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NY PUBLIC LIBRARY

THE BRANCH LIBRARIES

3 3333 02373 6214

'TOE CENTRAL CHILDREN'S

PONNELL LIBRARY CENTER SST 53 STREET IYQRK, N.Y. 10019

ROOM

HOME-MADE TOYS

FOR GIRLS AND BOYS

BOOKS BY 8vo

Cloth.

A.

NE ELY HALL

Illustrated with f undreds of full-pagt

and working drawings by the author and Norman P. Hall

THE BOY CRAFTSMAN

(

Price net $

1

.60

I

Postpaid

1

.82

.

HANDICRAFT FOR HANDY BOYS

THE HANDY BOY

LOT HROP, LEE & SHEPA RD

Price net $ 2 °° \ (

Postpaid




do get can be because

CJ

Fig. 22.

relied upon,

provoking to

which you have

taken a great deal of pains

Fig. 20

Fig. 2i.

is

it

lose a kite

NAfLFig. 20.

flight.

Flying-Line.

— Detail of Vertical Stick. — Detail of Bow-Stick. — Detail of End of Bow-Stick.

making, through the

in

breaking of the flying

The Box-Kite. more pretentious

kites,

none

is

line.

Of the

popular as the rec-

as

tangular box-kite. Box-kites sizes,

may

number pay any boy

be purchased ready-made

but they are not cheap, and

take the time necessary to

make

it

will

one.

in a

of

While

their con-

to

HOME-MADE KITES struction requires considerable

plane type of kite,

it is

not

13

more work than the

single-

difficult.

Figures 23 and 24 show a kite of scientifically developed Pine, spruce,

proportions.

and whitewood are the best

materials for

The Kite any

Sticks,

though

light-weight

strong,

wood of straight grain may be used if easier to obtain.

If

you

near

live

a lumber yard or planingmill, possibly

you can get

you

strips of just the size

from

require

waste

the

heap, for the mere asking, or for a few cents get

them

ripped out of a board. not,

you

enough self

will find it

to cut

If

easy

them your-

with a sharp rip-saw.

The Side Frames.

Cut

the four horizontal sticks §

inch

thick

and

Fig. 23.

by 36 inches long

wide,

— Raising the Box-Kite.

f inch

(A, Fig.

25),

and the four up-

right connecting sticks (B, Fig. 25) J inch thick, \ inch

wide,

and 10 inches

long.

Tack the upright

sticks to the

horizontal ones 6 inches from the ends of the latter, as

shown

in Fig.

25, using slender

brads for the purpose,

B HOME-MADE TOYS FOR

14

GIRLS

AND BOYS

and clinching the projecting ends. In fastening these be careful to set sticks

B

sticks,

at right angles to sticks A.

— The Box-Kite.

Fig. 24.

After fastening together the side-frame sticks as shown in Fig. 25, lay

them

aside until

you have prepared

f—A '

t

—

1

10"

*

t

Bs-A

r

3 6" Fig. 25.

The Covering

— Make Two Side Frames

for the

End

Cells.

A

like this.

light-weight muslin

or tough paper should be used for this material.

cloth will do

if

you give

it

Cheese-

a coat of thin varnish to

fill

up

HOME-MADE KITES

15

and make it air-tight, after it has been put on. The light-weight brown wrapping-paper now so commonly the pores

used

good covering material.

is

The

cell

wide and

hemmed

bands 5 feet

for the kite illustrated should be 10 inches

9 inches long.

If of cloth,

they should be

along each edge to prevent raveling and to

a firm edge.

If of

make

paper, the edges should be folded over

a light framing-cord

Fig. 26.

Sew together

and pasted.

— Cross-Section

the ends of

of the Box-Kite.

the cloth bands, or paste the ends of the paper bands, lap-

ping them so the measurement around the inside will be exactly

5

feet 8 inches, the

proper measurement around

the sticks of the finished kite.

Assembling the Kite.

Slip

the bands over the side

frames, spread the frames to their fullest extent,

them

in this position

porarily between

by means

of sticks

upright sticks B.

proper length for the diagonal braces sticks should be

and hold

sprung

in

Then measure

C

notched at their ends to

(Fig. 26). fit

temthe

These

over the sticks

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS

i6

A, as shown in Fig.

they will be slightly this

way

and they should be a trifle long so bow-shaped when put in place. In

27,

the frames will keep the cloth or paper bands

stretched tight.

The notched ends of the diagonals should be lashed with thread to keep them from splitting. Lashings of thread around the frame sticks A, as shown in Figs. 25 and 27, will keep the ends of the braces from slipping away from the uprights B, which

the

is

proper position for them.

Bind the braces together at their centers with thread,

shown

as

A^n/,/.#

in Figs. 24

Coat

26.

the

and

lashings

with glue after winding

them, and the thread

will

Detail of Diagonal Braces.

hold

The

its

position better.

cloth or paper bands should be fastened to each hori-

zontal frame stick with two tacks placed near the edges of

the bands.

There are several methods

of

Attaching the Bridle, but that shown in generally considered the most satisfactory. kite

The

is

Fig.

24

is

Of course, the

flown other side up, with the bridle underneath.

three-point attachment has cords fastened at the

two outer corners of the outer

of

one

cell,

and a

edge of the other

third cord to the center

cell

;

and the four-point

attachment has cords attached at the four outer corners

HOME-MADE KITES The ends

of the kite.

17

of the bridle should

be brought

together and tied at a distance of about 3 feet from the It is a

kite.

work

good plan to connect the ends

to a fancy-

ring.

A Good Hand Kite-Reel that can be held in one hand and operated by the other size

is

shown

in

Fig. 28.

Get a

J-lb.

baking-powder can for the winding-spool, locate the

center of the cover and bottom end,

Fig.

cut a hole

Then

Kite-Reel.

inch in diameter through each (Fig.

1

cut two

spool flanges.

A Good Hand

2

and with a can-opener

wooden These

29).

disks 5 inches in diameter for the

may

be cut out of thin wood.

If

you

do not wish to take the trouble to cut them round, just

saw

off

the four corners diagonally,

octagonal.

making the

pieces

Bore a i-inch hole through the center

of

Tack the can cover to the exact center of as shown in Fig. 30, and the can to the exact the other. Then fit the cover on the can, and

each piece.

one disk, center of

glue a strip of cloth or heavy paper around the joint to

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR

i8

keep the cover from working

GIRLS

off,

AND BOYS

and the spool

will

be

piece

of

completed.

The

axle

upon which the spool turns

broom-handle 10 inches or so

is

a

Bore

in length (Fig. 30).

Fig. 29

Figs. 29

two holes through the spool in pins.

its

and

30.

— Details of Hand Kite- Reel.

in the positions

it

proper place.

shown, for pins to keep

Wooden pegs can be

cut for

For a winding handle, pivot a spool on the

right-

The inner shown in Fig.

flange

hand disk by means of the spool

handle

of a nail or screw.

may

be cut

off as

28.

HOME-MADE KITES

19

Both hands are frequently needed to haul in string quickly enough to bring a kite around into the wind, or to handle it when it pulls very strong, and then there is nothing to do but drop the hand reel upon the ground, unless you have an assistant to give

it to.

This

is

where the advan-

tage of

A Body

Kite-Reel comes

in.

With

it

strapped about the Fig. 33

Fig.

31.— A Body

Fig. 32.

Fig. 33.

waist,

it

Fig.

will

go wherever you go, and always be within easy

is

28.

made If,

similar to that of the

larger can than the

a tomato can or syrup can

wooden

hand

The

reel

spool

shown

in

however, you wish a larger winding-spool,

you can use a the

Fig. 31

Figure 31 shows one simple to make.

reach. of this

Kite-Reel.

— Detail of Axle Support. — Detail of Crank.

baking-powder can

—

— and increase the diameter of

flanges accordingly.

Instead of the spool turn-

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR

20

GIRLS

AND BOYS

upon the broom-handle axle, the axle turns with the spool, so the spool must be fastened to the axle. The axle supports A (Figs. 31 and 32) should be about ing

7

inches long, 4 inches wide at the wide end, and

wide at the narrow end. ends a

trifle

Cut the holes

large so the axle will turn easily.

connecting crosspieces

B

for the axle

stick

end to

C

fit in,

inches

Cut the

of the right length so there will

about \ inch between the ends

Cut the crank

2

to receive the axle

as

of the spool

shown

be

and supports A.

in Fig. 33, bore a hole

bore another hole in the edge for

a set-screw to hold the stick in place on the axle end, and pivot a spool in place for a handle. is

If

the hole in the spool

too large for the head of the nail used for pivoting, slip

a small iron or leather washer over the

An

nail.

old belt or shawl-strap should be used for strapping

the kite-reel to your body. axle supports in Fig. 32.

