liH HiRfUfflil llfHIfRfHRHif P ;! ' liiHiHilinnlti Mli ■ MODERN CARRIAGE &WAG0N PAT MHTT KTO ill § II 111 mwM Hi life 11 TUFTS UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES 3 9090 013 417 056 Webster Family Library of Vet binary Medicine CummlngsS diclneat Tufts University 200 Westboro Road North Grafton, MA 01536 Carriage Painting A Series of Practical Treatises ON THE PAINTING OF CARRIAGES AND WAGONS, EMBRACING FULL DIRECTIONS FOR THE PRACTICAL EXECUTION OF ALL KINDS OF CARRIAGE AND WAGON PAINTING, INCLUD- ING STRIPING, LETTERING, SCROLLING, ORNA- MENTAL WORK, VARNISHING, TRANSFER ORNAMENTS, APPLYING GOLD LEAF, ETC. Each Treatise is followed with Test Questions : : : for the Student : : : By F. MAI RE Author of "Modern Painter's Cyclopedia," "Exterior Painting," "Graining and Marbling," Etc. ILLUSTRATED CHICAGO Frederick J. Drake & Company PUBLISHERS COPTBIGHT 1911 BT FREDERICK J. DRAKE PREFACE. 1. The subject matter of this volume,, the fifth in the series of the red manuals "■Carriage Painting," is really too com- plex to be fully detailed within the space of a small volume of the restricted num- ber of pages as this is to be. There are a number of excellent treatises published on carriage painting, and outside of the gleaning and arrangement of the matter, and its presentation in the shape of les- sons graded and paragraphed with ques- tions at the end of each, each of which have corresponding numbers to the above para- graphs containing the answers to the ques- tions asked, the author does not lay any claim to, and readily acknowledges that he has been greatly helped and inspired by the previous work of others, more espe- cially by that of "Practical Carriage and 17 18 PREFACE Wagon Painting' ' by M. C. Hillick, whose presentation of the subject matter is mas- terly done. Much of the subject matter of this volume has been culled and re-ar- ranged from that masterpiece of carriage painting literature and to a few others also, who had written up their experiences in some of the " Trade Journals." F. Maire. Carriage Painting LESSON I. PRELIMINARY. 2. Under the title of this manual is in- cluded a great deal. Heretofore, in the volumes of this series of trade manuals, the manner of using and doing painting has been from an entirely different stand- point—with an entirely different object in view, so much so, that much of it will have to be forgotten in order not to become biased and to have one *s mind free to adapt the principles which govern "Carriage Painting." Under this general name it must be re- membered that it is not only the painting of vehicles drawn by horses, such as bug- gies, landaus, carriages etc. that it cov- ers, but railway carriages, automobiles 19 20 CARRIAGE PAINTING and every form of vehicles known; there- fore it has become one of the branches of painting which covers a field of vast im- portance. The principles which lay at the foun- dation of carriage painting mnst be well understood in order to comprehend all the various operations demanded to produce good work. When these funda- mental principles are learned thoroughly, it will matter little upon what scale they may be practically put into play— whether in an up-stairs shop over the wheelright's repair shop, or in large factory rooms or car shops. In the latter, every facility will usually be found at hand to do the work rapidly and freed of much of the annoyances usually connected with the small shop; but that is only a matter of convenience after all, for the work itself must be done in much the same fashion. It will be the object of the next lesson to commence the study of the principles CARRIAGE PAINTING 21 which govern carriage painting, then of the material and tools needed in doing the work, then in the several methods of do- ing the work itself. As nsual, the subject matter will be treated as much as possible by graduated steps, in order that it may be well understood by the student, and that he may become familiar with the vari- ous operations by easy steps. Some of the finishing parts in carriage painting such as striping, scrolling, decor- ative painting and of sign work, are made separate trades, or parts of trades in all the large carriage shops. As each of these would require more space than can be spared in this manual in order to give them the most elementary survey, but little will be said regarding them with the one exception: that of striping, which every carriage painter should be familiar with. The study of ornament painting and that of signs will form a separate manual. There are some excellent books published 22 CAKEIAGE PAINTING upon the latter in lesson form copiously illustrated— especially that of Atkinson's, and the student will do well to procure it. As this manual is written principally for the use of students who wish to take up the painting of carriages in the smaller towns, either as a separate business, or in connection with general painting, to nil up slack times, the descriptions given for doing the work will be found more ap- plicable to these smaller shops than to the large factories. In these everything being specialized, every advantage can be taken for doing the work quickly and safely, which cannot be done usually in the smaller repair shops— but the underlying principles are the same, and when well understood, the student would rind no diffi- culty in understanding their application on a large scale, and while employed on general work he could not expect to ac- quire the speed of the men who are spe- cialists, working on piece work; probably CARRIAGE PAINTING 23 he would soon acquire this extraordinary speed by practice if he -took up some spe- cialty. Having outlined the manner in which the subject matter will be handled in this man- ual, the next lesson will take up the study of the underlying principles of carriage painting. LESSON II. REASONS WHY LINSEED OIL IS SPARINGLY USED IN CARRIAGE PAINTING. 3. The old adage heretofore preached from in former manuals, i.e. "Oil is the life of paint," must be forgotten to a great extent, when it comes to carriage painting. Heretofore the surfaces covered with paint were stationary, motionless, and with the exception of floors, were not subject to abrasion. The worst enemies were from atmospheric conditions, and it was shown that linseed oil was a capital substance to use as a protection against these. 