CHAPTER XIII

LIGHTHOUSE, TRANSPORTER BRIDGE

=A Lighthouse= (Plate XVI). This lighthouse is similar to one called the Gull Island Light in Newfoundland. It is a hexagonal column and is therefore somewhat easier to make than a circular structure.

The main column is 9 inches high, and each of the six faces is 2 inches. Cut out a piece of cardboard, of medium thickness, 9 inches by 12-1/4 inches (Fig. 378). Divide it into six parts 2 inches in width, leaving a flange 1/4 inch wide at the end for fastening the column together. Make half cuts along the dotted lines. Cut out a door and windows, and two holes, G and H, 1/4 inch square. Fold and gum together. The hexagonal column above the first platform is 2-1/2 inches high, sides 2 inches; that above the second platform is 2 inches high, sides 1-1/2 inches.

Before folding and gumming the top column, or lantern, together, windows must be cut out. It is easier to cut the windows out completely and gum the bars behind the openings. A door is cut just above the first platform as shown in the plate. The top of the lantern is a hexagonal pyramid 1-1/2 inches high, edges 2 inches. To make this, the length of one of the sloping edges (as _a' d'_ in Fig. 380) must be found.

Draw a line _a b_ (Fig. 381) 2 inches long. This is one edge of the hexagonal base. On it make an equilateral triangle _a c b_. This is the same as triangle _a' c' b'_ in Fig. 380. At _c_ (Fig. 381) draw _c d_ at right angles to _a c_; make _c d_ equal to the height of the pyramid--namely, 1-1/2 inches; join _a d_; this is the length of one of the sloping edges (_a' d'_ in Fig. 380). With radius _a d_ describe a circle (Fig. 379). Mark along its circumference the distance _a b_, six times; join _a_ to _b_, _b_ to _c_, etc., and join each point to the centre. Cut off the shaded portions, leaving a flange for fastening, and make half-cuts along the dotted lines. Bend and gum together.

The first platform shown in the plate is a circle of cardboard or wood, radius 3 inches. Holes are made round the edge.

To this the upper column is fastened by paper hinges, unless the columns have been provided with flanges at top and bottom. Glue match sticks or pieces of cane, about 1 inch in length, into the holes in the platform for railings, round which black thread may be tied. Now fasten the whole to the main column so that the sides coincide.

In the same way the lantern is fastened to the upper platform and the latter to the upper column, after similar railings have been made round the upper platform. Lastly the pyramidal top is fixed on the lantern, by either paper hinges or flanges. Now cut a piece of stripwood, 1/4 inch by 1/4 inch, of the right length, so that it passes through the holes G and H in the lower column and projects about 1/8 inch over the doorway; into this projecting end screw a small screw-eye, pass a piece of string through it and bring the ends inside the door. This is the pulley by means of which goods are hauled up from the boat into the lighthouse. A ladder can be made of matches (as described in Chapter IX); two wire hooks are inserted at the ends, and it is hung to the doorway.

The lighthouse can be coloured grey and fastened to a piece of cardboard painted blue.

=A Transporter Bridge.= The supports for this bridge, A and B (Fig. 382), are two small wooden Bovril boxes (those containing one dozen one-ounce tins); their bottoms have been knocked out and they are mounted on wooden supports or on two smaller boxes of about the same width.

Take two lengths of stripwood, C, D, 2' × 1/2" × 1/4"; on to each of these glue and nail a similar length of stripwood, 1/4 inch by 1/4 inch (Fig. 383). Next the overhead trolley should be made (Fig. 384). The axles G and H are about 3-1/2" × 1/4" × 1/4". The wheels are made of wood and can be cut from an old broom handle. Before these are put on, the two pieces E and F, which are 3-1/2" × 1/4" × 1/4", are glued to G and H. C and D are placed so that the trolley runs easily along their ledges, the distance between them is measured and two pieces of stripwood (J in Fig. 383) are cut, by means of which C and D are fastened together. This frame can rest on A and B. There is no need to fasten it permanently.

To each end of H and G, very small screw-eyes are screwed, K in Fig. 383, to which the strings or chains which support the car are attached--also two screw-eyes are screwed in at H and G.

Fig. 385 shows part of the car and gives the necessary measurements. Side R is made of stripwood, 1/4 inch by 1/4 inch. The gates at each end are made of strips of cardboard. Four screw-eyes are placed in the corner posts for hanging the car to trolley (see Fig. 382). Pieces of thread are tied to the screw-eyes at H and G, and pass through screw-eyes in the supports (T and U in Fig. 382). Two windlasses can be made to stand on M and L, similar to the winding gear described in making the crane (Chapter V), by means of which the car can be drawn backward and forward. The bridge may stand across a piece of cardboard painted to represent a river.