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From: commgrp@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (BACS Data Communications Group)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics,sci.chem
Subject: Re: _The Boy Electrician_ (was Homemade Valves...)
Message-ID: <52920@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu>
Date: 1 Aug 90 19:57:41 GMT
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francis@cs.ua.oz.au (Francis Vaughan) writes:
In article <1990Aug1.081830.15979@mlb.semi.harris.com>,
del@thrush.mlb.semi.harris.com (Don Lewis) writes:
|> 
|> I seem to recall reading "The Boy Electrician" by the same author many
|> years ago.  It had lots of plans for spark coils and tesla coils, told
|> how to use X-ray tubes :-O, etc.  He also had some more recent books
|> on how to build things intercoms and audio amps (5 watts, wow!).

>This was one of the all time great books in my opinion. What a 
>book!... It aslo described how to build your own primary and 
>secondary cells (carbon zinc and lead acid). These were not toy 
>projects, but intended as replacments for commercial products. A 
>complete description of a telephone to build, motors AC and DC, morse 
>code stuff. Absolutely fascinating stuff. 

This is indeed a classic!  It was among the precious few technical 
books in my highschool library, and was instrumental (no pun intended) 
in making my career.

Here's the printing info from my copy:

     _The Boy Electrician_ by Alfred P. Morgan.  Lothrop, Lee & 
     Shepherd Co.  Copyright 1913, 1929, 1940, 1948. 7th printing 
     1957.

Does anyone know its history after 1957?  Is this delightful book 
still available?  Was the titled changed to appease feminists? :-)

There was a companion volume, _The Boy Mechanic_, which I have never 
seen.  Maybe Lindsay (*) will reprint the works of Morgan someday.

*  Lindsay Publications, Inc.
   P.O. Box 12
   Bradley, IL 60915-0012
   (815) 468-3668
   Catalog: $1.00

This company reprints many fascinating old books of mechanical, 
metallurgical and electrical "lost technology."  Highly recommended!

--

Frank Reid     reid@ucs.indiana.edu