24 CARRIAGE PAINTING 4. In carriage painting, the principal, and only nse made of linseed oil is in the priming or foundation coats. No work which is not filled and made waterproof can be expected to stand any length of time, and few of the many make-shifts or short-cut methods of painting carriages which ignore a generous use of it— in the priming at least— can be depended upon for lasting results in the finishing coats. 5. The old time methods were very good, but were too slow for the fevered hurry of the present, so that it has been the aim of every man employed in car- riage painting to devise some way whereby an hour or two could be saved in turning out finished jobs. This hurry has not al- ways been advantageous to the durability of the finished work, even where the resem- blance of the finished, to that of olden times has been preserved, but the work- man's protests have not been able to check the demand for quicker work. Given good CARRIAGE PAINTING 25 material and a reasonable allowance of time, a medium course can be pursued in carriage painting, which will be found to give fair results, both as to a good looking finish or herein, the time required to do the same in. 6. Were it possible to produce such a surface as the fastidious taste of the day demands, with and by the use of linseed oil coats— there is no question but that the results would be far more durable than they are by the other methods, but this is impossible. So as said before, the use of it made in carriage painting must be re- stricted to the foundation coats. These are not confined to the one coat or first coat as in structural painting, and for this reason it is named foundation coats, in order that it may not be confounded with what is understood as priming in former manuals. 7. The middle coats used in carriage painting are used principally to produce at 26 CAKRIAGE PAINTING surface and they might very appropriately be called surfacing coats. They should consist chiefly of material which has been mixed with such liquids as will allow of their being spread easily, and which must possess sufficient adherence as to bind the material it is mixed with into a hard dry- ing mass capable of being leveled up to a smooth surface by rubbing down with pumice stones. These intermediary coats are best known in carriage work as "fill- ing coats." 8. When the filling coats have been per- fectly leveled and smoother, then only do the coloring coats proper, commence in carriage painting. It is obvious that they should conform stricty to the composition or rather the elasticity of the compounds used in surfacing the work, for it is obvious that if the variation is any way noticeable the finishing color coats will surely crack from their inability to conform themselves to that of the surfacing coats under them. CAKRIAGE PAINTING 27 At the present time while giving a general look over the scope of carriage painting it is not the purpose to inquire into the why and wherefore of things, as this will be done when that portion of the description of that part of the work is reached. The present synoptical viewing is merely in- dicative of the progressive stages through which a carriage passes before it is passed on to the repository. 9. Carriage work is frequently striped and ornamented. When this is done, it follows upon the last color coat, and when completed the jobs are ready for the var- nishing, which completes all that the sub- ject matter of this manual proposes to treat. QUESTIONS ON LESSON II. 3. What is said concerning the use of linseed oil in carriage painting? 4. What use is made of linseed oil painting chiefly? 28 CARRIAGE PAINTING 5. Wherein do present methods of car- riage painting chiefly differ from the old? 6. What is usually understood by "foundation coats' ' in carriage painting? 7. What is the object and purpose of the filling coats ? 8. What are the last coats of paint used in carriage painting called? 9. When is the striping and ornamenta- tion done? LESSON III. MATERIAL USED IN CARRIAGE PAINTING. 10. It is proper before the study of car- riage painting commences that the stu- dent be made familiar with the material, tools and appliances that are needed in doing the work. Therefore a short review of these will be made before proceeding to give the details of the various operations necessary to finish a job. The material used in carriage painting is an important factor in the prosecution CARRIAGE PAINTING 29 of the work. As in other branches of painting it means that good material is necessary in order to obtain good results in the finish. It will not be necessary to go all over the details given in Volume III entitled " Colors' ' as to the derivation of each color used, and the reader is referred to that manual for more extended details regarding them. Some however, such as the fillers and varnishes which received little if any attention in that volume will be given sufficiently extended examination in this as their importance demands in con- nection with the subject matter. 11. As may be expected the blacks are the one color of most importance to the carriage painter. Lampblack in oil is used usually for the tinting of white lead in the foundation coats. It is sometimes used in compounding some of the proprie- tary named black as it is so very strong but on account of its dull gray black color it must be touched up with a good bone black, or gas black. 30 CAKRIAGE PAINTING 12 Gas black is extensively used in pro- prietary named blacks to doctor up poor blacks, or to compound with some cheap make weight material into a black which imitates the bone blacks in so far as cover- ing properties, and strength of coloring matter goes and pretty nearly in jettiness of coloring, especially the ordinary sorts of bone blacks. By its use a fair black can be had at a lower cost than by the use of any other black pigment. 