( lass Book PRESENTED BY EVERYBODY'S PAINT BOOK. A COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE ART OF OUTDOOR AND INDOOR PAINTING. DESIGNED FOR THE SPECIAL USE OF THOSE WHO WISH TO DO THEIR OWN WORK, . AND CONSISTING OF PRACTICAL LESSONS PLAIN PAINTING, VARNISHING, POLISHING, STAINING, PAPER-HANGING, KALSOMINING, ETC., r , r AS WELL AS DIRECTIONS FOR RENOVATING FURNITURE, AND HINTS ON ARTISTIC WORK FOR HOME DECORATION, TOGETHER WITH A FULL DESCRIPTION OF THE TOOLS AND MATERIALS USED. PRECISE DIRECTIONS ARE GIVEN FOR MIXING PAINTS FOR ALL PURPOSES. ILLUSTRATED. By F. B. GARDNER, Author of" The American Method of Carriage Painting." NEW YORK: M. T. RICHARDSON, PUBLISHER. 1884. . S 2.S COPYRIGHTED BY M. T. RICHARDSON, 1884. GIFT $ISS E. M KSTTREDG1 JAN- 22, 1940 EDWARD O. JENKINS, Printer and Stereoiyfter, 20 North William St., New York. I ^[5 Fig. 21.— Stench Designs. leave bars (as shown in the engravings, Fig. 21) to hold the several parts together. The brushes best suited for stencils may be purchased 60 everybody's paint book. at the paint stores ; but in case they are not easily pro- cured, take a good-sized camel's-hair pencil and cut it square across, leaving the hairs about one-half an inch in length. A shaving brush may also be used, by simply wrapping around it a strong cord until the bristles are made the proper length. Where a stencil pattern is to be frequently used, it is best to varnish the paper with shellac varnish to prevent the absorption of liquid from the colors and the rotting of the paper. The colors for stencilling are best purchased ready ground in size. The following list embraces those best adapted for the work, and the average price therefor : Cheome Yellow, 35 cents per pound. Silk Green, 35 Indian Red, 25 Dkop Black, 20 Vandyke Brown, 20 Burnt Sienna, 18 Raw Sienna, 18 Burnt "Umber, 18 Raw Umber, 18 Venetian Red, 15 French Ochre, 10 In using the colors it is a good plan to have at hand a piece of pasteboard, or a dry pine board, on which to rub EVERYBODY S PAINT BOOK. 61 the brush, to prevent so much color being applied as to make the edges of the stencil thick or ragged. The stencil plate should be frequently cleaned, and this work must be carefully done, or the small bars or points may be injured and the stencil ruined. Long stripes of any width may be run on, not as a car- riage striper would run them with a striping pencil, but by the use of a straight-edge and a flat, bristle pencil, known in the trade as "artists' pencils" (see Fig. 22). Fig. 22 shows a Chiselled Artist's Pencil. The practiced hand can draw a very correct stripe. This should not be attempted by the novice until by repeated practice he is certain of good results. A plaster cornice may sometimes be colored in tints to greatly improve it, and this work will be found quite easy, owing to the sharp edges it presents to form the bound- ary of the lines. The wall and ceiling having been completed, the paint- ing of windows and doors is now in order, and the reader may learn how such work is done by referring to Chapter V., in which the mixing of tints, etc., is fully explained. 62 everybody's paint book. Paper-Hanging. It may be desirable to paper the side walls, and a few words on the hanging of paper will not be amiss, just here. Most wall-paper is provided with two margins, and the first thing in order is to cut from the right-hand side all the margin, leaving the left side to form the under-lap. The matching of figures must next be taken into account, particularly if it be a large figure, otherwise a waste would occur on each length cut off. A veiy little study will enable one to know just how to begin the cutting. Paste foe Hanging Paper. The paste for this purpose is best made of rye flour, but ordinary flour will do very well. Mix the flour with water to the consistency of milk, being particular to crush out every lump, or else strain the mixture through coarse muslin or a fine sieve; put it into an iron or copper ves- sel and set it over the fire to boil; stir constantly until it thickens and turns yellowish, then take it from the fire, and add cold water until the mass is about the consistency of cream. Allow it to become perfectly cold before using, for warm paste will penetrate the fibre of the paper too quickly. Now, having a long table or wide board several feet in length, lay upon it one of the cut pieces, back up, and quickly spread the paste evenly over every part with a everybody's paint book. 63 large flat brush, similar to those used for kalsomining. The ends of the paper may be folded over, the pasted sides together, so that it can be lifted and carried to the wall without difficulty. Placing the top edge near the ceiling (a proceeding which need not be done in a particular manner, for the frieze or border will cover the ends of the paper at the top), gently unfold the paper and allow it to hang down; then with a soft cloth, a clothes brush, or a whisk broom smooth out and pat down all wrinkles, etc., until the paper lies smooth and in its proper place. The bottom end which abuts the base-board, may then be scribed off with the point of the shears, arid afterward cut to conform with any irregularity at that point. Where a dado is to be put on, the lower end of the paper may be left long enough to be covered by the paper forming the dado, which is in many cases at least two feet in width. The frieze or border is generally printed with from four to eight strips on one width of paper, and to cut these properly, the paper should first be cut in lengths of, say, six feet, then laying it upon the pasting-board or table, spread on the paste over all the paper. Now care- fully fold one end over to one-half the length of the paper, and then the other end; this brings the borders back to back, when they may be trimmed and cut, giving in this manner but one-half the work of cutting, and allowing the narrow strips to be handled easily. The bor- der being put on, the work is complete. 6i everybody's paint book. Where flocked paper is to be hung, the edges or mar- gin on both sides must be cut off and the paper put up with the edges abutting — not lapped, — for the extra thickness would be plainly seen. Great care must be taken not to get any paste upon the surface of this kind of paper. "With these directions the economical housewife may prepare the walls of her home in a satisfactory manner. And we will now consider another kind of wall renova- tion, which will be found excellent where the walls are rough or cracked badly. CHAPTEE Vm. House Cleaning, Continued. Making Damask Walls. When the side walls of a room are in such, a roughened condition that much labor would be necessary to make them smooth, proceed as follows: First sweep down or otherwise dust off the wall. Then, with a stencil plate, either one purchased ready-cut, or cut by yourself, go over the wall stencilling the design on in geometrical lines thus: using for the paint a mixture of white-lead and car- riage-rubbing varnish to form a sticky composition. Be- fore the paint dries, throw over it some finely-sifted white sand. The sand will adhere to the paint, and if properly done, the figure will appear quite prominent or thick upon the surface of the wall. Complete the work in this (65) 66 everybody's paint book. way, and allow all to dry perfectly hard, — say twenty-four hours. Then lightly dust off the loose Land, and proceed to paint the wall, over all, sand and smooth parts, with " dead " or " flat " paint as described in Chapter V., using any tint desired. A pale green gives a good effect. If one coat does not cover well, apply a second coat when the first is well dried, being sure to prepare the paint Fig. 23.— P att ken for Wall Decobation. according to directions given elsewhere, so that it will not dry with a gloss. This method of renovating an old wall is not only inex- pensive, but novel and durable. If it is not desired to go to the expense of paint for this kind of a wall, kalsomine will answer every purpose, and, in fact, many prefer it, as it holds color better. If everybody's paint book. 6T the wall is to be kalsomined, a coat of size must be given after the paint and sand are well dried, and directions for such work will be found in Chapter YH. Another Method. Clean the wall nicely, and spread upon it a coat of paint made of yellow ochre, and any cheap furniture varnish — Fig 24.— A Graining Comb. no oil, and but little, if any, turpentine. Go over but a small space, say two yards square, laying the paint as heavily as possible. Then prepare several dozen pieces of strong writing paper, cut uniformly to some particular pattern, say like Fig. 23, or any other geometrical figure that can be easily cut with a knife or shears. Lay the pieces of paper upon the fresh, sticky paint and 68 EVERYBODY'S PAINT BOOK. press thera smoothly. The figures should be put on in a similar manner to the plan previously described, and arranged regularly, as shown in Fig. 25, and the work continued until one side of the wall is done. Now, the paint being still fresh, or not yefc dry, take a coarse graining comb (see Fig. 24), and pass it over the paint in a diagonal direction, both ways, as shown, thus giving the Fig. 25.— Method of arranging Staho or Figures on Wall. appearance of the warp and woof of damask. When all is dry, either paint over all with flat color, or kalsomine it. With taste and judgment some very handsome effects may be produced by the damask, and to give the reader all the points regarding this work, I will describe a third plan of operations, viz. : everybody's paint book. 69 Still another Method. The -wall having been dusted off, lay out with a pattern and a soft black-lead pencil, figures, vines, flowers, or whatever fancy dictates, as shown in Fig. 26, making the lines strong in color so that they may be seen through the paint which is put over them. Then with some yellow Fig 26.— Design for Wall Decoration. ochre mixed with equal parts of boiled oil and varnish, to which is added a little melted beeswax, so that it has no body or covering power, paint over the wall, and proceed as before to comb it diagonally. When the combing is finished, and before the paint is dry, take a sharpened stick and go over the marks first made upon the wall inside the figure to obliterate on 70 everybody's p^estt book. those parts all signs of combing. Continue thus over every part, and let all dry hard, when it may be painted in flat tints or kalsomined. This latter method gives more labor, but it is the nearest approach to damask hangings of any spoken of. A very pretty effect may be given a room by making the side walls smooth to within two and a half feet of the floor, then adding a wainscoting of the damask, put- ting a gilt moulding as the top-rail or dividing line be- tween the wall and wainscoting or dado. Whitewashing. One of the worst features of lime whitewash is the rubbing off, and it is therefore giving place to kalsomine ; but with a little care in the selection of good lime, and the addition of a quart of salt to five gallons of whitewash no rubbing off need be feared. Another remedy for rub- bing off, is molasses: one quart to five gallons of wash is generally sufficient. lime is preferable to kalsomine where the room needs disinfecting, and for stables and outhouses there is nothing better. CHAPTER IX. House-Cleaning, Continued. — Renovating Fuknitube. Renovating bedsteads, bureaus, chairs, and other furni- ture is one of the accessories to cleaning house, and should be well understood by those who aim at perfection and economy. Supposing the furniture of the parlor to be of hard wood, mahogany, black-walnut, etc., finished in oil, with no lustre, save here and there a small varnished panel, it is not our desire to change the appearance from that it possessed when new. The first step therefore must be to thoroughly cleanse each piece from grease, finger-marks, and dust, by a good washing with soap and water, and drying off well with clean rags. Then having at hand some boiled or raw linseed oil, pour it into a saucer or other flat dish, and dipping a woolen rag into the oil, rub it over every part of the " dead " wood, bearing on quite hard, and rubbing until the hand may be passed over it without soiling it. No perceptible amount of oil must be left on the surface. (71) 72 everybody's paint book. The oil will restore the original appearance of the wood, but the small panels — if any — that are glossy must be varnished to restore their lustre. To do this nicely, pro- cure say a pint of ordinary furniture varnish, costing about thirty cents, and spread it plentifully — but not enough to run or flow into festoons — with a small varnish brush or sash tool, which may be purchased for from twenty-five to fifty cents, and which, with care, will last for several seasons. The varnish should be put on with- out adulteration of any kind, and be brushed or levelled down only so long as it appears limpid, for if worked too much, or until it has begun to thicken or " set," the panel will be streaked. It is a good plan, if convenient, to arrange the piece of furniture so that the parts to be varnished will He horizontally, to ensure against runs in the varnish. If the furniture was originally varnished, and still shows a gloss, or is scratched and made to appear white in spots, a different plan of renovating it must be pursued, viz. : Procure, say, a half pound of pidverized pumice-stone (costing about eight cents), and placing it in a shallow dish, wet it with clean water. Then, with a soft rag dipped into the pumice preparation, give the surface of the var- nish a good rubbing, until all gloss, dirt, grease, etc., is removed. Wash off all the powder, and dry the work well with either rags or a chamois-skin — the latter is best. Carved portions, or moldings and beads may be nicely everybody's paint book. 73 rubbed "with a stiff brush clipped in the wetted pumice- stone. A tooth-brush will answer if no other is at hand. When the furniture has thus been cleaned, the varnish- ing is in order, and this may be done in the same manner as directed for panels above. Furniture varnish should dry hard in twenty-four hours. Carriage varnish is unfit for furniture, owing to its oily nature and consequent slow drying or hardening qualities. Care must be taken in applying the varnish not to get it on too heavy, or it will flow down from the projecting points, carvings, etc., and give the work a very bad ap- pearance. The knack is one quite easily learned, and one must not go at a job of varnishing in a tremulous or nerv- ous manner. When a portion of the work has been once gone over and "laid off" or finished, it should not be touched again with the brush. Imitation Black Ebony Furniture. Black ebony furniture is just now quite fashionable, and this is made by soaking the wood, generally maple and ash, in a solution of vinegar, iron- rust, acids, and other coloring substances, when fir^t it comes from the manufacturer, but it is my province to tell how black ebony can be imitated and old furniture be made to look like that emanating from the factory, and to all appear- ance quite new. The old or antique chairs, tables, etc., 4 74 everybody's paint book. of our forefathers may thus be modernized at trifling ex- pense if the following directions be followed : Take a chair for illustration. "We will begin by giving every part of it a thorough sand-papering with No. 1£ sand-paper — which is quite fine — (supposing that the chair had been painted or varnished when new) ; the sand-paper serving to clean as well as to smooth it on every part, for an ebony job must be smooth. Now, after a good " dusting off," it is ready for the coloring. Procure from the dealer, say, a one-pound can of " Ivory-black ground in japan," and after opening it care- fully, take out, say, one-half a teacupful of the color, stir it well with a stick, then add turpentine, stirring all the time, and adding little by little until the paint is smooth, uniformly liquid, and of the consistency of cream. A few drops, say a teaspoonful of furniture var- nish, will also improve the binding qualities of the paint, but it is not absolutely necessary. This mixture will dry hard in half an hour, and is superior in every respect to that paint usually sold in country stores, which is mixed and ground in boiled oil. Oil paint finds no place in the work of cleaning house. The black being ground extremely fine, will cover almost any colored ground thoroughly, and it may be applied with a bristle-brush, but a far better job can be made with a soft hair brush, and if the Camel's-Hair Brush (see Chapter m., Fig. 7) shown on page 16 be everybody's paint book. 75 purchased, a less quantity of paint will be used, a smooth- er job be made, and greater ease be secured in covering the work. The paint should be spread on plentifully, and be just levelled down with the brush — no more ; it must not be rubbed, nor touched again after it has once been left. In one hour, the second coat may be applied, and this coat should consist of a mixture of one-half Ivory-black as it is taken from the original package, and one-half furniture varnish. This is called " color-and- varnish," and it not only helps to color the work, but it gives a slight lustre or Fig. 27.— Badger-Haik Flowing Bbush. gloss. This coat being stiff er than the previous one owing to the varnish, it can not well be put on with the camel's- hair brush, and therefore to make a good job, the "Bad- ger-Hair Flowing Brush " shown on this page (Fig. 27) should be used. These brushes are soft, yet sufficiently elastic to lay the " color-and-varnish " evenly. If one of these can not be easily procured, use a bristle varnish- brush. 