k The American Method / *' Carriage Painting, By F. B.' GARDNER. The Deviltries of Varnish, By G. W. W. HOUGHTON, (Editor of "The Hub.") Fourth Edition, Revised and Corrected. ... . . ~'"^>» NEW-YORK: VALENTINE AND COMPANY. 1879. ^ y ^^V/ ^ (\A%'^ PREFACE AT the solicitation of many friends and brother painters, to put upon paper a plain statement of the method of painting employed by the best New- York carriage-builders — ^particularly by Brewster & Co. (of Broome Street), by whom I was formerly employed — I have, in the following arti- cle, written out the most important facts relative thereto, and hope they will merit careful reading, and possibly shed a few rays of light in the comers of some carriage, wagon or car paint-shop. That good results will follow the employment of the " American Method," here described, need not be questioned, for demonstration of the fact may be had at any time by examining the work of several leading firms in this city who employ this method, and who will testify to the accuracy with which I have given its details. F. B. GARDNER. Copyright 1878. Valentine & Company. THE American Method of Carriage Painting. HOW TO PAINT A CARRIAGE BODY. THE body (either a heavy or light one) having been placed in the hands of the painter in good condition, the first operation should be to thor- oughly dust off every part, and then apply the priming coat of Permanent Wood Filling. Permanent Wood Filling is a liquid of about the same consistency as Var- nish, and is supplied in cans of one and five gallons capacity. There are two shades, the " dark" and the '' light," the former being generally used as a prim- ing on carriage bodies, while the latter is better adapted for railway cars, or for work that is to be painted in light colors. However, one may be sub- stituted for the other if desired, as they possess precisely the same qualities, with the single exception oi color. This priming may be applied either hot or cold, but it will be found to pen- etrate deeper into the wood, to work more freely, and to cover a greater ex- tent of surface, if first warmed ; this may be done in a common glue-kettle over the fire; but where gas is available the best plan of heating it is by the use of a small gas stove. In no case should it be reduced with turpentine or oil, but it should be applied in its pure state. The parts of the body which are covered with canvas or muslin should be primed with " slush," and not with P.W.F., as too great an amount of the latter would be absorbed and kept in contact with the glue, which would be liable to soften the latter ; but in no case will P.W.F. aftect other glued parts of the job. To apply the P.W.F., take an ordinary clean bristle paint-brush, and, dipping it into the liquid, spread it on a portion of the body (say on a side panel), giving a moderately heavy coat. No great care need be taken to spread this evenly ; it may even be daubed on roughly, for immediately afterward we proceed to rub the part thus coated with a piece of fine sand-paper, or, still better, some that is half- worn, with just sufficient grit to remove the fuzz of the wood. Then wipe off all the superfluous P.W.F. 4 THE AMERICAN METHOD OF CARRIAGE PAINTING. with a clean rag, acting as if a mistake had been made, and it was necessary to wipe all the material from the surface. Proceed in the same way with the next panel, and so on until all the bare wood, inside and out, is coated. The inside and bottom of the body will not require sand-papering, but should be well wiped over with rags. The object in rubbing the P.W.F. with sar d-paper is to remove the fuzz, which always rises on moistened wood, which Ilizz, being very fine and soft, is partially rubbed into the pores, thereby assist ng as a filler; and besides, the rubbing forces the liquid still further into tht. wood; To simply lay a thin coating of P.W.F. on the wood, and allow it to " soak in," is not the proper way to prime a carriage body ; and if you do not do the work properly, how can you expect good results ? The body being coated all over, set it aside for drying, and it will be found best to allow it 48 hours ; but if in a great hurry, 24 hours will suffice, provid- ing the job was well rubbed off after priming it. You now ask, " What has this P.W.F. done ? " The grain does not appear filled ; and we answer as follows : A priming, to be durable, should unite with the wood — grasping, as it were, the fibres, and penetrating into the pores, filling them, preventing the entrance of moisture, and thereby aiding to sustain the subsequent coats. At the same time, it should be composed of materials which, when dry or oxidized into resins, will possess sufficient elasticity to allow a slight change in the wood, — such as that given by severe jars, or by the expansion or contraction caused by a variation in temperature, — without cracking. The oxidizing or hardening of paint must go on slowly and uniformly, otherwise elasticity of the surface and all cohesive power will be destroyed. Oil is boiled and siccatives added to render the oil more susceptible to the ef- fects of oxygen, and thereby hasten its drying ; but the boiling tends to destroy certain properties of the oil. Raw oil made siccative, or drying, by the ad- mixture of driers to the paint, is therefore preferable, as it does not remove from the oil its penetrating properties. However, the paint thus mixed cannot be depended upon as a filler for the pores, for the oil, water-like, seeks the in- terior of the wood, and coats the pores, but does not fill or close them against moisture. To fully meet the requirements of a good priming, the penetrative quality of the oil must be retained, and the body which supplies the quality of " fill- ing " must consist of something which can be dissolved and mixed with the oil in a liquid form ; in other words, the filling substance of the paint must be a liquid which will assimilate with the oil, and not, as in the case of a pigment, consist of a granular substances simply suspended in oil. If we examine with a magnifying glass ordinary paint in its liquid state it will appear similar to fine gravel mixed with molasses, each little grain of THE AMERICAN METHOD OF CARRIAGE PAINTINO. 5 pigment being smeared with oil, varnish, or whatever hquids the paint may con- tain ; and if it be spread on wood the grains will remain on the surface — they being too coarse to enter the pores, while the liquid will be sucked in. Now, on the other hand, if we mix a liquid with the oil to form the filler, no gran- ular appearance will be observed, and if the oil penetrates the wood llie filler will go with it. The body, having been allowed ample time to dry, is ready for the rough- stuff, or " leveling paint ;" and care should be taken not to disturb the surface of the body by rubbing with sand-paper or anything else, for there is a thin skin of oxidized P.W.F. covering every little fibre, which helps to protect the wood from dampness, and which, if broken, would be rendered useless. A simple dusting off prepares the body for the paint. Much has been said and written about this leveling paint or rough-stuff, and it is not necessary to extend remarks on that subject in this connection. However, we will endeavor to show why a ready prepared article is best, by giving the reasons advanced by Brewster & Co. 