CHAPTER XXI

TOYS WORKED BY SAND

For these toys a wooden box is required, A B C D (Fig. 448), about a foot or more square and 5 inches deep. L is a wheel made like the overshot water-wheel in Chapter VI. Another way of making the buckets is shown in Figs. 449, 450, and 451. These are glued close together between two circles of cardboard as shown in Fig. 451. This method is somewhat easier if small wheels are required. The wheel should have ten or more buckets; the greater the number of buckets, the faster the wheel works.

Fig. 452 shows the construction of the reservoir, J, through which the sand runs. The size of it will depend upon the toy made.

F is the flange for fastening it together, and E, D, C, B are flanges for fastening it to roof A B E F (Fig. 448). A round hole is filed out at A, after the reservoir is fastened together, through which the sand runs. The wooden side of box, A B E F, is taken off and a piece of cardboard is nailed to the box instead. This can have a hole cut in it, K in Fig. 448, and the reservoir glued under it. G H is a bar of stripwood nailed across the front of the box, through which a hole, N, is bored. The axle of the wheel passes through this and through a corresponding hole in the back of the box. As the sand runs out of the reservoir, it falls into the boxes and so turns the wheel; hence the sails of a windmill, the hands of a clock, etc., fastened to axle, L M, can be made to turn. Notice carefully that the hole at the bottom of the reservoir should be over the centre of the boxes of the sand-wheel and a little to one side of the wheel, as in Fig. 448. Part of the back of the box, P Q R O, should be cut out to allow a tray to go in to receive the sand.

=To make a Bicyclist= (Fig. 453). Cut two circles of cardboard, radius 1-1/4 inches. Mark on them the spokes of a bicycle.

Make two sand-wheels the same size as the bicycle wheels; their width should be about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch. Take a piece of stripwood 1/2 inch by 1/4 inch and the length of the box. Make holes in it, 3 inches, 4-1/2 inches and 6 inches from one end. Nail the bar across the box 3 inches from ground; make holes in the back of the box exactly opposite the holes in the bar. Make wooden axles to pass right through these holes so that they turn freely in them. The sand-wheels should be glued to two of these axles. Now cut out a piece of cardboard to fit over the front of the box; bore holes in it corresponding to those in the bar, G H. Paint on it a suitable background, as in Fig. 453. Nail small pieces of stripwood, 1/2 inch by 1/4 inch, to the corners of the box (as at A and B in Fig. 453), to which the cardboard can be fastened by drawing-pins or glue. Pass the axles of the sand-wheels through the first and third holes from the end of bar G H, and let them project about 1 inch beyond the cardboard. To these ends the bicycle wheels must be glued. In making this toy it is better not to fasten pieces together too quickly, until all the various parts are ready.

The figure of the cyclist should be cut out to the measurements given for the little gymnast in Chapter XVI. The body and head could be cut out of thin three-ply wood, and the arms and legs of cardboard. The best method of joining limbs to the body so that there is the least possible friction is as follows. Cut off a small piece of a pin, including the head, pass it through the holes, and apply to the cut end a tiny drop of sealing wax. Make holes in the cyclist's feet at G (Fig. 454). Cut a small cardboard wheel, F, about 1/2 inch in diameter: make a hole in its centre and one near the circumference.

Glue a piece of match stick into the hole near the circumference, the other end of this match stick must turn freely in the hole in cyclist's left foot. Pass the axle already made through this wheel, to which it must be glued, and through the cyclist's right foot and through middle hole in the bar.

Make two small pulley wheels (_e.g._ slices of reels with cardboard flanges), one twice the size of the other. Fig. 455 shows how the toy is put together and how it works. A and B are the sand-wheels; axles, F G and F M, are glued into them and into the two bicycle wheels. K H is the axle passing through centre of pedal wheel. N O are pulley wheels glued to axles, F G and H K, respectively, and connected by an elastic band, E. When sand-wheel, A, turns round, wheel, N, turns and turns pedal wheel, F, in Fig. 456, and as O is twice as big as wheel N, the pedal will revolve twice as slowly as the bicycle wheels.

Pulleys of equal size, C and D, might be added with advantage to connect the two sand-wheels, and a handle at F to start the wheels.

Fig. 456 shows how the leg is fastened to the pedal wheel. To keep the cyclist's body steady cut a piece of stripwood 1" × 1/4" × 1/4". Glue one end to middle of cyclist's body and the other to the cardboard background.

B (Fig. 454) is a thin piece of wood, passing over the projecting end of axle of wheel, E, its other end being glued to the bottom of the cyclist's body. A similar strip, A, is cut. This is fastened between his hands by a little piece of pin, and passes over the axle of wheel, D. C is a thin strip of wood or cardboard which passes over the axle of E and can be glued to the cyclist's right leg and pass behind wheel, F.

Make a platform as in Fig. 453 to support the cyclist. Make two reservoirs as already described. Cut a piece of cardboard to fit over the top of box and make holes in it, L and M in Fig. 453. Glue the reservoirs under these. Make a cardboard tray to fit under the wheels for the sand to fall in. Another wheel might be added to work the sails of the windmill in the distance. Very fine sand must be used for working these toys, the best is silver sand and it should be kept as dry as possible.

Fig. 457 shows another modification of this toy. B is a box turned upside down and placed in front of that containing the sand-wheel. A is the cardboard background, suitably coloured. The sailor's legs are cut in one piece and glued into a slit in the box. The body is fastened to them at F by a small paper-clip so that it moves very freely. The arm is fastened on at G. A small match stick passes through the hole in the hand and is glued in the hole in circumference of wheel E.

The axle, M N, to which this wheel is glued passes through the cardboard or wooden standard, D, through a hole in the background, A, and through the centre of the sand-wheel. D is fixed to the box. The arm of the crane, C, made of cardboard or three-ply, is glued to D. A hole is made at G and a corresponding hole in A opposite G. Pass a small stick of wood or cane, K, through these holes and glue it in. The crane should be about 1 inch from the background. K keeps the arm of the crane steady. Tie a piece of cotton to the axle of wheel E, pass it over K or over a small pulley wheel revolving on K G; tie to it a thin wire hook to which a paper box or barrel can be fastened.

In the same way a sailor can be made to work a windlass and drag a paper boat up a sloping beach, a man can draw water from a well or turn a barrel organ, or a paper mouse gummed to a cardboard base can be drawn along until it disappears into its hole.