13. Ivory black, coach black, drop black are about one and the same thing— bone black. The finer qualities of this black are very good and are very intense in their jet tone, besides being clear and free of muddiness. They are sometimes improved by the addition of a small quantity of Prussian blue, but the finer qualities do not require it as it hurts them; in time it fades out, leaving the black to its own tone good or bad. These blacks are all of them rather deficient in opaqueness bone black CARRIAGE PAINTING 31 being considered a sem-transparent color. 14. The blue group of colors is used to a considerable extent especially in wagon and automobile painting. Prussian blue is seldom used solid, but some of its tints are sometimes. It is also used in com- pounding some of the green tints. Ultramarine blues of various shades of both the opaque, and transparent varieties are mostly used for painting solid colors as being less likely to fade than Prussian blue. 15. The Brown group of colors is well drawn upon by the carriage painters. All the colors found in that group are used. The raw and burnt umbers and raw and burnt Siennas, and in rough stuffing some of the special earth browns called umbers are used, beside an endless variety of fancy named browns compounded from the above named colors mainly, and many others which have proprietary names. Van Dyke brown is sometimes used as a glaze and a 32 CAKRIAGE PAINTING great variety of brown and reddish brown lakes are also used in glazing. The stu- dent must not think that all the carriage browns that he may see listed are distinct colors, in reality they are only tints com- pounded very much in the same manner as the same would have to be prepared for house painting only that for carriage work the colors must not be ground in linseed oil but in japan or varnish. QUESTIONS ON LESSON III. 10. General remarks on material used in carriage painting. 11. What is said regarding the black group of pigments, especially about lamp- black? 12. What uses are made of gas black! 13. WTi&t is said concerning bone blacks including ivory, coach and drop blacks! 14. What colors of the brown group are used in carriage painting! CAKRIAGE PAINTING 33 LESSON IV. MATERIALS USED IN CARRIAGE PAINTING CON- TINUED. 15. The green group of colors is also largely made use of in carriage painting, but more especially in wagon and automo- bile work. Chrome greens in all shades; verdigris and Paris green for glazing, but more especially the very pretty greens (transparent) extracted from coal tar— some of which are excellent. In carriage painting proper nearly all the greens are compounded with blacks, and simply carry a cast of green the black predominating, such as the Brewster's greens, bottle and olive greens, which in addition to the black also carry some yellow in their composi- tion. The green list carries also a large number of proprietary named greens; as each manufacturer chooses a different name for goods of their preparing, the list is too formidable for each group of color to 34 • CABRIAGE PAINTING attempt to even do it a partial justice in the naming, therefore none such will re- ceive any attention. It is an easy matter in the smaller shops to prepare and com- pound all such tints from stock colors and it will not cost as much as the carrying of the numberless tints that are offered for sale. In the large factories where jobs are turned out in large numbers and where each color must be ''semper idem," it will be found best to have tliese special shades made up and prepared from a regular for- mula at the factory. 16. The red group of colors is also largely used from, in all branches of car- riage painting. From the amaranth reds used in running gear work of buggies, etc., to the bright vermilions used for the same purpose in wagon painting to which may be added even the painting of the beds in that bright garb. Then in its more sub- dued shades as Tuscan reds in railway car work and in short reds, either bright or CARKIAGE PAINTING 35 subdued are indispensable to the carriage painter. The naming of the reds used by the trade is the naming of all the leading reds made ; such as the English vermilions pale and deep. The numberless imitation vermilions known to the trade as Vermilion reds are more usually accompanied by a high sounding proprietary name. The various red oxide reds are better known as Venetian red, Pompeian reds, etc. The great variety of red or red brown lakes are used in glazing. Most of these are sold also under some proprietary name. As all dealers usually have color cards showing what the true color of the contents of a car looks like, it is easy enough to pick out the right color desired no matter by what name it may be called; especially if the dealer sells it under a guarantee of permanency. 17. It is hard to say which of the several groups of color is the most useful to the carriage painter; all the other groups ex- amined were found useful, and indispens- 36 CAKEIAGE PAINTING able, and now that the last group of the colored pigments is reached ( ' ' the yellow ' ' ) it is found to be fully as useful and indis- pensible as the preceding ones. Either in a self color as in running gears of buggies carts and wagons, to the solid painting of railway oars on some systems, they occupy a very prominent place indeed. There seem to be no shades of it so bright but may be used for some purpose, and in the tints with white and other colors, the use made of the yellows is very great. The ochres enter largely in some of the tints made, and the chrome yellows in their va- rious shades probably predominate the list. The transparent yellow lakes are also used for glazing to some extent. 18. The last group is the whites ; there is much use made of them; no jobs are hardly ever painted in any color no matter which it is, but that white lead enters into at least the preparatory coats. It is used also largely in the painting of business C ARM AGE PAINTING 37 Yfagons, hearses, etc., in its self-color and in combination with other pigment in the preparation of a number of tints. It is used ground in oil when it is known as "keg lead, ' ' and hereafter when that name shall be used it means that kind of lead and it is ground in japan or varnish for paint- no other. Then there is the dry white lead used in making putty and surfacing. Then ing the jobs in its self color. QUESTIONS ON LESSON IV. 15. What is said regarding the green group of colors? 