76 everybody's pawt book. " Color-and-varnish " should be laid on as heavy as pos- sible, and be well brushed around the corners to prevent runs. It should dry hard in twenty-four hours, when, in order to make the work look like ebony, the gloss must be rubbed off, and this is done by rubbing every part with a woolen rag dipped in pulverized pumice-stone and water prepared as previously described. Plenty of water should be used, and the rubbing continued until there is no spot which has a gloss. Care must be taken not to rub through on the sharp corners and edges; but if so, the spots may be retouched with " color-and-varnish," and when dry, rubbed again carefully. Gold stripes are frequently added to this class of work, and if considered desirable, procure a small bottle of " gold paint " (gold bronze mixed in quick-drying japan), and with a small pencil brush pass it over those parts re- quiring gold. Vermilion stripes may be substituted for the gold if desired, and a coat of furniture varnish will com- plete the job. In the following chapter the painting of the mantel, fire-board, etc., will be fully described. A very handsome effect can be produced by painting ordinary chairs with Yerinilion, mixed as described in Chapter V. on Mixing Paints. Light English Vermilion is preferable, but American Vermilion will do very well. The second coat of Vermilion should be prepared with furniture varnish, forming "color-and-varnish," in the everybody's paint book. 77 manner just described for Ivory-black. If one has a taste for decoration, the rounds and back can be striped with black, using a striping-pencil and Ivory-black mixed with turpentine and Brown Japan. A coat of ordinary furni- ture varnish will finish the work. CHAPTER X. House Cleaning, Continued. — Painting and Maebling a Mantel-piece. Black mantels well varnished or glossy are fashionable in most country towns ; and to prepare such, the operator may follow the directions given in reference to painting black ebony furniture, leaving out, of course, the removal of the gloss. Black marble may be imitated thus: After the mantel has been painted black, as above, have at hand some white, green, orange, and red mixed separately with carriage-rubbing varnish, so that neither of them possess much body, or in other words, appear transparent; then with a feather dipped in the white, put in streaks or crooked lines running in all directions and connecting with thin, vapory patches here and there. Next, with a feather dipped in the green, run lines, at times parallel with the white, and again crossing them and mingling the green tints in the patches before alluded to. A very little orange and red may now be added, using a separate feather for each color. Now, having the colors all on, pa">s over all lightly with a dry dusting brush to soften (73) everybody's paint book. 79 the lines and blend them with the black groundwork. When dry, give a coat of hard drying furniture varnish. For a white mantel, follow the directions given in Chap- ter V. for white painting and finishing with China gloss, which is zinc-white mixed with white demar varnish to the proper consistency for spreading. To make a White Marble Mantel. After the mantel is painted white as above, take a com- mon tallow candle, and holding the lighted end quite near the painted surface, allow the smoke to form figures upon it. Some very delicate tints and shades may thus be made, and these, if supplemented by a few judiciously made fine lines of black and pale green, will give a beauti- ful effect, and afford a very good imitation of white marble. For iron fire-boards, hearth irons, etc., the best black is "Locomotive Smoke-stack Japan," to be obtained of most dealers. It will burn and produce a disagreeable odor at first, but it soon wears away, and a beautiful glossy black will remain. To Renovate Zinc. The zinc which serves as a protector under the stove may be made to look like new, by washing it. with a di- luted solution of Muriatic Acid — say five cents' worth of 80 everybody's palnt book. acid to one pint of clean water. Sapolio and other scour- ing materials can not be made to give the newness to the metal which the acid imparts, for they simply scratch the surface to brightness, while the acid acts upon every part without scratching or injuring the metal in the least. CHAPTER XI. Cleaning House, Continued. — Fixing- up the Bronze Work. There are many little things around the house that are made of metal and coated with bronze to imitate gold, silver, or real bronze, and which becoming tarnished, require re-coating ; but how this can be done is to most people a mystery. The chandelier, gas brackets, lamp-stands, clock and such like fittings, may be made to look like new, at a very trifling expense, if the following directions are strictly followed: Bronze powder is simply the metal or alloys, ground to a fine dust, by rolling, beating, cutting, and then mixed with honey, to form it into a mass. It is ground on mar- ble slabs in the same manner as paint. After the grinding is done, the honey is washed away, and the powder dried, forming what is known as " bronze." There are many varieties of bronze as well as -many colors, viz. : pale, deep, lemon, copper, fire, silver, orange, etc., but for ordinary work the medium shade of gold bronze is all that will be required. The prices range from 4* (81) 82 everybody's paint book. twenty-five cents to one dollar per ounce, and it is always best to buy the highest priced, for it will cover five times as much surface, being extremely fine, and will wear much longer than the cheap qualities. Bronze is applied both as a powder dusted over a size or mixed with size and put on the same as paint. A mix- ture of this kind may be purchased under the name of "gold paint," and it will be found quite handy by the housewife in fixing up; but if she be economically in- clined she will purchase the bronze powder and mix it with some japan-gold-size-dryer herself, thus saving 100 per cent. The " size," or material on which to dust the bronze powder, may be ordinary furniture varnish or japan dryer. The article to be bronzed is first cleaned from dust and dirt. Then with a small brush or " sash-tool," costing from ten to twenty-five cents, the varnish is put on very sparingly, and well rubbed over every part. In a few moments it will be "tacky" or slightly sticky — not quite dry — and with a small piece of velvet or plush formed into a sort of pad or dauber dipped into the dry bronze powder, the simple rubbing over or dusting on, will cause the article to assume a beautiful metallic ap- pearance, and when dusted off the work is complete. It is a good plan on some work, such as chandeliers or gas brackets, to varnish over the bronze with "White French Shellac varnish," to enable one to wash them with everybody's paint book. 83 soap and water when they become dirty; but varnish will take off in a certain degree that metallic brilliancy so much admired on bronzed work. Painting Iron Bailings. Bronzing may be done on iron railings, etc.; and while on the subject of bronze, etc., it will not be amiss to refer more particularly to that class of work. Iron railing should first be painted a deep bronze green. The green is made by mixing chrome yellow with lampblack to the desired color, with carriage-rubbing varnish and turpen- tine. Then, before the paint is dry, take the velvet dauber, and dipping it into the bronze rub it gently over the most prominent parts, or those which project from the surface, or the tips of the rods or spear heads, etc. To Beonze Statuettes oe Plasteb Casts. To make a statuette or plaster cast look like bronze: First, coat the plaster or dip it in a strong solution of starch, to prevent the size from striking in — or else coat it with size, two or three times. Then size, and bronze it as before directed. After the bronzing is done, take a short camel' s-hair pencil, and dipping it into a mixture of Paris green and japan dryer, coat the deepest hollows in the figure, blending the color off to the clear bronze on the outer edge. Then increase the depth of color in the 84 everybody's paint book. deepest parts by adding a little black to the green and re-coating those parts. Silver bronze seldom retains its brilliancy long, turning as it does to a bluish copper color. Steam pipes or radiators are greatly improved by sizing and gold bronze, and there are many other fixtures about a house that may be made to look far handsomer by its use. CHAPTEE XH. Cleaning House, Continued. — The Kitchen. The parlor, sitting-room, and bed-chamber Laving been " put to rights," we must now look into the kitchen. Let us first consider the contents of the stock-room or pantry. Here we find several vessels of tin, of various shapes and sizes for holding bread, cake, sugar, tea, coffee, spices, etc. ; each of them was once nicely japanned and lettered, but they have become dingy, the japan is partly worn off by repeated use, and it is now our desire to make them look like new, and perhaps better. To do this, procure from the paint-store a one-quart can (the smallest quantity put up by the manufacturer) of Black Japan — such as is used by carriage-makers — using a brush, such as described and illustrated in Chap- ter IX. (the Badger-hair brush). Place the tins upon a table, in a comfortably warm p]ace, and lay on them a nice smooth coat of the japan. It is similar to varnish in its consistency and working, but it must be laid evenly and quickly, flowing on a goodly supply, and never touch- ing any part after it has once been laid off smooth. This (85) 86 everybody's paint book. will give at one operation a jet-black, glossy surface, and should dry bard overnight. If a brown color is desired instead of black, add a very little vermilion (dry) to the japan. If an olive green, add a Httle chrome yellow. The plain color having been put on, and dry, the next in order is the ornamentation, and this is easily done with transfers or decalcomania. Transfers may be purchased at most any artists' stores or stationers. The beautiful scrap-book pictures now so plentiful may also form an active part in the ornamentation of such work. Simply varnish the japanned tin with furniture varnish, and when it is nearly dry — that is, sticky — lay on the neatly-cut-out pictures carefully, and press them into the varnish. These may be used in conjunction with the transfers and some excellent results will follow. Full directions for putting on the transfers are given in another part of this work, to which the reader is referred. Besides the tin vessels there is a nest of round, neatly made, and covered boxes, for holding salt, soda, saleratus, etc., and these will look well if painted and ornamented in a similar manner. Green is a favorite color, and such a color will give variety to the contents of the store-room. To make a bright green, take chrome green (dry) and mix it to a stiff paste with brown japan, then dilute with turpentine until it can be easily spread with the brush. everybody's paint book. 87 Brown is another good color for boxes of this kind, to make which, take Indian red and mix it the same as directed for green, and then add dry lampblack until the desired shade is reached. The paint thus mixed will dry in ten minutes, dead or flat, and it must be varnished over to give a gloss. Furniture varnish is good enough for any work of this kind, and it should not cost over $1.50 or $2.00 per gallon. Transfer pictures may now be put on to improve the appearance of the boxes, or ' stencils such as shown in Fig. 21 may be cut out and made to form a border around the bottom and top edges, using gold bronze instead of paint. After the boxes have been varnished, and are very nearly dry, the stencil may be laid on, and the bronze carefully rubbed over it with a piece of velvet ; the var- nish being sticky enough to receive and hold the bronze, some very nice work can be done. Another simple manner of ornamentation for the boxes is, to cut a piece of wall-paper border, and fit it around the box edge; then before the paint is varnished, stick the border on with paste and let it dry ; then varnish over all paint and paper to help hold the paper in place as well as to give a lustre to the whole work. The sink and stationary wash-tubs are frequently in need of repainting owing to the constant use of soap and hot water thereabouts, and these may be kept in order with a very little exertion. If the color is a light one, such as 88 everybody's paint book. oak graining, mix some -white-lead with turpentine, then add burnt sienna mixed with furniture varnish, until the color of deep cream ; paint the work with this, and let it dry, which should not be longer than overnight ; when dry, mix a little raw sienna with ale, and with a sponge rub over the paint a very thin coating, giving at the same time the necessary appearance of grain, knots, etc. The color being mixed in ale, it may be washed off, or thinned with water, repeatedly, until the desired grained appear- ance is obtained. Then as soon as it is dry, a coat of furniture varnish will bind all fast, so that water will not remove it. If graining is not in order, and a plain color is desired, there is none better than a medium shade of lead color ; to make which, mix white-lead with turpentine to a cream-like consistency, and add one-half a pint of car- riage-rubbing varnish to each quart of white paint, then drop in a little lampblack to form the desired color. CHAPTER XIII. Painting Outbuildings, Fences, etc. In painting a new building the first thing to be done is to " kill the knots," that is, to coat each knot over with shellac varnish, to prevent the sap from striking through the paint to disfigure it. The commonest shellac varnish may be used for this purpose; and if the varnish can not be easily procured, it may be made by putting some gum shellac in alcohol. Set it in a warm place and shake it occasionally, until the gum is dissolved. The paint for a building should be mixed with oil prin- cipally. If white, take white-lead from the keg and thin it to a good working consistency with boiled linseed oil, then add one pint of Brown japan (a dryer) to each gallon of mixed paint. The japan not only hastens the drying of the paint, but it prevents the "crawling" or "wrink- ling up " of the paint after it has been spread. Some colors, such as Venetian red, Yellow ochre and mineral paint, are apt to separate from the oil and make streaked work, but the addition of Brown japan causes the paint to stay where it is put. 90 EVERYBODY S PAINT BOOK. Where an economical job is desired, a paint may be made from the following formula : Take of Yellow ochre 50 lbs. Sifted road dust, 100 lbs. Mix to a stiff paste with cheap paint oil (resin oil), and add soft soap until the mass is in a condition for spread- ing with a brush. The color will be a dark stone color. If red is preferred use Venetian red instead of ochre. Such paint will answer a good purpose on bams, sheds, etc. Fences may also be painted with the above paint, and it will be found extremely durable. Roofing, Etc. There is a great diversity of opinion regarding roofing — what constitutes the best roof ; how put on, and how kept in repair ; and although it is one of the accessories of painting, I shall only call attention here to one or two facts respecting roofing. The majority of roofs in cities are flat and covered with tin (some with asbestos, and others with felting, sand, gravel, and coal tar substitutes), showing that preference is given to tin for a flat roof ; but the tin roof must be well painted, and be kept painted. Painting a Tin Roof. To paint a tin roof, the following plan will be found to give good results : If a new roof, it is best to let it re- main for a few days or until a rain-storm or night dew has caused a slight rust of the metal ; or it may be immedi- everybody's paint book. 91 ately clone if washed over with vinegar and allowed to dry. The paint known as "Grafton paint," "Mineral paint," "Fire-proof paint," and by a dozen other names, is a sort of earth or comminuted slate dug from mines in Indiana and Illinois. It comes in different colors, viz., gray or slate color, salmon, grayish red, dark red, etc. The average price is from 2 to 4 cts. per pound. 'ifiilii Pig. 28 shows A Roofing Brush. This dry color is mixed with boiled oil, with a trifling amount of Brown japan to harden it, and applied with a brush made expressly for this work (see Fig. 28). One coat will not be sufficient for a good job ; but plenty of time must be given for the first coat to harden before the second is put over it. Two coats will make an excellent job. Care must be taken before any paint is put upon 92 everybody's paikt book. such a roof that all signs of resin used in soldering be scraped off, otherwise the paint will chip off at those spots. If it is desired to make the tin roof cooler on account of being near the ceiling of rooms below, it may be painted with yellow ochre instead of the Grafton paint. The ochre being a lighter color, will not absorb the rays of the sun to the same degree. "White would be best, perhaps, but white-lead forms a very poor paint for metal roofs, and is also very expensive compared to those recommended. Tar and gravel roofs may be well enough for some, but the writer has no use for them. Shingles are best for peak roofs or inclines, and although we frequently see shingles painted after they are laid, it is a very bad proceeding, for the paint when dry forms a sort of dam for the water, which soaks just under the butt of the layer above, and holding the water there, the shin- gle is soon rotted away at that point, and leaking begins. How Shingles should be Painted. To make the best shingle roof, have a large pot filled with what is called paint oil (possibly made of fish oil and resin) heated just enough to bear the finger in it ; then dip the shingles in the warm oil and lay them out on the lawn or elsewhere to partially dry. When shingles thus pre- pared are laid upon the roof, water will not penetrate them nor cause them to warp and twist out of place. Slate roofs may be painted if desired, but shingles never. CHAPTER XIV. The American Method of Carriage Painting. There is a plan of painting carriages which dispenses with the numerous coats of paint formerly put on to make a solid foundation, and one of the many fillers for wood is substituted. "When properly done, this method gives general satisfaction to both the builder and his cus- tomer. The wood fillers mentioned are liquids similar in ap- pearance to varnish (they are, possibly, gum and oil), and their office is to seal up the pores of the wood against the entrance either of moisture or the liquids from the paint put over them. Supposing that a new buggy is to be painted and the work is required to be done quickly, cheaply, and well. We begin say on Monday. Take the woodwork, (that is, body, wheels, bars, beds, etc.,) smooth and clean from the woodworker, and apply a coat of the wood filling with a brush, and immediately proceed to wipe off with a rag. Rub in all that will not readily (93) 94 everybody's paint book. come off, leaving the wood apparently stained only. A sufficient quantity has after this operation gone into the pores of the wood to prevent the water used in setting the tires, and the oil, grease, and dirt of the smith-shop from entering, and the gear parts may be sent to the smith to be ironed. Tuesday. — The body being kept in the paint-shop, and having been given plenty of sun and air, or been left near the stove, is now ready for " rough-stuff " (a coarse paint designed to fill up all un evenness in the wood). This " rough-stuff " is generally made by mixing Grafton paint, or, as some call it, Mineral paint, with equal parts of car- riage-rubbing varnish and brown japan. Then thin with turpentine so as to spread nicely, and add a teaspoonful of raw linseed oil for first coat. This paint should be laid on as smoothly as possible, and care taken that the " rough-stuff " is not too thick, else brush-marks will be liable to show, even after the job is finished. No matter how well the work may be rubbed and levelled down, any streaks in the " rough-stuff " coat- ings will surely be seen in the finishing coat. " Rough- stuff " may be put on with common bristle brushes. Wednesday. — Putty up all