THE HARDWOOD FINISHER. WITH RULES AND DIRECTIONS, FOR FINISHING IN NATURAL COLORS AND IN ANTIQUE, MAHOGANY, CHERRY, BIRCH, WALNUT, OAK, ASH, RED- WOOD, SYCAMORE, PINE, AND ALL OTHER DOMES- TIC WOODS. FIXISHIXG, FILLING, STAINING, VARNJSBIXQ, AXD FOLJSH1XG. ALSO .- MISCELLANEOUS RULES FOR DYEING, GILDING, AND BRONZING COMPILED AND EDITED BY FRED T. HODGSON, Editor of THE OPERATIVE BUILDER. Late Editor of " BUILDER AND WOOD-WORKER," and " CABINET-MAKER AND UPHOLSTERER." NEW YORK : THE INDUSTRIAL PUBLICATION COMPANY, 1892. Copyright secured 1892, by John H. Phin. PREFACE. THE subject of wood-finishing is one that 'Interest* son who has anything to do with the construction or decoration of buildings, be he architect, carpenter and joiner, painter, decorator or carver, and it is to meet the requirements of these artists and artisans, in these respects, that this work has been prepared. In order to make the book a& complete as possible it has been necessary to consult a variety of authorities on the subject, and cull from them whatever in my opinion based on experience I thought best, and here and there add to, or eliminate, such mat- ter as my experience proved to be good on the one hand, and what I thought useless or absurd on the other. I am of course aware that there are some methods of finishing that I have not touched upon ; such as the finishing of musical instruments, toys, wooden bric-a-brac, laquered Japanned ware, walking sticks, etc., etc., but as this work is only intended for the finishing of wood-work employed in the construction and completion of buildings, it was thought better to confine it to that department alone; thereby keeping its cost within reasona- ble limits. Among the works drawn from I may mention, CABINET-MAK- ING AND UPHOLSTERY, THE BUILDER AND WOOD-WORKERS, CAR- PENTRY AND BUILDING, SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, FURNITURE MEN'S MANUAL, SPON'S WORKSHOP RECEIPTS, THE WORKSHOP COMPAN- ION, ENGLISH MECHANIC, HOUSE PAINTING AND DECORATING, THE PAINTERS MAGAZINE AND COACH PAINTER, ENCLYCLOPEDIA BF.ITANICJA, ninth edition, and many other works. (3) 4 PKEFACE. While believing the work, as now presented to be equal, if not superior to any published on the subject ; I feel that it is defect- ive in some minor points ; as it would be impossible to convey to the mind of the operator all the minutae of each and every process required in wood-finishing; for the perfect wood-finisher can only be the outcome of experience and observation added to the knowledge and instructions derived from the teachings of others. The latter is offered in this volume ; the experience and observa- tion must rest with the learner ; and if he takes advantage of his opportunities and masters all the details offered herewith, there is no valid reason why he should not become an expert WOOD-FIN- ISHER. FRED T. HODGSON. NEW YORK, August, 1892. INTRODUCTION. DOUBTLESS, the arts of Carpentry and Joinery were among the oldest in the world, and these arts must have flourished for many centuries before anything like polish or fine finish on wood-work were even thought of. The handles of stone weapons were prob- ably the first specimens of the wood-worker's art, then clubs and other wooden weapons subsequently the "dug-out" and the paddle or oar. Huts or wooden dwellings with doors and shut- ters, roofs and floors did not appear until much later. Nature always makes her works fittest for the intended end, and beautiful as well. So long as mankind were in constant con- tact with Nature's works they tried to imitate her methods, but at last this involved two processes, so, that, when they ceased to care for beauty, they grudged the necessary labor required to at- tain it. Therefore, in anything made by the hands of man, with no other motive in view but that of utility, the chances are a thousand to one that beauty will be conspicuous only by its absence. That wood plays a very important part in the affairs of man- kind, I scarcely need mention, and nature seems to have well un- derstood our wants for it is claimed by those who claim to know, that about one-third of the earth's surface is covered with trees, all of which are capable of contributing in some form or another to the wants of man. In this country, the art of using wood for almost every pur- pose, has gone far beyond anything that has ever been attempted by any other people. The introduction of wood-working machinery for the rapid manipulation of intricate mouldings, (5) 6 INTRODUCTION. spirals, flutings, headings and carvings, has in a great measure, had a tendency to elevate the taste of the whole community, though I must confess that artistic excellence of a high order, in the mechanical arts, is now scarcely found among our younger workmen ; machinery having almost done away with the neces- sity for the fine kinds of hand and brain work. Fashion, which rules despotically in the wardrobe, influences, to a greater or lesser degree, the style and finish of wood-work, and to a certain extent, the kind of wood that must be used for certain purposes. It is but a few years since, when no other wood than clean white pine, would be permitted to do service in a building. Every thing must be pine, floors, doors, windows, and skirtings, even to the bath fittings. Then Dame fashion sent forth her decree, and a mixture of white pine, Norway and Southern pine, was used followed shortly afterward by the abominable mixture of ash, walnut and chestnut. Some architect who desereves well of his country, introduced all walnut and all mahogany fitments ; and at once, people of taste who saw this manner of finish noticed its superiority over the " trash -like " mixture at once; and the fashion then of finishing in one kind of wood became the rage. Walnut was found too dark for general purposes and was soon abandoned for the lighter woods ; chestnut, sycamore, ash and oak were then tried, but I believe I voice the opinion of a major- ity of architects when I say that, with the exception of oak, the light colored woods were not successful, from an aesthetic point of view, and it is on record, that many buildings finished in these woods, have recently had their wood-work cleaned and stained to imitate darker woods or have been painted. One of the valu- able qualities of white oak, is, that it grows richer in color as it gets older, and no matter how it is finished, so long as the grain is visible, it mellows and improves with age. This is a quality that no other of our American woods possess in the same degree. All the oaks have this quality to a certain extent, but the white oak (Quercus alba), possesses it more than any other. Mahogany too, has this quality largely, if true Spanish mahogany is used, INTRODUCTION. 