's workmen, and others, who use prepared rough-stuff exclusively. No matter how good a receipt the painter may have, or how carefully he may mix his rough-stuff, it is impossible for him to measure the proportions on a small scale as accurately as can be done on a large one. To a barrel of pig- ment we can easily add lo gallons of each of the liquids used, and duplicate the mixture at different times, but the painter cannot so easily proportion the same ingredients in a cup ; therefore at one time his paint will be more or less elastic than at another, and it is well known what effect a coat of extra elastic paint will have if placed under or between harder and less elastic ones. Be- sides, it is much handier to have the rough-stuff ready at all times, saying nothing of the cleanliness thereby gained, and the economy in time. Valentine & Company furnish a ready prepared rough-stuff in two colors — " dark " for ordinary carriage work, and " light " for railway cars and work to be painted in light colors. It is prepared from a formula which long experi- ence has proved the best, and is always uniform ; while to prepare it for use, it is only necessary to thin it with turpentine to a proper working consistency. Remember here that turpentine, being a volatile oil, evaporates very quickly from paint when left exposed to the air. The first coat of rough-stuff should be made a little more elastic than the subsequent coats, that it may harmonize well with the elastic P.W.F. under- neath, after whi:]., the prepared rough-stuff, as received from the manufac- turers, is in proper condition. The addition of 5 per cent. (/. arnish and turpentine, made up as wanted to dry.* The object of this is to kill any gi'ease that may be hanging around it, and the effects of sweat- ing. Without this intermediate coating, the varnish will be liable to run in lumps, which is caUed 'syssing,' and of course the job will be spoiled, there being no remedy but to rub oft the varnish, and varnish again properly. The painter may save himself the trouble of flatting over this mixture, by putting about two tablespoonfuls of turpentine into a pail of water and washing off with this, wliicli will enable him to lay his varnish on all right. But varnish will also ' syss ' on new work if it be laid on without previous flatting, or on a ground imperfectly flatted; or if the ground be flatted one day and varnished the next, without giving it another rub over, the oil of the color being likely, in the mean time, to rise to the surface." " Icicling." — Mr.Wm. J. Eraser, a practical painter of Rochester, N. Y., first introduced the term of" icicling," and he gives below a detailed description of a variety of "runs" to which he appropriately applies this descriptive term, caused by the "sweating" of little nibs that have been rubbed out of the rub- bing coat, leaving softer varnish beneath. He says : " ' Icicling ' may seem a strange name to call any thing connected with painting, but it is the only thing I can liken this evil to, as it resembles a myriad little icicles all over the job. I have met several who declare them to be runs from nibs or lumps, but this is a mistake, as there is a clear difference in their appearance, and an observing eye will find that the following is the true cause of this evil. When the last coat of rubbing varnish is rubbed, not being * It would hardly be proper to put in print the English term for this mixture ; it has been used to some extent by coach-painters in this country under the name of " cider." 24 THE DEVILTRIES OF VARNISH. thoroughly hard, the nibs or hiraps immediately commence to sweat out or gloss ; and when the work is finished in this condiiion, every one of tliesc liulc nibs will produce upon the sur- face of the subsequent coat an elongated drop rescniljling an icicle. 'J'o avoiil this, no job should be finished on the same day it is rul)l)ed, tlumgh it may be finished on the next day, if required; biit never omit using the pulverized rotton-stone, water and cloth before varnishing, which is a never-failing remedy for ' icicling.' " 4. " PIN-HOLING," " PITTING," " BLOTCHING," ETC. Dej^ni/mts.— These three terms denote relative degrees or stages of the same general deviltry, and their appearance may be defined as follows : Pin-hohng. — This term is applied to the condition of a varnished panel showing a surface disfigured by innumerable small indentations, resembling pin-holes. Pitting. — The same as pin-holing, but with the indentations more strongly marked. Blotching, or Pock-marking. — Still more marked, presenting the appear- ance of very large scars, as of pock-marks on a person's face. Causes. — Mr, J. C. Shettsline, master-painter in the Union Passenger Rail- way Shops, Philadelphia, offers the most comprehensive list of influences which are liable to induce this class of deviltries. He says : " The defects known as pitting, pin-holing, curdling, wrinkling, enameling, drawing up, and going stringy, are mainly due to the same general causes, namely: I. Change in the atmosphere from dry to damp ; 2. Mixing two kinds of varnish of different grades or different makers; 3. Excessive heat or cold ; 4. Varnishing over color or varnish which has not become sufficiently dry ; or, 5, which is sweaty; 6. Varnishing with the floor very wet, or damp and cold from other causes; 7. Placing cold or damp varnish on warm panels, or vice versa (by 'damp varnish'. I mean varnisli that has been kept in a cellar or other damp or cold place) ; and 8, another common cause is the lack of proper ventilation, and of maintaining a uniform temperature." Another writer adds his theory in regard to " Cause No. i," as enumerated by Mr. Shettsline, saying : "A sudden fall of temperature in summer will cause the pin-holing or pitting of varnish' especially if the varnish-room is saturated with water, which, being evaporated by the excessive heat of the varnish-room, is held in suspension by the air, and then let loose in the form of minute drops of rain upon the varnish while still wet ; when the temperature falls rapidly, as it does at times, during the summer months, these little drops being heavier than their own bulk of varnish, sink, and the varnish retreats from them, causing the pits." In such a case, a fire should at once be made in the varnish-room stove to evaporate these minute drops of water; if this is not done, the work must be rubbed with ground pumice, and revarnished, and it often requires two coats of rubbing varnish to fill up the pin-holes. In summer-time throwing up all the windows will sometimes stop " pitting." In the opinion of Mr. G. C. Cornell, of Quincy, III, " pin-holing" and " pitting " are generally caused by oil present in the brushes, owing to their not being carefully wiped out when taken from the keeper. Let us note here that varnish-brushes ought never to be kept in oil, but in the grade of varnish which they are used to apply. Several painters give a warning in regard to brushes. One says : " Blotching may be occasioned by 'preparing' the varnish, or by presence of turpentine in the varnish-brush; and if a painter kept his brush in a mixture of turpentine and oil, he might confidently expect to see his panels ' blotched ' when varnished." Mr. F. B. Gardner, in his prize article upon the " Care of Varnish- Brushes," makes this excellent remark : " Varnish, as a general rule, is deli- cate in its choice of company. A little turpentine, a little oil, or a little of any thing, except its own kind, will make it liable to pit or crawl, or flake, or cut up up some caper, and that dangerous little is frequently supplied CALENDAR FOR 1879. JANUARY ... .Begin the lose of the American Method, if you have not already done so. FEBRUARY. . .Look out for currents of cold in the varnish- 7^oom. MARCH Dust is effecttially prevented from settli^ig on work by the tise of a good ventilator. APRIL Do7it take down stoves yet ; the nig J its are cold, and varnish is tender. MA Y ''Sweating'' may occur during this mojtth ; to prevent it, varnish as soon as rubbed. JUNE Look out for flies ; see page j6. Keep varnish-room as dark as possible. JULY AUGUST . . Mud-spotting is liable to occur ; see p. j^. SEPTEMBER. . Prepare heatiitg arra^igements for varnish- room. OCTOBER Keep up heat in varnish-room to 75 de- grees, by the use of steam., gas-stove, or base -burner. NOVEMBER. . .Revarnish the sleigh stock on ha7id. DECEMBER. . .Look out for specky varnish ; see page ig. 26 THE DEVILTRIES OF VARNISH. by putting into the varnish-cup a brush fresh from a bath of another liquid, as of oil." The presence of sugar-of-lead as a drier, in the color-coats beneath the var- nish, is also thought to be an occasional cause of " pitting," and instances are detailed in one of the manuscripts before us. The best way to avoid this source of trouble is to avoid the use of sugar-of-lead, substituting Japan Gold- Size. One writer says : " When sngar-of-lead is used as a drier, it should be ground exceedingly fine. Our painters use it with lakes because it does not affect their color, but, for fear of causing pitting, they take care not to use it in their glaze color, oi-, more correctly speaking, in their varnish color. If they use it in the oil color preceding the varnish color, they take care to thoroughly cleanse both pot and brush, if they do not use another pot and another brush, before proceeding with the varnish color coats." Japan Gold-Size, however, would still be preferable. A fourth writer adds the following facts in this same connection : " ' Pitting ' — or something very similar in effect — may be occasioned by using varnish too new, because the driers used in its manufacture are for a long time held in suspension, and their presence may produce these troubles. The same characteristics will be exhibited if the painter uses up his varnish too close to the bottom of the can, owing to the settling of driers." We have already mentioned that the dregs of a can of finishing varnish ought always to be laid aside for common work. Finally, Capt. O'Connell, of New-York, relates the following two instances of " pitting " which occurred during his experience, and which the reader will find interesting and suggestive. First example : " I once heard a workman venting his indignation against some varnish which had always worked well before, but now it would shame small-pox. The trouble was this : it was a windy day, the shop very insecure, and he had deluged with water the floor of his varnish- room, which was heated to about 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Evaporation filled the air with mois- ture, which, with the overheat, caused the difficulty." Second example : "I once placed some bodies, just finished with English varnish, with the back panels downward, and the body-loops resting on the floor, which had been wet down, for safety from dust. Next morning they were a pitiable sight ; beginning near the centre of the body, which was about two feet from the floor, the pock-marks increased in depth and frequency to the part nearest the floor, where it was a complete blotch, while above the centre the varnish was not disturbed. The cause was plain : cold and dampness at the bottom, dryness and warmth above." And the same writer adds : ^' A dry, v/arm atmosphere is the best safeguard against many of the ills that beset the varnish-room, pitting included." We will now turn to a class of varnish troubles which are due more partic- ularly to lack of care on the part of the painter, rather than to the materials used. 5. " DEADENING," OR " SINKING-IN." Definition. — " Deadening," " going in," " sinking in," " perishing," " wither- ing," " grain showing," " sadding down," or "saddening," " striking in," and " going sleepy" (the latter an English expression) — these are a few of the many terms applied to one serious deviltry on the part of varnish, in which it loses its brilHant looking-glass surface, and becomes dull and lustreless. One writer, taking a rather gloomy looking view of the situation, expresses his conviction that '■'■ at least thirty per cent, of all the carriage work done in THE DEVILTRIES OF VARNISH. 27 the United States results in ' sinking-in.' " He must have had pretty hard luck, we fear, in his individual experience. There can be no doubt, however, that the trouble is exceedingly common, and that it puzzles even the best painters to avoid it on all occasions. Another writer endeavors to picture a more cheerful aspect of the case, by arguing at some length that the durability of varnish is not necessarily affected by its deadening, and he adds: " The durability of a varnish is not lessened by lack of lustre, as the fault may all lie in the manufacture, not in the materials used, but in proper proportions." This hardly lessens the difficulty, however ; and we cannot agree with him in tloinking that faulty manufacture is the common cause of this trouble ; in- deed, our observation leads us to believe it is very seldom the cause, but that the painter is nearly always to blame for this misdemeanor. We will now go on to explain the usual conditions under which deadening occurs, allowing a practical painter to illustrate each in his own words. Common Causes. — First, from unseasoned timber. Says one, first quoted under this section : " Green timber will produce deadening ; but then, as most timber is dry, this would not make up the thirty per cent, of work which sinks in." Second, from undercoats of paints or varnish that are imperfectly dried. Mr. Wm. J. Fraser says : " Sinking-in or withering is a very prevalent deviltry, especially where the painting is hur- ried too fast, more especially the varnishing part; because,, if the undercoats of varnish are not thoroughly hard before the finishing-coat takes its position, then when the first coats do sink, as they must in order to harden, the finishing must follow, and alas ! you look in vain for lustre." It is for this reason that a moderately hard coat of leveling varnish is pre- ferable to finish over. Another offers similar testimony, saying : " Go into your repository and examine carriages that have been finished six or eight months; look at them closely in a good, strong light, and you will, in many cases, see the grain of the wood, which seems almost impossible after receiving so many coatings. Now, I claim that most of this results from soft elastic rubbing varnish, that had not half time to harden.'" And still another adds : "Even though you finish on a poor