Things To Make by Archibald Williams

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Transcriber's Note:

If the pdf version of the book is viewed using facing pages with even
numbered pages on the left, you will see a close approximation of the
original book.

Notations of the form "(1,650) 2" appear at the bottom of some pages;
they are probably printer's references for assembling to book.

The text only version is of limited use because of the many figures used. I
recommend the pdf or rtf versions.

Some of the projects should be approached with care since they involve
corrosive or explosive chemicals, electricity and steam boilers.

Do not use lead solder, particularly on cooking utensils.

Whether you simply want to travel back into the mind of a young boy at the
beginning of the twentieth century, or want to try your hand at some
interesting projects in carpentry, machinery, kites and many other areas,
have fun.

The following are definitions of unusual (to me) terms used
frequently in the text.

Terms

Batten - Narrow strip of wood.

Bevel (Bevelling) - A cut that is not a right angle.

Bradawl - Awl with a beveled tip to make holes in wood for brads or
screws.

Chamfer - Cut off the edge or corner; bevel.

Boss - Enlarged part of a shaft where another shaft is coupled or a wheel
or gear is keyed.

Broach - To shape a hole with a tapered tool.

Carbide - Calcium carbide, used to produce acetylene (C2H2) gas for
lighting and welding.

Compo - "Composition", like plastic.

Creosote - An oily liquid containing phenols and creosols, obtained from
coal tar. Used as a wood preservative and disinfectant. Can cause severe
neurological disturbances if inhaled.

Deal - A fir or pine board of standard dimensions

Fish-plate - A plate bolted to the sides of two abutting railroad tracks.

Fretworking - Ornamental design, often in relief.

Gasholder
Gasometer - Storage container for fuel gas, especially a large,
telescoping, cylindrical tank.

Gland - The outer sleeve of a stuffing box that prevents leakage past a
moving machine part.

Glass paper - Paper faced with pulverized glass, like sandpaper.

Gudgeon - A metal pivot or journal at the end of a shaft or an axle, around
which a wheel or other device turns.

Joiner - A cabinetmaker.

Linoleum - A floor covering made in sheets by pressing heated linseed oil,
rosin, powdered cork, and pigments onto a burlap or canvas backing.

Lissom - Easily bent; supple

Longitudinal - Relating to length.

Mortice - Cavity in a piece of wood or other material, prepared to receive
a tenon and form a joint.

Panel saw - Handsaw with fine teeth.

Pinion - Gear with a small number of teeth designed to mesh with a larger
gear.

Plinth - Architectural support or base.

Rasp - Coarse file with sharp, raised, pointed projections.

Sleeper - Railroad crosstie.

Spanner - Wrench

Spirit Lamp - Alcohol lamp; see example on page 188.

Spirit - Alcohol

Strake - Ridge of thick planking on the side of a wooden ship.

Strut - Any part designed to hold things apart or resist compressive
stress;

Tap - Cut screw threads

Tenon - Projection on the end of a piece of wood shaped for insertion into
a mortise to make a joint.

Tenon saw - Saw with a thin blade for cutting tenons.

Tinning - Coating with soft solder.

Turner - Person who operates a lathe or similar device.

Tyre - Tire

Vestas - Matches; Vestai is the Roman goddess of the hearth, worshiped in a
temple containing the sacred fire tended by the vestal virgins.

Currency Conversion

Prices are quoted in old English currency, pounds, shillings, pence.

"12s. 6d." is read as "12 Shillings and 6 Pence."

Pence/penny
Shilling--12 pence.
Crown--5 shillings.
Pound--20 shillings.
Guinea--21 shillings.

The approximate value of 1900 prices in 2002 is:
1900 Unit Value in 2002 Currency
English Pound US Dollars
Pence .26 .48
Shilling 3.10 5.80
Crown 15.50 29.00
Pound 62.00 116.00

[End Transcriber's note.]

