Any questions in regard to photograph matters will be willingly answered by the editor of this column, and we should be glad to hear from any of our club who can make helpful suggestions.
PAPERS FOR BEGINNERS, No. 4.
HOME-MADE APPARATUS.
A DARK-ROOM LANTERN.
A wooden starch-box can be made into a good dark-room lantern with very little trouble. Across the cover at each end nail a thin strip of wood an inch wide. In the centre of the cover cut a hole 4 by 6 inches, and over this paste two thicknesses of yellow post-office paper. The strips of wood are to prevent the cover splitting. For the chimney, remove the bottom from a round tin spice-box, and in one end of the box cut slashes an inch in depth and half an inch apart. In one end of the wooden box cut a hole into which this tin shall fit snugly. Slip it into the hole as far as the slashes are cut in the tin, turn the piece of tin back against the wood, and fasten them with small brads or tacks. For the covering of the chimney, to prevent the escape of white light, take an empty tin fruit or vegetable can—the cans used for corn are the best size—cut slashes in the tin the same as in the small can, and above these slashes for about two inches puncture the tin full of holes. Turn back these pieces of tin at right angles, place it over the chimney, and tack it in several places to the box. This arrangement will allow plenty of air to enter for ventilation, but no white light will escape. For a light get a small brass candlestick like those used for camping, and use adamantine candles.
A NEGATIVE WASHING RACK.
If one has an old washboard half the work of making a negative rack is already done. From the washboard cut two strips seven inches long and three inches wide. The strips must be cut so that the corrugations go across, instead of lengthwise, the strips. These two pieces are for the sides of the rack. Now take four pieces of wood six inches long and about an inch square, and nail a piece to the end of each strip so that they project an inch beyond the strip at one edge and two inches the other. Fasten these two side pieces together by nailing pieces of wood from one of the ends of the projecting sticks to the one opposite, allowing just space enough for a 4 by 5 plate to slip between the corrugated zinc as they are turned in toward each other. On the bottom nail a thin piece of board to the four pieces of wood on which the plates may rest when in the rack. You thus have a skeleton box, grooved on the inside, which can be filled with plates; and when necessary to change the water the box can be lifted out of the pail without danger of breaking the plates. A negative-box costs from $1.75 to $5.00, and this negative-box costs but half an hour of time.
A HYPO-TRAY.
A tray for hypo may be made by lining a small wooden box with enamel cloth. Have the cloth a little larger than the inside of the box; fit it smoothly, and fold it at the corners, instead of cutting it; turn the edges over and tack in a few places. The cloth for a box 8 by 10 costs only five cents, and will last a long time if rinsed thoroughly each time after using.