** Fastening a Shade to a Roller [413]

Tack the shade A in the usual manner and roll it as far back as possible

[Illustration:  Fastening a Shade]

and while in this position apply an ample quantity of glue near the tacks, as shown at B. A shade attached in this manner will not come loose from the roller.

** Vegetable Slicer [413]

The slicer is made of a knife blade, screw and pin handle.  The screw is soldered into the end of the knife blade.  As the screw feeds into the vegetable

[Illustration:  Slicer In Vegetable]

or fruit, the blade will slice it in a curl of even thickness.  —­Contributed by H. C. Roufeldt, Toledo, O.

** How to Make an Etched Copper Picture Frame [414]

Secure a heavy piece of copper about 8 or 10 gauge, cut to 7 by 7-3/4 in.  Make a design on a piece of paper.  The accompanying sketch offers a suggestion.

[Illustration:  Etched Copper Picture Frame]

If the design is to be symmetrical, draw a line down the middle of the paper, make one-half the fold and trace the remaining half by placing a piece of double-surfaced carbon paper between the halves.  Fasten this design with a little paste on the copper at two of its corners and trace it on the copper by means of the carbon paper.

Remove the paper, and, with a small brush and black varnish or asphaltum paint, cover the part not to be eaten by the acid of the bath into which the metal is to be immersed.  Two or three coats will be necessary to withstand the acid.  The conventional trees, the border as shown in the illustration, and the back are covered with the varnish or asphaltum.

The etching solution should be put in a stone vessel of some kind and care should be taken not to allow it to get on the hands or clothes.  A stick should be used to handle the metal while it is in the solution.  This solution is made by putting in the stone jar the following:  Water a little more than one-half, nitric acid a little less than one-half.  Do not add the water to the acid.  Leave the metal in this solution three or four hours.  The time will depend upon the strength of the acid and the depth to which you wish the etching to be done.  An occasional examination of the object will show when to take it out.

When the etching has been carried as far as desirable, take the copper from the bath and remove the asphaltum by scraping it as clean as possible, using an old case knife.  After doing this, put some of the solution, or pickle as it is called, in an old pan and warm it over a flame.  Put the metal in this hot liquid and swab it with batting or cloth fastened to the end of a stick.  Rinse in clear water to stop the action of the acid.  When clean, cut the metal out from the center where the picture is to be placed, using a metal saw.

Solder on the back several small clips with which to hold the picture in place.  There must also be a support soldered in place to keep the frame upright.  To further clean the metal before soldering, use a solution in the proportion of one-half cup of lye to 3 gal. water.  Heat either the solution or the metal just before using.