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Water-Lens Magnifiers: a Water-Filled Lamp Bulb and a Drop in a Wire Loop (Boy Mechanic, 1913)
Two lenses made of water: a dead incandescent bulb with its tip removed, filled with clear water and corked, makes a large reading magnifier; a single drop of water held in a tiny wire loop makes a strong pocket microscope for plants.
Beginner
Half an hour
Instructions
1
1
Read the Boy Mechanic
Read the Boy Mechanic
"A very good magnifying glass can be made from an ordinary incandescent lamp ... which has been rendered useless."
2
2
Bulb lens: open the bulb
Bulb lens: open the bulb
Take a burned-out clear incandescent lamp (about 16 candlepower). Wearing gloves and eye protection, grind or break off the tip end of the glass globe.
Materials for this step:
Light Bulb1 pieceTools needed:
Glass Cutter
Files (Hand File)
Rubber Gloves3
3
Bulb lens: fill and seal
Bulb lens: fill and seal
Fill it with clear water and plug or cork the hole. Look through the round of the bulb.
Materials for this step:
Distilled Water1 piece
Corks1 piece4
4
Loop lens
Loop lens
For a stronger glass, bend a fine wire (or a leaf stem) into a loop no bigger than an ordinary drop of water and set a drop of clear water in it. Hold it close to your eye and to the object.
Materials for this step:
Iron Wire1 pieceDistilled Water1 pieceTools needed:
Flat-Nose Pliers5
5
Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting
Water lens troubleshooting.
Flow
Loading...
6
6
History and honest limits
History and honest limits
From **The Boy Mechanic, Book 1** (Popular Mechanics, 1913), pp. 397 and 305 (checked on the archive.org scan boymechanic0000unse_n5a8). Gloves, eye protection and the lamp-type warning are ours.
Materials
4- 1 piecePlaceholder
- 2 piecesPlaceholder
- 1 piecePlaceholder
- 1 piecePlaceholder
Tools Required
4- Placeholder
- Placeholder
- Placeholder
- Placeholder
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