[Illustration: Large model locomotive]

Photo: Daily Mirror.
Large model locomotive built for one of the royal princes of Siam by
Messrs. Bassett-Lowke, Limited. It is one-quarter the size of a modern
express engine; weighs two tons, with tender; is fifteen feet long; will
pull seventy persons; and has a highest speed of about thirty miles an
hour.

THINGS TO MAKE
BY
ARCHIBALD WILLIAMS
AUTHOR OF
"VICTORIES OF THE ENGINEER,"
"HOW IT WORKS,"
"HOW IT IS MADE,"
ETC., ETC.
THOMAS NELSON AND SONS, LTD.
LONDON, EDINBURGH, AND NEW YORK

PREFACE.

The making for oneself of toys and other objects of a more or less useful
character has certain advantages over buying them. In the case of the more
elaborate and costly articles, it may enable one to possess things which
otherwise would be unobtainable. Secondly, a home-made article may give a
satisfaction more lasting than is conferred by a bought one, though it may
be less beautiful to look upon. Thirdly, the mere making should be a
pleasure, and must be an education in itself.

To encourage readers to "use their hands" the following chapters have been
written. The subjects chosen provide ample scope for the exercise of
ingenuity and patience; but in making my selection I have kept before me
the fact that a well-equipped workshop falls to the lot of but a few of the
boys who are anxious to develop into amateur craftsmen. Therefore, while
the easiest tasks set herein are very easy, the most difficult will not be
found to demand a very high degree of skill, or more than a very moderate
outlay on tools. I may say here that I have been over the ground myself to
find out its difficulties for my readers, and that I made an engine similar
to that described in Chapter XV (the most elaborate mechanism included in
the book) with very simple tools. Some of the items which I had on my
original list were abandoned, because they presupposed the possession of
comparatively expensive machines.

My selection has also been guided by the desire to cater for different
tastes. In some cases the actual manufacture of the thing described may be
regarded as the most instructive and valuable element, and may appeal most
forcibly to the "handy" boy; in others--the Harmonograph provides a good
instance--the interest centres round the experiments made possible by the
construction of a simple piece of apparatus; in some the utility of the
article manufactured is its chief recommendation.

I feel certain that anyone who follows out the pages of this volume with
hand as well as with eye, will have little reason to regret the time so
spent. The things made may in course of time be put aside and forgotten,
but the manual skill acquired will remain. Nowadays one can buy almost
anything ready-made, or get it made without difficulty; yet he who is able
to make things for himself will always have an advantage over the person to
whom the use of tools is an unprobed mystery.

CONTENTS.

I. SAWING TRESTLE
II. A JOINER'S BENCH
III. A HANDY BOOKSTAND
IV. A HOUSE LADDER
V. A DEVELOPING SINK
VI. A POULTRY HOUSE AND RUN
VII. A SHED FOR YOUR BICYCLE
VIII. A TARGET APPARATUS FOR RIFLE SHOOTING
IX. CABINET-MAKING
X. TELEGRAPHIC APPARATUS
XI. A RECIPROCATING ELECTRIC MOTOR
XII. AN ELECTRIC ALARM CLOCK
XIII. A MODEL ELECTRIC RAILWAY
XIV. A SIMPLE RECIPROCATING ENGINE
XV. A HORIZONTAL SLIDE-VALVE ENGINE
XVI. MODEL STEAM TURBINES
XVII. STEAM TOPS
XVIII. MODEL BOILERS
XIX. QUICK-BOILING KETTLES
XX. A HOT-AIR ENGINE
XXI. A WATER MOTOR
XXII. MODEL PUMPS
XXIII. KITES
XXIV. PAPER GLIDERS
XXV. A SELF-LAUNCHING MODEL AEROPLANE
XXVI. APPARATUS FOR SIMPLE SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTS
XXVII. A RAIN GAUGE
XXVIII. WIND VANES WITH DIALS
XXIX. A STRENGTH-TESTING MACHINE
XXX. LUNG-TESTING APPARATUS
XXXI. HOME-MADE HARMONOGRAPHS
XXXII. A SELF-SUPPLYING MATCHBOX
XXXIII. A WOODEN WORKBOX
XXXIV. WRESTLING PUPPETS
XXXV. DOUBLE BELLOWS
XXXVI. A HOME-MADE PANTOGRAPH
XXXVII. A SILHOUETTE DRAWING MACHINE
XXXVIII. A SIGNALLING LAMP
XXXIX. A MINIATURE GASWORKS

THINGS TO MAKE.

