The Electrical experimenter

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44 THE ELECTRICAL EXPERIMENTER May, 1917 Wrfinkles h &S. e^ -^ 5i -'$9 Fteim^lars EDITED BY S.GERNSBACK Under this heading we publish every month useful information in Mechanics, Electricity and Chemistry. W'e shall be pleased, of course, to have our readers send us any recipes, formulas, wrinkles, new ideas, etc., useful to the experimenter, which will be duly paid for, upon publication. if acceptable. EXPERIMENTER'S APHORISMS In the following, we wish to give to the Experimenter some hints as to the use of the different ingredients and how to work them: 1 1 ) Alwavs bear in mind that exact working of a formula requires ACCLRACY, CLEANLI- NESS. PATIENCE, and SKILL. (2) Know what you are about, before you start to experiment. (3) "THE HISTORY OF FAILLRES IS THE HISTORY OF SUCCESS" goes an old adage, and it applies well to the experimenter. (4) Many times impure, wrong or deteriorated raw materials, spell FAILURE instead of SUC- CESS. (5) A great many of the chemicals and ingredients requn^d, cannot be obtained from drug stores; buy them at a reputable supply house. ib) BEFORE CONDEMNING \ FORMULA, be sure the fault does not lie with the manner of handling it, or the purit> of the ingredients. (7i Be sure to mix the materials comprising a certain formula in the proper sequence. 8) When starting to prepare a mixture, especially one containing liquids, ask \ourself "IS THE SPECIFIC QRAVITY CORRECT. AS INDICATED BY A HYDROMETER? IS THE TEMPERATURE RIGHT? IS THE QUANTITY OR WEIGHT RIGHT? (9) Acids and water, when mixed, should be manipulated in the proper manner. 1. e., THE ACID SHOULD BE POURED INTO THE WATER, and not vice versa, as the solution is liable to be forcibly ejected from the containing vessel and into the mixer's face. (10) For anv kind of SYSTEMATIC WORK, a floating THERMOMETER and HYDROM- ETER, as well as measuring glasses and scales, should alwavs be provided, as GUESS- WORK is EXPENSIVE, and SOA\ETIMES FATAL. (\\) Put labels on ALL bottles, boxes and packages with FULL INSCRIPTION as to their contents, it will avoid troubles and mistakes. (12) Remember that a beginner cannot expect to make articles AT FIRST, which will compare with regular manufactured products. S.G CHEMICAL EXPERIMENTS. I have been experimenting a little and have found that an infusion of logwood chips and water will change color when other chemicals are added. Take three glasses Xos. 1, 2 and 3 and prepare them as follows: Rinse Xo. 1 with strong vinegar: Dust Xo. 2 with powdered alum ; Rinse Xo. 3 with a solution of copper sulfate. The next step is to pour the logwood into each. If the glasses have been prepared correctly the logwood in Xo. 1 will fade to a pale 3ellow. That in Xo. 2 will become almost black and that in X'o. 3 will change to a tjale purple. This is the principal set of changes but following is a list of changes using not only logwood but also other chemicals. Some of them can be used as stated above but in the case of ammonia for instance, the odor would give it away. Color changes that are due to chemical action 1.—Logwood, ammonia and copper sulfate gives a brown. 2.—Logwood, vinegar and ammonia gives purple. 3.— Logwood, alum and ammonia cause a red precipitate. 4.—Logwood, vinegar and copper sulfate gives a brown. 5.—Logwood, ammonia and common salt gives a light brown. 6.— Logwood, copper sulfate, common salt, and alum mi.xed give a pink. 7.— Phenolphthalein and ammonia gives a bright red (test for free ammonia). 8.—Copper sulfate and ammonia gives a bright blue (test for copper sulfate). 9.—Logwood and hydrogen peroxid gives a pale j-ellow. 10.