THE WINDMILL PUPPET.
This amusing little puppet is very easily constructed, and, like several other mechanical toys in this book, furnishes much entertainment for the little folks. Even the baby will sit in her high chair, half-hours together, watching the little man turning his crank, while she claps her tiny hands and crows at so delightful an exhibition of untiring energy.
Cut from cardboard a disc like Fig. 2, which shall measure about six inches across; then by means of a ruler draw the lines a b c d; half-way between these points make four others, corresponding to e f g h; and lastly, between all these, still another set of lines. Make the circle, m, one-and-a-half inches in diameter, and with a pair of sharp scissors cut through all these lines, to the edge of the smaller ring. Bend one edge of each of these triangular pieces slightly upward, as indicated by the shading, and the opposite edge downward; also bend a piece of wire a foot long, so as to form the crank indicated in the illustration.
Next make a frame-work for the figure to rest upon: this should consist of a three-cornered piece of wood, six inches long for the bottom, a stick six or seven inches long for the upright, and lastly, the support for the upper part of the wire, with a small hole in one end for the latter to pass through. Fasten these pieces together with small brad-nails, and secure the upright to the bottom piece by a screw or nail passing up from below. The wire, having the crank already bent in the proper place, may now be passed up through the hole, and the other end sunk down into another, bored a short distance into the bottom board, directly below the upper one. Then the wire may be fastened to the windmill, by passing it through a little one side, then back again through on the other side of the center; twisting the end once or twice about the main stem beneath the windmill; it now turns with the windmill, and it is needless to say that the friction in the holes should be as slight as possible.
The figure is to be cut from a piece of cardboard and is made in five pieces. The lower half, which comprises the box, legs, and body up to the dotted line, is in one piece; the head and body to the lower edge of the belt, consists of two pieces, cut precisely alike, and lapping on either side of the lower part of the body over the dotted line, to give strength to the image. A pin passed through the belt, and bent down on the other side, will hold it in place, and allow sufficient play to the figure. There are two arms, cut from the same pattern, and pivoted at the shoulders with another pin. The hands are finally brought together, with the crank between them, and lightly secured on either side with two or three stitches.
To impart life to this creation, it is placed over a furnace register through which the hot air is briskly rising. If the machine works easily, the current of air above a stove may suffice.
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