7 but little of this is in the market ; though there are many woods which have the appearance of mahogany, and are called mahogany, and both buyer and user are oftentimes deceived, and pay for what they do not get. We have often been reproached with willfully or ignorantly ig- noring or destroying our own handsome woods, while importing from abroad at excessive cost, and the payment of heavy duties, foreign woods which are much inferior to many of our native productions. This folly prevailed at a time when it was fashionable and even popular to believe there was no merit in domestic productions of any sort, this state of things, how- ever is now at an end ; and in the neighborhood of all large towns, and in country places as well ; a finish in hard wood is the rule, and a finish in pine the exception, if the building to be finished, makes any pretension of being "up to the times." With regard to the difference in cost between a finish in the best clear pine, and the best selected hard wood, there is really but little, if any, if we take into consideration dura- bility and good taste. As between pine wood and good well finished hard wood, the disparity in value and merit is so very little as to completely silence any comparison. Between poor pine and poor hard wood the preference should by all means be given to the former ; because, poor pine as it reveals its defects can be puttied and painted in a manner to disguise them ; whereas the defects of poor hard wood are al- most incurable. The rationale of the subject seems to resolve itself into the following statement. Modern taste in expensive dwellings calls for the free use of hard woods. It is immaterial which are used, but highly essential that the best seasoned woods should be selected ; and, further, that they should be skillfully treated and finished. The principal recommendation of hard wood is that it ad- mits of a treatment which renders it impervious to the effects of atmospheric changes, and, therefore can be made more durable and ultimately less expensive than pine wood. A hard wood that 8 INTRODUCTION. is well seasoned before use, that is treated with proper fillers to close up its pores, and then finished with successive coats of copal varnish, well rubbed in with pumice stone, being finally brought to a higher flat finish, presents the most attractive, serv- iceable and reliable style of wood-work that can be introduced into a house. Well finished hard wood obviates the expense and annoyance of constant renewals, which pine work calls for in patch- ing, puttying and painting. The most brilliant gloss of finished hard wood can be restored by a skilled person without disturbing the furniture or carpets of a house. Pine work seems peculiarly and incomparably adapted for cheap work. A good article of common pine, suitable for ordinary work can be procured, and worked at considerably less expense than would be involved in using good hard wood. The use of poor hard wood in any work should not be tolerated or thought of under any circumstances, for the simple reason that it is cer- tain to create annoyance and expense, which no house-owner, especially of moderate priced property, should be subjected to. I have deemed the foregoing introduction necessary as it will enable the workman to have some idea of the development of the art of joinery, and the transition from the use of pine and the softer woods, to that of the hard woods. In the following work it is my intention to take each of the woods most in use ; describe them, say what I think they are best adapted for, and the best way to finish them, as far as my knowledge extends. By this means the reader will have, under one head, all the book contains concerning the particular wood he is about to finish. PRELIMINARY. If the workman who finally finishes wood-work, had the selec- tion of the materials out of which the work is formed ; and wrought the work himself; the following suggestions would scarcely be required, for he would see to it that the material was free from shakes, cracks, worm holes, doze, sap and fractures ; and he would so choose his material, that the full beauty of the grain would show, when the polish coat went on. He would also see, that the work was clean. That is, that no plane marks were visible, no rough spots, or cross-grains noticeable, and that all angles were sharp and definite, all mouldings smooth and not a nail Head or screw top to be seen, nor any point that could sug- gest a nail head. As a rule, however, the workman who puts on the last finishing touches never makes the work, though he is al- ways expected to cover and hide all the faults of "bad workman- ship, bad selection of timber, and a thousand other objectionable things in connection with work, over which he has had no con- trol. In order to aid the finisher as much as possible, I give a few hints herewith, for the use of the workman whose duty it may be to prepare and put up the work to be finished. The sug- gestions given, are equally applicable for hard and soft woods and I trust they will not be out of place. First, then see that the material is dry, free from imperfections, of the full sizes