The Modern Wood Finisher
THE MODERN WOOD FINISHER
A PRACTICAL TREATISE ON WOOD FINISHING IN ALL ITS BRANCHES
INCLUDING
Tools and materials employed, preparation of surfaces, stains and staining, fillers and filling, shellacking, varnishes and varnishing, rubbing, polishing, french polishing, wax polishing, oil polishing, etc., Also a Full Description of the Woods Employed in Wood Finishing, their Treatment, and the Finishing of Floors.
BY F. MAIRE,
Formerly Editor of "PAINTING AND DECORATING.
Chicago, Press of The Western Painter, 1901.
DOWNLOAD FREE BOOK:
The Modern Wood Finisher
PREFACE
The subscriber wrote a series of articles on wood finishing in all its branches, which embodied his observations of the practice of the same in all the leading furniture factories and large paint shops in the country.
These articles appeared in The Western Painter in 1898 and the early part of 1899, and were well received by the trade. However, as from necessity, caused by want of time, they were hurriedly written and some parts not having received as much attention as they should, it was decided to rewrite these entirely, adding considerably to the text and illustrating the same wherever possible to do so to make it plainer and better understood as, for instance, in the appliances used in wood finishing.
While nearly every branch of "Painting" and "Paper Hanging" has been written upon and have had dozens of treatises published in handy book form, wood finishing has had but few exponents of the art in that form, therefore the conclusion come to publish this in a handy volume for ready reference or consultation.
While it is not claimed that the practical, first-class wood finisher will receive very much addition to his store of knowledge by the perusal of the contents of this volume, yet the great majority of painters and contractors, who have not made that branch of the trade a specialty, will welcome it, will be interested, and, it is hoped, benefitted by adding it to their shop library.
From many letters received from practical painters, it is very evident that there exists a great deal of ignorance among the craft of the simplest principles of wood finishing, or else many queries would not have been made. To all such, and also for those who know but who forget and need a work of this kind as a manual of reference to brighten up the memory, this little volume is dedicated.
These articles appeared in The Western Painter in 1898 and the early part of 1899, and were well received by the trade. However, as from necessity, caused by want of time, they were hurriedly written and some parts not having received as much attention as they should, it was decided to rewrite these entirely, adding considerably to the text and illustrating the same wherever possible to do so to make it plainer and better understood as, for instance, in the appliances used in wood finishing.
While nearly every branch of "Painting" and "Paper Hanging" has been written upon and have had dozens of treatises published in handy book form, wood finishing has had but few exponents of the art in that form, therefore the conclusion come to publish this in a handy volume for ready reference or consultation.
While it is not claimed that the practical, first-class wood finisher will receive very much addition to his store of knowledge by the perusal of the contents of this volume, yet the great majority of painters and contractors, who have not made that branch of the trade a specialty, will welcome it, will be interested, and, it is hoped, benefitted by adding it to their shop library.
From many letters received from practical painters, it is very evident that there exists a great deal of ignorance among the craft of the simplest principles of wood finishing, or else many queries would not have been made. To all such, and also for those who know but who forget and need a work of this kind as a manual of reference to brighten up the memory, this little volume is dedicated.
F. MAIRE
CHAPTER XIII - FRENCH POLISHING.
This finish can be put on in two different ways. First by taking the wood from the cabinet makers in its raw condition, if it may be so termed and the operation commenced at once or the operation can be delayed and commenced only after the surface has been filled and cleaned off.
To cut a long rigmarole short, the process of French polishing can be stated in a few words to consist of: The gradual filling up of the surface of a piece of wood by an alcoholic solution of shellac until the same is brought to a high polish by rubbing.
While the statement of what the process really is, occupies but a little space to tell it and at a first glance it would seem to be much easier than the processes which have been described in preceeding chapters, in reality when all combined are but "child's" play alongside of this simple looking affair.
As some finishers do not believe in the wood being filled previous to applying the French polish, and think that the whole process should consist of the same substance as the finish it will be well to notice the operation from the raw wood.
Of course the same conditions exist here as have been stated at length elsewhere. That is, the pores of the wood are just as open and have to be closed. If the wood is off in color it has to be stained in the same way as has been recounted in the chapter on staining and stain, and that previous to commencing the French polishing.
