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Furniture Finishing

Lining consists of running a stripe between scratched or inked guide lines instead of entirely free hand.

PIGMENTS AND BRONZES

Of materials there is a considerable choice. On lacquered surfaces, brushing lacquer enamel and thinner, or spraying lacquer enamels with special striping reducer, may be used. Over paint or varnish, japan or oil colors are most desirable.

Japan color dries in four or five hours and to a flat lustre and should be reduced with turpentine; if not to be protected, a little rubbing varnish should be added. Oil color dries to a gloss overnight, rather too slowly for production conditions; it may be speeded up by the addition of a little japan gold size and like japan color, should be reduced with turpentine. A gold leaf stripe may be laid over japan gold size by running the stripe by brush with the latter then running over while tacky with a roller •which unwinds a strip of the leaf.

With the exception of those mixed in lacquer, no striping materials should be left uncoated if any degree of wear is expected. Where lacquer stripes are finished over, eare should be taken on fronts at least not to spray on the clear lacquer too heavily or the stripe will be softened and sag. Lacquer may be sprayed over japan color stripes, but is not advisable even over hard dry oil color, due to its strong solvent action on oil base materials.

Gold or aluminum bronzes are mixed for striping by pouring the powder into a small quantity of lacquer or varnish bronzing liquid, then thinning to striping consistency, mixing only enough for immediate work. Selection of bronzing liquid should depend on whether the surface is painted, varnished or lacquered. Japan gold size is the best all around liquid as it does not dry too quickly, and unlike lacquer or "banana oil," has no softening action on paint or varnish. With respect to proper "striping consistency," any of the above pigment colors or bronzes applied too thin will stripe out easily but fail to hide and per haps spread; when applied too thick they will hide but drag under the brush. Similar results follow with too little or too much material in the brush. It is well to experiment first, for on the work a stripe should be run in one motion; it is next to impossible to patch, lap or trim up without leaving a telltale trace. The brush is first dipped into the material, then worked out on a piece of plate glass where the consistency can be thinned or thickened. Lacquer striping, however, requires two brushes, one kept in a can of reducer to soften up while the other is in use.