required, and of such variety of grain as may be suitable for the purpose intended. Next, make all joints close and as near perfect as possible as on this point rests, in a great measure, the artistic appearance of the work. Make all angles sharp and clean, and all mitered mouldings true and with perfect intersections. Never use glass paper where a scraper can be ap- (9) 10 THE HAKDVVOOD FINISHER. plied, and when a large quantity of mouldings of similar contour and size are to be employed ; it is always better to make a scraper their reverse shape, and use it in cleaning and preparing the mouldings for the varnisher, than to use glass paper for the pur- pose. Wherever possible and suitable I would advise the use of glue in putting up finish, and I may here remark to the workman, that after a little practice in the use of glue and a little knowledge of its worth and capabilities, he will prefer it, to nails or screws where he can apply it ; further on I will give a few hints and sug- gestions on the proper methods of using glue in house finishing. Of course, I am well aware that the use of nails and screws is a necessity in wood finishing, but where the work is to be left natural color, or stained and polished, there should not be the slightest suspicion of a nail or screw head, and to meet this con- dition the skilled workman resorts to several expedients to hide the fastenings among which are the following. These methods, which are similar, are called "sliver-nailing," or sometimes, " chip blind-nailing." In the first method, shown at Fig. i, the FIG. 1. THE HARDWOOD FINISHER. 11 wood is raised with a firmer chisel and the screw or nail is then put in place and driven home. At Fig. 2, the " sliver " or chip, FIG. 2. is raised with a gouge. In the first instance a sharp knife should be employed to draw lengthwise with the grain two deep cuts the width of the chisel, as this keeps the sides of the chip from split- ting. The chisel should be set at a. steep angle at first till the proper depth is reached, and then made to turn out a cut of even thickness until there is room to drive in a screw or nail. If too sharp a curve is given, the " sliver " is likely to break apart in being straightened out again. In Fig. 2, I show how the " sliver " is raised by using a gouge. To do this nicely a gouge about three-quarters of an inch across the face should be used and the curve should be quick. In this case no knife cut is needed, as the corners of the gouge will cut as it progresses. The cut being made and the " sliver " slightly raised as shown in both cuts, the screw or nail may be driven without disturbing either the "sliver" or the cut underneath. See that the head of either screw or nail be sunk beneath surface of recess, so that the " sliver " will fit back in its place without obstruction. Now 12 THE HARDWOOD FINISHES. take properly prepared glue and, after warming the "sliver " and recess with a warm cloth, cover the underside of "sliver " and the wood underneath, seeing that the glue is not too thick ; press down the " sliver " in place, then rub with the face of a hammer until the glue holds ; then leave until dry, when the whole may be dressed off and finished. Another way is to glue the " sliver " down and then take a flat piece of pine about an inch thick, and glue over the "sliver," rubbing the pine block to and fro until the glue takes. The block is left on until dry and solid. The pine block may be split off, and the face of the wood dressed clean and finished. . In hard-wood finish for interior housework this latter plan of fastening up stuff is often resorted to. When the work has been made secure by any or all the methods described, the next thing to be considered is the smooth- ing and final finishing, and these two processes as here defined, pertain to all sorts of wood, hard or soft, that is intended to be finished in the natural colors or stained. In order to obtain a fine and substantial finish the work must either be smoothed fine with a plane, scraped with a steel scraper, or rubbed down with the finest glass paper. For very hard or irregular grained wood, such as is made into veneers or employed for the finer kinds of work, the cleaning-off process consists first in planing the surfaces with a toothed plane, having a serrated edge like a comb, this tool scratching away the high places and leveling the surface without pulling or splintering the wood, as a common knife will do unless very carefully adjusted and worked. After tooth-plan- ing, the surfaces are scraped with a steel hand scraper until the scratches made by a tooth plane are removed, and the surface is then finished by rubbing with glass-paper of different finenesses. Straight-grained hard woods can be cleaned off by planing with a common smoothing plane, and then scraping and rubbing them with glass-paper. Soft wood requires only careful planing and glass -papering, but if scraping is omitted great care must be taken in planing, or else the plane marks will show by reflection when the surface is polished, varnished or painted. I have THE HARDWOOD FINISHER. 