The letters below are from the winners in our annual
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drivers' bonus competition for 1912. They describe how winning letters are'compiled and .written.
From " Toby " (Cardiff), Winner of the First Prize.
'I have often thought that every mechanic and worker in a factory, or a driver of a power-driven vehicle on the road, must come across, almost every day, hints and suggestions which would prove suitable for the 1) and 31: page.
" In any shop where commercial vehicles are being repaired or built, there is ample scope for the _inventive mind to think out ways and means of making special tools and jigs in order to carry out needed repairs quickly and well. It is often necessary for men in this position to re-design some particular component part which, in its original state, has proved a source of trouble.
"The contributions which I have sent from time to time to your journal, have chiefly originated in the workshop in this way, and I have never sent you any idea which I have not seen carriedout in practice. I have sometimes thought of heading my letters Tips collected during 30 years workshop experience.' "As regards the drawings, when an idea first strikes me I make a very rough sketch sufficient to give a good knowledge of the hint, or improvement, and then I elaborate these somewhat and polish them up during the winter. Some of the prize-winning drawings forwarded during the summer, were made in this manner. I am sure that if your readers would follow out this method of procedure. they would have no difficulty in becoming regular winners. " Might I suggest, in conclusion, that you shoulol publish the 'D. and M.' pages for a series of years, in a hound volume. as I know several men who carefully treasure up the tom-out pages from Tim COMMERCIAL MOTOR, which are now getting rather bulky and inconvenient to handle."
It may be possibk at a later date to do as our correspondent suggests.
From "R.T." (Andover), Winner of the Second Prize.
"The ideas which I have described in my notes from time to time, are those which have been suggested to me by little points noticed in vehicles, for the repair of which I have been responsible. It happens occasionally that to effect a repair in the orthodox manner is impossible, owing to the limited time at one's disposal. It thus becomes necessary to devise time and labour-saving methods to meet the case. This is more particularly so when one is dealing with general repairs to various makes of vehicles.
when spare parts are not readily obtainable, or where an elaborate machine plant is not available. "With regard to making small tools and jigs, there is no doubt that when an unusual repair is contemplated, a distinct saving of time may be secured by adopting labour-saving ideas such as I have described in my contributions. I may add that
these have all been employed by myself in actual practice, and have been found to be successful in every
way, The results generally, obtained by their aid, have been superior to any which mere makeshift repair could have given. " The sketches illustrating my notes, are of a more or less diagrammatic nature, as it. is often
necessary to illustrate some particular detail point. -Working drawings do not show the effect that wear has upon mechanical parts, and my sketches have been reproduced from the rough ones made at the moment, when the idea struck me.
" The time I have devoted to the writing of the notes has not been considerable, as I generally keep a record of any special job for my own personal reference, and it occurred to me that some of these might be new and useful to your readers."