It is probable that it was after the legs had been permitted to dry that they were set with the wedges, which were always driven in at right angles to the grain to prevent splitting, as the pressure increased. The Metropolitan Museum of Art Fig. 7.10 Windsor side chair, end brace, T. Timpson 18th Century, maple, hickory, poplar or 1 ash. An interesting locking device was employed in some wedges, by cutting them wider at one end, at an acute angle (Figure 7.11), in order to force the wedge laterally, so that the sharp corner anchored itself into the surrounding wood. Like the stretchers, the dry bow and spindles were held tightly in their mortise holes by the shrinkage of the green seat. Doubtless, the heavy, sawed maple arm rails were placed in position before they were seasoned; the light, bent arm .rails were usually of oak, hickory, or ash. It is also reasonable to suppose that the comb was set in place while still green, and for the same reason. Severe damage to Windsor chairs is likely to occur at one or more Fro. 7«of four sensitive points: Wedge. 392 FURNITURE MAKING AND CABINET WORK 1. Where the ends of the bent bow join the seat. 2. Where the spindles are set into the bow. 3. The arm rail, where the mortise has been cut to receive the tenon on the end of the bow. 4. At the sharp bend in the back of the arm in the type of chair that has a onepiece arm and back. Square breaks in Windsor chairs, as in any type of furniture, are hard to mend. One satisfactory method is to cut off each end of the break at an acute angle, so that a properly shaped filler piece can be halved in by gluing. Two or three small screws may be added for additional security. Although nails are taboo in repairing furniture, for a delicate spindle that has been broken off directly under the bow, an iron dowel can be improvised by carefully drilling a small hole from the top of the bow through the brokenoff piece, and into the top of the spindle for a distance of 1 or 2 in. After a drop or two of glue is flowed in, a finishing nail the same size as the hole can be inserted, not driven, and left undisturbed until the glue has set. Hickory is the preferred wood for the back bow or hoop. It can easily be steamed in a 6 ft. length of galvanized iron leader pipe, with a capped end that is tilted down into the fire, after the pipe has been filled with water. While the Ji or 1in. spokeshaved hickory stock is steaming, a paper pattern can be cut to the size of the proposed curve, and tacked to a heavy board platform, the floor, or a wall of the workshop. Six or seven more blocks are firmly screwed to the outside of the pattern, with the seventh, topmost block inside, as shown in A of Figure 8.12, allowing a space as wide as the bow is thick. When the hickory has become sufficiently pliable, it is clamped in this bending jig and permitted to dry out thoroughly for several days. A simple bending jig for combs is illustrated in B. Hardware.