Harper's indoor book for boys

by Joseph H. Adams

If the brass should be too hard to bend in a vise without breaking, the part it is desired to work should be heated over a spirit-lamp or in a gas flame for a moment or two; when cool, it will be soft and pliable. If brass should be employed for the frame, the joints must be soldered instead of wired. To solder them it will be necessary to have some soldering solution, a spirit-lamp, and some wire solder.

To unite the metal ends apply some of the soldering solution to the parts with a piece of wood or an old camel’s-hair brush, and then hold them over, or in the lamp flame, until they are quite hot. When sufficiently heated touch them with the end of a piece of solder, and the heat of the metal will instantly melt the solder, so that it will adhere to the brass. To hold the parts together while they are being soldered, give them a turn or two of fine iron wire. After they have been united and the brass is cold, the wire may be removed and the rough parts of the solder filed away.

Small brass hinges may be screwed fast to the wood ribs to attach the lid to the box, and if brass is employed for the frame and grille work the hinges must be soldered to the frame.

A Sign-board

For a sign-board an idea is suggested in Fig. 26. At one’s place of business, in front of a cottage, or on a mile-post, it may be displayed to good advantage.

It is only a board on which sheet-iron or lead letters have been fastened, and the edges bound with metal and large-headed nails. A rod set at right angles to a post supports the sign-board, and to ornament it some scroll-work is attached at the top. Scroll ornaments decorate the sides and bottom of the board. These are fastened on with steel-wire nails driven through holes made in the metal and into the edges of the board. The ornamental scroll-work should be made of somewhat thicker and wider iron strips than the more delicate articles for indoor use, and all the iron should be given one or two coats of red-lead paint before the black finish is applied. To prevent rust-marks from running down on the wood board, it is necessary to coat the back part of the letters and all iron straps which may lie against the wood. It is much better to use sheet-lead for the letters, since it cuts easier, and will not stain the wood with rust or corrosion marks.

Double Doorway Grille

For a double doorway a pretty effect is shown in Fig. 27, where a long grille is arranged at the top of a doorway, and under it the curtain-pole is attached.

The outer frame for a grille of this size should be made by a blacksmith from an iron rod about three-eighths of an inch square. The inner frame may be made of strip-iron three-eighths of an inch wide, and three inches smaller all around than the larger one. The metal strips employed to form the grille design should be three-eighths of an inch wide, and cut from box strap-iron.

The full-size drawing should be laid out on paper, over which it will be an easy matter to shape the scrolls. If the grille should be too open when the pattern is completed, some more scrolls may be added to fill the spaces, taking care not to injure the general design of the pattern.