16. What is said concerning the red groups of colors ? 17. What is said regarding the yellow group of colors? 18. What is said about whites in car- riage painting? 38 CAKEIAGE PAINTING LESSON V. MATERIAL USED IN CARRIAGE PAINTING— CON- TINUED. 19. Under the heading of materials nsed in carriage painting must be included any- thing and everything useful in connection with the work, not merely as a paint but in preparing the way for it as well. This ac- cessory material is as necessary in its place as is any of the other and should require as much attention and care in the buying. 20. Pumice stone— powdered in differ- ent degrees of fineness— the Italian is the best. The American being gritty will scratch worse. The lump pumice stone which should be also the Italian kind for the same reason. 21. Whiting or carbonate of lime is useful at times for many purposes which will be noted in the course of this manual but principally in the preparing of certain kinds of putty. CARRIAGE PAINTING 39 22. Chamois skins— which by the way are not Chamois skina but sheepskins tanned in a particular Way— are also hard to get along without in carriage painting as they are useful in many ways, nearly all through the preparing and the finishing of a job. 23. Under this heading must be a long list of articles and material used in the decoration of vehicles such as gold and other metal leaves. Bronzes also of all colors and qualities, met allies and flitters also in all colors. Transfer ornaments of every kind. In short every thing that is ever used in the shop for the purpose of ornamentation. THINNERS OR VEHICLES FOR COLORS. 24. It was stated at the beginning that but little linseed oil was used in carriage painting— but that little must be good and the best. The raw should invariably be used, as the object for which linseed oil is 40 CARRIAGE PAINTING used is partially defeated by the use of boiled oil. 25. Volatile oils. There can be no question as to which is the best to use where there is any choice at all possible, that is— " Turpentine." It is head and shoulders above the petroleum, volatile oils, benzine, naphtha and gasoline. But of course where they ust be used— they are, that's all. 26. Japans and other varnishes are used in both the filling up coats for rough stuffing, but the latter more especially in the coloring coats and finishing. Japans do not differ much from varnishes and un- der that name all kinds of liquid stuff is sold in the market which have nothing much in common but the name under which they are sold. The formulas for making them differ so much that it is really impos- sible to give a clear definition of them. In so far as carriage painters make use of them they are expected to bind the pig- CARRIAGE PAINTING 41 ments mixed with them, and to have but little elasticity at least no greater than that of the supervening coats. Most varnish makers prepare one for the purpose of the carriage trade which is sold under the name of * * Carriage japan, ' > this is usually to be depended on when made by a varnish house having a reputation to loose. Varnishes for the carriage painter's use are prepared with a view to suit his various requirements such as "rubbing," coloring" and "finish- ing," each of which are again sub-divided into quick drying, medium drying and slow drying and again into elastic and non-elas- tic. There is a varnish prepared for any special use that the painter will ever have and the only trouble with him is to pick out the good ones. In the course of the details of the work proper when the various operations are reviewed, the various kinds of varnishes to be used for each purpose will be named under the appellation given them by the 42 CAKKIAGE PAINTING various manufacturers and which has now become universally adopted by them. QUESTIONS ON LESSON V. 19. Some general remarks concerning accessory material? 20. What is said regarding pumice stone? 21. What is said of whiting or oarbo- ate of lime? 22. What is said of chamois skins ? 23. What ornamental material is used in carriage painting? 24. What oil is used in foundation coats ? 25. What volatile oils should be used? 26. What is said of japans and var- nishes ? LESSON VI. TOOLS USED IN CARRIAGE PAINTING. 27. The tools used in carriage painting are not very numerous nor costly and must Fig. 1 OVAL CHISELLED VARNISH BRUSH 44 CABRIAGE PAINTING be kept separated from useful devices used in facilitating the work as these may vary greatly or be dispensed altogether if neces- sary — but the tools cannot, without some other ones which would have to take their place are used instead of them. The more important tools as may well be surmised are the "brushes" and these are made up of nearly all known variety of hair used in the art of brush making. 28. The heavy brushes used in carriage painting are usually made up from hog bristles and they are used for a number of purposes. Fig. 1 shows a metal bound chiselled haired (bristle) varnish brush. This brush is useful in many sizes and runs from 1.0 to 8.0. They are used in priming coats to lay color with and may also be used for laying rough stuff and for var- nishing running gears and bodies of large wagon work which is not to be finished ex- tra fine. They will be found useful for a wide range of work and with the great CARRIAGE PAINTING 45 Fig. 2 ROUND PAINTER'S DUSTER range of sizes will come as near being worthy to be called a universal tool as it 4:6 CAERIAGE PAINTING is possible to call a brush by that name in carriage painting. 29. Fig. 2 repesents a round paint- er's duster. There is no economy in buy- ing a cheap one and a No. 1 white coach painter's duster will cost but little more than a cheaper one. These do the Fig. 3 COACH PAINTER'S SPOKE BRUSH work so much better that it is foolish to buy any other. 30. Fig. 3 represents the coach paint- er's spoke brush. As the nama indicates they are useful for spoke painting but not indispensable, as many carriage painters never use a specially constructed brush fox that purpose. 