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Furniture Finishing

The history of stains used today is a history of the coal tar aniline industry. This industry developed about the time of the Civil War. At first the dye was used as vat dyes for coloring fabrics. The dyes made from coal tar distillation are divided into three classes so far as they concern wood finishing: water aniline, spirit aniline and oil aniline dye. Some dyes which are soluble in water and used mostly this way are also soluble in spirits, as for instance, auramine yellow and Bismarck brown, which are mostly used in spirits. The manufacturer usually labels these stains as to how they are soluble. Some oil anilines are soluble in spirits. The finisher should be familiar with these colors, so that he may distinguish between them readily.

CITEMICAL STAINS

Acid water stains formed one of the principal materials for use in staining before the advent of aniline dyes. Chemical stains are dangerous to use (many finishers would refuse to work with them), and they require more time to use than aniline dyes. Tannic acid, five per cent solution in water, produces a light brown effect, but is usually used on woods low in tannic acid content. A solution of bichromate of potash. 4 ounces to a gallon of water, is usually brushed over this to produce the proper shade of brown for walnut, etc. Nitric acid, sulphuric acid and picric acid in a twenty per cent solution produce a yellow shade on most woods. If vised full strength it will produce brown shades. Muriatic acid will produce black and when reduced with water, will make any shade of brown. Bichromate of potash and carbonate of soda when dissolved in water will produce different shades of brown and yellow on different woods. Sulphate of iron will produce black on some woods and gray on others.

Permanganate of potash was the principal chemical stain of former years, and mixed in proportions of from four ounces to eight ounces to a gallon of hot water, would produce most all shades of brown desired for oak and walnut. Two or more coats could be brushed on if the first coat was not dark enough. Ammonia in strong solution is used for fumed oak. Fumed oak gets its name from the process of fuming by placing the pieces to be fumed in a tight room and placing therein a vessel containing strong ammonia. The fumes of the ammonia by chemical action give a rich reddish brown to the finish. Brushing ammonia on is next to impossible as the strong fumes attack the membrane of the nostrils.