Part 5

2 × 16 feet $ 6.00 2 × 20 feet 7.00 2 × 24 feet 8.00 2 × 30 feet 10.50 3 × 16 feet 8.00 3 × 20 feet 10.00 3 × 24 feet 12.00 3 × 30 feet 14.00 4 × 16 feet 9.00 4 × 20 feet 12.00 4 × 24 feet 13.00 4 × 30 feet 15.00 6 × 16 feet 12.00 6 × 20 feet 14.00 6 × 24 feet 16.00 6 × 30 feet 18.00 8 × 16 feet 14.00 8 × 20 feet 16.00 8 × 24 feet 18.00 8 × 30 feet 20.00 10 × 12 feet 10.00 10 × 16 feet 13.00 10 × 20 feet 16.00 10 × 24 feet 19.00 10 × 30 feet 22.00 12 × 16 feet 14.00 12 × 20 feet 18.00 12 × 24 feet 20.00 12 × 30 feet 25.00 14 × 20 feet 20.00 14 × 24 feet 24.00 14 × 30 feet 28.00 16 × 24 feet 26.00 16 × 30 feet 39.00 20 × 24 feet 30.00 20 × 30 feet 35.00 20 × 40 feet 40.00 21 × 30 feet 37.00 24 × 36 feet 42.00 24 × 40 feet 48.00 30 × 40 feet 60.00 30 × 50 feet 70.00 30 × 60 feet 80.00

SHOW CARDS.

1 sheet, 22 × 25 $ 1.50 1 sheet, 14 × 22 .75 1 sheet, 11 × 14 .50

The above prices are based upon white lead at 7 cents per pound and wages at 33½ cents an hour.

MIDSUMMER PAINTING.

All things considered, which is the best time of the year to do outside painting? Spring and fall, did you say? Well, yes. I know nearly all painters think so, and the people outside the trade are almost, if not quite, unanimous in holding the same opinion. But why? Do the winds of March, the frequent showers of April and May add very much to the pleasure and profit of doing outside work in spring? Do the soaking rains, which come along about the time of the vernal equinox and drive you off your job for a week or two and watersoak your unprimed work, add much pleasure to your recollections of spring painting? Do you remember anything about the clouds of midges and thousands of little moths which filled the air, ready and willing to decorate your paint with their little bodies on every still, warm mid-day in April and May? Of course, we are speaking now of climatic conditions from our own standpoint, the great Northwest, which may also be true in the Middle and New England states. The mornings and evenings of spring and fall are apt to be cool--often frosty; then the oil stiffens and the paint rubs out hard and goes on slow, and we lose time and work harder. Practically, I favor midsummer for outside work, because the temperature is more uniformly warm and the paint spreads easily and evenly at any time of day, and as a rule the rains are less frequent and give a longer warning of their approach. The little black flies are not so plentiful in the hot days of summer as they are in spring and early fall. They are either dead or seek the shade of trees and grass. The dew is all gone in summer before seven o’clock a. m., and does not commence to fall until after quitting time. A carpet of grass and other vegetation covers a large portion of the ground in summer, holding down the dust. The winds are not usually so high and gusty in summer as they are in the spring and fall. In the warm days of summer your work is more apt to dry quickly, cleanly and evenly; and when you “knock off” from work at six p. m., and the sun is yet two hours above the horizon, you know that your last ground stretch will soon be out of the way of dust and rain. In the hot weather of summer the pores of the wood are all open, and the oil, which is then soft and thin, goes farther into the wood than in spring and fall, when the weather is cool. There are, it is true, some fine days in the fall for outside work, but the rainy season of the autumnal equinox and the frosty nights of the later months often retard your work and mar the finish of your job. One objection urged against summer painting is the flies, but really are the flies which injure paint any more numerous in midsummer than they are in spring and fall? It is true the festive house-fly is in his glory in the summer, but, as a rule, he is too smart to get stuck in outside paint. To get inside is his ambition, and the molasses-cup and sugar-bowl are his objective points. If the house-fly is an objection in the summer, it certainly is a greater one in the fall, for in September and early in October they are thicker, saucier and more familiar than at any other time of year; then they want not only to get at the sugar, but to get in and warm.