A by

Fasten

this to the

nailing the strips

D

to

ends of the

them

as

shown

CHAPTER

III

A HOME-MADE MODEL AEROPLANE

Model flying,

aeronautics has become nearly as popular as kite

and

girls as well as

boys have taken to building

these unique air toys.

The model aeroplane kite

construction.

It

more work than ordinary requires more patience and

requires also

greater accuracy, because each part of the

must be made

just so, assembled just so,

just so, to produce a

model which

Of course your

of itself.

first

and

will give a

model

will

little

"

aircraft

tuned-up "

good account

probably not be

But if you do your work correctly and carefully will fly, and the experience you have acquired will make possible to turn out a more nearly perfect second model.

perfect. it it

Many

types of model aeroplanes have been devised,

but those of the simplest form of construction have made the best showing.

have been

of

The majority

of record-breaking

models

one type — a triangular framework, equipped

with two planes, and a pair of propellers operated by a pair of rubber-strand motors. this

type

is

shown

in Fig. 34,

on the following pages. of T620 feet

made

A most successful model of and described and illustrated

This model has a distance record

at the Aero Club of Illinois' aviation

22

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS

field at Cicero,

fence of the

Chicago, where

160 acre

field.

it

flew 16 feet

beyond the

The model weighs but

ounces, has 9-inch propellers of 27 inch pitch, and

5\

is

in

every essential a speed machine.

The

part

first

is

of

make

the model to

the triangular

Fuselage, or motor

This consists

base.

of

two

side

sticks,

splines, or spars {A,

Fig. 35) of straight-

grained

white

cut

the

sions

to

pine

dimen-

marked upon

the drawing, with their

bow ends

bev-

eled

off

a

dis-

tance of

for

i\

inches,

glued together, and

Fig. 34.

— Launching a Model Aeroplane.

bound with thread. The stern ends have a spread of 8 inches,

and are braced at that distance by the separator This separator its

is

B

(Fig. 35).

fastened flatwise between sticks A, and

edges are reduced as shown in the small section draw-

ing of Fig. 37 so they will offer less resistance to the

air.

A HOME-MADE MODEL AEROPLANE This piece

is

rators C, D,

fastened between sticks

E

and

are of the sizes

of the proper length to

fit

A

n

with brads.

marked

Sepa-

in Fig. 35,

between side sticks

A

and

at the

____— — — -^ -«i-

.4— 6i

1

t

Main Plane

1

Id

i'«i" ^Stays'

STRANDS OF55"x^"RUBBEF

>-l2

Fig. 35.

1

— Plan.

1

si,

7 Fin

iS

Main IN PLANE-, Plane.

Elevator

.

1

— Side Elevation (without Rubber Motor). — Working-Drawings of Model Aeroplane Designed and Built

Fig. 36.

Figs. 35 and 36.

by Harry Wells. This Model has a record of 1620 feet made at the Aero Club of

Illinois'

Aviation Field at Cicero,

Chicago.

places indicated on the

drawing.

They

are

cut

oval-

shaped, as shown in the small section drawing in Fig. 37.

Before fastening the separators in position,

The Thrust Bearings

for the propellers,

plates for connecting the wire stays,

and the end

must be prepared.

Figure 38 shows a dimensioned detail of the thrust bearings,

and

of sticks

Fig. 37

A

shows how they are bound to the ends

with thread.

These are cut out

of brass,

bent

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR

24

into the shape shown,

GIRLS

AND BOYS

and have a hole pierced through the

folded tip for the propeller-shaft to run through, another

through one end for the brad to pass through that pins stick

A

to B,

and another through the other end to fasten The small detail in Fig. 37 to.

the end of the wire stays

shows the end plates

no longer than

is

wire-stay ends.

for the wire stays.

These are made

necessary for the connecting holes for the Pierce a hole through the center of each Fig. 38

Fig. 39

^_^===J===i'

/

GRUBBER TUB

Wl RE

r;:===

^~t

RING

Fig. 37

Fig. 37.

Fig. 38.

Fig. 39.

— Detail of Fuselage and Motor the Wells Model. — Detail Thrust Bearing, Propeller-Shaft, and Connections. — Detail of Bow Hook and how Rubber Motor Connected to of

of

is

it.

plate for the brad to pass through which fastens sticks

A

bound

to

to the ends of the separators. sticks

A

The

plates are

with thread.

The Bow Hooks support the bow ends of the rubber motor, and are made upon the ends of a piece of heavy piano-wire bent V-shaped to (Fig. 39).

Bind the wire

the thread with glue to

The Main Plane has 40,

fit

over the ends of sticks

A

to the sticks with thread, coating

make

it

hold fast (Fig. 37).

a framework built as

shown

in Fig.

with the front or entering-edge, and the rear or following-

A HOME-MADE MODEL AEROPLANE edge,

made

25

white pine or other light-weight

of sticks of

ribs and tips on the ends made of No. 16 aluminum wire. The ends of the frame sticks are gauge cut away on their outer edge, to receive the ends of the wire forming the tips, and the ends of these wires, and the laps of the wire ribs, are bound in position with thread, and the

wood, and the

thread then coated with glue to hold

The shown

it

Elevator, or front plane, has a

Its entering-edge is

in Fig. 41.

following-edge, ribs,

aluminum

wire.

in position.

framework made as

and end

You

will

tips, are

notice

a stick, and

made

by

of

Fig.

its

No. 16 guage that

41

the

center ribs cross the following-edge of the frame and are

bent up in the form of a

flat loop.

This loop rests against

the under side of the fuselage, and gives the elevator

proper angle for stability (Fig. 36). to

add

tips are

its

bent up

stability.

The frames this

is

main plane and elevator are covered which may either be sewed or glued in place,

of the

with china-silk,

and

The

given a thin coat of shellac to

make

it

air-tight

The covering must be put on smoothly to reduce to a minimum what is known as skin resistance the resistance that the plane makes to the air while passing

and

taut.

through

—

it.

The main plane and elevator are held to the fuselage by means of rubber-bands slipped beneath them and over the fuselage,

and unlike the planes

of the

majority of models,

are fastened to the under side of the fuselage.

shows the approximate position

of the elevator.

Figure 36

That

of

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS

26

the

main plane

will

vary under different

air conditions,

sometimes being placed over the separator C, and at other

B

shown in Fig. 35. Therefore, you must adjust your plane and elevator times closer to separator

this operation

is

known

of the atmosphere, until will give the

as

than

is

—

tuning — to

you

suit the condition

find the positions

machine the greatest

stability.

where they

A great factor

Fig. 42

Fig. 41

Fig.

40

Fig. 40. — Detail of the Main Plane Framework of the Wells Model. Fig. 41. — Detail of the Elevator Framework. — Detail of Fin. Fig. 42.

in the successful flight of a

model aeroplane

lies in

properly

tuning the planes, both laterally and longitudinally, and of course the planes must balance at their centers, in order to

make the machine balance properly. The Fin directly over the center of the

and

36)

is

provided for

rudder by turning is

made

of

it

stability,

slightly to

elevator (Figs. 34

and may be used as a

one side or the other.

It

No. 34 gauge sheet aluminum, cut to the form

A HOME-MADE MODEL AEROPLANE

shown in of heavy

Its vertical

Fig. 42.

wire, as

shown

is

bent around a piece

in the plan detail of Fig. 42,

the lower end of the wire

bow ends of sticks A. The Propellers are

edge

is

the most difficult

accurately cut, and

must be of identical size and pitch. The pitch of a propeller is, theoretically, the distance forward that

it

and

fastened upright between the

part of the model aeroplane to make.

They must be very

27

Glass Bead Wire shaft

Fig.

43.— The

Model

Wells

Propeller.

advances in one complete revolution.

Figure 43 shows one of the propellers of Harry Wells'

machine, which

9 inches in length

and has a 27-inch

Figure 44 shows

pitch.

How to sites,

is

Prepare the Propellers.

that

The

pair

must be oppo-

one must be of right-hand pitch and the

is,

other of left-hand pitch,

or, in

other words, the upper end

rr^si

*

A

B Fig. 44.

C

— How

D

E

F

to Prepare a 9-inch Propeller.

of the right-hand pitch propeller turns to the right,

that of the left-hand pitch propeller turns to the

viewing them from the rear.

left,

and

when

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS

28

Step

A

up a straight-grained

consists in properly planing

block of white pine i| inches thick, 9 inches long, with its sides

The

Propeller Blank.

and ends

Draw

2

inches wide, and

straight

and

Then on

of this block at the exact center of the length.

faces line,

C and

D, lay

true, for

a line around the four faces

a distance of J inch on the centermeasuring from the edge of face B, for the thickness off

of the propeller-hub,

and draw diagonal

lines

from the upper

and lower left-hand corners of faces C and D to the end Then cut away the porof the hub center-line (Step B). Lay out tions outside of these lines, as shown in Step C. hub upon faces A and B of the block, with a J-inch diameter, and bore a small hole through the center to receive the

the propeller-shaft (Step C).