31. Fig. 4 represents a flat varnish brush— these run in sizes from 1 inch to 4 CAREIAGE PAINTING 47 inches in width by graduations of % an inch. They come also in single and double Fig. 4 FLAT VARNISH BRUSH bickness and in all these same sizes and aicknesses in chiselled edge which are Fig. 5 ARTISTS' BRISTLE BRUSHES CARKIAGE PAINTING 49 usually preferable for most work. They are used for a number of purposes, and a IlilM.nilMMMMMMIU,. H, 111 1 1 II i E II 1 1 1 1 i I S 3J 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11)11 KL Fig. 6 FITCH VARNISH BRUSH liberal supply of the various kinds will be found very handy. As chiselled edged 50 CARRIAGE PAINTING brushes are shown in Fig. 4 it will not be necessary to show the bristle varnish chiselled edge brush, as that indicates the shape fully as well. 32. Fig. 5 shows artists ' flat and round bristle brushes. A few of these brushes come in handy in cleaning up and filling quirks and beaded seams. They are inex- Fig. 7 BADGER HAIR, FLOWING BRUSH pensive. They number in sizes from 1 to 12. 33. The finishing varnish brushes and the color brushes for the laying on of the coloring coats require finer and softer ma- terial than hog's bristles. Most of these therefore are made up from badger, bear, ox hair and camel's hair (so called) such CARRIAGE PAINTING 51 being better than the other for certain spe- cific purposes. They lay color or varnish Fig. 8 CAMEL' S HAIR VARNISH OR COLOR BRUSH much more smoothly and evenly than it is possible with a bristle brush. Fig. 6 STRIPING TENCILS represents the fitch varnish 7 brush, also made in bear's hair and sable. It is This Fig. 10 LETTERING PENCILS CARRIAGE PAINTING 53 brush is chiefly used in laying varnish coats. 34. Fig. 7 represents the badger haired Fig. 11 ARTISTS' RED SABLE BRUSHES varnish, or color brushes as it is used by some for both purposes. 35. Fig. 8 represents the camel hair varnish brush. This is also us.ed for both 54 CAEBIAGE PAINTING purposes of a coloring brush, or for laying varnish. (The finishing coats.) 36. Fig. 9 represents striping pencils. These may be made of either camel's hair, sable or ox-hair. Each of which being bet- ter than the other for use in light or heavy bodied colors: the sable brushes being more elastic are best in heavy colors. Fig. 12 SWORD STRIPING BRUSH 37. Fig. 10 represents the lettering pencils. They too are made from either camel's hair, Siberian ox-hair, or red or black sable to be used in light and heavy bodied colors. 38. Fig. 11 represents flat and round red sable artists' brushes, which are used in the painting of ornaments for which they are indispensable. 39. Fig. 12 represents the sword strip- ing pencil. By its use a stripe may be CAKRIAGE PAIKTING 55 made of various width, wide or narrow according to the amonnt of pressure given. They are best for the making of the finer stripes. QUESTIONS ON LESSON VI. 27. General remarks on tools used in carriage painting. 28. What does Pig. 1 represent? 29. What does Fig. 2 represent? 30. What does Fig. 3 represent? 31. What does Fig. 4 represent? 32. What does Fig. 5 represent? 33. What does Fig. 6 represent? 34. What does Fig. 7 represent? 35. What does Fig. 8 represent? 36. What does Fig. 9 represent? 37. What does Fig. 10 represent? 38. What does Fig. 11 represent? 39. What does Fig. 12 represent? 56 CARRIAGE PAINTING LESSON VII. TOOLS USED IN CARRIAGE PAINTING CONTINUED. 40. Fig. 13 represents putty knives of various qualities. They are either rigid or flexible and m&y be beveled at the va- rious angles. 41. Fig. 14 represents the wide scrap- ing knives. They are indispensable to use in rough stuffing; in knifing in lead coats, etc. Some should be beveled. They are also the best tools to use in burning of? paint from old jobs. 42. Fig. 15 represents the gasoline torch. This is of great use in all repair shops in order to remove the old paint and varnish from jobs to be repainted. 43. Fig. 16 represent a patented brush keeper which has projecting wires sol- dered on the inside upon which the brushes are fastened and suspended from. The cover is a protection against dust and dirt CARRIAGE PAINTING 57 A B r — - — - D — Fig. 13 PUTTY KNIVES settling upon the brushes and the liquid of the keeper. 44. While the brush keepers are under A. B Fig. 14 WIDE SCRAPING KNIVES CARRIAGE PAINTING 59 consideration, it will be well to state that the one shown in Fig. 16 is merely sug- gestive, and any other which will keep the brush suspended and which will keep the dirt out will be found equally effective for use. Below is given an inexpensive way of making >an individual brush keeper Pig. 15 GASOLINE TORCH which will be found even better than the highest priced patented ones. Take any small tin can such as vegetables are packed in, have a bent wire soldered on to hang the brush upon the inside, fill it with the liquid desired and place it inside of a Mason fruit jar, place the cover upon it and you have an ideal keeper. As it is 60 CAKEIAGE PAINTING much better and safer for each varnish brush to hang suspended in its own liquid, and as it requires a long time to clean them when they have been suspended in a different varnish or linseed oil, it will Fig. 16 BRUSH KEEPER be seen at once the great advantage in hav- ing each brush by itself in an individual keeper. 45/ Sponges. These are needed at nearly every turn in the various opera- tions necessary in carriage painting. Great care should be used in selecting CARRIAGE PAINTING 61 Fig. 17 REVOLVING WHEEL JACK them as sometimes pieces of rock or grains of sand are to be found attached to them when they would surely mar and scratch 62 CAEKIAGE PAINTING the work, therefore after wetting a new one, one should be careful to go all over it with the ringers in order to feel for such objectionable stuff and remove them. The sheep 's wool variety is the only kind fit to be used. 46. Fig. 17 represents a wheel jack. It is simply an upright piece of wood into the top of which an inch hole has been bored and a piece of wood perfectly round has been driven. Upon the floor another inch hole is bored and a square piece of flat iron is screwed on ; in the center of this iron a hole should be made to correspond to the one in the floor and the two should come together. In the bottom of the up- right a piece of iron rod should be driven leaving the end out a few inches. This end can then be put into the hole in the floor and the upright wheel jack will be ready to hang the wheels upon while being painted. They can be revolved to any de- sired position. There are many forms of CARRIAGE PAINTING 63 them in use and the principle upon which they work is capable of being adapted in various ways. It is a matter of small Fig. 18 BODY TRESTLE moment and it is more one of convenience to the painter as to which he may adopt. 