Part 2

39. It frequently happens during warm weather that the color dries so fast that the operator cannot possibly finish his work while the color is in a right condition, so he must resort to some means to prevent this hasty drying. The addition of glycerine will retard it for a good while, as glycerine is a good absorbent of water.

40. To prevent this rapid drying of graining colors in distemper many means are used, some too complicated and really no better than the one named in the preceding paragraph; wetting the wood with water into which a little sugar has been dissolved is another means to the same end. Afterward use the regular distemper mixture over it.

RUBBING IN.

41. This is the name that is given to the operation of laying on the oil megilped color previous to the graining. The professional grainer usually has a helper who works ahead of him and "rubs in" the color, while he follows him up with the wiping or combing. When the color is mixed and thinned just right there is no difficulty in its application. The brush should be any good, partly worn, or at least well broke in oval, or flat paint brush. In the flat the 3-inch size will be found the most convenient.

42. It was said in the preceding paragraph that the application of the rubbing-in coat presented no difficulties, but the proviso inserted relative to the color being properly mixed means what it says, for if it is not, trouble will surely follow. If the color is too thin and oily the operator will find it hard work to smooth it evenly. If it has been made more transparent by the proper megilping, the color will brush out evenly, and a full brush of color can be carried to the work. The operator should run over the mouldings of the upper panels, and if he has enough color on his brush, also the lower ones, then he should brush out the panels themselves, helping himself to the surplus color on the mouldings; then the short middle stiles, then the lock rail, upper and lower rails, then the end stiles, finishing up with the door edges last.

43. What a "rubber in" should not do is to try to _skin_ his color on. Many are afraid to carry more than half an inch of color from the pot to the work, seemingly afraid they can't manage it with a full brush, but that is a very poor way and if pains are taken to distribute the color along the panel mouldings first, its distribution will be much more even than if put on by _skinning_. It will take only about two dippings to do the side of an ordinary door, and it will be in just the shape that the grainer wants it. On the other hand again, he must not put it on too heavy, as the edges will not wipe clean, and if too oily will even run and show up ragged at the edges.

QUESTIONS ON LESSON VIII.

38. How should graining colors be mixed for distemper work?

39. What may be added to the thinner to prevent the color drying too quick?

40. What else is useful in retarding the drying of the distemper graining color?

41. What is meant by the operation of rubbing in?

42. How is the graining color applied?

43. What is it that the "rubber in" should not attempt to do?

LESSON IX.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF GRAINING OPERATIONS--CONTINUED.

APPLYING THE DISTEMPER COLORS.

44. A good-sized brush may be used for the laying of the distemper colors, but they are not absolutely necessary. A sponge is even more frequently used, especially when the character of the wood is to be shaped by the use of the sponge as the color is being laid on. It is hardly worth while to say that the man who does the graining must be his own "rubber in" in distemper work. The name itself is dropped for this class of work; the person applying it must be able to do the shaping as he goes along, excepting for "stippled" woods, when it may be well to have some one to help, especially if the color dries fast; he can then follow the helper closely and then there will be no trouble from that cause.

45. The color itself may be thickly or thinly thinned--it will all depend upon the kind of surface one is working upon, and also upon the kind of graining being done. Some grainers must have stale beer for a thinner, but others will do as good work who never use any, and such use vinegar somewhat diluted for that purpose. The proper thing is to have the color of the right working condition for the particular job. The kind of thinner does not matter so much so that it has tack enough to hold the color, so the colors will not run together when brushed over in the varnishing afterward.

46. The use of the _check roller_ usually is the first operation done in graining woods which show weather checks. The proper way to use them is to fill a 3-inch fan overgrainer with the distemper color which comes nearest to the ideas of the grainer in showing up what he desires to produce. This fan overgrainer is laid upon the face of the check roller flat, and a few turns are given in order to spread, when it is ready to do its duty. Checks while they look all right in some oak work, are usually rather scarce in nature, and it is an easy thing to overdo them in the imitation. A few in well-chosen locations will look infinitely better than an oversupply. As overdoing nature is a fault which applies in all the other operations used in graining, it will be well to guard the student against this defect right at the beginning. Let him bear in mind that all graining will look better _underdone_ than _overdone_, no matter what wood one tries to imitate.

