A Good Dryer.
A good dryer for printers’ use is made by taking a small quantity of perfectly dry acetate of lead or borate of manganese in impalpable powder will hasten the drying of the ink. It is essential that it should be thoroughly incorporated with the ink by trituration in a mortar.
A Strong Lye.
A very strong printers’ lye may be made as follows:—Take of table salt, 2 oz.; unslacked lime, 2 lb., and bruised Scotch washing soda, 2 lb. Mix together in three gallons of water, stirring frequently until the ingredients are dissolved, when the lye will be ready for use. This is a powerful mixture, and will wash off almost any color.
Effect of Petroleum Oil on Wood Type.
Although petroleum oil is a highly useful fluid for cleansing wood letter or wood-cuts, the printer should be cautioned that it is highly detrimental to type and stereoplate. While it has no effect in opening the pores of the wood, but on the contrary, hardens the surface, rendering the face peculiarly smooth, it corrodes or rots the metal, and leaves a white powder on the face, which, although it may be removed with a brush, shows that the type has been injured. Besides this, petroleum is highly dangerous on account of its inflammability. It cannot be extinguished by water.
A Bronze or Changeable Hue.
A bronze or changeable hue may be given to inks with the following mixture:—Gum shellac, 1½ lb., dissolved in one gallon of 95 per cent alcohol or Cologne spirits for 24 hours. Then add fourteen ounces aniline red. Let it stand for a few hours longer, when it will be ready for use. When added to a good blue, black, or other dark inks, it gives them a rich hue. The quantity used must be very carefully apportioned.
In mixing the materials, add the dark color sparingly at first, for it is easier to add more, if necessary, than to take away, as in making a dark color lighter, you increase its bulk considerably.