Giving rules and methods for working hardwoods, with description of tools required, the methods of using, and how to sharpen and care for them, including saws, planes, files, scrapers, chisels, gouges and other wood-working tools. How to choose hardwoods for various purposes, and how to work and properly manage veneers. The proper use of glue, directions for preparing glue, blind or secret nailing, how done and how finished. How to sharpen and usb scrapers of various forms, with illustrations showing tools and how to handle them properly, etc.


PART TWO

Treats on the filling, staining, varnishing, polishing, gilding, enameling and finishing all kinds of woodwork. It also treats on renovating old work, re-polishing, re-varnishing and wood finishing generally. There is a short treatise on dyeing woods in various colors for inlaying and marquetry work, with rules for making staining, dyes, fillers, and polishes of various kinds, french polishing, hard-oil finish. Rubbed and flat finish, treatment of hardwood floors, waxing, polishing, shellacking and general finishing of hardwood in all conditions.

Some twelve or fourteen years ago, I prepared a little manual on "Hardwood Finishing," which became quite popular, and to some extent remains so up to the present writing. The little work, however, was far from complete, and I have been asked by a large number of woodworkers to extend the limits of the work, or to reorganize and add more to the subject of wood preparation.

After considering the matter, I was impressed by the latter suggestion, as the title “Hardwood Finisher” seemed to be somewhat misleading, as the intention of the book was to give general instructions in finishing woods of all kinds — hard and soft — and not only making them ready for the varnisher and polisher, but also to instruct the workman in the latter process as well as the former. I have therefore embodied in this new work a number of directions for making and finishing the raw wood, making it ready for the finisher or varnisher and polisher; and have also given directions and formulae for mixing the materials and applying them to the prepared wood.

It goes without saying, that to make a work of this kind useful, it must contain much that has been published before, and much that is taken from the workshop and from the experience of workmen, many of whom have given me their own methods of working. , I am also indebted to a number of current journals, such as “Carpentry and Building,” “The National Builder,” “Scientific American,” “The Carpenter,” “The Woodworker,” “The English Mechanic,” “The Painter's Gazette,” and several others, to whom I offer thanks for such matter as I have made use of.

While the present work may not be as complete as it might be, I have some reason to think it very much superior to any work of the kind now in the market, as it covers more ground, and deals with the subject of wood-finishing in a more extended and complete manner than any other work devoted to the subject that I know of. However, be this as it may, every effort has been made to obtain the best and latest information on the subject and to put it in such a form that the regular every-day workman may understand what is intended to be conveyed. If I have failed to make everything clear to the reader it is because of the lack of ability on my part, not because of desire to do so.

There is no part of the art of wood-finishing that is more important than that of the filling,, and the greatest of care should be exercised both in the choice of filler and the manner in which it is applied. The stain given to it must also be considered, in order that the color and texture of the wood being finished may not be disfigured or spoiled.

Fillers are used by all expert polishers for much the same reason that size is used before varnishing - viz., to prevent immoderate absorption of the polish by the wood Polish, or even thick varnish, when applied to wood, sinks in or is absorbed in places, instead of remaining on the surface in a uniform coat. Here and there it will be observed that the polish or varnish has given more gloss than elsewhere. Where the gloss is brightest the varnish has sunk least.

The grain may be filled up by going over the wood with polish till the pores are closed, and some beginners may want to know why anything else in the nature of a filler should be used. The reason is that comparatively valuable French polish need not be used when a cheaper material serves the purpose, the use of which also saves time. Woods that are open in the grain and porous specially need a filler, while fine, close-grained woods do not, and may be polished without. Still, a suitable filler can do no harm to any kind of wood, however fine the grain may be, so there can be no disadvantage in going over it with one preparatory to polishing. Though it may be a slight waste of time, a preliminary rub over with polish suffices when working on a fine wood, such as olive or rosewood, which are both close and hard. To attain the desired thin, glossy film of shellac, which shall not be liable to grow dull unreasonably soon, the woods ordinarily used in furniture - ash, oak, mahogany, walnut, cherry, etc. - should have the grain filled, for they are all of comparatively open grain; ash and oak, being especially coarse, are called by polishers hungry woods. Polishers usually give such woods one or more coats of spirit varnish as an aid to filling up the grain.

