The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California
Furniture Finishing
Filling Indentations.—When a dent is made on a finished piece it frequently does not go into the wood, but merely presses the finish down below the level, and seldom removes the finish or stain. In this case it is only necessary to use transparent wood cement of the shade nearest to the finish, i. e., reddish transparent, if mahogany, and brownish transparent if walnut or brown mahogany. For light oak or maple, use the lightest
transparent cement.
Tf the indentations are deep, and it appears that they are deeper than the finish, it will not be correct to use a transparent cement unless the finish is considerably darker than the solid stick of cement. The reason for this should be obvious. A deep fill of wood cement will have a darker shade than a shallow fill.
When to Use Solid Color Cement.—When the indentation is real deep and the stain has been removed, select a colored cement, of a shade lighter than the finish, after the cement has been burned-in. Never depend on selecting the right color cement by looking at the sticks. Make a trial of the cement in about the thickness of the depth of the indentation.
Follow the directions found in Chapter IV for burning-in and surfacing a deep scratch, for the same methods must be used in the filling of an indentation. The only difference is the feathered edge of the cement around the edges of the indentation. "When a three-cornered indentation occurs, it is usually shallow at the edge and deep in the center, and when it is smoothed down apparently level and French polished you will easily notice uneven places in the spot by looking across the piece with the repair between you and the light.
ROUTINE OPERATIONS
When burning-in indentations, whether transparent or solid color cement is used, the same methods are employed, as follows: The spot must be clean and dry before beginning the repair work. Heat the cement on the knife over an alcohol lamp and allow the cement to run into the dent until it has been filled. Do not allow it to run over the edges of the dent, especially if you are working on thin finishes, for you will cut through the finish trying to get the surface level.
Press down the cement into the spot with a moist finger immediately after filling and before the cement has time to get cold. After this is done, level the cement by quickly passing the flat side of the knife while hot over the spot. If any excess of cement is burned into the dent it will flow over the finish, so just sufficient cement to make a good fill should be used.
