780 



Popular Science Monthly 



A Wire Scraper for Cleaning 

 Stone Surfaces 



WHEN the stone window sills of a house 

 need cleaning, to get into the surface 

 deeper than a brush 

 would do, this de- 

 vice may be used. 

 A block of wood 4 

 in. long, 2 in. wide 

 and I in, thick, 

 should be cut from 

 a piece of timber 

 and covered with 

 screen wire. The 

 block should be 

 given the shape of 

 a chisel edge so 

 that corners may 

 be reached easily. 

 The screen wire is 

 drawn over the scrubbing block tightly 

 and fastened securely with tacks along 

 the center. — George Bush. 



Screen on block to 

 clean stone surfaces 



Making a Substitute Wood Handle 

 for the Dustpan 



TH E most f requen t cause for buying a new 

 dustpan is the breaking of the handle. 

 When this happens do not throw the pan 

 away, but procure a piece of pine and 

 whittle out a handle to fit the inside of the 

 broken one. Then saw the end on a bevel 

 to fit the pan. When driven into the han- 

 dle and held with screws this makes a 

 better and stiffer handle than the original. 



To Gut Automobile Tire Fabric 

 on an Angle 



A WET knife drawn quickly across the 

 fabric is a better method of cutting 



A heavy straight-edge for placing on a 

 table to guide the knife in cutting the fabric 



than with shears. A straight-edge with 

 blocks that have 45 deg. edges nailed to 



either end is necessary for cutting the 

 angle. In cutting, one end is evened up 

 against the edge of the table and a perfect 

 45 deg. cutting angle secured. 



After the gum or fabric is peeled off, 

 the holland strips are soaked until they are 

 soft. They make excellent gasoline rags. 



A Puzzle Box with a Concealed 

 Latch Pin 



THE original of this box was made in 

 China, but a duplicate can be easily 

 made as it is only a plain box into which a 

 drawer slides. By holding the box in the 

 correct position and pressing the drawer 

 in, it can be opened repeatedly in the 

 presence of guests without giving the secret 

 away. The illustration shows the box in 

 detail. The box A has one end open for 

 the drawer B to enter. This should be an 

 easy sliding fit. The front should fit snugly 

 into the box end. The spring C holds the 

 locking pin D in position. This pin is of 

 iron or steel so that its weight will cause 

 it to drop into or out of position when the 



drawer is 

 pressed against 

 the spring, thus 

 releasing the 

 pressure. 



The locking 

 pin-holder E is 

 a small piece 



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The latch is worked by gravity when it i6 

 released by a slight pressure on the drawer 



of wood with a groove cut in it. This holder 

 is closed on one end to prevent the pin 

 from dropping out, and is glued to the 

 back of the drawer. The drawer stop F 

 is glued to the bottom of the box and is 

 just long enough to allow some play for 

 releasing the locking pin. Before putting 

 the box together the groove G is cut in its 

 side to take the end of the locking pin. If 

 made to the dimensions given, wood ^ in. 

 thick is suitable and 3/16-in. stuff for the 

 drawer. To open the box, press the drawer 

 in and turn the box on its side so that the 

 locking pin will drop out of the groove G. 

 The drawer will then spring out from the 

 pressure of the coil spring. The move- 

 ments by which the box is opened can be 

 made very quickly and without attracting 

 attention. — John Tannahill. 



