786 



Popular Science Monthly 



Using Old Phonograph Horns 

 for Vases 



WHILE in the musical instrument 

 business I had left on my hands two 

 old phonographs that were useless as 

 musical instruments. In figuring out what 



Decorative vases made from old phono- 

 graph horns cemented to piano-stool pedestals 



to do with them I concluded to use the 

 horns in the manner illustrated. I first 

 bored holes in two old piano stools and, 

 after inserting the small ends of the horns, 

 I reinforced the joints with cement. The 

 depth of the horns prevent the plants from 

 drying out rapidly. — J. C. Grindell. 



To Prevent a Motorcycle Theft by 

 Short-Gircuiting Spark-Plug 



THIS device is to prevent a thief from 

 getting away with your motorcycle. 

 It will not keep him from carry- 

 ing it away bodily, but it will 

 prevent him 

 from starting 

 the motor. The 

 lock consists of 

 from 5 to 7 in. 

 of dog -chain, 

 brass or steel, 

 attached to a 

 wire or flat 

 brass piece 

 bent to a nar- 

 row V-shape to 

 embrace the 



terminal. This V-shaped piece has a loop 

 at the end to which the dog-chain is 



The chain attached to 

 make a short circuit 



attached. The method of operating the 

 safeguard is to put the bent wire over 

 the terminal and to take a half-hitch of 

 the chain around the hexagon section of 

 the plug. In this position the current can- 

 not pass to the plug. 



The half-hitch around the plug will short- 

 circuit the plug and further prevent the 

 would-be thief from shaking it off in 

 pedaling. The chain should be nickeled to 

 correspond with the nickel of the spark- 

 plug. The brass wire is practically the 

 same color as the terminal, so as to escape 

 the notice of the thief. If the half-hitch is 

 well made, as shown, the device can be 

 removed only by undoing the hitch. 



For sidecar use it is a first class lock. 

 When detached the wire and chain can 

 easily be carried in the pocket. Cables can 

 be tested with it by putting on the wire 

 and watching the spark pass from the end 

 of the chain to the cylinder. It is necessary 

 that you wear gloves when making this 

 test. — William H. Smith. 



Repairing a Broken Curved 

 Implement Handle 



A BROKEN curved handle on a garden 

 implement can be easily replaced with 

 a piece of wood 

 cut from the 

 forked branch 

 of a tree. The 

 i 1 1 us tration 

 clearly shows 

 that part of the 

 branch used in 

 making the 

 handle. It is 

 cut out and 

 carefully 

 shaped, after 

 which it is at- 



Curve cut from branch 

 for implement handle 



tached by means of rivets. — A. S. Thomas. 



The Necessity of a Thorough 

 Buffing for Tire Repairs 



CUSHION gum should always be used 

 between the fabric 'and the tread stock 

 of a tire, as it permits a much firmer union. 

 If the surface of a casing is not first rough- 

 ened sufficiently, outside patch repairs will 

 usually loosen in use. An overflow of 

 material beyond the place where it is 

 needed will also cause it to peel off. Thor- 

 ough buffing and cleaning off are the best 

 preventatives. 