rubbing varnish, hard and dry, you are much safer as regards deadening, etc., than though you had finished on a good one that was soft and not dry." Third cause, from absorption by dead and porous undercoats. Mr, B. R. Carpenter, of Groton, N. Y., offers the following valuable testimony on this point : " The perishing or sinking-in of varnish, I believe, is often caused by absorption by the undercoats of paint. Bodies commonly have from three to five coats of rough-stuff, a portion of which is removed by facing down ; to this, two coats of dead color are added, which have little or no elastic qualities, but possess great power of absorption. I have often seen the first coat of rubbing- varnish, when apphed to such a surface, so robbed of its elastic quality that it could be removed by the thumb-nail easily, being dry and brittle. Is it unreasonable to sup- pose that, in such a case, the succeeding coats of varnish will be affected, even to such a de- gree as to destroy their brilliancy and durability ? If this be true — and I certainly believe it is — then the following metliod will prevent it, and will add to the brilliancy of the finishing coat. After the body is rubbed down, apply a coat of some oily fining or priming that will stop the pores of the rough-stuff (for the best of rough-stuff is more or less porous) ; allow it to stand two hours, then rub with a cloth to remove the superfluous filling ; let stand twenty- four hours, then apply color, which should be made sufficiently elastic with varnish — say vnth an ' egg-shell gloss ' — to bind it firmly, and cause it to ' bear out ' the following coats of varnish. " 28 THE DEVILTRIES OF VARNISH. By referring to page 4, the reader will find that Mr. Gardner, in describing the " American Method of Carriage Painting," has made a special point of the necessity of closing the pores of rough-stuff by applying over it a thin coat of Permanent Wood Filling. Mr. Middleton remarks that varnish is apt to " go sleepy " (the English term for sinking-in) when applied over too quick drying colors, more especially ultramarine blue, and the best way to avoid this is to make the colors more elastic, and consequently less porous, by adding more oil and less drier. Still another writer touches this point when he says briefly : " What is wanted is uniformity of coats throughout, all being made elastic, for by this means only can varnish be made to stand out well." A fourth cause of deadening, well worthy of attention, is thus explained by Mr. Carpenter, quoted above : "All varnish contains gas, and new varnish will deaden when applied to a job (giving it the appearance of having been breathed upon), unless time is given for this gas to evaporate by exposure to the air. It is my habit, when preparing to finish, always to take out my var- nish at least an hour before using." 6. " CHIPPING," " FLAKING," AND " SCALING " OR " PEELING." Definitiojis. — These terms all indicate the partial separation, more or less marked, of one varnish coat from another, or of the varnish from a coat of paint or other ground. They are often used to express a difference in degree; thus, when the varnish flies off in small particles, it is spoken of as " chipping;" if in larger pieces, that is " flaking ;" while "scaling" and "peeling" are ap- pHed to still worse cases of the same sort. Causes. — In many cases of this kind the varnish is condemned ; yes, con- demned before it is found guilty, and banishment from the shop is the sentence pronounced against it. It is true that the varnish may be at fault, but we be- lieve this is not the most common cause of " chipping." " V/hat is, then ?" asks the reader. We answer : '■'■Lack of uniformity between the different coats in regard to elasticity^ and the application either of an elastic over an inelastic coat, or vice versa.'' It takes an experienced and careful painter to judge correctly as to what is required in this respect, but whether he has mastered his art or not, he can produce chipping "to order," easily by disregarding the rule of gradually building up from an elastic ground to a firm surface. We are inclined to criticise many of the remarks, in the essays before us, which bear on this sub- ject. One painter asks : " Is it not suggestive Avhen I say that varnish will not chip or flake on an elastic sur- face ?" We answer : Yes, suggestive of the fact that you do not fully understand the cause of " chipping," because an inelastic coo-t of varnish over your elastic sur- face would be more than apt to chip or flake, for the same cause of such separa- tion would remain — namely iiicongruity. Several good suggestions are offered, however. One remarks that varnish will flake from color that has not had time to dry, and has a gloss ; or, rather, it will crawl off in the first place, and then chip off at last, with no fault on the j^art of the varnish ; and another goes on to explain, that " if the removal of grease or sweet-oil from any part of the work has been neglected before applying a coat of color, the peeling or chipping of such color is certain from those parts of the carriage where tlie grease was allowed to remain." A surface that has been smoked in the smith- Do you use one thiu coat of Fermanent Wood Filling instead of four coats of Lead and Oil for -priming ? Do you heat your P. W.F. before putting it on ? Do you priine your {Rough-stuff) with F. W.F. ? Do you use Valentine's Blach Japan instead of the old Color and Varnish ? Do you use Valentine's Ivory Blach ? Do you heep your hii^tshes clean hy using Valen- tine's Brush-holder ? Do you regulate the temperature of your var- nish-room luith one of Valentine's Thermometers? Careful attention to these little details is one of the secrets of avoiding "Deviltries." The use of harmonious and congruous materi- als, such as are supplied hy some one system, is another. We aim to collect all the information possible upon the best methods of painting and varnishing and avoiding "Deviltries," and solicit suggestions upon these subjects. We propose to supplement this by supplying Varnishes as nearly perfect as we can mahe them, and to constantly mahe such additions as shall in time mahe as nearly complete a sy stein of materi- als as is possible, as a basis of perfect painting. 