JONES, ON JAPANNING AND VARNISHING. 51 



•f grit may be discovered. Careful workmen always wash it be- 

 fore they venture to use it. This is etiected by stirring the fnie 

 powder in a considerable quantity of water, then allowing it to re- 

 main at rest for a few seconds, and pouring the water into a glazed 

 earthern vessel ; the powder which then precipitates, will he per- 

 fectly tine and smooth ; by washing the remainder, the whole of 

 the finer parts may be separated from the grit. 



The gloss upon shell-lac which has been polished, is less brilliant 

 than that of the unpolished varnish; but this gloss may be given 

 by a single coat of sced-lac varnish, which will abstract but little 

 from the perfect surface given by polishing. 



Black shell-lac varnish. 

 Shell-lac varnish may be rendered black, by mixing with it, 

 either ivory, or lamp-black. The editor has frequently used, and 

 always preferred, the latter. It should not be used as sold in the 

 shops, being then greasy, as the workmen call it, and will neither 

 mix or dry, well. Sometimes the lamp-black contains particles of 

 planter, from the walls of the chambers in which it is made ; this, 

 of course, should be rejected. 



To prepare lamp-black for use. 



Press a portion of it, into any earthern or metallic vessel, which 

 may be made red hot in the tire ; for small quantities, a tobacco 

 pipe, a piece of a gun barrel, or any otiser metallic tube, will an- 

 swer the purpose perfectly well. It is not necessary to close the 

 vessel, but the powder should be well rammed in ; place the whole 

 in an open lire until it is red hot throughout ; this may be known 

 by the lamp-black ceasing to flame at the exposed parts ; take it 

 from the lire, and allow it to become quite cool before you remove 

 it from the vessel, otherwise it will burn into ashes. Lamp-black, 

 thus prepared, will mix readily with water, will dry well in paint 

 or varnish, and will be improved in color. 



To mix the color with the varnish. 



Rub the lamp-black up with a little alcohol, spirits of turpen- 

 tine, or weak varnish, taking care to make it perfectly smooth be- 

 fore putting it into the cup with the vaniiah. To give a good 

 black color, the quantity of lamp-black must be considerable ; this, 

 it is true, will lessen the brilliancy of the varnish in some degree, 

 but a thin coat of seed-lac. will diminish this fault. When only a 

 small quantity of black varnish is wanted, it may be made by dis- 

 solving black sealing wax in alcohol. Sealing wax being compos- 

 ed principally of shell-lac. But little heat should be employed, or 

 the black color will be precipitated. 



Shell-lac varnish of various colors, 



May be made by mixing strong body colors, in fine powder, with 

 the varnish, levigating them in the same manner as recommended 

 with the lamp black. None but full, deep colors will answer, as 

 the color of the varnish will deteriorate all (hose which possess any 

 transparency, or which are of a light shade. 