Draw

corners to the center-line of the

wood

away The next the

G

hub (Step D)

;

then cut

outside of these lines (Step E).

step (F) consists in laying out the form of the

propeller blade

and Step

diagonals from the

is

scooping out

upon

all

four sides and ends of the block,

the final one of cutting out the propeller,

its

blades concave on one side, and carving

them convex on the opposite side. A very sharp knife must be used for cutting and the work must be done slowly and carefully, because the least slip is likely to ruin the propeller. The entering-edge of each blade is the almost The ends of straight edge, and should be cut very thin. while hub should be the the blades should also be cut thin, ;

cut

away

as

much

ing the propeller.

as can safely be done without weaken-

A HOME-MADE MODEL AEROPLANE

When you have them if

29

completed cutting the propellers, place

at their centers across the edge of a knife-blade,

and

they do not balance perfectly, locate the trouble and

correct

it.

then shellac

Finish the work with fine emery-paper, and it.

Some boys

glue silk over the ends of their

propeller blades, for a distance of J inch or so, to reinforce

them and make them less likely to split. The Propeller-Shafts are made of heavy piano- wire, bent into a hook at one end (Fig. 38) to receive the rubber strands of the motor, and cut of the right length to extend through the hole in the bearing, through a glass bead,

through the propeller, and then to bend over the side of the hub (Figs. 37 and 38). shaft against the hub,

it is

By bending

over the end of the

held securely in place.

The Motors consist of twelve strands of |-inch flat rubber, each, and as these are 1 yard in length, exactly 24 yards of rubber are required. The rubber is not connected direct to the hooks on the bow and propeller-shafts, as the wire would quickly cut through the strands.

Instead,

small rings are bent out of wire, with pieces of small rubber-

tubing slipped over the wire, and the ends of the rubber strands are looped through these rings and

with thread (Fig. 39).

on and

off

The

bound

in place

wire rings are then slipped

the hooks quickly.

As

light

and heat cause

rubber to deteriorate, you must remove the motors from the machine after use, pack

keep

away

in a covered box,

and

in a cool place, in order to get the longest life possible

out of the rubber.

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS

3°

has been found that rubber motors can be

It

much

by lubricating them with

farther

wound

glycerine.

It is

only necessary to put a few drops of the glycerine upon a clean cloth,

and rub

it

over the outside strands

Fig. 47

Fig. 45. Fig. 46.

Fig. 47.

the motors,

then wind

Fig- 40

Fig. 45

— A Home-made Motor Winder. — The Kind Egg-Beater to Use. — How the Motors are Connected

;

of

and

strands until

all

it

will

to

Winder

for

work over the surface

Winding.

of the inner

parts are covered.

Of course the rubber motors must be twisted an equal

number

of turns, in order to

same, and this

made from an taneously.

is

make

the propellers

work the

usually done with an ingenious winder

egg-beater, which winds both motors simul-

A HOME-MADE MODEL AEROPLANE

31

The Home-made Motor- Winder shown in Fig. 45 is made from a Dover egg-beater (Fig. 46). To convert the egg-beater into a winder,

it is

necessary to cut

off

the loop

ends and the center pivot wires on which the loops turn. the cut-off ends of the loops into hooks, and

Then bend punch them 45).

to

fit

The ends

the hooks

over the pivot wire ends, as before (Fig.

of the pivot wires

must be riveted

to

keep

in position.

Figure 47 shows

How

the

Egg-Beater Winds the Motors.

assistant supports the

While an

model by the propeller end, you

remove the motor rings from the hooks on the bow of the fuselage, and slip them on to the hooks of the egg-beater.

Then you turn

the crank of the winder, counting the turns

and when you have wound the motors as far as you wish, slip off the motor rings, and slip them back on to the bow hooks of the model aeroplane. Motors of models like that shown in this chapter are wound onethousand turns or more for each flight. Wind the Motors Slowly, especially after the first row of knots begin, as it puts the rubber to the least amount

as

you do

so,

by doing this. Quick winding not only strains the rubber but makes the knots form in bunches, and un-

of strain

even winding,

of course,

produces an uneven unwinding.

must be held after the motors have been them in check. Figure 34 shows The Position to Take for Launching a Model from the hand. The machine should not be thrown forward, as

The

propellers

wound,

to keep

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR

32

the

movement would cause

air,

resulting in the

slight

push that

that produced

best

will start

by

AND BOYS

too great a disturbance of the

machine losing

The

ably upsetting.

GIRLS

method it off

its propellers.

its stability, is

and prob-

to give the

at a speed a

model a

trifle

under

CHAPTER A

The

HOME MADE TOY MOTOR-BOAT

toy motor-boat shown in Figs. 48 and 49

by a

pelled

IV

tin propeller

Fig. 49.

is

run by a rubber-band motor.

pro-

A

— The Completed Motor-Boat.

handful of rubber-bands will cost only a few cents, and the rest of the working material can be picked

Prepare the

Bottom

up at home.

of

the Hull out of a piece of

wood it

1

inch thick, making

of the

sions

shape and dimen-

shown

careful

to

Be

in Fig. 51.

curve

edges the same.

the

side

Use a saw

for cutting out the

piece, Fig. 50.

— Stern, with Motor in Place.

then smooth up the edges

with a plane and sandpaper. off

on a bevel as

shown

The

in Fig. 52. 33

stern should be sawed

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS

34

The Sides

of the hull (B, Figs. 52

and

53) are thin strips

Nail one to one edge of the bottom block,

2h inches wide.

then

saw

a line of the

bottom block, and

— 2 o" Fig. 51.

the

off

bow end on with the bow

— Diagram of Hull.

—

*1

the

stern

end

the

same

slant as

the bevel cut on the stern of the bottom block.

on

With one

and trim off its making a neat joint

piece in position, nail on the second side ends.

you have any

If

between ends

the

of

difficulty in

bow B,

sides

take a piece of tin

from a can, bend

it

around the bow, and tack

in place

it

shown

The

Fig.

in

as 48.

stern piece (C,

Figs.

53

and

54)

should be cut next, to

fit

the

ends of the

Fig. 53

slanted sides.

The Deck (D) extends from the bow

Figs. 52 and 53.

almost to the center of the boat. taper in

may

its

— How the Hull,

Deck

Sides, Stern

and

Pieces are Assembled.

Its top surface

length and curve from side to side.

be whittled or planed to this shape.

The

Fasten

brads to the top edges of the sides of the boat.

should

it

piece

with

—

Fig. 48.

Launching the Toy Motor-Boat.

A HOME-MADE TOY MOTOR-BOAT

To Complete

the Boat, go over the

work

35

carefully, trim

off all

projecting edges, drive nail heads beneath the sur-

faces,

putty nail holes and cracks, and give the wood two

coats of paint of whatever color

you want

have the

to

motor-boat.

The

Propeller (£, Fig. 54)

can.

Cut a piece

ends,

and with the point

cut from the side of a tin

is

and f inch wide, round

3 inches long

of a nail pierce a hole

its

through

it

each side of the center of the length of the piece (Fig. 55). To finish the propeller, it is only necessary to take hold of the two ends and twist the piece into the shape Fig.

in

56.

The Propeller-Shaft

requires a short piece of wire with

one end bent into a hook (F, Fig.

end

shown

of this shaft

through one

56).

Stick the straight

hole in the propeller,

and

the hooked end through the other hole, then twist the

hooked end over on to the main part in Fig.

57.

Make

of the shaft, as

shown

a tight twist so the propeller will be

held perfectly rigid on the shaft.

The Bearing Plate G propeller.

Cut

it

it

54 and 58) supports

the

out of a piece of tin ij inches wide by

3 inches long, bend

and then bend

(Figs.

it

in half crosswise to give

it

lengthwise to the angle shown so

stiffness, it

will

fit

Punch two holes through the plate to the stern, and a hole

over the slanted stern of the boat. the upper end for nailing

at the lower end for the propeller-shaft to run through.

For a Thrust Bearing, propeller-shaft,

slip

a couple of beads over the

between the propeller and bearing plate

36

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS 1)

^^^^TTTT^, B

\ w^^^^^^^^^^^mzm. \U-E

Fig. 54.

— Longitudinal

Figs. 55-59. Fig. 60.

Section of Assembled Motor-Boat.

— Details of Propeller.