imperfections in the body in the morning, and late in the afternoon the second coat of " rough-stuff " (with no oil added) may be applied. The putty used for this job may be made by a mixture of equal parts of rubbing varnish and japan, thickeued to everybody's paint book. 95 the proper consistency with equal parts of dry lead and whiting. Thursday. — The gears being ironed, the body may now be given to the smith for hanging up. It is always best to have the body ironed before the rough-stuff is rubbed, for, if the smith happens to burn or otherwise injure the paint, it can be easily repaired; and there are few who can iron off a job without a " shop-mark " on some part. The third coat of "rough-stuff" may be given in the smith-shop late in the afternoon. Friday. — To-day the job is in the smith's hands, and we have time to note down a few timely remarks. It is sel- dom that we see a carriage gear " cleaned up " as it should be for the painter. The smith, so long as he gets the irons on and screwed up, seems to care for nothing more. We see clips drawn into the beds, nuts turned down into the rims, making a hole for the painter to putty up, and many other " actual deeds of carelessness " left for the painter to "smooth over." Can't we do better on this job ? The carriage being ironed now returns to the paint- shop, where it is filed and sand-papered until the whole is clean and smooth. The better the condition of the gears at this stage the easier it will be to make a good finish. Saturday. — The gears should now have a second coat of the wood filling (the first coat having done its mission, the coating now put on is virtually the first of the paint- ing). This coat may be put on* the same as the other — 96 everybody's paint book. that is, wiped over with rags until only a thin film covers all. Bemember that a good wiping-off will hasten opera- tions, for the material will be ready for the next coat much sooner. A coat of "stain" (lampblack and japan made very thin with turpentine, to enable the rubber to see when he has made a level surface), may be put on late this afternoon, and all left to dry hard over Sunday. Monday. — The gears are now ready for putty, which should be made as before directed, but a little softer, so that open-grained places may be " glazed over." When this is done, take the body in hand and rub the surface with lumps of pumice-stone, sawed, filed, and shaped to con- form to the shape of the panels or mouldings of the body. Keep plenty of water on the work while rubbing, for if the stone is allowed to get dry it will be apt to scratch the sur- face. The pumice dirt should not be allowed to dry on the body, and a sponge should be in hand all the time to keep it clean. When the black stain is all rubbed off, you may be sure that the surface is level, providing the pumice lumps were of respectable size; if too small they might make hollows in the surface. Tuesday. — Putty up any imperfections in the gears, and smooth all down nicely with fine sand-paper. The putty being quick-drying, and there being but little used, a good dusting off prepares the gears for color (say black). This we will lay on as smoothly as possible, with a camel's- hair brush (see chapter on brushes). everybody's paint book. 97 Wednesday. — The body being rubbed and well dried out, is now ready for color. A coat of lampblack will serve well for a foundation or ground coat for any dark color, and this, mixed with japan and turpentine, we apply with a camel's-hair brush. The gears are ready for the first coat of " color-and-varnish " (to make which, see page 98), which may be laid on plentifully with a varnish brush. The " color-and-varnish " should be quite strong with color. Any good carriage-rubbing varnish will an- swer well for the " color-and-varnish." Thuesday. — This morning, a coat of ivory-black color (see for mixing, Chapter V.) may be put upon the body, after it has been well rubbed over with some half- worn No. 2^- sand-paper. In the afternoon, dust off lightly, and lay on a medium coat of black " color-and- varnish," using varnish brushes, and laying it as clean as possible. Feiday. — The gears should now be lightly rubbed with pumice-stone and water, and prepared for striping or ornamenting. Eastern builders make all their work quite plain, and would no doubt, in this case, stripe the gears with a single fine line of red or blue, or some simple color, while fashion in the West demands light colors and much ornamentation. The face of the spokes, the ends of the spring-bars and bolt-heads, would probably be gilded, or broad stripes take the place of the Eastern fine lines. 5 98 everybody's paint book. Saturday. — To-day, flat down the " color-and-varnish " on the body with pulverized pumice-stone and water. Do not rub too much. If, as you should have done, you have got a clean coat on, a very light rub will remove the gloss, and prepare the surface for a coat of Black Japan. "When the body is flatted, put on a coat of the japan, having, say, ten per cent, of finishing varnish added, to increase its flowing qualities and to make it more durable. Monday. — Give this day for the drying of the japan on the body, and the striping on the gears. The trimmer may take measurements for cushion, fall, carpet, etc., and it is also a good plan to have the shafts trimmed before the finishing coat is put on. Tuesday. — This will be a good day for putting on the final coat of varnish, using medium drying body varnish on the body, and gear varnish on the gears. Look to it that the heat and ventilation of the room is all that can be desired, and no trouble will follow. Wednesday. — Hang up the job ; black off bolt-heads and run the carnage into a warm room, or in the shade if in summer, to harden. A few Points of Value. Color-ant)- Varnish. — When about to make " color-and- varnish," the painter should be careful not to use oily color, for varnish will not readily assimilate with oil, and the consequence would be that the deviltries known as everybody's paint book. 99 " silMng," " pitting," and " crawling," would appear in the coating before it became .dry. " Color - and - varnish " should be made by mixing quick color with the varnish, or better still, by mixing the dry pigment with the var- nish, and grind it in the paint-mill. "Where several pig- ments are employed to form a color this can not be done so well, and in that case use quick, or japan color — oil color never. General Rules. — 1st. Have the ground or surface to be painted, at the start, perfectly clean, smooth, and well dried. 2d. See that your colors are well ground and properly mixed. 3d. Do not mix much more or any less paint than is necessary for immediate use. 4th. Keep the paint well stirred while the work is going on. 5th. Have your paint of the proper thickness, and lay it on as evenly as possible. 6th. Do not apply a coat of paint until the preceding one is dry. 7th. Do not, if possible, employ a light color over a darker one. 8th. Do not add dryers to colors long before they are used. 9th. Avoid using an excess of dryers. "Enough is as good as a feast," should be the motto in this connection. 10th. Always keep dry pigments in a dry place, as dampness will affect the shade of color, and also their drying qualities. Varnishing. — When varnishing bodies that have small panels, it will be found best to flow on a medium heavy coat to several panels before attempting to lay it off or 100 everybody's paint book. " dress it," else a greater amount of time will be neces- r sary to complete the work, and then it will not be done so well. Finishing varnish may be flowed all over a wheel before laying it off, providing the varnish is of the proper kind, and the room of the right temperature. The principal things to be looked after in varnishing, are the perfect cleanness of everything connected with the work, the room, cups, brushes, and even the clothing of the operator. Pour out the varnish (if for finishing) at least fifteen or twenty minutes before commencing to varnish. The varnish should be applied heavily, levelled by repeated brushings, and carefully examined during the operation to detect any foreign particles that may appear. A picker is used, made of quill or whalebone, sharpened to a point, for removing any small specks of dirt or lint. Having brushed on your varnish, let it stand a few mo- ments, when the bubbles will disappear and show the dirt remaining, which can be removed by the picker. The finishing strokes are then given very lightly, and when possible finish the strokes up and down. Do your varnish- ing in a bold, confident manner, and use the brush no more than is necessary to produce an even coat. Improving the Leather on Carriages. The best preparation in use for dressiug or refinishing old leather carriage tops and trimmings is known in the trade as Enamelled Leather Varnish or " Dressing." It everybody's paint book. 101 is a thin, black substance like varnish, and may be applied to the leather with an ordinary paint brush. The leather should first be well washed with Castile soap and water, to remove grease and to soften it; then a single applica- tion of the " Dressing " will give the leather the appear- ance it had when new; and in half an hour it may be run out into the street. Care should be had in varnishing the cushions to pre- vent the " Dressing " from gathering around the buttons, for being in a mass it would not dry hard in a long time, and would possibly ruin a dress or other clothing. Painting an Old, Ceacked Carriage Body. The impracticability of effectually concealing the cracks in a painted surface by the apjxlication of putty or paint has been fully demonstrated by many of the best carriage- painters in the country, and yet there are those who be- lieve they can do such work successfully. There has been several " crack-fillers " or rough-stuffs put in the market which it was said would fill up the old cracks in a car- riage-body so that they would not again appear, but we have yet to see a job done with any of these nostrums that will not show cracks in time. The best method of repainting, is to remove the old paint by scraping, burning, or eating off with detergent, and then to paint again as if the job was new. Old cracks 102 everybody's paint book. will make their appearance very shortly after the job is repainted. They can not be entirely hidden from sight. Touching Up and Varnishing a Buggy. The villager or farmer has frequent occasion to " do up " his buggy or family turnout ; for country roads, particu- larly in the spring, are extremely hard on a varnished sur- face. If he could do such work himself, he would no doubt be greatly pleased, as it would save him many dol- lars. The directions below, if carefully followed, will pro- duce an astonishing improvement in a dirty and dingy buggy or carriage. First, give the carriage a thorough washing from mud and dirt, and this nmst be well done around the bottom of axles, nuts, clips, etc., for the least dirt left there will impair the looks of the varnish. After washing, put pul- verized pumice-stone in a flat dish or saucer and wet it well with clean water. Then, with a woolen rag dipped in the mixture, give the body and gears a good rubbing, using plenty of pumice-stone and water, and bearing on lightly, being careful not to rub through the paint to the wood or iron on sharp edges. Do not let the pumice- stone dry on the job. A j>anel or small part should be done at a time, then washed off clean and dried well with a " shammy " (chamois-skin) ; another portion may then be taken in hand until the whole carriage looks clean and has a smooth egg-shell appearance. The " touching up " everybody's paint book. 103 is now in order. And here is where a knowledge of colors is demanded. If the job be black, it will be easy to get that color at once, ready prepared. If it be some other color that is wanted, the reader is referred to the chapter on colors, and he may find therein a formula for mixing a nearly perfect match for the work in hand. A small part of the work should be varnished over to bring out the color, so that the matching color can be definitely set- tled upon. Mix the color, whatever it may be, with brown japan and thin with turpentine. With a small camel's-hair brush similar in shape to the one illustrated on page 16, Fig. 7, three-quarters of an inch wide, and cost- ing about twenty-five cents, touch over every spot that is bare or bruised, paint the edges of springs and tires, etc., and in a few minutes the paint will be dry enough to varnish over. In varnishing the carriage, begin by setting the axles on barrels or boxes, so that the wheels may turn, and commence varnishing the wheels. First lay a plentiful supply of " One Coat Coach " varnish on the spokes with a large oval varnish brush (see chapter on brushes). Lay off or spread the varnish with the same brush well wiped out on the edge of the cup, and clean out between the spokes with a varnish tool, or small brush. Next, do the hub and lay that off, then the inside of the rim between the spokes, and lastly the sides of the rim. Be careful about the ends of the spokes, that there are no runs left ; 104 everybody's paint book. keep the wheel turning slowly while the other wheels are being done, until the Tarnish sets. Take off the wheels and set them aside against the wall while the under gear is being varnished. After this is done, take clean brushes, or thoroughly clean the ones in use by rinsing in turpen- tine, and go on to the body, beginning with the upper parts and working down to the bottom, so that no drop- pings from the brush will injure what has been done. The " laying off " of the varnish on the body is a very par- ticular piece of work, but as the amateur will not be apt to flow on so heavy a coat as the professional, there is lit- tle fear that he will have any runs or heavy flows in the job. Close up all doors and windows and leave the job to dry. The varnish best suited for such work is what is known as "Hard-drying Carriage varnish," costing $4.00 per gallon, for the gears, and " One Coat Coach " varnish, cost- ing $4.50 per gallon, for the body. Of course there are better varnishes, costing $6.00 per gallon, but the ones recommended will be as good as any one would require when the work is done as described. Ordinarily one and a half pints of varnish will cover both the gears and body of a buggy. To make an Old Carriage look like New. The carnage having been cleaned and rubbed down smooth with pumice-stone, touch up the bare places everybody's paint book. 105 with a similar color to the ground, but the matching need not be so particularly done. Then take, say a pint of Black Japan — a sort of black varnish much used by carriage- makers — and put on a flowing coating, in the same man- ner as varnish. This will give you a jet-black and glossy surface ; but as it would not be durable it must be var- nished over with good " One Coat Coach " varnish. "When the japan is dry, rub the gloss off (only) with pumice- stone and water, as before, then apply a coat of "One Coat Coach " varnish. If it is desired to make a brown, add a little vermilion or other red to the japan. If olive-green, add a little yellow and a drop or two of red, and use the same as if it were clear japan, the color not affecting it in the least. The beauty in the use of Black Japan is, that it being a sort of varnish and very elastic, the under surface will not cause it to crack, as it would do, perhaps, if dead quick color was put over it. 5* CHAPTER XV. Painting a Farm Wagon. There are many days during the year that outdoor work can not be done, owing to inclement weather, and such days could be profitably spent in painting up the wagons used on the farm. Many, no doubt, would be glad to do this did they know just how to mix the paint and apply it. Almost any one can put on the material if it is properly mixed. The first thing in order is to run the wagon into some convenient place, the wagon-house, barn or shed, and to set the axles upon barrels or blockings, so that the wheels can be turned, or taken off — which should be done so that the body can be got at easily. Next, a thorough clean- ing of all grease from the axles, hubs and fifth wheel, and the sand and dirt from all parts is in order. The best way to prepare the wood and iron is to sand-paper every part well with No. 3 sand-paper. Cut it down smooth; don't go over the work as if it was of no consequence, for if paint be put over dirt you may rest assured that it will not stay very long. (10G) everybody's paint book. 107 If the wagon is a platform spring, you may take the nut off the king-bolt and remove the front gear, setting the top fifth wheel on a barrel. If it be a bolster wagon, the body may be taken off and set up separate. The sand-papering done, a thorough dusting should be given, when the painting of the work may be begun. The colors for a farm wagon may be chosen from the following list, viz. : Style No. 1. Body, chrome green, or Milori green. Gears, cream color. Mix the green with Brown japan to a stiff mush, then add raw linseed oil until it is of a consist- ency to spread nicely with the brush ; but do not put too much oil in the paint. A little turpentine may be added if the paint is too stiff or gummy. The gears may have more oil, for they receive the hardest usage. Mix white- lead with oil thin enough to use, then add chrome yellow mixed in japan until the desired shade of cream is reached. A few drops of red will improve the color. Now add one gill of Brown japan to a quart of paint, and thin if necessary with turpentine. Style No. 2. Body, Indian red, mixed the same as di- rected for the green of No. 1. Gears, vermilion, mixed as follows: Take American vermilion and mix it with Brown japan and raw oil equal parts to the proper consistency for spreading. Now add whiting to the mixture until it is of a thick, mush-like consistency; then thin with turpentine. 