A correspondent asks: “Does the reader know from practical experiment that one season is better than another for applying outside paint?” I suppose the writer means the effect upon the wearing qualities of the paint and the permanency of the color. I have been experimenting for a practical solution of this question for my own satisfaction and guidance, and have come to the conclusion that paint put on the outside in the hot weather of summer will wear as well and hold its color as long as paint put on in the cooler days of spring and fall. I know the idea that paint dries too fast in hot weather is almost universal, but I think it grows largely from the fact that a quick-drying paint is not as good for outside as a slow dryer; but you must remember that there is a great difference between a quick-drying paint and drying a slow paint as quickly as the ingredients will admit of. Linseed oil dries or hardens by absorbing oxygen from the air, and that process goes on more rapidly in hot weather than in cool weather, because the air in hot weather is in a condition more freely to part with its oxygen, or because the oil is in a better condition to receive it, or both. In other words, a warm atmosphere hastens the process of absorption and a cool air retards it, but in either case the result is the same: the air gives up enough of its oxygen to solidify the oil. Now, the question arises, can any difference be discovered (chemical or otherwise) in the composition of the paint, whether dried in warm or cool air? From a business-point of view, I have long advocated summer as a good time to paint outside, and have usually succeeded in converting customers to my views upon the subject, and as a consequence have not often had a dull time in midsummer. We painters in the country know how unpleasant and unprofitable it is to have all the work of the year rushed upon us in the spring and fall, and I think if painters generally could convince themselves by practical experiment that, all things considered, summer time is the best season of the year to do outside work, and advocate the same to their customers, backed by argument and practical illustration, there would soon be less need of complaint about a dull season in midsummer.

TO REMOVE PAINT.

1. An expeditious way is by chemical process, using a solution of soda and quicklime in equal proportions. The soda is dissolved in water, the lime is then added, and the solution is applied with a brush to the old paint. A few moments are sufficient to remove the coats of paint, which may be washed off with hot water. The oldest paint may be removed by a paste of the soda and quicklime. The wood should be afterwards washed with vinegar or an acid solution before repainting, to remove all traces of alkali.

2. Wet the place with naphtha, repeating as often as required; but frequently one application will dissolve the paint. As soon as it is softened, rub the surface clean. Chloroform mixed with a small quantity of spirit ammonia, composed of strong ammoniac, has been employed very successfully to remove the stains of dry paint from wood, silk, and other substances.

3. To remove paint from floors.--Take one pound of American pearlash, three pounds of quickstone lime. Slake the lime in water, then add the pearlash, and make the whole amount about the consistency of paint. Lay the mixture over the whole body of the work which is required to be cleaned, with an old brush; let it remain for twelve or fourteen hours, when the paint can be easily scraped off.

TO SOFTEN PUTTY AND REMOVE OLD PAINT.

1. Take three pounds of quickstone lime; slake the lime in water, then add one pound of American pearlash; apply this to both sides of the glass and let it remain for twelve hours, when the putty will be softened, and the glass may be taken out without being broken. To destroy paint, apply it to the whole body which is required to be cleaned; use an old brush, as it will spoil a new one; let it remain about twelve or fourteen hours, and then the paint may be easily scraped off.

2. To remove paint from old doors, etc., and to soften putty in window frames, so that the glass may be taken out without breakage or cutting, take one pound of pearlash and three pounds of quicklime, slake the lime in water and then add the pearlash, and make the whole about the consistency of paint. Apply to both sides of the glass and let it remain for twelve hours, when the putty will be so softened that the glass may be taken out of the frame without being cut, and with the greatest facility. To destroy paint, lay the above over the whole body of the work which is required to be cleaned, using an old brush, as it will spoil a new one. Let it remain for twelve or fourteen hours, when the paint can be easily scraped off.

