with battens at top and bottom, and hinge them to the
rear wall (see plans and Fig. 64). Small hooks on the ends of the house
will make it possible to fasten them shut.
[Illustration: FIG. 77.--Make Gable-ends like This.]
The roof is what is known as
=The Gambrel or Octagonal Roof=, and consists of two eight and two nine
inch boards thirty-four inches long. Before fastening these in place, it
will be necessary to make
=The Gable-ends=, which are cut out as shown in Fig. 77. Make the
partition between the nursery and ball-room (_H_) in the same way, with
a door cut in it, as shown in Fig. 70.
Fasten the partition and gable-ends in place, after which nail the roof
boards _B_ and _C_ (Fig. 70) to the top, allowing them to project over
each gable. The lower boards _A_ and _D_ should be hinged to these, so
they may be raised to get at the upper story. The edges of the boards
must be bevelled in order to make perfect joints.
When the work has proceeded thus far, cut
=The Door and Window Openings= in the places indicated upon the plans
and Fig. 64, first boring holes in the four corners of each window and
door space; and then connecting them with a compass-saw. With the
exception of the front and rear door, and the windows in the basement
and gable-ends, make all openings three by five inches, and two inches
above the floor. The casement window openings in the gable-ends are to
be four by five inches and extend to the floor. Cut three-by-seven-inch
openings for the doors, and make the basement window openings two by
three inches.
Figs. 78, 79, 80, 81, and 82 show the construction of
[Illustration: FIGS. 78-82.--Details of Dormer Windows.]
=The Dormer Windows.= These are made from cigar-boxes. For the three
dormers, you will require six pieces the shape of _A_ for the sides,
three of _B_ for the gable-ends, and six of _C_ for the roof (see Figs.
80, 81, and 82). With the different parts cut out, it is a simple matter
to fasten them together on the roof, by means of glue and small brads.
The glass is bound to the ends of the side-pieces at _D_ and _E_ with
strips of linen, as shown in Figs. 78 and 79, and the gable-end sets on
the top edge. The dormers should be placed directly over the lower
windows and in line with the front wall (see Fig. 79).
Old four-by-five camera plates may be used for
=The Window Glass=, by cutting them down to the required
dimensions--three by five inches for the first and second stories, and
two by three inches for the dormer and basement windows. Four-by-five
plates are the right size for the casement windows.
As the basement is to represent stone, there will be no finish around
the openings, and the glass will have to be held in place with cigar-box
strips on the inside and putty on the outside, as shown in Figs. 83 and
84.
The glass should be fastened in the first and second story windows by
means of putty and strips of cigar-boxes (see Figs. 85, 86, and 87). We
will make the inside and outside trim the same to simplify matters; so
cut two sets of strips for each window, making them the shape and size
shown in Figs. 85 and 87. Fasten the outside strips in place first, then
slip the ends of the glass into the centre of the wall and nail on the
inside strips. Fill in the spaces between the glass and strips with
putty to hold the glass firmly in place.
=The Casement Windows= (Fig. 88) are made similarly, with the addition
of a quarter of an inch strip of a cigar-box glued up the centre of the
glass, to give the appearance of double windows hinged to swing in.
[Illustration: FIGS. 83-91.--Details of Windows.]
Narrow strips of paper glued to the glass, as shown in Figs. 78, 83,
85, and 88, will produce the effect of
=Divided Glass= and upper and lower sash.
=The Door Trim= (Figs. 89, 90, and 91) is put in place the same as the
window trim, but instead of placing the door in the centre of the wall,
it should be set flush with the inside trim (see _K_, _L_, and _M_ in
plan, Fig. 90), and is hinged by means of a linen strip glued to the
edge of the door _M_ and strip _L_. The door-jambs are cased with strips
_I_ and _J_.
The rear door may be made simpler than this by using a plain strip for a
cap.
=Make the Door= out of a piece of cigar-box.
The drawings give all the necessary measurements for door and window
strips, and you will find it a simple matter to cut them out with a
sharp knife.
After putting the trim upon all of the windows and the doors, cut a
number of strips of wood an eighth of an inch thick and half an inch
wide for
=Outside Trimmings=, and nail them to each corner of the house, around
the edges of each gable-end, and around the top of the basement.
Purchase some narrow moulding for the cornice and nail it to the edges
of the roof boards, being careful to make neat mitres at the corners.
The house can more easily be moved about if mounted upon
=Casters.= To put these on, cut four pieces of two-by-four about three
inches long, fasten a caster to each, and nail one block inside each
corner of the foundation frame.
[Illustration: FIG. 92.--Construction of Chimneys.]
The exterior of the house is now complete with the exception of
=The Chimneys.= These should be made up of four pieces, two of which
should have bird's-mouth cuts made in the end, as shown in Fig. 92, to
make the chimney fit over the top ridge of the roof. The side edges of
the pieces should be mitred and fitted together. Nail a strip of wood,
half an inch wide, around the tops of the chimneys for caps. You will
find it easier to
=Paint the Chimneys= before fastening them to the roof. Make the
brickwork red and the caps white, and with a small brush and ruler
stripe off the mortar joints. When the paint has thoroughly dried, nail
the chimneys on to the ridge of the roof in line with the front windows
(see illustration of completed house).
You will want
=A Mantel and Fire-place= in the living-room of the house, and it had
better be built in at this point. Figure 93 shows about the simplest
form of mantel you can make, and one that presents a very neat
appearance. It is made out of cigar-box strips painted to represent
brick, with stone hearth and mantel-shelf. It measures seven inches
wide, four and five-eighths inches from the base to the top of the
shelf, and has a fire-place opening four inches wide and two and
one-half inches high.
[Illustration: FIG. 93.--The Living-room Mantel.]
[Illustration: FIG. 94.--Construction of Mantel.]
Figure 94 shows the patterns for the cutting of the various pieces
required to make up the mantel. _A_, the front piece, has an opening cut
in it for the fire-place, as shown in the drawing. Cut two strips similar
to _B_ for the ends of the mantel, one the size of _C_ for the back of
the fire-place, two of _D_ for the sides of the fire-place, and one of
_E_ for the mantel-shelf. These pieces, with the exception of _E_,
should be painted red, and striped off, when dry, with white paint to
represent brick. It will be much easier to do the painting before
fastening the pieces in their proper places. First divide the length and
breadth of the pieces into about the number of spaces shown in Fig. 93
with a lead pencil. Then with a small brush, and straight-edge for a
guide, trace over the pencil lines with white lead. Be careful in
striping the brick to get the courses the same upon each piece so they
will correspond when the pieces are put together.
=The Hearth= is made out of a strip seven inches long by two inches
wide. Upon this the mantel should be put together with the pieces
prepared. Figure 93 shows the location of each piece, and with the aid
of glue and some small brads it will be a simple matter to complete the
mantel. The edges of the strips had best be mitred to make neat joints.
Paint the hearth and mantel-shelf white.
The mantel should be fastened to the centre of partition _B_ in the
living-room (see plan, Fig. 65).
=Andirons= should, of course, accompany the fire-place. These may be
made as shown in Fig. 95. They consist of two pieces of cigar-boxes cut
the shape of _A_ and _B_ (_A_ an inch and one-half by an inch and
one-quarter, and _B_ an inch and one-half long), with the end of _B_
glued in a slot cut in the lower part of _A_. The feet and the top of
_A_ and the foot of _B_ are small brass-headed upholstering-tacks driven
into the wood, which give the andirons a trim appearance. Paint the
strips black.
Set the andirons upon the hearth with the ends projecting into the
fire-place, and pile several nicely shaped twigs upon them for logs.
=The Interior Woodwork= remains to be put on. Cigar-boxes make excellent
imitation hardwood floors, for the halls, the ball-room, and nursery.
Select as large pieces as possible, and fit them on the floors with
close joints. Nail them down with small brads.
[Illustration: FIG. 95.--Andiron.]
Make the door casings from the same material, cutting the strips the
shape and size of those used for the outside doors (Fig. 89). It is not
advisable to hang inside doors, as they are easily broken off, and
seldom work satisfactorily.
A chair-rail should be made in the dining-room of quarter-inch strips
fastened to the walls three inches above the floor.
Make baseboards in each room out of three-quarter inch strips, and
picture mouldings out of strips an eighth of an inch wide.
After completing the carpenter work of the house
=Set all Nail-heads= with your nail-set, putty these holes and all
others resulting from cracks and defects, and sand-paper the rough
surfaces. If the woodwork is to be finished in its natural color, by
varnishing or oiling its surface, color the putty to match the wood.
=Paint the House= a cream color, with white trimmings and a green roof,
using yellow-ochre and white lead (mixed) for the walls; white lead for
the trimmings, balustrade of front steps, chimney-caps, and striping of
brickwork; dark olive green for the roof, and treads and risers of the
front steps; and lamp-black for striping the stonework of the basement.
The painting of the chimneys and fire-place has been described.
Paint the front door on both sides with white enamel or white lead, with
the exception of a panel in the centre, which should be oiled as shown
in Fig. 89. This will give the appearance of a white enamelled door with
a mahogany panel set in it.
[Illustration: FIG. 96. Another Style of Doll-House.]
[Illustration: FIG. 97. Interior View of Doll-House.]
CHAPTER VI
ANOTHER DOLL-HOUSE AND A STABLE
[Illustration: Boys Making Doll-house.]
Photographs of another style of doll-house are shown in Figs. 96 and 97.
This house was built by the author for a little relative some ten years
ago, and is still in perfect condition, as the photographs show.
=Packing-cases= were used for its construction, with cut-up cigar-boxes
for window-casings, door-jambs, finished floors, etc., and small
mouldings for the outside trimmings.
The inside arrangement and the general construction of the house is so
nearly like the design in the preceding chapter, that most of the
details and the mode of construction may be followed in building it. If
boxes are used, the dimensions will have to be figured out to suit,
unless the boxes are pulled apart and the boards cut to the sizes shown
in the illustrations of this chapter.
=The Floor Plans=, which will be found in Figs. 98, 99, and 100, give
the sizes of the rooms, and the patterns for the making of
=The Partitions= are shown in Figs. 101 and 102. In cutting out the
second-floor partitions (Fig. 102), mitre one edge of _E_ and _F_ to
allow for the bedroom door opening, shown upon the plan, and mitre the
edges of _G_ to fit between them above the door. The mitring is shown
in the drawings (Fig. 102).
Besides cutting a stair opening in the second floor, make an opening
three by five inches in the second and third floors for
=The Elevator-shaft=. Care must be taken to have these openings exactly
over one another. Make the opening in the second floor six by eight
inches in the place indicated upon the plan. This will allow for the
elevator shaft and stairway. No stairway has been built to the third
story, as the elevator serves the purpose, and one would take up too
much of the ball-room space.