108 everybody's paint book. The whiting prevents the vermilion, which is quite heavy, from settling to the bottom of the cup, and it also makes the paint spread easier. The paint should be put on as quickly as possible, for it is apt to roll up into streaks if this is not done. Style No. 3. Body, deep English vermilion. Mix for a first or ground coat white-lead and American vermilion to form a pink, with raw oil and japan equal parts, and thin with turpentine. When the ground coat is dry, give it a light sand-papering, and apply a coat of the vermihon color, mixed with carriage-rubbing varnish to a thick mush, and thinned with turpentine. Vermihon should be pat on with a badger-hair brush (see chapter on brushes) where economy is studied, for such a brush will enable the workman to lay a solid coating very thin, while a bristle brush will not do so. The Gears, of a red body, may be cream color, brown or red (American vermilion). Olive green is a cheap and a very good color, for either body or gears. It is made of lampblack, chrome yellow, and red. Sienna and white also forms a nice salmon color and one that will wear well. But the best color of all, we think, is brown. Take Indian red and add lampblack to form the color, and mix it as described for green in Xo. 1. The colors chosen, lay them on as evenly as possible, being careful to wipe the brush around every bolt-head everybody's paint book. 109 and nut, and it is well to paint the under part of the gears. Though not seen, painting will prevent decay, and the trouble will be well repaid in wear. If striping is to be done, now is the time for it, if the paint be well dried; after which, lay on a heavy coat of wagon varnish, not black, sticky furniture varnish, but a good article, costing perhaps $3.00 per gallon. A quart of varnish ought to be sufficient for the job. If the wagon be a new one, and never before painted, the wood and iron must first be primed. Take white-lead and color it with lampblack to a clean lead color (if the color is to be a dark one), or leave the lead uncolored if a light color is to be used over it. Mix it with raw linseed oil, and add one gill of Brown japan to each quart of paint, then spread it as smoothly as possible. If too thick add turpentine, but not too much. Ornamental work on both body and gears may be nice- ly done either by the use of decalcomania or transfers, which may be purchased from dealers in painters' sup- plies, or direct from the manufacturers. A beautiful scroll and landscape for the sides of an omnibus or wagon (consisting of an oval centre and six parts of scroll, which can be put either in a straight line, or com- bined to fit any curve ; 14 inches wide and 92 inches in length), will cost but $7.50. Scrolls 18 or 20 inches long, in gold and colors, are now no rarity, and when well ap- plied to a job give elegance at a trifling expense. Large 110 everybody's paint book. transfers are more particularly referred to, and their use is advised where such designs can not easily be drawn, because they are not so likely to be known as transfers, owing to their size and beautiful workmanship. They are, indeed, very different from the ornaments such as every little school-boy had at one time stuck on every- thing both at home and at school A transfer ornament may be so changed in appearance that it would never be known as such, by a few touches 4 Fig. 29.— Showing how Stencils are Made. of the pencil, the slight addition occupying but little time. Stencilling is another method by which a wagon may be ornamented, and when the workman is not capable of making a fair job of striping, he may complete the job by stencilling. The accompanying engravings (Fig. 29) will give the stu- dent a fair idea of how stencils are made, i. e., more par- ticularly the bars which hold the pattern together. To everybody's paint book. Ill make a stencil for this work proceed as follows : Procure some thin hard calendered pasteboard — that known as " printers' press-packing " being best — of a leather color, and very strong in fibre, and draw upon it any desired pattern. Lay the pasteboard upon a piece of glass, and cut out the figures, leaving bars to hold the parts togeth- er. "When cut, coat the pattern over with shellac varnish to prevent the paper from absorbing the oils of the paint. For small patterns, a good quality of writing paper will answer the purpose well enough. Fig. 30.— A Stencil Brush. These patterns when cut should be kept in a covered box to preserve them, for they may be used many times. The brush for stencilling is a short stiff bristle or hair brush, and in order that no mistake may be made in its selection, it is shown in Fig. 30 of the illustrations. If one of these can not be easily procured, a sash tool (Fig. 3, page 14) may be cut square across in the mid- dle, making a very good substitute for the real article. A piece of pasteboard or soft pine should be used to rub the color out on, so that the brush may not be too heavily 112 everybody's paint book. charged before putting it on to the stencil. Borders corners, or centre-pieces may thus be put on in oil col- ors very quickly and well after a little practice, and then be varnished over the same as any other ornamental painting. CHAPTER XVI. Gilding, Bronzing, Silvering, and Lacquering. Although the laying of gold leaf and bronze has already been mentioned, the subject is of sufficient im- portance to give a more complete description of the four branches of trade named above, which seem to belong to one family. It does not seem necessary to explain the process of manufacturing gold leaf or bronze, any fur- ther than to give readers an idea of what they are about to use, and we will only say that gold leaf is the purest of the foliated metals, which, owing to its ductility, may be beaten so thin that one ounce will make 1,600 leaves, covering a surface, if laid together, of 105 square feet. Gold leaf is alloyed with copper and silver — not so much to cheapen it as to change its color — copper deepening it or giving it a reddish hue, and silver lightening it or giving a pale yellowish hue. Consequently we have three grades, viz.: light or lemon gold, medium and deep; the latter being considered by most painters the best for wagon or carriage work. Silver leaf is fast becoming obsolete, owing to the dis- (113) 114 everybody's paint book. covery of aluminum leaf and nickel leaf, which do not tarnish like silver. Nickel leaf is beaten out very nearly as thin as gold leaf, and is now coming into general use. Dutch metal is a very inferior sort of foliated alloy, and only fit for theatrical scenery and other like uses. Bronze is a finely comminuted metal or metallic dust, made of gold, silver, and alloys, by grinding the metals on porphyry stones, while mixed with honey to form a sort of paste. "When the grinding is completed, the mass is washed in several waters until %he honey is removed, then the powder is dried on shallow pans. There are many colored bronzes, viz. : gold, rich gold, lemon, orange, copper, carmine, fire, dark and light gold, crimson, violet, brown, lilac, silver, white, light and dark green, with which an ingenious workman may make very handsome orna- mental work; but, as a general thing, the colored bronzes tarnish far too quickly. The ground of either paint or varnish must first be prepared to receive the leaf or bronze, otherwise it would adhere to every part of the work, and this is done in several ways. First, and probably the best, is to cover the ground with fine dust from a "pounce-bag," which is made by tying up in a piece of coarse niuslin or woolen rag some dry pigment, whiting being generally the best. Second, by washing the surface over with the white of eggs, and allowing it to dry before laying on the size. everybody's paint book. 115 Third, by cutting a potato in halves, and rubbing the freshly-cut surface over the work, which, when dry, gives a thin film of potato starch. Fourth, by rubbing the work over with whiting mixed with water, and allowing it to dry. Either of these pre- ventives of sticking may be resorted to with good results on painted work. When the ground is prepared, the preparation of the size is in order, and the following formulas will be found excellent: For quick-size to dry tacky — that is, very sticky or ad- hesive — mix equal parts of carriage-rubbing varnish and brown japan together. For size to dry tacky in five hours, mix two parts best carriage-finishing varnish with one part japan. For size to dry in twelve hours or overnight, mix equal parts light permanent wood-fining with brown japan. For extra jobs, purchase Harland's English gold size. For still better, that is, more durable work, take boiled linseed oil, and putting it in a shallow dish, set it on fire, and allow it to burn a few minutes, then cover the dish to extinguish the flames; add to this thickened or fat oil, sufficient brown japan to cause it to dry in the time de- sired, which may be determined by a little practice. Gilding is well known to take its brilliancy, or imitation burnish, from the surface and sizing over which it is laid. Gilding on plate-glass has more brilliancy than the same quality of gilding upon common sheet-glass; and gilding 116 everybody's paent book. upon a finely-prepared surface, and over the most bril- liant and glossy size is equally superior to that done over a poor surface and poor sizing. To produce good work, therefore, the surface must be smooth, and the sizing one that will flow smoothly and without fat edges. The for- mulas given above are as applicable for silver or nickel leaf, and for the various bronzes, as for gold leaf ; but it should be borne in mind that sizing on which bronze is to be put must be much drier or " tackier " than that for leaf, otherwise the fine powder is apt to penetrate the size, or settle and become darkened or devoid of brilliancy. Gilding Caeved Woke. For gilding carved work or on glass, it is necessary to use a " cushion " or partly-covered palette on which to spread a leaf of gold for cutting the same to the desired size or shape; a smooth-edged or dull " gold-knife " for cutting with, and a " tip " with which the pieces are lifted from the cushion and deposited upon the work. The "tip" (shown in Fig. 31) consists of two thick- nesses of cardboard, between which the ends of a thin layer of camel's-hair is glued. It is a very useful im- plement in gilding on glass, as it is impossible to gild glass if the hand or book touches it. For striping and other fancy work on plain surfaces, gilding may be done directly from the book. Hold the book of gold leaf in the left hand, and with the forefinger of the right hand, EVERYBODY S PATNT BOOK. 117 lift the first paper leaf, leaving the gold on the opposite side; then, holding the book close to the work, with its front edge pointing downward or toward the bottom of the letter or ornament, lightly touch the size, and roll the book upward, pressing lightly upon the back of the book Fig. 31 BEPEESENTS A GlLDEB'S Tip FOB LlPTING GOLD LEAP. with the side of the forefinger, until the top edge of the sizing is reached, or the whole leaf laid on; repeat this till the whole of the sizing is covered, then wipe it over gently with a bunch of cotton. Another plan is to first cut off the back of the book so that each leaf is separate, then, lifting the first paper leaf, 118 everybody's paint book:. lay it upon a smooth surface and draw a camel's-hair brush filled with turpentine over it; return it to its place and the gold will be found to adhere closely to it; lay this leaf aside and proceed with the other leaves in the same manner; then, holding the book as before described, lay the leaf on to the sizing. The turpentine will cause the leaf to adhere to the paper so that any part of the work not covered with sizing will not remove it, and thereby less waste will occur. This is a good plan where the work is to be done in a windy situation. Another plan is to cut the back of the book as before, and to nib very lightly a piece of paraffine candle or a piece of white beeswax over the paper; after the gold has thus been fastened to the paper the book may be cut to any desired size, and as the gold will adhere to the waxed paper until it touches the size, thus a very trifling waste will be made. The refuse gold and the cotton with which it is cleaned off should be carefully saved, as it is valuable and can be sold to any gold-beater. The foregoing rules apply to all leaf, but the Dutch metal and nickel are not worth the trouble of saving. Bronze, being a fine powder, must be treated differently. The sizing being in readiness to receive it, take a piece of plush, velvet, or chamois-skin, and folding it into a small wad or ball, dip it into the bronze powder and gently rub it on to the sizing; afterward clean off the surplus metal with a bunch of cotton. For carved work a soft camel's- EVERYBODY S PAINT BOOK. 119 hair brush may be used to apply the bronze. Silver and nickel leaf is frequently made to look like gold by simply flowing over it a lacquer. Most of the gilt frames we see are done by this process. A formula for the lacquer I give below : Gamboge ... 3 parts. Mastic 4 " Dragon's blood 1.5 " Saffron 1 " Sandarac. ... 4 parts. Shellac 20 " Spirit of wine. 100 " However, it may be far less trouble to procure the lac- quer already made from the picture-frame manufacturer, and this is advised, to make certain of good results. CHAPTEE XVTL Imitation Ground Glass. To make imitation ground glass that steam will not destroy, put a piece of common window putty in muslin, twist the fabric tight, and tie it into the shape of a pad ; clean the glass first, and then j>at it over with the pad. The putty will exude sufficiently through the muslin to render the stain opaque. Let it dry hard, and then var- nish with white damar varnish. If a pattern is required, cut out the figure in paper and stick it to the glass lightly with gum, then press the pad or dauber over it ; when all is dry, remove the paper figures and varnish to make the figures slightly opaque. Another plan is to stipple — that is, strike the ends of the brush against the glass, with a very thin white-lead paint mixed with varnish principally. Blackboard Paint. One quart of shellac dissolved in alcohol ; three ounces pulverized pumice-stone ; two ounces pulverized rotten- stone, four ounces lampblack ; mix the last three ingre- dients together, moisten a portion at a time with a little of (120) everybody's pahjt book. 121 the shellac and alcohol, grind as thoroughly as possible with a knife or spatula ; after which pour in the remainder of the alcohol, stirring often to prevent settling. One quart will furnish two coats for eighty square feet of blackboard not previously painted. The preparation dries quickly, and the board may be used within an hour if necessary. No oil should be used. Staining Oae-geaining. If it be desired to change a piece of oak-grained work, as in house painting, to a black-walnut color, take the Enamelled Leather Dressing — before spoken of for leather — and apply an even though thin coating over the oak- grain, which will stain it a beautiful black-walnut color, and require no further attention, for the " Dressing " or varnish acts as a stain and gives a good gloss at the same time. Mahogany Stain. To stain black-walnut, or any dark-colored woods, a mahogany color, mix half an ounce of dragon's blood with two ounces of good alcohol, and shake occasionally. When dissolved, put as much of this stain into alcohol as will make the wood the color desired, and go over with a brush. For light-colored woods, such as pine, beach, etc., add a little burnt umber to the above stain. 6 122 EVERYBODY S PAINT BOOK. Rosewood Stain. To stain in imitation of rosewood, apply to any light- colored wood a coat of asphaltum. thinned with turpen- tine, and when dry, stain with dragon's blood. There will be no grain — merely the color. If a grain is desired, mix lampblack with stale beer and with a sponge mako Pig. 32 SH0T7S Method of Latino Out an Oyal or Ellipse. the black streaks or grain, varnish. Then finish with furniture Laying Out an Oval or Ellipse. It is frequently the case that the painter is called upon to lay out an oval, or, more properly, an "ellipse"; and not knowing the simple rule by which his lines may be drawn, he goes to work with compasses, etc., and if he strikes anything approaching his ideas of an oval, after a everybody's paint book. 123 dozen or more lines are drawn, he is content, but in most cases his lines are sadly " out of true," and he becomes the laughing-stock of those who have an eye for correct forms. To enable any one to lay out a perfect oval, any desired size, the following directions should be observed : Supposing that it is desired to make an oval ten inches long and six inches wide. First draw a horizontal line, as shown at N, N, in the drawing, and cross it with a perpendicular line H, H. Now, with a rule measure from the centre or intersection of the lines at M, five inches each way, on line N, and mark the distance ; next, measure three inches each way from the centre on line H, and mark that, which gives the exact space that the oval must fill. Next, take the distance between the centre M, and the mark on line N, which is five inches, and placing one leg of the dividers on the mark on line H, turn the other leg until it strikes line N, on either side, making the points 0, O, in diagram. Now, stick a pin in the two spots thus made, O, O, and another pin in spot H, and tie a string around the pins quite tight. Next remove the pin from H, and in its stead place the point of a lead-pencil, and keeping the string taut move the pencil along. You will find that the string directs the course of the pencil point, and the result will be a perfectly-drawn ellipse. If the oval is to be long and narrow, or otherwise, it makes no difference, it will be a perfect oval, and the measurements on lines H and N will give the proper boundary. As a time-saver, 124 everybody's paint book. as well as for correctness, this method can not be excelled by any geometrical drawings with instruments. To Lay Out a Star. The star pattern is another useful and oft-called-for design, and, although it may seem strange to some that there are hundreds of mechanics who do not know how to lay out a star, it is nevertheless a fact. Proceed at follows : First, draw a circle with the compasses to the size you wish the star to be, and, if a nve-j>ointed star, set off on the cir- cle line five points at equal distances, then simply draw a hue from point to point across the plane. For a six-pointed star, the compasses, when set to form the circle, will be ex- actly right to mark the six points, and lines drawn as be- fore mentioned will give the desired result. A star may be drawn having any number of points, but it is seldom that more than five are used. To make a Drawing Uniform. It is sometimes necessary to make a drawing uniform on each side of the centre, as, for example, the drawing of a vase, an ornamented column, a scroll, etc., and where this can not be done by a free-hand, the following plan may be resorted to : Take a sheet of paper, and fold it at its centre, then with a soft lead-pencil draw one-half the design, allowing the fold of the paper to form the centre. When this is done, reverse the fold ; that is, fold the pa- everybody's paint book. 125 per with the pencil-marks inside, and laying it on some hard surface, rub the back of the drawing with an ivory paper-cutter, or other smooth instrument until the lines are plainly seen on the clean paper. Open out the paper, and the whole design will be found faintly outlined, and by simply following the lines it may be completed. Another plan of copying is to take some soft thin paper and rub it over with lampblack and tallow until it is well saturated, then wipe off all that will readily come off with a soft rag. By laying this under a drawing, upon clean paper, and following the lines with a hard ivory or bone point, the black will be forced from the copying-paper, and a good copy result. Copying with Sensitized Paper. Sensitized paper has of late been put in market, by which accurate copies of a drawing may be made by sim- ply laying the drawing upon the prepared paper and ex- posing it to sunlight as in the case of a photographic neg- ative. The instructions given by the manufacturers of this sensitized paper may not be amiss just here : 1. Provide a flat board as large as the tracing to be copied. 