The label being fixed with thin glue, and all being in order, see that your cramps, both of iron and wood, and accessories, are all well to your hand, for this is a process where quick action is imperative. Your glue must be hot, and about the same consistency as when the ribs were fixed; and broad pieces of stiff cork must be procured, because the pressure of cramp 11 on back and belly at both ends will necessitate these safeguards.

In the first place, temporarily fix the belly, making as accurate a piece of work of it as you can, exact in overlapping as is the back, if possible. Then get your assistant to clamp it here and there with the wooden cramps. Afterwards, pierce each end of belly with a bit about three-thirty-seconds of an inch, three-eighths of an inch deep through the table into each end block. Then remove cramps, and, into the holes in said table, fix a small pine peg, about as will just drive home when all is fixed and glued.

Now, wet with a hot sponge all the belly where junction with the ribs has to take place, and then dab a nice layer of your hot glue all round the ribs and end blocks, going over it a second time rapidly, and finally holding every part glued for a second over the hot water under your glue pot. It is urgent that the pegs are then inserted into the holes mentioned above, and that you at once force them home with the smart blow of a hammer, when your assistant begins to clamp as you direct; for there may be parts where a little humoring of either rib or belly will tax your ingenuity, so as to make a neat fit. Then, when all are on fairly well, clamp the ends with the iron cramps, having the blocks of cork to intercept, as spoken of above.

When the glue is dry and hard, on the following day you must clean all of it away that is showing and superfluous, and use gouges, chisel, scrapers. Any cutting of the wood is objectionable; but if there must be a trifle taken away from some part of the ribs to make a bad fit nearer a good one, then be certain to make all smooth with scraper and sandpaper, over and over again, or your work will be uneven at the finish; and your varnish is a terrible shower-up of bad work, my masters.

Following the above is the careful rounding of the edges of under and upper tables with files and glass-paper, as previously shown on the inner edges of the back and belly. Not too broad must this be done, or the somewhat sharp edge which you seek (or should seek) to bring neatly along the centre of the edge, as it were, of a small wave, doubtful whether to curl over on to the body of the violin or not, will lose much in form, and the grace intended be negative, if not utterly lost when under the eye of the connoisseur.

When this is all done, and the corners left beautifully square, save that the sharpness of the terminals are just a little rounded off (not the two points these must not be touched) wet all you have gone over with a sponge, and clean when dry with sandpaper, until you are sure your work will do you credit under the varnish, when you arrive at that stage. Before that, however, we have to consider the cutting of the scroll.