M. L. Bell.

The chest machine which I have described may easily be made by any one at a very slight expense. The wooden parts of this machine were made from pine and then varnished; but if preferred, some hard wood might be used, and would make a much nicer looking apparatus.

For the headboard, select a piece of lumber 20" x41/2" x 3/4". As a support for the upper ends of the guide rods, take a block 5" x l3/4"x 13/4", and in the middle of one side bore two 1/4" holes 3" apart. Midway between these holes put an ordinary screw pulley, such as may be bought at any hardware store for about five cents. The diameter of the wheel should not be over 11/2"'. Secure this block, pulley downward, to the center of the head, and the headpiece is complete. (Fig. 1.)

The support for the lower ends of the rods is made from a block 8" x 4" x 1", in which two 1/4" holes 3" apart and 13/4" from> the back edge are bored. The rods which guide the weight are made of 1/4" brass curtain rods, and should be long enough to reach from your shoulders to the floor.

Next comes the weight-carrier (Fig. 2). It is made from two boards 51/4" x 3" x 1/2", in each end of which is cut a socket l"x1/2'. Two 3/8" holes, 8" apart, are put through the centers of both boards, as when finished they are to run up and down on the rods.

In one board, midway between the two holes, is fastened a pulley. These boards are now fastened together by two pieces of hard wood 7" x 1" x 1/2", these sticks fitting into the sockets in the ends of the boards.

Fig. 1.

As a mold for the weights, I made a box, the inside dimensions of which were 3"x5" and deep enough to hold several pounds of melted lead. At one side of the box I nailed at angles to the side, two pieces of 1/2" board so that they extended a little beyond the center of the box. To the middle of the ends I also nailed a strip of wood 1" x 1/2. Both the boards and the strips extended from the top to the bottom of the box. Hot lead was poured into this mold, making a casting as in Fig. 3. If at any time it is desired to add more weight, it can easily be done by simply unfastening the upper board of the carrier and slipping on additional weights. The side pieces of the carrier are to fit into the notches in the ends of the weights and thus prevent their sliding on each other, while the deep notches in the sides allow the weights to be taken off or put on the rods without removing them from the machine.

Fig. 3.

The parts are now put together as in Fig. 1. The headboard should be pushed on far enough to prevent the rods working loose, and then both head and foot boards securely fastened to the wall and floor, respectively.

For the rope, take small-sized window-cord, and having fastened one end to the headboard by a screw-eye, pass the other, from the back, through the lower pulley, and in the same direction, through the upper one. Cut off the rope, leaving an end about 8" long and fasten the end to a wooden bar 17" x 1" x 1" by passing it through a hole in the middle. From Fig. 1 it will be seen that the handles are attached to each end of this bar by ropes about 30" long. The machine will be found excellent for those who need exercise.