—Logwood, copper sulfate and caustic soda gives a pale blue precipitate. These are the results as far as I have gone but I hope to continue my work and get different results. Contributed by W. B. SPURRIER. HANDY APPARATUS FORMED ENTIRELY OF WIRE. As shown in the accompanying sketches a number of useful articles of constant service to the experimenter may be constructed of ordinary wire with the aid of a few common tools. Obtain a few feet of galvanized iron wire, or if the item of expense is not important, brass wire ; 3 or 4 gage numbers are recjuired, depending upon the size of the apparatus to be constructed. Provide a pair each of flat, round and cutting pliers, some wood sticks about the dimensions of a lead pencil, and a few Numerous Handy Devices for Holding Test Tubes and the Like Can be Easily Constructed from Wire with a Little Ingenuity. short lengths of tubing to aid in bending and forming the wire ; after a few experiments you will be able to determine the size of the wire best adapted. Cork Puller. Figure 1.—Cut two pieces of wire the desired length, twist together and form ring. X'ow twist the four ends to about one-third the length of the shank. Make separately a ring of sufficient size to fit loosely over the shank, cut wires of shank to same length and bend ends to a right angle about % inch. Slip on the ring and spring the four ends apart to keep ring in position. The completed article will be found of service in removing corks which have fallen into the container, and by placing a piece of cotton in the jaws a most useful instrument is formed for the cleaning and drying of test tubes. Holders. Figures 2 and 3.—Follow outline of sketch to obtain good results. Twist wires together 3 or 4 times, allowing but very little play. Bend the four ends at a straight angle and form the ring at the end of tool by bending wire around a rod of the required size. CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES — THEIR TECHNICAL AND COMMON NAMES. X'early all of tlie chemicals in common use to-day have more than one name, and the purpose of this list is to classify some of the most common ones in use for the benefit of the amateurs who sometimes become confused in the different names. The Aqua Fortis Nitric Acid. Aqua Regia Nilro-Muriatic .Acid or Nitio- Hydrochloric Acid. Blue \"itrio1 Sulfat of Copper. Cream oi Tartar Tartrate of Potassium. Calomel Sub-Chloride of Mercur>'. Chalk Calcium Carbonate. Salt ot Tartar Carbonate of Potassium. Caustic Potassa Hydrate Potassium. Chloroform Chlorid ot Formyle. Common Salt Chlorid ot Sodium. Copperas, or Green \'itriol. . .Sulfate ol Iron. Corrosive Sublimate Bi-Chlorid of Mercury. Dry .Mum Sulfate Aluminum and Potassium. Epsom Salts. Sulfate of Magnesium. Elhiop's Mineral Black Sulfid of Mercury, Galena Sulfid of Lead. Glauber's Salts Sulfate of Sodium. Iron Pyrites Bi-Sulf:d of Iron. Jewelers Putty Oxid of Tin. Kings Yellow The Sulfid of Arsenic. Laughing Gas Protoxid of Nitrogen. Lime Oxid of Calcium. Lunar Caustic Nitrate of Silver. Muriate of Lime Chlorid of Calcium. Niter of Saltpeter Nitrate of Poush or Potassium Nitrate. Oil of Vitriol Sulfuric Acid. Realgar Bi-Sul6d ol Arsenic. Red Lead Lead Olid. Rust OI Iron Iron Oxid. Sal-Ammoniac Muriate of Ammonia. Slacked Lime Hydrate Calcium. Soda Olid of Sodium. Spirits of Hartshorn Sesquicarbonate of Ammoium. Spirits of Salt Hydrochloric or Muriatic Acid. Stucco of Plaster of Paris. . . .Sulfate of Lime. Sugar of Lead Acetate ol Lead. \>rdigris Acetate of Copper. \'ermillion Sulfid of Mercury. Vinegar .Acetic Acid '.dilute). \'olalile Alkali Ammonia. Water Sub-Oxide of Hydrogen. White Vitriol Sulfate of Zinc. chemicals in the two lists opposite each other are the same under a different name. Contributed by E.ARL BOTTEX. Spring Holders. Figures 4 and 5.—Lse very thick and springy wire ; will be found of service in holding articles to be soldered or cemented. It will be obser\-ed from sketch that device in figure X'o. 4 holds by itself, while the reverse is true of Xo. 5 design. The ends of these holders can be made pointed or flattened as preferred. Figure 6.