Wing Dividers.—A pair of wing dividers, about eight inches in length, will be found the best size for general use. The cost will be about 75 cents. In purchasing see that the screw that binds the leg to the arc or wing is well fitted. The thread, either in the leg or the screw, is sometimes stripped or worn out after a little using.
CHAPTER VIII.
TOOLS, ETC., AND HOW TO MAKE THEM.
The tools given in this chapter are such as are needed by the gunsmith, and as directions are given for making them, they can be made by almost any ingenious person during leisure hours.
The Alcohol Lamp.—A lamp for this kind of work is easily made. A common gum or mucilage bottle with a tube inserted in the cork has been used, so has a small tin spice-box, with a tube soldered into the cover. A common copper or brass cartridge, with the head filed off, can be used for a tube. A common oil can, such as is used for oiling sewing machines, with about half of the taper tube cut off, will make a serviceable lamp. These appliances are small, unsightly and not to the taste of the mechanic who has a pride in the appearance of his tools.
The best form of lamp, shown in [Fig. 10], may be made by obtaining a small glass kerosene hand lamp, which will cost only a trifle of two or three shillings. Cut off that portion of the burner above the screw, where it is held to the socket that is fastened to the lamp. Remove the tube that holds the lamp-wick and also the little contrivance made to raise and lower the wick. In the place where the tube was inserted, generally a flat one, file out with a round file, a place which is large enough to receive a common brass 44-cartridge that has had the head cut off or removed by filing; this is the tube for the wick. Fasten it in place with soft solder. Let this tube project a little into the lamp, and solder it on the under side. The greater portion of the tube projects above the place where soldered.
Figure 10.
The wick is made of common cotton wicking, letting the end inside touch the bottom of the lamp. Fill with alcohol, and the lamp is ready for use. Be careful that the wick is not too tight in the tube, or in other words, do not fill the tube with too much wick, as it will prevent the alcohol from rising and the lamp from burning. To prevent evaporation of the alcohol and to have the wick always ready for lighting, cover the tube with a cap that fits it quite closely and has the upper end closed. A brass cartridge that will go over the tube makes a good cover. Remove the primed cap or see that the cap has been exploded before using it to cover the lamp tube.
