Part VI

[279]

A mass of any kind of clay that is easily modeled and fairly stiff must be prepared and kept moist and well kneaded for making the models over which paper is formed to make the shape of the articles illustrated in these sketches. A modeling board must be made of one large board or several pieces joined closely together upon which to work the clay, says the English Mechanic, London. The size of the board depends upon the size of the work to be made.

[Illustration: Armor and Clay Models]

An open chamfron of the fifteenth century is shown in Fig. 1. This piece of horse armor, which was used in front of a horse's head, makes a splendid center for a shield on which are fixed the swords, etc., and is a good piece for the amateur armorer to try his hand on in the way of modeling in clay or papier mache work. The opening for the animal to put his head into is semicircular, and the sides do not cover the jaws. As the main part of this armor is worn in front of the head the extreme depth is about 4 in. The entire head piece must be modeled in clay with the hands, after which it is covered with a thin and even coating of sweet or pure olive oil. A day before making the clay model some pieces of thin, brown wrapping paper are torn in irregular shapes to the, size of the palm of the hand and put to soak in a basin of water in which a tablespoonful of size has been dissolved. If size cannot be obtained from your local painter, a weak solution of glue will do equally well. All being ready, and the clay model oiled, take up one piece of paper at a time and very carefully place it on the surface of the model, pressing it on well and into and around any crevices and patterns. Continue this operation until the clay model is completely covered on every part. This being done, give the paper a thin and even coating of glue, which must be quite hot and laid on as quickly as possible. Lay on a second layer of paper as carefully as before, then another coat of glue, and so on until there are five or six coats of glue and paper. When this is dry it will be strong enough for all ornamental purposes. The ragged edges of the paper are trimmed off with a sharp knife and the whole surface smoothed with fine sandpaper. Then carefully glue on sections of tinfoil to give the armor the appearance of steel. The armor is now removed from the model.

A mitten gauntlet of the fifteenth century is shown in Fig. 2. This can be made in one piece, with the exception of the thumb shield, which is separate. The thumb shield is attached to the thumb of an old glove which is fastened with round headed nails on the inside of the gauntlet.

[Illustration: Corrugated Breastplate and Former]

The part covering the wrist is a circular piece, but the back is not necessary, as it would not be seen when the gauntlet is hanging in its place.

In Fig. 3 is shown a gauntlet of the seventeenth century with separately articulated fingers. This gauntlet may be molded in one piece, except the thumb and fingers, which must be made separately and fastened with the thumb shield to the leather glove that is attached to the inside of the gauntlet, the same as in Fig. 2.

A breastplate and tassets of the sixteenth century are shown in Fig. 4. The tassets are separate and attached to the front plate with straps and buckles, as shown in the sketch. There is a belt around the waist which helps to hold the back plate on. Attached to the back of the plate would be two short straps at the shoulder. These are passed through the buckles shown at the top right and left-hand corners of the front plate. For decorative purposes the back plate need not be made, and therefore it is not described. The method of making armor is the same as of making helmets, but as larger pieces are formed it is well to use less clay owing to the bulk and weight.

An arrangement is shown in Fig. 5 to reduce the amount of clay used. This triangular-shaped support, which can be made in any size, is placed on the modeling board or bench and covered with clay. This will make the model light and easy to move around, and will require less clay. It is not necessary to have smooth boards; the rougher the better, as the surface will hold the clay. The clay forms modeled up ready to receive the patches of brown paper on the surface are shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

A German fluted armor used at the beginning of the sixteenth century is shown in Fig. 8. The breastplate and tassets of this armor are supposed to be in one piece, but for convenience in making it will be found best to make them separately and then glue them together after they are taken from the model. A narrow leather belt placed around the armor will cover the joint. Fluted armor takes its name from a series of corrugated grooves, 1/2 in. in depth, running down the plate. A piece of board, cut into the shape shown in Fig. 9, will be very useful for marking out the fluted lines.