3. Paint stains on glass.--American potash, 3 parts; unslaked lime, 1. Lay this on with a stick, letting it remain for some time, and it will remove either tar or paint.

TREATMENT OF DAMP WALLS.

There are two classes of damp walls, first where the water comes in from the outside from defective roofs, bad gutters, defective pipes, and where it comes through the walls from the ground, as in basements. In the other class we may include walls which are dampened by condensation of moisture, in places shut off from the general artificial temperature of the room, behind stationary furniture. Such walls may dry out during hot weather, or they may be kept damp by a growth of mold or fungus.

When water comes in from the outside, it is impossible to keep paint or paper on the wall in good shape. Look around for the places where the water comes in, point it out to the owner, and if he fails to stop the leak have it _understood_ that the work is done at _his risk_; or, what is better, refuse to do the work; because, when a job comes off, or turns out badly, you will take the blame generally, no matter whether it is your fault or not. A job may be made to last awhile by a waterproof coating, or by sheathing with thin lumber, but it is only a question of time when the lining material will become water-soaked and spoil the paint or paper, to your discredit. I have usually been _too busy_ to take jobs of this kind. If the water can be cut off, the next thing is to dry the wall, which you can do at the surface only by setting a stove near it, or with the flame of a paint burner; then, after all your trouble, the water, which remains in the wall, if of brick or stone, may find its way to the surface, and destroy your work. Sheet lead cemented to the wall will answer a good purpose for a time, but the dampness will finally destroy the cement and let the metal loose.

Battening out for lath and plaster is the best for basement or damp stone walls, but that is the plasterer’s work, and is rarely ever done except in private residences.

Battening and canvasing is next best; nail your battens up and down 18 inches apart. Have the canvas stitched in sheets the right size to cover the large blank spaces of the wall. Then stretch and tack it on the battens, and give it a coat of glue and alum size.

When dampness is caused by condensation the best remedy is to remove the cause and dry the wall.

TO PAPER ON A BOARD PARTITION.

When paper is pasted on boards, it must crack, when the lumber shrinks. If you paste cloth over the cracks, it must crack, if the cracks open further than the cloth will stretch. When you tack cloth on a partition and size it, if the size goes through the cloth and sticks it fast to the boards, it will be likely to crack when the lumber shrinks. For a good job I would advise that you first cover the partition _with paper tacked on_, then when you size the cloth, it will stick to the paper, and not to the boards. I have met with uniform success in this way; because the boards are left free to shrink and swell without breaking the cloth or paper. I like to sew the cloth together with a running seam in pieces large enough to cover all broad spaces, turn the smooth side out, stretch well, and fasten the edges only; drive the tacks an inch from the edges of the cloth, so that you can fasten them down smoothly with paste. When a man has been unwise enough to put a board partition across one end of an otherwise fine room, and is willing to pay for his folly: first, take measurements of the blank spaces, and sew together some fairly strong _unbleached_ muslin, stretch on frames, and give it a coat of glue and alum size, and whiting; when dry, carefully fit each piece in its place and tack it an inch from the edges and fasten the edges down smooth with strong flour paste. Tack only at the edges, and if you are careful to butt edge the different pieces over the doors, etc., you can make a nice smooth job in this way. By using this method the paste will not stick the cloth to the wall. Use tinned tacks to prevent rust.

SANDPAPERING.

This is a job none of us like very well, but since it must be done, it is worth while to be able to do it to the best advantage. The first thing to look for is good paper. To test the strength of the sand, rub two pieces together, and if the sand don’t fly off, it is good in that respect; next see if the paper is tough and will not tear easily. Chalk the back of your paper before you double it and it will not slip. Don’t lose time using old, worn-out paper. New paper will, of course, cut faster than old paper, and the difference in the time gained by using sharp paper will pay for the new paper twice over. Using old dull paper is like trying to save money by using an old stub brush. Better use up fifty cents’ worth of paper than to fool away dollars’ worth of time trying to save money by using old paper.

