Many New Household Gadgets At London Exhibition

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28894, 14 May 1959, Page 20

Many New Household Gadgets At London Exhibition

LONDON, Rising costs of even the smallest repairs needed in the house today are fast turning the atomic age into a “do-it-yourself” age. Many new “do-it-yourself” and time-and-labour-saving gadgets were demonstrated at the Second Practical Householder Exhibition in London. Even French polishing and stained glass windows are now within the skill of every home handyman while a spray gun which can be attached to the vacuum cleaner will put on the new “speckled” paint which is expected to be the household fashion craze of the not too far distant future.

A modern technique which anyone can pick up in a few minutes and involves no heating, soldering or glass cutting is the basis of making either stained glass windows or leaded light windows to one’s own design, while fadeless wood dyes in individual shades or as a small kit from which all colours can be mixed are the basic of the home French polishing set. According to the makers, only one customer in 3000 is dissatisfied with results —and the firm gives him personal help to overcome his difficulties. A great standby for a thousand and one emergencies is self-bind-ing poly-vinyl chloride tape which can be used for such different things as temporary binding for burst pipes, jar and tin sealing, electrical uses, handlebar taping or splinter protection. Waterproof, it withstands heat and is a perfect insulator. What is more, although it is not expensive, it can be used again. A plastic and glass fibre filler can be used to fill holep in any liquid container, from a water tank to a bucket. It will resist pressure from water, oil, and most chemicals.

A plastic coating for wood, hardboard or cork will not break under the heat of steam or blows from a hammer. And, there is a brand new plastic curtain rail in half a dozen or more pastel shades complete with plastic rings and hooks, guaranteed to be “enormously strong but extremely light in weight.” An enormous variety of tools includes a 2-speed drill which can be used on ferrous and non-ferrous metals, masonry, tiles, wood or plastics—or, with a stirring attachment, to whip up anything in the kitchen from cakes to milk shakes. Even the all-important domestic tin opener has been improved. In addition to opening those tins in no time at all, it combines in the handle, a device for opening the most stubborn of all jars—the fruit preserving jar. There is also not only a bottle cap opener, but a re-sealer, as well as devices for opening various sizes of screw top bottles and suction lids on jam jars.

Waterless Cookers There are waterless cookers for which it is claimed that they can stew, steam, roast and braise all at the same time, and infra-red grills which cook a steak in 60 seconds and the breakfast bacon in 10-20 seconds and never, never, burn anything. Since no fat is used for grilling with this infra-red apparatus, it is also claimed to help slimming. And when the weary householders have done-it-all themselves, they may retire to bed, if they wish, under a honeycomb bed cover which takes the place of two blankets. The cover itself is a product of a home industry. The virgin wool is washed, dyed, spun and woven under one roof and the result is a non-crease, long-life—-they last 20 to 30 years—cellular weave, reversible bedcover-cum-blanket, in a choice of gay colours, including red and royal blue. Carpet and linoleum tiles are becoming more and more popular now as young couples and veteran housewives alike try their hand at laying their own. Linoleum tiles are on the market in England for the first time this spring, though the manufacturers have been selling them for some time in Canada and the United States. The latest carpet tiles are 12-inch squares cut from tufted carpet made with a special fibre spun on a deodorised latex base. Sold direct from factory to public, these tiles are inexpensive—3s 6d each

complete with adhesive tape in England—colour fast, easy to lay, easy to clean, hard wearing and, of course, absolutely mothproof, since moths do not like man made fibres. Householders can make their own patterns with tiles of any or all of 28 colours—l4 plain ranging from black to off white and 14 mottled, featuring the plain colours combined with either black or white. To lay them all that has to be done is lay adhesive tape, sticky side upwards, in taut lines on the floor in square or diamond patterns of the same size as the carpet tile. Then press the tiles into place. The tiles can be easily cut to fit around fire-places or heating pipes and need no binding because they will not fray. If all plain colours are used, the 'joins are invisible, yet should one tile suffer an irreparable accident, such as burning from a dropped cigarette, it can be pulled up and replaced. Since the tape is adhesive only on the upper side, the finished carpet is completely mobile. If the tiles are made into mats for use on a polished floor a new, plastic non-slip netting, made by another firm, can be pinned to the back. It is guaranteed to stop slipping.