Popular Science Monthly 



A Block of Wood for Holding the 

 Clothes Line Taut 



A CLOTHES line holder that will grip 

 the line tighter as the weight is 

 increased can be made in a few minutes 

 out of two large screweyes, a 2-in. 

 carriage-bolt and a piece of hard wood 

 about 6 in. long, 2 in. wide and ^^ in. 

 , ,. thick, cut as shown. 



First, drill a hole 

 that the carriage-bolt 

 will easily pass 

 through in one corner, 

 about 1 in. from the 

 end and j<^ in. from 

 the side. Now round 

 off the corners to the 

 shape shown in the 

 sketch. Next, screw 

 the screweyes into the 

 clothes-post far enough apart so that the 

 wooden block will easily pass between 

 them, as shown. They should be screwed 

 in until the centers of the eyes are about 

 1^ in. from the post. Then place the 

 Wooden block between them. Line up 

 the hole with the screweyes and insert 

 the bolt. 



To use the holder, lift the end and 

 drop the clothes line in the space between 

 the screweyes. Pull down the end again 

 and it will wedge itself against the clothes 

 line with a grip that will tighten as the 

 load grows. — Frank L. Matter. 



Cam-shaped 

 block to hold 

 clothes line 



Making a Barometer from a 

 Burned-Out Electric Globe 



A BAROMETER, which will prophesy 

 weather conditions a day in advance, 

 may be made from an ordinary incan- 

 descent bulb. Select a 60-watt lamp. 

 One that has burned out will do. Hold it 

 under water and file off the glass tip at 

 the end of the bulb. The vacuum will 

 cause the water to enter through the hole 

 thus made, filling the bulb completely. 

 The barometer should then be suspended 

 with bulb end downward. 



When a drop of water appears sus- 

 pended at the outlet, you may look for a 

 storm to-morrow; when the drop disap- 

 pears, fair weather is in store. There is a 

 perfectly natural reason for this phenome- 

 non. Stormy weather is always preceded 

 by low barometric pressure. The atmos- 



299 



pheric pressure having decreased, the 

 weight of the water inside the bulb tends 

 to force water through the outlet. This 

 force is small, but it is sufficient to allow 

 a drop of water to escape and hang sus- 

 pended from the tip of the bulb. On the 

 other hand, fair weather follows an area 

 of high barometric pressure. The pres- 

 sure of the atmosphere, under such con- 

 ditions, will prevent the water from 

 escaping and the suspended drop will be 

 forced back into the bulb. 



This simple barometer may be screwed 

 into a wall or ceiling lighting fixture, which 

 is out of service. — K. M. Coggeshall. 



How to Make a Windshield for the 

 Motorcycle Messenger 



THIS windshield is made of sheet 

 metal bent to conform to the 

 shape of the handlebar. As shown, three 

 fastenings are used, but more may be 

 applied if desired. One is at the head 

 and the other two are about half way 

 between the grips and the head. It is 

 topped with an isinglass protector, fast- 



Wind shield 



Auxiliary mud guard 



Sheet metal, shaped and attached to the 

 handlebars to serve as a wind shield 



ened as illustrated. There is a flare of 

 each grip to make room for the hands, 

 and to shelter them from the wind and 

 rain. 



The mudguard is also made of sheet 

 metal. It consists of two wings bolted 

 to the frame so that the front guard will 

 clear, the footboards having just room 

 to fold up. — Geo. Stencham. 



