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Adhesives, Paints, and Varnishes: Canada

VOLATILE-OIL VARNISHES These are solutions of various resins, principally gum copal, Canada balsam, resin, and others in oil of turpentine; are more durable and less brittle than spirit varnishes, but require more time in drying. Like fixed-oil varnishes, they improve with age, whereas spirit varnishes deteriorate in quality. The resins may usually be dissolved in oil of turpentine without being previously melted. Seven pounds of oil of turpentine will usually dissolve about 5 pounds of resin.

To make ordinary turpentine varnish, dissolve with gentle heat pound of powdered white resin in 1 pint of turpentine. Or other proportions recommended range from 3 to 5 pounds of resin in 1 gallon of turpentine.

Canada Balsam Varnish with Turpentine. - Mix equal parts of pure Canada balsam and pale oil of turpentine. Dissolve with gentle heat and shake occasionally. Let stand two or three days, strain, and filter. This varnish improves with age.

Copal Varnish with Turpentine.- Dissolve 3 ounces of copal in 1 pound of oil of turpentine.

Ether Varnishes. - These are a solution of various resins in ether. They are very little used.

To make an ethereal copal varnish, dissolve 5 ounces of copal and 2 ounces of ether. This is suitable for repairing jewelry, as, for example, broken enamel, for the setting of gems, and the like. It may be applied to wood by first rubbing the wood with a cloth moistened in oil of turpentine, wiping with a linen cloth, and then applying the varnish. This prevents the ether from evaporating too rapidly.

To make ethereal amber varnish, dissolve 4 grains of amber in 1 ounce of chloroform. Use this for varnishing photographs, maps, etc. SPECIAL VARNISHES Miscellaneous Varnishes. - In addition to the above, various miscellaneous varnishes are in use for different purposes, among which may be mentioned the following: Map Varnish.-Dissolve 1 ounce of gutta percha in 5 ounces of oil of turpentine. Add 8 ounces of hot linseed oil.

Varnish for Oil Paintings. - Melt with gentle heat 1 pound of white wax. Add 1 pint of warm 95 per cent alcohol. Mix and pour on a cold porphyry slab. Grind to a smooth paste with a muller. Add sufficient water and beat up to the consistency of milk with an egg beater. Strain through cheese cloth. Spread this over the paint and allow it to dry. Afterwards go over it with a warm (not hot) iron to melt and diffuse it equally.

Zinc Varnish. - Dissolve equal parts of potassium chloride and copper sulphate in hot water. Immerse the zinc ten seconds. Dry, wash, and polish.

This forms a solution of copper oxide having an indigo-blue color.

Varnish to Prevent Rust. - Melt 4 ounces of tallow and 2 ounces of rosin, strain through cheese cloth while hot, and stir in 1 ounce of finely pulverized black lead. Apply to tools and other metals with a brush.

Or melt paraffin and apply with a brush.

Or dissolve 4 ounces of mastic, 2 ounces of camphor, 6 ounces of sandarac, and 2 ounces of elemi in alcohol, and apply to fine tools and other metallic surfaces. This improves the appearance of the articles, and may be used on hardware exposed for sale.

Or dissolve 2 ounces of rosin, 3 ounces of sandarac, and 2 ounces of shellac in 3 ounces of alcohol. When cool add 2 ounces of turpentine.

Strain, filter, and bottle for use.

Varnish from Sealing Wax.-Dissolve 1 ounce of any color of sealing wax in 4 ounces of alcohol, and apply while warm with a soft bristle brush.

The principal ingredient of sealing wax is shellac.

Varnish for Window Glass.-Mix ounce of gum tragacanth finely powdered with the whites of 2 eggs, and beat thoroughly with an egg beater.

Let stand 24 hours and apply to window panes with a soft brush.

When dry, this effectually prevents the sun's rays from passing through the glass.

Varnish for Leather. - Dissolve in water 3 ounces of gum arabic. Dissolve separately in brandy 3 ounces of isinglass. Mix and apply.

Tar Varnish.-Melt together 2 gallons of tar and 1 pound of tallow. Add 7 pounds of ocher ground in linseed oil, Thin with 6 pounds of oil of turpentine. Mix well. This is suitable for all rough outdoor work, protecting bulkheads, drains, water troughs, leaders, and woodwork in all localities exposed to much dampness.

Stone Varnish. -Melt 10 pounds of rosin, add 1 pound of linseed oil, and stir in 10 pounds of prepared chalk.

Mix thoroughly. Add 4 ounces of native oxide of copper and 4 ounces of sulphuric acid. Mix well and apply hot with a brush. When dry, this is practically fireproof and is hard as stone.

Asphaltum Varnish.-Dissolve with gentle heat 21 pounds of pulverized asphaltum in 1 gallon of spirits of turpentine. This is a suitable varnish for all iron work, stoves, stovepipes, grates, coal scuttles, fly screens, wire netting, exposed hinges, and other hardware, and all iron or steel exposed to the weather or likely to suffer from rust. Or to the above add 1 pint copal spirit varnish, and pint boiled lin- ADHESIVES, PAINTS, AND VARNISHES seed oil. This is suitable for wood, iron, or leather. - Varnish for Paintings, Drawings, and Prints.