=The Side Walls= should measure nineteen inches wide by twenty-four
inches high, and the other two walls thirty inches wide by twenty-four
inches high. That portion of
=The Rear Wall= enclosing the kitchen and bath-room is hinged to open
(see Fig. 98), and
=The Front Wall= is made in two sections, each hinged to a strip of wood
an inch and one-half wide nailed to the two edges of the house, as shown
in Fig. 96.
=The Windows= are four by five inches, so four-by-five camera plates can
be used for the glass.
[Illustration: FIGS. 98-102.--Plans of Doll-house and Patterns for
Partitions.]
=The Roof= had best be made in two sections, each measuring twenty-eight
inches long by twenty-four inches wide. Fasten the boards together with
battens on the under side and, after mitring the upper edge of each,
nail them to the house so that the ridge is fifteen inches above the
third floor. Then nail a board nineteen inches long by ten inches wide
in the peak of the roof (_D_ in Fig. 104), and a narrow strip three
inches from each side wall (_K_ and _L_ in Fig. 100). These cut off the
triangular shape of the ball-room and give it a better appearance.
=The Chimney= is made the same as those for the other house, with the
exception of the cap, which is built up of strips of cigar-boxes to
represent corbelled brick (see Fig. 103). These strips should be
three-sixteenths of an inch wide, and fastened in place by means of
small brads.
[Illustration: FIG. 103.]
=An Elevator= is something which is found in but few doll-houses. It was
built in this house, thinking it might please the young mistress, and
proved such a success that the scheme has been worked out carefully in
Figs. 104, 105, 106, 107, and 108, that you may include it in the house
you build.
[Illustration: FIGS. 104-108.--Details of the Elevator.]
The cutting of the elevator-shaft has already been described. For
material, procure two small pulleys, such as are shown in Fig. 106, four
feet of brass chain, six feet of No. 12 wire, half a dozen
double-pointed tacks or very small screw-eyes, a short piece of lead
pipe, and a cigar-box. Make
=The Car= out of the cigar-box, cutting it down to two and one-quarter
inches wide, three and three-quarters inches deep, and seven inches high
(see Fig. 107). Place two of the double-pointed tacks or screw-eyes in
each side of the car for the guide-wires to run through and another in
the centre of the top from which to attach the brass chain.
=The Guide-wires= are made of very heavy wire that will not easily bend.
Cut two of a length to reach from the first floor to the ball-room
ceiling, and after running them through the tacks in the sides of the
car, stick their ends into small holes bored at _E_, _F_, _G_, and _H_
(Fig. 104). The upper holes should be bored through the ball-room
ceiling, while the lower ones need be bored but part way through the
first floor. Care must be taken to have these holes in the correct
position, so the elevator will run up and down upon the wires without
striking the sides of the shaft. The easiest way of fastening the wires
in place is to run the upper ends through the holes, until the lower
ends can be set into their sockets, and then drive two double-pointed
tacks over the top of each wire, as shown at _E_ and _F_ in Fig. 104.
Now run the elevator up to the top of the shaft, and mark upon the
ceiling where the screw-eye in the top of the car strikes. At this point
bore a hole through the ceiling and two inches back of it bore another
hole, through which to run the weight-chain. When this has been done,
cut a short block of wood to fit the peak of the roof and
=Screw the Pulleys= to it two inches apart (Fig. 105). Fit the block in
the peak of the roof, centring the front pulley over the top of the car
as nearly as possible, and drive a couple of nails through the roof
boards into it to hold it in place temporarily. Then
=Attach the Chain= to the tack in the top of the car, slip a piece of
lead pipe about an inch long over the chain, allowing it to set on the
top of the car to make the latter heavier (Fig. 107), and run the chain
up through the first hole in the ceiling, over the pulleys, and down
through the second hole. To the end of the chain attach a piece of lead
pipe for
=The Elevator-weight= (see Fig. 108).--This should be just heavy enough
to make a perfect balance between it and the car, which can be obtained
by whittling off the end of the pipe until the weight of the two is the
same. Make the chain of sufficient length so the weight will rest upon
the first floor when the car is at the third floor. You can now tell
whether or not the pulleys are in the right positions. When they have
been adjusted properly, nail the block firmly in place.
=The Gable-ends.=--The front gable-end consists of four pieces (_A_,
_B_, _C_, and _D_, in Fig. 109), the dimensions for the cutting of which
are given in the illustration. After preparing these, nail _A_, _B_, and
_C_ in their proper positions in the gable of the roof, and trim the
edges of _D_, if they need be, to fit between. To prevent the movable
section from pushing in too far, it will be necessary to nail a narrow
strip of wood to the roof and third floor just inside of it. The rear
gable is made in one piece, and is fastened in place permanently.
[Illustration: FIG. 109.--The Front Gable-end.]
The movable gable and all hinged portions should have
=Spring-catches= with which to shut up and lock the house (see the
illustrations).
=The Stairway= is shown in Fig. 104, and the details for its
construction will be found in Figs. 110, 111, 112, 113. This stairway is
made in two parts, with a platform between. Cut a block of wood the
shape and size shown in Fig. 110 for the platform, with notches at _A_
and _B_ for the tops of the lower stringers to fit in. Then
=Prepare Two Stringers= of thirteen risers similar to Fig. 111 and two
stringers of five risers similar to Fig. 112, laying them off as
described in the preceding chapter by means of a pitch-board similar to
Fig. 113. After cutting out these pieces, fasten the tops of the lower
stringers in the notches _A_ and _B_ in the platform, and nail the
platform in its proper position in the corner of the hall. When this has
been done, nail the bottoms of the upper stringers (_E_ in Fig. 112) to
the sides of the platform at _C_ and _D_, and set the tops in notches
cut in the edge of the second floor.
[Illustration: FIGS. 110-113.--Details of Stairs.]
=The Treads and Risers= are made the same as in Fig. 74 (Chap. V),
except that the depth of the risers is increased to five-eighths of an
inch. Cut another platform from a cigar-box to fit over the rough one.
=Build a Balustrade= up the side of the stairs and around the elevator
enclosures, using the scheme shown in Chapter V (Figs. 71 and 75).
=All Other Details= not mentioned here will be the same as described in
Chapter V, including the painting and finishing of the house.
HOW TO MAKE THE STABLE
[Illustration: FIG. 114.--Exterior of Stable.]
The stable shown in Figs. 114 and 115, and in the background of Fig. 96,
will go nicely with the house described in this or the preceding
chapter. Its construction is very simple. The dimensions are twenty-four
inches wide, twelve inches deep, and twenty-two inches high, and the
barn contains five stalls on the ground floor and a hay-loft above.
[Illustration: FIG. 115.--Interior of Stable.]
To build the stable according to the drawings, a box ten by twelve by
twenty-four inches should be procured for
=The First Story=.--If you have a box of different proportions it will
be a simple matter to make such alterations in the details as it will
require.
=The Roof= is made in two sections, each fifteen by eighteen inches, and
is fastened to the top of the box so that the peak is twenty-two inches
above the bottom.
=The Gable-end= is made in four pieces, as shown in Fig. 116, _A_, _B_,
and _C_, to be nailed in place, and _D_ to be movable as in the case of
the doll-house. Make a three-by-five-inch window in the centre of _D_,
and fasten the glass in place with strips cut as described in Chapter V.
Strips should be nailed to the roof just inside of the movable section
to prevent the latter from setting in too far, and a spring catch
fastened to _C_ and _D_ as shown, to hold the movable section in place.
[Illustration: FIG. 116.--Front Gable-end.]
[Illustration: FIG. 117.--Stall Partitions.]
Figure 117 gives the patterns and measurements for
=The Stall Partitions=, four of which should be cut out and fastened to
the floor of the stable four inches apart, or so they will divide the
inside width into five equal stalls.
=The Feed-troughs= are made out of two strips of cigar-boxes fitted
between the stalls, as shown in Figs. 115 and 117, and are fastened in
place by means of brads and glue. Above the stalls cut
=Small Windows= an inch and one-half square in the rear wall. These are
the ventilating windows for the stalls, and may be left open.
[Illustration: FIG. 118.--Ladder to Hay-loft.]
Figure 118 shows the construction of
=A Ladder= to the hay-loft. This is made out of two sticks twelve inches
long, with strips of cigar-boxes two inches long glued to them half an
inch apart, as shown in the drawing. Cut away a section of the hay-loft
floor two inches square and stick the end of the ladder up through the
opening, fastening the uprights to the edge of the floor (see Fig. 118).
A stick about three inches long, with a very small pulley attached near
the end, should be fastened in the peak of the roof for a
=Feed-hoist= (see Fig. 114).
The first story has
=A Drop-front=, as shown in Figs. 114 and 115. This is made from the
box-cover. Fasten the boards together with battens placed upon the
inside, and hinge it to the bottom of the stable. Nail two cleats to the
under side of the floor (see Fig. 114) to lift it off the ground, just
enough to allow the front to drop without springing its hinges.
When the front is down it forms an incline upon which to run the horses
into the stable. For this reason it is not advisable to cut an opening
in it, but merely
=Represent a Stable Door= on the outside (see Fig. 114). This is done
with paint and a fine brush. First paint a green panel in the centre of
the front, and then mark off a couple of panels within this space with
black paint, and stripe them diagonally to represent beaded-boards.
With strips of wood half an inch wide make
=A Simple Trim= around the door, the sides of the stable, and around the
gable, as shown in the illustration.
When the carpenter work has been finished,
=Paint the Inside= of the stable white, and the outside the same colors
as used for the doll-houses (see description on page 90, Chap. V).
CHAPTER VII
FURNISHING THE DOLL-HOUSE
[Illustration: Boy Presenting Doll-house to his Sisters.]
With the carpenter work of a doll-house completed, the finishing of the
inside,--wall papering and painting,--and the selection of furniture for
the various rooms, remain to be done. This requires as much care as the
building of the house, and while any boy can do the work, the help of a
sister will perhaps simplify matters and give to the rooms a daintier
appearance.
=The Walls and Ceiling= of the kitchen and bath-room should be painted
with white lead or white enamel. For the other rooms select paper having
a small design, such as is to be found on most ceiling papers. If you
have ever watched the paper-hanger at work, you have noticed he puts on
the ceiling first, allowing the paper to run down the walls a little way
all around instead of trimming it off. Then he hangs the wall paper, and
if there is no border to cover the joints of the ceiling and wall papers
he carries the wall paper up to the ceiling. Use flour paste to stick on
the paper, and a cloth or photograph-print roller to smooth out the
wrinkles. The dining-room should have a wainscot of dark paper below the
chair-rail, and a paper with little or no figure upon it above.