I. A SAWING TRESTLE

A strong and stable sawing trestle is one of the most important accessories
of the carpenter's shop, whether amateur or professional. The saw is
constantly being used, and for it to do its work accurately the material
must be properly supported, so that it cannot sway or shift. Anybody who
has been in the habit of using a wobbly chair or box to saw on will be
surprised to find how much more easily wood can be cut when resting on a
trestle like that illustrated by Figs. 1 to 3.

The top, a, of the trestle is 29 inches long, 4 inches wide, and 2 inches
thick. At one end it has a deep nick, to serve much the same purpose as the
notched board used in fretworking; also to hold on edge such things as
doors while their edges are planed up. Pushed back against the wall the
trestle is then "as good as a boy."

[Illustration: Fig I.--Leg of sawing trestle (left). Trestle seen from
above (right).]

The four legs are made of 2 by 2 inch stuff. To start with, the pieces
should be 24 inches long, to allow for the waste of cutting on the angle.

Cutting the Notches.--Make four marks 7 inches from the four corners of
the top, set your bevel to an angle of 70 degrees (or cut an angle out of a
card with the help of a protractor), and lay a leg against each mark in
turn, the end projecting an inch or so above the top. Move the leg about
till it makes the proper angle at the mark, and draw a pencil line down
each side of the leg as close up as possible. Since the legs may vary
slightly in size, use each once only for marking, and number it and the
place to which it belongs.

Lines must now be drawn along the upper and under sides of the top,
parallel to and 3/4-inch from the edge, to complete the marking out of the
notches.

Cut just inside the side marks with a fine tenon saw, and remove the wood
between the cuts back to the top and bottom marks with a broad, sharp
chisel, making the surface of the cut as true and flat as you can. Then
"offer" the leg that belongs to the cut, its end projecting an inch or so.
If it won't enter, bevel off the sides of the cut very slightly till it
will. A good driving fit is what one should aim at. While the leg is in
place, draw your pencil in the angles which it makes with the top above and
below, to obtain the lines AB, CD (Fig. 2, a).

Bevelling the Legs.-The marking out of the bevels will be much expedited if
a template is cut out of tin or card. It should be just as wide as the
legs, and at a point 4 inches from one end run off at an angle of 162
degrees from one edge. (See Fig. 2,b.)

[Illustration: FIG. 2.-Showing how to cut sloping joint for trestle leg.]

Draw with a square a line, EEl, across what is to be the inside of the leg.
The template is applied to the end side of the leg and moved up till its
sloping edge occupies a position in which a perpendicular dropped on to it
from C is 1/2 inch long. Mark the line EF (Fig. 2, b) and the perpendicular
CG. The bevel is marked on the other side of the leg, the, angle of the
template being at E1 (Fig. 2, a) to guide the saw, which is passed down
through the leg just outside the marks till in line with CD. The piece is
detached by a cross cut along CG, CD. This procedure, which sounds very
complicated, but is really very simple, and performed much more quickly
than it can be described, yields a leg properly bevelled and provided with
a shoulder to take the weight of the top.

[Illustration: Fig.3--End elevation of sawing trestle.]

The leg at the diagonally opposite corner is an exact replica of the one
first made; the other two are similar, but the direction of the bevels is
reversed, as will be evident after a little consideration.

When all the legs are ready, knock them into place, driving the shoulders
tight up against the top, and nail them on. The projections are sawn off
roughly and planed down flush with the top. Then affix the tie C at each
end, and plane its edges off neatly.

