The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-04-12
OUR BOYS
A homemade Copying Apparatus.


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Everybody who writes letters wants. now
and then. to keep an exact copy OF some
particular letter. But, copying by hand Ia
tedious work, and, besides, we sometimes
want TO take a number Of copies OF the same
writing.
OF course, people who have plenty of
money can provide themselves with one Of
the various useful copying machines now
In the market, but for those who cannot
afford such. there is nothing. perhaps. at
once so simple, cheap and satisfactory az
the homemade copying pad am about 10
describe.
Any bright boy can make one. and when
it is made, it will be found to be better than
most OF those that you can buy. 1t consists
of three parts. A shallow case or tray to
hold the pad, the composition or gelatine
which we call the pad, and the ink to do the
writing with. Ordinary writing Ink will not
answer the purpose.
The tray may be made OF tin or sheet zinc.
My own was made out OF Of piece Of zinc
that had done service for years under q
stove. Lay off your zinc SO that the sides
and ends, when turned up, will make tray
about ten inches long by seven wide, and
three quarters Of an inch deep. The corners
should be square, lose-fittiDg and made
tight by soldering.
If you are not particular as 10 appear
ancss, an old sheet.iron baking pan would
answer the purpose. SO, also, would a tight
case made Of wood, or even the cover OF
pasteboard box. The two principal In
gradients Of the pad are glue and glycerine.
Common glue can be made TO answer, but
do not recommend it. White glue gives
much better results. A
Dissolve one-quarter Of pound Of the
best white glue in a half a pint Of water,
a QlOW fire. III haUa No lar
glue-kettle, you can put your glue and water
into can, and put this can into a larger
can containing water. A few pebbles or
old nails may be put into the larger. can to
keep the smaller one from touching the
bottom. The object Of melting glue IN this
way Is TO prevent Its burning, as Il would do
If cooked In a single vessel. u
When the glue Is melted, add TO It three
ounce Of dry white lead. worked up smooth
in little glycerine. ana about fifteen drops
Of carbolic acid. When all is well mixed,
pour the composition out into the case, and
set Ii by on level table or shelf to cool II
should not be disturbed till the next day.
1t Is likely that the surface will not be per-
fectly smooth. The best way to get a good
surface Is to remelt only the top OF the pad.
This Is best done by putting some Goals Of
fire into an ash-pan or old baking-pan, and
holding 1t over the pad till the surface Is
melted, so that IL runs together with
smooth finish.
1t will probably be best for most young
people to buy the regular copying pad or
hektograph ink, but II you wish to make Il
you may try the following:
Dissolve one ounce Of anillne violet or
blue in seven fluid ounces Of hot water. and
on cooling, add one ounce Of alcohol with
one-fourth ounce Of gycerine, few drops
Of ether, and drop Of carbolic acid. Keep
the ink in a wellstOppered bottle.
1t should be said, however, that ink made
in this way is not as satisfactory as some
other kinds, and 1t Is only to be recommended
because IL Is easy to make.
To use the copying pad write the matter
you wish to copy with q clean pen, on
ordinary writing-paper. Let the writing
dry without using blotter. Moisten the
surface Of the pad with damp sponge just
before using. put be careful not to leave an
drops OF water on the pad.
Now take the written sheet and lay It
face downward on the pad. To avoid wrin-
kles, attach the paper TO the pad first BY the
blank margins, then catch hold of the sheet
by the other end and stretch 1t sufficiently to
lay 1t down fiat. Smooth 1t with the hand
or cloth, so that every part Of the writing
shall touch the pad.
Let It remain two minutes, and then. on
removing the sheet, copy OF the writing
will be found transferred TO the pad. Begin
to print at once, by laying each sheet Of
paper on the pad, and smoothing as you did
the original. 1t will be printed instantly on
When you have finished printing, wash the
ink off the pad with warm water and a
sponge. 1t Is difficult to remove the ink IL
1t Is allowed to remain on the pad too long.
l have taken upwards OF a hundred good
copies with this ink, and might, l suppose,
have taken as many more. II 1t Is desired
to take large number OF copies, the pad
should be mCistened again with a damp
sponge when the writing begins to fade.
Violet colored ink is. perhaps, most in favor
with those who use this sort Of a copying
pad,