liff-l^ri- [n iifi in \' id Drill. 



109 



of the illustration (Fig. 3), or on a rack of hooks j)laced in a con- 

 venient position. 



The boards are first soaked in hot water of a temperature higher 

 than that of the wax to he dipped, otherwise air bubbles, escaping from 

 the boards during immersion in the wax, will blister the sheets. The 

 quickest way of bringing the boards to the proper condition is to stack 

 them with thin strips of wood between and a weight on top to keep them 

 down in Avater in a tub or a vessel, as shown in the centre of the illus- 

 tration (Fig. 3). When the water has been brought to the boiling 

 point by means of a stove, the latter is turned down somewhat, and 

 sufficient cold water poured into the vessel to reduce the temperature to 

 120 degrees, at which it should be kept. To prevent contact with the 

 bottom of the vessel two narrow pieces of wood should be put under the 



Fig. 3. — Dipping and Peeling off Plain Sheets. 



lowest board. These strips and the fine sticks placed between the boards 

 should be soaked in water beforehand, so that no dry spots, to which 

 the wax would adhere, may remain. When the wax is ready in the 

 dipping tank, the boards are taken out of the water one after another as 

 required, and hung up to drain ofF surplus water so that they are just 

 evenly damp all over. Before plunging it into the hot wax each board 

 is given a shake and turned end for end so that the drier end will enter 

 the wax first. The board is pushed right under, except the top of the 

 handle, quickly withdrawn, held perpendicularly over the dipping tank to 

 drain for a few seconds, then turnecl end for end again, immersed in the 

 wax, drained, for a moment plunged into water, and then hung up. The 

 next board is then dipped, and so on, the stand being moved round from 

 left to right, one board every time. When the first dipped board comes 



