THE YOUNG SCIENTIST. 
46 
There is, of course, a limit to the power 
that can be obtained from tlie foot and 
fly-wheel alone, and this limit is a com- 
paratively narrow one. Where the ama- 
teur desires to turn up heavier articles, 
particularly pieces of metal of consider- 
able size, he must have recourse to gear- 
ing, and he will then select either a sim- 
ple back-geared lathe, as it is called, or, if 
his means will allow it, a complete self- 
acting lathe, such as is shown in the en- 
graving. Such a lathe is not by any 
means a cheap lathe, but we introduce a 
figure of it here for the purpose of show- 
ing what is necessary to constitute a com- 
plete lathe, and thus to point out to our 
increased. By means of this arrangement 
we have been frequently able to take off a 
heavy cut from an iron bar two or three 
inches in diameter in a foot-driven lathe. 
How to Make a Pretty Basket. I 
MAKE a basket of wire ; see that it is | 
symmetrical and in good shape. The \ 
wires may be tied with w^ooUen yarn at \ 
their junction with each other. Twist j 
round the wires, at given points, woollen ! 
yarn. Make a hot solution of alum water ; ; 
make it as strong as possible. Suspend j 
the wire basket in the solution, so that it | 
will not not touch the vessel, but will be I 
wholly covered by the liquid. Let the- ! 
SELF-ACTING FOOT IiATHE. 
readers what they must not expect from 
the incomplete tools w^iich are sold at a 
low price. In the lathe shown in the en- 
graving, the driving parts may be so ar- 
ranged that the spindle is not driven di- 
rectly by the belt, but by the large gear- 
wheel at the right-hand end of it. This 
wheel is driven by a pinion on the same 
spindle which carries the large gear- 
wheel to the left, and this latter wheel is 
driven by a pinion on the cone which 
takes the belt from the fly-wheel. It will 
be seen that a very fast motion of the fly- 
wheel and cone is reduced to a very slow 
motion of the spindle, and of course the 
power (as it is sometimes called) is greatly 
basket remain still hi solution for twelve 
hours, when it will be found that the 
alum has crystallized over the whole sur- 
face of the basket in a most beautiful 
manner. This gives a white or frost-like 
appearance ; for other tints the following 
coloring substances may be employed : 
For yellow, turmeric ; for red, solution of 
litmus ; for purple, logwood ; for blue, a 
solution of soluble Prussian blue; for 
green, the first and last mixed to suit 
taste. These coloring substances should 
be mixed with the sohition while it is hot. 
The colored crystals are much more 
easily destroyed than those of pure alum. 
The best way to keep ornaments of this 
