The boy craftsman; practical ad profitable ideas for a boy's leisure hours

Front matter

(X>PirKJGHT DEPOSIT

THE BOYCMFTSMAN

THE BOY CMFcTSMAN

Part I Profitable Pastimes Chapter I

PAGE

Value of a Knowledge of Carpenter Work — Location of Shop

— A Solid Work-bench — The Vise — Bench-stops — Carpenter's Horses — A Bench-hook — A Mitre-box — A Sand-paper Block — A Strop — A Plumb — Purchasing Tools — Tool-cabinets — Racks for Tools — A Carpenter's Carrying-box — A Nail-box — Receptacles for Supplies — Workshop Clothes — Care of Oily Rags and Waste.

CHAPTER H

Care of Tools — The Cross-cut Saw and Rip-saw — Sawing — The Back-saw, Compass-saw, and Gig-saw — Kerfs — The Jack-plane, Fore-plane, and Smoothing-plane — Planing — Testing Work

— The Firmer-chisel — Paring — The Framing-chisel — Chamfering and Bevelling — The Gouge — The Draw-knife — Boring — An Automatic-drill — Hatchet and Hammer — Driving Nails — Withdrawing Nails — Toe-nailing — Blind-nailing — Clinching — The Nail-set — Nails — Screw-driver for Bit-stock — Screws — The Countersink.

Contents

Sharpening Tools 37

Grinding Cliisels, Gouges, Draw-knives, Knives and Hatchets — The Washita Oil-stone — Whetting — Stropping — Sharpening Saws.

Laying out Work 42

Part II Chapter XIII

How Some Boys Built a Club-house — A Mysterious Letter — Drawing the Plan of a Club-house — The Material — Fishing Studs

— Staking out the Building — The Studs — Boarding up the Sides

— The Roof — The Floor — A Window-sash — A Batten Door — Wooden Latch — Calking up Cracks.

CHAPTER XIV

The Pioneer Cabin — The Cabin of To-day — Selection of a Site ^Design and Size — The Material — Staking out the Cabin — The Lock-joint — The Sills — Construction of Roof — Ridge Boards — A Log Chimney and Fire-place — Calking — A Mud Floor — The Windows — The Cabin Door — Wooden Hinges — Wooden Latch

— The Latch-string — A Mantel-shelf — Provision Cupboard — Rustic Seats — Bunks — A Camp-table — A Few Pointers about Camping — Utensils — Other Necessities — Provisions.

CONTENTS xi

CHAPTER XV

PAGE

Canoeing as a Sport — Popularity of Canvas Canoes— Materials

— The Bow and Stern Pieces — The Keelson — The Mould — Putting the Framework Together — The Gunwales — The Ribbands

— The Deck Beams — The Ridge Pieces — The Deck Braces — The Cock-pit — The Canvas Covering — The Deck — Painting — The Cock-pit Coaming — The Keel — The Bilge-keels — Outside Gunwales — A Seat — How to mend Punctures — A Single Paddle.

CHAPTER XVI

Trapping as a Pastime — The City Boy and his Country Cousin

— The Figure-four Trap — A Box Trap — The Dead Fall — The Sieve Trap — The Coop Trap — A Rabbit Snare — A Twitch-up — The Professional Trapper — Wolves and Coyotes — Story of a Trapped Indian.

CHAPTER XVII

Ancient War Engines — New Idea for a Cross-bow — Shingle Arrows — A Toy Pistol — Cardboard Bullets — A Shot-gun — An Elastic Sling — A Boy's Barrel-hoop Target — A Simpler Target — How Points are Scored — The Bow and Arrow — Length of Bow — The Bow-string — The Arrow-shafts — Preparing Arrow-heads — Feathering — A Quiver — Proper Position for Shooting with Bow

— The Indian's Bow — How his Arrows were made and Feathered

— The Preparation of his Arrow-heads.

CHAPTER XVIII

Location for Gymnasium — A Horizontal Bar — Tumbling Mat — Parallel Bars — The Punching-bag Platform — A Pair of Jump Standards — A Vaulting Pole — A Spring-board — Hurdles — A Running Track — Method of Starting for Short Sprints — Mark for Broad Jumping— An Athletic Club — Athletic Meets.

xii CONTENTS

CHAPTER XIX

PAGE

The Ancient Roman Circus — The Circus of To-day — How Several Boys gave a Circus — Preparing the Yard for a Circus — Making the Ring — Good Circus Seats — A Tent — Decorating the Tent

— A Ticket Office — A Turnstile — The Side Show — Cages for Side Show — Animated Animals — The Elephant — The Giraffe — The Two-legged Wild Horse — The Wild Man of Borneo — A Monkey's Make-up — The Ring Master — The Clown's Suit — The Attendants — Ideas for a Performance — A Slapper — Looping the Hoop on a Giraffe — A Chariot — Parades — The Advertising Signs.

