The Box with Doors on One Side and the Top, (Fig. 1)
...and the False-Die pattern (Fig. 2)
The trick is performed as follows: Procure a hat from some one in the audience and place in it the die with the tin false die covering three sides of the block, at the same time telling the audience that the block will be caused to pass from the hat into the box, the latter being placed some distance away. Inform the audience that it would be more difficult for the die to pass from the box into the hat. Remove the tin piece from the hat and leave the die, holding the surfaces of the false die toward the audience. This will give the impression that the die has been removed. Set the hat on the table above the level of the eyes of the audience. With the back of the box toward the audience, open one top door and insert the tin piece in the right-hand compartment so that one side touches the back, another the side and the other the bottom of the box. Close the door and open the two doors of the opposite compartment which, when shown, will appear to be empty. Tilt the box to this side and open the doors of the side opposite to the one just opened, which, of course, will be empty. This should be done several times until some one asks that all doors be opened at the same time. After a few more reversals and openings as given, open all doors and show it empty, then take the die from the hat.—Contributed by Harold L. Groesbeck, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Homemade Pantograph
The pantograph consists of four pieces of wood, the dimensions depending somewhat on the size of the work to be drawn. A convenient size for ordinary drawing and enlarging is constructed of four pieces of hardwood, preferably maple, 3/16 in. thick and 5/8 in. wide, two of them 20-3/4 in. in length and the other two, 18-3/4 in. long. These are planed and sandpapered and the ends cut round.
A Picture can be Enlarged or Reduced by Setting the Screweyes in the Holes Designated
All four pieces are laid flat on a level board or bench top with their edges together so that the edges of the two longer pieces make right angles with a line drawn tangent to their ends. One end of one short piece is placed flush with the lower ends of the two long pieces, and one end of the other short piece flush with the upper ends, as shown. They should be clamped down solidly to keep them from moving while laying off the divisions. Light lines are drawn across their faces as designated by the dimensions. On these lines and exactly in the center of the pieces make small marks with a pencil point. Through the pieces A and B holes are drilled to snugly receive the body of a small screweye. The other two pieces are drilled with a smaller drill so that the threads of the screweye will take hold in the wood.