154 



Popular Science Monthly 



To Screen Doors and Windows 



IN screening doors and windows, it 

 is highly desirable that the wire 

 screens should not bulge or wrinkle, 

 and that they should be as taut as pos- 

 sible between the frames. In the accom- 

 panying illustration, a method is shown 

 for accomplishing this. One end of the 

 door or frame to be screened is made 



Here is a simple way of stretching a screen 

 taut on a frame 



to rest on the steps, and the other rests 

 on the floor or walk. By means of a 

 piece of wire or cord and the screw-eye 

 in the floor, the center of the door is 

 sprung so that it is held 3" or 4" below 

 the sides. The door must be held in 

 this sprung position until the wire screen 

 has been completely tacked in place. The 

 tacking should begin at the center and 

 proceed to the corners of the frame. 

 When the tacking is completed, the door 

 or frame can be released froiu its taut 

 position ; and it will be found that a neat 

 job, with a well-stretched screen free 

 from wrinkles and bulges, will he the re- 

 sult. — E. B. Williams. 



A Home-Made Table-Too Varnish 



FOLLOWING is a recipe for a good 

 varnish, suitable for experimental 

 and wireless benches, and also for in- 

 strument bases. It gives a finish very 

 much like hard rubber : 



Mix enough lampblack with shellac to 

 make the mixture black, but not enough 

 to thicken it nuich. After sandpapering 

 the wood smooth, ai)ply two coats of the 

 varnish, sandpapering lightly after each 

 coat. Over this put one or two coats of 

 dull varnish. This makes the wood 

 waterproof, preserves it, and improves 

 the appearance of the table-top. 



Concealed Ventilation 



THE diagram shows a simple scheme 

 of ventilation, which may be em- 

 ployed on any window by extending the 

 top of the upper half so that it pockets 

 higher into the wall. When the window 

 is in position for ventilating, the top is 

 pulled down slightly, as shown in Fig. 1. 

 This permits air to enter through the 

 "middle joint," as indicated by the ar- 

 rows, and it is deflected upward, just as 

 it should be. The top, it will be noted, 

 is still sealed. 



The appearance of the window when 

 closed is shown in Fig. 2. It always looks 

 like an ordinary window, and the absence 

 of any attachment makes it the acme of 

 simplicity. 



C/osed 



J^enf/'/af/ng 



A ventilating ar- 

 rangement 

 which can be 

 used on any 

 window 



Fig. t 



Fig. 2 



Removing Heat Spots from a Table 



THE white spots, caused by hot dish- 

 es, can be removed by rubbing 

 fresh lard on them. The lard should be 

 rubbed in with the fingers. If the spots 

 are very bad it will be necessary to leave 

 the lard on a few hours. It is then rub- 

 bed off with a soft cloth. The lard will 

 not injure the finish of the table. A fine- 

 ly polished dining-table, otherwise ruined 

 bv hot dishes, can be thus reclaimed. 



