Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1913-01-24
A SAIL WAGON.

while the lakes, ponds and streams are
sluggish and unfit for either boating
or Ice yachting, there remains the
homemade land yacht for the boy
whose hobby is sailing, to tide over
the time until he can make use of his
sailing canoe or sailboat. And for the
boy who doesn't have an opportunity
to sail boat, the land yacht is a fair
substitute and will afford him and his
companions an unlimited amount Of
fun, coasting along the streets and
over vacant property.
A sail wagon can be quickly made,
as its construction differs but slight
y from that of a simple coasting wag-
on. The sail wagon illustrated in Fig
is steered from the rear, just as the
rudder of a boat is controlled. This
makes 1t necessary to turn the wagon
around rear end to, so the solidly fas-
tened pair OF wheels viii be at the
bow and the pivotal pair of wheels at
the stern.
Get a pair of planks inches thick,
10 or IL inches wide, and about feet
long for the wagon-bed, and two pair
Of wagon, velocipede or baby carriage
wheels, for the wheels. Fig. 2 shows
a plan view of the under side of the
wagon-bed with the wheels In place.
The wheels at the bow have a spread
Of feet, to give the wagon sufficient
stability, which will make It neces-
sary to procure a long axle for these
wheels. If you have the axle that
belongs to the wheels, buy a 4-foot
length Of gas pipe, and take It and the
axle to a blacksmith or machinist.
Have him cut the iron axle into
halves, slip one-half into each end of
the piece Of gas pipe as shown In
Fig. 4, and rivet or bolt them in place.
Cutting the axle and drilling and rivet-
Ing the halves to the gas pipe will
cost no more than rs cents. With
staples fasten the gas pipe axle to a
by 4 axle "a, Fig. p, and screw or
nail this wooden axle to the wagon
bed at the extreme bow end.
The stern wheels require by 4
axle (B, Figs. and 81. and a cross
piece, c, OF the same size Gig, 81.
Nail crosspiece, c, to the wagon-bed
IL inches from its stern end. Then
bore a five-eighths inch hole through
the center of the length of axle, B,
and another through the center of
crosspiece, c. and the wagon-bed, and
bolt the axle to the wagon-bed with
flve-eighths inch bolt. Fasten the
iron axle to the wooden axle with
staples.
The details for the tiller stick, till
er post, and connections are shown In
Fig. 5. Whittle one end Of the tiller
stick CD round for handle, and bore
hole through 1t near the other end
for the post (E), which may be a piece
Of broom handle. Make the three wood
en- disks which form the spool CD out
Of hard wood, fasten them together,
and screw to the lower end OF post,
e. Nail a crosspiece to the top Of the
stern end Of the wagon-bed, as shown
in Fig. /, and then bore a hole through
this and the wagon-bed large enough
to stick the tiller post through. Slip
the post far enough into the hole so
spool, F, will be on a level with the
wheel axle, and drive an iron pin
through hole in the post to keep II
from dropping further, as shown. Fas--
ten the tiller stick to the top Of the
post with another pin.
Get some strong manila rope for
tiller lines, loop 1t as shown in Fig. 9,
slip the loops over tho spool on the
tiller post, and tie its ends to a couple
Of screw-eyes screwed into the wood
en- axle Drive a nail through one
side Of the loop, as in Fig s, and into
he spool, to keep the rope from slip
ping. II the plank OF the wagon-bed
as wide as the iron axle, it will be
Necessary to saw away a strip on each
ide edge, as shown in Fig. 1, so the
yheens can turn. This will not per
nit of making sharp turns, of course,
ut IL you want to you can mount the
heels on a deep axle that will permit
Ne wheels to turn under the wagon
ed.
Fig. shows the bench support for
le mast. Make this about inches
ign and inches wide, and after nall
g It to the wagon-bed plank, cut and
I'll the board, @, to its front edge
brace.
rug pole makes an excellent mast
SAL wagon, but lacking this. cut
pole about inches In diameter and