Flat-bottom brasses for connecting-rods should be planed previous to any other shaping being effected. The first fixing of them to the table is that by which the bottoms are planed, the bottoms being those surfaces which are to be ultimately in contact with the rod's tee-head, and also with the outer cap. While planing the bottoms, the brasses are held by plates situated on the half-round ridges, and four, six, or eight brasses may be thus held at one time on the table. When all the bottoms are thus planed, the brasses are put upside-down, in order to plane their faces, the faces being those surfaces which will ultimately be in contact with each other when the brasses are connected and in use. If only two such brasses are in progress, they are easily held for planing their faces, in the situation shown in Fig. 746, where two brasses are represented with their planed bottoms in contact with the table, and are held with one strong plate and two bolts. Being thus fixed, the faces are accurately planed to the required height above the table; and the brasses are then ready for being fixed in contact with each other, either with pins, or with the connecting-bolts. They are also ready for receiving the white metal into the recesses formed to contain it, if white metal is intended.