160 AMATEUR RODMAKING 



as before, groove them with the saw, and file 

 the grooves. (See Fig. 48.) Make the first 

 one Y% inch deep, the second 7-64, the third 

 3-32, the fourth 5-64, and the last one 1-16, 

 inch deep. These are for your tips, which re- 

 quire the greatest care; therefore the grooves 

 may be safely made uniform in depth and you 

 can shift steadily to a smaller groove as you 

 file from the large to the small end. Cover 

 both faces of the block with pencil marks, to 

 assist you in keeping the file out of contact 

 with the block. 



Fastening this block in the vise with the 

 larger set of grooves up, begin with one of 

 the strips for the butt of your rod. Lay it in 

 the largest groove with the enamel at one side, 

 and commencing at the butt end work your flat 

 file forward and back, being careful to hold it 

 parallel with the fack of the block. Turn the 

 strip often, in order that you may be sure to 

 keep the angles true, and go from groove to 

 groove until the strip is reduced evenly 

 throughout its length, beginning again in the 

 largest groove and continuing as before, until 

 the strip will lie in the groove flush with the 

 surface of the block, no matter which side is 

 uppermost. Do not attempt to file across the 

 grain of your strip, as it will sliver if you do. 