=All Hardwood Floors=, the stairs, door and window casings, baseboards,
and picture mouldings should be varnished thoroughly or given several
coats of boiled linseed-oil.
All floors, with the exception of the kitchen, bath-room, and hardwood
floors, should be fitted with
=Carpets.=--If you do not happen to have suitable scraps on hand, they
can be procured at almost any furnishing store where they make up
carpets. Select pieces with as small patterns as possible. The floors of
the bath-room and kitchen should be covered with oilcloth.
=Rugs= for the hardwood floors may be made out of scraps of carpet.
=Window-shades= may be made for each window out of linen, and tacked to
the top casing so that the bottom of the curtain reaches just above the
centre of the opening. Each window should also have
=Lace Curtains= made out of scraps of lace. They should either be tacked
above the windows or hung upon poles made out of No. 12 wire, cut in
lengths to fit the windows. Screw small brass hooks into the top
window-casings for the poles to hang upon.
=Handsome Portieres= for the doorways can be made with beads and with
the small hollow straws sold for use in kindergartens. For the
=Bead Portieres=, cut threads as long as the height of the door and
string the beads upon them, alternating the colors in such a way as to
produce patterns. Then tie the strings together to a piece of wire the
width of the doorway, and fasten the wire in the opening. The
=Straw Portieres= are made similarly.
From magazine illustrations you can select
=Suitable Pictures= for each room, but if you are handy with brush and
pencil you may prefer to make the pictures yourself. These may be
mounted upon cardboard and have their edges bound with passe-partout
paper to give the effect of frames, or frames may be cut out of
cardboard and pasted to them. Hang the pictures to the picture moulding
with thread.
=A Cosey-corner= may be fitted up in the ball-room by fastening a strip
of a cigar-box in one corner an inch and one-half above the floor for
the seat, and hanging draperies on each side of it. Pillows may be made
for it out of scraps of silk stuffed with cotton.
A doll-house properly proportioned in every detail, including the
selection of its furniture, is pleasing to look at, and is to be desired
much more than some of the specimens to be found in the stores. These
very often have parlor chairs larger than the mantel, beds that either
fill two-thirds of the bedroom space or are so small they are hidden
from view by the chairs, and other furniture accordingly, all having
been selected without any thought as to size or fitness.
Care must be taken, in buying the furniture, to have the pieces suitable
to the rooms. It will no doubt require more time than to purchase the
first sets you come across, but when you have completed the selections,
the result will be a much better appearing doll-house.
By carefully searching the toy-shops you are almost certain of finding
what you want for the various rooms, as about everything imaginable in
furniture has been manufactured. Porcelain bath-tubs, wash-basins with
real faucets and running water, gilt furniture, chandeliers, and such
articles are tempting to buy. But it is rather expensive to fit up a
house in this way, for, though each piece may not amount to very much,
they count up very quickly.
The suggestions for the making of cigar-box furniture in the following
chapter, and the cork furniture in Chapter XXVIII, should give you
plenty of material for furniture and save you the expense of buying this
part of the furnishings for your house.
CHAPTER VIII
DOLL-FURNITURE
[Illustration]
The metal furniture which you can buy is very pretty when it is new, but
this new appearance does not last long after it has come into a
youngster's possession, for the pieces are very slender and delicate,
and thus easily broken.
Wooden furniture is the most durable kind, and plain and simple pieces
will generally outlast the fancy ones. The designs illustrated in this
chapter make very substantial pieces, as there are no spindle legs or
fancy arms to break off. They follow the lines of the mission furniture,
that simple style used in the early American mission schools, and which
is to-day being extensively made in handsome pieces for the furnishings
of modern homes. You will find the
=Miniature Mission Furniture=, illustrated and described in this
chapter, simple to make and something which is easy to sell, for there
is nothing like it at present upon the market.
Cigar-boxes furnish the nicest material for making this furniture, and
the various parts can be cut to the right shape and size with
=A Gig-or Scroll-saw.= Procure small brads and glue with which to fasten
the pieces together.
=To prepare the Cigar-boxes= for use, place them in a tub of boiling
water and let them remain there until the paper labels readily pull off.
Do not use a knife in removing the paper, as it is liable to roughen the
wood. The paper will come off by allowing it to soak long enough. When
the boxes are clean, set them in the sun to dry, after binding the
covers to the backs to prevent them from warping. Pull the boxes apart
when they are thoroughly dry, and throw out such pieces as have printing
upon them, for these would spoil the appearance of the furniture if
used.
[Illustration: FIGS. 119-126.--Patterns for Furniture.]
In order to simplify the matter of cutting the parts that make the
furniture, the curved pieces have been drawn out carefully on page 111,
so they can be laid off upon the strips of cigar-boxes without any
trouble, by the process of
=Enlarging by Squares.=--These drawings are shown one-quarter of their
full size (half their width and half their height). To enlarge them
procure a piece of cardboard nine by thirteen inches, or a little larger
than twice the size of the drawing each way, and divide it into squares
just twice the size of those on page 111. That will make sixteen squares
in the width of the cardboard and twenty-four in the length, each half
an inch square. In order to get the squares spaced equally, it is best
to lay off the points first with a ruler along the top, bottom, and two
sides of the sheet of cardboard, and then connect the points with the
ruler and a sharp lead-pencil. Then number the squares as in the
illustration, using the figures along the sides and letters across the
top and bottom of the sheet.
With the sheet of cardboard thus prepared it is a simple matter to
=Reproduce the Drawings= of Figs. 119 to 126 by locating the points of
the curves and corners of the pieces, as shown in the illustrations, in
corresponding positions in the squares on your cardboard sheet. The
curves may be drawn in by eye, after locating them with reference to
their surrounding squares, but the surest way of enlarging them
accurately is by laying off the points where the curve strikes each
horizontal and vertical line in the illustration, upon the enlarged
drawing. These points can then be connected with a curved line.
Make all of the lines heavy so they can be distinguished from your guide
lines, and after carefully going over the drawing, comparing it with
that on page 111 to see that no mistake has been made in locating the
points in enlarging, cut the various pieces apart. These give you
=The Patterns= with which to mark out the pieces on the wood.
We will first note the construction of
=The Chairs= shown in Figs. 127 and 128. These are four and one-half
inches high, two inches wide, and an inch and one-half deep. Cut the
back for the chair in Fig. 127 four and three-eighths inches high and an
inch and three-quarters wide, the sides by the pattern in Fig. 119, and
the seat an inch and one-quarter by an inch and three-quarters. With the
pieces cut out, fasten them together with brads and glue, placing the
seat between the arms and back so that it is an inch and one-half above
the base.
[Illustration: FIG. 127.
FIG. 128.
Chairs.]
Cut the back for the other chair (Fig. 128) four and one-half inches
high by two inches wide, the seat an inch and a quarter by an inch and
three-quarters, and the sides an inch and three-eighths wide by two and
one-half high. To get the curve in the bottom edge of the side-pieces,
use the pattern in Fig. 119.
[Illustration: FIG. 129.--A Settee.]
=The Settee= (Fig. 129) should have its sides cut by the pattern of Fig.
120. Make the back-piece three and three-quarters inches wide and three
and one-quarter inches high, and the seat three and three-quarters
inches by an inch and one-half. Fasten the seat against the back an inch
and one-half above the base.
[Illustration: FIG. 130.--A Table.]
=Tables= for the living-room, dining-room, bedroom, ball-room, and
nursery of a doll-house may be patterned after the designs of Figs. 130
and 131. These should be two and one-half inches high to be of proper
proportion for the chairs.
The pieces necessary to make Fig. 130 are a top two inches square, two
sides an inch and one-half wide by two and one-half inches high, and a
shelf an inch and one-quarter square. Fasten the pieces together as in
the illustration, placing the shelf between the side-pieces an inch from
the bottom.
[Illustration: FIG. 131.--Another Design.]
The other design (Fig. 131) will do nicely for
=A Dining-room Table=, or table for the centre of the living-room. The
top of this should be five inches long and three inches wide. Cut the
side-pieces by the pattern in Fig. 121 and, after fastening them to the
under side of the table-top four inches apart, brace them with a strip
three and three-quarters inches long by half an inch wide, as shown in
Fig. 131.
=A Side-board= similar to Fig. 132 should be made for the dining-room.
The pattern for the side pieces is shown in Fig. 122. After sawing these
out, cut a piece seven inches long by three inches wide for the back and
fasten the side-pieces to the edges of it. The location of the shelves
can be obtained best by referring to Fig. 132 and the pattern in Fig.
122. Cut the bottom shelf (_A_ in Fig. 132) three inches long by an inch
and one-quarter wide and fasten it to the side-pieces half an inch above
the base (line 24 on pattern, Fig. 122). Make shelf _B_ three by one
inches and place it at line 22. _C_ should be three and three-quarters
inches long by an inch and one-half wide, with a small notch cut near
each end with your knife, to make it fit over the side-pieces (see
illustration). Cut shelf _D_ three inches long by half an inch wide,
fastening it in place at line No. 17, _E_ three inches long by
seven-sixteenths of an inch wide, fastening it at line No. 15, and _F_
three inches long by three-eighths of an inch wide, fastening it at line
No. 13. The top shelf (_G_) is three and three-quarters inches long and
half an inch wide and is fastened to the tops of the side-pieces as
shown in the drawing.
[Illustration: FIG. 132.--A Side-board.]
The lower portion of the side-board is enclosed with two doors two
inches high by an inch and one-half wide. Small pieces of cloth may be
used for hinges, but it is better to use pins, running them through the
shelf above and below (_A_ and _C_, Fig. 132) into the doors. Stick the
pins near the edge of the doors and see that they are straight, so the
doors will open easily. A small mirror attached to the back between
shelves _C_ and _D_ will complete this piece of furniture.
[Illustration: FIG. 133.--A Mirror.]
=A Mirror= in a frame should be made for the living-room of the
doll-house. A neat and suitable design for one of these will be seen in
Fig. 133. For its construction cut two sides by means of the pattern in
Fig. 123, a piece five inches long by three inches wide for the back,
and a strip three inches long by three-eighths of an inch wide for a
shelf. Fasten the sides to the edges of the back-piece, and the shelf
between the sides about three-quarters of an inch above the base. Now
procure a mirror such as you can buy in a toy-shop for five or ten cents
(or a piece of a broken mirror cut down to the right size will do very
nicely), and attach it to the centre of the back.