20 THE DEVILTRIES OF VARNISH. shop will often cause chipping, as it prevents a close connection of the paint and its ground. Blisters are also attributed to the presence of grease or oil m excess, which has not been removed from the surface. Chipping or peeling may also be caused by the presence of an alkali — for instance, of potash used to remove old paint— and also by wasliing with soap suds, and not thoroughly cleansing the surface afterward. The following warning is given : " Rub a piece of hard soap over a varnished spoke, and let it stand for two or three davs • at the end of that time you can easily chip, peel, or flake the varnish off with your fin- ger-nail; therefore, it will be well for the painter to avoid using soap in the rubbing of varnish.' It should be mentioned that soap is sometimes necessary, as in cutting down runs, but in such cases the work may be thoroughly rinsed off and all risk avoided. Cracks oftentimes admit moisture, and cause the paint or varnish along their edges to chip off. Another kind of chipping is mentioned by a correspondent, which we will let him explain in his own words : " Experience has taught me that there are tvv^o kinds of varnish chipping, yet many painters confound the two, though they are entirely different ; and yet to the eye they bear a close resemblance, especially when the carriage has been run. In cases of the second kind, it will be observed, upon close inspection, that the color-and-varnish has chipped from the color, of course taking with it the finishing coat of varnish. I have seen many cases of this kind— indeed, it was a common occurrence three or four years ago, whenever a certain prepared color was used." Lakes sometimes produce chipping. Poor japan will sometimes induce the same effect, and this was probably the cause, in case of the prepared color just mentioned ; the japan probably dried too hard, making the color inelastic, and dius prevented the different coats from cohering. As to preventives for the trouble named, we have endeavored to suggest these as we went along. Where they have occurred, the only cure is to sand- paper or pumice down all the coats that are affected, and then repaint from that point. 7. " CRACKING." Definition.— T\it cracking, or breaking up of the surface into parts more or less minute, as in the case of a looking-glass when fractured, is one of the most common afflictions attending the use of varnish. Causes.— T^Q causes, which are several and well understood by experienced vamishers, may be enumerated briefly as follows: 1. By an inelastic surface underneath, either of varnish or color. Mr. W. Ohaver says : " I firmly believe that if a job be painted elastic throughout, with the single exception of one non-elastic coat, this one coat has the percentage in its favor of cracking all the rest. 2. By a glossy or too elastic ground. One painter offers the following valuable hint in this connection : " The drying of glossy color is often so very slow that it does not crack the subsequent coats till the work has been varnished and run out." there are numerous cases of this kind of color-cracking, which must not be confounded, however, with varnish-cracking, for the destruction of this color is the cause of the varnish being destroyed prematurely. It will be understood from this fact that varnish has more to contend against than pamt, for_ it covers the latter, and being transparent, many of the misdeeds of the pamt are seen through the varnish, and attributed to it. 3. By previous coats of THE DEVILTRIES OF VARNISH. 31 color or varnish that were not dry when subsequent coats were appHed. 4. By destruction of the oily properties of the varnish through exposure to atmospheric influences, such as sudden change from heat to cold, or undue exposure to the sun. 5. By the action of ammonia or other alkalies. 6. By reason of unsuitable driers in the varnish, or its imperfect manufacture. 7. By springing or rupture in the ground- work of the painting. Mr. Carpenter, previously quoted, offers the following testimony on two of the points named : "The springing of wood or iron-work will cause paint to crack. We frequently see on the sides of bodies long lines radiating from a point near where a step-bolt passes through the sill, caused evidently by the springing of the sill when persons enter or leave the car- riage ; and it is plain that the springing of any part of the wood or iron work would have a similar effect. 1 have also seen a small spot on a cari'iage very badly cracked, while the rest remained in good condition, and found, upon investigation, that it was kept where that portion of the body was exposed to the sun, by means of a window in the carriage-house." " Fire-checks " are a species of cracks, very small and running in every direction, forming squares, triangles, and circles, which are sometimes to be seen all over a panel, but which are not generally visible until a fine polish is made with the finishing coat. Mr. Gardner says, in reference to "fire-checks :" " I proved to my satisfaction, not long ago, that these may be caused by a coat put over a surface not hardened ; for in this instance, parts of the job which did not receive that hur- ried coat turned out splendidly." Cracks can seldom be filled so that they will not show themselves again in a very short time, and the only effectual way to remove them is to rub them out, and repaint from that point. 8. " GOING CLOUDY," " SMOKY," OR " FOGGY." Definitions. — These terms, all synonymous, are self-explanatory as to their appearance, and are equivalent to the English expression "blooming," which still more aptly describes that the brilliancy of the varnished surface is obscured by a "bloom," as on a plum or cucumber. When clouding occurs in the case of finishing coats of varnish, it is very troublesome, as it often necessitates rub- bing down and revarnishing ; but in leveling coats it is of little consequence, and needs no comment. It is an atmospheric deviltry, and in the damp climate of London and vicinity it is more common than in the United States. Mr. Middleton, of London, says : " Varnish will go cloudy or smoky if, when laying it on, the varnish-room is filled with smoke ; or if the weather is foggy, or the atmosphere overchai-ged with moisture, as in misty weather, when (if the varnish-room is not protected against such influences) smoke, fog, or damp will set into the varnish while it is hardening, and spoil the surface." This many-named deviltry is almost invariably produced by an over-moist atmosphere. One carriage-painter claims that "blooming" is frequently caused by sulphur fumes emanating from the smith-shop. Moisture condens- ing on the surface, and leaving a residue of carbonic acid combined with other impurities, is doubtless the most common cause. The trouble may generally be removed by washing and "dry shammying." The Valentines have long been experimenting with a view to produce a varnish that would not readily bloom, and it is generally conceded that they have been eminently successful. One writer has given a number of interesting and instructive illustrations of the conditions under which clouding is liable to occur, which we would be pleased to print in full, but our space will permit us to present only the con- clusions which he draws therefrom. He says : 32 THE DEVILTRIES OF VARNISH. (I.) "In one instance, the fogging of the varnish was owing to lack of proper ventilation in the varnish-room, which was damp, being newly built, and this dampness having no means of escape (as the doors and windows were closed while the bodies were being varnished), set- tled upon the surface of the varnish, and dried with it, producing the cloudy or smoky appear- ance." (2. ) " In another case, the varnish, not yet being dry, i-eceived a portion of the fog or vapor upon its sensitive surface, which was only to be dissipated by the influence of heated irons ; and in some instances the vapor or fog dried with the varnish, in which case the heated irons had no beneficial effect. Revarnishing was the only cure." The same writer concludes by expressing his emphatic disapproval of the common practice of wetting down the floors of varnish-rooms before varnish- ing, saying : (,3.) " I am convinced by results that ventilation and a dry floor