_Printers’ rollers._—10 lbs. French or Irish heavy glue, 12 lbs. sugar
or good quality molasses, and 3 lbs. glycerine. This will be sufficient
to make two rollers twenty-nine by three and one-half inches, and can be
readily recast by following the directions given for recasting rollers.
DIRECTIONS.—Soak the glue the necessary length of time that will enable
it to melt with ease. After being melted, add the glycerine, and boil
fifteen minutes or until thoroughly mixed, when the sugar or molasses may
be added. Cook and stir continuously for fifteen minutes, the composition
will then be ready for pouring. Strict attention should be given that the
moulds be thoroughly cleansed and evenly oiled previous to pouring.
* * * * *
_German Preservative for Rollers._—Corrosive sublimate 2 drachms, fine
table salt 2 oz.; put together in half a gallon of soft water—let it
stand twenty-four hours. When rollers are clean washed with ley, sponge
them with the above mixture twice a week.
* * * * *
_Directions for Recasting Rollers._—Sponge the face of the roller
with hot water; scrape off the face thoroughly with a knife; take
the composition off the stock and cut it up small. If the roller has
been used only a short time, it may be melted about as readily as new
composition; if it is older, put it in a sieve or basket and soak it
in cold water for about fifteen or twenty minutes; take it out of the
water, cover with a damp cloth, and leave over-night; then melt as usual.
If composition is too hard, wait till it is melted, and stir in a
sufficient quantity of common molasses; avoid heavy, clarified syrups.
* * * * *
_Printers’ Ley._—No. 1.—Dissolve 28 lbs. of soda in 52 gallons of water,
to which add 7 lbs. of soft-soap, boiled. Stir well together.
_Printers’ Ley._—No. 2.—Boil 3 gallons of water in a copper; throw in
while boiling ½ lb. of unslacked lime and 2 lbs. of common soda; stir
well for fifteen minutes. Let it settle till cold, when it must be taken
out without disturbing the sediment, and the liquid is then fit for use.
_Printers’ Ley._—No. 3.—Table salt 2 oz., unslacked lime 2 lb., Scotch
washing soda (bruised) 2 lb. Put together in 3 gallons of water, stir
well; when settled, ready for use.
NOTE.—This ley, if prepared carefully, is very strong, and will
wash off almost any colour.
* * * * *
_A Strong White Paste._—Dissolve 2½ oz. of gum-arabic in 2 quarts of
water, and stir it into 1 pound of wheat flour until the whole becomes of
a pasty consistency. It is then to be heated, and 1½ oz. each of sugar
of lead and alum dissolved in a little water added thereto, and the
composition well stirred until it shows signs of boiling, when it must be
removed from the fire. Add while hot 6 drops of carbolic acid. This is a
very tenacious and durable paste, and may be used on almost any substance.
* * * * *
_Pastes for Fixing Labels on Glass._—No. 1.—Take of gum-arabic 1 oz.,
boiling water and glycerine 2 fluid ounces each. Make a solution.
No. 2.—Take of gum-arabic and powdered gum tragacanth ½ oz. each, water
1½ oz., acetic acid 20 drops. Mix. The acid is used to prevent chemical
change, although a stiff paste made of tragacanth alone is not inclined
to spoil by fermentation.
* * * * *
_To Make a good Mucilage._—The best quality of mucilage is made by
dissolving clear glue in equal volumes of water and strong vinegar, and
adding one-fourth of an equal volume of alcohol, and a small quantity
of a solution of alum in water. The action of the vinegar is due to
the acetic acid which it contains. This prevents the composition from
gelatinizing by cooling; but the same result may be accomplished by
adding a small quantity of nitric acid. Some of the preparations offered
for sale are merely boiled starch, or flour, mixed with nitric acid to
prevent the gelatinizing.
* * * * *
_Liquid Glue._—Take some good strong glue and mix it with full proof
whisky. Let it digest for three or four days, and it will be ready for
use.
* * * * *
_Strong Mucilage._—The _Journal de Pharmacie_ states that if, to a strong
solution of gum-arabic measuring 8⅓ fluid oz., a solution of 30 grains of
sulphate of aluminium dissolved in ⅔ of an oz. of water be added, a very
strong mucilage is formed, capable of fastening wood together, or mending
porcelain or glass.
* * * * *
_Gum for Backing Labels._—Take any quantity of clear, pure dextrine and
mix it with boiling water until it assumes the consistency of ordinary
mucilage. Apply thinly with a full-bodied, evenly made, and wide
camel’s-hair brush. The paper should not be too thin or unsized. The
preparation will dry quickly, and adhere when slightly wet.
NOTE.—No more of the dextrine should be mixed at one time than
can be used at once, as it cannot be remelted easily.
