mbined purposes of mould and cramp. The piece used is about nine
inches long by about one in width and a quarter of an inch thick. Marking
off on this thickness, and a trifle over the greatest width of the back,
the lower part of which is to be inserted, wood is cut away to the depth
of about a quarter of an inch; within this again a further cutting is
made to fit the modelling or rise of the curve of the back. This will
admit the plate loosely. On placing it within, the two halves are
squeezed together by soft wood wedges of necessary size inserted
between the edges of the plate and the wood cramp; if necessary, another
wedge on one side or the other of the joint is placed for bringing both
to a proper level. After trying this without glue, the pieces are
removed, glue of good strength is put on the surfaces to be joined and
the whole put in position again. The lower end of the joint near the
purfling will require a little additional cramping together.

This part of the process is one of the very few instances where more
than a couple of hands are of advantage, if not of actual necessity,
the reason being that the two parts or halves of the back which have
to be brought to an exact level must be held in position by two hands
very firmly, while a cramp (with paper padding and cork between the
teeth) is screwed rather tightly by another person. It is then as usual
laid by to dry.

After a satisfactory time has elapsed, the wooden tie, mould or cramp,
as we may call it, with its small wedges is removed, the metal screw
cramp at the end is unfastened, the paper removed, and the joint is
found to be much improved, if not quite up to the original state as
when new. There is of course some superfluous glue to be cleared away,
this having oozed out when the glue was first applied, there is also
a portion of paper adhering where the screw cramp was attached over
the border. This is done by wiping with a damp rag until it is clear,
finishing with a dry one.

There is yet a little more attention necessary at times when the
repairing of a back of the kind just described has been gone through.
Backs of violins of a standard of excellence both high and low are not
always as robust in their substance as might be desirable, so when a
trifle weak there is more strain on the middle line or joint than when
the wood is stout. In this case a few studs are advisable. On this detail
of repairing nearly always resorted to by repairers, a fe