47. Fig. 18 represents a handy body trestle upon which to rest bodies while be- 64 CARRIAGE PAINTING ing painted. As with the wheel jack there can be no cut and dried standard. Each shop usually has an equipment of its own to facilitate the handling of this class of work. The principal idea being that there be no projecting pieces sticking out to come in the way of the painter doing the work and in some shops ordinary carpen- ter's horses are made use of for the bodies to rest upon. 48. In some of the large shops, they have a number of conveniently arranged tilting devices — which also rotate so that bodies can be painted, at many angles These are handy and they will naturally suggest themselves to the operator. QUESTIONS ON LESSON VII. 40. What does Fig. 13 represent? 41. What does Fig. 14 represent? 42. What does Fig. 15 represent? 43. What does Fig. 16 represent? CARRIAGE PAINTING I > 44. Describe how to make an inexpen- sive brush keeper. 45. What kind of sponges should be used in carriage painting? 46. What does Fig. 17 represent! 47. What does Fig. 18 represent! 48. What other devices will be found useful as body trestles! LESSON VIII. PREPARING NEW JOBS FOR PAINTING. 49. New wood will be found usually pretty open, especially oak— full of pores which must be filled up and effectually sealed against any possible action of air and moisture, for if this is not attained fully in the priming coats, it will be too late to try to do so in any subsequent coats. As it was seen in Vol. 1 the func- tion of priming is very important and should not be slighted. If this is con- sidered of prime " importance in house 66 CARBIAGE PAINTING painting, how much more so then is it to be in carriage painting. The constant motion, wear and tear to which all kinds of vehicles are subjected, requires that the foundation for the super- structure of the painting proper for all kinds of vehicles be they wagons, buggies, carriages, automobiles or railway cars, should receive the utmost care, for if this is not properly attended to, no amount of first class x work done over it— can possibly stand. 50. It is usual to take the woodwork to the blacksmith shop to have all the iron parts put on before the same is primed. No matter how carefully this work of the fitting on of the iron is done, it will be found that the wood will be soiled by grease and other undesirable dirt, and it is principally for this reason that the iron- ing should be done before the priming in order to give one a chance to remove it be- fore the priming is done. CARRIAGE PAINTING 67 51. To prepare the job for priming, good care must be had to clean it and about as good a way to do so as there is, will be to take some No. 1 sand paper and go over it carefully, being careful not to cut through or to remove any angular parts which are intended to show on the car- riage parts. Should the job be soaked up with lard oil in spots, it will be necessary in order to insure perfect safety, to put some strong solution of sal soda or lye over it, let it stand half an hour, then wash it off carefully and rinse with clean water in order to remove all traces of the alcaline matter from the wood as it might other- wise injure the oil used in the priming. 52. The bodies should be carefully dusted and cleaned. They will not require as much sand papering as the carriage parts of the running gears, as there are much more numerous ironings on the lat- ter, especially on the wheels and there is 68 CARRIAGE PAINTING but little need of the blacksmith soiling bodies with greasy marks at least. 53. There are a number of ways in use for priming carriage jobs, but the ordi- nary mortal had better beware of them. Many of them are so called "patent" and all of them supposed to hurry up the proc- ess of turning out a job quicker than the old fashioned method of "lead and oil," but the latter can always be depended upon to do the job while the others may or may not, with the chances usually being that they will not. Lead assimilates unto itself a consider- able quantity of linseed oil which it turns into a linoleate lead soap, and which makes an ideal primer, sinking into the pores and anchoring the whole of the priming coat securely by its numerous rootlets which are the result of the penetration of the oil into the pores. As linseed oil does not evaporate but on the contrary absorbs oxygen it swells slightly after it is applied CAKKIAGE PAINTING 69 and thus completely fills up the openings, sealing them up effectually against any atmospheric action. 54. There is some difference in opin- ion as to what really is the best primer and as to the proper thinning of it. This no doubt, is mainly on account of the quicker drying of it. All are agreed, however, that white lead ground in oil is good. This sort of lead is best known to the carriage trade as ' i keg lead, ' ' to distinguish it from other forms of lead used, such as "dry lead ,, — "lead ground in japan or var- nish" and "knifing lead," which is used in surfacing and which can be bought ready prepared for use or made up in the shop as desired. The priming should not be very thick, just enough pigment to color up the oil to which may be added enough lamp black, to tinge it to a slate color. A little good drying japan may be added in damp non- drying weather, and when it is very cold 70 CABBIAGE PAINTING and the oil is any way sluggish, a small quantity of turpentine may be added. This will in no wise hurt it, as it will render the oil more penetrating and really a greater quantity of oil can thus be forced into the pores, than it would be possible under the un thinned condition— but this is true only in cold weather. Some like to add a small quantity of good French ochre to the lead. This is all right enough if a silicate ochre is used, as that is of itself a good filler, as silica is the basis of nearly all the hardwood fillers. As much as one third of this kind of ochre can be used to good advantage with the white lead in preparing the primer for carriage painting. The above will suffice in order to enable any one to prepare a good primer, and with the further advice of using only the raw linseed oil and under no conditions to be tempted to substitute boiled oil for this, the reader will now be ready to go on with CARRIAGE PAINTING 71 the application of the priming and lead coats, which follow in the next lesson. ; QUESTIONS ON LESSON VIII. 49. What is required in preparing new woodwork for painting? 