The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California
Furniture Finishing
Removing the Old Backing.—The initial operation calls for removing the old paint and silver, the first with paint and varnish remover, the second with nitric acid or a mixture of nitric and sulphuric acid. The latter is rubbed on gently with a ball of cotton batting tied around the end of a stick dipped into the acid. It is then mounted on the wash rack and washed clean with distilled water, after which it is ready for the application of the tin solution.
The Tin Solution.—Now mix a solution composed of one ounce of muriate of tin (crystals) to one gallon of distilled water and pour on over the glass. When it has drained down over the entire glass, pour on clear distilled water; it will appear to wash off the tin solution, but actually a sufficient trace will be left. The glass is then moved from the rack to the heated silvering table so that in the next operation it will be warm enough for the silver nitrate solution to precipitate. It is desirable to place small Y-shaped wedges under the edges of the mirror in order first, to assure its being exactly level, and secondly, to make the mirror easier to lift off when the silvering has been completed.
The Sliver Nitrate Solution.—The next step is to apply the silvering solution, which is composed of two solutions prepared separately, then mixed together in equal parts. All of the chemicals can be secured from a druggist who, on request, will also do the weighing.
A Solution.—Dissolve 120 grains of silver nitrate in two fluid ounces of distilled water and pour quickly into a boiling solution of 96 grains rochelle salts mixed in two fluid ounces distilled water. "When cool filter through filtering paper into a glass jar, or bottle and make up to twenty-four fluid ounces with distilled water.
B Solution.—Dissolve 120 grains of silver nitrate in two fluid ounces of distilled water and add ammonia until the precipitation is nearly completed. Then make up to twenty-four fluid ounces with distilled water and filter into glass container as above described.
Silvering.—When the two solutions have been mixed into one. it is poured slowly on the glass so as to cover completely without running off. After being left on the silvering table fifteen to twenty minutes, the mirror will have gradually taken on a viniformly grayish appearance which indicates complete precipitation of the silver. The mirror is now gently tipped to permit the free top layer of water to run off onto the canvas, after which it is carefully placed on the movable table and gently tapped with a chamois skin to remove all remaining moisture.
