120 Frtnch Varnish for Cabinet Work, $c. [Feb. 



ing theni), with a fine cloth, and using oil and alcohol during the 

 process, as will now be more particularly described. 



And first, the preparation of the varnish, which is composed 

 of the following ingredients, viz. 



Shell lac, three parts, 



Gum mastich, one part, 



Gum Sandarach, one part, 



Alcohol, 40 parts. 

 The mastich and sandarach must first be dissolved in the 

 alcohol, and then the shell lac ; and the process may be per- 

 formed either by putting them into a bottle loosely corked, and 

 placing it in a vessel of water, heated below the boiling point of 

 alcohol, until the solution is effected ; or, by putting the ingre- 

 dients into a clean Florence oil flask, the neck of which is 

 Sartially closed, by a cork having a narrow slit cut along it, and 

 eating it over a spirit lamp. The alcohol, however, which may 

 escape during the process must be replaced by an equal weight 

 of it after the operation is over, as it is desirable that the var- 

 nish should consist of the accurate proportions given, in order 

 to produce a proper effect. The solution may be poured off, for 

 use, from any impurities which may remain ; but it must not be 

 filtered, a* that operation would deprive the lac of some of its 

 Snost valuable constituents. 



The wood must be prepared for varnishing, by first taking out 

 the marks of the plane with a steel scraper, and bringing it to a 

 smooth and even surface, and afterwards polishing it well with 

 the finest glass paper ; as the varnish is laid on so thin that it 

 would expose every defect in it. 



The varnish, being put into a phial with a narrow neck, is to be 

 Applied upon a fine linen, or cambric muslin cloth, which may be 

 either a slip of about one inch broad and five inches long, or a 

 square of four inches ; as a larger piece would only waste the 

 varnish uselessly ; and, as it is necessary to be particularly careful 

 not to apply it too wet during the process, lest it might dissolve 

 those coats which were first laid on, the cloth should be folded 

 in four thicknesses ; then half opened, and its inside slightly 

 wetted with the vamish, by applying it to the mouth of the phial 

 and quickly shaking it up once ; it must then be touched on the 

 part wetted with a little oil, again doubled up, and quickly and 

 lightly rubbed upon the surface of the article to be varnished, in 

 a constant successio i of small circular strokes ; and the opera- 

 tion must be confined to a space of not more than five or six 

 inches square, until such space is finished ; when an adjoining 

 one may be commenced and united with the first, and so on, 

 until the whole surface is covered. The varnish is thus enclosed 

 between two double folds of the cloth ; which, by absorption, 

 becomes merely moistened with it; and the rubbing must be 

 continued until it becomes nearly dry ; it must then be again 

 half opened, and the inside again wetted with the varnish without 