47. _Stippling_ is another operation which is used chiefly upon open grained woods or woods which show fine or coarse pores all over their surfaces, such, for instance, as black walnut in the dark woods and chestnut in the lighter ones. Some pretty effects are also made by partial very fine stipplings over certain parts of woods. As the particular graining of each wood will be related these effects will be noticed under their proper headings. The application of the distemper color (the only proper one) has already been noted. The operator doing the stippling must hurry his work with the flogger or stippler (see Fig. 1) before the color commences to dry, or the stippling will not be uniform. He at no time must let the brush rest upon the work, but must hit the surface and let it rebound back, and be ready to strike again, being careful that the stippling proceeds evenly, and that the porousness indicated be as near equal all over as possible. It is not a very difficult operation, but one minute of actual work with the flogger will teach more to the student as to how it should be done than an hour of description will.

QUESTIONS ON LESSON IX.

44. How should the distemper colors be put on?

45. What is said of the thinners used in distemper work?

46. How should the check roller be used?

47. How is the stippling done?

LESSON X.

WIPING OUT IN GRAINING.

48. _Wiping out_ is the name given to the operation in graining whereby some of the color is removed, as in champs or flakes in quartered oak, for instance, or else where the veining in heart growth is also removed and the remaining dark color not removed forms the veining. This operation is mainly used in graining oak in oil, but is not confined to that alone by any means, nor to oil graining alone, either. Many grainers who know "how" wipe out water or distemper work and it looks well, too.

49. To do the "wiping" the operator takes some soft cotton rags, folding a couple of thicknesses together, and using the thumb inside of it he draws it gently wherever he desires to remove any of the color; by drawing gently on the cloth it will wipe out the color cleanly, and always present a clean face to the fresh color. Under no consideration should the grainer permit himself to keep on using a soiled part of the cloth, as it is sure to show up streaky and dirty. Many persons for good reasons sometimes cannot use their thumbs in wiping, and such resort to the artificial one described in paragraph 23. While this has not the sensitiveness of the natural organ, by practice one can use it to do very good work.

50. _Combing._ The operation known as "combing" may be performed by the use of combs of various material, such as steel combs; leather combs, which are simply sole leather upon the ends of which have been cut out with a knife square teeth of such size as is desired; rubber combs, which are somewhat upon the same order and which can be bought ready made, each fitted into a wooden handle as shown in Fig 10. This, however, shows one with graduated teeth which is very useful for many purposes. Any of the above are better adapted for certain kinds of work than are any of the others. Practice will soon show the grainers which ones to use.

51. The combing proper requires more care than skill, but the latter always counts in this as well as any of the other operations in graining. The operator should be provided with clean, soft cotton rags to wipe the combs every time that they are used. Never be tempted to draw it over the work a second time. "Get the habit" and it will stay with you so it will become _automatic_. Many an otherwise good job of graining has been ruined in looks by the slovenly habit of using dirty combs. Clean cut edges count many points in good graining. When nearing joints it is a good plan to cover an already grained or combed part with a small sheet of tin, which will prevent the comb from trespassing over into forbidden ground. Do not hold the tin flat over the grained or combed work, as it might mar it, but let it touch just at the joint, the hand holding it at an angle off the face of it.

52. Combing is not confined to oil work only, although by far most of the combing done is in that medium, but it is frequently resorted to in distemper work. The steel combs are seldom used for this kind of work, the rubber ones being infinitely superior. It is more difficult, however, and it must be done very quickly, as the color will otherwise be dry, when it will be impossible to do anything with it, and the part being combed will have to be washed off and another application of distemper color given it. Quickness, therefore, is an important consideration in combing distemper colors; cleanliness is just as essential as was stated in the preceding paragraph for oil combing, only a little more so if possible. The operator should make up his mind as to what he is going to do before he touches a tool and then stick to it to the end, giving all his thoughts to his work.

QUESTIONS ON LESSON X.

48. Describe what is meant by "wiping out"?

49. What is needed for this operation and how done?

50. What are the tools needed in "combing"?

51. How is the combing done in oil graining?

52. How is combing done in distemper work?

LESSON XI.

PENCILLING IN THE VEINING, ETC.

53. In water color work the heart growth of veins, some of the flaking, knots, burls, etc., are done by pencilling the same with a camel's hair brush. Some is left just as the outlines made by the brush leaves it, but only in such outlinings as those of knots or in the imitating of defects and in some burls.

54. The "_pencilling_" requires a steady hand with a perfect control of the freedom of movement of the hand doing the work. To insure this it will be found much the best way is to use a mahl stick for a rest. It will insure against unsteadiness and will enable the operator to do his work just as he wants it and where he wants it. It will enable him to give the heaviest part of the stroke at the center of the heart growth, where it ought to be, and to gradually lessen its width toward the sides, where it is not so full nor heavy.

