[Illustration:  Dropping Coins]

** Hollow-Grinding Ice Skates [231]

The accompanying sketch illustrates a practical method of clamping ice skates to hold them for grinding the small arc of a circle so much desired.

The U-shaped clamps are made of 3/4-in. soft steel with the opening 6 in. deep and 5 in. high and are bolted to a block of wood, 2 in. thick, 6 in. wide and 12 in. long.  The skate runner is adjusted to the proper height by 1/2-in.. set and thumbscrews.  The block

[Illustration:  Skate Runner Fastened in Clamp]

of wood holding the clamp and skate can be pushed along on the emery-wheel table in front of the revolving wheel.

If properly adjusted, a slight concave or hollow can be made full length of the runner, true and uniform which will hold on the ice sideways and not retard the forward movement.  —­Contributed by Geo. A. Howe, Tarrytown, New York.

** How to Make a Bicycle Coasting Sled [231]

The accompanying drawing and sketch illustrate a new type of coasting sled built on the bicycle principle.  This coaster is simple and easy to make, says Scientific American.  It is constructed of a good quality of pine.  The pieces marked S are single, and should be about 1 by 1-1/2 in.; the pieces

[Illustration:  Has the Lines of a Bicycle]

marked D are double or in duplicate, and should be 1/2 by 1-1/2 in.

[Illustration:  Coasting]

The runners are shod with iron and are pivoted to the uprights as shown, double pieces being secured to the uprights to make a fork.  The seat is a board, to the underside of which is a block, which drops down between the two top slats and is secured with a pin.  A footrest is provided consisting of a short crosspiece secured to the front of the frame and resting on the two lower slats.  The frame and front fork are hinged together with four short eyebolts, E, with a short bolt through each pair as shown.

** Spelling Names with Photo Letters [232]

There are, no doubt, many amateur photographers who make only occasional trips afield or through the more traveled thoroughfares with their cameras during the winter months.  Each one is generally interested in working up the negatives that he or she made during the summer or on that last vacation into souvenir post cards, albums and the like, for sending to friends.  Illustrated herewith is something different from the album or photographic calendar.  The letters forming part of the word popular are good examples of this work.

The masks which outline the letters are cut from the black paper in which plates come packed.  Their size depends on the plate used.  A sharp knife, a smooth board and a straightedge are all the tools needed, says Camera Craft.  If the letters are all cut the same height, they will look remarkably uniform, even if one is not skilled in the work of forming them all in accordance with the rules.  Be sure to have the prints a little larger than the letters to insure a sufficient margin in trimming, so as to have a white margin around the finished letters.  The best method is to use a good pair of scissors or a sharp knife.