=The Grandfather's Clock= (Fig. 134) makes an effective piece of
furniture for the hall or living-room, and is easily made. Figure 124
shows the pattern for the front of this clock. The back is made the
same, with the omission of the square opening cut in the front frame for
the clock-face. Cut a block of wood two by two by three-quarters inches
to fit between the frames at the top. After nailing the pieces together,
procure a face from a toy watch, and fasten it in the opening made for
it in the front frame. A button suspended by means of a piece of thread
from a tack placed in the bottom of the block forms the pendulum.
[Illustration: FIG. 134.
A Grandfather's Clock.]
It will be unnecessary to give any suggestions for
=Kitchen Furniture=, such as chairs and tables, for these can also be
made out of cigar-box wood along the same schemes illustrated in this
chapter, with perhaps a few modifications which will make them simpler.
[Illustration: FIG. 135.--A Bed.]
[Illustration: FIG. 136.--Another Design.]
Now for the making of some pieces of bedroom furniture. You will find in
Figs. 135 and 136 two designs that are easily carried out, one or both
of which may be used for
=The Beds= of a doll-house. To make Fig. 135, cut the head and foot by
means of the pattern in Fig. 125, and cut the two sides by means of the
pattern in Fig. 126. After preparing these pieces and fastening them
together as shown in the illustration (Fig. 135), cut a few strips a
quarter of an inch wide for slats and fasten them between the sides of
the bed. It is advisable to fasten these in place to prevent them from
being lost.
The side-pieces for the other bed (Fig. 136) are cut out with the same
pattern (Fig. 126). Make the head-and foot-pieces three by four and
one-half inches, cutting a piece two by an inch and one-quarter out of
the top of each as shown in the drawing (Fig. 136), and using the
pattern of the other bed for cutting the curve in the bottom edge. Nail
the pieces together in their proper places, after which cut some slats
and fasten them in the bottom.
[Illustration: FIG. 137.--A Dresser.]
=The Dresser= (Fig. 137) is made somewhat similar to the side-board. Cut
the sides by the same pattern (Fig. 122) and fasten them to the edges of
the back-piece, which should be six and one-half inches high by three
inches wide. Cut shelf _A_ three by one and one-quarter inches, _B_ and
_C_ three by one and one-eighth, _D_ three by one and three-sixteenths,
and _E_ and _F_ one-half by one and one-quarter inches. Fasten shelf _A_
between the sides at line No. 24 (see Fig. 122), _B_ at line No. 23, _C_
at line No. 22, _D_ at line No. 21, and notch the ends of _E_ and _F_ to
fit over the side-pieces at line No. 20.
Drawers to fit the lower shelves of the dresser may be made out of small
strips of cigar-boxes or pieces of cardboard, glued together. A small
mirror fastened in the position shown in the drawing will complete the
work upon this piece of furniture.
[Illustration: FIG. 138.--A Wash-stand.]
=A Wash-stand= can be made for the bath-room and each of the bedrooms
similar to Fig. 138. The sides for this should be five inches high by an
inch and one-quarter wide, and the shelves one by three inches. Fasten
the lower shelf three-quarters of an inch above the base, and the top
shelf at a height of two and one-half inches. When the stand has been
put together, fit a round stick, about an eighth of an inch in diameter,
in holes made in the sides with a gimlet (see illustration). This forms
the towel-rack. Hang a small drapery over the lower portion of the
stand.
=Finishing.=--When the pieces of furniture have been completed, they
should be rubbed down with emery-paper to remove the rough edges, and
also any rough places that may have been caused by soaking the boxes in
water. Then give the wood several coats of linseed oil. This makes a
beautiful finish for this kind of wood.
If desired, the bedroom furniture may be painted with white enamel. The
little hearts may be painted upon the pieces as shown in the
illustration, with a small brush and red paint, or may be cut out of red
paper and glued to the wood.
OTHER CIGAR-BOX FURNITURE
[Illustration: FIG. 139.--A Doll's Folding-bed.]
In Figs. 139 and 142 will be found some pieces of furniture that are
simpler to make than that just described, and although they may not be
so pretty, they present a very good appearance when neatly made.
The author constructed many pieces of this furniture when a boy, and
found them suitable as presents, besides being something that was always
easy to sell.
The cost of making a set amounts to but a few cents, cigar-boxes being
the principal material.
They are also very quickly made, as the boxes require but little
cutting.
[Illustration: FIG. 141.--Foot.]
[Illustration: FIG. 140.--Folding-bed (open).]
For the construction of
=A Folding-bed=, such as is shown in Figs. 139 and 140, select two
cigar-boxes, one of which will fit inside the other. The smaller box
should be a little shorter than the inside opening of the larger box.
After removing the paper from each, place the smaller box inside the
larger one, as shown in Fig. 139, so that the bottom of the inner box is
flush with the edge of the outer box. Then drive a brad through both
boxes on each side, about three-quarters of an inch from the end as
shown at _A_ (Fig. 139). These brads should run through the outer box
into the bottom of the inner box, and should be driven in carefully so
as not to split the wood. The inner box should now fold down as shown in
Fig. 140, moving upon the brad pivots. Purchase a five or ten cent
mirror and fasten it to the front of the bed, after which cut two wooden
feet similar to Fig. 141 and glue the pegs on the ends of these in
gimlet holes made above the mirror. Finish the wood the same as
described for the other cigar-box furniture.
[Illustration: FIG. 142.--Dresser completed.]
=The Dresser= shown in Fig. 142 is made out of a box the same size as
the larger one used for the folding-bed. Saw the sides of the box in
half, crosswise, and remove the upper half and the end-piece. Then nail
the end across the tops of the remaining halves of the sides. When this
has been done, divide up the lower portion of the box into compartments
as shown in the drawing (Fig. 143). This should have a small drapery
hung over it. The upper portion of the dresser should have a mirror
attached to it, and some lace draped over the top and sides will add
greatly to its appearance.
[Illustration: FIG. 143.--A Doll's Dresser.]
All you will have to do in making
=A Wardrobe= will be to fasten some small hooks inside of a cigar-box,
attach the cover with a strip of linen--the same way it was attached
before you soaked it off--and hang a mirror on the front.
These pieces of furniture were designed for separate sets, and would not
do for doll-houses the size of those in the preceding chapters, unless
the boxes were cut down to smaller proportions.
CHAPTER IX
A BOY'S PRINTING-SHOP
[Illustration: Boys working at the Presses.]
Since the manufacture of printing-presses in small sizes, printing has
become so popular among boys that it is now hard to find a neighborhood
in which there is not a press.
Printing is one of the best methods of mastering spelling and
punctuation, and is thus a great help to a boy in his studies, besides
being a pleasant occupation at which he can earn money.
If you cannot afford a large press, be satisfied with a small one for
the time being at least. Get to work, learn to print neatly and
accurately, and when your friends find your work is of good quality,
they will gladly patronize you. Your profits should soon net you enough
with which to buy a larger press and increase your equipment.
After securing a press, it will be necessary to find a place in which to
keep and use it, where there will be a good light to work by and where
things are not likely to be disturbed. If you have a workshop, you may
be able to make room in it for your outfit.
[Illustration: FIG. 144.--A Boy's Printing-shop.]
When the author became the proud owner of a machine, he found it
convenient to keep it in his room with his type-cases and material
beneath the press-stand. But in the course of several years the
printing-shop required more space than the room afforded, and a new
office had to be secured. This was found in the woodshed, where a corner
was partitioned off, a double sashed window placed in the wall, and the
interior fitted up with a case-rack, imposing-table, stock-stand, and
all the necessities for an enlargement of business. Figure 144 shows the
arrangement of our shop a few years later, when it again became
necessary to increase our floor space by adding a "mezzanine" story
above, extending to the roof of the shed. This half-story was reached by
means of a ladder, as shown in the drawing.
The principal equipment of a boy's shop should consist of a number of
cases in which to keep the fonts of type; a rack in which these cases
can be kept and at which the typesetting can be done; a work-bench, one
end of which may be used for an imposing-table and the other for the
press to stand upon; and two cabinets, one for stock and the other for
ink, tools, and general supplies. The other materials required are: a
composing-stick, composing-rule, pair of tweezers, galley, leads, rules,
furniture, mitre-box, imposing-stone, quoins, shooting-stick, mallet,
planer, hand-roller, and gauge-pins, besides a can of ink, an oil-can, a
bottle of machine-oil for washing rollers, benzine for cleaning type,
and a good supply of rags.
[Illustration: AN AMATEUR'S OUTFIT.]
Small presses are usually accompanied by a few fonts of type, which
are sufficient for printing small business-cards, etc., but are of so
few letters as to make an ordinary job of printing impossible. With an
increase of capital,
=Type= should be the first addition to your outfit. In making selections
bear in mind the amount of money you have to spend, and buy only styles
which will go together nicely and which can be used for the greatest
variety of work. If possible, secure the advice of a printer in
purchasing, as by his experience he can tell what you will most require
better than you. You can probably obtain a specimen type-book from the
type foundry in your city from which to make your selections.
=Type-cases= divided into small compartments for the various letters and
characters, which can be bought for seventy-five cents or a dollar,
provide the only satisfactory means of keeping fonts. It is advisable to
spend the money for these neatly made boxes rather than attempt to make
them, for the work will amount to more than what you can buy them for.
Figures 145 and 146 show the upper and lower news-cases with the systems
of "laying" generally employed in printing establishments. It will be
seen that by this method the principal letters are grouped in the
central portions of the case where they are easily reached, while the
less important letters are scattered around the sides. The central boxes
of the lower case are also made larger than the others, "e" being
allotted the largest box as it is used more than any other letter in the
alphabet.
[Illustration: SCHEME FOR LAYING CASES.
FIG. 145.--Lower Case.
FIG. 146.--Upper Case.]
As the lettering of the spaces and quads in Fig. 145 may be confusing to
the beginner, it is perhaps well to explain that these are based upon
the "m" quads which present a square end, the "2m" and "3m" quads being
two and three "m" quads in width, and an "n" quad one-half an "m."
Likewise spaces are known by the fraction they represent of an "m" quad,
viz. "3m," "4m," "5m," and "8m" (more commonly known as hair-space).
[Illustration: FIG. 147.--The Yankee Job-case.]
The upper and lower cases provide for about every character included in
a complete font of type. For smaller fonts you will find the Yankee
job-case very convenient, the letters being arranged the same in the
lower portion, and the capitals being placed in the upper boxes (see
Fig. 147).
[Illustration: FIG. 148.--A Type-case Rack.]
It will be unnecessary to have
=A Rack for the Type-cases= until you have added several styles of type
to your outfit. Then you will find a rack such as is shown in Fig. 148
one of the best methods of keeping the type away from the dust and at
the same time in an accessible place.
This rack should be four feet in height, the width of a type-case, and
twenty-eight inches deep, which is large enough for twelve cases. It is
best made out of four-inch boards.
