Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1907-07-20
AN UNSTOCKED TRADE.
One Business Which Has to Hunt For
Good Workmen.


Good Workmen.
There is one class of workmen VINO,
in New York at least, do not have To
look for employment, but are eagerly
sought for by employers. They are
the skilled carriage painters ana var
Aishers. the latter particularly says
The New York Press. The enormous
growth OF the automobile business ere
ated n demand that is nowhere nearly
mot There are establishments in the
city that constantly are on the watch
for good men, and while they are wait
ing for them they run the painting
department of their business at big
loss Other firms are more fortunate,
for they possess the right men or the
right man, but at the very best there
is an element of gambling in all me
vehicle painting.
The work requires special knack,
special training and care that never
for a moment relaXes. house paint
er, fresco painter or even piano var
nisher Is apt to be bungler at the
work \ single mistake or slight ac-
cident may ncceSstate the Wnole
tedious process being gone through
again. When vanishing is done the
room is locked against all intruderS'
the cracks of the windows and doors
are stuffed with rags and paper the
floors. lower part of the walls ana the
window sllls are sprinkled with water,
and the place is vigilantly searched
lest Il hv or other insect may be there.
If a speck of dust settles while the
varnish is being flowed on it VIII make
an ugly lump that stands out glaring-
" in contrast TO the rest of tie smooth
surface. \ fly lighting on the fresh
varnish will cause an upheaval rela-
lively as great as sun spot Ana
sudden changes of temperature may
cause unequal drying, and crack VIII
result. In any of these cases there Is
no possibility of patching and covering
over the defect The coating has to be
burned off down to the lead and the
work done over again. An ineXpert
man in the paint shop can in couple
Of days wipe out the profits of the
rest of the establishment and, unfor-
tunately, expert men are harder to get
as the relative number of vehicles in
Creases.
Even when q Job leaves the place IN
good condition the difficulties OF the
painter are not ended \ carriage may
be caught I'm a shower, and the mois-
ture may dry on It, That will cause
spotting and streaklng The carriage
NAV be housed in an unventilated
stable. and the fumes will affect the
gum copal or the resin or other gum
IN the varnsh and cause 1t to turn
yellow. Then the owner comes back
at the painter, and it takes tact and
persuasive power to convince the own
or that he has been in any way at
fault.
Another minor difficulty occurs in
the matter of brushes. \ good set OF
four varnish brushes. genuine badger
hair. Of from one 20 three inches, can
be bought for s. or SIS. But The buying
Of the brushes only begins the opera
tlon. They must lie tested. worked
ont and seasoned before they can be
used Oh fine work. Not long ago n
carriage painter sold his set Of four
vanishing brushes, which he had used
continuously for fifteen years, for $500,
ana the varnisher who got them con
sidered that he had bargain. The
brushes were perfect in every respect
and could be depended upon in any
fob. no matter how difficult.