Harper's indoor book for boys

by Joseph H. Adams

An attractive design for a lamp-screen is shown in Fig. 1 A. When completed and backed with some pretty material it will be found a useful little affair to hang against the shade of a lamp to shield one’s eyes from the direct rays of a bright light.

To begin with, form a square of six inches, and at the top where the ends meet make a lap-joint by allowing one end to project over the other; then bind them together with some very fine wire—about the size that florists use. Inside of this square make a circle six inches in diameter, and wire it fast to the square where the sides, bottom, and top touch it.

Bend four small circles, and fasten one in each of the four angular corners between the circle and square; then form the centre scrolls and the hoop in the middle of the screen.

To form a scroll like that shown in Fig. 1 bend a strip of metal in the form of a U, as shown in Fig. 2, and with the round-nosed pair of pliers begin to curl one end in, as shown in Fig. 3. When it has been rolled far enough in to form one side of the scroll, it will appear as shown in Fig. 4. By treating the other end in a similar manner the finished result will be a perfect scroll like Fig. 1. Four of these scrolls are to be made and banded to the circle and to each other, and in the centre the hoop must be made fast with little metal bands.

Fig. 1. Fig. 1 A. Fig. 2. Fig. 3. Fig. 4. Fig. 5. Fig. 6. Fig. 7.

When uniting or binding two strips of metal together they may be fastened with wire or bands, as a matter of choice. If the latter mode is employed, short pieces of the metal strips are to be cut and partially bent in the form of a clamp, as shown in Fig. 5. Bring the two sides together and bend one ear of the clamp over them (Fig. 6), and if the other ear is the proper length, bend that down in place, and squeeze all together with the flat-nosed pair of pincers. The perfect joint will then appear as shown in Fig. 7. When using metal clamps the ears should be of such a length that, when pressed down over the united strips of metal, the ends will just come together and not overlap.

Having made the body part of the screen, form the scrolls of the top, and bind them in place with wire or the little metal clamps. This top should measure some three inches high from the top rib of the screen, and the end scrolls should project about three-quarters of an inch beyond the body of the screen at either side.

For the sides and bottom form a frill of metal and fasten it to the screen with wire; it should not be more than three-eighths or half an inch in width, and can be bent with the round-nosed pincers and the fingers. Better wear gloves for this part of the work.

When the metal-work is finished it will be necessary to coat it with black paint to improve its appearance and prevent its rusting. There are several good paints that may be used for this purpose, but if they are not easy to obtain an excellent coating may be made by dissolving a little shellac in alcohol and adding dry lamp-black so it will be about the consistency of cream. It should be applied to the metal with a soft brush, and if it should become too thick it may be thinned by adding alcohol.