— Rubber-Band Motor.

;

A HOME-MADE TOY MOTOR-BOAT

37

Probably you can find glass beads in your mother's

G.

button bag. After slipping the beads on to the shaft, and sticking the shaft through the hole in bearing plate G, bend the

end

hook

of the shaft into a

hook into the bottom

and you

54),

will

;

then screw a small screw-

of the hull, at the

bow end

(/, Fig.

be ready for

The Rubber-Band Motor.

Rubber-bands

inches in length are best for the purpose.

about

Loop

i|

these

together end to end (Fig. 60) to form a strand that will

reach from hook / to the hook on the propeller-shaft

then form three more strands of this same length, and the end loops of

four strands over the hooks.

all

To Wind the Motor,

give the propeller about one hun-

dred turns with your finger; peller until

slip

then, keep hold of the pro-

you launch the boat.

There are

many ways

of elaborating

upon the design and

construction of this toy motor-boat, but, having given the

necessary instructions for building a simple model, I

going to leave further development

Here

is

an opportunity

for

you

Devise an adjustable rudder, add a pit

with a coaming,

flashlight —

in

model you can

install

fact,

build.

see

for

to

to use your

work

am out.

ingenuity.

keel, finish off the cock-

a headlight

just

you

made from

how complete

a pocket

a motor-boat

CHAPTER V HOME-MADE TOY WATER-MOTORS You 61,

can own a water-motor

because

its

like the

one shown in Fig.

construction requires nothing but easily

obtained materials.

The Case

of this

Fig. 6i.

varnish can

water-motor

is

— A Varnish-Can Water-Motor

— preferably

one

38

of

an empty

in Operation.

of gallon capacity.

The

ing better could be desired.

made

tin

can makes a

Nothlight-

HOME-MADE TOY WATER-MOTORS weight compact case

and

right place

from a faucet tight there floor — a

;

;

the spout in the top

water power and as the water connections can be made

argument

big

in just the

of the right size to receive the

no possibility

is

is

39

of

water splashing on to the

your favor when seeking per-

in

mission to use the motor in

the bath-tub, wash-

basin, or kitchen sink.

You can

The

store.

from

paint

a

or at

painter,

empty any

get an

can

varnish

first

step in

converting the can into the motor case consists in

removing the bottom.

You

will

dered

in

find

this

place,

and

probability,

in it

solall

can

be removed quickly by holding the can over the

flame of

gas

a

Fig. 62.

burner

The Completed Varnish-Can Water-Motor.

until

the

solder

when a few tin to

drop

melts,

taps upon the edges will cause the piece of

off.

The Water-Motor Wheel of the

show

water-motor its

details.

about I inch

less

(Figs.

shown in the cross-sections 63 and 64), and Figs. 65 to 67 is

The diameter

of the

wheel should be

than the inside width of the can.

In

4o

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS

the model from

measurement

is

which the drawings were made,

5J inches.

Cut the two

this

side pieces of the

wheel out of a piece of cigar-box wood, and bore a f-inch hole through the center of each for the wheel axle.

Fasten

CORK

Fig. 64

Fig. 63

Figs. 63

and

64.

Sections through

Water-Motor Case.

a spool to the center of one side piece for a pulley-wheel (Fig. 66).

Prepare Eight Paddles if inches wide and 2 J inches long, out of cigar-box wood. of the paddles,

zontal

line,

a

Locate the positions for the ends

upon the

vertical line,

side pieces,

by drawing a

and two diagonal

hori-

lines at angles

HOME-MADE TOY 'WATER-MOTORS of 45 degrees, through their centers.

This

41

will simplify

the matter of spacing the paddles equidistant from one

Use brads

another (Fig. 67). to the paddle ends.

for fastening the side pieces

Those removed from the cigar boxes

will do.

The Wheel Shaft should be width

inside

of

a

trifle

shorter than the

the can, and enough smaller than the

j-inch hole in the wheel side pieces so the wheel will turn

Locate the centers for the axle upon the two sides

freely.

Fig. 66

Fig. 65

Fig. 67

— The Completed Water-Motor Wheel. — Details Water-Motor Wheel. Figs. 66 and Fig. 65.

of

67.

of the can, in the proper position so there will

be the same

margin above and at the ends

Drive a nail

through each side

An

of the

of the wheel.

can into the axle end.

Outlet for the water after

it

has passed over the

wheel paddles must be provided, and the best fasten a strip to raise the

and

two opposite

bottom about an

way

is

to

sides of the can so as to

inch, as

shown

in Figs. 62, 63,

64.

For a Pulley-Belt use a piece of heavy cord.

Cut a

slot

through the front of the can for the belt to run through,

HoMH-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS

4?

and make

this slot large

enough so the cord

not rub

will

against the sides (Fig. 63).

Pulley- Wheels for attaining different speeds can be

A

of spools of various sizes.

removed, mounted

in a frame, is excellent for a large wheel.

Connecting up the Water-Motor.

water-motor

made

bicycle wheel with the tire

If

you operate the

you can

in the kitchen sink,

either build a

platform as shown in Fig. 61, to bring the spout of the var-

nish-can case up to the level

Rubber tubing CORK-tf

of the faucet, or

you can

the water-motor

in

and

BRASS TUBING

lead

If

Fig. 68

G8-69.

— How

to

piece

rubber

of

tubing from the spout to the faucet,

Figs.

a

set

sink

the

Make

a

Water-tight Connection between

as

shown

you use the

ment,

slip

rubber

in

Fig.

68.

latter arrange-

the lower end of the

tubing

over

a

short

Faucet and Water-Motor.

piece

tubing, large 69).

and

stick the short tubing

enough If

you

glass,

brass,

or

tin

through a hole in a cork

fit

the spout of the varnish-can case (Fig.

raise

the water-motor high enough so the

to

faucet will set

enough hole

of

down

into the spout,

for the faucet,

you can cut a large

through a cork, and then

fit

shown in Fig. 64. Another Water-Motor. The little water-motor in Fig. 70 will furnish sufficient power to operate simple mechani-

the cork in the spout as

cal toys.

HOME-MADE TOY WATER-MOTORS The Water-MoWheel.

tor

43

SLOT-

Pro-

cure two baking-

powder can covers ends of the

for the

water-motor wheel 72),

a

out

of

make

the

Fig.

(.4,

cigar-box

which

to

wheel paddles, and a

stick

inch

I

and

square

5

inches long for the

wheel axle (B, Fig. 72).

Cut eight pad-

from the cigar-box wood 1 dles

inch

wide

and

a

pair

strips

them

5

Take

inches long.

these

of

and fasten to

one can

cover, in line with

each

other,

and

close

against

the

sides of the cover (C, Fig. 73).

Fasten

rhe Water-Motor Wheel.

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS

44

with tacks or brads driven through the cover into the ends

Take another

of the strips.

to the

pair

F

C

same

pair of strips

and fasten them

cover, in a similar manner, at right angles to

Then tack

(D, Fig. 72).

to the cover halfway

E

the pairs of strips

between pairs

C and

and

With the

D.

paddles in position, locate the exact center of the end of the can cover, and "£;dl

j^v

_

drive

nail

a

through

at

this

point into the end B.

axle

of

Slip

the free ends of the

paddles

into

can

other

the

cover,

Fig. 72

and carefully drive

tacks or

c

r

"iiimii jjp/IIIKi te/ifin

I

brads

through the cover into them.

Drive

j^

a nail through the lllliiiii'

center of the cover

, l

"

i JM

"c

lilli«[' •Jill

Fig. 73

Figs. 72

and

73.

Details of

Water-Motor Wheel.

into

for the wheel.

end

of

axle B.

The Wheel Supports.

shows the supports

the

Figure 74

Cut the end pieces

4 inches wide and 6 inches high, and the cross strips

G

H

wide and 5! inches long. Nail pieces G to H, as shown, allowing the lower ends of G to extend i inch below if inches

HOME-MADE TOY WATER-MOTORS strips

The

H, and leaving a space

G

axle holes in pieces

of § inch

45

between

strips

H,

(Fig. 74) should be located in

the center of the width of these pieces, and halfway be-

tween

their tops

and

withdrawing

H.

strips

make them by pieces, and then

gimlet, or

Bore the holes with a

driving a large nail through the

it.

To Mount the Wheel upon

the sup-

withdraw the

ports,

nails driven into the

ends of axle B, the

wheel

slip

between

uprights G, and drive the nails through the holes in

G

back into the holes in the axle

ends (Fig.

Fig. 74.

— Support

for

Water-Motor Wheel.

71).

The Pulley Wheel.

One can cover should be

con-

verted into a pulley by winding several turns of string

around

it,

the string.

near each edge, leaving a groove between

Coat the string with glue to make

it

stick

fast to the cover.

