Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 91, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 April 1914 — For Handy Boys and Girls to Make and Do [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

For Handy Boys and Girls to Make and Do

(Copyright by A. Neely HMD

A BOY’S HOME-MADE STRENGTHTESTER. By A. NEELY HALL. This unique piece of apparatus will give you and your friends an opportunity to determine which one developed the most arm muscle during the summer vacation. Figure 1 shows the home-made, machine in operation; Fig. 2 is a large detail of the completed machine, and Fig. 3 shows details of the parts of which it is made. The beam A should be about 2 inches thick, 4 inches wide and 4 feet long. A thinner piece than this can be used, but one disadvantage in using the thinner piece is that It is likely to break when struck a heavy blow upon its end with the striking "maul.’* The posts B may be of the same width and thickness as beam A, or thinner and wider, and should be about 14 Inches long. Any pieces of board about 6 inches wide and 3 feet long will do for the base crosspieces C. Fasten the base crosspieces to the lower ends of upright posts B, at right angles to them, using at least four nails to make secure connections. Then with a 3 % -inch or 4-lnch nail,

spike the upper end of each upright post B to the side edges of beam A, 18 inches from qne end of A. With a, large carpet tack fasten the cover from a baking powder can to the long end of beam A —that is, the end farthest from the point at which it is pivoted between upright posts B. The can cover forms a receptacle for the strength testing weight, for which a baseball should be used. This completes the strength tester. To use it, you must have a heavy maul like that shown in Fig. 4, with which to strike the short end of the beam A. When the short end is struck, it is forced down, the long end springs up, and the ball is thrown into the air to a height dependent upon the amount of force put into the blow. Get an old broom for the striking maul, cut off about one-half of the length of the straws, and spike a thick block of wood to each side of the remaining stub of the broom.

The distance the ball is thrown into the air must be determined in order

to tell which boy strikes the hardest blow, and Fig. 5 shows how to make a simple device for recording the relative heights. At a distance of about 20 feet from the strength tester, drive a 5-foot stick, into the ground; and about 9 inches in back of that stick, and in line with it and the strength tester, drive a 3-foot stick . into the ground. This shorter stick should have 'a third stick pivoted to one side near the top, as shown in Fig. 5. • Now then, to use, the measuring device, sight along the edge of the pivoted stick, as shown by the little diagram of an eye in Fig. 6, and as the ball is thrown into the air from the beam of the strength tester, swing the stick so that its end follows the bait

When the ball reaches the highest point ip its flight, make a mark across th* tall stick, even with the top edge W the pivoted stick. ■

A TOY GROCERY STORE. By DOROTHY PERKINS. With its shelves stocked with miniature packages of cereals, cans of cocoa And sacks of flour, some obtained as samples and others home-made, a toy grocery store provides an endless

source of fun for the young storekeeper. Figure 1 shows how the shelving is arranged against the rear wall of the store, and Figs. 2 and 3 show how the strips are put together. Yon will see that the shelf strips extend across the store in single lengthy while .the par* titions are short pieces ent to fit between the shelves. Cut the partitions of the right lengths to make the shelves come about the same distances apart, and cut the strips about 1 inch longer than this measurement, to provide for tun£ ing over % inch of each end to form flaps (Fig. 3). Figure 2 shows how these flaps are glued to the shelf

above and below to hold the partition* in position. A small candy box placed upon it* side will make a good center counter. A set of grocery scales must be provided for this counter, and Figure 4 shows a set that is easily made of light-weight cardboard or heavy writing paper. The support Al* made in one piece cut of the shape shown in the pattern of Fig. 5. Mak* the length about one-half as long as the candy box counter, and the other dimensions in about the same relative proportions that the details show. Tha

dotted lines indicate where, after cutting out the piece, the cardboard la folded to form the sides of the support. The distance between the aides should be about % Inch. The balance beam B Is prepared as shown by the pattern of Fig. 6. Its length is the same as that of support A, and its width is 1 Inch. Turn over about H inch of each side edge, as Indicated by dotted lines, to give the beam stiffness. The two trays should be cut M shown in Figs. 7 and 8. tray C circular in form, and tray D oblong with the corners rounded. After cutting out D. turn up Its edges to make It scoopshaped, as shown, in Fig. A Glue one tray to each end of the balance beam B, then pivot the beam at its exact balancing point between'the sides of support A, with a pin. Collar buttons make*' splendid weights for the to?