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The Practical Boy
443

be noticed, appears in the circle of the lamp-screen in the next column. Fig. 8 is the pattern for a four-leaved bell-flower, and Fig. 9
Fig. 10. A chain link complete.
shows the details of an ornamental chain link.

When using metal clamps, the ears should be of such a length that when pressed down over the united strips of metal the ends will just come together, and not so that one will lap over the other.

A Lamp-screen

A simple and attractive design for a lamp-screen is shown in Fig. 11, and when completed and backed with some pretty material it will be found a very useful little affair to hang against the shade of a lamp to shield one’s eyes from the direct rays of a bright light.

To begin with, form a square of 6 inches, and at the top, where the ends meet, make a lap-joint by allowing one end to lap over the other, and bind them together with some very fine wire, about the size that florists use; inside of this square make a circle 6 inches in diameter, and wire it fast to the square where the sides, bottom, and top touch it. Join by wrapping with soft wire the points where all scrolls, circles, and straight lines come in contact.

Having made the body part of the screen, make the scrolls that form the top, and bind them in place with wire or the little metal clamps. This top should measure about three inches high from the top of the screen.

For the sides and bottom make a frill of any form, somewhat after the pattern shown in the illustration.

When the metal-work is finished, coat it with a good black paint to improve its appearance and prevent its rusting. Small cans of such paint may be purchased at any paint or hardware store. If it should become too thick, it may be thinned by adding alcohol.

If the metal-work is exposed to the weather or dampness that would cause it to rust, a coat of red lead next the iron is necessary in all cases.

A backing of some pretty light-colored silk (plain, not figured) is required to complete the screen, using one, two, or three thicknesses, depending upon how opaque it is desired to be.

When constructing any piece of grill-work, it is always best to have a full-size drawing to work over. For instance, in building up this screen it is much better to have lines to follow than to trust to chance in fitting the various pieces together; so whenever making anything flat, always draw the pattern first. It is a very simple
Fig. 11. A Lamp-screen.
matter to lay out a plan in the following manner: pin to a lap-board a smooth piece of heavy brown paper, and with a soft pencil draw a 6-inch square; inside this draw with a compass a 6-inch circle; then draw in the four corner circles and divide the larger circle into quarters. In each of the quarters draw, in freehand, the scroll like Fig. 1, and, in turn, the middle hoop.


A Fairy-lantern

For a candle fairy-lantern and bracket, Fig. 12 suggests a beautiful design that is made in six sections and wired together.

The back stick, A, is to be made of wood ¼ inch square and 16 inches long, and the metal strips of which the scrolls are formed should be ¼ inch wide. The bracket may extend out 9 inches from the wall.

The lantern body measures 11 inches high, not including the rings at the top nor the bell-flowers at the bottom. Each side is 7 inches