To insure even space between the coils, a strip of thin steel may be fastened by one or two screws at or near the bottom of the piece of wood, and a hole is made near the top of the winding rod to pass through. A space is cut out, as shown in the cut, to admit of the wire being removed. In winding the upper end the steel strip is held away from the wood by its spring, or by a wooden wedge, and the wire must be held close to the wood by the hand or by a piece of wire formed as a sort of staple. To wind a very long spring, or a spring longer than the rod, a clamp may confine the wire to the rod, and when the spring has been wound to its length, remove the clamp, draw back the winding rod, fix the clamp close to the outer end and begin to wind again without cutting the coil, push it off the end of the rod as it is filled each time. As all wire, like hard drawn brass or steel wire, will “spring open” after being coiled, the rod must be made much smaller than the spring to be formed. Different sized holes may be made in the same block of wood to receive different sized winding rods over. Hooks or eyes on the ends of the rods can be readily made in like manner. When the rod is too large to admit of ready bending to form the crank to turn it with, a crank of cast-iron can be riveted upon it. If the mechanic wishes to make a tool of this kind, that will be more serviceable and at the same time “look like something,” he can procure a casting similar to the movable head of a lathe, and put in the hole where the spindle is placed a similar spindle, but with the end where the wire is to be wound large enough to form a shoulder to keep it in place, and on the other end put a wheel eight or ten inches in diameter, with a handle to turn it with. The end where the shoulder is may be made with a screw to fit the lathe chuck or with a hole to receive the lathe tools, and they can be held there the same as holding them in the lathe chuck. The spindles to wind the wire may be inserted in the hole and held in place by the set-screw. The tool may be fastened to the bench by a rod screwed into the base, or held by a nut under the bench. This tool will be found to be a very ready one with which to work out bullet moulds. The cherry being held the same as a rod. It can also be used to free the muzzle or breech of barrels, using the wooden rods covered with emery, as described in Chapter XVI. It is also useful for reaming holes and can be used for drilling in case of an emergency. As a tool for holding taps to tap the thread in holes it has no equal—the work being held in the left hand and the wheel turned with the right hand. CHAPTER XXVI. ON RODS.