13 known of cases where the finishers were wrongly accused of im- proper execution of the work because the finish, after being ex- posed to the changes of temperature occurring in a year, became impaired on account of the appearance of fine cracks running with the grain, differing from those caused by the improper ap- plication of varnish, which always runs across the grain. Among other reasons for this premature impairment, one is that the fine fibres become affected ; sandpapering the wood lengthwise or with the grain will loosen these, but will not break them off. The application of the filler will force them down into the pores, the filler making them adhere perfectly tight for some time ; but the changing of the temperature expands and contracts the wood, thus causing the fibres to loosen and work out, making their ap- pearance in fine cracks and impairing the finish. This fault most frequently occurs in open -grained wood especially when employed in the common class of cabinet-work which is transferred to the finishing-room directly upon leaving the machinery where it has been sandpapered lengthwise by a set of cylinders under heavy pressure, and should be guarded against with great care. "This sandpapering," finishers will generally say, " is a matter for the cabinet maker or the carpenter ; daub it over and let it go." It is immaterial to them how the finish holds out after leaving their hands ; but I find it is well for a finisher to do his duty by at least insisting upon having the work lightly cross-sandpapered with paper with No. i. or No. i^ paper. This process will loosen the fibres at both ends ; conse- quently, they will fall off, or, if they do not do so, they should be dusted off previous to filling. There is one more source of injury which should be guarded against with great care, and that is finishing over wet timber; nor should steam, water or dampness in any form be allowed to come in contact with the smooth dry surface, as it will raise the grain, making redressing by the joiner a necessity. In their natural state all woods are more or less porous consist- ing of bundles of hard fibres, with interstices filled with a softer 14 THE HARDWOOD FINISHER. substance. These constitute the grain, and as the hard or soft parts predominate, the wood is said to be hard, fine, or close- grained, or soft and open-grained. To fill these softer parts, or pores, and give to the whole an even, uniform surface, hard, and capable of a brilliant polish, is the object of the finishers' art. This hard, firm surface was formerly gained by the successive ap- plication of several coats of varnish, at least three preliminary coats being required to fill the pores ; the inequalities were then reduced by fine sand or glass-paper, and several additional coats laid on, the last, after becoming thoroughly hard being polished if desired. In this operation, however, a great quantity of var- nish is absorbed by the open pores of the wood, and it is conse- quently so expensive that it is now seldom used. Recourse is therefore had to various plans to render the wood non -absorbent before applying varnishes, and certain compounds called fillers are largely used for this purpose. These I will endeavor to de- scribe, and give the methods of application in the following section. WOOD-FILLERS AND WOOD-FILLING. In woods employed for house and cabinet work there are two distinct natures, therefore different treatment is required in finish- ing. First, there is the coarse or open-grained wood, having its surface perforated with innumerable pores or cells. In order to obtain a smooth and even finish, these pores should be filled up to a level with the hard grain, or, as the grainer would term them, the "lights" of the wood. Next we have the fine or close- grained wood, which, like the preceding, also contains these pores, but they are of a very fine character, and simply sealing them up with a liquid filler will enable one to produce a fine smooth finish, which we shall consider farther on. I will now return to the open or wide-grained wood which re- quires more attention and care than the closer-grained wood, if same results are expected. There are many things that will serve the purpose of fillers and make pretty fair work ; among these may THE HARDWOOD FINISHEB. 15 be mentioned, china clay, silver white and corn starch ; the best of which is probably the last named. This is well adapted to the work being equally useful with light, or when colored with dark wood ; one fault with it, is that it never hardens. China clay the English is the best makes an exceedingly good filler ; it is light in color, very fine and dries as hard as cement. There are an hundred ways of preparing fillers for use, and nearly as many different materials for making them ; I would recommend however, that wherever it is possible, that Wheeler's patent quartz filler be used ; though I am aware, that in many cases, it may not be advisable to use it, and to meet these rare conditions the following mixtures may be substituted. A filler should be so mixed that the greater portion of the vehicle will penetrate into the wood, leaving the pigment on the surface to be rubbed into the pores and still retain enough combining property to form a hard and impenetrable surface. This de- pends entirely upon the proportions of the vehicles employed, and. as different pigments require different quantities of vehicle, I sel- dom mix filler by actual measurement unless it be in large amounts. I proceed with the mixing by filling my pot two-thirds full of the dry pigment, then add boiled linseed oil, producing the consistency of putty, then dilute with about one part japan and two parts turpentine. Should it be required to keep the wood as light as possible, replace the boiled oil with raw, using a smaller quantity, but a little more japan. For all light wood the light japan should be preferred, although there are many who never use anything but the common brown. Naptha can also be employed in place of the turpentine, somewhat reducing the expense ; but, as naptha evaporates much faster, it prevents the operator from covering an extended surface without running the risk of having it dry hard. This causes difficulty at "rubbing it in" and wiping off the sur- plus, although "wiping off " should not proceed until the filler has flatted or, at least, " set." This to a certain extent the operator can accelerate or retard by omitting or adding a 16 THE HARDWOOD FINISHER. small quantity of oil, keeping in view the fact that the smaller the quantity of oil used, the lighter colored, but the less durable, will be the finish. Oil is sometimes used as a filler, but its use is not recom- mended ; applied directly to the wood, its effect is to swell the fibres, or "raise the grain," which remains_in that