Waterbury Democrat., 1901-06-15
MENDING THINGS.
Clements for Broken China or Glass Value of n sand Box to Hold
 Fractured Parts.

Broken glass, china, bric-a-brac and ] picture frames, not to name casts, require each different cement-in | fact, several different cements. Glass
 may be beautifully mended, to look at, but seldom so as to be safely used.
 For clear glass the best cement is isinglass dissolved in gin. Put two
 ounces of isinglass in a clean, wide- l mouthed bottle, add half a pint ot gin and set in the sun until dissolved.
 Shake we'll every day, and before
 using strain through double lawn,
 squeezing very lightly, says the Wash 1 ington Star.
 Spread a white cloth over the mend
 ing table and supply it with plenty of clean linen rags, strong rubber
 bands and narrow white tape, also
 basin of tepid water and clean, soft towel. Wash the broken glass very clean, especially along the
 break, but take care not to chip it l further. Wet both broken edges well with the glue, using camel's hair pencil. Fit the break to nicety, then slip on rubber bands length and
 crosswise--every way they will hold.
 If they will not hold true, as upon
 stemmed thing, a vase, or jug, or scent bottle, string half a dozen
 bands of the same size and strength
 upon bit of tape and tie the tape about neck or base before beginning the gluing. After the parts are joined slip the tape through the same bands
 and tie it up above the fracture; thus
 with all their strength the bands pull hn hrA Aa1 1r fnm ISaT T,le be used thus on casts or china--in
 fact, to hold together anything mend-
 able. Tn glass mending the greater
 the pressure the better--if only it
 stops short of the breaking point.
 Properly made, the isinglass cement is as clear as water. When the pieces fit true, one on the other, the break should be hardly visible. if the pres sure has been great enough to force
 out the tiny bubbles, which otherwise
 refract the light and make the line
 of cleavage distressing1y apparent.
 Mended glass may be used to hold dry things--as rose leaves, sachets
 and violet powder--even candies and fruits. But it will not bear to have
 any sort of liquid left standing in it,
 nor to be washed beyond quick
 rinsing in tepid water. In wiping it, always use avery soft towel, and pat
 the vessel dry, with due regard for it's infrmities. 5f4s
 Mend lamp loose in the collar
 with sifted plaster. of paris of parts
 mixed to very soft paste with beat
 en white of an egg. Have everything
 ready before wetting up the plaster
 and work quickly so it may be set in place. With several lamps to mend
 wet enough plaster for one at time.
 It takes less. than five minutes
 to set, and is utterly worthless if one tries working it over. Metal
 work apart from the glass needs the soldering iron.s Dust the break we'll with powdered rosin, tie the parts firmly together, lay the stick of solder above the break and fetch the iron down fon it lightly but firmly When the solder Goo1s remove the
 melted ar6sfni with a cloth dipped ine alcohol. III ss f1I6s <
 a knack of fracturing themselves in such fashion they cannot possibly
 stand upright one needs a sand box.
 It is only a box of handy size with eight inches of clean, coarsish sand
 in the bottom. Along with it there should be some small leaden weights, l with rings cast in them, running from an ounce to quarter pound. Two
 of each weight are needed. In use, tapes are tied in the rings, and the | pair of weights swung outside the l edges of the. box, so as to press in
 place the upper part of broken ! thing in which the tapes have been l fastened.
 Set. broken platters on edge in the sand box, with the break up. The broken bit can be slapped on. It is the same with plates and saucers. None of these commonly require weighting. But very fine pieces where l invisible seam is wanted should be.
 held firmly until partly set, then have the pair of heaviest weights accurate 1 1y balanced across the broken piece.
 The weights, are also very useful to prop and stay top-heavy, and bal ance them so that they shall not get out of kilter. A cup broken, as is so common with them, can have the tape passed around it, crossing inside the 1 handle, then be set firmly in the sand,
 face down, and be held by the hang
 ing weights pulling one against the other.
 The most dependable cement for china is pure white lead, ground in linseed oil, so thick it will barely
 spread smoothly with knife. Given
 time enough to harden, some three
 months, it makes a seam practically
 indestructible. The objection to it is that it always shows 3 staring white line. A better cement for fine china
 is white of egg and plaster. Sift the plaster three times, and tie a gen. erous pinch of it loosely in mosquito netting. Then beat the egg until it will stick to the plaster. Have the broken egg very clean, cover both with the beaten egg, dust we'll
 with the plaster, fit together at once, tie, using rubber bands, if possible,
 wrap loosely in very soft tissue paper
 and bury head and ears ii the sand box, taking care that tRe break lies so that the sand will hold it together.
 Leave in the box 24 hours. After 41.a