West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1880-01-31

! Steds and Shields for SnO,oJdttles-rhe
building of fort generally uses up all
the snow aroundi IL, making IL necessary
Tor the beselging partyto carry their am
munitlon with them. upon sleds made
I for that purpose, the construction of
these Sleds Is very simple, the material
and tools necessary, consisting Of flour
barrel, a saw, hammer or Ratchet, some
shingle nails and an old pine-boa rd
To make the sled, begin by knocking
the barrel apart, being careful not to
split the head-boards, as they will be
needed afterwards. Pick outthe four
best slaves, as nearly alike I'm breadth
and curve as can be found, and saw two
or three of the other slaves Ia halves
Take two of the four slaves first selec-
ted, and nail the slaves across, upon the
convex, or outside, of the slaves. This
Will be found impossible unless there is
something solid under the point where
the nail Is TO be driven, otherwise, the
spring of the stave, when struck, will
throw the nail out, and your fingers
Will probably receive the blow from the
hammer. To avoid this, place a block
or anything that is firm, under the
point where the nail is TO Je driven.
and there will be no difficulty IN dri-
wing the nails home. When this j.
done, you Will have the top Of your
sled, and on this you will need box.
or bed, 10 hold the snowbdlls; this you
can make of two pieces of pine board
and two slaves, thus: Take board
about the same width as, or a little
wider than, barrel-stave, saw of two
| pieces equal in length 10 the width OF
the sled, set them upon their edges,
reversing the top Of the sled, place il
across the two boards, and nail il on
] fal-
nail them on for side boards, and you
have the top portion of your sled fin
lshed. The two slaves remaining, of
the four first selected, arc for runners.
FIT on first one and then the other TO
the slaves OF your top, Nlil-holes will
probably be found near the ends of the
slaves where the nails were that held
the barrel-head in through these drive
nails, to fasten your runners to do this
you must rest them upon some support.
as was done before; this will hold your
sled together, but TO make il stronger.
take four blocks of wood and slide them
in between the runners and the top.
and nail them firmly from above and
below. If all tins has been properly
done, you now have made sled which
1t will be almost impossible to break;
and you need but rope to to pull by.
The shield is made from the head of n
barrel. Lay the barrel-head upon
some level surface, so that nails can be
driven in without trouble. From a
strip of board, half incha thick and two
and oDe-half inches wide, saw off two
pieces long enough to fasten the parts
of the barrel-head together. Fasten
these strips on with Single nails. Lay
your lett arm upon the shield, mark "A
place for the arm strap, i'm front of the
elbow, and another for the strap for
the hand. From an old trunkstrap, or
suitable piece of leather. cut two strips,
and nail them on your shield at points
marked, being careful that the arm
strap is not too tight, rs it should be
loose enough for the arm to slip in and
out with case. This done, you have a
shield behind which you may defy an
army of unprotected BOYS.