3013. To Prepare the Rubber for Enameling "Wood

3013.     To Prepare the Rubber for Enameling "Wood. The felt used should be such as the sculptors use for polishing marble, which varies in thickness from 1/8 to 1/2 an inch, and about 3 inches square. This should be fastened with resinous gum to square pieces of wood of the same size, but 1 inch thick, so as to give a good hold for the hand in using. These pieces of wood, covered with felt, may be made of any size or shape to fit molded surfaces or other inequalities.

3014. To Prepare the Pumice Stone for Enameling Wood

3014.    To Prepare the Pumice Stone for Enameling Wood. The pumice stone to be used should be of different degrees of fineness, and should be carefully selected, so as to be sure that it is free from any gritty substance. It is sold ready ground," but in situations where it cannot be conveniently got, it may bo prepared from the lump, by grinding or crushing with a stone and muller, and then passed through fine sieves or muslin; by using these of different degrees of texture the ground pumice may bo produced of different degrees of fineness. Unless great care bo exercised in this matter, it will be found that particles of grit will bo mixed with it, which make deep scratches on the work, thus causing endless trouble and annoyance, besides spoiling the work. The greatest care is also required in keeping the felt clean and free from grit. Many workmen are careless in this matter, and, when working, set down the felt on the step-ladder or floor, thus allowing particles of sand or grit to get upon it.

3015. To Cut Down or Prepare the Surface for Polishing

3015.    To Cut Down or Prepare the Surface for Polishing. In cutting down, it is best to use a piece of soft lump pumice stone to take off the rough parts. The work should then be wet with a sponge; the felt must first be soaked in water, then dipped into the powdered pumice, and the work rubbed with it, keeping it moderately wet, and rubbing with a circular motion, not straight up and down and across, and with a light touch, using only just as much pressure as will cause the pumice to bite, which will be very clearly felt while the hand is in motion. Care and patience are required to do this properly, for if the pressure be too great it forces the pumice into the body of the filling color, and scratches it instead of cutting or grinding it fairly down. No hurry will avail in doing this work, it must have its time; hurry only defeats the end in view, and often causes much unnecessary labor. A scratch, caused by want of care and too much haste, will often throw the work back for days, and involve the cost and labor of refilling. In practice the purpose is best answered by using the pumice stone, the coarser kind first, then the medium, and finishing with the finest last. It will be found advantageous to let a day elapse between the rubbing, for when the surface is cut down the filling will in all cases be softer underneath, and if it be allowed to stand for a day, the newly exposed surface gets harder, and of course rubs down better. The pumice stone should be well washed off the work occasionally, in order to see what progress is being made, and if it require more nibbing or not. If, after the first rubbing, the surface bo found not sufficiently filled up, it may have one or more additional coats of filling before much labor has been spent upon it.