Made of Black Cambric
A good bag for changing plates and loading plate holders and one that the operator can see well to work in can be made by anyone on a sewing machine. Ten yards of black cambric or other black cloth and a little ruby fabric will be required. Take the cambric and fold it into 2-yd. lengths (Fig. 1) which will make five layers of cloth, tack or fasten the layers together so they will not slip and cut an 8-in. square hole in the middle of one half (Fig. 2) and sew the ruby fabric over the opening. Be sure and make the seam light-tight and have enough layers of ruby fabric so no white light can get in. Fold the cloth up so it will be 1 yd. square (Fig. 3) and sew up the edges to make a bag with one side open. Put a drawstring in the edge of the cloth around the open side and the bag is complete ready for use.
Take the holders and plate boxes in the lap and put the bag over the head and down around the body, then draw the string up tight. A bag made up in this manner is for use only for a short time. If it is necessary to do considerable work at a time, then a dust protector, such as mill men use, must be attached to a 3-ft. length of 2-in. rubber hose and the hose run through a hole in the bag. This will make it possible to work in the bag as long as you wish.
Contributed by Earl R. Hastings, Corinth, Vt.
Home-Made Asbestos Table Pads
Pads Made of Asbestos
Asbestos table pads to prevent the marring of polished table tops from heated dishes can be easily made at home much cheaper than they can be bought. Procure a sheet of asbestos from a plumbing shop and cut it in the shape of the top of your table. If the table is round, make the pad as shown in the illustration, cutting the circular piece into quarters. Cut four pieces of canton flannel, each the size of half the table top. Two of the asbestos pieces are used to make one-half of the pad. Place the two pieces with their edges together so they will form half a circle disk and cover both sides with a piece of the flannel and pin them in place. A binding of white cotton tape is then basted around the edges to hold all the pieces together until they are stitched on a sewing machine. A line of machine stitching is made all around the outside and through the middle between where the edges of the asbestos sheets join together. This will form a hinge so the two quarters may be folded for putting away. Make the other half circular disk in the same way. If leaves are wanted in extending the table, any number of pads can be made to cover them in the same manner with the hinge in the middle of each pad. The flannel is used with the nap side out so it will make the pad soft and noiseless. This kind of a pad furnishes perfect protection to the table from any heat or moisture.
Contributed by H. E. Wharton, Oakland, Calif.