Suggestions for the Workshop- September 23, 1911

Ingenious Expedients of Resourceful Mechanics

Join Our Community of Science Lovers!


On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.


Gasoline and Compressed Air for Cleaning By J. E. N. IT is a common practice in automobile shops to lise gasoline and compressed air to clean the dirt from otherwise inaccessible parts of an automobile, the apparatus employed requires a specially made nozzle connected with a double line of hose. The apparatus illustrated in the accompanying engraving, which was made by a friend of the writer, accomplishes practically the same result in a simpler manner. It cansists of a galvanized tank E provided with a tube, soldered into it at the top, and another one at the bottom. These tubes are fitted with valves shown at C and H. The tubes are joined and are connected by means of a %·inch hose B of any suitable length, say twenty feet, to a nozzle A. The nozzle should be provided with a quarter·inch aperture and a flared outlet. A bicycle pump D is connected with the tank Gasoline and air tank for cleaning automobiles. at one side and a pressure gage G is secured to the top. In use, a gallon of gasoline is poured into the tank, as indicated at F, and then the pump is operated to produce a pressure of several pounds in the tank. The valves C and H may now be opened to such an extent as to permit a small quantity of gasoline and a comparatively large quantity of air to fow though the hose and the nozzle A may be dl· rected to spray the parts which need cleaning. A Single gallon of gasoline and a few strokes of the air pump have been found sufficient to clean thoroughly a single automobile. This type of apparatus cannot compete in efficiency with that used in automobile shops, but it is a practical device for a private garage.

Scientific American Magazine Vol 105 Issue 13This article was published with the title “Suggestions for the Workshop” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 105 No. 13 (), p. 276
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican09231911-276

It’s Time to Stand Up for Science

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.

I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.

If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.

In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.

There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.

Thank you,

David M. Ewalt, Editor in Chief, Scientific American

Subscribe