The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California
Furniture Finishing
Materials.—Almost any spirit varnish will cause a reaction on the finish, restoring the original color to the finish and eliminating the white opaque effect. Many materials are made for removing water marks, such as amalgamates, glazes, and specially prepared lacquers for brushing or spraying.
Brushing Method.—Sand the surface thoroughly with 3/0 garnet finishing paper. The coarse paper is used to cut canals into the finish and thus allow penetration of the amalgamating liquid. Clean off dry with a duster and then wipe with a tack rag dipped in varnish and allowed to nearly dry. This will pick up all loose dust particles. Flow the material on as heavily as possible without running, having the surface lying horizontal if possible. Each brushful should be followed by another as quickly as possible, overlapping all strokes, covering the surface thoroughly. Allow this coat to dry twelve to twenty-four hours, or until the surface is hard and will not mark by pressing with the palm of the hand.
Spraying Method.—Spray the material on the surface in a horizontal position, if possible, thoroughly covering the surface (this, of course, after the sanding), and allow to dry the same time as though brushed on. Sometimes an extra coat is necessary when sprayed on, unless the first coat has been heavy. Sanding of the surfaces after brushing or spraying cannot be done until thoroughly hard. Steel wool can be used if no further coats are required.
French Polishing on Water Spots.—Many times one will be called upon to remove a water spot of small dimensions, and it would be folly to flow over an amalgamater if one could remove it by French polishing, and even when it cannot be removed with a rubber, one can frequently spray over the spot without making much of a lap over the surrounding surface. Sand the spot with 5/0 garnet finishing paper and clean off dry. Saturate the rubber with amalgamater and apply to the spot, rubbing in four-inch circles, crossing the spot as much as possible and overlapping the circles closely together. Make frequent applications of material to the rubber so that the spot will become soft, and allow the amalgamater to penetrate to the depth of the white film.
After the white has disappeared, one may finish the spot by polishing out with lighter strokes, ending with the grain. If it is a large spot, polish the rest of the immediate surface to match. If the surface is to be satin or dull, brush out with a dulling brush and FFF pumice stone before it dries and immediately after finishing the French polishing. This dulling operation is described fully in Chapter V.
