Cut out six clips of sheet brass ³⁄₁₆ inch wide and ¹⁄₂ an inch long and punch a hole in the end of each piece. Screw three of these clips to each side of the board at equi-distant points around the hole so that the end of each one projects over the edge of the hole ¹⁄₈ inch. Now put the lens in the hole and adjust the ends of the clips so that they will hold the lens in place as shown at [E].
The next and last thing to do is to cut two strips of tin or brass 1 inch wide and 3 inches long and bend each one over the long way as shown at [F]; punch three holes near the lower edge of each one and screw one of them above and one below the condensing lens on the board 3¹⁄₄ inches apart as shown at [E]. These bent strips form the holder for the lantern slides. The magic lantern complete is shown at [G].
Fig. 60g. the magic lantern ready for use
How to Work the Lantern.
—Tack a bed-sheet up on the wall; turn on the light in the illuminator and turn off all the lights in the room; slip a lantern slide upside down in the holder and then push the rear end of the camera—having first taken out the back—close up to the lantern slide holder.
If you are using a box camera move the whole lantern back until the picture is as large as you want it and it is still bright enough. If it is a pocket folding camera you can focus it and get a picture with much better definition.
How to Make Lantern Slides.
—A lantern slide is a sheet of glass with a transparent picture on it. A standard lantern slide is 3¹⁄₄ × 4¹⁄₄ inches and one of this size can be used in any full sized magic lantern or stereopticon.[61]
[61] A stereopticon is really two magic lanterns, but the word is now often used to mean a high-grade magic lantern.