50. Should woodwork be ironed before painting? 51. How should woodwork be treated after the ironing? 52. How should ironed jobs be cleaned up ? 53. What is the action of the priming coat? 54. What pigments and thinners are best used in priming? LESSON IX. THE PRIMING AND LEAD COATS. 55. The application of the priming coat requires really more care than skill. The job should be well cleaned and dusted, and 72 CAKKIAGE PAINTING it is hardly necessary to caution against this operation being performed in a place where it is or is likely to be subjected to dust or dirt to fall upon it. The priming should be evenly given to all parts of the wood and should be well rubbed in, not only to the parts that are to be in sight, but to the undersides as well, in short to every part, in order to stop any atmospheric ac- tion upon the wood. 56. The lead coats as they are called, are the preparatory coats which are given to a job before the coloring coats for the carriage parts, or the rough stuffing pre- paratory to the coloring coats to be given to the bodies. \ 57. To the running gears, the lead coats should be properly called the "surfacing coats,' ' as these are never rough stuffed, and the coloring coats are applied directly over them. The same may be said also of business wagons, panels, etc., which are also sufficiently well surfaced CAKKIAGE PAINTING 73 by that operation of one of the lead coats called " knifed in" lead coat— of which more will be said further on. 58. Where the work is to be " rough stuffed" before receiving the coloring coats, the proper way to apply the ' • first ' ' lead coat is to take keg lead and thin it with turpentine and raw linseed oil, "half of each." The above thinning produces an eggshell gloss, and while it is good— it is too slow to suit the average carriage shop now days, so to hurry it up and to produce a harder coating (less elastic), the quantity of linseed oil is reduced and that of turpentine enlarged, so that the drying will be quicker. This should be applied rather thickly, but should be well and very evenly brushed out. 59. The second lead coat is best known to the carriage painter as "flat lead," as it should contain but the least possible quantity of linseed oil in the thinner, and it should dry without lustre or gloss. A 74 CAKEIAGE PAINTING large tablespoonful of linseed oil will be sufficient for a quart of mixture which is to be thinned with the turpentine suffi- ciently to be applied. Use only a camel's hair flat brush for this purpose, as a bristle brush will not lay it smoothly. 60. The rub lead coat. In the former directions given for first and second lead coats, the supposition is that the job is to be surfaced, levelled up, etc., by the rough stuffing process to be hereafter de- scribed, but for running gears and jobs which are not to be so prepared, there is no better way known, than to give them what is known to the trade as a " rub lead ' ' coat. This may be prepared from a good "keg lead" especially ground and pre- pared for the carriage trade, or prepared from dry white lead thinned with % lin-J seed oil, % turpentine, colored to a light slate color and run through a paint mill. The above is more applicable to the large shops than to the small ones, these will j CARRIAGE PAINTING 75 find the former way better. The lead should not be too thin, but sufficiently to brush out fairly with a bristle brush. After it has been applied, it should be left to set for 15 minutes, then the operator should proceed to ' l rub ' ? it in all over the work, with the palm of his hand. It re- quires a longer time to stand before coat- ing over with a second lead coat, than with " first lead" as described before, but it is far better and produces a fine surface for second lead. This second flat lead should not be given before two full days after the application of the first. 61. Knifing in lead coat. This coat is used on carriage parts to the exclusion of the rough stuff coats used for the surfac- ing of bodies, and is also used for surfac- ing business wagons, etc. Color manufac- turers prepare it so that it can be used by thinning only, but many of the large shops prepare it as wanted from dry white lead, 2 parts, and keg lead 1 part, thinned with 76 CARRIAGE PAINTING rubbing varnish and japan with a little turps. It will be well to add enough color to the knifing in lead toward the shade of the finishing color, in order that it may cover better over it. It may be applied with a bristle brush and afterwards the whole surface should be gone over with a wide putty knife, in order to force the knifing lead to all parts and to afterwards remove the surplus lead, leaving only that which is required to give a job the proper leveling of the surface. If the job has been properly done, there will be but little need for much sand papering in order to fit it for subsequent operations. QUESTIONS ON LESSON IX. 55. How is the priming to be applied? 56. What is said of the lead coats in general? 57. What is the object of the applica- tion of the lead coats to the running gears ? CARRIAGE PAINTING 77 58. How should the "first lead" coat be given? 59. How should "second lead" coat be prepared and applied? 60. What is the "rub coat" and its object? 61. What is the "knifing lead" coat and its object. LESSON X. PUTTYING AND PREPARING OF. PUTTIES. 