condition un- til the oil becomes entirely dry or disappears. During this time the fibres are gradually shrinking, and consequently moving or checking the varnish. The qualities essential to a good filler are that it shall readily enter the porous portion of the wood, and shall very soon harden and render the wood impervious to the varnish, which should lie smoothly upon the surface, giving brilliancy and effect to the natural beauty of the wood ; and that it shall not raise the grain of the wood ; and that it shall not change the color of the wood. These conditions are satisfactorily fulfilled by few of the home-made fillers ordinarily used in shops, and while I give a number of receipts, my readers are advised that they will obtain better satisfaction, at less cost by purchasing some of the patent fillers now coming into general use. In these fillers very little oil is used and a large amount of dryers, so that the wood becomes perfectly dry and hard in a few hours prevent- ing any swelling or shrinking of the fibres of the wood after the varnish is applied. The following fillers should be allowed to dry until quite hard. A period of about eight hours is usually suffi- cient, but it is better to let the work stand for twenty-four hours before touching it with glass-paper. In applying a filler it should always be borne in mind that the substance of wood con- sists of a multitude of small tubes lying side by side. These tubes or cells are not continuous from top to bottom of the tree, but are comparatively short and taper out to points so that they are thickest in the middle. Most of the common woods have the walls of these tubes so thin that liquid is readily absorbed by them and carried into the substance for some distance. Different kinds of wood differ much in the shape and arrangement of these cells. In filling the pores the first step is taken in providing an abso- THE HARDWOOD FINISHER. 17 lutely smooth surface. We trust mainly to mechanical force in rubbing in, aided by the absorptive powers of the wood. Formerly successive varnishings and rubbings and scrapings took much time and when they were done, the final finish had still to be applied, but the whole process has now been simplified, by using fillers. The careful workman will not leave "great daubs" of super- fluous filler here and there on the work, but will see that all cor- ners and heads and quirks of mouldings are well cleaned off be- fore it gets too hard to remove easily, and should there be any nail holes which there ought not to be he will have them filled with properly colored putty or cement and nicely smoothed down before he makes any attempt to put on his finishing coats. Among the many homemade fillers I have endeavored to select the best. Walnut Filler, For Medium and Cheap Work. xolbs. bolted English whiting, 3 Ibs. dry burnt umber, 4lbs. Vandyke brown, 3 Ibs. calcined plaster, ^ Ib. Venetian red, i gal. boiled linseed oil, y a sufficient quantity of leaf-gold, which is of two sorts the deep gold, as it is called, and the pale gold. The former is the best ; the latter very useful, and may oc- casionally be introduced for variety or effect. Second, a gilder's cushion : an oblong piece of wood, covered with rough calf-skin, stuffed with flannel several times doubled, with a border of parchment, about four inches deep, at one end, to prevent the air blowing the leaves about when placed on the cushion. THE HARDWOOD FINIS HER. 85 Thirdly, a gilding-knife, with a straight and very smooth edge, to cut the gold. Fourthly, several camel-hair pencils in sizes, and tips, made of a few long camel's hairs put between two cards, in the same manner as hairs are put into tin cases for brushes, thus making a flat brush with a very few hairs. Lastly, a burnisher, which is a crooked piece of agate set in a long wooden handle. SizGSi These are of two kinds : oil sizes are those which when applied, present an adhesive surface, requiring the immediate lay- ing of the gold-leaf upon it ; of this class is the oil-size com- monly used in decorating furniture ; water-sizes are those that are allowed to become dry and hard when applied, and are ren- dered adhesive when the gold is to be laid, by brushing over with water ; for burnish-gilding these are always employed, as oil-size does not dry sufficiently hard to permit of burnishing. Oil Size for Oil-Gilding, Grind calcined red-ochre with the best and oldest drying-oil. When desired for use, add sufficient oil of turpentine to make it work freely. Parchment-Size, F o r preparing Frames, etc. To half a pound of parchment shavings, or cuttings of white leather, add three quarts of water, and boil it in a proper vessel till reduced to nearly half the quantity ; then take it off the fire, and strain it through a sieve. Be careful in the boiling to keep it well stirred, and do not let burn. Gold-Size for Burnish-Gilding, Grin d fine sal-ammoniac well with a muller and stone ; scrape into it a little beef suet, and grind all wet together ; after which, mix in with a pallet- knife a small proportion of parchment-size with a double propor- tion of water. When about to use, add parchment-size until it will just flow from the brush. Another. Grind a lump of tobacco-pipe clay into a very stiff paste with thin size ; add a small quantity of ruddle and fine black lead, ground very fine, and temper the whole with a small 86 THE HARDWOOD FINISHER. piece of tallow. When ready to use, reduce with parchment size until it will just flow from the brush. Another. Grind separately in water, i Ib. Armenian bole, 2 ozs. red lead, a sufficient quantity of black lead ; mix, and re- grind with a small quantity of olive oil. Reduce with parchment size to the proper consistency. To Prevent Gold Adhering, Either one of the following methods will prevent gold-leaf or bronze from adhering to the surface beyond the outlines of the sizing laid on to receive it : 1. Whiting used dry, and applied by means of a pounce bag. 2. Whiting mixed in water, and applied with a soft brush. When the water has evaporated, dust off the superfluous whiting with an ordinary paint duster. By this method a very thin coat- ing of whiting remains, which is free from any grittiness. One advantage gained by the use of whiting thus applied is, it furnishes a whitish ground over which clear varnish or oil-size may be distinctly seen as the striping progresses. After the leaf or bronze has been applied, the work must be carefully washed, so as to insure the removal of the whiting. 