55. The operator should be careful while executing his veining that the blender is used while the color of the veining put on is _still wet_, as otherwise it will not blend and the chances are that the work will be spoiled, or at least greatly inferior in quality. (Fig. 2 shows the blender.) The blending itself is the drawing of the soft hair over the wet color, which softens it and divides its stiff outlines in serrated, uneven, pore-like, outlines. While the operation is not a difficult one, good blending requires an intimate knowledge of what will be the effects produced by the use of the tool, as the blending can be overdone as well as underdone. A little practical experience will soon teach the operator its proper use.

56. _Fan overgrainers_, as shown in Fig. 4, come in various widths. It was said in paragraph 14 describing them, that many grainers preferred to make them themselves. This no doubt is due to the reason that in preparing them themselves they are able to arrange the hair so that they can get various effects from them, such as graduated lines, and again thick or thin lines, etc. But one can easily obtain the same results by buying a dozen or two of the ready made ones. They usually are made with a surplus of hair, and with a pair of sharp scissors the operator can easily cut out all the superfluous hair from the parts desired. With a good supply of overgrainers thus prepared before hand, he will be prepared to do an endless variety of veinings in lines equidistant, or graduated to suit.

57. The fan overgrainers are used for many purposes, not only in _overgraining_, as their name would seem to indicate, but also in laying out the veining adjacent to heart growths wherever a succession of fine lines are required, and which in water color work corresponds to combing in oil work. The brush is dipped into the distemper color, then it is run through the teeth of a coarse horn comb such as is used in hair combing. This will separate the hairs into lines, when the operator can use it on his work by drawing it along the outer edge of his pencilled out heart growth, and continue it to the outer edge of the panel. In overgraining proper it is used in many other ways, and by the proper motion of the hand many forms and variations suitable to the character of the woods being imitated can be done. In this proper use of the overgrainer the skill of the operator will be shown. It will be well to say that these lines made by the overgrainer are to be blended for most woods, and the student is referred to what was said regarding how it should be done in paragraph 55.

QUESTIONS ON LESSON XI.

53. What is said of the "pencilling in" of veins, etc., in distemper graining?

54. How are the veins pencilled in?

55. How is the "blending" done?

56. What is said of the fan overgrainers?

57. How are the fan overgrainers used?

LESSON XII.

THE USE OF GRAINING ROLLERS, ETC.

58. As stated in paragraphs 18 to 21, describing Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9, corrugated rubber tools of various forms are used in graining. Some kinds of woods can be done complete with these tools, and again their main character laid out with them, which is afterward improved by hand work. They are great time savers and to the man who knows how to use them well, which can be easily learned by following the directions given which accompany the boxes the tools are packed in, anyone can quickly learn their use, and will find it of great help in doing their work _quickly_, which is an important item, especially where the graining has to be done cheap. They will be able to turn out very much better work than could be done by hand for the same money. That fact alone if for no other reason (and there are other reasons also) entitles them to a welcome in the kit of progressive grainers who are not held in "awe" by precedents established when "grainers" were _getting something_ for good work done by hand exclusively.

59. While we are in the way of describing other methods of graining than that of graining done by hand, it is only right and proper that the transfer graining papers should be noticed. The graining upon many of these is very good. It has one disadvantage in that on large jobs there will be more repetition than is desirable; there is also an automatic indescribable look belonging to it, that grates upon an artistic taste, so that while the graining may be really much better than much hand work, yet hand or even that done with corrugated rubber tools will please the average man better than the more perfect automatic work done with the graining paper.

60. In graining with transfer paper, the paper to be used in the panels, stiles and rails should be cut into strips a trifle wider than desired for the actual space to be grained. The ground coat should be an appropriate one for the kind of wood to be imitated. The process of the transferring is similar to that used for all transfers; the paper is applied to its proper place, which it must cover fully, then the operator proceeds to wet the back of the transfer paper with a sponge which has been dipped in clean water. In a few moments after the wetting the paper can be pulled loose from the surface over which it is applied, laid aside flat to dry, and an exact replica of the graining printed upon the face of the paper will be left upon it. These transfer paper strips can be utilized several times before the design is dimmed too much for use.

After the completion of the work it must be varnished in order to hold it on, as any other distemper work must be.

61. There is another form of graining paper which has just been patented in Germany, which is not a transfer paper really and which _does_ excellent work. By some patent process the paper is made upon the face of the woods they represent; every pore and detail of the wood is perfectly represented. The ground color is covered over with oil graining color the same as for hand wiping. Then the graining paper, cut into proper sized strips, are placed over the surface and the back of the paper is rubbed over with a specially made brush all over, taking care that the hands do not touch it any where except upon the edge, which should extend over sufficiently for this purpose; then the paper is lifted off and can immediately be used again. It leaves the job as if it had been "wiped out," but much better of course than 99 out of 100 men could possibly do it by hand. It is somewhat costly and outside of the samples which were given the author for testing he has never seen any. So far it has not been imported in this country in a regular way, but there is no doubt but that it will soon be.