[Illustration: FIG. 149.]
Cut the uprights _A_ and _E_ three feet six inches long, and _B_ and _F_
four feet long. The top-pieces _C_ and _G_ should be cut similar to Fig.
149. First lay out these pieces on four-inch boards, using the
dimensions given on the drawing and being careful to get both pieces the
same. Having properly marked the pieces, they remain to be cut out with
the rip and cross-cut saws. Cut the bottom-pieces _D_ and _H_
twenty-eight inches long, and prepare twenty-two inch-strips of the
same length for cleats.
One of the most particular points to be looked after in making a rack of
this kind is the attaching of the cleats, for unless they are perfectly
horizontal and those on one side are on a level with those on the other
side, the cases will not slide in satisfactorily and will be continually
causing trouble. Plenty of space should also be left between the cleats
to prevent the cases from sticking by the cleats swelling or warping.
[Illustration: FIG. 150.]
In order to get the cleats in the right position, the heights should be
laid off on the uprights as shown in Fig. 150 and lines squared across
them. You will then have the same heights on each upright.
Having prepared the pieces above described, we are ready to put them
together. Lay uprights _A_ and _B_ upon the ground, twenty inches apart,
and with the lower ends on a line with one another. Then fasten board
_D_ to them as shown in Fig. 151, the upper edge being even with the
first divisions on the upright. Drive but one nail in each end of _D_
until the other end of the frame is fastened together. Strip _C_ should
be placed as shown in Fig. 151, so that the upper edge of one end is
even with the top of upright _A_, and the upper edge of the other end
three inches above the top of upright _B_. This gives the proper pitch
to the top of the rack. Then, after measuring the distance between
uprights _A_ and _B_ to see that it is no more or less than twenty
inches, nail _C_ firmly to them, after which drive several more nails
into the ends of _D_.
[Illustration: FIG. 151.]
When this has been done, fasten the cleats in place, so that the top of
each is even with the line squared across the uprights. This completes
the frame. The opposite frame is made similarly.
When both frames have been made, they should be fastened together by
means of the crosspieces shown in Fig. 148. Measure the width of your
cases, which varies somewhat with different makes, and set the frames
about half an inch farther apart than this width. Then cut the boards
_I_, _J_, _K_, and _L_ the correct length and nail them to the places
shown upon the drawing. Strips _M_ and _N_ should be fitted between _C_
and _G_ to help support the top.
The top of the rack is made to hold two cases at a time, the lower case
on the front part and the upper case back of it.
Cases should be kept out of the dust as much as possible, as dirt
accumulates in the boxes very quickly, and is hard to clean out. It is
therefore a good plan to tack cloth or heavy wrapping-paper to the back,
sides, and below the top of the rack, and provide a curtain to hang over
the front when the cases are not in use. When the boxes do become dirty,
the dust should be removed by means of a pair of bellows.
[Illustration: FIG. 152.--How to Hold the Composing-stick.]
In composing, or setting type,
=A Composing-stick= is necessary. This should be held in the left hand,
as shown in Fig. 152, while the right hand picks up the type one by one
and drops them into the stick, where the left thumb shoves them into
place. It will be seen by looking at the illustration that the type are
set upside down and read from left to right. This may seem awkward at
first, but with practice you will soon become accustomed to reading the
letters in this position.
=A Composing-rule=, similar to Fig. 153, should be cut out of a piece of
brass rule. In typesetting, the rule is first placed in the stick, and
the type then placed against it.
[Illustration: FIG. 153.--A Composing-rule.]
When a line has been set and there still remains a space too small for
another word, it is necessary to either place wider spaces between the
words to fill out the line, or reduce the space sufficiently to make it
possible to add the word. This operation, which is known as
=Justifying=, should be performed after each line has been set. Then
place a lead against the type, lift out the composing-rule from behind
the first line, and place it in front of the lead preparatory to setting
a new line.
[Illustration: FIG. 154.--A Home-made Galley.]
After composing a stick full of type, it should be emptied into
=A Galley.= Figure 154 shows a galley made of half-inch stuff. Cut the
pieces as shown, and fasten them together so the bottom-piece is tilted
sufficient to keep the lines from
"=Pieing="--or falling out of line--without tying them together.
Emptying a stick may prove difficult at first, but if the lines have
been properly justified and are gripped at the ends with the thumb and
first finger of each hand, there is but little danger of making pie. The
beginner will, however, doubtless pie his type a number of times, until
by experience he learns the proper handling of it.
=Proofs= are struck while the type is in the galley, by running an
ink-roller over the matter, then placing a damp sheet of paper on the
type and running a dry hand-roller over the paper. The print thus
obtained is known as the "first proof." It should be fully corrected by
means of proof-reader's marks, which can be found in the appendix of any
dictionary, after which the corrections should be made in the type and a
second proof struck off.
When the matter has been fully corrected, it should be placed upon
=The Imposing-stone=--a piece of marble or other flat stone set upon the
work table. After properly leading the type,
=The Chase=--an iron frame cast to hold the type for printing--should be
placed over it. The space between the type and chase should then be
filled out with
=Furniture=.--Metal furniture consists of hollow metal blocks of various
sizes, while wooden furniture comes in strips of different widths, which
may be cut up into the lengths required. Use a mitre-box similar to the
one described in Chapter I in cutting the wooden furniture.
=Locking-up a Form.=--The type is locked-up by means of iron wedges
known as "quoins." There are two forms of these, those driven together
by means of a "shooting-stick" and mallet, as shown in Fig. 155, and
those locked by means of an iron key, such as is shown in Fig. 156. The
latter kind is probably the most commonly used to-day. Before locking
the form, the type should be levelled with a planer, which is nothing
more than a block of hardwood with a smooth, even surface. The planer
should be set upon the type and given a few light raps on the top with
the hammer, until the face of the type is even. Then lock the form
securely, being careful to have as equal pressure as possible on all
sides, to prevent the type from springing. The form is then ready for
the press.
[Illustration: FIG. 155.--Locking-up a Form.]
[Illustration: FIG. 156.--Key and Quoins.]
=Distribution= consists in replacing the types in their respective boxes
after the form has been printed, and is no longer desired. The matter
should first be thoroughly washed, then unlocked. The distributer lifts
out several lines of the type, holding them in his left hand, with the
nicks uppermost and the letters facing him. One or more words are
picked from the top line with the right hand, and each letter is dropped
into its box, after which several more words are picked up and similarly
distributed.
A few pointers in regard to presswork may be helpful to the beginner.
=The Tympan=, or metal bed upon which the paper to be printed is placed,
should be padded well with paper to make a firm impression, the number
of sheets required depending upon the character of the form. These
sheets are held in place by means of the iron clamps which slip over the
ends of the tympan (see Fig. 160).
The first print struck off probably will be imperfect, that is, some
portions will be lighter than others, due to uneven impression. This is
overcome by what is known as
=Overlaying= the form. Make several impressions, including one on the
top tympan-sheet. Then cut out the light portions of a print and paste
them directly over the corresponding printing on the tympan-sheet (see
Fig. 160). Thin tissue-paper will be found good for building up portions
requiring but little increase in pressure.
=Underlaying= consists in pasting strips of paper to the back of type or
cuts which print unevenly, to make the low portions higher.
When the form prints satisfactorily, you must prepare the marginal
lines before running off the job. The margins can easily be marked off
upon the tympan-sheet, as you have the impression upon it for a guide
(see Fig. 160). When this has been done,
=Gauge-pins= of some sort should be stuck into the tympan-sheet along
the marginal lines as guides for placing the paper in the press for
printing. Two forms of these pins, which can be bought for twenty-five
or thirty cents a pair, are shown in Fig. 157. These pins must be so
placed that there will be no danger of them mashing the type.
[Illustration: FIG. 157.--Two Forms of Gauge-pins.]
[Illustration: FIGS. 158-161.--Home-made Gauges.]
There are several forms of home-made gauges which may be used, three of
which are shown in Figs. 158, 159, and 161. The first (Fig. 158)
consists of an ordinary pin bent into the shape shown. The second (Fig.
159) is made out of a strip of cardboard scored and bent as in the
drawing. It must be pasted in place and held in position until dry, to
prevent it from slipping (see Fig. 160). The third form of home-made
gauge-pin consists of a quad (Fig. 161), or thin piece of furniture,
pasted to the tympan-sheet.
=In Inking the Press= be careful to spread the ink evenly over the disk,
and apply just enough to make a clear, clean copy. Too much ink will
clog the type and produce a smeared print.
Ink should not be left upon the form after the latter has been removed
from the press, but should be washed off immediately with benzine. The
disk and rollers should also be washed after use, as the ink will not be
good when hard and will become dirty.
=The Life of a Roller= is greatly increased by using machine-oil rather
than benzine for washing it. Benzine is too drying for the composition
of a roller (which is glue and molasses) and takes the elasticity out of
it, causing it to crack. Keep the rollers in a cool place in the summer
and not in too cold a place in the winter, for extremes in temperature
also affect the composition.
=Neatness= is absolutely necessary in printing, and to secure this you
must keep your hands clean so as not to finger-mark your prints. Care
must be taken in throwing off printed sheets to see that they do not
fall upon freshly printed ones if these are wet enough to mark them.
=Materials= should be put away in their proper places after use. Do not
throw type, leads, and furniture carelessly about, as they are likely to
be lost or broken by doing so. Cigar-boxes make handy receptacles for
pied type, until you have an opportunity to sort out and distribute it.
These are useful also for keeping leads, furniture, and rules in, and a
cabinet similar to that described in Chapter I (Fig. 15), or the
curio-cabinet described in Chapter IV (Fig. 59), should be made to hold
them.
The young printer should see to it that
=Proofs and Scraps of Paper= are thrown into a waste basket and not
scattered about, as they accumulate rapidly, and not only make a shop
look very untidy, but increase the danger of fire.
=Oily Rags= should be kept in a covered tin can, for they are liable to
ignite spontaneously when exposed to the air; and of course oils,
gasoline, and benzine should be handled away from fire and corked up
after use.
CHAPTER X
AMATEUR JOURNALISM
[Illustration: Boy Journalists.]
Amateur journalism is by no means a new pastime, but probably at no time
in its long history has it been thought as much of as at present.
It would be a difficult matter to even roughly estimate the number of
papers which have been issued in the amateur world. Mr. Edwin Hadley
Smith of New York City has the largest collection now in existence. This
at present consists of 22,600 amateur papers, 500 amateur books, 800
photographs of amateur journalists, 800 professional clippings, and
2,500 miscellaneous printed relics dating as far back as 1845. The
collection, which is the result of many years' work, is sorted and
catalogued, and will soon be placed in one of our large libraries, where
the public may inspect the work that has been turned out by amateurs for
the past half century.
