Rod-making. 157 



and perhaps somewhat primitive as compared to those of 

 the present day, that you can or should use the same. 

 You are handicapped by your lack of preliminary train- 

 ing in their use, at least as applied to the purpose in 

 hand, and all the aid to be derived from the best possible 

 tools will be required to overcome this. 



Your planes must be strictly first-class, and for this 

 purpose the "Bailey" planes, made by the Stanley Rule 

 and Level Company, are far superior to any others which 

 I have seen. In my own work I consider them indispens- 

 able. These planes are of iron, are true on the bot- 

 tom, and the bit is thin and easily sharpened. But their 

 greatest merit for our purpose consists in that the set of 

 the bit is governed by turning a screw, so that the thick- 

 ness of the shaving can be instantly regulated at will, and 

 to the utmost nicety. These may be had at almost any 

 hardware dealer's, or may be ordered direct from the com- 

 pany, at No. 29 Chambers Street, New York City. It ad- 

 vertises, if the price-list be sent with the order, to forward 

 to any part of the United States at its expense. Though 

 the first cost of these planes is in excess of the wooden 

 plane, their great superiority for our purpose renders 

 them far cheaper in the end. 



If it is proposed to work both wood and split-bamboo, 

 two sizes will be required a f ourteen-inch (No. 5 on their 

 price-list, at $3.75) and a six-inch (No. 1 on their price- 

 list, at $2.25). The former you will mainly use in work- 

 ing wood, the latter upon split-bamboo; but the purchase 

 of both is strongly recommended, no matter with what 

 you intend to deal, since at times in the progress of every 

 rod you will find one serve far better than the other. A 

 third plane, about three and a quarter inches long, made 

 by the same company (No. 50 on their price-list, at forty- 



