90 AMATEUR RODMAKING 



ago the National Rod and Reel Association 

 adopted three standards for reel-yokes. The 

 smallest, ^4 -inch, was cut on the arc of a ten- 

 cent piece; for %-inch reelseats, a nickel; and 

 for i-inch reelseats, a silver quarter. Nearly 

 all manufacturers follow these gauges. 



Assemble all the parts of the reelseat and 

 push it down over the pine sleeve, working it 

 well into the topmost cork, to form a water- 

 proof joint. If the taper fits the tapered end of 

 the pine sleeve, remove the seat, coat the sleeve 

 with cement or glue and push the reelseat 

 home. A brass pin through the hooded end 

 and reelseat will fix the metal parts of your 

 handgrasp rigidly. This pin should merely 

 enter the wood of the rod, but not penetrate 

 far, or it may weaken it. I prefer to set two 

 very small brass camera screws, one on each 

 side of the hood, and two of these instead of 

 one pin in the buttcap. They are not so likely 

 to work loose as is the case with pins. They 

 should be jM$ inch long. 



Now go over the rod with the finest sand- 

 paper, wet the wood to raise the grain, let it 

 dry, then cut it down with a bit of well-worn 

 fine sandpaper, polish diligently with shavings 

 from the rod, and finally rub with tissue paper 

 until you secure a high gloss. Replace the 