[Illustration: A GROUP OF AMATEUR PAPERS.]
It is said Benjamin Franklin published an amateur paper in 1723, when a
lad of seventeen years; and in tracing the history of amateur journalism
down to the present time, a person would be surprised to find what a
large number of the most successful statesmen, writers, and scientific
men this country has had were amateur journalists in their younger
days.
There are at present in the neighborhood of two hundred amateur papers
published in the United States. A few of these papers, representative of
amateurs from all parts of the country, have been grouped together and
reproduced opposite page 142, and several others are shown in Figs. 162,
163, 164, 165, and 166. It is to be regretted that lack of space forbids
a larger display of these papers, many of which are quite unique and
reflect credit upon their publishers.
[Illustration: FIG. 162.--A School Paper. 32 pages. Size 2-1/4" ×
2-3/4".]
During the centennial at Philadelphia in 1876, the National Amateur
Press Association was formed for the purpose of spreading amateur
journalism and bringing amateurs into closer relations with one another.
The United Amateur Press Association was formed in 1897, and, while it
is a younger organization than the National Amateur Press Association,
has a large membership of amateurs.
Every boy aspirant to the field of journalism should join one of these
associations as soon as he has the proper credential--a copy of his own
paper, or an original article of his published in an amateur paper. By
becoming a member and getting acquainted with other amateurs through
exchange of papers, a boy is greatly benefited. He has a chance to see
what other amateurs are doing, finds out through the other papers what
the members think of his work, and learns through these friendly
criticisms wherein he can improve his publication. He also has a chance
to enter his writings for the prizes awarded annually by the
associations for the best poems, sketches, essays, histories, and
editorials.
A great number of the members of these two associations are interested
in smaller organizations, among which are the Interstate
Association--consisting of the members of the East--and the Western.
Again, a large number of amateurs have formed state organizations, and
in large cities, where there are enough members to do so, local clubs
have been formed. The city clubs hold frequent meetings, at which it is
customary for the members to take part in literary programmes. The state
and other organizations generally hold semi-annual meetings, and the
National Amateur Press Association and the United Amateur Press
Association meet annually in some city chosen the preceding year, and at
this convention elect their officers, make awards of prizes for the
year, and have a general good time.
The boy who is owner of a printing-press is almost certain to get the
publishing fever and commence the publishing of a small paper. If his
press is too small for such an undertaking, it will of course be
necessary for him to do such job printing as he can get to do until he
has earned sufficient money to buy a larger press and such materials as
he will need in publishing a paper.
But it is not always the boy who has had a taste of printing who becomes
interested in amateur journalism. There are few boys nowadays who pass
through their school life without devoting some of their time to this
interesting and instructive work. A paper started by one boy is
generally followed by several more, and in this way the number of
amateur papers sent out in a town very rapidly increases.
Nothing daunts the ambitious boy. If he has not a press, and there are
no prospects of him earning one for some time, he will not allow this to
interfere with his plans. It only means he must devise some other way of
printing. Many boys have already proven that a press is not an absolute
necessity, by issuing papers printed with rubber type, written by pen
and on typewriters, and printed by the mimeograph and such duplicating
machines. These are all more or less tiresome operations, but ways in
which the boy determined to publish a paper may start. A few examples of
papers printed by these methods are shown in Figs. 162, 163, and 164.
It might be interesting to know a little something about how these
papers were run. The one shown in Fig. 162 was lettered by hand, and
while only one copy of an issue was made, and that passed about in the
school at which the publishers attended, there was a good deal of work
required to get it up.
[Illustration: FIG. 163.--Another School Paper.]
The paper shown in Fig. 163 is also a school paper, published at the
Lake High School, Chicago. The copy for this was first written off on a
wax sheet by means of a typewriter, and this sheet placed on the
cylinder of a machine known as a "neostyle," the cylinder then being
revolved and the papers printed from the wax sheet.
[Illustration: FIG. 164.--Printed with Rubber Type.]
The paper shown in Fig. 164 was the writer's first attempt in the
publishing line, and was indeed a sorry specimen of typography. A box of
rubber type, a four line holder, and ink-pad constituted the printing
outfit. The paper was a twelve-paged two-column affair, requiring six
impressions of four lines each to the column. The column ruling was done
with a pen, and, after printing the copies, each had to be gone over
and retouched with pen and ink. It was a long and tedious job, and so
wearing upon the type that they were practically useless by the time
the second issue had been printed. But by this time the publishers
became owners of a press with which they were able to turn out more
satisfactory work.
The first thing for a boy to consider is
=The Character= of his paper--whether it shall contain news of the
athletic field, the school, or the neighborhood, entirely, or be devoted
to amateur journalism entirely, or be made up of a little of each.
The schoolroom presents so much of interest to those in and out of it,
that papers managed and edited by several pupils, with the articles
written by the different classes, are generally successful. Athletic
news is always interesting to boys, and to have at least a portion of
your paper given up to this subject might be a good plan.
[Illustration: FIG. 165.]
The paper shown in Fig. 165 is an example of a small paper, the size of
the sheet being three by four and one-half inches. It was published a
few years ago by six boys living in Lexington, Kentucky. The staff, the
oldest of whom was but ten years of age, consisted of the
editor-in-chief, who attended to the general management, editing, and
printing of the paper, and five other boys, known as the associate
editors, who gathered the news and did the hustling. This paper
contained mostly neighborhood news, and had a large local circulation.
The paper shown in Fig. 166 consists of twelve pages printed upon a
press with a form capacity four by six inches, and is given up entirely
to the publication of original stories and poems.
[Illustration: FIG. 166.]
Some boys who do not own presses have the printing done by
professionals, but simply to edit a paper gives them but half the
pleasure and experience derived from executing all the work
themselves,--editing, printing, binding, mailing, etc.
=In Naming= a paper be sure to select a suitable title for it, a name
with a meaning, such as will denote the character of the publication,
being desirable.
=The Frequency of Publication= will depend largely upon the size of
sheet, number of pages, the amount of time that can be devoted to the
work, and the facilities for printing. Whether weekly, monthly,
semi-monthly--twice a month, bi-monthly--once in two months, or
quarterly, try to place each issue in the hands of subscribers as
nearly on time as possible.
=The Size of Page= will depend largely upon your press. However, a small
sheet is most desirable for an amateur paper.
The first page should be headed with the name of the paper set up in
rather large type. You will find
=A Stereotyped Heading= cheaper to buy than a font of large type, and
easier to handle on account of its being in a solid block. Below the
heading should appear the volume number, date, and number of issue, on
one line, followed by the title of the article and body of type.
=The Choice of Type= may be made by examining the sheets shown opposite
page 142 and in Figs. 165 and 166, many of which are good specimens of
typography. These should also help you to formulate your ideas as to the
style of your paper.
The second page should be headed with the page number and name of
paper--or title of story--in small caps, this line to be separated from
the body of type by means of a pica brass rule.
Great care should be used in publishing a paper to have the proof
thoroughly corrected before the form is printed, for typographical
errors spoil the appearance of the paper and are always disgusting to
the reader. Also see to it that the marginal lines correspond on each
sheet, and try to get uniform impressions throughout the paper.
=A Cover= is desirable for a small paper, as it adds to its appearance
and size. If you have one, set it up in somewhat the same style as those
shown opposite page 142. The cover sheets should be cut a little larger
than the inside sheets, so they will cover the latter when they are
bound together.
With the printing of an issue completed, the sheets are ready for
=Binding=.--They may be fastened together by means of wire staples,
paste, or thread.
Figure 167 shows a scheme of stitching much employed in printing-offices
and which is simple for an amateur to do. The sheets are first folded
inside one another, as in the drawing. Then, starting at _A_ with a
needle and thread, run the needle through the sheets; carry the thread
underneath the sheets from _A_ to _B_, from _B_ to _C_ above, from _C_
to _A_ beneath, and up through the sheets at _A_. Then tie the two ends
of _D_ and _E_ in a hard knot, with the portion of the thread marked _F_
between them.
[Illustration: FIG. 167.]
The cover may be bound with the rest of the sheets, or pasted to them
after the sheets have been stitched.
Few amateurs bother with
=Advertisements=, probably because it is hard to find merchants who have
confidence in results from magazines with small circulations; but with
cheap rates you should be able to secure enough ads. to more than defray
the expenses of publishing a paper.
Before soliciting these, cut a sheet of paper the size of a page and
divide it into small spaces with a pencil and ruler, making what is
known as
=The Advertisers' Dummy=.--Show this to your prospective advertisers and
let them pick out the space they wish, charging so much per inch, the
rate varying according to the position the ad. will occupy.
With at least four regular issues a year, and not less than fifty per
cent of the circulation paid subscriptions, you will be able to enter
your paper in the post-office of your city as
=Second-class Matter=, which makes it possible for you to mail your
papers to out-of-town subscribers at the rate of one cent per pound.
To secure these privileges write to the third assistant
postmaster-general of your city for an entry blank, together with full
particulars concerning second-class matter. Return the application with
a copy of your paper; and when it has been passed upon, the postmaster
will issue you a certificate entitling you to these rates and
authorizing you to print upon your paper "Entered at the post-office at
(name of town) as second-class matter."
CHAPTER XI
A BOY'S DARK-ROOM
[Illustration: A Boy Photographing his Dog.]
There is no reason why an industrious boy cannot do a profitable
business with a camera, when he has learned to operate it successfully,
does careful and neat work, and charges a reasonable price for his
pictures. The many monthly photographic competitions in the magazines
should be a great help in showing where his faults lie, and when he has
overcome these he should be able to make considerable money from the
cash prizes offered.
An amateur should master as much of the work as possible. One of the
most interesting parts is missed if you pay a professional to develop
your plates, and you never know where your faults have been made in
taking the pictures, by not seeing the manner in which the image appears
on the negative during the development. Even though you spoil one or two
plates in your first attempts at developing, your results on the whole
will probably be as good as those obtained by a professional, who is
very often careless with amateurs' work.
No discussion of photography has been included in this book, as a
complete treatise would be too lengthy, and a condensed description
impractical. There are a number of excellent publications which
describe the subject in detail, making it so clear that a boy cannot
help but understand the principles with a little study. Few of these
books, however, dwell upon the equipment of the dark-room, and none give
a fellow any ideas for the making of his apparatus, generally an
important item to a boy.
=The Necessary Equipment= for a dark-room is not large, about all you
require besides your chemicals being a ruby lantern, printing frame,
three trays,--one for developing, another for fixing, and a third for
toning,--a two-inch camel's-hair brush for dusting plates, a
drying-rack, glass graduate, funnel, set of scales, bottles for
solutions, and a cabinet in which to keep your apparatus and supplies.