** Home-Made Hand Vise [280]

A vise for holding small articles while filing can be made as shown in the illustration. The vise consists of three pieces of wood, two for the jaws and one a wedge. The hinge for connecting the two jaws is made of four small screw eyes, two in each jaw. When locating the place for the screw eyes, place the two in one jaw so they will fit between the two of the other jaw. Put a nail through the eyes when the jaws are matched together and they are ready for the wedge in clamping the article to be filed. --Contributed by John G. Buxton, Redondo Beach, Calif.

[Illustration: Hand Vise]

** Detector for Slight Electrical Charges [281]

A thin glass bottle is thoroughly cleaned and fitted with a rubber stopper. A hole is made through the center of the stopper large enough to admit a small brass rod. The length of this rod will be governed by the shape of the bottle, but 3-1/2 in. will be about right. The bottom of the rod is bent and two pieces of aluminum foil, each about 1/4 in. wide and 1/2 in. long, are glued to it. The two pieces of foil, fastened to the rod, are better shown in Fig. 2. Fasten a polished brass ball to, the top of the rod, and the instrument is ready for use. Place the article which you wish to test near the ball, and if it holds a

[Illustration: Aluminum Foil in a Bottle]

slight electrical charge, the two pieces of foil will draw together. If it does not hold a charge, the foils will not move. --Contributed by Ralph L. La Rue, Goshen, N. Y.

** Fishing through Ice with a Tip-Up [281]

The tip-up, used for signaling the fisherman when a fish is caught, is made of a 1/4-in. pine board, about 15 in. long, 2-1/2 in. wide at one end and narrowing down to about 1 in at the other. At a point 6 in. from the smaller end, the board should be cut slightly wider and a 1/2-in. hole bored through it. Two or three wrappings of fine copper wire may be wound around the board on each side

[Illustration: Tip-Up in Place]

of the hole to give added strength. Both ends of the board should be notched deeply.

A long gash is cut in the ice and then a round hole is made with a chisel, as this will cut under the water without splashing. The chipped ice can be removed with a pail. A rod or round stick of wood is passed through the hole in the tip-up and placed across the round hole, as shown in the illustration.

The fishhook is baited in the usual way and hung on a line from the short end of the tip-up. When a fish is hooked, the other end will tip up and signal the fisherman. Any number of holes can be cut in the ice and a tip-up used in each, thus enabling one person to take care of as many lines.

** Home-Made Candle Holder [281]

The candlestick or holder shown in the illustration is made of an ordinary tin can, such as is used for canning salmon or potted ham. Three triangular cuts are made in the cover or bottom of the can and the points turned up about the can die. The can may be bronzed, silvered, enameled or otherwise decorated, thus making it ornamental as well as useful. --Contributed by Mrs. A. M. Bryan, Corsicana, Texas.

** How to Make a Match Holder of Wood and Metal [282]

A very simple piece of art craft work is easily made, as follows: Secure a piece of paper and upon it draw the outline and design, as indicated in the

[Illustration: Match Holder]

accompanying sketch. The size may be made to suit the taste of the worker. A good size is 5 in. wide by 6 in. long over all. The metal holder should be proportioned to this size, as shown.

Having completed the drawing, take a piece of thin wood, 3/8 or 1/4 in. thick, and trace upon it the design and outline, using a piece of carbon paper. A couple of thumb tacks should be used to fasten the paper and design in place. Put the tacks in the lines of the design so that the holes will not show in the finished piece. Any kind of wood will do. Basswood or butternut, or even pine, will do as well as the more expensive woods.

Next prepare the metal holder. This may be made of brass or copper and need not be of very heavy gauge-No. 22 is plenty heavy enough. The easiest way to get the shape of the metal is to make a paper pattern of the development. The illustration shows how this will look and the size of the parts for the back dimensioned above. Trace this shape on the metal with the carbon paper and cut it out by means of metal shears. Polish the metal, using powdered pumice and lye, then with a nail, punch the holes, through which small round-head brass screws are to be placed to hold the metal to the wood back. Carefully bend the metal to shape by placing it on the edge of a board and putting another board on top and over the lower edge so as to keep the bending true.