2. Lay on this board two or three thicknesses of com- mon blanket, or its equivalent, to give a slightly yielding backing for the paper. 126 everybody's paint book. 3. Lay on the blanket the prepared paper with the sen- sitive side uppermost. 4. Lay on this paper the tracing, smoothing it out as perfectly as possible. 5. Lay on the tracing a plate of clear glass, which should be heavy enough to press the tracing close down to the paper. 6. Expose the whole to a clear sunlight by pushing it out on a shelf from a window from four to six minutes; if no sunlight can be had the exposure must be longer. 7. Remove the prepared paper and wash it for one or two minutes in clear water and hang it up to dry. This produces a white-lined drawing on a blue ground, and it will be found excellent for some work. The paper comes in tubes, secured from the light, and it must be kept in the dark as much as possible before use. To make Tracing Paper. Tracing paper may be made by saturating some thin paper with oil, or grease, or with turpentine; the latter being excellent where the copy is to be on clean paper, for the turpentine will evaporate and leave the paper quite clean. CHAPTEE XVIII. Making Putty. Putty foe Windows. Mix whiting with boiled linseed oil to a stiff dough, and work it or knead it as a baker does his bread until it is of the proper consistency and is free from lumps. Putty for Plate-glass in Windows, Wagons, ok Hearses. Take a piece of plush or velvet and draw out the warp, leaving a fine flocking (short threads); mix this flockiug with equal parts of whiting and dry white-lead in brown japan and carriage-rubbing varnish equal parts, and knead all into a stiff dough. The short threads serve the same purpose as hair mixed in plaster by the mason, binding the particles together and effectually preventing chipping or breaking out of small pieces. The large glasses in hearses should be allowed to rest on a rubber strip, and then be puttied in place with putty made as above in con- nection with a small strip of wood screwed solidly to the frame. (127) 128 everybody's paint book. Putty foe Farm-Wagons and Machines. Mix whiting to a stiff dough with brown japan ; then add one-third in bulk of white-lead ground in oil ; knead and work the mass smooth, adding whiting if necessary to thicken it. Putty for Fine Carriage "Work. Mis equal parts of dry white-lead and whiting in equal parts of carriage - rubbing varnish and brown japan. Pound the mass into a stiff dough with a wooden mallet, using whiting to thicken if necessary. Keep all putty in water when not in use, to prevent it from drying hard. To Soften Old Putty. Wash it over with a strong solution of potash or sal- soda and lime. CHAPTEE XIX. Touching up Household Akticles. There are a hundred and one little things about a house that may be improved in appearance by a slight rub over •with varnish. The furniture, in most cases, is oiled and polished. The stair-cloth and hall or kitchen oil-cloth flooring may be varnished over at night and be dry for use the following day, but the knowledge of just how such work is to be done prevents many from attempting it. Directions for varnishing many household articles have already been given, but there is yet opportunity for going into more minute details. Varnishing Floor Oil-cloth. The varnish best suited for a floor-cloth is known in the trade as "No. 1 Furniture." It dries hard and quickly, and is not so readily removed by the repeated washings of soap and water. This varnish should cost about $2.00 per gallon, and it may be kept bottled so that at intervals the cloth may receive a coating and thus be kept bright and clean. It is hardly necessary to explain that before 6* (129) 130 everybody's paint book. varnishing, the oil-cloth must be washed clean. It is "bet- ter to use no soap in washing or at least but a little, be- cause strong soap will remove the coloring. Stencilling. The figures in a floor-cloth may be brightened up by the stencil process if need be, and to do this take a picco of thin paper and copy the figure originally on the cloth, then lay the pattern thus obtained upon some thick paper and cut it out (see page 59 for directions about making stencils). After the new paint has been put on, and this will probably not be necessary upon every square, the varnishing will complete operations. Stair-cloths may have the centre stripe, where most worn, painted with a plain color, say dark brown, leaving the original edge-stripe, and a very nice job be made of it. See chapter on Mixing Colors for method of preparing paint for this purpose. Painting States. The stairs may be painted either in full, or on each side, say eight inches from the edge, with yellow ochre or brown, but we would not advise varnishing any paint upon floors. A little carriage-rubbing varnish may be added to the paint to give it a slight gloss, and the reader will find full directions elsewhere in these pages for floor painting. everybody's paestt book. 131 Baluster Rails. A banister or baluster rail should not be varnished. It shxrald be rubbed well for several nights with boiled lin- seed oil, leaving on the wood a good supply of the oil ; then in the morning rub off all that has not soaked in. A week's work will produce something in the way of a polish that can be produced in no other way. The newel post and banisters may be varnished with No. 1 Furniture varnish, or oiled, as desired. Varnishing the Front Door. The front door of a dwelling, if of hard wood or grained, is one of the most difficult things to be kept in repair, that is, if the occupant is anxious to have it look well at all times. Furniture varnish will not answer the purpose for a front door, for being exposed to the elements, far more even than a carriage, it requires the best varnish. The hot sun of summer is liable to cause blistering, while the cold of winter, with sleet and rain, causes the surface to crack. A good plan is to fill the grain of the wood, if it be hard wood, with the best carriage-rubbing varnish, then apply Wearing body varnish (the best carriage-fin- ishing) costing at least $6.00 per gallon. Great care should also be taken not to dilute the varnish with oil or turpentine, as these would impair its durability. " Hard oil finish " has been recommended for outside doors, but, being simply a resin varnish, it can not be said 132 everybody's paint book. to be durable. This " bard oil finish " may answer well in place of the No. 1 Furniture varnish before spoken of for unexposed work, but the writer will not warrant it for front doors. To varnish a front door properly : The old varnish should first be rubbed with pulverized pumice-stone and water until every part is clean and smooth. A thorough washing is next in order to remove any of the pumice powder that may remain in the creases of mouldings or in corners, and where a chamois-skin is at hand, it should be used. Otherwise, clean rags will be found excellent in drying the surface. When this has been done, and a thorough dusting off been given, the operator should pour into a clean cup or other vessel, some of the varnish (best carriage-finishing) to be applied, and with a flat or an oval varnish-brush, begin the spreading of the varnish at the upper part of the door, laying the material on as heavily as possible, for a thin coating will not be of value. Varnish should be put on plentifully, so that it may flow, but yet not so heavy as to run in festoons or heavy patches. Varnishing is unlike painting, for in one case the material is rubbed well with the brush, while in the other the varnish is laid as level as possible and plenti- fully, then carefully passed over with the brush, though not sufficient to disturb it after it begins to " set." A good idea of the requirements in laying varnish might be gained, if one had an opportunity to see a car- EVERYBODY'S PADfT BOOK. 133 riage varnisher at work — for none know so well how to handle it. The work of laying the under or rubbing coats requires just as much care as is bestowed on the finishing coat, for the cleaner and smoother they are put on, the more satisfactory will be the finish. A large brush, say 0000 (four naughts) and a tool, i. e., a small brush for " cleaning up " or brushing around mouldings and the edges of panels should be used, for no good var- nishing can be done with a miserable, small, flat, half- gummed-up tool. Everything must be clean, and to in- sure cleanliness, it is an excellent plan to first get the door, and casing too, if that is to be done, well cleaned, and then to tack a large sheet of muslin over the whole front to exclude dust and sun while the varnish is drying. Then opening the door from inside, lay the varnish, and close the door. Doors may be painted in a similar manner, but as a rule it is not so necessary to exclude dust while painting. Varnishing the Vestibule. The vestibule should be as well done as the outer face of the main door, for in many cases the outer door is to be left open, and poor varnish would simply be vexatious. The side walls of the vestibule should also be painted or papered, for the dampness of so exposed a place would soon ruin kalsomine or fresco. 134 everybody's paint book. Imitating Ground Glass. The lights around a front or hall door, if any, not of ground or colored glass, may be made to look well by simply daubing the glass over with a small dauber made by tying some soft glazier's putty up in a piece of coarse cloth. The pvitty will ooze through the meshes of the muslin and give a very good imitation of ground glass. A stripe may be added by scratching through the glass with a sharpened stick, passed along a straight-edge. Transferring Prints. Many beautiful pictures may be inexpensively made by the transfer process, not that known as decalcomanie, but the fixing of an ordinary print, steel-plate, lithograph, etc., by varnish to glass or a painted surface. The method is as follows : To fasten the picture to a prepared ground, say a white painted surface, first wet the paper well with clean water — or, if a colored print, with salt and water — and lay it carefully between some newspapers or the leaves of a book to allow all the outer moisture or wet to be absorbed. Next, prepare the painted surface to receive the paint by varnishing it with carriage- rubbing varnish, laying on a good coat, for a thin, sparse coat would not be suitable. When the varnish has be- come nearly dry (that is, wheu the hand may be passed lightly over it without its sticking to it, but when if the everybody's paint book. 135 finger be pressed directly upon it, it will appear quite "tacky,") take the print and place it carefully, face down, upon the varnish, and press every part down smooth, or place several layers of newspapers upon it, together with a weight to keep them in place, and let all remain until the varnish is dry. Next dampen the paper with clean water, and begin to rub it off, using the ball of the mid- dle finger as a rubber, dampening and rubbing until all the paper is removed and nothing but the varnish and ink of the print remain. The picture is then varnished over with the same kind of varnish previously used, and all is complete. To Tkansfer Engkavings on Glass. To transfer a print to glass, the glass must first be well cleaned and varnished with a clean thin coat of carriage- rubbing varnish, and be allowed to dry hard. A picture will not transfer well to glass without two coats of varnish are put on. The second coat — the same as the first — be- ing put on and allowed to get "tacky," as before spoken of for a painted surface, the print is dampened and laid on as before described, and when the paper is rubbed from the back, the picture will be transparent, and by coloring on the back, coarsely, a beautiful effect will be given to the whole picture. Wood engravings, litho- graphs, or any similar picture can be transferred by this process. 136 everybody's paint book. Something of this kind was introduced some years ago under the name of " Grecian Painting," in which the pa- per was rendered transparent by coatings of Balsam of Fir Tarnish, but no such effect could be given as in the process described above. "Varnishing Rustic Work. There is frequently occasion to renovate a rustic chair, hanging basket, or some other piece of rustic work, for as a rule the varnish used by the manufacturer soon disap- pears if the articles be exposed to the weather. Procure for this work some carnage-rubbing varnish, for filling up or making a foundation for a better quality of varnish. One coat will generally be sufficient for this. After it is dry, flow on a heavy coat of " One Coat Coach " varnish, which will dry hard and wear well even if ex- posed to the elements or frequent wetting. Carnage- rubbing varnish costs about $3.50 per gallon, and a pint will cover a far greater area of surface than many im- agine, so the actual expense of varnishing such things is trifling. Cheap furniture varnish ($1.50 per gallon) may do for inside work, but it will turn white and decay when exposed. Fret-work, such as brackets and fancy ornaments, may be oiled with boiled linseed oil, or be varnished, the latter we think best, and good shellac varnish is excellent for such work. everybody's paint book. 137 For white hollywood, white damar varnish may be used, but for other woods shellac will be found good enough. It must be remembered that in varnishing sawed or fret work, great care is necessary not to have the varnish gather in the corners and run down upon the face of the work. A small bristle brush, such as described for drawing stripes in fresco painting, will be found excellent, for with it the small places can be well wiped out. Varnishing Clock Cases. In many instances a clock case may be made to look like new by simply rubbing it with raw linseed oil and a woolen rag to reproduce its color and lustre ; but if too much worn to look well, it may be varnished either with furniture varnish or shellac varnish, the former being pref- erable. Simply wash the case with soap and water, and when dry flow on the varnish. The face of the clock should not be tampered with, save to carefully clean it ; the hands may be coated with black japan, or be bronzed over with gold (see Chapter XVI., on Bronzing). Plaques and Chkomos. To preserve the beautiful pictures now so plentiful from age and fly-dirt, take them when new and clean, and flow over them a coat of white French shellac varnish, or to improve a faded chromo-lithograph, wash it carefully with clean warm water (no soap), and then varnish as above. 138 everybody's paint book. Oil-paintings are also sometimes improved by a very thin coat of the French shellac varnish, but when the var- nish has dried, the lustre should be dimmed by rubbing with anything that will remove the gloss and not scratch. Gilt Moulding, or Frames. The majority of what is called gold-frame or gilt-mould- ing, is made by covering a prepared pine-moulding with silver leaf, which is then lacquered with gold-colored lacquer. This is not water-proof, and consequently frames and mouldings should not be rubbed hard with a wet cloth, although a little washing will do no harm. To renovate a gilt frame it is best to do it all over rather than to touch it up in spots, for the ground can seldom be matched. However, gilt-work is now so cheap that it will hardly pay to attempt to fix it up. A coat of French shellac varnish will brighten up an old frame, but we think it best to either paint, bronze, regild them or dis- card them entirely. Sanding in Imitation or Stone. There are many parts of a store or dwelling which may be improved by giving them the appearance of stone. The cornice, window-sills and caps, iron or wood railing, and in some cases the whole front of the building may thus be coated. To do this, mix paint as near the color of the stone desired as you can with boiled linseed oil. Two coats of paint will generally be necessary, allowing everybody's paint book. 139 the first coat to dry well before putting on the second one. When the last coat is spread and while yet wet, fine white sand should he sprinkled over it plentifully. To Imitate Granite. Mix white-lead and oil, and after the sand has been sprinkled on, take a little lampblack and oil, and dipping a brush into it, strike the brush against a stick held in the other hand, to throw a trifling amount of fine black specks upon the sanded surface. Care must be taken not to put on too large spatters, nor too much. A good plan is to ex- periment on a board until the knack of spattering is gained. To Imitate Poetland-stone. Mix white-lead, yellow ochre and a drop or two of black to make the color, with oil, then sand it with no spattering of black. To Imitate Brown-stone. Use Grafton paint, or yellow ochre and Venetian red mixed with oil. At almost any dealer's one may purchase a "sanding- cup," consisting of a conical-shaped tin vessel having a hinged lid in which there are a number of small holes — like a pepper-box, with which a uniform coating of sand may be put on. The sea-sand should be well dried before any attempt is made to sift it, or it will not work well. In sanding a 140 EVERYBODY S PAINT BOOK;. flat smooth wall or boarding, a better imitation of stone may be given by laying it off in blocks, as shown in Fig. 32, by simply scratching through the sanded paint before it dries, with a stick, say, one-half an inch in width on the point, using a straight-edge, to govern the markings. For fine work of this kind on the interior of a dwelling, procure some "flockings" — a fine lint made in cutting plush and velvet — quite inexpensive — and after spreading Fif 32, showing Method of Latino Off Sanded Work to Imitate Blocks of Stone. a coat of any cheap varnish, dust on the flockings, when a sort of velvet imitation will result. Don't disturb the wall until all is dry, when all loose particles may be dusted off. Smalt, a sort of powdered glass or fine sand, may be procured in various colors, and be used in a similar man- ner, although it is best for sign work. To use sinalt, first paint over the ground with oil paint as near the color of the smalt as possible, then while still wet sift on the smalt everybody's paint book;. 