The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California
Furniture Finishing
Sulphate of iron in a weak solution modifies the depth of the veneer color, but is only a mild bleach. Other chemicals used, all of which serve a uniforming but only slightly bleaching purpose are potassium-carbonate (salts of tartar), carbonate of soda (soda ash), copperas (sulphate of iron). Bichromate of potash im- parts a brownish tone, chromate of potash a yellow tone, lye a fiery tone on mahogany, all in weak water solutions.
The most effective bleacher, and one free from all of the above objections, as well as simple and handy to use, is sodium bisulphite which may be obtained from any wholesale drug or chemical supply house. It is mixed in a saturated solution, that is, all is put into the water which will dissolve. After settling, the clear top portion, free from residue, is poured off into another container and applied exactly as a water stain, except that the water need not be hot in mixing. When dry the surface is sanded smooth and thoroughly dusted. Water, oil or spirit stain may be applied after the dusting and the finish applied in the regular way.
Where gum parts are to be toned to harmonize with veneers of another coloring, the gum is first treated all over with weak solutions of various anilines, an ounce to the gallon of water or less. Walnut crystals are favored for such work on ordinary walnut furniture. On cheaper or darker work filling the gum with the same material as is used on the veneers will serve the purpose, wash-coating the gum first with shellac or the oil will darken it unduly.
STAIN COLORS FOR FANCY VENEERS
The question of how to treat harmoniously three or more veneers on a single piece is a constantly recurring one. While the possible combinations are without limit, let us take as a sample problem a dresser with a frame of gum, top and two large drawers of butt walnut with fancy satinwood overlay equally divided on the center, upper small drawers of maple with square veneer between of mahogany. Suggested aniline water stain formulas for each veneer follow:
Maple.—To 41/2 gallons water add 1/4 oz. mahogany brown, 13 oz. walnut crystals, 5 oz. chromate of potash.
Satinwood.—1 oz. each lemon yellow and orange yellow, 1/8 oz. jet nigrosene crystals to 5 gallons water.
Mahogany.—3 oz. each walnut crystals and bichromate of potash, 1/2 oz. lye, 1/8 oz. mahogany brown to 2 gallons water.
Walnut and Gum.—1 oz. standard walnut brown, 1 oz. mahogany brown to 3 gallons water and 21/2 of alcohol.
Stain and sand all but walnut and gum first, then give each two thin coats of white shellac; now stain walnut and gum; wash coat walnut and repeat stain on gum if necessary to bring up color to that of veneer, then fill veneer with dark brown paste wood filler to bring out pores.
