A flat piece of tin may be used for the bottom of the car, this piece being formed in exactly the same way that the frame of the auto truck is formed. It is made long enough to allow for a platform at each end of the car, and the car body is soldered securely to it.
Car wheels may be made from very small cans as any other tin can wheels are made. Two bottle caps may be soldered together for a wheel or several flat disks of tin may be cut and soldered together at the edges to form a wheel. The tin washers used with roofing nails make an excellent wheel when two are soldered together, back to back. Never try to use a single can lid, bottle cap or tin disk for a wheel that is to bear any weight. Any of these are too weak to stand up alone. The wheels are mounted in the manner shown in the drawings of the passenger car.
Other cars may be made from cans as shown in [Fig. 90], the construction being so simple as to need no further description. These cars may be made as simple or as elaborate as the skill of the maker permits.
CHAPTER XVIII
Simple Mechanical Toys
WATER WHEELS AND SANDMILLS—A SIMPLE STEAM TURBINE AND BOILER—A WINDMILL AND TOWER—AEROPLANE WEATHERVANE
Water wheels and sandmills may be made from bottle caps and can lids. Two push-in or friction-top can lids are soldered together to form a flanged wheel and bottle caps are soldered between the flanges, at equal intervals, for the buckets. The general construction is shown in [Fig. 91]. A nozzle may be formed from a piece of tin and soldered to the standard so that a hose may be connected with it and to faucet, or, the water wheel may be set in a sink under a faucet or placed in a stream of running water.
A funnel or sand hopper may be made of tin and soldered to a standard which holds the bucket wheel. Fine dry sand placed in the hopper will run through the hole in the bottom and cause the bucket wheel to revolve.