141 and let dry. Black arid blue smalt makes excellent grounds for signs. The letters are first marked out and gilded, then care- fully painted around with oil black or oil blue — i. e., color mixed with boiled oil — and the smalt is dusted on. Some very handsome work may be done on signs by first painting the sign-board smooth, then stencilling on a lot of figures as directed for painting walls, outside of the letters, and coating the figures with smalt ; when dry, gild the whole over, leaving the lettering black. To Eenovate Picture-frames. Many picture-frames are made of black-walnut or other hard wood, and simply boiled to bring out the color of the wood, and these become dusty and time-worn. To make them fresh again, they may be rubbed over with a woolen rag and raw linseed oil, or be varnished ; the latter will generally make the best finish. Clean the frame thoroughly with soap and water, and dry it well, then with a small brush (a "sash-tool" as shown in Chapter in., Fig. 3, will answer), and a gill of furniture varnish the old frame may be made to look as good if not better than ever. Any oiled wood may thus be improved upon. If furniture varnish can not be readily obtained, shellac var- nish will answer just as good a purpose and even better in many cases, as it does not dry so glossy — and by many would be preferred on that account. As soon as you are 142 everybody's paint book. through using your brush in shellac varnish, it should be immediately washed in strong alcohol, never with soap and water or in turpentine. Floors for Bed-chambers. Floors may be made to look well and wear a long time by first cleaning them nicely, then flow on a heavy coat of boiled linseed oil, let dry, and then give two coats of brown shellac varnish. Ornamental Frosting for Walls. "When kalsomining or painting a wall, before the mate- rial applied is dry, sift upon it powdered mica (known as diamond dust), and a beautiful crystallization will result, which in the gas-light will glisten like thousands of dia- monds. Try it. To Prevent Dampness in Brick Walls. Take a pound of mottled soap and dissolve it in a gal- lon of boiling water, and spread the hot solution with a kalsomine-brush over the outer surface of the wall — using care that it does not lather. Allow twenty-four hours for drying ; then apply a second coating made by dissolving a pound of alum in two gallons of water. The soap and alum mutually decompose each other, and form an insolu- ble varnish which the rain is unable to penetrate. The work should be done in dry, settled weather. everybody's paint book. 143 Removing Hard and Dry Putty. A careful and experienced glazier sometimes runs more risk of damaging the wood of a window-frame than the glass, because when the putty is very hard it adheres with such tenacity to the wood that it is almost impossible to separate it without taking some of the wood, which is much softer. It has been recommended to put on the putty a caustic paste made of quicklime and caustic pot- ash or soda ; but this works slowly and does not penetrate quickly enough to the required depth. The best thing is to take a soldering-iron, heated a little below red-heat, and pass it slowly over the putty where it touches the wood ; be careful not to touch the glass in case this is to be saved. The putty will then become so soft that it can be separated easily from the wood. Cleaning Marble. Take washing soda, crush it fine, and mix with pulver- ized quicklime ; mix this with water to a paste, then rub it on the greasy surface, and on this let it dry. "When dry, scrape it off and wash the marble with soap and water. This is also good for sand or any porous stone. Staining Wood. Put some oil in a pot or dish, and stir in a little of the pulverized paints mentioned ; try it on a small spot of the 144 eveetbody's paint book. cabinet to be stained ; if not dark enough, put in more paint ; if too dark, dilute with, oil ; if too red, put in more Van Dyke brown. To imitate walnut you will want mostly Van Dyke brown, with yery little sienna. To give pro- portions of quantity would be useless, as it depends on the nature of the wood to be stained and of the dry paint you use, which will vary considerably. Just try until it suits your purpose, and you will not encounter the least difficulty. CHAPTEE XX. Modern Styles of House Painting. There is no reason why a house should be painted in the orthodox style of white, with green blinds, or in drab colors with darker trimmings ; and it is now deemed quite proper to launch out into dark greens, black, red, etc., on city buildings, more particularly on store-fronts. No bet- ter advertising medium can be had, sometimes, than the showy color, say vermilion, on a store-front, for it can be noticed a long distance off among rows of brick, marble, and dull-colored buildings, and we believe the plan, if properly carried out, so far as harmony of colors is con- cerned, will be found excellent, on dwellings as well, not so much to advertise them, but to distinguish them from others without the trouble of seeking the street number. Harmony by analogy, which has already been mentioned in previous pages, will possibly aid in choosing suitable tints and shades ; for it would be an endless task to enu- merate all that could be used upon such work. Dark green, made by adding yellow and black, as de- scribed in the chapter on mixing paint, may be made to 7 (145) 146 everybody's paint book. look well with trimmings of black or gold, and the same may be said of red, either Indian red or vermilion. Many store-fronts are painted with lampblack, then light- ened up with touchings or siripings of gold, and they cer- tainly prove attractive landmarks by their color. Dwellings in a village or town could not be thus dark- ened in color, and tints of light or dark green, drab, buff, or salmon-color would prove, in most cases, superior to the monotonous white. On page 8 the reader will find instructions for mixing tints, and from which may be chosen a suitable one for the work he has in hand. If a light green, or any other similar tint is desired, such as drab, light blue, cream, etc., first mix white-lead from the keg with either raw or boiled oil to the proper consistency for spreading with the brush — not too thick, nor too thin — then add, say, one pint of brown japan to each gallon of paint, and afterward stir into the white thus made, a little at a time, the color re- quired to make the tint (as mentioned above). The color used should first be mixed thin with oil so that it will readily assimilate with the white. "When the desired tint is formed the paint will be ready for putting on. It must be noted, however, that most any tint will fade or become lighter after a few months' exposure, and it is therefore best to make all mixtures a little darker than you wish to have them, in order to make allowance for this peculiarity. Tints of light olive-green upon the sides of a dwelling everybody's paint book. 147 may have a trimming of darker olive, and the blinds, cor- nice, and even the roof may be a tint of red, made with Indian-red and white ; or perhaps still better taste would be displayed if these were a solid Indian-red color, with no white added, to make a stronger contrast. To Imitate Bkickwoek. Coat the surface to be painted with a mixture of Vene- tian red and a little yellow ochre, to take off the bright red glare, with boiled linseed oil, and a pint of brown japan to each gallon of paint. Two coats of this will be necessary in most cases, and when these are dry, the pen- cilling, either white or black, may be put on. The color for pencilling is mixed in the same manner as the red, but with a little turpentine added to cause it to run freely from the pencil. Pencils for brickwork may be obtained at any dealer's, and the lines are drawn by passing the pencil along a straight-edge, using great care to get the lines a proper distance apart and the joints of the brick well broken. Stonework may be done in a similar manner, using the desired colors for gray, brown, Portland-stone, etc., the mixtures for which have already been mentioned in Chap- ter XIX. CHAPTEE XXI. Home Decoration. We will now enter the field of decoration, and endeavor to show how the interior of the home may be beautified Fig. 33. —Showing Suitable Leaves for Spatter work. There are many little things that the mother or daughter can do in leisure moments which will serve to break the monotony of the ever-present knitting, crocheting, and (148) everybody's paint book. 149 sewing or embroidering. The first to be considered is the making of a handsome wall decoration in spatter-work — ■ not the usual white and black attempts — but a real good picture, if the directions be well followed. The leaves of the oak, maple, geranium, and other plants and trees, ferns, etc., should first be gathered and placed Fig. 34.— Bkush for Spatter-work. between the leaves of a book, and under a heavy weight to press them perfectly flat. Next procure some fine quality drawing paper, say royal, 19 x 24 inches, costing $1.00 per quire, a paper of very small pins, and several sticks of India ink. Break the India ink into small pieces and put it into a small bottle with a little warm water, and shake it re- peatedly until it is all dissolved and the liquid is some- Fig. 35 shows a Spatter-stick. what thicker than writing ink. Next procure a good qual- ity tooth-brush and a stick shaped something like Fig. 35, from four to six inches long. These constitute all the requirements for making the picture. Upon a smooth 150 everybody's paint book. board, large enough, to take on a sheet of drawing paper, or a soft pine table, fasten the paper down smooth by tacks in each corner. Now open the book of leaves and lay them out carefully, so that in arranging them you can quickly see which leaf or vine to choose. Begin at the bottom if you decide upon making a wreath, and laying the largest leaves with their serrated edges turned outward, one lapjoing over the other ; con- tinue, sticking a little pin here and there to hold each part in place, until the wreath is formed to your satisfaction with the leaves. Care should be taken to place the largest leaves at the bottom centre, and diminish in size as you approach the apex or top. All the leaves must point out- ward. Having pinned down and securely fastened every leaf, the work of spattering begins. Pour into a saucer or other shallow dish some of the India ink, and with the fore-finger of the right hand dipped into it, apply a very small quantity upon the ends of the bristles of the tooth-brush. Hold the brush — bris- tles upwards — in an inclined or nearly perpendicular posi- tion directly over the leaves and paiaer, and at least six inches above them, and with the stick pass over the bris- tles from bottom to top very gently. The movement of the stick will cause the bristles to bend and spring back again, while the ink will fall in a fine spray over all beneath. The operation should be repeated until the paper is colored slightly gray nearest the edges of the leaves, and 151 152 everybody's paint book. blended off to nothing as it recedes from them. The darkest shade shoidd be given the bottom. Care must be taken not to drop a large spot, or to spatter so much in one place that one spot will run into another and make a blot. When this is done take the pins out of one or two leaves at the bottom and remove the leaves ; then care- fully spatter the edge of those leaves which were under the ones taken off. Continue taking off the leaves, going from the bottom upward, and spattering each edge as it is exposed. One side of each leaf may be spattered a little darker by holding the brush in a certain position — a knack easily learned. When all the leaves are thus spat- tered and removed, take a pen and with the India ink lightly sketch in the veins of the leaves. Fig. 36 represents a wreath done in the manner described. The original picture from which our engraving was made measured 11 x 9 inches. Some beautiful work may be done by the addition of a cross, a monument, or some other figure, and these may be cut out of paper, and arranged in the same manner as the leaves, the thickness of the cross being cut off after the first spattering, and the white face of the cross re- placed, until all other parts are done. The spattering should be darkest at the base. When all is done and your picture nicely framed it will present a very neat ap- pearance if you have performed the work properly (see Fig. 37). The original from which our engraving was Fig. 37 EEPBBSENTS A SPATTER-WOBK CROSS. 7* 153 Fig. 33 SHOWS ANOTHEK SPECIMEK OF SPATTER-WORK. 154 everybody's paint book. 155 made measured 9 x 12 inches. Fig. 38, which represents another specimen of spatter-work measured 10 x 12 inches before reduction. Spatter-work may also be done on fine satin or linen, and thus form very handsome pin-cushions, wall-pockets, etc. Again, a white door may be taken from its hinges, and laid horizontally while the panels or stiles are ornamented in this manner; after which a very thin coat of shellac varnish should be put over it, with a soft varnish brush, exercising great care not to touch the work but once, and that very lightly or the figures might be disturbed. CHAPTEE XXIX QrEsnoNS Asked asb Answered. In the foregoing pages a fair description of " "What can be done, and the way to do it," has been given ; but there are many items of interest connected with the subject which it may be well to impress more forcibly upon the reader's mind in order that those who undertake to carry out any of the many formulas, may not after one or two trials fail on account of some misunderstanding. The foregoing chapters, after being placed in type, were submitted to those who could readily comprehend what had been written, for criticism, and many questions on points which to them seemed somewhat vague have been propounded. The first of these series was from a lady in reference to the Eexovation, or Eepolishtng of a Piano. The case of a piano only, will be found to be polished, while the legs, especially carved ones, are varnished. The varnish used on this work is called by the manufacturer, (156) everybody's paint book. 157 " Piano-polishing," for the case, and "Piano-flowing," for the legs and stool. It is seldom that a piano becomes so badly dilapidated that it is unfit for refinishing ; but when one does get scratched or bruised so badly as to be unfit, the yarnish should be wholly removed. This may be done by scraping with a steel scraper, such as is used by carpenters, or the varnish may be softened with a solution of ammonia and then be scraped or washed off. Take, say, two ounces of spirits of ammonia and add two ounces of water ; then with a rag tied to a stick, sop over the surface, and allow it to set a few moments, when the varnish will be found to soften. Take a part of the work in hand at a time, say the back of the piano, and complete that before going to other parts, and care should be taken that no ammonia gets upon the inner works. When all has been cleaned in this manner, let the damp- ness dry out, then with No. 1 sand-paper rub all parts smooth, dust off, and apply a coat of varnish, known as "Scraping or Filling" varnish. Two or three coats of this varnish will be necessary to make a good foundation for the " Piano-polishing " varnish, which is next in order. The "Scraping" varnish having become dry and hard, take a flat steel scraper and scrape over the surface, taking most of the varnish off, but leaving the pores of the wood well filled. Sand-paper lightly with fine sand-paper and put the polishing varnish on plentifully, and as evenly as possible. Two coats of polishing varnish will be enough. 158 everybody's paint book. "When dry, say in two days, the work of polishing is begun. First, rub the surface as smooth as possible with pul- verized pumice-stone and water, wash off and dry well. Next, have at hand a vial of brown shellac varnish and another of boiled linseed oil. Then take a strip of list several yards long, and roll it up into a flat roll, over which tie a piece of cloth or flannel to form a flattened rubbing pad. Now saturate the face of the pad by dip- ping it into a shallow dish containing the shellac, then drop a few drops of the oil from the vial upon the face of the pad and begin rubbing the varnish. The use of shellac and oil will become apparent, when the pad does not pass easily over the varnish, showing that more shellac and oil is necessary. Continue the rubbing in a circular manner, so that any fine scratches may not be seen, until the whole case has a smooth, even gloss. The carved legs may be varnished with the " Piano-fin- ishing " varnish, and the job completed. "Where the varnish is in good condition, it is only neces- sary to repolish it; and the same operation as above may be carried out. Not only is this a proper way to fix up a piano, but an organ or any other piece of furniture may be done in a similar manner. The polishing of the var- nish on a carriage body is done by rubbing the varnish with pulverized pumice-stone and water, then with pul- verized rotten-stone and water ; afterward with rotten- everybody's paint book. 159 stone and sweet oil. The work upon a heavy job often occupies one man from eight to ten days' time. It should be borne in mind that this elaborate refinishing is only required where a piano is in very bad order. Ordi- narily, a coat or two of " Piano-polishing " varnish for the case, and " Piano-flowing " varnish for the legs will answer every purpose — of course, polishing the case as described above. Renovating Cottage Furniture. A lady wishes to know how to improve the appearance of a set of cottage chamber furniture, which is now painted a cream color and ornamented with flowers. The best way to clean up such work, where it is not too far destroyed, is to rub every part clean and smooth with pulverized pumice-stone and water;, wash and dry well, and lay on a coat of light-colored Carriage-Rubbing var- nish. If the furniture is bruised so badly that it is neces- sary to repaint it to make a good job, and the ornamental work may be saved, — First dissolve some glue in hot water, so that it is about the consistency of cream, then add enough whiting to give it the body of paint. Keep it hot, and with a small brush lay a coat over all the parts to be saved, that is, the flowers, leaves, etc., and let dry. When dry, paint over the furniture the same as if there was no ornamental work upon it, with any desired tint (see chapter on tints). 