The record-union., 1896-05-24

he as dextrously plucks from its place
each detached piece Of foil, and the
design is laid bare upon the glass while
all other parts are still carefully guard
ed by the aforementioned lead foil
Then the glass plate-the back of
which is still protected by it's coating
of beeswax and tallow-is immersed
into vat of hydrofluoric acid where
it is left for about two and one-half
hours before being drawn up, when a
transformation will have taken place.
The exposed parts of the glass will
have been eaten down to a depth of
from one-sixty- fourth to one thirty
second of an inch, and presents a sort
of waved or rather a granulated ap-
pearance. In other words, one would
expect to see through it readily, but will
discover when he tries that so many
several reflections have been cut by the
action of the acid that the object on
the other side is a blur, while the glass
is apparently clear and smooth.
The design may now be considered
as finished, but the work of frosting
has not yet been begun, though it is
quite simple. An emery block is moist
ened and placed upon the glass, from
foil has been removed, and the glass
worker begins a regular, steady and
even grinding upon the smooth sur
face. The design, which is lower than
the remainder of the surface, remains
unscathed, but millions of the most
delicate scratches are traced upon the
rest of the plate, and when the emery
block is raised and the dust washed
aXaV anOt her, "a N & form ion ba fa ken
place, and your smooth surface is COW
cred with frosting as fine as silk.
Now the composition of white acid,
which makes possible the second pro-
cess used by the glass of the
Southern Pacific shops, is something
Of a secret-considerable of a secret, in
fact, and not above twenty-five men
in the United States are in possession
of it to-day, among that number being
Michael T. Coppersmith, who, under
Foreman Fitch, has charge of the en-
bossing-rOom.
The second, or white acid process, is
just the reverse of the hydrofuoric.
The glass is prepared precisely the
same as for the latter process, but
after the pattern has been cut into the
foil the lead is left covering the de-
sign portion and the main body is left
bare and exposed to the action of white
acid, into which it is dipped and left
for about six minutes, when it is with
drawn and the exposed parts have been
etched into a froStwOrk such as would
have been impossible to make with an
emery block.
Then the remainder Of the foil is re-
moved, the glass carried into another
room, where it is carefully cleaned
and polished, and you find that the
frost work incloses the design, which
is still clear and transparent, and your
panel or doorplate is ready to be put
into its frame In the latter process
you will find that the pattern is some
what raised above the main body Of the
plate instead Of lowered, as it is under
the hydrofuoric process.
The systems now in use for etching
glass are economic as well as convent
ent. All designs were formerly sent
from the East and a stock was often
carried which would fall into disuse
before they would be needed Each de-
sign is marked out upon blue prints,
and from these the pricked tracery
patterns are taken. The books show
that there are now in the shop 264 blue
print designs, for each Of which there
is a pricked pattern, any of which may
be duplicated upon glass at a few
hours notice. 1t may here be said that
all pattern cutting is done free hand and
the man who wields the knife has
nerves a surgeon might envy.
Then in another room mirrors are
made and framed for use all over the
system, while in still another glass
seals are made for car locks. This is
an innovation, and is at once handy
arrangenent and an excellent detective,
il any tampering with cars. The seal
| Is merely a piece of glass one by two
inches in size, on which is pasted a
sliT of paper bearing the name Of a
station from which the car has been
| afsuatched and the number of the seal.
| This il set into a depression in the
| BODY Of the lock and a strong band
Side holds it in place. Beneath the
7lass is the keyhole of the lock, and
| before the lock can be opened the glass
| seal raust be broken. An order for
! 3G0.O00 seals was recently received,
| hyt as yet only 81 900 have been made,
| though the work is going forward as
| ~api Eiy as possible.
| IN rainting. as in all other work, the
| Ioun6ation is an important factor, and
/ the priming, or first coat, is the fOunda-
ton. If the first coat. then, is not OF
| durable material, no matter how good
| the stock is which overlays it, proper
| service will not be got from the arti-
! Gle painted The first coat should, and
| IN the painting of cars always is, of the
| hest linseed oil and lead. or of a mate
rial called ~ primer of the "A, B, c.
| system of painting. Between the two
| waterfalls there is but little choice
| fhourh for some reason linseed Oil
stands pre-enlinently forward as the
standard foundation Of all painting.
Much can be said in favor OF the "A
Y 81 system. nevertheless. 1t is the
! safest and quickest method known foi
| foioec a neat piece of work, and while
/ 1t may not be more durable than the
lead and oil system. neither is it cheap.
er. but the oil system is used almost
| exclusively in the manufacture of cars
| and carriages.
| The method of painting a new first
| class passenger car is as follows, FIRST
| nrfnning coat of lead and oil, or "a
| primer: second, coat OF qulck drylnt
| lead paint. or ''B'' paint; third. putty
| ing all nail holes and other 1ndenta
tions: fourth. coat of lead paint, quicf
drying, of the lead and oil system
firth, three or four coats OF rougf
stuff or the same number of coats o.
paint of the "A, r, c." system
Then there is applied a very Hgh
| coat of black or dark stain, called th'
| guide coat. Following this. the mex
| thing TO be done is to rub the whole
| surface of the car with lump pumice
! stone and water This process lays
| smooth surface. and in order that
/ perfectly even surface may be secured