Motor-Drive Egg Beater

A small electric motor, which had become unfit for shop work, was used by one of the mechanics in his home kitchen, where it rendered good service in beating eggs, whipping cream, and even churning butter. He screwed it to the kitchen wall, with the drive shaft in a vertical position, and as this adjustment threw all the weight of the armature onto the lower thrust bearing, he placed two mica washers between the bearing and the shoulder of the armature. The power was transmitted to the egg beater by means of a collar, pinned permanently to the lower end of the shaft, and the top of the egg beater was thrust into the collar and held firmly with a thumbscrew, so that it revolved with the shaft. The beater was made from a piece of fairly coarse iron wire, twisted into spirals at its lower end, where it entered the dish or pan containing the eggs. To prevent the weight of the thumbscrew from causing the shaft to turn unevenly, a small lump of solder was used as a counterweight on the collar, opposite the screw. Several wire beaters were made and twisted into different shapes, so as to adapt the machine to the nature of the work which was to be done.

Mirror Bait for Raccoon Trap
To catch a raccoon without using edible bait, use a steel trap of medium size, with a mirror, or piece of tin foil, laid flat on the bait pan and secured in position with solder or wire. Set the trap, in water if possible, by some creek, or in some gully, where the tracks of a raccoon have been found. He is a very inquisitive animal, and when he sees light reflected from any surface, he is apt to paw it with his foot -- in this case to his own destruction. - J. W. Reynolds, Mason, Ill.

--Popular Mechanics, August 1919