Truing the Legs.--Stand the stool on end, top flat against the wall.
Measure off a 20-inch perpendicular from the wall to the outside corner of
each of the two upper legs. (Fig. 3.) Lay a straightedge from mark to mark,
and draw lines across the legs. Reverse the trestle, and do the same with
the legs at the other end. Then turn the trestle on its side, and draw
lines on the other outside faces of the legs, using the lines already made
as guides. If the operation has been carried through accurately, all eight
lines will be in a plane parallel to the top. Cut off the ends of the legs
below the lines, and the trestle is finished.

II. A JOINER'S BENCH.

After finishing his sawing trestle the reader may be willing to undertake a
larger job, the manufacture of a joiner's bench--if he does not already
possess a good article--heavy and rigid enough to stand firm under plane
and hammer.

For the general design and detailed measurements he is referred to Figs. 4
and 5, in which the dimensions of each part are figured clearly. The length
of 5 feet, width of 2 feet (exclusive of the back E), and height of 2 feet
7-1/2 inches will be found a good average. If the legs prove a bit long for
some readers, it is a simple matter to lay a plank beside the bench to
raise the (human) feet an inch or two.

In order to give rigidity, the struts S1S2 of the trestles at the end and
the braces DD on the front are "halved" where they overlap the legs and
front so as to offer the resistance of a "shoulder" to any thrust.

[Illustration: Fig. 4.--Front elevation of Joiner's bench]

Materials.--The cost of these will be, approximately: wood, 12s. 6d.; [12
Shillings. 6 Pence] bench screw, 1s. 6d.; nails and screws, 1s.; or 15s.
in all. It is advisable to show the timber merchant the specifications, so
that he may cut up the stuff most economically.

If the wood is mill-planed before delivery a lot of trouble will be saved,
as no further finish will be required, except perhaps at the top corners.
In passing, one should remark that the boards used should be of the widths
and lengths given; while as regards thickness the figures must be taken as
nominal, as in practice the saw cut is included. Thus a 1-inch board would,
when planed, be only 7/8 to 15/16 inch thick, unless the actual size is
specified, in which case something extra might be charged.

Construction.

The Trestles.--These should be made first. Begin by getting all the legs
of exactly the same length, and square top and bottom. Then cut off two
22-inch lengths of the 6 by 1 inch wood, squaring the ends carefully. Two
of the legs are laid on the floor, one end against the wall or a batten
nailed to the floor and arranged parallel to one another, as gauged by the
piece C, which is nailed on perfectly square to both, and with its top edge
exactly flush with the ends of the legs.

Next take the 3 by 1 inch wood for the struts, and cut off a piece 32
inches long. Two inches from one end of it make a cross mark with the
square, and from the ends of the mark run lines towards the end at an angle
of 45 degrees. Cut along these lines, and lay one of the edges just cut up
against C, and flush with the outer edge of L1 (Fig. 5). Tack the strut on
temporarily to both legs, turn the trestle over, and draw your pencil
(which should have a sharp point) along the angles which the strut makes
with the legs. This gives you the limits of the overlaps. Detach the strut.

The marking-gauge now comes into use. Set it at 3/8 inch, and make marks on
the sides of the strut down to the limits, pressing the guide against what
will be the inner face of the board. The ends must now be divided down
along the gauge scratches to the limit mark with a tenon or panel saw, the
saw being kept on the inside of the mark, So that its cut is included in
the 3/8 inch, and a cross cut made to detach the piece and leave a
shoulder. The strut is "offered" again to the legs, and a mark is drawn
across the bottom parallel to the ends or the legs for the final saw cut.
Nail on the strut, pressing the legs well up against the shoulders. Its
fellow on the other side of the legs is prepared in exactly the same
manner; and the second trestle is a duplicate of the first, with the
exception that the directions of the struts are reversed relatively to the
C piece, to preserve the symmetry--which, however, is not an important
point.

[Illustration: FIG. 5.--End elevation of joiner's bench.]

