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Furniture Finishing

It is therefore best put on with a spray, in either case away from direct sunlight. The undercoat should be hard dry, for if soft, the finish will fail to crystalize properly. The crystalizing action will take place at room temperatures, but the action is much slower and much more uncertain in results than if artificial means are employed.

These consist of either a baking oven or special air-tight compartment in which the freshly coated objects are placed, not too close together, subject to a heat of 110° F. No light should be admitted and the gas burner or oil stove should operate directly into the chamber, serving both to provide the necessary heat and exhaust the air.

The heat should not go over the above temperature and no ventilation should be permitted.

The crystals are generally formed complete in from twenty to forty-five minutes. As with crackle lacquer, the depth of film affects the nature of the finish; thus, a heavy coat will yield larger crystals, just as a thin coat will form finer ones. Most of the material is intended to be applied as taken from the container, but may be reduced if desired with naphtha.

Once crystalized, the finish may be air dried naturally or baked, one brand of black hardening in two hours at 250° F., the clear at 150 ° F. in four hours. A higher temperature may be used to shorten the baking time for the black, but the clear may be yellowed with excessive heat.

It should be borne in mind that the two operations of crystalizing and baking are separate and cannot be performed at one and the same time. The baking is the same as for any japan varnish or enamel; the crystalizing is a prior process and does not yield a dried finish. Thus, wooden furniture, for instance, is best air dried after the crystalizing. whereas a metal object may be baked and is therefore more quickly finished.


Mirror Resilvering


THE equipment necessary for mirror silvering consists of an inclined washing rack, a movable table on casters and a large solidly-made silvering table. This last is covered with canvas stretched tight over a layer of felt so as to give a firm surface which at the same time will yield enough to prevent breakage of the glass. Underneath the table top, and about equal to it in size, is placed a shallow metal tank, full of water, through which a system of steam pipes is passed back and forth to be kept at a uniform heat.