A Molding-Sawing Block Used on a Bench
Having occasion to saw some short pieces of molding, I experienced considerable trouble in holding them without a vise until I made a block, as shown in the sketch. This answered the purpose as well as a vise. The block is not fastened in any manner, but is simply pushed against the edge of the bench or table and held with the hand. It should be about 9 in. wide and 1 ft. long, with strips 2 in. thick at each edge.—Contributed by W. F. Brodnax, Jr., Bethlehem, Pa.
A Block for Holding Molding, or Strips of Wood, While Sawing Small Pieces from Them
Pipe Caps Used as Castings for Engine Pistons
Desiring to make a small piston for a model engine and not caring to make a pattern and send it away to have a casting made, I thought of using ordinary pipe caps, these being both inexpensive and of a quality adapted to machining.
The cylinder bore was 1-1/2 in. in diameter, so I secured a standard pipe cap for 1-1/4-in. pipe which gave an outside diameter of about 1-5/8 in. The cap, not having sufficient depth for holding in a chuck, was screwed on a short piece of pipe and then trued in the lathe chuck. The outside surface was turned to a diameter of 1-1/2 in., then removed from the pipe, reversed and chucked again, and the threads bored out to reduce the walls to 1/8 in. This made an excellent piston for a single-acting engine.—Contributed by Harry F. Lowe, Washington, D. C.
An Electric Horn
A simple electric horn for use on a bicycle, automobile, or for other purposes, can be constructed as shown in Fig. 1. The size will of course depend somewhat on the use for which it is intended, but one with the diaphragm 1-3/4 in. in diameter and the horn 5 in. long and 4 in. in diameter, at the large end, will be sufficient for most purposes. This will make the instrument 7-1/2 or 8 in. in over-all length.