To commence with, let us consider what appliances are necessary for the purpose of its application, as brushes are perfectly useless for the purpose.
It has been said that all there was in French polishing was the filling and bringing up of the surface to a brilliant polish by the application of shellac. (Under this name the alcoholic solution of shellac known as shellac varnish is understood, and that article will be understood when the word shellac is used in this chapter).
Shellac applied to unfilled wood will sink into the pores and disappear, and if applied with a brush will remain upon the surface of the fibres as well as sink in the pores so that a succession of ridges would be the result. As this would mean the death of the finish and the utter impossibility of a perfectly level surface other methods must be resorted to to obtain this result.
Before explaining the mechanical processes of "how the work is done" it will be well to consider a few principles that when well understood will greatly aid a novice in comprehending the "why and wherefore" of the operations described.
It must be understood that spirit varnishes become milky and opaque in damp atmospheres and in cold ones also, so it will be necessary to artificially raise it if it should happen to be that the thermometer should register less than 65° to 70°. The latter is about the minimum at which it is safe to proceed.
As the thinner the film of varnish used the better are the results, it is necessary to apply the shellac in very limited quantities, and the same can only be done by rubbing it on and in.
For this purpose it is necessary to make a pad. That there are different ideas as to how these should be made is to be expected and it will not make so much difference in the end if the general principles of French polishing that will be laid down are well understood.
To make a rubbing pad suitable for flat surfaces tear strips of woolen cloth from 1 1/4 to 2 inches wide, roll it up to such a size as will best suit the work on hand and tie it in the center in the shape represented by Fig. 16 which represents the bottom view of the pad, and by Fig. 17, which represents a side view of it. A single thickness of soft linen or cotton cloth from which the sizing has been washed off or which has been in use and washed several times until it is soft, should be put upon the face of the rubber and the edges simply drawn over the top and used as a handle when grasped by the hand.
This form of pad as has been previously stated is very useful for flat surfaces, but for them only, as it is impossible to reach into the curves of mouldings with it.
Another form of pad which adapts itself to shapes that are curved but which is also largely used on flat surfaces, is very easily and simply made by taking the very finest of cotton batting, making it up into a ball and covering it over with one thickness of either soft linen or soft cotton rags, as will be noted further on. Grasp the covering in the hand and it will serve as a handle to propel the pad over the work, but do not tie it.
Be careful to avoid the creasing of the rag covering of your pads, as this will greatly hurt their efficiency and the freedom of their working, besides giving the coating of shellac a smeary appearance. Some workmen prefer to take wadding and with a sharp knife carefully remove the glazed sizing on each side of it; they then take the soft interior for making their pads. The main object is to get a perfectly soft cotton, and the highest grade of cot- ton batting is good enough for most purposes. Small pad rubbers are usually held by the thumb and the tips of the fingers but the larger ones require the palm of the hand to be used in propelling them over the work. The requisite now is to charge the pad with shellac. For doing this open up the covering of the pad and drop the shellac on the wadding from a bottle through the cork covering of which a goose quill has been placed. This will enable the operator to have full control of the amount which he applies upon the wad, which, let it here be well understood, should never be large. Only enough to dampen the wadding should be applied and it should never appear through the rag covering except when it is pressed. This is very essential as will appear later and all novices at first err in that they try to apply too much shellac to their work at once.
To cut a long rigmarole short, the process of French polishing can be stated in a few words to consist of: The gradual filling up of the surface of a piece of wood by an alcoholic solution of shellac until the same is brought to a high polish by rubbing.
While the statement of what the process really is, occupies but a little space to tell it and at a first glance it would seem to be much easier than the processes which have been described in preceeding chapters, in reality when all combined are but "child's" play alongside of this simple looking affair.
As some finishers do not believe in the wood being filled previous to applying the French polish, and think that the whole process should consist of the same substance as the finish it will be well to notice the operation from the raw wood.
Of course the same conditions exist here as have been stated at length elsewhere. That is, the pores of the wood are just as open and have to be closed. If the wood is off in color it has to be stained in the same way as has been recounted in the chapter on staining and stain, and that previous to commencing the French polishing.
