JONES, OV JAPANNING AND VARNISHING. 75 



varnish ; and can bring it to the surface of the linen cloth, when 

 required at any time, by squeezing the sponge ; and he is thus 

 enaliled to continue the operation for a much longer time, without 

 renewing the varnish. 



•' When the sponge becomes clogged with varnish, he moistens 

 it with alcohol ; and, putting a coarse linen cloth over it, employs 

 it to prepare tne gun-stocks for receiving; the varnish ; as, also, to 

 remove any former varnish, oil, &c. He, however, always em- 

 ploys a fine linen cloth, in finishing his varnishins;. 



•' He adds, that a Frenchman of his acquaintaiice, has informed 

 him, that in France, they find the introduction of camphor to im- 

 prove the varnish." 



On Lacker for Brass, <^'C. 



Although, as we have elsewhere observed, the term lackering, is 

 applied to every kind of varnishing performed with lac, yet it is 

 more commonly employed to indicate that process in varnishing, 

 by which tlie co'or of brass is heightened, so as to appear more 

 like gold, or by which a similar color is given to tin, or leaf silver. 

 In our nsxt number, we will describe the methods by which brass 

 is cleaned, poHshed, and preoared for lackering ; at present, our 

 attention will be given to the mode of preparing and applying the 

 lacker. 



To make Gold Lacker, 



Take sced-lac, and carefully pick out the impurities from the 

 clear grains, and, if thought necessary, wash these in clear water, 

 and afterwards dry it perfectly. About three ounces may then be 

 put into a pint of well rectified alcohol ; this mixture should be 

 kept in a warm room, and fre juently shaken, during two or three 

 days. The whole of the iac will not dissolve, but a sufficient 

 quantity will combine with the alcohol, for the purpose intended. 

 It is best not to strain it through a cloth, but to allow it to star»d 

 until the impurities have subsided, and the varnish becomes trans- 

 parent, when it should be carefully decanted into another bottle. 

 This clearing will require three or four days, and sometinies more, 

 according to the thickness of the varnisli. When it is wished to 

 preserve the brass nearly of its natural color, and merely to prevent 

 its tarnishing, the lacker is used without any additional color ; this, 

 however, is rarely the case, coloring materials being usually added. 



Various pigments have been used to tinge the lacker ; they are 

 all such as are soluble in alcohol, and the only colors employed, 

 are yellow and red. 



Yellows are produced by gamboge, or turmeric root, in powder ; 

 reds, by arnotta, or by dragon's blood, {sanguis draconis,) sallron 

 is also sometimes used for the same purpose. A drachm of either 

 of these, m^y be put into a i ordinary vial, and a couple of ounces 

 of alcohol poured on; this will dissolve a portion of the coloring 

 matter, which when clear, may be mixed with the varnish. We 

 have tried all the materials, and prefer the turmeric, and dragon's 

 blood 5 a few drops of each of these niay be put into the lacker •, 



