** Home-Made Vise [211]

An ordinary monkey wrench that has been discarded is used in making this vise.  The wrench is supported by two L-shaped pieces of iron fastened with

[Illustration:  A Swivel Bench Vise]

a rivet through the end jaw, and these in turn are bolted or screwed to the bench.  The handle end is held down with a staple.  The inside jaw is used in clamping and is operated with the thumb screw of the wrench.  Two holes bored through the thumb piece will greatly facilitate setting up the jaws tightly by using a small rod in the holes as a lever.

The vise may be made into a swing vise if the wrench is mounted on a board which is swung on a bolt at one end and held with a pin at the other as shown in the illustration.  Various holes bored in the bench on an arc will permit the board to be set at any angle.  —­Contributed by Harry S. Moody, Newburyport.  Mass.

** Home-Made Changing Bag for Plate Holders [212]

A good bag for changing plates and loading plate holders and one that the operator can see well to work in can

[Illustration:  Made of Black Cambric]

be made by anyone on a sewing machine.  Ten yards of black cambric or other black cloth and a little ruby fabric will be required.  Take the cambric and fold it into 2-yd. lengths (Fig. 1) which will make five layers of cloth, tack or fasten the layers together so they will not slip and cut an 8-in. square hole in the middle of one half (Fig. 2) and sew the ruby fabric over the opening.  Be sure and make the seam light-tight and have enough layers of ruby fabric so no white light can get in.  Fold the cloth up so it will be 1 yd. square (Fig. 3) and sew up the edges to make a bag with one side open.  Put a drawstring in the edge of the cloth around the open side and the bag is complete ready for use.

Take the holders and plate boxes in the lap and put the bag over the head and down around the body, then draw the string up tight.  A bag made up in this manner is for use only for a short time.  If it is necessary to do considerable work at a time, then a dust protector, such as mill men use, must be attached to a 3-ft. length of 2-in. rubber hose and the hose run through a hole in the bag.  This will make it possible to work in the bag as long as you wish.  —­Contributed by Earl R. Hastings, Corinth, Vt.

** Home-Made Asbestos Table Pads [212]

Asbestos table pads to prevent the marring of polished table tops from heated dishes can be easily made at home much cheaper than they can be bought.  Procure a sheet of asbestos from a plumbing shop and cut it in the shape of the top of your table.  If the table is round, make the pad as shown in the illustration, cutting the circular piece into quarters.  Cut four pieces of canton flannel. each the size of half the table top.  Two of the asbestos pieces are used to make one-half of the pad.  Place the two pieces with their edges together so they will form half a circle disk and cover both sides with a piece of the flannel and pin them in place.  A binding of white cotton tape is then basted around the edges to hold all the pieces together until they are stitched on a sewing machine.  A line of machine stitching is made all around the outside and through the middle