3. White of egg reduced with water, and applied with apiece of sponge. 4. A thin wash of starch water, either brushed on with a flat camel-hair brush, or applied with a soft sponge. 5. Take ball liquorice and water, a weak solution, and apply with a soft brush. This may be kept in a bottle ready for use at any time. 6. Cut a new potato in two, amd rub over the part to be sized with the raw face exposed, allowing the juice to remain until dry. It will be observed that any substance which interposes a film over the varnish, itself being free from tackiness and readily removed by water, will answer the purpose. Oil Gilding, Applying the Gold. If the wood to be gilded is finished with varnish or otherwise, no additional foundation is necessary upon which to lay the gold-leaf ; if the wood is not THE HARDWOOD FINISHER. 87 finished, after it has been smoothed and dusted, give it one or two coats of parchment size, after it is perfectly dry and hard, again smoothing the surface with fine sand-paper. That the gold may not adhere to any part of the work except where the size is hard, powder the surface lightly with whiting from a pounce- bag, which is a small bag made of material sufficiently loose to permit the powdered whiting to sift through as fine dust ; if preferred, any of the preceding receipts for that purpose can be used instead. Remove the surplus whiting with the dusting- brush, and the work is then ready for the size. Apply this with a sable or fit brush of the proper size, carefully observing to make the outer lines of the design clear and sharp, that the work may not appear ragged. Let the size remain until it feels tacky, when the gold may be applied. This is the most difficult part of the operation, and experience is necessary before gold-leaf can be laid smoothly without a wrinkle or a break. Turn a leaf of gold out of the book upon the cushion ; breathe gently upon the centre of the leaf and it will lay flat on the cushion ; cut it to the proper size by bringing the knife perpendicularly over it, and sawing it gently until divided. Take your tip (a brush used for the purpose) and after drawing it lightly over your hair to remove any particles or dust that may be upon it, breathe upon it gently, which will dampen it sufficiently to cause the leaf of gold to adhere to it ; lay the tip upon the leaf of gold and carefully transfer it to the work ; blow upon it gently and it will straighten out and adhere. It may be rendered quite smooth by slightly dabbing it with a bit of cotton. In about an hour wash off the superfluous gold from the edges, with a sponge and water. If the article is to be exposed to the weather or much wear, the gilding may be varnished with copal varnish. Burnish-Gilding.- As previously stated, this process requires a specially prepared foundation upon which to lay the gold, and as the preparation of this foundation is a distinct trade, the furniture dealer or cabinet-maker seldom finds it necessary 88 THE HARDWOOD FINISHER. to undertake it, the articles corning to his hand ready-prepared for gilding ; but as in repairing picture-frames, cornices, mirror frames, etc., it frequently becomes necessary to renew the foundation, a comprehensive description of the whole process is given. . Preparing the Wood-WOrk, After smoothing and dusting the work, coat the frames in every part with boiling-hot parchment- size, as previously described, then mix a sufficient quantity of whiting with size to the consistency of thick cream, and with it by means of a brush, coat every part of the frame several times, permitting each coat to become perfectly dry before proceeding with the next. The wood will thus be covered with a layer of hard whiting nearly or quite a sixteenth of an inch in thickness. The size must not be too thick, and when mixed with the whiting should not be so hot as the preliminary coat of size. Polishing, When the preparations are quite dry, clean and polish them. To do this, wet a small piece at a time, and, with a smooth, fine piece of cloth, dipped in water, rub the part till all the bumps and inequalities are removed ; and for those parts where the fingers will not enter, as the mouldings, etc., wind the wet cloth round a piece of wood, and by this means make the surface all smooth and even alike. Where there is carved work, etc., it will sometimes be necessary to bring the mouldings to their original sharpness by means of chisels, gouges, etc., as the preparation will be apt to fill up all the finer parts of the work, which must be thus restored. It is sometimes the practice, after polishing, to go over the work once with fine yellow or Roman ochre ; but this is rarely necessary. Applying the Size, Select the proper gold size from the receipts previously given ; add parchment size until it will just flow from the brush ; make it quite hot, and apply it to the wood with a very soft brush, taking care not to make the first coat too thick ; let it dry and give two or three successive coats, after THE HARDWOOD FINISHER. 