The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California
Furniture Finishing
The pad must never be allowed to come in contact with the finish unless in motion. When making oval motions with the pad, concentrate on the size of circle and practice it just over the surface before allowing the rubber to pass over the finish or come in contact with it. When you have inscribed the proper oval or circle (four inches in diameter), overlap these circles in such a way as to completely cover the finish without skips, and then drop back over the same surface when the end of the piece is reached.
Never allow the rubber to pass over the same circle or any previous movement, but deviate to a certain extent every time you inscribe a circle with the rubber. The reason for this is obvious. If there is too much concentration on one spot, the rubber will soften this spot entirely too much and possibly stick or rough up the finish. This condition will result if the pad is stopped on the surface or allowed to move too slowly.
Of course a novice, trying the art of French polishing for the first time, is not capable of producing even a fair finish. So many things are to be remembered that one forgets some of them until the mistake is obvious, and frequent recurrence of the same thing will cause him to concentrate to avoid the error. Here are many of the things to do and the things not to do, in order to be successful in frenching.
Positive Rules in French Polishing.—Be sure you have a rubber as described in Chapter II. Care must be exercised in selecting materials that are easy to use, and those intended primarily for French polishing. Be sure that the surface has been sanded by the right grade paper with oil. Keep enough oil on the rubber to prevent sticking to the surface. Use circular motions whenever possible, always ending with strokes parallel with the longest edge.
Negative Rules for French Polishing.—Never use anythin but muslin, or other soft material with no lint, for surface of rubber. Do not apply the rubber to the surface if flooded with any liquid material. It will soften the finish too much and cause streaks. Always distribute the material on pad by pressing in palm of other hand. Never stop the pad on the surface. When it is necessary to apply more material lift the rubber from the surface and place on top of bottle neck firmly and tip so that a small amount of material at a time is soaked up in the rubber. Do not make circles less than three, and better four, inches in diameter.