The Water-Motor Case. water-motor case I, J,

be a

K, L, and slot

is

Figure

70

shows how the

constructed by fastening boards N,

M to the wheel supports G.

There must

through / and another through /, for the string

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS

46

belt to pass through, of

and a hole through

water from a faucet.

K

for the intake

These can be cut out

of the

edges of the boards, as shown, before they are nailed in place.

Leave an opening between boards

TV

and M, and

the bottom of ends G, for an outlet for waste water.

—

CHAPTER

VI

A HOME-MADE TOY RAILWAY It

often thought that a toy railway

is

is

beyond a boy's

ingenuity to construct, whereas, in reality, the

simplest

he can make.

toys

tracks, stations,

and

it

is

one of

This applies to the

cars of every description, all of which

can be made with a few strips of wood, some spools, cardboard, and a bottle of glue, for materials.

have passed the age will,

for

of caring for

no doubt, enjoy the making your younger brother, or

your boy

for

such toys as of

one

one

of

/

relatives.

nails,

If

you

this,

you

—

r

\Cr^Jie

Figure 76 shows a railway set up and in

As shown

running order.

in the illus:

tration,

The

/

Trolley-Line, or overhead cable, runs

around the wheels either

end

pieces of

shown

Hn

\

m

supports,

of

wood

of

the

two supports, one at track.

the shape

Prepare four

and

size of that

Fig. 75 for the uprights of these

and

*

4

Fig. 75.

^

— Upright.

make two wheels three The wheels may be marked out with

inches in diameter.

a home-made

compass

—a

pencil 47

tied

to

the

end

of

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS

48

a piece

of

string,

if

vise,

When

you haven't a compass.

the wheels have been cut out, place

one at a time, and with a

them

make

file

Fig.

around the edge as shown at C, eighths-inch hole through

76.

of

fasten six

groove

a

— The Toy Railway Bore a three-

Fig. 77.

each upright

and another through the center

your bench-

in

at F,

Fig.

each wheel.

two

inches

75,

Now

of the uprights

apart

upon

a

block of wood, as shown at

A

and B,

a shaft to

Fig. 77. fit

Whittle

loosely in the

holes of the uprights, and, after slipping

fasten

it

into them,

one of the wheels

upon one end and a small Fig. 77. — Support for Trolley-Line. spool upon the other (see C and D in Fig. 77). A weight of some sort should be fastened to the base, as shown at E. The uprights for the

other

support should

be similarly mounted upon

A HOME-MADE TOY RAILWAY another block of wood.

49

Fasten the remaining wheel to an

axle run through the holes in the uprights, and, as

it is

unnecessary to have a spool upon the other end of the

in Operation.

axle, cut it off short

and drive a

nail

through

it

to prevent

Having thus prepared the supports, place them as far apart as you wish to extend the railway, and run a cord around the two wheels and tie it. Then set the supports a little farther apart,

it

from slipping through the

if

necessary, to tighten the cord.

spool

A

D

holes.

Run

another cord from

to

Water-Motor, steam engine, or whatever power you

can get with which to operate the railway. inverted with the tire removed from

been used

satisfactorily,

with the belt slipped

off

its

as has also a

A

bicycle

rear wheel has

sewing-machine

and the cord from the spool put

in its place.

A

good substitute

for the tin tracks ordinarily sold in

shops for toy railways will be found in those shown in Fig. 78.

These

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS

5°

Tracks consist of quarter-inch strips mounted upon

Make

pieces of cardboard.

end

a small gimlet-hole in one

and drive a short

of each stick,

opposite end (see Fig. 78). Nail.

finishing nail in the

Cut the cardboard

strips the

Dowel.

Fig. 78.

— The Tracks.

length of the sticks, and tack them to the sticks as shown in the illustration.

If

inch and one-half spools are used

for the car wheels, the inside

gauge

board

strips over the

over the ends

ends of the

cardboard

of the

of the tracks should

By

be an inch and three-quarters.

lapping the card-

sticks,

strips,

and the

sticks

and placing the

nail

dowels in the ends of the sticks as in the drawing, a strong track

may

is

formed when the pieces are

sections to

This

it.

The Cars

for this railway will

structed alike, and

-**

it

is

have

their

&^

~P^

— A Top View of Car Truck.

car from one style into another. of a truck.

trucks con-

a simple matter to transform a

1

&

Fig. 7Q.

view

fitted together.

be extended to any desired length by adding more

For the bed

Figure 79 shows a top

of this cut a three-eighths-

A HOME-MADE TOY RAILWAY

51

inch board twelve inches long by two and one-quarter inches wide, and, after rounding the ends as

drawing, cut a mortise at

A and B two and

shown

in the

three-eighths

Procure two one

inches from either end.

for wheels, and wooden peg through the hole in

and one-half inch spools drive a

each, cutting off the ends so they project

a

little

beyond the

Then bore

80.

hole, as

shown

in Fig.

four holes in the edges of

the truck-bed with a gimlet at C, D, E,

and

F

(see drawing), and, after setting the

Fig. 80.

— Spool

Wheels.

A and

spools in mortises

B, pivot them in

place with small finishing nails driven into the

These

pegs.

nails should

In order to drive spools,

it

is

them

fit

loosely in the gimlet holes.

into the exact

best to locate these points

V

wooden

centers of

the

upon the ends

of

Brass Rtog

fyPeg

/K Fig. 81.

Fig.

#2Z> —The

Completed Car Truck.

the pegs before placing the spools in the frame.

A quarterG

inch hole should be bored in the top of the truck-bed at

and

/

which to fasten the two uprights / and Make the uprights four inches long and

// (Fig. 79) in

(see Fig. 81).

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS

52

upon the lower ends

whittle a peg

H

to

fit

holes

G and

Bore a hole with a gimlet in the top of

(see Fig. 82).

each and run a piece of heavy wire from one to the other,

bending

and

/, as

before

as

it

shown

in Fig.

Fasten

81.

K

between /

Place a small brass ring upon the wire

shown.

you fasten

it

A

in place.

small hook should be

screwed into one end of the truck and a screw-eye into the other end, for couplings, should you wish to hitch two or

more cars together. A Gondola Car, such as shown

its

truck

made

in Fig. 83, should

have

similar to Fig. 79, with the exception that

H.&E.C.R.B.

Fig. 83.

it

— A Gondola Car.

should be two inches shorter, in order that cigar-box

strips

can be used for the side pieces.

Cut the

strips

an

inch and one-half high and fasten them to the bed of the car with brads.

The with a

car

may

be used as a

trailer.

shown in Fig. 81 is a rather crude affair, but more work may be transformed into a better

little

looking car

A

This car

—

Street Car such as

an example

of

is

shown

what can be made.

roof of this car are

made

of

and 85 being The sides, ends, and

in Figs. 84

cardboard, the patterns for

;

A HOME-MADE TOY RAILWAY

shown on page

the cutting of which are

53

Figure 86

55.

shows a cross-section taken through the center

The two in

Fig.

A

side pieces 87.

With a

ruler

windows about as shown

shown

and lead-pencil draw

in the

first,

in the drawing, using double lines

Then, with a sharp

to indicate the sash.

knife, cut out

the center of each just inside of the inner

windows may be

left

of the car.

as

should be prepared

open or

side with tissue-paper.

If

may

These

line.

be covered on the

tissue-paper

is

used,

oil it

in-

to

r anunnnn cook City Raolwa •

•

Fig. 84.

-.

•

C

— Side View.

Fig. 85.

— End View.

more transparent. When the two sides have been prepared, bend each along the dotted lines (see Fig. 87) and tack one to each side of your car truck as shown

make

in

it

Fig.

86.

When

properly bent, the distance between

the upper part of the sides should be two and three-quarters inches.

Cut the two inner ends

Fig. 88, using a

of the car the

compass with a radius

of

shape of

two and one-half

inches with which to describe the curve at the top. in the panels

and sash

side pieces, being careful to

Draw

you did those upon the get them on the same level,

lines as

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS

54

and cut out the door and window openings.

Fasten

and

these end pieces between the sides with glue,

also

tack them to the uprights of the car (/ and /, Fig. 81),

which in

come

will

The

just inside of them.

two sections (B and C,

Fig. 86).

