“Every Boy His Own Manufacturer”

[Chuck PickeringParticipant @chuckpickering45941]

I recently discovered the book “Every Boy His Own Manufacturer”, published in 1872, thanks to an old thread being woken up on another forum.

The thread contained the link to get the book:

**LINK**

I downloaded the book and started drawing up plans to the locomotive “Lightning” described in it. So far I have 9 parts drawn in Fusion 360.

Has anyone else downloaded this book and drawn or built this loco?

[Chuck PickeringParticipant @chuckpickering45941]

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Thanks for the link, Chuck

Duly downloaded to the iPad

… I shall dive-in at p117

MichaelG.

[JC54Participant @jc54]

Many Thanks Chuck

Downloaded,

I just love these old books, how the authors managed without expensive machine tools that we now think a necessity. Also some of the ingredients to make everyday items. One model engineering book I read had a recipe for a varnish for steam engine display stand, main ingredient was Dragon's Blood. Am having trouble locating a supplier on fleabay.

?s

[Chuck PickeringParticipant @chuckpickering45941]

Google gives me this link as to what Dragon's Blood is, **LINK**

Google also lists it on Amazon. It is also used in cosmetics. You might try a chemist(Drug Store to us colonials) such as Boots, if they are still around.

[Frances IoMParticipant @francesiom58905]

Health + safety would have a field day with the chapter on electro plating – lead, aqua-regia to dissolve gold etc – some decades ago I had most of these raw materials in my own chemistry cupboard !

[John Paton 1Participant @johnpaton1]

Yes, I love these old books too. In one (I think it is the Boys Own Book Of Things to Make and do) there is a chapter on making your own Xray machine, in another there are details how you make your own aqualung (basically reworking a gas regulator).

I think the next book was the Darwin Awards!!!

[GrottoParticipant @grotto]

And a complete chapter on making your own fireworks.

Don’t see that in modern books

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

I can remember that when I was about 10 yrs old Dad had some copies of Hobbies Illustrated that dated back to the mid 1930s, and the one I remember most had a how too on making your own X – Ray plant, the tube had to be a vacuum type incandescent light bulb.

Ian S C

[Brian Sweeting 2Participant @briansweeting2]

Posted by Grotto on 17/11/2018 04:18:26:

And a complete chapter on making your own fireworks.

Don’t see that in modern books

Did you notice that the page of ingredients for the fireworks was out of focus or was it just me?

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

In the old days we used to apply a form of dragon's blood to each soldered circuit joint to show it had been inspected!

[Author]

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