ii2 THE IDYL OF THE SPLIT-BAMBOO 



the various joints, are stocked by tackle-men, as also 

 are spring-butts and other two-handed grasps. 

 However, in concluding this chapter, we will note 

 a simple device that we have found useful in re- 

 ducing square rod-wood to tapered joints in the 

 square. You then can place the joints in a wooden 

 grooved-holder and plane off the edges to convert 

 the tapered square joint into a tapered octagonal 

 joint. The remaining work, of making a rounded 

 swelled-taper joint or whatever kind is wanted, is 

 all done with steel crescentic-notched scrapers (you 

 can make them with a rat-tail file) and sandpaper, 

 manipulated lengthwise of the joints as they at the 

 same time are kept revolving by the other hand. 



The top view of this tapering device is shown 

 in Fig. i. The sides are of wood, three inches 



Fig. i Top view of tapering-rig for solid-wood rodi 



wide and one-half inch thick, held about the same 

 distance apart or slightly more by the blocks 

 set between the ends. Another piece of board, 

 which fits snugly the space between the other two 

 but is short enough to permit tilting of its ends, 

 simply is slipped in. It is an easy matter to adjust 

 this loose board, and to hold it by ordinary clamps 

 which squeeze it at either end between the outer 

 boards, in such position that you can reduce a squared 

 stick that is laid against its upper edge, and held be- 