For

roof

B

is

made

cut a piece of

cardboard twelve and one-quarter by three and threequarter inches (Fig. 89), draw the curved end with a com-

shown on the drawing, and slit the by the dotted lines. When this piece has thus been prepared, remove the wire from the top of the truck (see Fig. 81). Bend the cardboard over the sides and ends of the car, and lap corners D and E over F and G, and H and / over / and K, tacking them with thread to hold them in place. To fasten this part of the roof to the top of the car, cut a number of small strips of linen, and glue them to the under side of the roof and to the inside face of the sides and ends of the car The upper portion of the roof C should be (see Fig. 86). pass, using the radius

corners

indicated

as

made out Fig. 90,

of a piece of

cardboard bent into the shape of

and cut at the ends so the upper portion of C Draw the ventilation little beyond its sides.

projects a lights

upon the

sides of

C

as

shown on the drawings, and

then fasten the piece upon the top of linen in the

C

should

with strips of

same manner as you fastened B in place. Cut the same curve to its top as B.

now have

and glue a piece the roof.

B

of

The outer ends

C

to complete

shown

in Fig. 91.

cardboard in each end of

The shape

of this piece

of the car should

is

be

made

as

shown

in

11%

Cat

H* B CO

V ii

Fig.

Fig. 91

Fig.

T

90

•poioo

nnnnnnn y.

bend tiered

Fig. 86

Fig. 87

3*

1BOYV1LLE

1

I

I

Fig. 94

C

F 2| Fig. 93

Fig. 88

Fig. 92

Figs. 86-94.

— Details 55

of

Toy

Street Car.

56

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS

Fig. 92,

and tacked around the ends

and

platform,

of the

wooden truck

under side

also fastened to the

of the roof

The window openings may be cut make a stronger car if they are simply drawn upon it. Cut four cardboard steps similar to Fig. 93 and tack them to the sides of the front and rear

with strips of linen. in each end,

but

it

When

platforms.

will

the car has been put together, replace

the wire in the tops of uprights / and

J

(Fig. 81), run-

ning the ends through the roof (see Fig. 84).

and ends

sides

brown trimmings,

Water

colors can be used

and paint the roof a

light gray.

Letter the

for the purpose.

the sides

and the number

name

of

lettered

your car-line upon

upon each end and

of the car

The route should be

side.

Paint the

of the car yellow with

upon

strips of card-

board with pins run through them as shown in Fig. 94, these strips to stick in the roof of the car (see Figs. 84

and

85).

Having seen how the car simple matter to

make

is

made, you

will find it a

designs for

Other Cars, using the same scheme

for the trucks,

altering the patterns for the sides, ends,

and

and

roof, to suit

the design.

Nothing has, as

yet,

been said about the

Operation of the Railway, and though Fig. 76 probably

shows

sufficiently clear

be helpful. tracks,

The

and the

top of the car)

how

it

is

run, a few words

car or cars are placed between the

may

wooden

trolley (or cord attached to the ring is

tied to the trolley-line as in the

on

illus-

A HOME-MADE TOY RAILWAY tration.

Upon

starting

your

water-motor,

engine,

whatever motive-power you have, the car one end of the track to the other. support of the trolley-line,

it

57

When

it

will

or

run from

has reached the

will stop long

enough

for

wooden wheel, and

the cord trolley to pass around the

then run in the opposite direction until the other support is

reached.

It will

thus be seen that the trolley hangs to

the upper part of the cable, or trolley-line, in running

one way, and to the lower part on the return run.

Fig. 95.

In

— The Railway Depot.

changing the direction of the run, the ring to which the trolley

A of

is

attached slides to the other end of the car.

Station such as

is

illustrated in Fig. 95

cardboard and mounted upon

a

is

made out

seven-eighths-inch

board large enough to form a railway platform.

After

and end pieces, with door and window openings placed as shown in the illustration, fasten them together with strips of linen glued in the corners. Make the roof low and extend it over the platform upon cutting out the side

each side and over the gable-ends, as shown in the tration.

Paint

the

sides

of

illus-

the depot the regulation

depot red, and the roof a shingle or slate color.

Paint

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS

58

the door and window-sash black, letter the

upon the gable-ends, and with a

station

pencil rule off the boards or shingles station,

either

upon the

two

end

of

may

be

roof.

made

your car

line.

upon the As this of the

ruler

sides, is

name

of the

and lead-

and the

slate

a typical railway

same pattern, one

for

CHAPTER

VII

HOME-MADE TOY ELEVATORS The well

elevator

shown

in Fig. 96

worth one's making.

and

floor,

it

will

is

a unique mechanical toy

Release the

little

descend to the ground

car at the top

floor,

and then

return to the starting point, without you having to touch it

a second time.

A

mechanical device performs the

little

Perhaps

magical elevator?

The same plan may be followed

A

so.

trick.

for installing the doll-

house elevator in Chapter XIII, but the more stories there are the

why

I

more fun there

in operating the elevator.

is

This

is

have adapted the scheme to

A Toy

Office Building.

Six stories are

shown

in Fig. 96,

but you can make a modern sky-scraper with as stories as

you

like.

A

packing-case 3 feet 6 inches long,

stood on end, was used for the model.

can be added to the top

many

Another box or two

for additional stories.

box, or boxes, get enough box boards for floors

Besides the

and

parti-

tions.

Make

the Floors in two pieces (A and B, Fig. 98), so the

opening for the elevator shaft can be cut out of the end of

one piece in the manner shown.

about

5

inches square.

Mark

This opening should be

out and cut the boards for

59

all

6o

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS

of the floors at one time,

opening the same in each

and be floor.

careful to get the shaft

Cut the notch C

A

about

i

in

board

inch square.

Fasten the floor boards in place with nails

driven

through

the sides of the box.

The Partitions, pattern for which

shown be

a is

in Fig. 99, can

made

quicker by

omitting the doorway,

but

this is easy to cut

by sawing along the sides and then splitting out the piece be-

tween the saw

cuts.

The Elevator Car should be built up of cigar-box wood, as shown in Figs. 101 and 102. The front portion (D) should be about 3 inches wide, 2\ inches deep, and 4 inches high, Fig.

96.— A Toy

Office Building with Elevator.

(E) should be of the

inches high.

same width,

and the

rear portion

2 inches deep,

Fasten these upon the base piece

F

and 2\

as shown.

HOME-MADE TOY ELEVATORS The Elevator Guides.

Bore the holes

G

61

through the

top and bottom of the car, close to the sides, for guide wires

may drill.

H

to run through (Figs. 101

be bored with a screw-eye

if

and 102). These holes you haven't a gimlet or

any wire that you have on Fasten two screw-eyes into the top of the shaft, the same distance

or almost

Bell-wire,

hand, will do for the guides. the under side of

apart as holes G, and in the proper position so they will

come exactly over them

(/,

Fig.

determining these measurements.

100).

Use the car

Then bore two

for

holes

through the bottom of the shaft directly below the screweyes (/, Fig. 100). it

down through

Attach the wire to one screw-eye, run

holes

/, then across to

G

in the car,

through one of the holes

and up through the other hole /, up G in the car, and attach to

through the other set of holes the second screw-eye

/.

The Cables. The elevator is lifted by means of cord L (Figs. 97 and 101). Fasten this cord to a tack driven into (Figs. the top of the car, then run it up and over spool 7 97 and 101), over spool A (Fig. 97), and tie to weight K, The Counter-balance. A bottle filled with sand to make it weigh more than twice as much as the car, should

M

x

be used for

this.

Screw a small screw-eye into the cork

to tie the cord to.

The counter-balance runs up and down in The Smoke-Stack, which is fastened to the back building (Fig. 97). tubes, joining

Make

them end

to

of the

the stack of cardboard mailing-

end with bands

of

paper pasted

62

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS

Top

around them.

Fasten the

VlEW-OF

stack to the back of the

Stack

building with wire straps,

and brace the top as shown in Fig. 96, but leave

it

unattached until

you have adjusted The Overhead Pulleys,

These are

or sheaves.

You

spools.

looking at spool

O,

M

by

will see

100 that

Fig.

turns on the axle

and the ends

axle are cut to

of

this

snugly

fit

in screw-eyes /.

Fasten pulley spool the smoke-stack of a

wooden

N in

by means

axle pushed

through holes pierced in the side of the stack, as

shown

is

in the small

draw-

ing above, Fig. 97.

Bore

a hole through the back of

the

building

cable cord L

for

to

the

run

through (P, Figs. 97 and and cut another 100), through the smoke-stack.

Fig. 97.

— Section through Elevator Shaft.

HOME-MADE TOY ELEVATORS

How

the Car Operates.

When

63

the weight and cord

have been adjusted and the smoke-stack erected, the

ele-

vator will run from the ground floor up to the roof of

own

accord, because the counter-balance

much

is

its

heavier

To make it descend it is necessary to add make it enough heavier than the counter-balance so it will drop of its own accord. This is than the

car.

weight to the car, to

done with Ballast consisting of a bottle of sand or salt of twice

the combined weight of counter-balance After

filling

the bottle, cork

it

up,

K

and the

car.

and screw a screw-eye

Then the cork. screw the eye of a 2-inch hook-and-eye

into

into

the

building,

roof

the

of

:

Fig. 98.

