hest speed of about thirty miles an
hour.

THINGS TO MAKE
BY
ARCHIBALD WILLIAMS
AUTHOR OF
"VICTORIES OF THE ENGINEER,"
"HOW IT WORKS,"
"HOW IT IS MADE,"
ETC., ETC.
THOMAS NELSON AND SONS, LTD.
LONDON, EDINBURGH, AND NEW YORK

PREFACE.

The making for oneself of toys and other objects of a more or less useful
character has certain advantages over buying them. In the case of the more
elaborate and costly articles, it may enable one to possess things which
otherwise would be unobtainable. Secondly, a home-made article may give a
satisfaction more lasting than is conferred by a bought one, though it may
be less beautiful to look upon. Thirdly, the mere making should be a
pleasure, and must be an education in itself.

To encourage readers to "use their hands" the following chapters have been
written. The subjects chosen provide ample scope for the exercise of
ingenuity and patience; but in making my selection I have kept before me
the fact that a well-equipped workshop falls to the lot of but a few of the
boys who are anxious to develop into amateur craftsmen. Therefore, while
the easiest tasks set herein are very easy, the most difficult will not be
found to demand a very high degree of skill, or more than a very moderate
outlay on tools. I may say here that I have been over the ground myself to
find out its difficulties for my readers, and that I made an engine similar
to that described in Chapter XV (the most elaborate mechanism included in
the book) with very simple tools. Some of the items which I had on my
original list were abandoned, because they presupposed the possession of
comparatively expensive machines.

My selection has also been guided by the desire to cater for different
tastes. In some cases the actual manufacture of the thing described may be
regarded as the most instructive and valuable element, and may appeal most
forcibly to the "handy" boy; in others--the Harmonograph provides a good
instance--the interest centres round the experiments made possible by the
construction of a simple piece of apparatus; in some the utility of the
article manufactured is its chief recommendation.

I feel certain that anyone who follows out the pages of this volume with
hand as well as with eye, will have little reason to regret the time so
spent. The things made may in course of time be put aside and forgotten,
but the manual skill acquired will remain. Nowadays one can buy almost
anything ready-made,