89 the last brushing it with a stiff brush to remove any inequalities. The work is then ready for the gold. Laying the gold. The manipulation of the gold leaf has been described under the heading OIL GILDING. In the paint now being described, size used (being water-size, which previously ex- plained is permitted to become hard and dry after being applied) must be moistened to cause the gold-leaf to adhere to it. For this purpose, with a long-haired camel-hair pencil, dipped in water, go over as much of the work as you intend the piece of gold to cover; then lay the gold upon it in the manner previously explained. Be sure that the part to which the gold is applied is sufficiently wet ; indeed it must be floating, or the gold will be apt to crack. Pro- ceed in this manner a little at a time, and do not attempt to cover too much at once, until by experience you are going to handle the gold with freedom. Burnishingi When the work is covered with gold, set it by to dry ; there is a particular state or degree of dryness, known only by experience in which the moulding is in a fit state for bur- ishing ; it will probably be ready to burnish in about eight or ten hours, but it will depend on the warmth of the room or state of the air. When it is ready, those parts intended to be burnished must be dusted with a soft brush ; then wiping the burnisher with a piece of soft wash-leather (quite dry) begin to burnish about an inch or two in length at a time, taking care not to bear too hard, but with a gentle and quick motion, applying the tool until all the parts of the surface are equally bright. Matting OP Dead Goldi Certain portions only of the work are burnished, according to the fancy, and the facility with which the burnishing tool can be applied ; the remaining parts are now to be deprived of their metallic lustre, to make a more effective contrast with the burnishing. The parts thus treated are said to be matted or dead-gold. The process is as follows : Grind some vermillion or yellow ochre very fine, and mix a very small portion either with the parchment size or with the 90 THE HARDWOOD FINISHER. white of an egg, and with a very soft brush lay it evenly on the parts to be dulled ; if well done, it will add greatly to the beauty of the work. Previous to matting, the work must be well cleared of superfluous gold, by means of a soft brush. Finishing- I n elaborate works it is frequently impossible to lay gold-leaf into all the intricacies of an elaborate design, and the parts thus left bare must be finished by touching up with a small brush charged with shell-gold, or gold-powder, mixed with gum-Arabic to the proper consistency. The following receipt de- scribes the preparation of shell-gold : Shelled Gold. Take any quantity of leaf-gold and grind it with a small portion of honey, to a fine powder, add a little gum- Arabic and sugar-candy, with a little water, and mix it well together ; let it dry. Silver Size, Grind pipe-clay fine with a little black-lead and good soap, and add parchment-size as directed for gold-size. Composition for Frame Ornaments, The ornaments for gilded mirror-frames, etc., are usually moulded from some plastic sub- stance that is somewhat tougher and more durable than the ordi- nary gilding foundation of whiting and size. The proper moulds being prepared they are thoroughly rubbed upon the inside with sweet oil, aud the composition firmly pressed in ; after removing the mould the cast may be dried by a gentle heat, or while still plastic it can be applied in its proper place and bent into any position. Following are receipts for composition : Dissolve i Ib. of glue in i gallon of water. In another kettle boil together 2 Ibs. of resin, i gill of Venice turpentine, and i pint of linseed oil ; mix altogether in one kettle, and boil and stir till the water has evaporated. Turn the whole into a tub of finely-rolled whiting, and work till it is the consistency of dough. Boil 7 Ibs. of best glue in 7 half-pints of water. Melt 3 Ibs. of white resin in 3 pints of raw linseed oil. When the above has been well-boiled put them into a large vessel and simmer them for half an hour, stirring the mixture and taking care that it does not boil over. The whole must then be turned into a box of THE HARDWOOD FINISHER. 91 whiting rolled and sifted, and mixed till it is of the consistency of dough. To Manipulate Gold Leaf, Get a piece of paper, thin enough to show shadow of gold-leaf through, slightly wax it, lay it on gold- leaf, the latter will then adhere, and can be easily worked and will come off clean. The paper should be slightly larger than the gold-leaf, and the fingers passed over the paper to make the gold- leaf adhere. Bronzing. This is a process for imitating on metal, plaster wood, or other material, the peculiar appearance produced by chemical action upon the surface of bronze metal. It is accom- plished by spreading over the surface of the material to be orna- mented a very thin coating of bronze-powder, which is caused to adhere either by applying it directly upon a coating of any of the sizes mentioned in the foregoing pages, or by mixing with a ve- hicle, such as gum-Arabic or transparent varnish. The latter is most desirable, as in the other case, being subject to the direct action of the atmosphere, the bronze-powder soon tarnishes. In ornamenting furniture, bronzing is generally employed to repre- sent gilding, a variety of bronze called gold -bronze being used, which affords an excellent imitation but is not very lasting. It is usually applied after the completion of the other finishing proc- esses, the ground-work being prepared in the manner de- scribed under OIL-GILDING, and the size likewise applied as there described. A small wad of cotton batting is then dipped in the bronze and passed gently over the sized portions, causing the bronze to adhere. In the other method that of applying the bronze by means of a vehicle the preliminaries of whiting the ground and sizing are not necessary, a small quantity of bronze being simply mixed with the vehicle employed to such a degree of fluidity that it will flow easily, and in that condition applied with a fine brush. Many preparations are used as vehicles such as transparent varnish thinned with turpentine, gum-Arabic, dis- solved in water, and gold-size reduced with parchment-size. There are a variety