— Floors.

Fig. 99. —Partitions.

over

directly

the center of box

A

E

and attach one end

of the elevator (R, Figs. 97

of a

and

101),

rubber-band to the hook and tack

the other end to the top of the elevator-shaft (Fig. 101).

With the hook and rubber-band properly adjusted, this is what happens when the car ascends to the top of the shaft. The bottom of the rear portion of the car strikes bottle Q, lifts it enough to release the end of the hook (R), and the rubber-band springs the hook out of the way (Fig. 97). The bottle remains upon the rear portion of the car, and its weight carries the car to the bottom of the shaft.

To Make

the Car Rise to the top of the shaft again, re-

/Screw-eye

\ Na£/>4?JV 1

\\

/SPOOL

(i)

(M)

CD

/WIRE

1^ fe -H /j^ /^ %

VGUIDES(H)

Q

--*

f

^Screw-eye

ft y'

\

h

RUBBER-BANDi

Fig. 102

Fig. ioo.

Figs, ioi

— Front View of Elevator Shaft. and 102. — Elevator Car Details.

HOME-MADE TOY ELEVATORS move

Replace the bottle upon the end

bottle Q.

R, and

it

65

hook

of

be in position for the next trip downwards.

will

Cut the

holes

Y and Z

(Fig. 100)

hand

side wall of the shaft for to reach bottle

Q

through the out-

holes through which

and hook R.

Figures 97, 100, and 103 show

A

Simple Control

stopping the

for

Stick

different floor levels.

broom-handle, curtain-pole, or hole through the

low holes

C

bottom

locate

s-

on one

the under face

T and

100),

5

points

just

car

Remove

replace

nail

it,

top end to hold

it

drive a nail, with 103.— Detail

of Brake and

off,

bring

it

shown nail

to

raised to

^

a stop;

and

if

opposite direction while the

small

across

the

in place,

and

its

head

s ^ tumed

in Fig. 97, while the car

below the car

a

into each of the holes.

^^

Controlling Levers.

first

is

the stick, and

block (U, Fig. 100)

the

below

or bore a small hole at each point marked;

then

position

slip

Then

into slots C.

come when the

each floor level (Fig. 97).

Fig.

and

floor,

side locate points just

drill

a

and upon the opposite above where the back edge

each

of the elevator will

the

Bore

flagstaff.

(T, Fig.

side of stick of

at

a piece of

of the shaft, directly be-

in the floors

the stick through hole

car

5 may be

will project

the

stick

elevator

is

is

^

going down,

beneath is

tQ

filed

it

and

turned in the going up,

the

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS

66

first nail

above the car

will project

over the back edge

^j# 5^2ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ&ZZ2%ZZZZZ%Z%ZZE.

for the smaller wheels front axle

I

Rear Axle

— deeper

than the rear one, then fasten

them

to the

wagon and

nail the

CENTeR-UNE-*]

Fig.

286.

— Cross-Section

the

tack

into

the

wagon-box and

you have a small toy horse

or, if

Drive a

wheels to their ends. of

front tie

the

of

a cord to

fasten a pair of shafts to the under side of the box as

shown upon the two-wheel cart. The Cart in Fig. 285 is made out with

its

Make

is

box side.

the wheels about 2§ inches in diameter. (Figs. 287

and

288.

See Front-

two boxes 8^ inches long, 5 inches wide, and You will see by the illustrations that one inverted upon the other. Before fastening them

ispiece) requires

2\ inches deep. is

of a square flat

wheels fastened to the center of the under

The Auto Delivery -Wagon

box

it,

to hitch to the wagon,

Fig. 285. Fig. 284.

An Express-Wagon.

Fig. 285.

A

Cart.

HOME-MADE CIGAR-BOX TOYS together,

remove the two ends

rear end of the lower

193

upper box and the

of the

box (leaving the front end

dashboard), and cut 2 inches off the sides at the front

additional piece

upper box

for

1

by

inch

windows.

for the

and an

if inches from the sides of the

Fasten the boxes together by

nailing strips to the ends of side pieces.

Nail a narrow strip

across the top of the rear end of the

wagon and hinge a

drop end-gate to the wagon-bed with cloth

Sup-

strips.

Tack a curtain

port the end-gate with a cloth strap.

of

black cloth to the top cross strip and sew two cloth straps to the curtain, so that

shown

it

in the photograph.

may be Make

fastened up in a

roll,

as

the wheels and axles like

those of the express wagon, but cut the front and rear wheels, also the two axles, of equal size.

steering-wheel and fasten

the dashboard. to the seat, of the

A

wagon

Make

it

Cut out a small

on a short wooden rod inside

and then fasten the seat between the just

of

a seat and seat back, nail the back sides

below the windows. is a simpler toy to make The box should measure about

Jack-in-the-box (Fig. 289)

than you might imagine. 5! inches by 5! inches by the top with two pieces

of

5 inches.

heavy cloth

Hinge the cover to ;

glue one piece to

the inside of the cover and box, and the other to the outside.

Drive a small tack into the front edge of the cover, and

below

it

fasten a small

hook on

to the

box

;

the hook

may

be bent from a short piece of wire.

A spiral body, but

spring from an old bed-spring will do for Jack's if

you cannot get one

of these

it is

a simple

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS

194

matter to make a spring.

Take a

piece of No. 12 gauge

wire about 10 feet in length and wind

it

around a

rolling-

is cylindrical and about 2J inches in Fasten this spring with doubled-pointed tacks

pin or anything that diameter.

upon a piece

of

wood cut

to

290), then procure a small

fit

the inside of the box (Fig.

doll's head, baste

a circular piece

cardboard to the top of the spring and to this sew the

of

Make

head. glue

hair entirely, to

fit

a cloth fool's cap to

on Jack's head, covering his

and

also a loose jacket

over his spiral body

;

for these

use any bright-colored cotton cloth that will

fall

Tack the bottom

into folds easily.

the base of the spring to of the box.

Make Fig. 297.

Leg

of

Din

ing-Table.

the seat for

The Round-Seated Chair shown

Fig. 296.

Pedestal of

Fig. 291

2

in

inches in diameter, the

Center-Table.

back

5 inches high, 2 inches

the top, and i| inches wide at the seat

2§ inches high

by

;

wide at

cut the front leg

i| inches wide.

The Round Center-Table (Fig. 292) should have a base up of four strips as shown in Fig. 296. Cut the cir-

built

cular top 5 inches in diameter.

A

saucer

may

be used

with which to mark this out. Select a long flat

box

for

The Dining-Table shown in Fig. 293, and after making four built-up legs as shown in Fig. 297 fasten them

Fig. 292.

Fig. 289.

A

Jack-in-the-Box.

A Round Center-Table.

FlG-

290.— The Skeleton of

THE JACK-IN-THE-BOX.

Fig.

294.— A Square-Seated Chair,

HOME-MADE CIGAR-BOX TOYS

195

into the four corners of the box table top with brads

and

glue.

In making the

little

Square-Seated Chair inches wide

(Fig. 294),

cut the seat about

by 2\ inches deep, the front

2

legs 2\ inches high

f inch wide, and the back legs 4^ inches high by f inch Brace the legs and back with crosspieces, and you wide.

by

will

have a very firm and

dining-room chair.

artistic

box about 9 inches by making

Select a size for

The

Doll's Cradle

rockers

by the pattern

shown

in

by 2\ inches

inches

5

Fig.

295.

in

Cut the two

in Fig.

298 and fasten them to the

bottom

box

of the

inch from \^

1

Use the rim

the ends.

of a

breakfast plate in drawing the r

, .

,

t

arc of the rockers

;

Fig.

j

.

then draw

208.

— Pattern

for

Cradle

Rockers,

the rounded ends, being care-

them

ful to get

alike.

Saw out

the rockers very partic-

ularly so as not to split off the ends.

Fasten the pieces to

the cradle box with brads driven through the box bottom into their top edge.

After the cigar-box toys have been made, rub

wood with

the surface,

the

wood

sandpaper.

fine

fill

up the

surplus

oil

drive

all

down

Apply the

with a dry cloth.

and oil

finish

the

nail-heads below

holes with putty stained to

as nearly as possible,

boiled linseed-oil. all

Then

match

with two coats of

with a rag, then wipe

off

CHAPTER XIX HOME-MADE SPOOL AND CARDBOARD TOYS All that

is

required for making the

little

toys shown in

this chapter are spools, cardboard, paper, a straight-grained

stick out of

which to cut pegs, some tacks,

Fig. 299.

pins,

and

glue.