QUESTIONS ON LESSON XII.

58. What is said of the use of corrugated rubber graining tools?

59. What is said of "transfer graining paper"?

60. How is transfer graining done?

61. What is said of a new "wiping out" paper?

LESSON XIII.

CRAYONS FOR MAKING FINE VEINS.

62. In such woods as maple, cherry, etc., the veining consists of very fine lines which show no blending in the natural woods. They are so fine that it would be very difficult to put them in with a camel's hair brush or pencil. Heretofore it has been the practice of grainers to take colors such as they wished, and by mixing with china clay and gum arabic mucilage compound these into a mass which they rolled out and cut into strips in order to make crayons out of them. The process is not very difficult, but the proper blending and sizing must be carefully done or the crayon may be so hard that it will not mark on the wood, or so soft that the varnish will rub up the color. These crayons in wood may be bought in many of the supply stores. One fault with most of them is that they are not sufficiently sized to hold on the color while the varnish is applied. This the manufacturers must supply or their goods will be forced out of the market, in so far at least as the use that is made of them by the graining trade is concerned.

63. The crayons are sharpened to a point, and the veinings, knotting and burls are outlined by their means. They are used only where fine lines are required that are sharp and unblended. They are used in the same manner as ordinary graphite pencils are. Their use offers no difficulty even to a beginner other than the skill shown in making the right markings in the right place, which is a matter of study before using them.

64. _Mottling_ is an operation which greatly enhances the value of graining in many woods. This mottling may be done by means of the so-called mottling brushes, of which many are shown in Fig. 5, in either oil or distemper graining. In the preceding sentence the words "may be done" are used, because many very good grainers never use them, but depend upon their rubbing in brushes, etc. Again the sponge in distemper work is used and by the proper use of the badger blender beautiful mottlings are made without the use of any brush at all.

65. The sponge is held in the hand and by pressure and release of the same in going over the surface the color is unevenly distributed, which, when properly blended, will form mottlings coarse or fine, long or short, as wanted. It will require some practice in order to obtain a good control of the sponge.

66. The sponge is an invaluable aid to the grainer in distemper work, and the student should spare no pains in learning to master its use. With it not only mottlings may be made, but the main features and character of all the burled growths of walnut, oak roots, pollard oak, bird's eye maple, sycamore, mahogany, etc., may be laid out; most of it to be blended, and when dry overgrained and finished with either crayon pencils, camel hair knottings and linings done with various distemper colors or with the fan overgrainers, or by combinations of all the above.

67. The above comprises all the operations done in graining woods that can be given a general description of. Each kind of wood will require some of their use. Not all, however, must be given in the same manner, but must be adapted to suit the particular woods one may be trying to imitate. As occasion may require reference will be made to some of the paragraphs giving the proper information as to "how to do it."

QUESTIONS ON LESSON XIII.

63. How are graining crayons made?

64. What is said about graining crayons?

65. How is graining done with sponges?

66. What is said of the use of sponges in burled graining?

67. What is said concerning the special use to be made of the various operations in graining described in the previous lessons?

LESSON XIV.

GENERAL REVIEW OF WOODS.

68. Woods may be divided into two general classes:

1st. Those that are close grained and which when sawed into boards show very fine pores, or perhaps very little if any perceptible to the naked eye, as "holly," for instance, and in a lesser degree in "satinwood."

2d. Those that are composed of long, coarse ligaments, which when sawed into boards show a great number of pores, especially when the growth is comparatively regular, as in chestnut, walnut, etc.; with a great number which lie between the two extremes.

69. There might be added a third division for those woods which have a jerky, crosswise fashion of growing, which to the unwary look as if there was no system in their growth, as in sycamore, rosewood, etc., but which they have as regular as any other just the same, as a kinky haired American of African extraction could truthfully claim for his tangled up specimen as against the rigid growth of that of the American Indian. As with hair, it will be found that most of the woods which grow in a tangled way are composed of very fine fibres, which grow closely together and therefore can be classed in class 1.

70. Before commencing the descriptions of the graining of the various woods it was thought best to examine some few general characteristics which belong to each class, and the student will then be able to tell at sight almost what may be the best manner in which the graining shall proceed, either in oil or in distemper. Woods of class one, as a rule being close grained, need no stippling, as few pores show up separately as such, and it was shown that this is the main object of stippling.