=A Dark-room= is not a necessity, although it is a great convenience,
especially if you are doing much work. With the shades pulled down, you
will find that your bedroom serves the purpose very well in the evening,
and many boys do their work in this way.
[Illustration: FIG. 168. A HANDY DARK-ROOM.]
[Illustration: FIG. 172. A WASHING BOX AND DRYING RACK.]
Figure 168 illustrates how developing is carried on in a bedroom of an
old-style house, where the wash-stands are set in recesses in the wall.
Here a shelf made up of several boards fastened together with battens is
set upon the marble slabs around the basin. In this shelf an opening
four by six inches is made as shown in Fig. 170, the edges of the
opening being rabbeted to receive a five-by-seven camera plate. This
arrangement is very complete, for the developing is performed on the
shelf, the fixing on the stand below, and the washing in the basin,
while light from the lantern is projected through the glass in the
shelf, making it light underneath.
This scheme can be used for any wash-stand, by nailing the shelf to two
pieces of board twelve inches long by the width of the shelf, these
pieces being set firmly upon the wash-stand.
Some boys use
=The Bath-room= for their dark-room, darkening the window and shutting
out any rays of light that may come through the key-hole and cracks
about the door. This works splendidly, there being running water at hand
and the tub in which to wash the negatives. The work-table is made out
of several boards battened together, and should be set across the edges
of the tub.
Figure 169 shows
=Another Scheme=--a dark-room fitted up in a closet, or by partitioning
off a corner of the attic or cellar. In the latter case the inside of
the partition should be covered with black paper or cloth to prevent
light from entering cracks in the boards. The room should be provided
with
=A Work-table= about three feet high. This should be built against the
wall and strongly braced, as shown in the sketch (Fig. 169). Fasten a
shelf to the wall about nine inches below the table, and under this make
a rack with three divisions in it for trays. The rack should be
fastened to the braces, as shown in the drawing.
=Running Water= is a great convenience in a dark-room, as it saves the
bother of having to carry water in pails, or transferring your plates to
a tub or wash-basin for the final bath after development.
If it is impossible to locate your dark-room where it will be supplied
with running water, the best scheme is
=A Water-tank= with hose attachment. This is shown in Fig. 169. To carry
it out, procure from your grocer a "half-barrel," such as is used for
the shipment of salt mackerel, etc., and, after thoroughly cleaning it,
bore a hole in the side about two inches from the bottom. Buy at a
drug-store several feet of rubber tubing, a rubber stopper with a hole
cut in the centre, two pinch-stops, a six-inch piece of glass tubing
bent at right angles, and a small glass funnel. Slip one end of the bent
piece of glass tubing into the rubber stopper, and stick the latter in
the hole made in the barrel. Then slip a short piece of the rubber
tubing over the glass tubing, and place one of the pinch-stops on it to
be used in regulating the supply of water from the tank (see Fig. 171).
Set the barrel on one end of the table, and run the rubber tubing
through a hole cut for it in the work-table.
[Illustration: FIG. 170.
FIG. 171.
FIG. 169.--A Well-equipped Dark-room.]
It is advisable to filter the water used from the barrel, that you may
be sure it is free from dirt, so an arrangement similar to that shown in
Fig. 171 should be fastened below the work-table. It consists of a glass
funnel set in a hole bored in a block of wood (see _A_ in Fig. 171),
which is suspended from the bottom of the work-table by means of a stick
(_B_), one end of which is nailed to block _A_ and the other end to the
work-table. Keep a piece of filter-paper in the funnel. The rubber
tubing should be cut just long enough to reach the funnel, and the
bottom of this filter should come within an inch or two of the sink,
which will be set in the shelf below.
You will find an iron drip-pan about as cheap
=A Sink= as can be had, considering that one twelve by seventeen inches
will cost you just fifty cents--twenty-five cents for the pan and an
equal amount to pay a tinsmith for soldering a three-eighths inch pipe
in a hole cut in the bottom for a drain. Either fasten the sink on the
shelf, boring a hole for the pipe to fit in, or set it in an opening cut
in the shelf, as shown in the drawing, supporting it by the rim around
its top. Slip a piece of rubber tubing over the lower end of the drain
pipe and to this attach the second pinch-stop as a regulator for
emptying the sink (see Fig. 169).
As the water supply would be insufficient to wash the plates thoroughly
after taking them from the hypo bath, it should be used for rinsing
only, and
=A Washing-box=, after the scheme of Fig. 172, made to hold the
negatives while washing them. This box will stand on the shelf beside
the sink until you are through developing. The rack is made up of strips
of wood fastened together with wire brads. Figure 173 clearly shows its
construction. Strips _A_, _B_, _C_, and _D_ should be placed three and
three-quarters inches apart for four-by-five plates, and kerfs should be
cut in their edges as shown. _A_ and _D_ are mounted upon short stilts,
and _B_ and _C_ are nailed to the uprights supporting the handle. The
plates rest upon strips nailed across the bottom pieces.
[Illustration: FIG. 173.--A Washing-rack.]
This tray was made to hold two dozen plates, but may be made smaller if
you wish.
The box should be just large enough for the tray to fit in. Fill all the
cracks and joints with white-lead and give the box several coats of
paint to make it perfectly water tight. Then make a hole in the side
near the bottom to let the water out, and procure a cork to fit it (Fig.
174).
[Illustration: FIG. 174.--The Washing-box.]
Before developing, cork up the washing-box, fill it with water, and set
it in one end of the sink where the plates can be set in it after being
taken from the fixing bath. When you are through developing, place the
box and plates in the wash-basin or the bath-tub; remove the cork from
the box and allow the water to run in at the top and out through the
hole near the bottom. When the negatives have been thoroughly washed,
the tray can be removed from the washing-box and used as
=A Drying-rack=.
Another scheme for a drying-rack easily made is shown in Fig. 175. For
the construction, two pieces of wood twelve inches long by four inches
wide will be needed (_A_ and _B_ in Fig. 175), also two blocks (_C_ and
_D_) four inches square. Mitre one edge of _A_ and _B_, and cut a
right-angled bird's-mouth in _C_ and _D_ to receive _A_ and _B_. With
the pieces prepared, fasten them together as in the illustration. Then
procure some corrugated straw-board, such as is used for packing
glass-ware, etc., cut two pieces four by twelve inches, and tack them to
_A_ and _B_ in such a way that the corrugations on one strip coincide
with those on the other. For a simple rack this cannot be surpassed.
[Illustration: FIG. 175.--A Negative-rack.]
For chemicals, supplies, and apparatus, make
=A Cabinet= similar to the one described for tools in Chapter I, or the
curio-cabinet in Chapter V. This makes it possible to keep everything in
order and in places where they can easily be reached. Such a cabinet is
shown on the wall in Fig. 169.
The best scheme for a dark-room
=Ruby-light= is shown in Fig. 169. This is practicable, however, only
when you build the dark-room itself and can cut a window in the
partition. It makes it possible to have your source of light outside of
the room, and does away with the heat caused by having a lamp within,
where you are working.
First, cut a ten-by-twelve-inch window opening in the partition on a
level with the top of the work-table. Then make a frame a little larger
than this opening and either set a piece of ruby or orange glass in it,
or paste a sheet of ruby or orange paper over it. Build a track above
and below the opening for the frame to slide in, doing the work neatly,
so there will be no possibility of light leaking through.
The light, which may be a candle or lamp, should stand upon a shelf
supported upon a bracket outside of the window. It is convenient to have
the window slide, as it enables you to open it and have white light to
work by when a ruby light is not necessary.
This window furnishes light for developing, which will be done upon the
table, but none for the shelf below, where the sink is located and where
the fixing tray should be kept (that there will be no danger of getting
hypo into the developer). In order to have light for this shelf, you had
better follow the scheme shown in Fig. 170. Cut an opening four by six
inches in the work-table directly in front of the window, and make a
half-inch rabbet around its upper edge to receive a five-by-seven camera
plate (see Fig. 170).
[Illustration: FIG. 176.--A Home-made Dark-room Lantern.]
If it is not possible to have outside light for the dark room,
=A Home-made Lantern=, such as is illustrated in Fig. 176, will be found
very satisfactory. It is made out of a wooden box about ten by ten by
twelve inches. Cut two openings six inches square in two sides of the
box and cover one with one sheet and the other with two sheets of orange
or red paper, spreading paste over the entire surface of the paper to
make it stretch tightly over the openings as it dries. The orange and
red wrappers of some makes of printing papers and developing powders can
be used for the covering of these openings.
For a chimney, procure a long slender baking-powder can, remove the
cover and bottom, and insert it in a hole cut for it in the top of the
box. Then an arrangement must be made, as shown in Fig. 176, to prevent
light from emitting from the top of the can. This consists of a
tomato-can placed over the baking-powder can, bottom side up, with its
edge fastened in kerfs cut in the ends of four wooden stilts (see
illustration). Drive the stilts firmly into holes bored for them in the
top of the box. The edge of the tomato-can should now be about an inch
and one-half above the box, and its bottom an inch or more above the
baking-powder can.
[Illustration: FIG. 177.]
Below the chimney attach a wooden stilt to the bottom of the lantern,
and tack a can cover to the top of it, as shown in the drawing. This
forms a cup holder for the candle, which not only catches the drippings,
but also makes the lantern fire-proof should the candle burn down to the
end before you notice it. Bore a number of holes in the bottom of the
box, and nail two strips to the under side, as shown.
The lamp is now completed with the exception of the door, which should
be made in three pieces, with the edges cut and bevelled as shown in
Figs. 176 and 177. Nail strips _A_ and _C_ to the back of the box, and
slip _B_ between them. A screw-eye near the bottom of _B_ will serve as
a lift in opening the lantern. As the edges of the strips are cut on a
slant and bevelled, a joint which cannot possibly leak light is obtained
when _B_ is slipped into place. All cracks in the box should be
carefully filled with white lead.
In offering this lamp to his boy readers, the writer knows they will
find it most satisfactory and a solution to the problem of making a
perfect dark-lantern. The air admitted through the holes in the bottom
of the box carries the heat and smoke straight into the chimney, and out
through the space between the tin cans, making it impossible for the
flame to ignite the wood.
If you use
=A Plate-lifter= you will find an old tooth-brush handle tapered at the
end by means of a file one of the best that can be had.
It is well to have some scheme for
=Classifying and Preserving Negatives=.--To keep them in their original
boxes is not a good idea, as there is always danger of scratching them
and no satisfactory way of keeping track of their description, date of
exposure, etc.
