Color and varnish strainers are a necessity. Cheese cloth, cut into 6-inch squares, gives a very practical kind of strainer. All colors that have stood for some time after mixing require straining before being used. And finishing varnish—all varnish, in fact, should be strained as the final contents of the can are approached. Many first-class finishers insist upon straining all the varnish they use; and cheese cloth serves the purpose of a good strainer at a low cost.
The best stroke for squaring up varnish has often been discussed at length, and it seems to be the decision of the leading finishers of the country that the horizontal stroke is to be preferred to the vertical. To the beginner the former is probably the most difficult to use, the danger of runs, sags, etc., seemingly being thereby intensified. The natural flow of varnish, as the finishers all may know, is downward, and the horizontal stroke of the brush does not arrest this flow or divert it from its accepted course. The vertical stroke, however, permits of a varnish flow in at least two directions—sideways and downward. Runs and other surface defacers are equally possible with the horizontal or vertical brush stroke. Immunity from such disturbers depends altogether upon the uniformity and equality with which the varnish has been flowed upon the surface.
To renovate and give a fresh new look to cushions and backs, when faded, thin the desired color down with turpentine until it can almost be called a wash, and apply the mixture very thinly. Allow the color to dry thoroughly, and then thin shellac with alcohol until a very thin shellac is provided and coat the articles with this, following immediately with a smart polishing with neatsfoot oil and then wiping dry with clean woolen cloths.
The twine used for bridling paint brushes—and the twine bridle is the favored kind in the carriage paint shop—should be run through melted tallow and beeswax before put to use. After the tallow and wax has cooled on the twine, the bridling may proceed. After the twine is in position on the brush, run a little of the warm grease and wax over it. Thus a more durable and more easily cleaned bridle is given the brush.
Imitation vermilions are considerably favored of late years, but they fade after the manner of a late autumn twilight unless amply protected by varnish. Given adequate varnish protection they show radiant colors and wear durably.
The country carriage painter is no stranger to the vehicle, the family heirloom, perchance, that comes into the shop with hubs split and shattered, and axle grease filtering up through the cracks saturating the wood and making it generally unpaintable. An old carriage painter advises this treatment in order to cause the paint and color to dry over the afflicted parts: First give the hubs a wash with gasoline or benzine, working the fluid well into the cracks. Give plenty of time for evaporation to occur. Then with shellac cut with a little ether, fill in the fissure. Next make a putty of plaster of paris mixed with the shellac and ether. Into the fissures force this mixture, keeping it clearly from the outside surface of the hub, as nothing short of a file will level it after it has dried. Give the putty a nice, smooth dressing off upon the filling of each crevice.
The business wagon occasionally contains a window glass that should go in imitation of frosted glass. Take finely ground whiting and, with 2/3 raw linseed oil to 1/3 japan, mix to a rather stiff consistency; and then with turpentine reduce to a condition to work easily under a camel's-hair brush. Let the mixture be spread quickly and uniformly even upon the glass. Then take finely shredded cloth and roll it into a ball and cover with a clean cotton cloth and proceed to go carefully over the freshly laid on whiting, softly tapping it, until the frosted imitation is brought clearly and prettily into relief.
A surface that has become dented by a blow from a hammer or other blunt instrument can be remedied by so placing the surface that the dent or depression will hold a little water poured into it, and then holding a lighted taper to the water until the heat thus generated in the minute body of water causes the wood to again assume its natural shape and condition. In denting the wood, if a positive rupture does not occur at the edge of the depression the strain of the wood has occurred in two distinct directions—inward and lengthwise—and the reaction when it takes place will be two-fold. A second way of treating such surface difficulties consists of boring with a gimlet through the compressed fibres of the wood until the sound timber is reached. This puncture will counteract the lengthwise reaction. Then moisten with tepid water until the wood recovers its natural position again. The bruise or dent with fractured edges is more easily repaired, as no reaction need be feared, the pressure of the tool making the depression having overcome the natural resistance of the wood; and destruction of resistance results, as may be naturally inferred, in destruction of all reactive functions.
If the carriage or wagon painter at any time wishes a varnish to dry without gloss he may dissolve 4 ounces of beeswax in turpentine and add to 1 quart of varnish. This, while not reducing the body of the varnish, will cause it to dry without much, if any lustre. It will work from the brush freely and wear durably. If only a subdued gloss is desired, use 2 ounces of beeswax to 1 quart of varnish.
The window sashes in business wagons that are painted in some of the dark fashionable greens offer a beautiful contrast to the body color if grained mahogany color. For the ground color for the mahogany use white lead, burnt sienna, and a bit of raw sienna for the toning ingredient. Putty, if necessary, upon the first ground coat. Two coats should suffice to give a dense, stable ground. Burnt sienna, wet in stale beer, forms the graining material. Apply with a soft brush, wipe quickly out with a soft, fleecy sponge, use the blender lightly, and the trick is done.