Back and Front.--The only operation to be performed on the front piece B
and the back G is the notching of them both on the inside faces at the
centre to take the ends of the bearer F, which performs the important
function of preventing any bending of the top planks. Lay the boards
together, top edges and ends level, and mark them at the same time. The
square is then used on the faces to give the limits for the notches, which
should be 1/4 inch deep and chiselled out carefully.

Draw cross lines with your square 3 inches from each end of both pieces, on
the inside, to show where the legs are to be. Bore holes in the boards for
the 3-inch screws which will hold them to the legs.

Attaching the Trestles.--Stand the trestles on their heads and lay the
back and front up to them, using the guide marks just drawn. A nail driven
part way in through one of the screw holes, and a batten tacked diagonally
on the DD lines, will hold a leg in position while the screws are inserted.
(Make sure that the tops of the legs and the top edges of B and G are in
the same plane.)

Affixing the Braces.--The braces DD, of 3 by 1 inch stuff, can now be
marked off and cut exactly down the middle to the limits of the overlap.
Screw on the braces.

The bearer F is next cut out. Its length should be such as to maintain the
exact parallelism of B with G, and the ends be as square as you can cut
them. Fix it in position by two 2-inch screws at each end.

The bench is now ready for covering. Begin with the front board, A1. Bore
countersunk holes for 3-inch screws over the centre of the legs and half an
inch from the front edge, 1 foot apart. Arrange Al with its front edge
perfectly flush with the face of B, and tack it in place by nails driven
through a couple of screw holes, and insert all the screws. The middle
board, A2, is laid up against it, and the back board, A3 (bored for screws
like the front board), against that. Screw down A3.

You must now measure carefully to establish lines over the centres of CC
and F. Attach each board to each of these by a couple of screws. All screws
in the top of the bench are countersunk 1/8 inch below the surface. Screw
the ledge E, of 4 by 5/8 inch wood, on to the back of G, with 2-1/2 inches
projecting. This will prevent tools, etc., slipping off the bench.

[Illustration: Fig. 6.--Perspective view of joiner's bench]

The Vice.--This important accessory consists of an 8 by 2 by 15 inch
piece, V, a 2-inch diameter wooden bench screw and threaded block, and a
guide, F. (Note.--A 1-1/8-inch diameter wrought iron screw is very
preferable to the wooden, but its cost is about 4s. more.) V should be
tacked to B while the 2-inch hole for the bench screw is bored through both
with a centre bit, at a point 8 inches from the guide end on the centre
line of V. This hole must be made quite squarely to enable the screw to
work freely. If a 2-inch bit is not available, mark out a 2-inch ring and
bore a number of small holes, which can afterwards be joined by a pad-saw;
and finish, the hole thus formed with a half-round rasp. The threaded block
for the screw is attached to the inner side of H in the angle formed by the
leg and the board A1. The guide F is then fitted. This is pinned in to V,
and the slides through B. If a rectangular piece is used, cut the hole in V
first; then screw V up tightly, and mark B through V. It may be found more
convenient to use a circular piece, in which case the holes for it can be
centre-bitted through V and B in one operation. If after fitting V projects
above A, plane it down level.

The finishing touches are rounding off all corners which might catch and
fray the clothes, and boring the 3/4-inch holes, HH, for pegs on which
planks can be rested for edge planing.

For a "stop" to prevent boards slipping when being planed on the flat, one
may use an ordinary 2-inch wood screw, the projection of which must of
course be less than the thickness of the board planed. Many carpenters
employ this very simple expedient; others, again, prefer a square piece of
wood sliding stiffly through a hole in A1 and provided on top with a
fragment of old saw blade having its teeth projecting beyond the side
facing the work. The bench is countersunk to allow the teeth to be driven
down out of the way when a "clear bench" is required.

Just a word of warning in conclusion. Don't be tempted to nail the parts
together--with the exception of the trestle components--to save
trouble. The use of screws entails very little extra bother, and gives you
a bench which can be taken to pieces very quickly for transport, and is
therefore more valuable than a nailed one.