160 everybody's paint book. When the painting is done, take some warm water and a soft rag or a sponge, and wash off the glue, which will soften easy and come off, leaving the figures as if. newly painted upon another ground. "What is Pumice-stone? Pumice-stone is the lava from a volcano. It comes to us in lumps of various sizes. It is exceedingly jDorous, and most of it so light that it will float upon water. The lumps are cut with a saw and file to any desired shape, and it is then used in connection with water for levelling the surface of paint on carriage bodies. Pulverized pumice-stone is the lumps ground fine in burr-niills, and sifted or bolted to various degrees of fineness. It is used with water in levelling varnish coats, or for cleaning paint or metals. Furniture and Carriage Varnish. " What is the difference between furniture and carnage varnish ? " Carriage varnish is made from the best gum- copal, linseed oil, and turpentine ; the different grades being formed by the different quantity of ingredients or their quality. The best quality is known as " Finishing," and various names are given by the many manufacturers, such as "Wearing Body," "Body Finishing," etc. Car- riage varnish from England has for a number of years held supremacy over other makes; but the American var- everybody's paint book. 161 rush-makers have at last equalled it, and although many carriage-makers use the English brand upon their work, the majority of those in this country give preference to American varnish. Furniture varnish is greatly inferior, being made from inferior gums and resins. It is suitable only for inside work, having no durability when exposed to the weather. Painting Window-Blinds. " Will the paint as mixed for a lumber- wagon answer for window-blinds ? " No, window-blinds should be painted with pure oil paint; a trifling amount of brown japan may be added to hasten the drying; but good boiled linseed oil will give the best results. Mix the dry color to the proper consistency for spreading with boiled oil only, and apply as evenly as possible. Varnishing Wall-Paper. " Can wall-paper be varnished ? " There is a certain class of wall-paper made specially for varnishing, and used for wainscotings, etc. ; but as a general thing the wall-papers are unfitted to receive varnish, even when carefully sized with starch or glue-water. Learning to Letter. " Can I learn to letter signs and wagons from books ? " Yes; you may gain a sufficient amount of information 162 everybody's paint book. from books to enable you to practice lettering, and by practice you may become proficient. An excellent book for a beginner is " The Complete Carriage and "Wagon Painter," by Fritz Schriber, published by M. T. Richard- son, No. 7 Warren Street, New York, (price $1.00). In this book rules are given for laying out and painting let- ters for both wagons and signs, and the work is very com- plete. If you have no taste for drawing a letter, and feel too old to learn how, there are templets of brass, by the use of which you may draw the outline of any letter. Then, there are sets of the alphabet cut out of strong pasteboard, that you can lay upon the work and rnark around; but, after all, the knowledge is quickly gained, and the book spoken of fills the bill. " What is meant by Harmony of Colors ? " Harmony of colors is just as essential in pleasing the eye, as the harmony of sound is to pleasing the ear. The subject, if fully explained, would occupy too much space in a book of this kind. However, it may be said : There are three primary colors, viz.: Red, Blue, Yellow; and these can not be made by the mixture of other colors; but by mixing the primaries in pairs, other colors, called " complimentary colors," are formed. For instance, red and blue make violet; red and yellow, orange; and blue and yellow, green. If green be placed beside red (the primary not in green) the red will be improved, and vice everybody's paint book. 163 versa. If orange be placed beside blue (the missing pri- mary), both, colors 'will be intensified, and so on; but if blue be placed beside green, without the interposition of white or black, the eye would not be pleased, which shows that the color combination is not harmonious. White and Black are known as neutral colors. Harmony by contrast is the mingling of colors which are quite different, as red and green, yet pleasing to the eye. Harmony by analogy is the mingling of colors very similar in tone — that is, a light green and a medium or dark green. "We often see an ornament painted in what is called " Monochrome," i. e., one color, but in various tints, as, for example: a monogram would be laid in in pink, the dark shades in carmine, the middle shades ver- milion, and the high-lights in white, tinted with red. This is harmony by analogy, and the eye is generally pleased with such a combination. See "Chevreul on Color," a work by a noted French chemist. Painting- Tots. "With what are toys generally painted?" Toys are painted with size or water-colors. The paint dries quickly, and is then varnished with shellac, if a gloss is desired. The work is generally done by small girls, who become very dexterous in the handling of the brush. 164 everybody's paint book. Ammonia, and How it Injures Varnish. "We notice nothing in your proof-sheets about ammo- nia, that deadly enemy of varnish and paint. Will you please give us a description of its action and of what it consists of ? " Ammonia, in its uncombined form, is an elastic gaseous body. It is volatile and easily destroyed by heat, but it is rapidly absorbed by water, which it takes in solution about 780 times its volume. It is liberated whenever any of the compounds of this alkali are acted upon by potash, soda, lime, and many of the alkaline earths, lime being one of the quickest to act. Muriate of ammonia is produced by the decomposition of vegetable matter and the excrement from animals. Lime and other articles act upon the ammonia and liberate the gases, the action of which is very serious on varnish when the surface is not dry. This is accounted for by the affinity of ammonia to water, the two forming an alkali which acts upon the oil in the varnish, and by absorbing it deprives the varnish of the element so necessary for its life and lustre. Owing to the volatile character of ammonia, it will dis- tribute itself over a large space, and where the conditions are favorable it will work permanent injury. In storing carriages, therefore, care should be taken to select a loca- tion as free from moisture as possible. If the carriage- everybody's paint book. 165 house is kept dry, so that no moisture settles upon the varnish, no injury will arise from ammonia ; but if the air of the room is charged with moisture, the ammonia will destroy the varnish, even though the quantity is so slight as to he imperceptible. Brick stables or plaster walls, owing to the presence of lime, are far more injurious than when the surroundings are wood. Some of the earths are nearly as injurious as lime, and a varnished surface covered with dust, if standing in a room where the air is not absolutely dry, will act the same as lime, and the volatile alkali will destroy the life of the varnish, though this may not be apparent when the carriage is first washed off. Ammonia exists wherever animals are stabled, and the only real protection from its ravages is by hot, dry air. Recent improvements in varnish have made some kinds less susceptible to ammonia than others, but in the absence of these, or even with these, dry air is the main safeguard. Detecting Adulteration in Dry Colors. "Please tell how we can detect adulteration in dry colors, if it is possible to do so ? " The adulteration of pigments, and in some cases their imperfect manufacture, are conditions that it is not always possible to guard against, for the difference between good and bad material is not discoverable until the work on which the material is used is completed, and too late to 166 everybody's paint book. rectify the error. "White-lead frequently contains a large percentage of barytes, and vermilion of red-lead, or other heavy pigment, and even though we have at our command tests for proving their purity, we do not always feel dis- posed to apply them until it is discovered that something is wrong. White-lead, if pure, when thrown on a piece of burn- ing charcoal, will first turn yellowish, then melt down into metallic globules. If impure, there will be a residue of white earthy matter. Vermilion, if pure, will entirely evaporate if thrown on a red-hot iron. Chrome yellow may be tested by pouring on it a little nitric acid ; if it effervesces, it is adulterated ; if not, it is pure. Ultramarine blue, if adulterated, will scarcely be affected by nitric acid, but if pure will lose its color almost entire- ly. If Prussian blue and indigo be used to adulterate ultramarine, it may be detected by throwing some of the blue on live charcoal, when, if a bluish vapor is given off, having a smell of burning indigo, the adulteration is cer- tain, otherwise it is possibly pure. Cheap japans, used as dryers, are in part resjDonsible for a large class of paint troubles. A good japan will readily assimilate with oil, while a poor, worthless one will be found to coagulate or curdle, and resist every attempt to mix with it. The fading of a color after it is upon the work is generallv due to the effects of sunlight, ammonia everybody's paint book. 161 from the stable, or in some cases to a mixture of pigments which are inharmonious. In manufacturing pigments, it is often necessary to combine two colors while in pure and limpid solutions, rather than to mix the two dry pig- ments, in order to arrive at a perfect tone or hue of color, and the painter will find the same rule applicable in some cases in mixing certain colors to form others. For ex- ample, if he desires a rich shade of green, he will find it advisable to mix Prussian blue with his vehicles, and grind it fine in the mill ; then mix chrome yellow in a similar manner and grind that ; and after this, to add the blue to the yellow paint during a lively stirring with a stick or sj>atula, until the desired shade is obtained. This method will result in a better commingling of the parti- cles of the pigments, and produce a better color than by the more common method. The durability of a color is in many cases dependent upon the vehicles used in mixing the paint, or in the ex- posure it receives. We are told by one writer — who, per- haps, had a single example set him — that "zinc white should always be used in place of white-lead at the sea- side, where it is especially durable. The action of the salt air injures the lead." While another writer tells us that "white-lead is the more durable of the two — zinc and lead — in exposed situa- tions at the sea-side, where salt air is present." Another, and I believe the most sensible of the three, 168 everybody's paestt book. says : " The most durable -white for exteriors is a mixture of white-lead and zinc in equal parts, mixed or thinned with pale boiled oil, raw oil being more liable to be sucked into the wood, leaving the pigment without sufficient bind- ing." The reason of this is obvious ; the white-lead possesses the most body, and consequently gives a better covering, and the zinc being less affected by salt air (pre- sumably) acts as a preservative to the lead, and thus du- rability is extended. However, I am of the opinion that the decision arrived at regarding the use of either, alone or mixed together, is based upon insufficient testimony coming from those, perhaps, who have an axe to grind. Much of the durability of colors depends upon the ground over which the paint is spread. If the ground be porous to absorb the vehicles of the paint, the pigment will be deprived of a sufficient amount to keep it in color — it will fade or turn gray. You will often see pigments in lumps, which, if broken, present a deeper or more brilliant tone ujDon the inside than upon the outside, and this is the case with paint that has lost its vitality by the absorption of the oiL so that care should be had to form a good foundation. GLOSSAET. Badger-hair Brushes. — Brush.es made from the hair of the animal of that name, used for fine varnishing or " color-and-varnishing " principally. Benzine. — A volatile spirits distilled from petroleum or coal oil, used as a substitute for turpentine both as a vehicle for paint, and as a thinner for varnish. It was, during the rebellion, the only vehicle within the reach of moder- ate means, turpentine being at one time $2.50 per.gallon, but it is now looked upon as worthless in the paint-shop. It can be readily discovered by its pungent odor, and care should be taken in purchasing turpentine, that it is not used as an adulterant. Black Japan. — A solution of asphaltum or Jew's pitch in linseed oil or varnish. It comes ready prepared at a cost of $4.50 per gallon. Bristle Brush. — A brush made from the bristles of the hog. The best are taken from the wild hog of Russia, while the animal is alive. The hogs are allowed to roam the dense forests, where thousands of nut-growing trees supply them with food, and on which they fatten. Their bristles grow to an enormous size. They are driven into corals, seized by strong hands, one at a time, and their bristles pulled out while suffering excruciating pain, as their cries attest. They are then allowed to go free to grow another crop of bristles. 8 (169) 170 everybody's paint book. Bronze. — A fine powder of various metals, made by first comminuting the metal, then mixing it with honey and grinding it exceedingly fine, after which the honey is removed by washing and the metal dust dried on shallow pans. Camel'§-hair Brushes. — Brushes made of hair said to be from the camel, but which for the most part comes from the tail of the Russian squirrel. They are soft yet elastic, and have no superior for spreading fine colors such as are used on carriages. " Chiselled." — A term used to denote that the bristles of a brush are tapered down or worn off on the edge to a chisel shape. This is done by the brush-maker to give the brush a better shape for laying paint. It was former- ly the practice to wear down a new brush on some rough surface to get it in order for good work, but chiselling obviates that trouble. The bristles are drawn back on each side of the brush, forming a thin edge, and leaving the split-end of the bristles intact. Those that are ground off are not so soft and elastic. Drying Read. — With no gloss; the paint will be of one appearance throughout, with no lustre. Egg-shell gloss. — Paint drying with a very slight lustre, in fact like an egg-shell — not dead. Glazing. — The art of giving a ground-color a different shade or richness by coating it with a transparent glaze or thin wash. The pigment, such as carmine, ultrama- rine blue, etc. , is mixed with varnish to form a sort of colored varnish, not a solid covering, and then applied the same as varnish to a ground quite near the color of the glaze. For carmine, any dark or light red may be used as a ground. For blue, any shade of blue made of Prussian blue, may be glazed with ultramarine. For green, use verdigris or Paris green, for a glaze. For everybody's paint book. lYl yellow, or for dark bottle-green, use yellow lake or Dutch pink for the glazing color. Japan Drier, or Brown Japan. — A drier for paints made by boiling linseed oil with substances which give it drying properties, such as manganese, sugar of lead, red-lead, litharge, etc. , and adding for a body, gum-shel- lac or inferior Tarnish gums. Price generally $1. 50 per gallon. Japan-Crold-size. — A superior quality of brown japan, in- tended for a drier of paint, and not, as many suppose, a size for metallic leaf or powder. It is of twice the strength of brown japan, and its price is in proportion, i. e., $3.00 per gallon. Leaf. — Any metal rolled and beaten into thin sheets, as gold-leaf, nickel-leaf, etc. Linseed Oil. — An oil expressed from flaxseed. Pencils. — The name given to all small brushes, less in size than the sash-tool, as striping-pencils, lettering-pencils, etc. Some pencils are made of sable-hair, and are quite expensive, as the hah is obtained from a small animal of the weasel family, and that only from the tip of the tail. Camel's-hair pencils are, as before said, made of Russian squirrel-hair. Ox-hair pencils from the hah that grows in that animal's ear. Pencils are bound in quills of all sizes, in tin, and some are simply hah tied to a stick. Pigments. — Coloring substances generally in powdered form, produced by chemical means or dug directly from the earth. The list embraces many colors which may be made by the painter, by combining simple pigments, and would occupy too much space here, but a few only will be noticed. Bone-black. — An inferior black made by burning the bones of animals, instead of ivory. 172 eveeybody's paint book. Carmine. — A blood-red color extracted from cochineal. It is the most expensive pigment used in carriage painting, and therefore seldom put on in the same manner as other colors. Glazing is resorted to, to lessen the quantity of pigment used. Indian-red. — A deep red pigment, a chemically prepared ochre, or earth. Ivory-black is made by calcining the chips and refuse of ivory-workers. After being burned the charcoal thus formed is ground in powerful mills, while mixed with water. The best quality is known in the trade as ' ' Ger- man ivory-black," imported into this country in the form of a fine powder, the price ranging from fourteen to twenty-three cents per pound wholesale. Lampblack. — The soot from burning oils, fat, tar, vegeta- bles and other like matter. Lampblack is the most dura- ble pigment in use, being nearly pure carbon. Prussian Blue. — A pigment made by chemically prepar- ing the refuse of slaughter-houses, etc. Sienna. — Similar to umber, but of a deep salmon-color when burned. Ultramarine Blue. — Named from the precious stone which was originally powdered to form the color, and which came from "across the sea," ultra — beyond, and marine — the sea. The Lapis lazuli, or precious stone, was indeed too precious, and the pigment we now em- ploy is made by chemical means. Umber. — An ochre, the natural color of which is very nearly that of iron-rust, but when bumed it becomes darker and of a rich brown color. Vermilion. — A bright red pigment made by combining chemically, sulphur and mercury. There are several brands of American vermilion, but English vermilion is everybody's taint book. 173 by far the best, the "light" being used extensively wherever a bright red is wanted, the "deep" for ordi- nary work. White-lead. —A pigment made by subjecting the metallic lead to the fumes, or. corroding influence of vinegar, when it becomes a fine white powder. Much of this is ground in huge mills while mixed with linseed oil, and is then technically known as keg-lead or tub-lead. Dry white-lead is the powder unmixed. Pumice-stone. — The lava from a volcano. The lumps or pieces of stone are used for scouring down old paint or for level ling rough-stuff on carriage bodies ; the powdered or pulverized pumice-stone is simply the lumps ground to powder, for rubbing varnish smooth. Rough-stuff, — as its name implies, — is a rough -grained paint designed to level over any hollows or imperfec- tions in the surface to be painted and varnished, as a car- riage body. It is composed of some cheap ochre or other hard and gritty pigment, so that the stone with which it is rubbed will grind it down smooth and not clog or fill up. A good recipe for Rough-stuff is as follows : Take equal parts of dry white-lead and Grafton paint or English filling (an earth), and mix them with equal parts of rubbing varnish and brown japan ; grind loosely through the paint-mill; then thin to a working con- sistency with raw linseed oil one part, turpentine two parts. Size. — A name given to any mixture which becomes adhe- sive when partly