The wood back may be treated in quite a variety of ways. If soft wood, such as basswood or pine was used, it may be treated by burning with the pyrography outfit. If no outfit is at hand a very satisfactory way is to take a knife and cut a very small V-shaped groove around the design and border so as to keep the colors from "running." Next stain the leaves of the conventional plant with a little green wood dye and with another dye stain the petals of the flower red. Malachite and mahogany are the colors to use. Rub a coat of weathered oil stain over the whole back and wipe dry with a cloth. The green and red are barbarously brilliant when first put on, but by covering them at the same time the background is colored brown, they are "greyed" in a most pleasing manner. When it has dried over night, put a coat or two of wax and polish over the wood as the directions on the can suggest.

The metal holder may next be fastened in place.

If one has some insight in carving, the background might be lowered and the plant modeled, the whole being finished in linseed oil. If carving is contemplated, hard woods such as cherry or mahogany should be used.

** Protecting the Fingers from Chemicals [283]

The finger nails and fingers may be easily protected from stains of chemicals by coating them with a wax made up as follows: Melt white wax in the same manner as melting glue. This may be done by cutting the wax into small pieces, placing them in a vessel and setting the vessel in boiling water. To each ounce of melted wax thoroughly stir in 1 dr. of pure olive oil. The fingers should be dipped into the wax while it is in a liquid state. This will form a coating that will permit the free use of the fingers, yet protects the skin from the chemicals. It is useful for photographers.

** Combined Turning Rings and Swings [283]

This trapeze, with rings for the large boys and a swing for the smaller ones, can be made on the same standards. Instead of the usual two short ropes, tied and bolted through the top crosstimber bore two holes large enough for the ropes to pass through easily. Pass the rope along the crosspiece and down the post and tie it to cleats nailed at a height that can be easily reached.

At the ends of the crosspiece drive two nails, allowing them to project 1 or 2 in. This will keep the rope from slipping off when the rings and swing are raised and lowered. All sharp edges should be sandpapered to prevent

[Illustration: Rings and Swing]

the rope from being cut. A board with notches cut in the ends will make a good swing board which can be removed instantly. --Contributed by W. A. Jaquythe, Richmond, Cal.

** Homemade Telegraph Key [283]

[Illustration: Key and Connections]

A piece of wood, 1/2 in. thick, 2 in. wide and 5 in. long, is used for the base of this instrument. Two wire nails, each 1 in. long, are used for the cores of the magnets. Each nail is wound with three or four layers of fine insulated magnet wire, about No. 25 gauge, similar to that used in electric bells, leaving about 1/4 in. of the end bare so that they may be driven into the wood base. The connections for the coils are shown in the sketch, at A.

About 1 in. behind the coils is fastened a small block of wood, the top of which is just even with the top of the nails in the coils. A piece of tin, cut in the shape of the letter T, is fastened with two screws to the top of this block, and the end bent slightly so as to clear the top of the nails about 1/32 in.

The key lever is cut from a thin piece of wood, in the shape shown in the sketch, and pivoted in a slotted block which is used as a base for the key. A piece of bare copper wire is fastened along the under side of the key, as shown by the dotted lines. A rubber band, passing over the end of the key and attached to the base with a tack, acts as a spring to keep the key open. A small piece of tin is fastened to the base under the knob of the key. This is for making the contact between the copper on the key and the wires from the coils, when the key is pushed down. --Contributed by W. H. Lynas.

** Protecting Sleeves [283]

Bicycle trousers-guards make excellent sleeve bands when the cuffs are turned back and rolled above the elbows.

** Imitation Arms and Armor-