Grasp the arm with the right hand between the swivel heads and bearing down, swing the pencil end from right to left. The rubber band will keep it constantly on the paper with even pressure. When half of the ellipse is completed detach the rubber band and reverse the instrument to the opposite side of the longitudinal line Y and draw the other half in the same manner.
Protector Cap for a Chisel Handle
The ordinary chisel handle will soon split and break under the continuous blows of a mallet. A very good and inexpensive method of preventing this is to procure an ordinary patent bottle cap and place it on the end of the handle. It is advisable to shape the end of the handle like a bottle top in order to firmly hold the cap in place.—Contributed by Bert Verne, San Diego, Cal.
Sweeping Compound
A good sweeping compound may be made as follows: Mix 1/2 pt. of warm paraffin oil with 2 oz. of melted paraffin wax and add 2 oz. of artificial oil of sassafras. Then pour the mixture into 10 lb. of sawdust and work the whole thoroughly together. Add to this mixture 4 lb. of clean sand and 1/2 lb. of coarse salt. Each article mentioned is comparatively cheap, and the compound can be kept in an open container.—Contributed by Loren Ward, Des Moines, Iowa.
Freezing a Basin to a Chair
Fill a basin or pot half full of snow, and secretly put a handful of table salt in it and place the vessel on a chair or table, wetting the space where it is to be set. After holding the basin in place for about two minutes, continually stirring the contents, it will freeze to the chair so solidly that when the basin is lifted the chair will come along with it.