dry, as "gold-size," the proper name of which should be "gilding size," to distinguish it from the paint drier — gold-size. However, there is a gilding size imported from England under the name of "Har- land's gold-size," wbich is one of the best for laying leaf or bronze upon. 174 EVERYB UTt's PAINT BOOK. Tint. — A change of -white by the addition of any other color, as pink, straw, gray, etc. Turpentine. — A volatile oil, generally called spirits of tur- pentine, obtained by distillation from pine-wood, the residue being tar and pitch. Pure turpentine evaporates quickly, leaving no sediment, consequently it is not used in paint to bind tbe particles of pigment together, but to make the mixture more limpid, that it may be spread easily with a pencil or brush. Varnish, Carriage. — The varnish for carriages is made by melting copal gum, mixing it with linseed oil and add- ing a drier to it, then thinning to the proper consistency with turpentine. The best quality is called Wearing Body, at from $5.50 to $6.00 per gallon. This varnish is very pale, and excels in freedom and safety of working, as well as in brilliancy and durability. In good weather it dries out of the way of dust in eight hour's ; hardens free from tack in four days ; sets so slowly that it affords ample time to make a perfect job on the largest panels, and the job will be ready for use in five or six days. This varnish is excellent for front-doors to dwellings. Varnish, Carriage-Rubbing'. — A varnish designed for the first coats or under coats of varnish on carriages, which is rubbed level with pulverized pumice-stone and then varnished over with a finishing, or better grade of varnish. It is excellent for some work hi the house, and for mixing in colors. Varnish, Damar. — Made by dissolving damar gum in spirits; it is quick-drying, very white (of a milky ap- pearance), but the gum is soft and the varnish never hardens well. It is used for mixing with white-lead or zinc-white, to form what is known as " China gloss " for interiors, etc. everybody's paint book. 175 Tarnish, Furniture. — A mixture of inferior gums and resins with linseed oil, or with, inferior oils, such as cot- ton-seed oil, fish oil, etc. It serves a very good pui'pose on common furniture, or upon any work of a dark color which is not to be exposed to the weather. Price vary- ing from $1.50 to $3.00 per gallon. Varnish, "One Coat Coach." — For finishing-coats on ordinary work. This varnish, though not so pale or durable as Wearing Body, is heavy -bodied and especial- ly adapted for finishing bodies or gears of carriages, when a single coat only is practicable. In good weather it dries in seven hours with fullness and brilliancy, and wears well. Tarnish, Shellac. — A solution of shellac gum and alcohol. There are three kinds in common use, viz. : brown shel- lac for common work ; white shellac (a milky substance) for white work, and pale French shellac (the color of cider) for any kind of work. Shellac varnish dries in a few minutes, and ranges in price from $2.00 to $4.00 per gallon. Vehicle. — Any liquid used in mixing paint. Zinc White. — Made by burning the metal zinc, and con- densing the smoke and fumes ; it is a very pure white, and preferred on some work to lead. INDEX. PAGE Adulteration in Colors 165 Ammonia 164 Baluster Rails, To Oil 131 Bed-chamber Floors 142 Bedsteads, To Renovate 71 Black 9 Blackboard Paint 120 Black Ebony, To Imitate 73 Blue, Ultramarine 42 Brick Walls, To Prevent Dampness in 142 Brickwork, Color for 10 Brickwork, To Imitate 147 Bronzing 113 Bronze-Work, To Renovate 81 Brown, Olive 43 Brush, Camel's-Hair 16 Brush, How to Bridle a 24 Brush, How to Handle a 25 Brush, Ordinary 13 Brush, Varnish 15 Brushes, How to Preserve 22 Buggy, To Touch up a 102 Buggy, To Varnish a 102 Carriage Body (Cracked), To Paint a 101 Carriage, Improving Leather on 100 Carriage Painting 93 Carriage, To make an old one look like new 104 Carriage Varnish 160 Ceilings, To Ornament 58 Ceilings, To Renovate 51 (176) INDEX. 177 PAOK Chairs, To Paint 71 Chandeliers, To Eenovate 81 Chromos, To Varnish 137 Cleaning before Painting 31 Cleaning House 51 Cleaning Marble 143 Clock Cases, To Varnish 137 Color, Brick 43 Color, Chestnut 42 Color, Cream 43 Color, Copper 43 Color, Drab 42 Color, Fawn 42 Color, Flesh 42 Color, French Gray 43 Color, Gray 43 Color, Lemon 43 Color, Lilac 42 Color, Lead 43 Color, Oak. 43 Color, Plum 42 Color, Purple 42 Color, Stone 42 Color, Violet 42 " Coior-and- Varnish " 98 Color, Cream 8 Colors, Detecting Adulteration in 165 Color, Drab 8 Colors for Business Wagons 33 Colors for Farm Implements 30 Colors, Harmony of 162 Colors, How to Mix 35 Color, Lead 8 Color, Pea-Green 8 Color, Pearl 8 Color, Eose, or Pink 8 Color, Salmon 8 178 INDEX. PAGE Colors, Silver Gray 8 Colors, Straw 8 Colors, "Wood 8 Damask Walls, To Make 65 Dampness, To Prevent in Brick Walls 142 Decoration, Home 148 Door (Front), To Varnish 131 Drier, Japan 3 Drier, Patent „ 5 Dutch Metal 114 Ellipse, To Lay Out 122 Engravings, To Transfer 135 Farm Wagons, Color for 10 Farm Wagons, Indian Red for 41 Farm Implements, Color for 10 Farm Implements, Color for 40 Farm Implements, Color for 41 Farm Implements, To Paint 29 Farm Tools, Color for 10 Farm Wagon, To Paint 106 Fences, To Paint 89 Floor Oil-Cloth, To Varnish 129 Floors for Bed-chambers 142 Floors, Paint for 38 Flower-Stands, Paint for 37 Fret-Work 136 Furniture, To Renovate 71 Furniture, To Renovate 159 Furniture Varnish 160 Gilding 113 Gilding Carved Work 116 Gilding on Plate Glass 115 Gilt Moulding 138 Glass (Ground), To Imitate 120 Glass (Ground), To Imitate 134 Glass, To Transfer Prints on 135 Glossary 169 INDEX. 179 PAGE Gold Leaf 113 Gold Leaf, To Apply 116 Granite, To Imitate 139 Green 38 Green, Bronze 43 Green, Chrome 38 Green, Chrome 42 Green, Milori . . . . 39 Green, Milori 42 Green, Olive 39 Green, Quaker 42 Home Decoration 148 Household Articles, To Touch up 129 Household Implements, Color for 10 House Painting, Modern Style . 145 House, To Clean 51 Imitating Brickwork 147 Indoor White 4 Indoor Work, Paint for 9 Iron Railings, To Paint 83 Ironwork, Color for 10 Japan Brown 8 Japan Drier 3 Kalsomine 52 Kalsomine, Prepared 56 Kalsomine, To Make 53 Kitchen, To Renovate 85 Lacquering ■» 113 Lacquer, Formula for making 119 Lampblack 9 Lampblack 42 Lead (White), Ground in Oil 5 Leather on Carriages, To Improve 100 Letter, Learning to 161 Linseed Oil, Raw and Boiled 3, 6 Machinery, Color for. ... 10 Mahogany, Stain — 131 180 INDEX. PAGE Mantel-Piece, To Paint or Marble 78 Marble, To Clean 143 Marbling Mantel-Pieces 78 Oak Graining, Stain for. 121 Ocbre, Yellow 42 Oil-Cloth for Floors, To Varnish 129 Oil, Linseed, Boiled 3 Oil, Linseed, Raw 3 Oil Paintings, To Varnish 138 Outbuildings, Color for 10 Outbuildings, To Paint 89 Outdoor White 4 Outdoor Work, Paint for 9 Oval, To Lay Out 122 Paint for Blackboards 120 Paint for Flower-Stands 37 Paint for Walls of a Room 44 Paint that Rubs Off 7 Paint, What is it ? 3 Paint, White 4, 6 Painting Cracked Carriage Body 101 Painting Fences 89 Painting (House), Modern Styles 145 Painting Iron Railings 83 Painting Mantel-Pieces 78 Painting Outbuildings 89 Painting Plastered Wall 51 Painting Shingle Roofs 92 Painting Stairs 130 Painting Tin Roofs 92 Painting Window-Blinds 161 Painting Woodwork of a Dwelling 46 Paper-Hanging 62 Paper (Sensitized), To Copy with 125 Paper (Tracing), To Make 126 Paper (Wall), To Varnish 161 Paste for Hanging Paper 62 INDEX. 181 PAGE Pencils, Care of , 19 Pencils, Lettering 18 Pencils, Striping , 17 Pencils, To Select 18 Piano, To Polish 156 Picture Frames, To Eenovate . . 141 Pigments which can be Used without Grinding 41 Plaques, To Varnish 137 Plaster Casts, To Bronze 83 Plows, To Paint 38 Plastered "Wall, To Paint 51 Polishing Pianos 156 Portland Stone, To Imitate. . .'. 139 Print, To Transfer 134 Pumice-Stone 160 Putty for Fine Carriages 128 Putty for Machinery 128 Putty for Wagons 127 Putty for Windows 127 Putty (Hard and Dry), To Remove 143 Putty, To Make 127 Putty, To Soften Old 128 Rakes, To Paint 38 Red 9 Red, Indian 42 Red, Venetian 42 Renovating Furniture 159 Renovating Picture Frames 141 Renovating Walls and Ceilings 51 Roofing 90 Roof (Shingle), To Paint 92 Roof (Tin), To Paint 90 Room, Paint for Walls of 44 Rosewood, Imitation of for Furniture 37 Rosewood Stain 122 Rustic- Work, To Varnish 136 Sanding in Imitation of Stone 138 182 INDEX. PAGE Sash Tool 14 Sensitized Paper, Copying with 125 Shingle Roofs, To Paint 92 Sienna, Burnt 42 Silvering ' . . 113 Silver Leaf 113 Size, Quick 115 Size, How to Prepare 53 Sleighs, White for 48 Smalt 140 Spatter-Work 148 to 155 Stain for Mahogany 121 Stain for Rosewood 122 Staining Oak Graining 121 Staining Wood 143 Stairs, To Paint 130 Star, To Lay Out 124 Stencils for Ornamenting Ceilings 58 Stencilling for Wagons 110 Stencilling Oil-Cloth 130 Stone (Portland), To Imitate 139 Stone, To Imitate 138 Tin Roof, To Paint 90 Tints for Kalsomining 55 Tints for Walls of a Room 46 Tints, How Formed 8 Tools required in Painting 12 Toys, To Paint 163 Tracing Paper, To Make 126 Transferring Prints 134 Turpentine 3 Umber, Burnt 42 Varnish, Damar 7 Yarnish, Furniture and Carriage 160 Varnish Injured by Ammonia 164 Varnishing 99 Varnishing a Buggy 102 INDEX. 183 PAGE Varnishing Chromos 137 Varnishing Clock Cases. 137 Varnishing Floor Oil-Cloth , . , 129 Varnishing Front Door 131 Varnishing Oil Paintings 138 Varnishing over White 7 Varnishing Plaques 137 Varnishing Rustic- Work 136 Varnishing Vestibules 133 Varnishing Wall Paper 161 Vestibule, To Varnish 133 Vermilion 42 Vermilion, American ......... 40 Vermilion, English 10 Vermilion, English 40 Wagon (Business), To Paint .... 32 Wagon (Farm), To Paint 106 Wagons, White for 48 Walls of Houses, To Renovate 51 Wall Paper, Varnishing 161 Walls, Preparing Kalsomine for 53 Wash-Tubs, To Paint 38 White for Exterior 47 White for Wagons and Sleighs 48 White-Lead 8 White-Lead 42 Whitewashing 70 Window Blinds, To Paint 161 Wood, Staining ... 143 Woodwork of Dwelling, To Paint 46 Yellow, Chrome 42 Zinc, To Clean 79 184 EVERYBODY'S PAINT BOOK. F. W. DEVOE & CO., Cor. Fulton and William Sts., New York, MANUFACTURERS OF DRY COLORS. Colors in Oil, in Japan, and in Distemper. VARNISHES AND JAPANS. Eeaij-Mixei Paints. If you wish to buy Mixed Paints that are pure and contain no Water, Benzine, Rubber, Alkali, or Chemi- cals, but made only of Pure Linseed Oil, Turpentine, and Driers, ask for F. W. Devoe & Co.'s Ready-Mixed Paints. MANUFACTURERS OF FINE BRUSHES OF EVERY DESCRIPTION, AND ALL Painters' Supplies, Artists' Materials, Etc. COFFIN, DEVOE & CO., Chicago. EVERYBODY'S PAINT BOOK. 185 JOHNSTON'S PATENT STANDARD -DRY SIZBD— « KALSOMINE AND Fresco Faints, FOR COLORING WALLS AND CEILINGS. READY \ltV W FOR USE Eight First-Class Awards. AN UNEQUALLED PREPARATION. Nine-Tenths Cheaper than Wall Paper. Three-Fourths Cheaper than Oil Paint. Pure Wliite, and a Variety of Beautiful Tints. Endorsed by Painters, Dealers, and Housekeepers wherever tried. No poisonous matter enters into its composition. Purines and. Beautifies. "Will not rul> or scale from the Trail, but makes a smooth, rich, and even surface. Invaluable in cleansing and disinfecting' Trails impreg- nated with germs of disease. Mixed in five minutes ready for the brush, by the addition of water only. An inexperienced person can use it, with the greatest ease and facility. Not a common Trash, but a ready and convenient Paint for inside work on stone, brick, wood, or plaster. Six pounds will make over a gallon, which Trill cover Trith a good "body, 500 square feet, on a hard-finished wall, one coat. Testimonials from scientific and practical men all over the world. Ask for "Johnston's Patent Bry Sized Kalsomine," and see that you do not get any poor substitute. For sale by Paint, Drug and Hardware Dealers everywhere. Send for sample card and circular to DRY KALSOMINE AND FRESCO PAINT WORKS, Office: SO« Water St., New York. 186 EVERYBODY'S PAINT BOOK. ARE YOU GOING TO PAINT? IF SO, USE THE AVERILL PAINT. READY FOR USE. The Averill Paint has been extensively used throughout the United States for fifteen years, with a constantly increasing demand, and we confi- dently commend it to you as the best article in the market. First. — It is ready for use, and those who desire to paint without the aid of skilled labor, can readily do so. Second. — It is more economical than the ordinary lead and oil, both in the first cost, covering properties, and is far more durable. Third. — It produces a handsomer finish than any other Paint, leaving, when finished, a rich, glossy surface. Fourth. — It will not chalk off, but remain firm and durable Fifth. — It does not fade, whereas other Paint loses its freshness and color soon after application. Sixth. — It is peculiarly adapted to salt or sea air exposure, experience having demonstrated that it will last twice as long as lead and oil. We respectfully invite a trial, and are confident you will be pleased with the result. Seventh. — We Guarantee it will give satis/action. G-TJARAITTEE. We Guarantee this paint will prove satisfactory to the purchaser when applied ac- cording to directions. We do not mean a guarantee of satisfaction only "when the paint is first applied — as any paint is satisfactory when first applied— but our guarantee em- braces a sufficient time to properly test the merit of the paint. t Our friends from whom this paint may be purchased are authorized to protect this guarantee. SEELEY BROTHERS, Manufacturers. For prices, send to SEELEI BROTHERS, Xew York, Boston, and Chicago. IS A VALUABLE DISCOVERY. It is the only natural and durable material with which to finish Walls and Ceilings. It is cheaper than Kalsomine ; works easier, and may be applied by any one. After cleaning, no sizing or other preparation for the Walls is necessary, and one coat can be applied upon another as soon as dry. It is whiter than any other material, and the tints are more clear and more delicate. The white will not turn yellow, nor the tinls/tfaV. Cracks in the Walls can be easily filled with the brush and a little thick Ala- BASTINE, while applying the first coat. This can not be done with Kalsomine. Alabastine can be applied over old Kalsomine or Whitewash, which, how- ever, should be washed or scraped off, to insure a first-class job. It is the most suitable article for using over wall paper, or soiled painted walls. Wood ceilings, whether painted or not, can be made whiter with one coat of Alabastine than with three coats of lead or zinc. Send for Sample Card to SEELEY BROTHERS, New York, Boston, and Chicago, and ALABASTINE CO., Grand Rapids, Mich. EVERYBODY'S PAINT BOOK. 187 H:W.JOHNC * wmmwr LIQUID PJLIHTS are composed exclusively of the best and purest materials, combined on differ- ent principles from any other Liquid or Mixed Paints, and are of a nig'her grade than have ever before been offered to the public, either in "paste" or liquid form, and are second to none in richness, and permanency of color, beauty of finish, and durability. None but the purest linseed oil and the best pigments enter into their composition. We manufacture forty-eight standard "body "and trimming colors, beside blues, greens, reds, black, etc., etc., and inside and outside whites, and will furnish sample sheets and pamphlet on "STRUCTURAL DECORATION" free, by mail, on application. ROOF, CAR, AND BRIDGE PAINTS in seven colors. Are especially adapted for outbuildings, barns, fences, and for iron and rough woodwork. STRICTLY PURE COLORS Ground in Refined Oil. They are intended to take the place of the ordinary " colors in oil," for gen- eral house decoration. They are ground in refined Calcutta linseed oil, to a fineness not excelled by the best imported " artist colors." ASBESTOS ROOFING. The standard and reliable portable roofing, for steep or flat roofs in any climate. Skilled labor not required in its application. ASBESTOS BUILDING FELT. For interlining frame buildings, floors, etc. It is wind, dust, and strictly fire proof. Send for Fall Descriptive Catalogue, Samples, Etc., Etc. H. W. JOHNS Manufacturing Co., 87 nvc^inDiEisr laistb, it. sr. Sole Manufacturers of Genuine Asbestos Liquid Paints, Roof Paints, Roofing, Steam Pipe and Boiler Coverings, Piston and Wick Packing, Millboard Fire-Propf Paints, Cements, Coatings, etc., etc. EVERYBODY'S PAINT BOOK. HOW TO TELL TXie Age of £*, Horse. A POCKET MANUAL, Giving full information of the methods employed by Professional Horsemen and Veterinarians to determine the Ages of Horses, with numerous illustra- tions, showing the shape of the teeth at different ages, and a CHAPTER ON HORSE CHARACTER, Or how to Determine the Disposition of a Horse, with portraits of several famous trotters and thorough-breds. 3B~5r 3p3R03rj\ j. mc. bbeeakdd, Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, London, and Professor of Clinical Surgery and Surgical Pathology in the New York College of Veterinary Surgeons. Everybody interested in horses should have a copy of this handy volume. It can easily be carried in the pocket, so as to be ready for instant use. Price in flexible cloth covers, 30 cents. Mailed to any address on receipt of amount in postage-stamps. Address M. T. RICHARDSON, Publisher, 7 Warren St., New York. .a. nsriEW booik: cost Carriage Jfc-*a±xit±iis- The Complete Carriage and Wagon Painter is the title of a work of nearly 200 pages, which gives in plain language, detailed directions for painting Carriages, Wagons, and Sleighs, besides full instructions in all the various branches, including lettering, Scroll- ing, Ornamenting Striping, Tarnishing, and Color- ing, with numerous recipes for mixing colors. It contains nearly 200 Illustrations. This is, without doubt, the most complete work of the kind ever issued, and is indispensable to those whose opportunities for learning the business have been limited. It will be found valuable to all, and especially to those who do their own painting. It contains twenty-two chapters. The first treats of" The Shop, and how it should be Constructed." Then comes " Mixing Colors," " Priming," describing the " Lead-Color Method," " The Putty-Knife Method," " The Wood-Filling Method," etc. Troubles of Painters described. Specky Varnish. Crawling Varnish. Cracking of Paint. Wagon Striping, with description of tools employed. Wagon Lettering, with illustrations of a great variety of letters. Wagon Scrolling is fully described and illus- trated. " Touching up Repair Work 1 '; another, " How to Paint a Cheap Job," includ- ing an Express Wagon, " How to Re-Varnish a Carriage," "Harmony of Colors," Transfer ornaments and how to make them. Illustrations are Given of a Variety of Monograms, The price of this book, which is hand^mely bound in cloth with gold and ink sides, is but One Dollar, including the postage — that is, for $1.00 it will be delivered at your post-office. Send the amount by post-office order, postal note, in postage-stamps, by registered letter, or in any way most convenient. Address HI. T. RICHARDSON, Publisher, 7 Warren St., New York.