1058 VARNISH 



hot, 5 pints of pale turpentine varnish, which improves the body and hardness of tho 

 mastic varnish. 



Crystal Varnish. Procure a bottle of Canada balsam, and set the bottle of balsam 

 at a little distance from the fire, turning it round several times, until the heat has 

 thinned it; then have something that will hold as much as double the quantity of 

 balsam ; carry the balsam from the fire, and, while fluid, mix it with the same quantity 

 of good turpentine, and shake them together until they are well incorporated : in a 

 few days the varnish is fit for use. This varnish is used for maps, prints, charts, 

 drawings, paper-ornaments, &c. ; and when made upon a larger scale, requires only 

 warming the balsam to mix with the turpentine. 



White Hard Spirit of Wine Varnish. Put 5 Ibs. of gum sandarac into a 4-gallon 

 tin bottle, with 2 gallons of spirits of wine, 60 over proof, and agitate it until dissolved, 

 exactly as directed for the best mastic varnish, recollecting if glass is used that it is 

 convenient to dip the bottle containing the gum and spirits into a copperful of hot 

 water every 10 minutes the bottle to be immersed only 2 minutes at a time which 

 will greatly assist the dissolving of the gum ; but, above all, be careful to keep a firm 

 hold over the cork of the bottle, otherwise the vapour will drive it out. The bottle, 

 every time it is heated, ought to be carried away from the fire ; the cork should bo 

 eased a little, to allow the rarefied air to escape ; then driven tight, and the agitation 

 continued in this manner until all the gum is properly dissolved. After it is strained 

 off, put into the varnish 1 quart of very pale turpentine varnish, and shake and mix 

 the two well together. Spirit varnishes should be kept well corked : they are fit to 

 use the day after being made. 



Brown Hard Spirit Varnish is made by putting into a bottle 3 Ibs. of gum san- 

 darac, with 2 Ibs. of shellac, add 2 gallons of spirits of wine, 60 over proof; pro- 

 ceeding exactly as before directed for the white hard varnish, and agitating it when 

 cold, which requires about four hours' time, without any danger of fire; whereas, 

 making any spirit varnish by heat is always attended with danger. No spirit varnish 

 ought to be made either near a fire or by candle-light. When this brown hard is 

 strained, add 1 quart of turpentine varnish, and shake and mix it well : next day it is 

 fit for use. 



The Chinese Varnish comes from a tree which grows in Cochin-China, China, and 

 Siam. It forms the best of all varnishes. 



Gold Lacker. Put into a clean 4-gallon tin, 1 Ib. of ground turmeric, 1-| ounce 

 of powdered gamboge, 3 Ibs. of powdered gum sandarac, f of a (pound of shellac, 

 and 2 gallons of spirits of wine. After being agitated, dissolved, and strained, add 1 

 pint of turpentine varnish, well mixed. 



Red Spirit Lacker. Pale Brass Lacker. 



2 gallons of spirits of wine ; 

 1 Ib. of dragon's blood ; 



3 Ibs. of Spanish annotto ; 

 3 Ibs. of gum sandarac ; 



2 gallons of spirits of wine ; 



3 ounces of Cape aloes, cut small ; 

 1 Ib. of fine pale shellac ; 



1 ounce gamboge, cut small. 



2 pints of turpentine. I No turpentine varnish. Made exactly as 



Made exactly as the yellow gold lacker. ' before. 



White Spirit Varnish. Sandarac, 250 parts ; mastic in tears, 64 ; elemi resin, 32 ; 

 turpentine (Venice), 64 ; alcohol, of 85 per cent., 1,000 parts by measure. 



The turpentine is to be added after the resins are dissolved. This is a brilliant 

 varnish, but not so hard as to bear polishing. 



Varnish for the Wood Toys of Spa. Tender copal, 75 parts; mastic, 12'5 ; Venice 

 turpentine, 6'5 ; alcohol, of 95 per cent., 100 parts by measure ; water ounces, for 

 example, if the other parts be taken in ounces. 



The alcohol must be first made to act upon the copal, with the aid of n little oil of 

 lavender or camphor, and the solution being passed through a linen cloth, the mastic 

 must be introduced. After it is dissolved, the Venice turpentine, previously melted 

 in a water-bath, should be added ; the lower the temperature at which these operations 

 are carried on, tho more beautiful will the varnish be. This varnish ought to be very 

 white, very drying, and capable of being smoothed with pumice-stone and polished. 



The Varnish of Watin,for Gilded Articles. Gum lac, in grain, 125 parts; gam- 

 boge, 125 ; dragon's blood, 125; annotto, 125; saffron, 32. Each resin must be dis- 

 solved in 1,060 parts by measure of alcohol of 90 per cent. ; two separate tinctures 

 must be made with the dragon's blood and annotto, in 1,000 parts of such alcohol ; and 

 a proper proportion of each should be added to the varnish, according to the shade of 

 golden colour wanted. 



For fixing engravings or lithographs upon wood, a varnish called mordant is used in 

 France, which differs from others chiefly in containing more Venice turpentine, to 



