Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 92.djvu/790

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��Popular Science Monthly

��The Color of Gasoline Does Not Denote Its Quality

AT one time the refineries turned out . yellow kerosene and gasoline and the methods used made the liquid some- what dangerous. For this reason, the public demanded a pure white gasoline. But the new cracking process produces a perfectly safe gasoline which has a slight yellowish tinge.

Converting a Porch Swing Into a Baby's Bed

A PORCH swing can be easily con- verted into a cool, as well as a safe bed for the baby by attaching a swinging apron to the edge of the seat. The apron

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���A frame covered with wire screen to raise over the seat opening for making a baby's bed

consists of a frame made the same size as the opening between the two arms of the swing and covered with wire screen. The frame is hinged to the front edge of the seat so that it can be swung up and fastened with hooks and eyes to the out- side of the arm. Another hook can be attached to the under side of the seat and an eye fastened into the frame so that it

��may be used to keep the frame from striking the legs of the occupant when the bed is re-converted into a swing. — J. A. FiTZPATRICK.

���Making a Lawn Leveling Tamper of Wood

TO make a handy tamper for leveling lawns, paths, etc., first procure a 12-ft. piece of 2 by 4-in. scantling, and a section of planking about 10 by 12 in. in size. From the scantling cut four pieces each about 10 in. long, four pieces about 12 in. long and one piece about 4 ft. long. This last piece should have one end whittled down into a rounded handle.

The method of con- structing the tamper can be best under- stood by referring to the drawing, which shows the eight short pieces of scantling nailed together in the form of a "crib" with the 4-ft. piece in the center as a handle and the section of planking nailed to the bottom to make a smooth surface. Ob- viously scraps and odd pieces of scantling of the proper size can be used in place of the 12-ft. piece. Also the number of short pieces can be varied to obtain the weight that is desired. — Frank L. Mattes.

Removing Yellow Stains from Piano Keys

PIANO keys, by use, will turn yellow. To restore the original whiteness, put 1 oz. of nitric acid in 12 oz. of soft water (pour the acid slowly into the Mater — do not reverse this or the acid will fly up into your eyes) and apply the liquid to the ivory with a brush, taking care that no acid gets on the woodwork. Wash off the acid with a piece of flannel dipped in clean water and wipe with a dry cloth. Besides restoring piano keys, this same mixture is equally efficacious for cleaning the handles of cutlery and other similar articles.

��Tamper made of wood pieces

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