ONE-PIECE RODS 83 



the next step will make it round, and in this 

 stage haste will work sad havoc with later 

 plans. The eye, the caliper and testing the 

 arch must all be depended on at this stage. 

 Every one of the eight sides must be uniform. 

 A perfect strip is illustrated in Fig. 36, p. 103. 



Setting your small plane very fine again, lay 

 the strip in the groove and take off one of the 

 corners the full length. Turn to the next one 

 and remove it, and so on. The rod is now ap- 

 proximately round, cylindrical in its first foot, 

 then tapering gradually to the small end. 



There are various ways to make it perfectly 

 round. One is to lay it flat on the bench, and 

 holding it under the palm of the left hand, roll 

 it backward and forward while sandpapering 

 it with a sheet of that abrasive folded over a 

 block of wood, held in the right hand and 

 moved rapidly up and down the rod. I prefer 

 the flat steel scraper, and turn the rod rapidly 

 while working from end to end, using the 

 grooved board to hold it steady. 



Stop frequently and draw the rod through 

 the fingers to locate uneven places. If none 

 are found, go over the rod thoroughly with 

 sandpaper folded and held in the hand with- 

 out the block. You are now ready for final 

 tapering. 



