** How to Make Rope Grills [277]

Beautiful and useful household ornaments, grills and gratings for doors, windows, shelves, odd corners, etc., can be made by the following method at a slight cost and by anyone possessing a little ingenuity.  The materials required are rope or, preferably, common window cord (called sash cord) about 5/16 in. in diameter; ordinary glue, paraffin and paint or varnish.  A few strips of wood or molding are very handy to use around the edges.

The design must be considered first and when one is selected, if it is other than straight lines, adopt the method described.

Take a smooth flat board and layout the design or designs which, when combined, will produce the pattern desired.  Drive finishing nails at the angle points or along curves as required.  Coat the board along the lines of the patterns with melted paraffin, using an ordinary painter’s brush to prevent the ropes from sticking to the boards after they are soaked in glue and run around the nails.

Soak the sash cord in common glue sizing for a short time, then bend or twist it along or around the lines desired, as shown in Fig. 1, and give it time to dry.  The bottom part of the sketch, Fig. 1, shows a method of winding the rope on a round stick to make circular objects.  Wind the

[Illustration:  Fig. 2-Designs for Grills]

desired number of turns and when dry, cut and glue them together.

[Illustration:  Fig. 1-Method of Forming the Rope]

In Fig. 2, six designs are shown.  These suggest ideas in making up combinations or in plain figures and the number is limited only by the ingenuity of the designer.  —­Contributed by Geo. M. Harrer, Lockport, N. Y.

** A Simple and Effective Filter [278]

Procure an ordinary lamp chimney and fit two or three thicknesses of cheese cloth over the end of it.  Press a tuft of absorbent cotton into the small part of the neck to a depth of about 3 in.  Insert the chimney in a hole cut in a wood shelf used as a support.  Pour the water in until the filter is filled, when it will be observed that any organic matter, chips of iron rust, etc., will be retained by the cotton.  The fine organic matter may penetrate the cotton for about 1 in., but no farther.  The resultant filtered water will be clear and pure.

[Illustration:  Filter]

** Cutting Tools [278]

The cutting point of a tool should never be below the centers.

** Imitation Arms and Armor-Part VI [279]

A mass of any kind of clay that is easily modeled and fairly stiff must be prepared and kept moist and well kneaded for making the models over which paper is formed to make the shape of the articles illustrated in these sketches.  A modeling board must be made of one large board or several pieces joined closely together upon which to work the clay, says the English Mechanic, London.  The size of the board depends upon the size of the work to be made.