Wire D is supported by two wire hoops or screw-eyes placed in post A. The holes through which it passes must not be too large or it will wobble and not turn smoothly. Now all the parts are ready for putting together. Glue the shoeblack on first, then opposite to him the man. See that the brush passes over the shoe. If for any reason this does not happen, a larger brush can be cut from wood or cardboard and pasted over the shoeblack's hand. Now fasten post A behind the man so that the bend of the wire, D, will be in the right position; pass wire, D, through the wire loops or hooks (these are best made of copper wire); glue the top of it into the hole in the propeller. Glue a piece of glass, E, under the other end. Connect by a thin piece of wire the shoeblack's brush with bend in D. The figure will now work well in the wind.
The shoeblack is the toy one most often sees worked in this way. A man sawing wood is another favourite model, and can be made in exactly the same way.
Two knights fighting can also be made; this involves, however, two propellers.
Toys worked by Convection Currents. These are less interesting toys because they do not admit of much variety. The toy is worked over a gas burner, where it acts as a ceiling protector. As the power available from convection currents is very slight, every care must be taken that the figure will work smoothly.
As the toy is exposed to heat, the soldering must be well done. Fig. 529 shows how the toy is made.
The little sailor is cut out of sheet metal (tinned plate); his limbs are fixed by means of rivets or eyelets (the latter are obtainable at a boot repairer's). Take care that they move freely. They will do so if the holes are very smooth. The wire used is steel wire about 1/16 inch; this is fairly easy to bend.
Wire A B is bent as already described in the shoeblack. It passes through loops in the wire at A and D. It is kept from slipping through at A by a ring of wire soldered on the top.
Fig. 529
The propeller at B is simply a tin disc with radial cuts, each sector being twisted at an angle by a pair of pliers. The propeller is held by a turn in the wire and by a touch of solder. Notice that the feet of the figure are turned round the wire on which it stands. They can be soldered for greater security. The hand is also curled round the crank pin, but it must be free to turn on it.