Popular Science Monthly 



919 



Grinding Out Dies 



AFTER continued use, dies some- 

 XX times require a little more clear- 

 ance. A grinding attachment for this 

 purpose is shown in the diagram. The 

 coupling is fastened to a small motor- 

 shaft. A piece of drill-rod, Y^" in 

 diameter is attached to the other end of 

 the coupling, and a small piece of metal 

 is forced on to the end of the wire to 

 form a shoulder for the wheel. 



Using a wheel with a diameter as 

 small as }/i" , and having it mounted on 

 the slender rod, which acts as a flexible 

 shaft, it will find its way to small places 

 that otherwise could not be reached 

 without a stone. 



S— « 



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Diagram showing simple appliance for 

 grinding out dies 



Drilling Holes in Sheet Metal 



IT is very difficult to drill holes in even 

 fairly thick sheet metal and practical- 

 ly impossible in thin metal, especially 

 brass and copper. The following method 

 will be found serviceable: 



Drill a hole of the desired size in a 

 piece of steel of suitable size. Square 

 off the shank end of the drill and place 

 the point in the chuck clear to the top. 

 Close the jaws lightly so as not to in- 

 jure the drill. A piece of drill rod with 

 the end squared off is better, this piece 

 constituting the punch. 



Lower the punch and place the steel 

 so that the punch enters the drilled hole. 

 If the punch is raised carefully the hole 

 will remain directly under the punch. 

 Hold the sheet metal up against the 

 punch ; then lower both at the same time. 

 They will not disturb the steel block un- 

 derneath, when together. Additional 

 pressure with the press-lever forces the 

 punch through the sheet into the hole, 

 taking with it a piece of metal the size 

 and shape of the punch. 



If the holes have a definite location, 

 mark the center lightly with the cen- 

 ter punch. Turn your punch in a 

 lathe, leaving a small point in the center. 

 By placing the center punch mark on this 

 point, holes can be located with accuracy. 



This reamer does accurate work and can 

 be easily made 



How to Make a Reamer 



AN accurate and efficient reamer for 

 L enlarging steel or brass bearings, 

 etc., can be made as follows: 



Obtain a round steel rod and make a 

 2-inch slit at one end. File about an 

 inch off the other end and square it so 

 it will not slip in a brace. The length 

 and diameter of the rod will depend 

 upon individual needs and uses. Cut 

 a strip of emery cloth 2 ins. wide. Insert 

 one end in the slit in the rod and wrap 

 the rest around it. The rod, with the 

 emery cloth, is then inserted in the 

 bearing to be reamed and turned by 

 means of a brace. 



This tool giv^es a smooth, clean, ac- 

 curate cut and is much better than a 

 round file for the same purpose. A set 

 of these rods may be made from old 

 pieces of steel that are found lying 

 around most workbenches and will 

 often come in very handy. 



J(7/e/(/ razor ti/oc/e 



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An old safety-razor blade is just the thing 

 for maljing a scalpel 



A Home-made Scalpel for Trappers 



IN skinning animals, a very sharp knife 

 is needed. A good scalpel can be 

 made from safety-razor blades, as shown 

 in the diagram. New blades may be 

 substituted by removing the bolts. This 

 tool is especially useful in dissecting 

 skunks and muskrats. — E. S. Clark. 