=Manila Envelopes=, with a printed form to be filled out, on the
outside, are invaluable holders, as they not only make it possible to
file away negatives in alphabetical order, but preserve them from dust,
scratches, etc.
[Illustration: FIG. 178.--A Negative-case.]
The four-by-five size can be bought for about twenty-five cents a
hundred from a dealer in photograph supplies; but you can get them much
cheaper by going to a paper house and asking for their four-by-five
coin-cut manila envelope, which sells in half-thousand lots at about one
dollar per thousand. If the quantity is more than you will need, you can
probably dispose of a portion of them to your boy friends. With a
printing-press or rubber type, the following form should be printed upon
the outside, with a rule or space to the right in which to place the
descriptions:--
NO.
DESCRIPTION
DATE
REMARKS
=A Wooden Case= to hold the envelopes is desirable, and such a one may
be made similar to Fig. 178. For four-by-five negatives the inside of
the box should measure twelve inches long, five and one-quarter inches
wide, and three inches deep. It will hold about six dozen negatives.
Very light wood, about three-eighths of an inch thick, should be used
for the construction of this case. Cut two pieces twelve and
three-quarters by three and three-eighths inches for the sides, two
pieces six by three and three-eighths for the ends, and one piece twelve
by five and one-quarter for the bottom. In cutting the side-and
end-pieces, mitre the edges of each so they will make neat corners. The
mitre-box should be used for this purpose. Nail the pieces together with
small finishing nails, after which fasten the bottom-piece between them,
driving the nails through the side-pieces into it. The cover is made of
a board twelve and three-quarters inches long by six inches wide, with a
rim made of four inch-and-one-quarter strips nailed around its edge, as
shown in the illustration. Two of the strips should be twelve and
three-quarters inches long, and the other two six inches long. Their
ends should be mitred and fitted together as the sides of the box were
done, and the top should be nailed to their top edges. This cover fits
over the plates, which project an inch above the sides. Hinge it to the
back of the box, and attach a hook to the front.
If you do not keep your plates in envelopes, the sides of the box should
be lined with corrugated straw-board to separate them. This may be
tacked or glued to the wood.
By rubbing down the outside with emery-paper, oiling, shellacking, or
varnishing the wood, a very pretty case will be obtained.
You will find it a simple matter to pick out a negative by having them
filed in the order of their exposure, and catalogued alphabetically in a
note-book.
CHAPTER XII
A WINTER ENTERPRISE
[Illustration: Boys with Snow Shovel and Broom.]
Boys who keep their eyes open for opportunities to make money are not
long in finding that the coming of snow means money in their pockets if
they are willing to do a little hustling.
A number of years ago a few boys undertook the job of keeping the walks
of their neighborhood free from snow, and constructed
=A Snow Plough= with which to do their work. The plough proved so
satisfactory that others were made, and before long every boy in the
neighborhood had enlisted in the company.
By several boys joining forces in this way, and making contracts with
property owners to keep their walks and steps free from snow, a good
deal of ground can be covered in a short space of time, and a neat sum
of money realized during the season. The work can be done before and
after school, and be so divided that while several are ploughing the
walks the others are cleaning the steps.
A plough such as is illustrated in Fig. 179 is made in two sections,
four feet long by two feet wide. After battening the boards together at
_A_ and _B_, as shown in the drawing, fasten the sections in place, with
two ends together and the other two ends two feet apart. Nail them
firmly together at the angle and brace them at the open end with strips,
as shown at _C_ and _D_ in the illustration.
[Illustration: FIG. 179.--A Snow Plough.]
The bottom edge of the plough should be covered with tin, to prevent it
from wearing or becoming broken. Bore a hole an inch in diameter in each
section at _E_, and fasten a broom-handle in them from which to attach
the rope tugs. This being done the plough is ready for use.
=A Scraper= is about the best appliance that can be had for cleaning
snow from the steps, especially when the snow has turned to slush. For
the making of one of these, prepare a seven-eighths inch board sixteen
inches long by four inches wide. Bevel the lower edge and nail a two
inch strip below the top, as at _A_ in Fig. 180. Bore a hole through
both thicknesses of wood at _B_ and fit a broom-handle in it, bracing
the handle with a piece of wire run from a small hole bored in the
handle at _C_ to the ends of the scraper.
[Illustration: FIG. 180.--A Scraper.]
Figure 181 shows a scheme for
=A Snow Shovel= that is easy to make, and one which will stand a good
deal of wear. For this, secure two barrel staves, cut them in two, and
plane up the curved edges until they are straight. Then taking three of
these pieces, lay them side by side and nail a two-by-two inch strip
across the top edges, as shown at _A_, to bind them together. The
bevelled ends of the staves should be placed at the lower end of the
shovel and bound in place by a strip of galvanized iron bent over the
edges and tacked to the staves (see _B_ in drawing). Another iron strip
should be nailed across the staves at _C_, to fasten them more securely
together. Clinch the nails upon the under side of the shovel and drive
their ends well into the wood. Procure a broom-stick for the handle and
place it in a bevelled slot cut at _D_ (Fig. 182), fastening down the
end with iron pipe-straps, as shown in Fig. 181.
[Illustration: FIG. 182.]
[Illustration: FIG. 181.--An Easily Made Snow Shovel.]
With the addition of brooms to the plough, scrapers, and shovels, your
outfit will be complete and ready for business.
[Illustration: Two Boys with Fishing Pole.]
Part II
Outdoor Pastimes
[Illustration: IN CAMP FOR THE SUMMER.]
CHAPTER XIII
A BACK-YARD CLUB-HOUSE
[Illustration: Boys in Discussion, Boys Work on the Club-house.]
For many years there stood in a city back-yard a shanty in which the
boys of the neighborhood gathered after school and during vacation, to
hold their club-meetings. Many a pleasant hour was spent within the
walls of this little building, and it had to be enlarged year after year
to hold the ever-increasing number of members.
If, during the week of school preceding the summer vacation, the boys
were seen making plans and talking seriously about something evidently
in connection with the house, it might well be imagined that the annual
alterations were about to begin. At the close of school the neighbors
were made aware of it by the appearance of half a dozen boys upon the
roof of the shanty, who, with hammers and hatchets in their hands, were
easily recognized as the wrecking crew.
Perhaps the roof was to be raised a foot or given a different pitch, a
window changed here or a door placed there, a side extended or a
partition built through the centre; but no matter whether the
alterations bettered the building or not, they gave the owners a chance
to use their ingenuity in working out their schemes, and practice in
carpenter work.
The boys' greatest difficulty was found in obtaining large enough
material with which to build. The woodshed was the lumber-yard, and as
this contained only a few old boards, several packing-cases, and
kindling-wood, a great deal of splicing was required and many pounds of
nails were necessary to fasten the many small pieces in place.
After remodelling the club-house one year, the members in way of a joke
placed a "For Rent" sign upon the door, and were greatly surprised to
receive the following mysterious letter:--
MISTER AGENT: i sea u hev a house Fur rent what u want
furit im a wider with 12 children six pigs 5 chickens a mule
three dogs 7 cats and ten ducks i hop the house is big enuff
it dont matter bout the children but i wont crowd the pigs.
i soppose will paint outside an in and put awnins at the frunt
winders i'd like terry cotty shades and a stun sidewalk iF
u'll put a piassie on and reduce the rent till after wurlds
Fair i'll take it what you want furit please let me know soon
iF u dont find me hum im like to be at mis whatnots if u
dont know the way to her house just ask mis jones next door
but one to me she'll tell u Good by.
MARY JANE JOHNSTONE.
The letter was answered immediately and sent to the general delivery but
was returned from the Dead Letter Office, and no trace of the large
family could be found.
[Illustration: The Back-yard Club-house.]
Knowing that many boys who would like to build themselves a club-house
have not the money in their treasury with which to buy new lumber, this
chapter will describe the manner in which a rough-and-ready house may be
built. It will not be attempted to show the correct methods of putting
up a framework, such as would be built if the right-sized lumber were
obtainable, but the simplest way in which boys can make use of the
material at hand.
=Draw the Plan= of the building upon a piece of paper, and before
commencing work figure out exactly what material will be required. If
you haven't enough lumber you will find it a great deal easier to alter
the plans at first than when the work is half completed. It is best
first to place in one pile all
=The Material= you can find; then, after drawing the plans, sort out the
boards according to their lengths. Use the short boards whenever
possible, so that the long pieces may be kept for places requiring long
boards. Several two-by-fours should be secured for the framework. If you
do not happen to have these, you can easily get what you want at some
alteration job or where some frame structure is being torn down. Short
two-by-fours may be spliced, or, more correctly speaking, "fished." This
is very often resorted to in building when studding of a sufficient
length cannot be procured. Figure 183 shows the method of
=Fishing Studs=.--Two fish-plates, _A_ and _B_, are nailed to the sides
of the studs, covering the joints, while the face _OD_ remains on a
level to receive the siding.
By building the club-house in a corner of the yard, against the fence,
house, or barn, it is necessary to build but two walls. Less material is
required, and a much firmer structure obtained by doing this.
[Illustration: FIG. 183.]
=Stake out= the length and width of the house upon the ground, and sink
a stone or a couple of bricks at the corner to support the corner post.
Then cut two two-by-fours the length of the greatest inside height of
the house. Set one upon the corner stone, bracing it temporarily with
boards run from it to the fence, and spike the other to the fence on a
line with the corner post (see _A_ and _B_ in Fig. 184). Cut the
end-plate _C_ the correct length and spike it to _A_ and _B_, after
which cut a two-by-four the length of the shortest inside height, and
spike it to the fence rails at _D_. Nail the boards _E_, _F_, _G_, _H_,
and _I_ to the places shown in Fig. 184.
=The Studs= should be placed from two to three feet apart, according to
the length of boards used for siding, and additional studding should be
set in where it is necessary. Fasten the ends of the studs to the boards
_E_, _F_, _G_, _H_, and _I_. Studding should be placed around the window
and door openings, as shown in the illustration.
[Illustration: FIG. 184.--Framework of Club-house.]
After completing the framework,
=Board up the Sides=, fitting the boards around openings and corners as
neatly as possible.
=The Roof= is a very important factor in a building of any kind, and
care should be taken to make it of water-proof material, for a leaky
roof will not only ruin the interior but make it damp and thus
unhealthy. Tar-paper will be found a good roofing material, inexpensive,
and easily put on. First cover the roof with boards placed about one
inch apart. Then cut the tar-paper into lengths equal to the width of
the roof. Commencing at the lower edge of the roof tack one strip in
place. Lap a second strip two inches over the first, a third two inches
over the second, and so on until the entire roof is covered. Figure 185
shows a tin cap and nail made e
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