CHAPTER XX

The First Fourth of July Celebration — Pyrotechnics Costly and Dangerous to Make — The Making of Harmless and Inexpensive Fireworks — A Fire-cracker Cannon — To fire the Cannon — A Fire-cracker Mortar — Mimic Battles with Paper Soldiers — Another Toy Cannon — To fire the Cannon — Firing Fireworks from Kites

— Firing a Pack of Fire-crackers from a Kite — Shooting Nigger-chasers — Japanese Lanterns hung from Kite-strings — A Shooting-torch — A Final Set-piece.

CHAPTER XXI

Ancient Superstitions and Origin of Halloween — A Magazine Bean-blower — A New Style of Tick-tack — A Clockwork Tick-tack — The Goblin-man — The Disappearing Rope.

CHAPTER XXII

One Advantage of a Small Slide — Location — Length — The Platform — Framework — Railing around Platform — A Ladder — Making a Swift Slide — A Home-made Sled — The Runners — Reenforcing the Runners.

CONTENTS

PART III CHAPTER XXIII A Miniature Theatre

An Interesting Entertainment — A Picture-frame Proscenium — The Stage Framework — The Gridiron — The Stage Floor— The Drop-curtain — Lighting the Theatre — The Footlights — Floodlights — Colored Lights — Spotlights — Admission Tickets and Programmes.

CHAPTER XXIV Scenery, Properties, and Mechanical Effects .... Materials for Scenery— An Ocean Scene — Additional Waves — Frames for Drops — A Mid-ocean Scene — A Seashore Scene — A Field Scene — The Trees — A Blockhouse Scene — Pine Boughs for Trees and Shrubbery — Moss for Mounds and Hills — Rustic Bridges — A Pond or Lake — A Street Scene — An Interior — A War Drama — Paper Soldiers- Scheme for Marching Soldiers — Separate Standards — A Jointed Figure — Stage Properties — Tents — An Indian Teepee — Battleships — Trains and Wagons — Mechanical Effects — Thunder — Rain — Wind — Lightning— The Roar of Cannon.

CHAPTER XXV

The Trolley-line — Supports for Trolley-line — Power for Operating Railway — Tracks -The Cars - A Gondola Car — A Street Car— Other Cars — Operation of Railway — A Station.

CHAPTER XXVI

Procuring a Set of Clockworks — An Automobile Touring-car — The Frame — Preparation of Clockworks — The Belt — Testing the Machine- The Cardboard Sides- Wheels -Mud-guards- Lamps — The Steering-wheel — A Horn — The Brake — The Chauffeur —

Xlll xiv CONTENTS

PAGE

Painting the Machine — An Automobile Delivery Wagon — The Cardboard Sides — The Wheels — Other Portions — Painting the Wagon — A Clockwork Railway.

CHAPTER XXVII

How Boots were Marked in a Penitentiary — A Home-made Fountain Pen — The Magic Pin-wheel — To Operate the Pin-wheel — A Wooden Chain and Rattle — The Chain — The Rattle — Finishing the Chain and Rattle.

CHAPTER XXVIII

Materials Required — Cork Animals — A Pig — A Horse — The Elephant — The Giraffe — A Porcupine — Other Animals — The Korka-bird — A Duck — Canoes — Small Sail-boats — Cork Furniture—A Chair — The Sofa — A Small Tabouret — A Toy Log-cabin.

CHAPTER XXIX Definitions of Terms and Phrases 371

Index 385

LIST OF HALF-TONE ILLUSTRATIONS

(In addition to more than four hundred text illustrations.)

PART I A Boy's Workshop Frontispiece OPPOSITE PAGE

Treatment of a Boy's Room 58

Fig. 64. — A Colonial Doll-house 78

Fig. 96. — Another Style of Doll-house ) Fig. 97. — Interior View of Doll-house \

An Amateur's Outfit 128

A Group of Amateur Papers . . . . . . . .142

Fig. 168. — A Handy Dark-room

Fig. 172. — A Washing-box and Drying-rack