62. Putty and puttying plays a very important part in carriage painting, and as to whether it has been properly at- tended to and the right sort of putty used, will make or mar the looks of a job. The novice in carriage painting is very apt to slight this operation and to think that too much stress is given it, but there is not half enough given it in this manual in- tended for beginners, and if this unat- tractive part of the trade can be grafted 78 CARRIAGE PAINTING into the student, so that he will appreciate its importance, then the space given it will not have been wasted. 63. There is no one single sort of putty that can be said to be an all around putty, that can be used for all purposes for which putty is used. Each and every kind has a different function to fulfill, and must be prepared accordingly. There is one kind of putty which is in universal use and which comes nearer to filling the use of a general putty, the formula of which is given below and which is called formula No. 1, and to which reference will be made as putty No. 1. 64. Formula No. 1. Dry white lead- knead this with a thinner, composed of half rubbing varnish and half japan— to the proper consistency. This will come as near filling the purpose of a general putty, as it is possible for one to be made for such a purpose. There are some who substitute keg lead CARRIAGE PAINTING 79 in various proportions in combination with the dry lead. A small percentage of it is no doubt good for several special pur- poses, but the formula given is as good as any. 65. Formula No. 2. Keg lead, 1 part; whiting, 2 parts; thinner to be composed of equal parts of varnish and raw linseed oil, mixed to a stiff paste for use. This putty is to be used on old jobs which are badly splintered and rough edged. It will dry tough and will not flake off. It can- not be sand papered, however. 66, Formula No. 3. For deep holes- whiting mixed with raw linseed oil and japan, equal parts. Then into this mix- ture, mix plush woof. Drive a small head tack or two in bottom of hole, and then fill in nearly level of the surface with this putty. Slash a couple of openings into it with putty knife to quicken the drying, and in due time level up with regular No. 80 CARRIAGE PAINTING 1 putty— (From Hillick's Practical Car- riage and Wagon Painting.) N 67. Formula No. 4. Dry lead, 3 parts ; plaster of Paris, 1 part ; knead into proper consistency with equal parts of quick rub- bing varnish and japan. This is intended for use upon shallow cavities. The com- bination dries hard and quick. It will be found valuable in repair shops. 68. Formula No. 5. Finely ground pumice stone, 3 parts; dry lead, 1 part; mix to a working condition in thick glue. Apply the putty so that it will show some above the surface. After 10 hours, rub down with lump pumice stone and raw linseed oil. The above is made especially for filling expansive shallow dents upon a carriage surface— (From Hillick's Prac- tical Carriage and Wagon Painting, also the following:) 69. Formula No. 6. Dry white lead, 2/3; keg lead, 1/3; rubbing varnish and CARRIAGE PAINTING 81 japan equal parts; mix, and into this mix the woof or fine pickings of velvet or plush. The above putty is especially intended to be used around glass in heavy carriages. QUESTIONS ON LESSON X. 62. What is said of puttying in general? 63. What about the several kinds of putty? 64. What is putty No. 1? 65. What is putty No. 2? 66. What is putty No. 3? 67. What is putty No. 4? 68. What is putty No. 5? 69. What is putty No. 6? LESSON XL PUTTYING AND SANDPAPERING. 70. In the previous lesson, formulas were given for the preparing of various kinds of putty used in carriage painting, but nothing was said concerning their ap- 82 CAKRIAGE PAINTING plication. In the following paragraphs are given a few directions which will be found useful for the purpose, and which if followed up, will make for good work in that line. There are few operations in the car- riage painting trade which require more care, and, where the lack of it is more likely to produce mortification to the feelings of one who has neglected to properly per- form his work. 71. The following four reasons given by Hillick, are so well calculated to give the reader the "pith" of good advice in puttying that the same is copied verbatim : 1. Never putty on the priming coat. 2. Putty all work as smooth as possi- ble. It is economy, and increases the chances of doing and producing first class work. 3. Always avoid puttying a crevice, de- pression or cavity in the wood, or a joint between two pieces of wood that is subject CARRIAGE PAINTING 83 to diverse forms of resistance. The wrenching and twisting of the vehicle will loosen the putty and eventually eject it. 4. In puttying over nails, plugs, etc., press the pigment firmly into the hole, fill- ing just level with the surface and care- fully slick up all surplus putty. The above if followed up, will not lead the novice astray. To the four rules given, may be added a caution to the beginner not to overdo his work by leaving a hill where none is wanted. Do not use more putty than "just enough," but not too little. There is but one time to do it right. 72. Sandpapering y means a great deal in carriage painting. It is required at ev- ery step and after every coating, in fact even previous to any coating at all, be- f or the priming coat is applied. It is a pity that it is so but it can't be helped. The dirt and dust resultance from its use could very well be spared, but the level- ing up due to its careful use is one of the 84 CAKBIAGE PAINTING i sine qua non, to which is due the fine fin- ished mirror-like appearance of the job, and the dirt produced by its use, must of course be looked upon as the thorns in the rose bush and removed, or neutralized as best it can. 73. For the smoothing up of the wood- work and afterwards of the priming coat, No. 1 sandpaper is the proper size. The lead coats require % sandpaper, especially for first lead. The second, or dead lead, requires sandpaper. One should be very careful not to cut through on first lead, and while the rubbing must not cut to the bare— it must be gone all over the work, but carefully. The second lead coat will only nee