Page:Popular Mechanics 1928 01.pdf/177

 

When the third brush on a Ford generator is shifted to change the output, it sometimes fails to make good contact with the commutator and there is no output at all. This is often caused by a little dirt or an uneven surface on the brush. The proper method is to sand the brush to fit, but if the brush is pressed down gently with a small stick while the motor is running slowly, it can often be made to "run itself in" and the generator will charge.

 



The photos show how a job of boring automobile wheels to fit the hubs was done by fitting a faceplate to the back end of the lathe spindle. The faceplate was mounted on a shaft extending through the hollow spindle and was fastened in place by means of a nut and washer. The wheels were centered by means of a tapered cone, which was mounted on a stub mandrel screwed into the opening in the center of the faceplate after the wheel was lightly fastened with bolts and clamping pieces, as indicated. The cone was then removed and the boring done by means of a tool consisting of a suitable guide piece screwed into the faceplate opening, the guide carrying a sliding member with an adjustable cutter and an operating handle.

 



Many home owners have only small basements and during the months when no coal is used, a bin is not needed, unless it is filled during the summer for the following winter. A portable coal bin of the kind shown in the drawing can readily be built by anyone. It can be taken down when not in use and put up again when coal is to be taken in. It is constructed of 1-in. boards which are slipped into grooves formed by nailing strips to 2 by 4-in. uprights. These extend from the floor to the joists above, to which they are bolted with 1/2-in. bolts. The boards are slipped into the grooves near the top and are forced down tightly. These boards should not be over 4 or 5 ft. long, unless an extra 2 by 4-in. upright is provided on the outside as a brace.

 

Etching on sheet aluminum is made better and more simple by using a solution of weak hydrochloric acid. It is important that this acid be diluted and not used in its full strength, for in a diluted state it will produce better work.