— Doll Carriage.

Did you ever see a better model of A Baby Carriage than that shown in Fig. 299, with its rounded ends, arched bottom, and adjustable hood ? It is easy to make. Figure 300 shows the details for constructing the carriage 196

HOME-MADE SPOOL AND CARDBOARD TOYS Cut four wooden pegs

body.

four spools of equal so

when

size,

to

5

of the right length

slipped into the holes their ends will project about

inches long

Fig. 302

by the width

Then

cut the bottom strip

of the spools,

bend

it

slightly

Fig. 301

Figs. 300-302.

as

loosely in the holes of

and make them

J inch beyond the spool ends.

B

fit

197

Details of Doll Carriage.

shown, to give a curve to the carriage bottom, and

tack the ends of the strip to two of the spools (A).

The

sides

C

are of cardboard

and should be i| inches

wide at the widest point, by the length of the carriage body.

Punch

holes through these side pieces in the right places

for the ends of the pegs in spools

A

to stick through.

Before fastening the side pieces to spools A, you must attach the wheels (Figs. 301 and 302).

Cut the cardboard

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS

198

uprights

D

3^ inches long and J inch wide

;

then after

cutting holes through each near the ends, for the spool pegs to slip through, cut

about J inch

down

the width between the holes to

Slip the lower

(Fig. 302).

Fig.

ends of uprights

D

304

Fig. 3°5

Baby Carriage Hood. Diagram of Hood. Carriage Handles.

over the pegs in spool wheels E, then the upper ends over the pegs in spools A.

Glue the upper ends to the ends of

C

over the pegs of

made

of a piece of stiff

spools A, then slip the carriage sides spools A,

The

and glue them

in place.

carriage hood (Fig. 303

paper about 4J inches square

)

is

(Fig. 304), slashed in three

HOME-MADE SPOOL AND CARDBOARD TOYS

199

places along two opposite edges for a distance of about

ij inches,

and then folded over as indicated by dotted

Bring together the ends of the slashed edges of the

lines.

piece of paper, as

shown

and press together

them with glue, has dried. Punch a hole

in Fig. 303, coat

until the glue

through each side of the top, as shown, for the projecting ends of the spool peg to slip through.

The carriage handle

is

made

of

two cardboard strips (F, Fig. 305),

and a

Stick match (G). the match through holes

made near

the

ends of strips F, and glue the lower ends of

the strips to the

inside

face

sides

(Fig.

This

of

the

299).

completes

Fig. 307

the

Fig. 306.

—The Two-Wheel

Fig. 307-309.

Cart.

— Details of Cart.

carriage.

The Two-Wheel Cart

(Fig. 306) is

made

of a small

box

cover, and one of the spools on which crochet-cotton comes.

Prepare a bent piece of cardboard 308, with ends will

A

turned

down

like that

shown

in Fig.

at the proper points so there

be only room enough between them for the spool to

turn freely.

Punch

a hole through each turned

down end

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS

200

for a stick axle to

the box cover the

run through.

Then

same distance apart

cut two slots through as ends

A

(Fig. 307),

Fig. 31:

Fig. 311

— Merry-go-round. Fig. 311. — Teeter. Fig. 312. — Cardboard Strip for Merry-go-round and Teeter.

Fig. 310.

centering the pair both crosswise and lengthwise of the cover,

A

and

stick ends

through the

slots

and glue portion

B

Cut

to the cover.

the wheel axle enough smaller than the

spool

hole

the spool will easily,

so

turn

then push

it

through the hole in Fig.

313.

— Boy

the and Girl Riders round and Teeter,

for

spool

and the

Merry-go-

holes in ends A.

HOME-MADE SPOOL AND CARDBOARD TOYS Glue the end

of a

201

cardboard strip to the under side of the

cover for a shaft.

The Toy Merry-go-round in heavy cardboard turned up at center to the end

its

Fig. its

310 consists of a strip of

ends (Fig. 312), tacked at

of a stick cut small

enough to turn

easily in the hole in a spool. -

The

spool

the stick

is

right

hand,

hand

starts

by

and

the

left

merry-go-

the

it

in

mo-

twirling the stick to

which the cardboard is

3i5

grasped by the

round and keeps tion

Fig-

over

slipped

strip

fastened.

The boy and girl riders, shown in Fig. 313 are of the right size so you can trace them off upon a piece of tracing-paper and then transfer to cardboard. After cutting them out of the

cardboard,

color

Fig.

Fig. 314. Fig. 315.

both

sides with crayons or water-colors,

turned-up ends of the cardboard

The Teeter-Board

— Detail of Swing.

and glue them

to the

strip.

(Fig. 311) is

made

of the

same kind

merry-go-round

(Fig. 312).

this strip at its center to the side of a spool,

and mount

of a strip as that used for the

Tack

314

—Doll Swing.

the spool in a cardboard frame in the same

way

that the

;

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS

202

spool wheels of the cart are

mounted

308 and 309)

(Figs.

but make the peg axle to

and

girl rider similar to

for the

The

merry-go-round teeter

is

tight

fit

Prepare a boy

in the spool hole.

those

made

(Fig. 313).

operated by turn-

ing the end of the spool axle

way then the other. The Doll Swing shown

first

one

in Fig.

314 has a cardboard base, with two spools fastened to

it

4 inches apart

to support the framework.

Tack

the base to the ends of the spools.

The framework uprights are

Fig. 317

Figs. 316

—

and 317. Details Swing Seat.

of

rolled

tubes of paper

10

tightly

or

12

inches long, and the top crosspiece is

another paper tube 4 inches long.

Stick

ends of the uprights into the spool holes the

crosspiece

their tops

;

the

lower

then fasten

to

by run-

ning pins through it

and into the up-

right ends (Fig. 315),

and then

lashing the connections with thread as

shown

Fig. 31

in Fig. 314.

The swing

seat

is

made

of a spool with a

cardboard

HOME-MADE SPOOL AND CARDBOARD TOYS back fastened to

it

316 and 317).

(Figs.

203

Suspend the

spool with thread from the top of the swing crosspiece.

A

Sofa with arm that

rolls, like

shown a good

in Fig. 318,

is

example

what can

be

of

made

spool-

in

and-cardboard

doll

Prepare

furniture.

Fig. 321 Fig.

the seat and back out

Figs. 319-321.

of a single piece

320

— Details of Sofa.

of

cardboard, curving the top and ends of the back as shown,

and making the width of the spool arms.

Fig. 323

of the seat the

Fasten the spools by means of a strip

Square Center-Table.

Fig. 324.

Fig. 322.

of

same as the length

— Round Center-Table.

Chair.

paper bent over them as shown in Fig. 320, and

glued to the seat. 321)

for

feet,

Use small silk-thread spools

and glue them

to

the

(Fig.

seat at the four

corners.

The Chair

(Fig. 322)

has a seat and back

made out

of a

204

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS

single piece of cardboard, with one-third of its length bent

out for the seat.

Glue the seat to a spool base.

The Square Center-Table cotton spool pedestal, and board.

its

is

323) has a crochet-

a square piece of card-

Glue the spool to the exact center of the top.

The Round Center-Table Use the rim

With a

many

(Fig.

top

of a

little

(Fig. 324) is

made

similarly.

cup for marking out the circular top.

ingenuity you will be able to devise a great

other pieces of doll furniture, and other toys as well.

CHAPTER XX A HOME-MADE TOY MAIL-BOX

Who

wants

to play at being

Uncle Sam, and have a

postal system right in the house, or out on the front porch

where

it will

enjoy

it,

postman,

too

be convenient for the children next door to ?

Every small boy and girl loves to play from the toy mail-box, cancel the

collect mail

stamps, sort out the letters into the proper routes, and

whom

then deliver them to those

The mail-box shown

in Figs. 325

they are addressed

and 326

is

easily

to.

made,

and with

The Working Material on hand can be completed evening.

Two

sheets of cardboard,

silver

long,

and a needle and thread, are required.

paper or paint, a piece of tape about

stiff

enough

an

a piece of muslin,

some

board should be

in

to hold its shape,

2

yards

The

card-

and yet be

enough weight to cut and fold easily. Sheets 22 by 28 inches can be bought at any printing-shop, and at some stationery stores, and will not cost more than 10 cents a sheet at the most. If you have some large cardboard boxes, however, you can use them instead by so laying of light

inches

out the different parts that the corners of the boxes will

come

in the right places for the corners of the mail-box. 205

HOME-MADE TOYS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS

206

Figure 327 shows the diagrams for

Making

the Sides, Ends, and Bottom of the mail-box,

with the dimensions of every portion marked upon them.

V*j

Fig. 328

CO

£

TOP

tO