If you have old, hard paint to cut down, which dry sandpaper will not touch, keep the work wet with benzine, and you will be surprised to see how fast the sandpaper will cut the paint. To put on benzine use a small spring-bottomed can, such as is used for oiling machinery. You can use any grade of sandpaper, and it will not soak up or gum. No. 1 paper is the best for this purpose. A good deal of time may be lost where scrapers could be used to much better advantage. A broad, flat scraper to shove endwise is always in order, and a few narrow ones with various shaped ends to fit in headings, moldings, etc., are a great help.

A STENCILED BORDER.

This makes a nice finish for a painted or kalsomined room. To make it look at its best, paint a stripe as wide as your stencil in a pleasant contrast to the paint on the room and put the stencil on that in soft harmonizing colors.

REPAINTING SCALED WORK.

To repaint a job which has commenced to scale, without taking off all the old paint, is very uncertain work, but if you have to try it, have it understood in writing, or before witnesses, that it is done at the owner’s risk. First scrape off the loose paint, then go over the job with raw oil; put it on freely and let it stand until dry; then scrape off all the paint loosened by the oil, and coat up with strictly pure white lead and oil. Avoid zinc, and mixtures of zinc, and barytes, on jobs of this kind; because they are more or less liable to crack, and pull off more of the old paint. White lead and oil lightly tinted will hold it if anything will. Use raw oil and a little good japan.

TO MIX WATER COLORS.

Light weight colors which will not mix well with water may be easily mixed to a stiff paste with molasses or sirup, then mix in glue size for a binder and thin with water.

TO SIZE MUSLIN FOR LETTERING.

Use a thin size of white glue in water, or a thin starch paste. For a sign to stand weather, dissolve white wax in turpentine by heat. Melt the wax in a kettle, then take it outside and by degrees add sufficient spirits of turpentine and make a thin size.

One ounce of wax to the quart of turps is about right. Put it on warm with a brush.

ANOTHER FOR WHITE WORK.

Slake a little good, fresh lime in hot water and mix a size with skim milk. Then strain through cheese cloth. This size is, when dry, insoluble in water and will hold lettering as long as the cloth lasts. May be tinted.

TEST OF THE PURITY OF WHITE LEAD.

The following is an infallible and simple commercial test of the purity of white lead:

Take a piece of firm, close-grained charcoal, and near one end of it scoop out a cavity about half an inch in diameter and a quarter of an inch in depth. Place in the cavity a sample of the lead to be tested, about the size of a small pea, and apply to it continuously the _blue_ or _hottest_ part of the flame of the blow-pipe; if the sample be strictly pure it will, in a very short time, say two minutes, be reduced to metallic lead, leaving no residue; but if it be adulterated, even to the extent of 10 per cent. only, with oxide of zinc, sulphate of baryta, whiting or any other carbonate of lime (which substances are the principal adulterations used), or if it be composed entirely of these materials, as is sometimes the case with cheap lead (so-called), it cannot be reduced, but will remain on the charcoal an infuscatible mass.

A blow-pipe can be obtained from any jeweler at small cost. An alcohol lamp, star candle, or a lard oil lamp furnishes the best flame for use of the blow-pipe. This test is very simple and anyone can very soon learn to make it with ease and skill.

POLISH TO RENOVATE VARNISHED WORK.

One quart good vinegar, 2 ounces butter of antimony, 2 ounces alcohol, 1 quart oil. Shake before using.

BRONZES--COLORS.

White, Light Gold, Lemon, Copper, Lilac, Silver, Dark Gold, Orange, Carmine, Violet, Flesh, Rich Gold, Fire, Crimson, Brown, Light and Dark Greens.

BLACK VARNISH FOR IRON.

Asphaltum, 2 pounds. Boiled linseed oil, 1 pint. Spirits turpentine, 2 quarts.

Melt the asphaltum with the oil in an iron kettle. Stir well before removing from the fire. When partly cool add the turpentine and a little good japan.

TO FREE BENZINE FROM ITS OFFENSIVE ODOR.

