Fillers--These compounds play a very important part in the art of finishing, not only in the great economy of material and time required, but in producing a handsomer and more durable finish than possible, except at great cost, without them. Oil is sometimes used as a filler, but its use is not recommended; applied directly to the wood its effect is to swell the fibres, or "raise the grain," which remains in that condition until the oil becomes entirely dry, or disappears. During all this time the fibres are gradually shrinking, and consequently moving or checking the varnish. The qualities essential to a good filler are: that it shall readily enter the porous portion of the wood, and shall very soon harden and render the wood impervious to the varnish, which should lie smoothly upon the surface, giving brilliancy and effect to the natural beauty of the wood; that it shall not raise the grain of the wood; that it shall not change the color of the wood. These conditions are satisfactorily filled by very few of the home-made fillers ordinarily used in shops, and while we give a number of receipts, our readers are advised that they will obtain better satisfaction, at less cost, by purchasing some of the patent fillers now coming into general use, of which we can recommend the very excellent fillers of the Bridgeport Wood Finishing Co., New York, and J. W. Kenna & Co., Chicago. In these fillers very little oil is used and a large amount of dryers, so that the wood becomes perfectly dry and hard in a few hours, preventing any swelling or shrinking of the fibres of the wood after the varnish is applied. The following fillers should be allowed to dry until quite hard. About eight hours are usually sufficient.

Walnut Filler - For Medium And Cheap Work

10 lbs. bolted English whiting, 3 lbs. dry burnt umber, 4 lbs. Vandyke brown, 3 lbs. calcined plaster, ½ lb. Venetian red, 1 gal. boiled linseed oil, ½ gal. spirits turpentine, 1 quart black japan. Mix well and apply with brush; rub well with excelsior or tow, clean off with rags.

Walnut Filler

For Imitation Wax-Finish - 5 lbs. bolted whiting, 1 lb calcined plaster, 6 ounces calcined magnesia, 1 ounce dry burnt umber, 1 ounce French yellow, 1 quart raw linseed oil, 1 quart benzine spirits, ½ pint very thin white shellac. Mix well and apply with a brush. Rub well in and clean off with rags. Before using the above filling give the work one coat of white shellac. When dry, sand-paper down and apply the filler.

Walnut Filler

For First-Class Work - 3 lbs burnt umber ground in oil, 1 lb burnt sienna ground in oil, 1 quart spirits turpentine, 1 pint brown japan. Mix well and apply with a brush; sand-paper well; clean off with tow and rags. This gives a beautiful chocolate color to the wood.

Filler For Light Woods

5 lbs bolted English whiting, 3 lbs calcined plaster, ½ gallon raw linseed oil, 1 quart spirits turpentine, 1 quart brown Japan, and sufficient French yellow to tinge the white. Mix well and apply with a brush, rub in with excelsior or tow, and clean off with rags.

Filler For Light Woods

10 lbs bolted English whiting, 5 lbs. calcined plaster, 1 lb. corn starch, 3 ounces calcined magnesia, 1 gallon raw linseed oil, ½ gallon spirits turpentine, 1 quart brown japan, 2 ounces French yellow. Mix well and apply with brush, rub in with excelsior or tow, and clean off with rags.

Filler For Cherry

5 lbs. bolted English whiting, 2 lbs. calcined plaster, 1½ ounces dry burnt sienna. 1 ounce Venetian red, 1 quart boiled linseed oil, 1 pint spirits turpentine, 1 pint brown japan. Mix well, rub in with excelsior or tow, and clean off with rags.

Filler For Oak

5 lbs. bolted English whiting, 2 lbs. calcined plaster, 1 ounce dry burnt sienna, ½ ounce dry French yellow, 1 quart raw linseed oil, 1 pint benzine spirits, ½ pint white shellac. Mix well, apply with brush, rub in with excelsior or tow, and clean off with rags.

Filler For Rosewood

6 lbs. bolted English whiting, 2 lbs.

Calcined plaster, 1 lb. rose pink, 2 ounces Venetian red, ½ lb.

Vandyke brown, ½ lb. brandon red, 1 gallon boiled linseed oil,

½ gallon spirits turpentine, 1 quart black japan. Mix well, apply with brush, rub in with excelsior or tow, and clean off with rags.

Sizing

Size of different kinds is sometimes applied to the surface of wood to prevent absorption of the varnish. The kind of material used for the size is not important, the object being only to prevent absorption by a very thin coat of some substance not soluble in the varnish. For dark-colored woods, thin size. made by reducing ordinary glue with water, is generally used; but for lighter-colored surfaces, a white size is used, which is prepared by boiling white kid or other leather, or parchment cuttings, in water for a few hours, or until it forms a thin jelly-like substance, which is reduced with water to a thin consistency, and used in a tepid state. Sometimes solutions of isinglass or tragacanth are employed in like manner.

Unlike the best fillers, sizes of any kind do not improve the finish, and are sometimes a positive detriment to it. They are used solely as an economy to reduce the quantity of the varnish needed, and their use is not recommended for the best work.