Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-11-18
STAIN AND FINISH.
;4HINrs FOR AM lTsURs-THg RAGE FOB
STAINED WOODS.
How to Notwithstanding Woods Rich
colors-Finisaing the work
Decoration

The RECORD UNION has been frequently
importuned by correspondents to publish
receipts for staining woods at home-and it
has frequently complied. So much is now
being done in the houses OF the land N the
line of decorative art, SO many amateur
workmen are endeavoring to add to the
ornamentation of home rooms by the
product of their own skill, that an article
on one branch of home work seems timely
That the employment for leisure hours
which the prevalent taste for fancy work at
home gives, is beneficial, cannot be doubt
ed, if it is so kept within control as not to
trench Hoon the duties of life. There can
taste for home manufacture of curtains,
tables, brackets, shelves, stands music
racks, stools, carved work. etc., is bene-
fetal. 1t cultivates the taste, encourages
a patient spirit, teaches the use of tools,
renders deit those who otherwise would be
clumsy, is healthful in exercise, and makes
the home more attractive.
THE YOUTH Is BETTER EMPLOYED
At home with his scroll saw, his planes,
gravers, brushes, saws, hammers and pill
ers than upon the streets, and his hours of
recreation are purer and better for his
mental aud physical being, for the volun.
tary hours of labor upon a work OF fancy.
The home. made gift has greater
value in the eyes of both giver
and recipient; the knowledge acquired
is not valueIess that is gained at the ANA
teur work bench the light purse will de-
bar the many the possession of articles of
beauty which the exercise of skill may en-.
able them to produce at home. Women
and men, too, it is found, engage in home
work of character indicated with profit
and pleasure. Embroidery, painting, en-
craving and working in woods has, indeed,
become remarkably prevalent in the homes
of the people.
JUST NOW
There is a great demand for articles in
''stain." Old stand. frames are rebuilt and
converted into charming book rests, win
dow roos and cornices, and music shelves,
tables OF simple and severe beauty are made
from a plank and few sticks /;
frames of elegant simplicity are made at
home, holdings are disappearing and
SalNSo iCttsELE, "hlAO GCubO dhRic5
squsre corners mark nearly all kinds of
furniture. This renders the work of the
amateur more easy, and makes it possible
FOR him to produce at home many useful
and ornamental articles. There is nothing
of this character at this time costing more
if purchased than articles of stained wood,
and nothing OF this class that is more easily
made at home. What is needed is
patience, reasonably good taste and the
experience that will follow a few failures.
WHAT THE AMATEUR NEEDS
For ordinary light work in woods at home
is fair set of ordinary tools, including
a good inter block and try square, brad
avis, escutcheon pins, compasses, brads,
finishing nails, screws of assorted sizes, a
line ami coarse saw, and one of those
small inter squares for the cutting OF small
pieces with a sharp knife He should have,
also, good glue-pot, bottle of Ruby
gliding, varnishes and oils as needed, three
or four sizes OF the new style of amateur
planes, files flat, half round and rat.taill,
sand paper of several grades, pumice stone,
bit of channels skin, and such assortment
Of thin fancy woods as his taste suggests
and his purse permits. At the planning
mills he can procure any kind of thoroughly
seasoned wood of all thicknesses, but he
will seldom need anything exceeding half
inch, while holdings and plain strips are
to be had at will Thus with small outlay
stock for winter home bench-work NAV
be easily laid. But not all these are abso-
lutely necessary. Some very fine work was
recently shown, where the only tools used
were a knife, fine saw, brad-awl, hammer,
combination inter and square,
THE AMATEUR
Having constructed a desired article.
wishes perhaps to stain it, and to instruct
him in that regard is the purpose of the
present article. The task of staining wood
may at first result in failure, but any sort
of application will bring success. His
work will be easier if his wood has been of
close grain. He must first dress with sand
paper or emery his wood to the smoothest
possible surface. He should next fill it.
and this may be done with any of the
patent filters, or with ordinary shellac, or
better still, mixture of linseed oil, tur.
pentiue and umber, or such other color as
is fit for the color finally to be applied.
This is to be rubbed in and rubbed dry
with wooden or bit of chamois skin. He
should then putty up all holes and irregu-
larities, and when it is well dried rub down
with pumice-stone and water, cleaning
with clear water. 1t is best to apply
next a printing of oil color according
to the nature of the article, and
this, when thoroughly dry, should be
rubbed down with pumice. If it is to be
lacquer work a second and third printing
may be applied, but one must be thor.
oughly dry before another is applied. The
rubbing down must work to
A SMOOTH SURFACE
Only, and not dress off the printing en-.
tirely. An easy circular motion with the
stone or pad is best to produce an even
surface. For ordinary staining the printing
is not usually applied, but the amateur
may be content with well filling the grain
of the wood and bringing it to a smooth
surface. In applying printing always put
OF the second coat in a direction opposite
to the first. In pumicing fine articles use
Enseed oil with the pumice stone instead
of water, and cleanse with bit of wei
sponge, and rub dry with channels Never
use linen rags. If exceeding fine work is
TO be done the first lacquer coat
itself should, when thoroughly hard.
be pumiced down, but with this YOU must
proceed with the greatest care, never rub.
ping through the coat, ana aiming only to
work out all the inequalities of surface
When your pumice stone grows dull, rub
it against another. and it will "take or
cut Ike new. Most of the ebonized
work for sale in the stores these days has
the stain applied directly upon the filed
wood without all this printing. but the
finest work is primed, and lacquer work
must be. When your stain is applied it
may be vanished or polished. You must
varnish in a room free from dust and closed
tightly, and used as little as possible while
the varnish is drying. Either camel's hair
or b-istle brushes are used for varnisI .
ing, and they need to be of three or four
sizes, Use no brush that loses it's bristles
after having had fair soaking for a
day or so in water Cleanse your
brushes at once-never let them