— Holder for rubber tubes. Obtain a piece of thin wire. First bend it in two, making a loop to allow a hook to hold it in place. Then wind wire around a rod of proper size. Slip tube thru spiral so formed. This device will not permit tube to kink or bend at an angle sufficient to kink or to fracture. Figure 7.— Holder for articles to be soldered or heated. The slight pressure obtained by allowing the straight bend to pass a little thru the ring will be found sufficient to hold the articles in a position convenient for operation. Figure 8.—Tripod to support retorts. This article is formed by twisting three wires together forming a stand as shown in sketch. Figure 9, 10 and 11.—Batterj- connectors. Figure 10 can be fastened to table by putting a screw or nail thru ring at its end. In the event of the contact jaws becoming loose they can be adjusted by drawing the ends closer together. The line wires can be soldered to the connectors, and if desired the connection on figure 11 can be covered with insulating tape. Figure 12.—Very light weights. Each bend increases 1 centigram or 1 decigram,, varying according to the size of wire used. Contributed bv AX FXPERIMEXTER.
May, 1917 THE ELECTRICAL EXPERIMENTER 45 Our Amateur Radio Station Contest is o|,eii to all readers, whetlicr subscribers or not. The photos are judged for best arrangement and efficicncv •.utvictn.y of the? an[>aratus. aiM.aratu.s. To increase the interest of this this denanmeiit department we we mak-p make it a ml,. n„. .,. ,..,l,i;^l. ..u„,„.: ,.f c.„,;—.- ;_.i i .. .... ^ , rule not to publish photos of stations'unaccompanied' by ihaT'oTthe "owneT'^Dart photos l^referrcd lo licht toned one,. W e pay each month $3.00 prize for the best photo. .Make your description brief and use only one side of the sheet .\ddress the Kditor, \\ ' =*i*;tiith the .Amateurs Dept. AMATEUR RADIO STATION CONTEST. Monthly Prize, $3.00. This month's prize-winner. RADIO STATION OF FRED DIETZ, PHILADELPHIA, PA. I present licrc- a llashlJKlit plioto of my station. The aerial is forty feet high, one hundred feet long, compo.sed of three wires spaced six feet apart. Long Wave Radio Station of This Month's Prize Winner— Mr. Fred Dietz. of Philadelphia, Pa. He Hears the German Stations and Many Others. The sending set consists of a Ijj inch Manhattan spark coil, Murdock sending condenser, spark gap and key. I also have a six volt storage battery, and can send fifteen miles. The receiving set consists of two loose couplers, one tunes up to two thousand meters and the otlier to three thousand meters. The small loose coupler is used with a crystal detector. Tlie large loose coupler is used on the .\udion and Audio-tron. I use three Bunnell variable condensers, three loading coils and a pair of Murdock 'phones. (l)arien, I can beat; GUI, POZ, XB.\ Panama), X.\T (\ew Orleans), \'.\R ( Key West I ; and a great many other land and ship stations on undamped waves. I can hear as far as Key West on a crystal detector. My call number is 3G.\. Philadelphia, Pa. FRED DIETZ. THE FIRST "RADIO" MESSAGES. At the battle of Isbtib a Bulgarian cowherd signaled news to his military countryincn relative to the position of the Serbian battalions by moving live cows about in various ways on the top of a hill. The Rasntos. by the way, practically anticipated "wireless telegraphy" in a crude fashion. That is, by striking Iieavily on a huge drum of goat skin, which is placed on a special spot, another liasuto at a distance can gather tlie purport of the message by placing his ear close to the ground to catch the vibrations, and he in turn passes the message on. Of course, given suitable climatic conditions, the military heliograph can transmit messages over enormous tracts
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