Page:Popular Mechanics 1928 01.pdf/166

 



Tinsmiths, when handling eave troughs, often find it inconvenient to fasten the first hanger onto the edge of the roof, as one must hold the long section of the trough, place the nail and manipulate the hammer, all while maintaining a safe position on the ladder or scaffold. A Wisconsin tinsmith simplified the labor and eliminated much of the attendant danger by altering a number of common wire hangers in the manner shown. As not more than three or four of these are necessary on the average job, they are well worth the little trouble required to make them. Extra-long hangers are used for this purpose, the wire being cut diagonally at the loop end to provide a sharp point on the hook. One of the severed ends is bent in the form of a loop while the other is hooked so that the point centers within the loop. When the trough has been soldered, on the ground, the altered hanger is placed as near the middle of the trough as possible and bent to the angle of the eaves. The trough may then be carried up the ladder and balanced in place with one hand while the other wields the hammer to drive the hook point through the loop and into the shingles. The trough being thus quickly and easily supported, the workman is free to move his ladder back and forth to fasten the remaining hangers, and the work is completed.—G. E. Hendrickson, Argyle, Wis.

 

Having trouble to prevent ink from getting under the cuticle of his nails, and not caring to wear rubber gloves all the time, a printer thought of a plan for keeping his nails clean without using gloves. He took a pair of rubber gloves, cut the finger ends off about 1 in. and put the tips over his fingers, which effectively avoided the trouble.—G. R. Dement, Buffalo, N. Y.

 



One of the most frequent causes of trouble on direct-current motors, particularly those having undercut commutators, is short circuits between commutator bars. Serious breakdowns in the commutators or windings of the armature can be prevented if the trouble is discovered in time, by digging out the carbonized mass between bars down to the clean mica. Tools useful for this purpose can be cheaply made from pieces of old hacksaw blades. The blades should vary in thickness to take care of mica segments of different widths, and a point of the desired shape is ground on the broken end. A number of tools with differently shaped points should be made, to suit the work of various types of motors. After the desired shape and edge have been formed on the blades, they should be hinged together by passing a rivet through the hole in the end of each and turning the head over with a hammer. This arrangement makes a very serviceable tool for the electrician and mechanics who find need of differently shaped tools of this type. It also provides a better grip than separate blades.

