ROD-MAKING. 309 



manner. This done, the joint will be found to be 

 fairly round, and now the shape must be determined 

 upon, as, if the rod is intended to be light, limber and 

 small, it should be shouldered or " bottle necked " 

 a little above the usual handhold, thus imparting a 

 feature of the balance handle to the joint. The 

 alternative is, to leave a gradual slope or taper up to 

 the ferrule. And now for fixing on the metal. In 

 fixing ferrules, one great blunder and cause of 

 disaster should ever be assiduously avoided, viz., 

 cutting foundations for their accommodation. The 

 metal should be made to fit the wood, and not vice 

 versa, as is, we fear, the more general custom. To 

 rob the wood to accommodate the metal, is to 

 sacrifice future convenience for a little present effort 

 and legitimate common sense precaution. Each 

 ferrule should be so tapered as to fit over the wood ; 

 this tapering process is easy enough to accomplish 

 a " mandrill/' i.e., an iron or steel rod is procured, 

 and the ferrule threaded upon it and beaten with a 

 smooth-faced hammer, and thus swelled to the 

 requisite extent. The next joint should follow in 

 process precisely similar, which done, the top is put 

 together in the following manner : The pieces of 

 wood chosen are cut to meet each other evenly at 

 the joinings or splices, which are then charged with 

 best joiners' glue, and bound tightly at each splice 

 with a scrap of waxed hemp, the whole must now 

 be straightened before leaving to harden. It is a 

 common practice to employ quick-drying spirit 

 varnish to avoid the waiting time necessary in using 