To commence with, let us consider what appliances are necessary for the purpose of its application, as brushes are perfectly useless for the purpose.
It has been said that all there was in French polishing was the filling and bringing up of the surface to a brilliant polish by the application of shellac. (Under this name the alcoholic solution of shellac known as shellac varnish is understood, and that article will be understood when the word shellac is used in this chapter).
Shellac applied to unfilled wood will sink into the pores and disappear, and if applied with a brush will remain upon the surface of the fibres as well as sink in the pores so that a succession of ridges would be the result. As this would mean the death of the finish and the utter impossibility of a perfectly level surface other methods must be resorted to to obtain this result.
Before explaining the mechanical processes of "how the work is done" it will be well to consider a few principles that when well understood will greatly aid a novice in comprehending the "why and wherefore" of the operations described.
It must be understood that spirit varnishes become milky and opaque in damp atmospheres and in cold ones also, so it will be necessary to artificially raise it if it should happen to be that the thermometer should register less than 65° to 70°. The latter is about the minimum at which it is safe to proceed.
As the thinner the film of varnish used the better are the results, it is necessary to apply the shellac in very limited quantities, and the same can only be done by rubbing it on and in.
For this purpose it is necessary to make a pad. That there are different ideas as to how these should be made is to be expected and it will not make so much difference in the end if the general principles of French polishing that will be laid down are well understood.
To make a rubbing pad suitable for flat surfaces tear strips of woolen cloth from 1 1/4 to 2 inches wide, roll it up to such a size as will best suit the work on hand and tie it in the center in the shape represented by Fig. 16 which represents the bottom view of the pad, and by Fig. 17, which represents a side view of it. A single thickness of soft linen or cotton cloth from which the sizing has been washed off or which has been in use and washed several times until it is soft, should be put upon the face of the rubber and the edges simply drawn over the top and used as a handle when grasped by the hand.
This form of pad as has been previously stated is very useful for flat surfaces, but for them only, as it is impossible to reach into the curves of mouldings with it.
Another form of pad which adapts itself to shapes that are curved but which is also largely used on flat surfaces, is very easily and simply made by taking the very finest of cotton batting, making it up into a ball and covering it over with one thickness of either soft linen or soft cotton rags, as will be noted further on. Grasp the covering in the hand and it will serve as a handle to propel the pad over the work, but do not tie it.
Be careful to avoid the creasing of the rag covering of your pads, as this will greatly hurt their efficiency and the freedom of their working, besides giving the coating of shellac a smeary appearance. Some workmen prefer to take wadding and with a sharp knife carefully remove the glazed sizing on each side of it; they then take the soft interior for making their pads. The main object is to get a perfectly soft cotton, and the highest grade of cot- ton batting is good enough for most purposes. Small pad rubbers are usually held by the thumb and the tips of the fingers but the larger ones require the palm of the hand to be used in propelling them over the work. The requisite now is to charge the pad with shellac. For doing this open up the covering of the pad and drop the shellac on the wadding from a bottle through the cork covering of which a goose quill has been placed. This will enable the operator to have full control of the amount which he applies upon the wad, which, let it here be well understood, should never be large. Only enough to dampen the wadding should be applied and it should never appear through the rag covering except when it is pressed. This is very essential as will appear later and all novices at first err in that they try to apply too much shellac to their work at once.
If it be dark colored wood that is being polished the orange shellac is good enough to use, but when such woods as holly or maple or other very light wood are being treated, only the white shellac is admissible, as otherwise these light woods would be discolored and rendered yellowish toned.
As the covering of a surface that has not been filled is now under consideration it will first be gone over with a slightly dampened chamois skin to remove any dust that may have settled upon it, and after a short time has elapsed to allow any dampness present to evaporate, take the pad filled with shellac in the way and manner de- scribed previously and proceed to apply it to the wood. As the first operation necessary is to spread the shellac about equally over the surface, rub the pad back and forth over it in such a way that each subsequent stroke will partly cover the surface just gone over in some such way as shown in Fig. 18 rubbing across the grain.
DOWNLOAD FREE BOOK: The Modern Wood Finisher
