Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 91.djvu/646

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��In order to make the gables of the cabin the ends of horizontal cross-pieces, or poles, are secured to each pair of uprights, 3^ ft. from the ground. The tops of the saplings are then brought together so as to form two arches, one for each end of the cabin. The horizontal spanners are 7 ft. long.

A ridge pole is then laid on the forks pro- vided by the two arches, and side spanner poles are secured to the arched poles. The intersecting parts of the various saplings are fixed in place by means of suitable wire or twine.

Soft wire is preferable, as it can be quickly applied, twisted and secured by means of pliers. Soft annealed piano wire is the most serviceable. A tinned wire, about 18 gage, is also good for this purpose. We now have the frame ready for the parts necessary to carry the tent cloth ; for it is not desirable to stretch the sheet over the wooden frame. We may take a lesson from the umbrella frame which has light ribs to support its covering.

Wires are used to support the sheet of the tent. A few suggestions as to the correct way of attaching these wires may be of great service to the novice. The poles should have their ends cut off square with a small saw. A hatchet might split the wood. Several sets of wires should be prepared beforehand. The end of each wire should have a twisted loop to attach to one end of a pole. Wire nails, 2Y2 in. long, are best adapted for holding the wires. These should be driven into the ends of the cross and longitudinal poles, or spanners, the loops affixed and the loose ends of the wires attached to the other ends of the respective poles.

The main sheeting is then unrolled and strung over the five taut wires, one end of the sheet being secured to the lower wire, which is threaded through the seam. The other end of the sheet passes behind the other base wire. After stretching the sheet tight the surplus end is secured to the taut portion. The triangular end sections are then attached with safety pins, or buttons or snap-fasteners may be provided for the purpose. It will thus be seen that the entire fabric forming the tent is suspended on wires and does not come into contact with any portion of the wooden frame.

It is not necessary in a cabin tent of this construction that the poles should be driven into the ground. Instead, a wire may be stretched across to connect the lower ends of the front and rear arches.

��Popular Science Monthly

Holding Papers on a Movable Sloping Desk-Top

IT is difficult to hold letters or other pieces of paper on the surface of an ordinary sloping top desk, even though

��paper weights are used for the purpose, as the desk-top must be raised at times

���Brass wire clip to hold sheets of paper on a sloping desk top that is raised occasionally

to gain access to the contents within. The illustration shows how a permanent clip or holder can be made of a piece of light brass wire and spring and placed on the desk-top. A small hole sufficient to take the wire size is drilled down through the desk-top. It in no way interferes with the opening and closing of the desk- top. — F. W. Bentley.

��Keeping Oil from the V-Belt of a Motorcycle

OIL leaking through the shaft bearing and running on the pulley face and entering the groove caused con- siderable trouble on a V-belt ste el ring or drive of my motorcycle. This f difficulty I easily over- came by attaching a steel flange to the inner surface of the pulley, which had a diameter considerably larger than that of the pulley flange. This prevented the oil from getting into the pulley groove by caus- ing it to drip from the flange edge. The flange was out of the way.

���Distance 1rom edge J of pulley one inch

A wide steel flange keeps oil from belt

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