The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-05-25


magnetic as a new and mysterious
electrical "dingus' that, as you don't
understand it and can't imagine what
is inside of it, must be at the bot
tom Of any and all the cranky capers
cut by your engine. Isn't that hu-
man nature? A sticky valve, a gum
med-up igniter, a loose wire, even an
empty gasoline tank-a thousand
elusive little tricks that a hitherto
healthy engine will develop. all are
laid at the door of that new con
traption," the long-suffering magnetic.
But does it stop there. The mag
neto could stand for any abuse 50 long
as said abuse was confined to verbal
accusation and cOntumely, but what
engine man Is there who, unawed by
the mystery of the thing. would not
undertake to Fix any blamed mag
neto" he ever saw. He doesn't know
anything about it. but he fixed a clock
once, and delved into the intrcacies
of Oiling wheeibarrOw with success,
so he is perfectly willing to give her
a trial. The fact that the magnetic
is timed" with the engine is of lit
tie importance to this fellow who
doubtless thinks that it is a kind of
battery turning out the current re-
gardless of position, SO he removes it
from the bracket failing to notice
any marks on the gears that would
enable him to replace same properly
if indeed there is enough magnetic
left to replace.
Next, our friend wants to get inside
the 'cussed thing The handiest and
biggest screws in sight are those
holding the magnets on, so he tack
les these. He doesn't know anything
about polling magnets-hasn't heard
anything about North and South poles
since Cook and Peary, so how does
he know that he may not replace
those magnets properly and thus
"kill' them? AS matter of fact.
when he does start to put them on
again-if he gets that far-he will.
as likely as not, find out the way they
stick together hardest and put them
on that way, which is just exactly
backward. For his benefit, l will say
right here. try the magnets together
and find the way they do not stick, in
fact seem to repeal each other, and
put them on that way, and you will
be right. But don't think for a mo-
ment that this is the full extent of
harm you can do the magnets by re-
moving them. BY disassociating them
from the frame of the magnetic and
from each other you have weakened
them materially. and, and you have
no remedy short of the factory.
1t will he we'll to mention in this
connection another way in which the
magnets are often weakened. An
other engine man, before he starts to
dssecting the magnetic, concludes to
try some battery on the engine. He
proceeds to connect on said battery
without disconnecting the magnetic
with the result that he sends current
from the battery through the arma-
ture Of the magnetic. This will, in
very short time. weaken the mag
nets. To go back now to the "dissect-
ing room." our former friend has re-
placed the magnets and decides to
take off one of them brass things"
by removing some more big inviting
screws. All! now he is getting in
side. But what a disappointment.
No wheels to go round; nothing
much. But what is i'm there must
come out. Does he carefully follow
up the armature with Il bulky piece
of iron to keep from disturbing the
before magnetic balance
in the frame? OF course he does
not-fOr the best reason in the world
he doesn't know enough to do it.
Anyway, he has the armature out
and wonders what it is for. Failing
to appreciate the accuracy with
which it is made. fitting. as it does.
between the two iron sides of the
frame with clearance of less than
head, he does not mind letting it fall
at least once, spills water on il and
treats it generally as he would a
"nkcy-Wrench, wondering when he
sips it back in place why it seems
little tight" on one side when he
L. L. l--c.