A good way to remove grease or oil from machinery before painting is to brush slaked lime and water over the surface, leaving the solution on over night.  After washing, the iron is dried and the paint will stick to it readily.  In removing grease from wood, common whitewash may be left on for a few hours and then washed off with warm water, after which the paint will adhere permanently.

** A Game Played on the Ice [216]

Two lines are drawn parallel on the ice from 50 to 100 ft. apart and blocks of wood are placed every 6 ft. apart on these lines.  The player opening the game skates to the line and delivers, in bowling form, a sliding block similar to the blocks that are placed on the lines with the exception that it has a handle.  The blocks are about 6 in. wide by 6 in. high and 8 in. long.  The sliding blocks should be at least 1 ft. long and each provided with a handle.  The handle is attached by boring a hole near one end in the middle of the block and driving in a wood pin.  The hole is bored slanting so as to incline the handle.  Two of these blocks are provided for the reason that when a player bowls one of the opposing player’s blocks over the line he is entitled to another throw.  The side wins that bowls over all of the opposing

[Illustration:  Bowling Over the Opponent’s Blocks]

players’ blocks first.  This will prove an interesting and enjoyable pastime for skaters.

** Making Photo Silhouette Brass Plaques [217]

Secure a brass plate having a smooth surface the right size for the photograph and cover it with a coat of paraffin.  This is done by heating the paraffin in a vessel hot enough to make the wax run freely, then pouring the liquid over the entire surface of the brass.

When the paraffin has cooled sufficiently the outlines of the photograph must be drawn upon its surface.  There are three ways of doing this:  First, the photograph can be traced on tissue paper and then retraced on the paraffin surface.  The exact outlines of the photograph can be obtained this way without destroying the print.  Second, if you have several copies of the photograph, one can be utilized by tracing direct to the surface of the paraffin.  In using either of the two methods described, carbon paper must be placed on the paraffin before the tissue paper or photograph is laid upon it.  Third, cut out the outlines of the photograph and lay it on the paraffin surface, then trace around the edges with the point of a needle or sharp point of a knife.  The outlines drawn by the first method are cut through the paraffin in the same way.  The paraffin is carefully removed from the inside of the lines, leaving the brass surface perfectly clean, as is shown in Fig. 1.

The exposed part of the plate is now ready to be etched or eaten away to the right depth with acid.  The acid solution is made up of 1-1/2 parts muriatic acid and 2 parts water.  The mixture should be placed in a glass or earthenware