III. A HANDY BOOKSTAND.

A bookstand of the kind shown in Fig. 7 has two great advantages: first, it
holds the books in such a position that their titles are read more easily
than when the books stand vertically; second, it can be taken to pieces for
packing in a few moments, as it consists of but four pieces held together
by eight removable wedges. We recommend it for use on the study table.

Oak or walnut should preferably be chosen as material, or, if the maker
wishes to economize, American whitewood or yellow pine. Stuff 1/4 inch
(actual) thick will serve throughout if the stronger woods are used; 3/8
inch for the shelf parts in the case of whitewood or pine.

The ends (Fig. 8) are sawn out of pieces 5-1/2 by 10 inches, and nicely
rounded off on all but the bottom edge, which is planed flat and true. The
positions for the holes through which the shelf eyes will project must be
marked accurately, to prevent the stand showing a twist when put together.
The simplest method of getting the marks right is to cut a template out of
thin card and apply it to the two ends in turn, using the base of each as
the adjusting line. Fret-saw the holes, cutting just inside the lines to
allow for truing up with a coarse file.

[Illustration: Fig. 7.--Perspective view of bookstand.]

The shelves a and b are 15 inches long, exclusive of the lugs c, c, c, c,
and 4-1/2 and 4-3/4 inches wide respectively. As will be seen from Fig. 8,
b overlaps a. Both have their top edges rounded off to prevent injury to
book bindings, but their bottom edges are left square.

As the neatness of the stand will depend largely on a and b fitting closely
against the sides, their ends should be cut out and trued carefully,
special attention being paid to keeping the shoulders between and outside
the lugs in a straight line. The wedge holes in c, c, c, c measure 1/2 by
1/4 inch, and are arranged to be partly covered by the sides, so that the
wedges cannot touch their inner ends. (See Fig. 9.) This ensures the
shelves being tightly drawn up against the sides when the wedges are driven
home.

[Illustration: Fig. 8.--End elevation of bookstand.]

The wedges should be cut on a very slight taper of not more than half an
inch in the foot run, in order to keep their grip. Prepare a strip as thick
as the smaller dimension of the holes, 3/8 inch wide at one end, and 7/8
inch wide at the other. Assemble the parts and push the piece through a
hole until it gets a good hold, mark it across half an inch above the hole,
and cut it off. Then plane the strip down parallel to the edge that follows
the grain until the end will project half an inch beyond the lug next
fitted. Mark and cut off as before, and repeat the process until the eight
wedges are ready in the rough. Then bevel off the outside corners and
smooth them--as well as the rest of the woodwork--with fine glass
paper.

Shelves and sides should be wax-polished or given a coat or two of varnish.

[Illustration: Fig. 9. Plan or bookstand shelf.]

Don't drive the wedges in too tight, or yon may have to lament a split lug.

If the stand is to be used for very heavy books, or the shelves are much
longer than specified here, it is advisable to bring the angle of the
shelves down to the bottom of the standards, to relieve the shelves of
bending strain at the centre; or to use stouter material; or to unite the
shelves at two or three points by thin brass screws inserted through holes
drilled in the overlapping part.

IV. A HOUSE LADDER.

The preparation and putting together of the parts of a ladder having round,
tapered rungs let into holes in the two sides is beyond the capacity of the
average young amateur; but little skill is needed to manufacture a very
fairly efficient substitute for the professionally-built article--to wit,
a ladder of the kind to which builders apply the somewhat disparaging
adjective "duck."

The rungs of such a "duck" ladder are merely nailed to the outside if the
ladder is required for temporary purposes only; but as we are of course
aiming at the construction of a thing made to last, we shall go to the
trouble of "notching-in" each rung (see Fig. 10), so that the sides shall
take the weight directly, and the nails only have to keep the rungs firmly
in position. The objection to notching-in is that it reduces the strength
of the ladder, which is of course only that of the wood between the bottom
of the notches and the plain side. Therefore it is necessary to have sides
somewhat deeper than would be required for a centrally-runged ladder;
which is pierced where the wood is subjected to little tension or
compression.

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