are essential, in order to pro- duce icnc lauded zuork ; bear in mind — a dry floor ; for if it is necessary to wet the floor to set- tle floating matter, the finisher is at fault, because such floating matter should have been removed before the work was brought into the varnish-room. I positively assert that, to varnish work clean, it is unnecessary to have a single drop of water on the floor." We would add that a ventilator with a revolving top will wholly avoid the last-named difficulty, by carrying away floating dust. We illustrate below the kind of ventilator best adapted for this purpose. Too much emphasis cannot be laid on this matter of venti- lation, which is equallynecessary in summer and winter. Some varnishers argue that considerable heat is neces- sary during the drying of varnish ; warmth certainly assists the process, but ventilatmi is indispensable. A single instance will serve to illustrate this. A painter in this city recently tried the following experiment : A room was filled with varnished articles, then closed as nearly air-tight as possible, and heated. Forty-eight hours afterward, the varnish showed scarcely any signs of hardening. The skylights were then thrown open, free ventilation permitted, and similar goods were sim- ilarly prepared in the same room, when, in a few hours, the varnish became well dried and moderately hard. Fresh air did what heat could not do. It should be borne in mind that varnish dries and hardens, noi by the evaporatioji of certain of its parts, but by the absorption of oxygen from the air, and the oxidation of those parts. We have already examined two classes of varnish defects, one due more particularly to materials and the other to workmanship, and we will now turn to a third class of troubles, which depend mainly upon care, or the lack of it, after the work is completed, and placed in the repository or stable. 9. TURNING BLUE, OR GREEN. Exclusion of light or the presence of impure air, such as gas from a coal- fire, has the effect of discoloring varnish, generally increasing its yellowish tinge ; it then has an effect upon colors beneath it, turning blacks, blues and kindred colors a greenish shade ; and in connection with dampness, varnish will become bluish or smoky. The latter effect is more or less superficial, and may generally be removed by frequent washings with cold water, followed by dry shammyings and exposure to the fresh air; but when the body of the varnish has changed color the only cure consists in rubbing down to the color and revarnishing. Accidental and satisfactory exceptions may now and then A PERFECT surface is surely the ideal of every carriage painter. How to procure it is the important question. Will you rely upon personal skill, shrewd guessing and clever manipulation ? These are good, but are they sufficient ? Should not system, rule, order and organization have a place ? But above all, is not a perfect equipment as to material a first essential ? Can any painter enter the race upon any sort of equality without materials at least as good as those of his rivals ? Dare any painter who hopes to win, add to the cun- ning and handicraft required to properly paint a carriage, the labor and responsibility of preparing his own materials? It is important, then, that every painter should look carefully to the character and quality of his materials, and to adhere, if possible, to some uniform system rather than trust to personal selection or preparation. The Valentine system of varnishes provides for the wants of the carriage painter, from the priming to the finishing (with the exception of the colors, which are otherwise well cared for), furnishing a complete and harmonious development, prepared with all the advantages that capital, organization and experi- ence can afford, besides having been thoroughly tested by some of the oldest and shrewdest carnage builders in the country. 34 THE DEVILTRIES OF VARNISH. occur. An instance is mentioned in which a gentleman, recently returned from Europe, sent his carriage to the coach-builder to be painted green; it had orig- inally been black, but was found to have changed to a deep rich green, by reason of long storage in a dark, close stable, and so uniformly that it was simply varnished over, the moldings being blacked, and returned to the owner with bill, as if repainted to order. It is mentioned by one writer that the varnishes of different makers often show a great difference in their liability to change color, and he suggests that this quality deserves to be considered in rating the comparative methods of different grades. Valentine's, we think, will be found superior in this respect. lO. MUD-SPOTTING. Spotting by mud is liable to occur during the summer months, if the car- riage is turned out before the varnish is thoroughly hardened. This may be remedied by frequent washings Avith cold water, which will also help to harden the varnish, and prevent a recurrence of the same trouble. Mud should never be allowed to dry upon a carriage. So long as the mud remains moist, there is but little danger of its leaving spots ; but if allowed to remain upon the var- nish over night, it will almost invariably leave stains, which, in the case of city mud (containing ammonia) or the mud of lime districts, will generally prove indelible. II. BLISTERING. Definition. — The swelling out of parts of the varnish surface, after it is dry and hard, into bubbles or blisters, resembling pustules on the human skin. This, we are prepared to assert, is never caused by any fault on the part of the varnish, but it seems to be the common opinion of the painters, whose re- ports are before us, that blistering is in all instances produced by one and the same cause — namely, the presence of oil or grease on the work, over which the paint or varnish was applied ; and that it generally occurs either from the use of sweet-oil by the body-makers to make the panels fit together more easily, or from exposure to oil, while in the smith-shop, during the process of drilling, etc. This explanation does not fully cover the ground, however, for, in the first place, exposure to sunshine or heat is necessary as a subsequent agency, acting upon the oil, and causing it to expand and lift the covering of varnish above it. Again, dampness or sap in the wood, if exposed to heat, will be liable to produce the same effect, for similar reasons. Water is frequently absorbed by the rough-stuff during rubbing, whicn, if not allowed to evaporate before applying another coat, is liable to cause blistering ; this hint deserves special emphasis. And third, an oily varnish, under the influence of heat, will itself supply the conditions for blistering, as is illustrated in burning off an old job of painting, when the varnish blisters and rolls up, but obviously from no fault of the under-coats. Or take varnished iron parts, which are unpainted, and direct sunlight will sometimes be sufficient to blister the surface. Varnished work ought always to be protected as much as possible from direct sunlight or strong heat. Many instances are on record where the surfaces of coaches, pianos and furniture have been blistered by the action of a bubble in the window-pane, which concentrated the sun's rays upon the varnish in the same manner as a burning glass would. One writer calls attention to the following important point, which we do not think is fully understood by the majority of painters. He says: THE DEVILTRIES OF VARNISH. 