Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1874-04-08
Scientific.
How TO MAKE COARSE WOOD LoOI

How TO MAKE COARSE WOOD LOOK
LIKE POLISHED MAHoGANY.-The fol-
lowing process is recommended IN
Wiederholds Trade Circular The
coarse wood is first coated with a col
ored size, which is prepared by thor
oughly mixing up, in warm solution
of part of commercial glue In parts
of water, sufficient quantity of the
commercial mahogany brown, which is
in reality an iron oxide, and in color
stands between so-called English red
and oxide of iron. This is best effected
by adding in excess sufficient quantity
OF the dry color with the warm solution
of glue, and thoroughly mixing the
mass by means of brush until uni
form paste is obtained, in which no
more dry red particles are seen.
A trial coat is then laid upon piece
of wood. If it is desired to give light
mahogany color to the object, it is only
necessary to add less, and for darker
color more, of the brown body color.
When the coat is dry, it may be tested,
by rubbing with the fingers, whether
the color easily separates or not. In
the former case, more glue must be
added until the dry trial coat no longer
perceptibly rubs off with the hands.
Having ascertained in this way the
right condition of the size color with
respect to tint snd strength, it is then
warmed slightly, and worked through a
hair sieve by means of a brush. After
this it is rubbed upon the wood surface
with the brush, which has been care
fully washed. 1t is not necessary to
keep the color warm during the paint
ing. Should it become thick by
gelatinizing, it may be laid on the
wood with the brush, and dries more
rapidly than when the color is too thin.
If the wood is porous and absorbs much
color, a second coat nay be laid on the
first when dry, which will be sufficient
in all cases. On drying, the size color
appears dull and unsightly, but the
following coat changes Immediately the
appearance of the surface. This coat is
spirit varnish. For its production 3
parts of spirits of wine of 900 are added
in excess to l part of red acaroid resin
in one vessel, and in another 10 parts
of shellac, with 40 parts of spirits Of
wine of S00. By repeated agitation for
three or four days, the spirit dissolyes
the resin completely. The shellac
solution is then poured carefully from
the sediment, or, better still, filtered
through a fine cloth, when it may be
observed that slight milky turbidity
is no detriment to its use. The resin
solution is best filtered into the shellac
solution by pouring through funnel
loosely packed with wadding.
When filtered, the solutions of both
resins are mixed by agitating the vessel
and letting the varnish stand few
days. The acaroid resin colors the
shellac, and imparts to it at the same
time the degree of suppleness usually
obtained by the addition of Venetian
turpentine or Gnseed oil. If the var
nish is to be employed as a coat, the
upper layers are poured off at once
from the vessel. One or two coats
suffice, as rule, to give the object an
exceedingly pleasing effect. The coats
dry very quickly, and care must be
taken not to apply the second coat till
the first is completely dry.