of colors in bronze-powders, and to produce 92 THE HARDWOOD FINISHER. the best effect the size or vehicle should be of a color similar to that of the bronze used ; in gold-size the coloring pigment is ochre, and in its place, for green-bronze, or blue-bronze, may be employed respectively verditer, vermillion or Prussian blue, a very small quantity being sufficient. In bronzing on painted work the ground should be as nearly as possible the color of the bronze to be applied. THE END. INDEX. A filler for rosewood, 18. Another method of filling, 1 8. A good recipe for French polish, 47. Another recipe for French polish, 47. A good polish, 48. A polish that will resist water, 48. A French polish reviver, 49. Antique oak, 53. Ash, 63. A fine yellow dye, 8l. A bright yellow dye, 81. Applying size, 88. DERRY BROS, hard oil finish, 25. Brushes for varnishing, 35. Birch, 64. Basswood, 69. Beech, 69. Butternut, 69. Brown stain, 77. Brown stain by another method, 77. Black dye, 77. Bright green dye, 81. Bright red dye, 82. Burnish gilding, 87. Burnishing, 89. G CARRIAGE varnish, 41. Chamois skin, 41. Cleanliness in polishing, 42. Cotton wads for polishing, 45. Cherry, 62. Cedar, 69. Chestnut, 69. Cypress, 70. Cedarvvood imitation, 77. Composition for frame ornaments, 90. UEAD finish, 49. Dying wood, 79. CLM, 6 9 . JT ILLER for light woods, 17. Filler for cherry, 18. Filler for oak, 18. Filler for rosewood, 18. Filler for mahogany, redwood and cherry, 20. F. W. Devoe & Co.'s wax finishing, 24. Finishing, varnishing and polishing, 27. Flowing, 42. French polishing, 44. First and best recipe for French pol- ishing, 47. Finish dead, 49. Fine black dye, 80. Fine blue dye, 80. Finishing, 90. G LUE size, 34. General recipes, 73. Green dye, 8l. Grey dye, 83. Gilding, silvering and bronzing, 83. Gilding, 84. Gold size for burnish gilding, 85. E .ARD oil finish, 25. Hard oil finishing, 34. Hemlock, 70. (93) INDEX. INTRODUCTION, 5. Imitation oak stain, 68. Imitation mahogany stain, 68. Imitation rosewood stain, 68. Imitation walnut stain, 68. LIQUID for brightening and set- ting colors, 82. MURPHY'S transparent varnish, 44- Mahogany, 58. Miscellaneous, 78. Matting or dead gold, 89. 0, "IL shellac, 33. Other French polish recipes, 47. Oak, 52. Oak stains, 58. Oak stain No. 2," 58. Orange dye, 83. Oil size for oil gilding, 85. Oil gilding, 86. PRELIMINARY, 9. Preparation of wood for staining, 19. Polishing and finishing, 27. Preparing shellac, 32. Pumice stone, 39. Prepared spirits, 48. Polish for turner's work, 49. Pine, 65. Poplar, 69. Purple dye, 82. Parchment size, 85. Preparing wood-work, 88. Polishing, 88. R. CUBBING and finishing, 29. Rubber for polishing, 46. Rosewood, 71. Red dye, 82. E and sizing, 26. Staining, finishing, varnishing and polishing, 27. Shellacing, 30. Shellac, preparing, 32. Sandpapering, 36. " Sag " in varnish, 37. Sweating varnish, 40. Sycamore, 70. Stains, 75. Silver grey dye, 83. Sizes, 85. Shelled gold, 90. Silver size, 90. THE various woods, their stains and finish, 51. To brighten stains, 78. The requisites, 84. To prevent gold adhering, 86. To manipulate gold leaf, 91. ARNISHING and polishing, 27. Varnishing hardwood, 35. Varnish brushes, 35. Veneered panels, 43. Varnish polishing, 43. Varnish finish for cheap work, 50. Varnish pans, 51. We OOD fillers and wood-filling, 14. Walnut filler, medium, 17. Walnut filler for wax finish, 17. Walnut filler for first-class work, 17. Wheeler's wood-filler, 22. Wax finish, 50. Walnut, 68. Established 18?0. 1870 STANDARD BOOKS SALE BY THE INDUSTRIAL PUBLICATION CO. New York. These books will Tie sent, postpaid, to any address on receipt o/ price. Full Descriptive Catalogues may le had free. New Catalogues, with additions of new looks, are issued from time to time, and will be sent free to any address on request. All books are bound in extra cloth, unlens when otherwise stated. The Steel Square and Its UseS.-By FRKD. T. 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There is nothing published in this country that is so thorough and complete in the instructions given for upholstering as this book. Handsomely bound in cloth. Price $1.00. Facts and Figures for Practical Men. Containing Data, Formula-. Rules, Tables, and Calculations used by Architects, Blacksmiths. Bricklayers. Builders. Cabinetmakers, Carpenters, Contractors, Engineers. Farmers. Firemen. Founders, (iun- smiths, Joiners, Machinists. Masons, Metalworkers, Millwrights. Painters, Pliuti TITS. Koofers, Roadmaktrs, Surveyors. Tinsmiths, &c. By JOHN PHIN, author of "Practical Treatise on Lightning-Kods," "How to Use the Microscope." &c. It is intended to make this work a convenient and reliable manual for those who have no knowledge of the higher mathematics. It will be published in four parts, price 25 cents each. Part I is nearly ready. The Universal Carpenter and Jolner.-By FRED. T. HODGSON, author of "The Steel Square and Its Uses," "Practical Carpentry," &c. To be handsomely illustrated, and published in four parts, as follows : Part I will contain Carpenter's Geometry, presented in an easy form, with examples of its practical applications in Carpentry and Joinery, showing how to get and work difficult "cuts " and pitches. Part II will be an introduction to the Art and Science of Carpentry proper, with working drawings of Roofs, Bridges, Bevel and Skew Work. Part III will contain a practical treatise on American Joinery, with descrip- tions mid examples of some of the best work in existence. This Part will be full of ex- cellent material for the Joiner and Finisher. Part IV will contain a large number of examples in mixed Joiners- and Car- pentry, Kules for Working. Methods of Working. Tables. Data for Estimating. Form- ulae for laying out work, and Recipes useful to the Practical Workman. It will be the aim of the author to make this work the most complete treatise on Carpentry and Joinery published to date. 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