Before commencing the process of filling-in, thoroughly brush all dust out of the grain of the wood, for this is wood-dust, sand from the sandpaper, and dirt - all inimical to grain luster if mixed up with the grain stopper.

Amongst the best "fillers" is a preparation manufactured in Bridgeport, Conn. , and known as Wheeler's Wood-filler, and though it may cost a little more than home-made or other fillers, it is certain to give satisfaction. This filler has for its base a form of mineral silica in an atomic shape, which permits it to be ground or pulverized into a very fine, dqst-like condition, in which each particle assumes a needle-pointed form, which enables them to enter into the pores of the wood and give to the work a gloss-like surface. For filling a cheap class of work, many polishers content themselves with giving the work one or two coats of glue or patent size, heavily stained by the addition of some dry pigment. For mahogany finish add Venetian red till it gives quite a red tinge; for walnut add brown umber; for pine, add yellow ocher.

Apply the size hot with a brush, and rub it in lightly with a piece of rag, finishing the way of the grain, and taking care in the case of turned or moulded work to get the filler well in the recessed parts. Of course, work that has been sized will not need filling-in.

As many different kinds of fillers are used, and each has its advocates, it will be advisable to name the principal fillers used in the trade, and to make a few remarks about each, so that learners can experiment with them, and perhaps finally fix on that which may seem to suit best. All will be found reliable, for good work is turned out by polishers with any of them, and even an extremely prejudiced individual would hesitate to say that any one is really bad, though he uses only that which suits him best. Sometimes, owing to the price, he uses the easiest and quickest, irrespective of its quality.

Wood-fillers ready for use are made for most kinds of wood, and, as a rule, they require only thinning with a little turpentine. When it is desired to make a filler instead of purchasing one readymade, proceed as follows: Take a portion of either china clay or corn-flour; add boiling linseed oil, and stir until the mixture is of the consistency of putty. Then add patent dryers and thin with turpentine. If the wood on which the filler is to be used is to be kept light in color, use raw oil and the lightest variety of dryer. Further remarks on home-made fillers will be found later on.

In woods employed for house and cabinet work there are two distinct natures; therefore different treatment is required in finishing. First, there is the coarse or open-grained wood, having its surface perforated with innumerable pores or cells. In order to obtain a smooth and even finish, these pores should be filled up to a level with the hard grain, or, as the grainer would term them, the lights of the wood. Next we have the fine or close-grained wood, which, like the preceding, also contains these pores, but they are of a very fine character, and simply sealing them up with a liquid filler will enable one to produce a fine, smooth finish, which we shall consider farther on.

I will now return to the open or wide-grained wood, which requires more attention and care than the closer-grained wood, if the same results are expected. There are many things that will serve the purpose of fillers and make pretty fair work; among these may be mentioned china clay, silver white and corn-starch; the best of which is probably the last named. This is well adapted to the work, being equally useful with light, or when colored with dark wood; one fault with it is that it never hardens. China clay - the English is the best - makes an exceedingly good filler; it is light in color, very fine and dries as hard as cement.

There are a hundred ways of preparing fillers for use, and nearly as many different materials for making them; we would recommend, however, that wherever it is possible, Wheeler's patent wood filler be used; though we are aware that in many cases it may not be advisable to use it, and to meet these rare conditions the following mixtures may be substituted.

A filler should be so mixed that the greater portion of the vehicle will penetrate int6 the wood, leaving the pigment on the surface to be rubbed into the pores, and still retain enough combining property to form a hard and impenetrable surface. This depends entirely upon the proportions of the vehicles employed, and different pigments require different quantities of vehicle. Proceed with the mixing by filling the pot two-thirds full of the dry pigment, then add boiled linseed oil, producing the consistency of putty, then dilute with about one part japan and two parts turpentine. Should it be required to keep the wood as light as possible, replace the boiled oil with raw, using a smaller quantity, but a little more japan. For all light wood the light japan should be preferred, although there are many who never use anything but the common brown. Naphtha can also be employed in place of the turpentine, somewhat reducing the expense; but, as naphtha evaporates much faster, it prevents the operator from covering an extended surface without running the risk of having it dry hard.