The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California
Furniture Finishing
Formulas.—As with walnut it would be impossible to give for mahogany all of the stain formulas suitable for a shaded finish. Practically any of the standard Adam and Antique brown powders put out by manufacturers will serve, provided the above recommendations as to mist and shading coat strengths are adhered to. The formulas which follow are for shading only over any standard body mist coat color of light brown or reddish-brown tone:
(1) 4 oz. mahogany brown, 1/2 oz. jet nigrosene, to 1 gallon water and 1 quart alcohol.
(2) 6 oz. blue black nigrosene, 4 oz. orange yellow to 5 gallons water.
(3) 5 oz. mahogany brown, 1 oz. orange yellow, 1/2 oz. jet nigrosene to 11/2 gallons water. For red mahogany the proportion of black in each formula is increased.
Birch, Poplar and Gum.—These are shaded and high-lighted as above outlined for walnut and mahogany according to which one is to be imitated. No filler is needed.
Maple.—The modern color for birdseye or blistered maple veneers ranges from a rich dark or light hazelnut brown to a mellow antique amber. These stains may be purchased readymade to be dissolved as per manufacturers' instructions or mixed with anilines as follows:
(1) Brown—3/4 oz. standard walnut, 1/4 oz. mahogany brown, 1/8 oz. mahogany red to 1 gallon water.
(2) Amber—11/4 oz. walnut crystals, 1/4 oz. scarlet, 5 oz.
each orange and lemon yellow dissolved in 4 gallons of water. To shade add 1/4 oz. jet nigrosine to the gallon solutions or use 1 oz. each bich. potash and walnut crystals to the gallon of water and apply when body color is dry.
(3) Silver Gray—For silver gray maple 1/4 oz. each blue black and jet nigrosene to a gallon of water forms the base coat stain. This may be shaded by using the same solution strengthened with an additional half ounce of jet nigrosene or mahogany brown, but does not call for as pronounced a shaded effect as for the amber. Being a tight-grained wood, maple requires no filler.
Satimvood.—This is usually stained with a solution like 3/4 oz. of tobacco brown and 14 oz- lemon yellow to a gallon of water, but is sometimes shaded to harmonize with walnut with a solution of 1 oz. mahogany brown to the gallon of water. No filler is required.
Oak and Ash.—When a close approximation of antique originals is the idea the work is left unfilled, oil or water stain being sprayed direct as for walnut. On modern designs natural or light brown filler only is applied, followed by spirit shading stain when dry.
For other water stain formulas see Chapters VIII and IX (Book III).