A number of special varnishes, including spirit or lac varnishes containing gum sandarac, mastic, and the like, turpentine varnishes with Canada balsam, and various special mixtures, are recommended for coating oil paintings, drawings, prints, and the like, to protect them from the effects of exposure.

Mastic Varnish. - To make the finest quality of pure varnish for oil paints and similar fine work, crush the mastic on a stone or marble with a knife blade or ivory paper cutter, and eject the soft part or tears. Put the hard grains into a glass bottle with rectified spirits of turpentine, and shake the bottle until the mastic dissolves without heat. Strain through a piece of muslin, cork the bottle, and stand it in direct sunlight for several weeks. A gummy sediment like mucilage will form in the bottom of the bottle. Reject this, pouring off only the clear liquor for use. To each ounce of this liquor add 2 ounces of alcohol, and thin, if desired, with rectified turpentine. Or, for larger quantities, mix 2½ pounds of mastic with 1 pound of clean crushed glass and 1 gallon of rectified spirits of turpentine. Put the whole in a large jug or glass bottle, cork tightly, and shake or agitate the bottle until the gum is dissolved. Let the whole stand several months, the longer the better. Pour off the clear liquor from the top for use.

Mastic and Sandarac Varnish. - Mix equal quantities of gum sandarac and gum mastic dissolved in alcohol.

Let stand forty-eight hours to settle, and strain through linen. Apply by means of a camel's-hair brush.

Or dissolve 4 ounce of gum camphor in 3 pints of 95 per cent alcohol, and add 5 ounces of sandarac and 2 ounces of mastic. Cork tightly in a glass bottle, shake until dissolved, and let stand 48 hours or more in a warm place to settle. Pour off the clear liquor. This is suitable for drawings, prints, dry plants or flowers, and similar fine work. Balsam Varnish. - Size colored designs, as water colors, maps, lithographs, and colored prints, with one or more coats of a solution of gum arabic or isinglass in water, or of boiled rice or wheat starch, and then apply a varnish composed of 2 parts of spirits of turpentine and 1 part of Canada balsam, or equal parts of each. Apply by means of a flat camel's-hair brush.

Or dissolve 3 ounces of Canada balsam, 3 ounces of white rosin, and 1 part of oil of turpentine.

Or, for a cheaper article, 6 ounces of pale-white rosin dissolved in 1 pint of turpentine.

Or dissolve 3 ounces of Canada balsam in pint of turpentine, and add 3 ounces of pale copal varnish.

Shellac Varnish. - Heat in a suitable saucepan 5 ounces of clean animal charcoal, pour over this while warm 1 pint of 95 per cent alcohol, add 24 ounces of pale shellac, and boil carefully over a slow fire, covering loosely to prevent too much evaporation. Test the solution by filtering a sample, and if not colorless add a little more charcoal. When the liquor is colorless, strain through a piece of white silk and filter with filter paper.

This givés a perfectly colorless liquor which dries quickly and does not chill or bloom. Apply by means of a camel's-hair brush at a temperature of at least 60° F. in an atmosphere free from dust. This is one of the best and purest of all varnishes, is commonly used by bookbinders, and may be applied to the finest oil paintings after the oil is thoroughly dried and hard, to drawings, prints, gilding, and all ornaments likely to be injured by damp, as it resists damp and prevents mildew.

Bookbinder's Varnish. - Dissolve in 1 quart of alcohol 2 ounces of shellac, ounce of benzoin, and ounce of mastic. Shake until dissolved and add ounce of oil of lavender.

Isinglass Size.

Put 4 ounces of isinglass shavings in a glass bottle with an equal quantity of water, and let stand 24 hours or more to soften.

Add 1 pint of 95 per cent alcohol, and in this dissolve the isinglass in a double boiler with gentle heat. Cork the bottle to prevent evaporation, but not tightly enough to cause explosion.

Apply two or three coats, letting each coat dry before the next is applied, and following with any of the above print varnishes. - Parchment Varnish. - Put white parchment cuttings with water in a glass or earthenware vessel, and boil in a double boiler until a clear jell or size is produced. Strain through cheese cloth. Apply one or more coats by means of a camel's-hair brush.

Varnish for Musical Instruments. -Dissolve together with gentle heat 2 ounces of gum sandaric, 1 ounce of seed-lac, ounce of mastic, ounce of benjamin in tears, and 1 ounce or Venetian turpentine in 16 ounces of pure alcohol. Stir in 2 ounces of pounded glass.

Or dissolve in 1 quart of 95 per cent alcohol 3 ounces of sandarac, 1½ ounces of mastic, and 1 gill of turpentine varnish. Mix together in a glass bottle and shake until dissolved.

This may be thinned with additional turpentine varnish if desired.