33 " If the painter rough-stuff the coach-roof over without cutting off the nibs in the canvas, and giving the canvased surface time to dry, the consequence is tliat, when the carriage is finished and goes out in the sun, blisters are sure to occur wherever these oily nibs have been left. In a word, the sun, by its heat, boils the oil in these Uttle nibs, and raises the blisters." In many cases there is no cure for blistering but to pumice down the defec- tive surface, and revarnish. In some instances the trouble may be remedied, partially at least, by the following method, described by Mr. Ohaver : " After blisters have made their appearance, scrape off the paint in the holes, make a few indentures with a brad-awl in the wood, as retaining points, and then give a coat of shellac, and finish vdth about three puttyings over as many coats of lead." There is also, what is called " dry bUstering," which occurs without the influence of heat, and owing, it is thought, to the employment of putty having insufficient binding quality. 12. CRUMBLING, RUSTING, OR PERISHING. Definitions. — These synonymous terms are applied to certain conditions of varnish, where there is a gradual loss of briUiancy, and the oily constituents are removed, ending in disintegration and complete destruction of the varnished surface. Causes. — But little was known on this subject until a comparatively recent date, when it was vigorously discussed by correspondents of " The Hub," and much yet remains to be learned about this, the most serious of varnish devil- tries. Three causes are now known to exist : i. Perishing by ammonia. To illustrate this, coat a varnished panel with even the mildest form of ammonia — namely, hartshorn — and it will in a little while eat up the varnish ; and the same result occurs when ammonia is present in the air, from stable manure, coal gas, or animal or vegetable matter in a state of decomposition. The street- mud of cities contains a large proportion of ammonia, and is therefore very detrimental to varnish. Mr. Middleton says : " This pungent alkali exists also in bituminous coal, whence it is thrown off in the form of gas ; also in animal life, whence it is thrown off by the respiratory organs ; and the atmos- phere of large cities is impregnated with it. It has been detected in London on dirty vdndows, in minute stellated crystals." Dampness favors its work of destruction. It has been found that if a car- riage is kept constantly dry, it is not so likely to be attacked by ammonia fumes. It is generally easy to distinguish where ammonia has destroyed a varnish surface by a variety of symptoms, which one correspondent enumerates as follows : " How do I know that ammonia did this work? I know it for the reason that nothing but ammonia or alkali will turn varnish rusty, at the same time leaving a bright spot in some protected place, as if to show that the carriage was once glossy; and also where the varnish is cracked, the edges of the cracks are rusted or rotten, which is not so in the ordinary crack- ing of varnish." 2. Salt sea air and the atmosphere of limestone regions are also very inju- rious to varnish. Those who are accustomed to spend their summer vacations near the sea-shore will remember the destructive effect of sea air upon the finish of pianos and furniture, and also upon the outside painting of houses. Lime seems to have the effect of absorbing the oily parts of the varnish, robbing it of all power to resist the weather ; and mud-spots in a limestone region are therefore particularly destructive to the finish of carriages. 3. " Frost-bitten" varnish has an appearance similar to that destroyed by ammonia, but it lacks some of the distinguishing marks of the latter, as explained by Capt. O'Connell, 5^ THE DEVILTRIES OF VARNISH. who describes at some length the case of a carriage injured in this way, and he concludes by saying : "It had not the distinguishing marks of ammonia about it— namely, it did not have that rusty appearance that ammonia imparts to varnish; it was not cracked on the spokes in very close parallel rings, and was altogether devoid of any glossy patches on protected parts, which occur in cases where ammonia has been at work. After carefully examining the facts, I came to the conclusion that the carriage was exposed to frequent storms of sleet, and, with this sleet and snow frozen upon it, had stood for hours at a time out of doors, and arriving home late in the evening, was allowed to stand unwashed till the following morning, when the frozen sleet was washed off with hot water ;* and this being repeated many times during a very severe winter, had destroyed the varnish all over." 12- INSECT ANNOYANCES. In concluding this article, there is one other annoyance to which the vamisher is subjected, which is a great source of trouble when he has not the means of making the varnish-room dark — namely, the presence of insects, particularly flies, gnats and millers. Mr. Shettsline mentions that " in varnishing work with two different makers' varnish, one will sometimes repel flies, while the other will attract them, both varnishes claiming to be made the same," and he adds: " I have experienced considerable trouble on cars in this particular, having had work at times entirely destroyed by flies, and I was compelled to abandon the use in summer of the varnish which attracted them, for one of inferior make which repelled." By keeping the varnish-room dark, and carefully driving all insects from the room before beginning to varnish, this trouble may be obviated. The subject of varnish-rooms, into which we are now naturally led, is an all-important one, and in our next edition we hope to present a detailed review of this subject, as T/ie Hub has recently offered prizes amounting to $50 for essays on " What Constitute the Requisites of a Perfect Varnish Room," which promise to call out many practical and valuable suggestions. It strikes us that the hot water was quite sufficient cause, without the frost-biting. -^^^"^ The End of the Devilries. VALENTINE'S COACH VARNISHES. STYLE OF PACKAGE VARNISHES, JAPANS, and P. V)l. F. 1-g.llon Sealed cans, packed 5 In a case I 5-gallon Sealed Cans, cased separately i 25-gallon Half-Barrels, and 50-gallon Barrels. ROUGH-STUFF. 