Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 92.djvu/937

 J I < M

���i FOR PRACTICAL WORKERS

��>»

��How to Make an Air Operated Metal Punch for the Shop

THE junk pile around a shop usually affords parts that may be of use from time to time. The punch here illustrated was made from such material. As it was necessary to punch a great many holes in some braces used in cars at a rail- road shop, the master me- chanic made up plans for using an old 8-in. brake cylinder for the power which was taken from a wrecked freight car. This cylinder was operated on about 100 lb. press- ure, and its power, applied through levers, punched holes 9/16 in. in diameter in rough stock 3^2 in. thick. The controlling mechanism was made from a globe valve, changed to act like a whistle valve, the connec- tions being made

to a pedal. Metal punch operated by an air brake cylinder

���Keeping Foods and Eggs Fresh on Camping Trips

HAVING a touring car rigged out for camping, it became a problem how to keep butter and meat fresh. This problem was very satisfactorily solved by taking a single fireless cooker and clamp- ing it to the running board of the car. A

��hole was bored in the bottom through

to the inside and a brass tube placed

in it, care being taken to solder the

tube to the zinc lining -^f the fireless

cooker. Then a hole was bored in the

running board of

the car to run the

tube through. A

wire rack was then

made which came

half way up the

fireless cooker. Ice

was put in at the

bottom, then the

rack and then on

top of that the

stuff to keep.

In one trip this improvised refrig- erator was so effi- cient that it kept the ice for three whole days and three whole nights with the weather pretty warm. This was because the fireless cooker is pretty well insulated.

Another little trick is to keep eggs while camping. These were kept in mighty good condition by placing them in a friction top tin which can be obtained at all camping supply stores. This tin is on the same principle as the little tins in which you find spices and other commodities. First the tin was partly filled with ground cork. The cork, the kind in which grapes are packed, can be procured at fruit stores. Each egg is put in sepa- rately so that one will not touch another and surrounded by cork. Each tin will hold 14 eggs. These tins can be packed closely in a box and there need be no fear of breakage as the cork will absorb all blows and shocks.

��921

�� �