In order to secure the absolutely smooth running of the roundabout it will be necessary to improvise some sort of "bearings." For this there is nothing better than two hard glass beads. If one of these beads be sunk into the top of the reel just mentioned, and the other fixed in the bottom of another loose reel, the upper one will revolve freely on the lower (Fig. 70). This loose reel will be the driving wheel of the contrivance and will hold the power band from the wind wheel. Fixed to this running wheel, and immediately above, will be another reel for the actual merry-go-round. Into the sides of this uppermost reel bore four holes, and insert the pointed ends of the four skewers, arranging them so that all four are at right angles. The running will be facilitated if another glass bead is sunk in the top of this reel.
Fig. 70.
All that remains now to complete the roundabout is to fix four figures—horses, boats, or similar—at one end of each skewer. These figures can be drawn on cardboard and cut out; or they can be sawn from fretwood.
Another interesting variation of this toy is the
Fairy Light Wheel.—For this, instead of fixing figures at the ends of the skewers, obtain four egg shells, and suspend them by means of wires from the ends of the arms (Fig. 71). Now if little night-lights or odd ends of candle be placed in the egg shells and lighted, a very pretty effect is obtained when the whole is made to revolve.
Fig. 71.