1-gallonTlnPallsj 5-gallon Kegs j Half- Barrels and Barrels, IVORY-BLACK, l-pound, 2-pound, 5-pound, and 10-pound Patent Cans IVORY BLACK. One-pound, two-pound, five-pound, and ten-pound patent cans. FINISHING. WEARING BODY VARNISH, (For finishing-coats only.) This Varnish is very pale, and excels in freedom and safety of working as well as in brilliancy and durability. Though a long time in hardening, it dries out of the way of dust in ten or twelve hours, and sets so slowly that ample time is allowed to accomplish a perfect job on the largest panels. One coat of it is sufficient when used over our Hard Drying Body or Quick Leveling. MEDIUM DRYING BODY VARNISH, (For finishing-coats only.) This Varnish dries out of the way of dust in eight or ten hours, and is the same as our Wearing Body, with the single exception of hardening more quickly, thus rendering it more desirable for use during h;>t weather and in tropical climates. One coat of it is sufficient when used over our Hard Drying Body or Quick Leveling. ELASTIC GEAR VARNISH, {For finishing the -wheels and under-parts of Carriages.) Though, not so durable as our Wearing Body, it is similar in color, lustre, and working. When flowed over a surface made with our Quick Leveling Varnish, it dries out of the way of dusl in eight hours, and hardens quickly. ONE COAT COACH VARNISH, (For finishing^oats on ordinary -work.) This Varnish is heavier-bodied and more durable than our Hard Drying Body, and is especially adapted for finishing work when but a single coat is practicable. It dries in eight to ten hours with fullness and brilliancy, and wears as well as a one-coat varnish can. 38 valentine's coach varnishes. RUBBING. HARD DRYING BODY VARNISH, (A 4,-daj/ rubbing for under-coais on best -work.) This varnish dries in eight to ten hours, and hardens so as to rub well in about four days. It is fully equal to our Wearing Bodv in paleness, fullness, and lustre, and is much used for finishiag over a leveled surface on hurried work not requiring the greatest durability. ELASTIC LEVELING VARNISH, {A Q-day rubbing for under-coais on bodies of Coaches.) This is a medium between our Hard Drying Body and Quick Leveling Varnishes. It hard ens so as to rub well in three days, and is sufficiently pale for any light colors. From one to three coats should be used according to the class of the work, and be protected by our Wearing Body. QUICK LEVELING VARNISH,, (A Z-day rubbing for under-coais on gears, or on bodies requiring dispatch.) This Varnish dries quicker and harder than our Hard Drying Body. In good weather, it will harden so as to rub well in two days without sweating out. It is sufficiently pale for any light work. It should be protected with our Elastic Gear Varnish, when used on carriage parts, and with our Wearing Body, when used on bodies. BLACK JAPAN, (For producing a jet-black surface on Coaches.) This is a jet-black Leveling Varnish, which flows and rubs well. Two or three coats should be ap- plied over a black ground, and be protected by our Wearing Body. BLACK COLOR-AND-VARNISH, (A ready-made mixture of drop-black and Varnish for use on Coach work ) This Black, made of the purest drop-black and the best of varnish, is superior lo all mixtures of the kind prepared in the shop, on account of its great uniformity, and being ready for instant use, it will be found a great convenience. Though not so black as our Black Japan, it is more durable, and rubs well in two days without sweating out. N, B. — It should be well shaken or stirred be' fore using. valentine's coach varnishes. 39 MISCELLANEOUS. ENAMELED LEATHER VARNISH, (For re7iovating the black C7ta7}ieled leather 0/ carriage tops.) In using this article, first clean the leather _ thoroughly with soap and water, and when dry, if soft and pliable, put on at once a thin coating of this_ Dressing,^ using a medium-size bristle brush. Should the leather be very hard, old and stiff, apply just a coating of our Dark Permanent Wood Filling with a brush or sponge, and -wipe well with rags so as to leave no P.W.F. on the surface. Let stand over night to dry ; then apply a coat of this Dressing, which will dry in an hour or so ready for use. QUICK BLACK LACQUER, (For touching up, in repairing iroivivork 0/ gears, etc.) This is a jet-black and very quick-drying Lacquei (or Japan), for hastily repairing the iron-work of gears, etc. It dries in an hour and requires to be varnished over. Our Black Japan is prefer- able because more durable. JAPAN GOLD SIZE, (For binding, drying, and hardening colors.) This is a superior oil-drier, of light color, and strength nearly double that of ordinary Japan. _ On account of its paleness and the less quantity required, it is especially valuable for use with light paints; and being an oil-drier it is much less hurtful to the work than Japan. Once known, it is indispensable to Coach, Car, and House Painters, for binding colors, mixing rough-stuffs, and facilitating their drying and hardening through. CROWN COACH JAPAN, (For drying a7id hardening paints.) This is a light-colored, strong drj-ing shellac Japan, for hardening colors, and is well adapted to the use of the coach painter. DARK GROUND ROUGH-STUFF, (For producing a hard and level surface on bodies 0/ Coaches and Cars.) This is a mixture of mineral substances, combined with great care, so as to furnish a dense body with a sharp grit. It is ground in Japan Gold Size, varnish and the purest oil, and is superior to all shop-made rough-stuffs (sometimes erroneously called "fillings"}, chiefly on account of its unifor- mity and its being ready for immediate use. When used over a priming of one coat of Perma- nent Wood Filling, tlie firstcoat should be made elastic with raw oil, and the following coats re- duced with turpentine, if required for working. N. B. — Stir -well before using ! LIGHT GROUND ROUGH-STUFF, (Same article as above except in color, it being light for use on bodies painted in light colors.) DARK PERMANENT WOOD FILLING, (A patent article for priming outside work, and permanently filling and darkening natural woods.) This article, being a very penetrating and non-evaporating anti-damp, of extreme durability, is a per- fect and permanent filling for the pores of wood. Experience has proved that it will not only support the color and varnish better and longer than the old method of lead priming; but that on account of its p-rmanent elasticity, it will neither crack nor flake off; besides which, it saves time, labor and cost, and is more convenient, cleanly and healthful. LIGHT PERMANENT WOOD FILLING, {^Same article as above except in color. Being light, it fills without staining the natural -wood, and IS adapted for use over the Light Ground RouGH-STini'F on Bodies painted in light VALENTINE'S IVORY BLACK, (A superior article of H^ov Black, groundwith very best materlal, to the finest possible degrek.) To make "quick color," simply dilute with turpentine to the proper consistency for spreading with a camel s hair brush. For ordinary work, add a little raw linseed oil, using judgment not to have it dry with more than an " egg-shell gloss," 40 valentine's coach varnishes. COMPARATIVE VIEW Drying, Hardening, and Durability of VALCNTINE'S Coach Varnishes. FINISHING. WEARING BODY VARNISH (For finishing-coats only .) MEDIUM DRYING BODY VARNISH. (For finishing^oats only.) ELASTIC GEAR VARNISH (For finishing the wheels and under parts of car- riages.) ONE COAT COACH VARNISH. (For finishing only.) RUBBING. HARD DRYING BODY VARNISH. . (For under-coats on best -work.) ELASTIC LEVELING VARNISH, (For under-coats on bodies of coaches.) QUICK LEVELING VARNISH, (For under-coats on gears, or dispatch.) on bodies requiring BLACK JAPAN (Far producing a jet-black surface on coaches.) BLACK COLOR-AND-VARNISH, (For producing a jet-black surface.) lO 9 required in Months 4 to 5 3 to 4 2 to 3 1 to 2 13 12 10 8 2 2 to 3 *By " hardening to rub," we do not mean merely drying sufficiently to flat with putnitc-slone. readv for another coat, but sufficiently to rub dovn to a hard surface. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 021 470 364 ^