To deodorize benzine, add 3 ounces quicklime to the gallon of benzine; shake well. Let the lime settle and pour off and filter the benzine.

PAINT TO PREVENT WOOD EXPOSED TO THE GROUND FROM ROTTING.

Take of linseed oil, 4 parts; whiting, 40 parts; rosin, 50 parts; clean sand, 300 parts; heat together in a kettle until the rosin melts; then add 2 parts sulphate of copper; the mass to be well stirred, and thinned to workable consistency with linseed oil.

RECIPES FOR BLACKBOARD SLATING.

Dissolve 1 pound shellac in 1 gallon 95 per cent. alcohol; then add ½ pound best powdered ivory black, 5 ounces finest emery flour, 2 ounces ultramarine blue; mix well and keep air tight. When using stir frequently. If thick enough to show brush marks, add more alcohol; work quick with a fine brush.

TO MAKE A BLACKBOARD ON COMMON PLASTER.

Stop all cracks and holes with plaster paris mixed in glue size. When dry sandpaper until all is smooth; then paper the wall with white blank wall paper, butt the edges, put on with strong paste, and be careful to rub out all blisters. When dry prime with oil paint, then sandpaper with fine paper, and put on two coats of above slating. This makes an excellent blackboard. Boards which I made in this way twenty years ago are in good shape yet, and will last for years to come with an occasional repainting.

CHEAP SLATING, BUT GOOD.

Mix lamp black, 4 parts; ultramarine blue, 1 part, by weight, in turpentine, with sufficient good japan and a very little oil to bind it, then add one part by weight of _fine pumice stone_. Have it thin enough to flow on and not leave brush marks.

WATERPROOF OIL RUBBER PAINT FOR CLOTH.

Melt 2½ pounds of india rubber in ½ gallon of boiled oil by boiling. If too thick, add more oil; if too thin, add more rubber, and a little japan to dry it. Apply warm.

TO CLEAN PAINT.

Have some whiting on a plate, then dip a piece of flannel in warm, soft water and squeeze nearly dry, then take up some of the whiting by dipping the flannel in it, and rub the paint until it looks clean, then rub dry with a soft cloth or chamois skin.

GOOD QUICK STAIN FOR A BRICK CHIMNEY.

For red stain, take Venetian red, 2 parts; yellow ochre, 1 part--both dry--and mix with skim milk. For yellow stain, use water-lime, tinted with yellow ochre. Mix as above.

Skim milk when mixed with common quicklime, Portland cement, or Venetian red, is converted into an insoluble binder, which renders the mixture waterproof, so that it will not wash off when wet; neither will it rub up when dry. Other pigments can be added, by way of coloring, up to 25 per cent., without affecting the insolubility of the paint.

For a brick wall, which has not been rubbed or painted, Venetian red toned down with yellow ochre, beats any glue and acid mixture for durability.

TO CLEAN DOOR PLATES.

Put on with a rag a weak solution of ammonia in water, and rub to dryness.

TO CLEAN VARNISHED PAINT.

In a gallon of water, boil a pound of wheat bran, and wash the varnish with the water.

SLOWING THE DRYING OF PAINT.

In wall painting or otherwise, especially in hot weather, if the paint dries so fast as to show laps in spite of your best efforts with the brush, the addition of a little cotton seed oil will make the paint dry slower without hurting the gloss; or if you are using flat color, and it dries too fast, a little cotton seed oil will make it dry slower, and not make a gloss. You can, by a little experiment, determine how much of cotton seed oil to use in each case.

FINE BRONZE FOR METALS.

Red aniline (fuchsine), 20 parts; purple aniline, 10 parts; 95 per cent. alcohol, 200 parts; acid benzoic, 10 parts. Dissolve the colors in the spirit in a porcelain vessel in a water or sand bath; add the acid and boil until the mixture changes from a greenish color to a beautiful bronze color. Lay it on the bright metal with a brush.

REPAINTING BLISTERED DOORS.