size, using felt or gunny sack in the
joint to make it as tight as possible. These ends can be nailed on, but
it is best to hold them with a bar of metal set against each one.
Nailing the ends a few times would spoil the box for further use in
steaming.

[Illustration: STEAMING BOX]

[Illustration: HOSE ATTACHED TO TEAKETTLE.]

[Illustration: FORM BLOCKS]

A good teakettle will serve the purpose for a steam generator. A hose is
attached to the spout of the teakettle, as shown in the illustration,
and to the steaming box in a like manner. The steaming box should be
provided with a short piece of gas pipe turned into a hole bored into
one of the sides used for the top on which to attach the hose. A small
hole should be bored into one side of one end of the steaming box, and
this end should be arranged a trifle lower than the other end. The hole
will permit the water of condensation to escape. Steam should not escape
from the box when a charge of wood is being softened. Steam which
escapes from the box in the form of vapor has done no work whatever, and
is just so much waste of fuel. In order to give up its heat to the wood,
the steam must condense and come away from the box as water. Therefore,
in steaming a charge of pieces in the box, never crowd the teakettle so
hard that the steam escapes around the heads of the box or through any
other joints. The steam should be supplied to the box just as fast as it
condenses, and no faster. When the pieces are placed in the box they
should be so arranged that the steam can find ready access to all sides
of each piece.

The curve or bend of the piece to be made must be marked out on a wide
board or on the floor. Nail down several blocks of wood or pieces cut
out like brackets on the board or floor against the drawing, as shown in
the illustration. The wood is sprung between these blocks or forms after
it has been softened by steam. When taking the steamed pieces from the
box do not lose any time in securing them to the forms. Do not take out
more than one piece at a time, as it must be bent to the forms
immediately after taking it from the hot steam. The time of the steaming
will vary with the size of the pieces. Small strips may be steamed in 15
or 20 minutes, while large ones may require several hours to become soft
enough to bend. The pieces must be left in the forms until they are
thoroughly dry.

A SMOKING STAND

When making the smoking stand shown in the acco