8a THE IDYL OF THE SPLIT-BAMBOO 



Fig. i End view of author's adjustable steel planing-mold (reduced 



one-half) 



degree-angled groove when the bars are brought to- 

 gether side by side. But soon you will see that they 

 are kept slightly apart in actual use, as our taper is 

 obtained by the beautifully easy stunt of spreading 

 the separate halves of our mold obliquely and pre- 

 cisely to the minute fraction of an inch required. 

 The center-gauge will attest the mold's accuracy. 



The four edges of each of our square steel bars 

 are cut off, then, to a bevel of the same inclination, 

 as above stated, but presenting faces of varying 

 widths, respectively as follows: %2, KG, H, and %G 

 of an inch. The bars are held in any degree and 

 position of separation wanted, by means of right- 

 angled braces, secured by appropriate screws to their 

 respective bars, and the whole is fastened to a base 

 of any well-seasoned wood plank about six inches 

 in width, one inch thick, and having an unwarped 

 surface. The short or upright arm of the braces is 

 % of an inch long; the long or horizontal arm is one 