* * * * *
_Mucilage for Postage Stamps, Envelopes, etc._, is composed of dextrine 2
parts, acetic acid 1 part, alcohol 1 part, water 5 parts.
* * * * *
_Common Prepared Glue._—Dissolve 2 lbs. good common glue in 3 pints warm
water, and add 1 quart of strong vinegar. Ready to use after twenty-four
hours.
* * * * *
_For making Magenta Surface Paper._—1½ oz. of Magenta, (aniline,) ½ oz.
Bismarck brown, (aniline,) 1 cake of glue; put these into 4 gallons of
boiling water. Coat the paper with this, using an 8-inch double-filled
camel’s-hair brush. Quantity given will coat two reams of double-crown. A
hard-sized paper must be used.
* * * * *
_Coloured Writing Inks._—The following receipts have been well tested,
and are commended by good authorities as preferable to the solutions of
aniline dyes, which are now so extensively used as coloured inks:—
GREEN.—Two parts acetate of copper, one part carbonate of potash, and
eight parts of water. Boil until half evaporated, and filter.
BLUE.—Three parts Prussian blue, one part oxalic acid, and thirty parts
of water. When dissolved, add one part of gum-arabic.
YELLOW.—One part fine orpiment, well rubbed up with four parts thick gum
water.
RED.—With the aid of a gentle heat, dissolve four grains of carmine in 1
oz. of aqua ammoniæ, and add 6 grains of gum-arabic.
GOLD.—Rub gold leaf, such as is used by bookbinders, with honey, till it
forms a uniform mixture. When the honey has been washed out with water,
the gold powder will settle at the bottom, and must be mixed with gum
water in sufficient quantity.
SILVER.—Silver leaf treated in precisely the same manner gives a silver
ink. Both these inks may be polished with ivory when dry.
BLACK.—Three ounces crushed gall-nuts, two ounces crystallized sulphate
of iron, two ounces gum-arabic, and twenty-four ounces water.
WHITE.—Fine French zinc-white, or white lead, rubbed up with gum water to
the proper consistency.
* * * * *
_Fireproof Ink._—Fireproof ink, which can be used either for writing
or printing:—Copal 12 grains, graphite 22 drachms, sulphate of iron
2 drachms, tincture of nut-galls 2 drachms, and sulphate of indigo 8
drachms; these are thoroughly mixed and boiled in water, and the ink so
obtained is said to be both fireproof and insoluble in water. When any
other colour than black is desired, the graphite is replaced by any other
mineral pigment of the required colour.
* * * * *
_Printing Ink Varnish._—Printing ink varnish is made by adding 4 oz. of
boiled linseed or neat’s-foot oil to 6 oz. of yellow rosin.
* * * * *
_Lithographic Transfer Ink._—Three parts gum copal, 5 parts wax, 5
purified tallow, 4 soap, 5 shellac, 5 mastic, and one-half part sulphur.
The copal is to be melted in a copper vessel, mixing in a little sweet
oil, add the wax and tallow, and when these are well melted, light the
mass and throw in the soap, well dried and cut in small pieces, then the
shellac and mastic. The flame is to be increased by the addition of the
flowers of sulphur, and so a perfect mixture of the copal with the other
substances will be attained. The flame is to be alternately kindled and
extinguished till the whole mass is reduced to one-fourth of its former
bulk.
* * * * *
_To give dark Printing Inks a Bronze or Changeable Hue._—Take 1½ lb.
gum shellac and dissolve it in 1 gallon 95 per cent. alcohol spirits
of cologne for 24 hours; then add 14 oz. aniline red; let it stand a
few hours longer, when it will be ready for use. Add this to good blue,
black, or other dark inks, as needed, in quantities to suit, when, if
carefully done, they will be found to have a rich bronze or changeable
hue.
* * * * *
_An Ink for Marking Tin or Zinc._—An ink composed of copper one part,
dissolved in ten parts nitric acid, ten parts water being afterward
added, is useful for marking on tin or zinc.
* * * * *
_Quick-drying Preparations for Printers’ Inks to be used on Bookbinders’
Cases._—1 oz. beeswax, ¼ oz. gum-arabic dissolved in sufficient acetic
acid to make a thin mucilage, ¼ oz. Brown’s Japan, ½ oz. asphaltum
varnish. Incorporate with 1 lb. of wood-cut ink.
* * * * *
_A Dryer._—No. 1, for fine job work. Damar varnish 6 oz., bergamot 2
drachms, balsam copaiba 2 drachms, balsam of fir 3 oz., creosote 1
drachm, copal varnish 1 drachm. To enough ink for 1000 ordinary business
cards, add from 8 to 12 drops of the “Indispensable,” and to larger
quantities in proportion. When used for bronze, dry colours, diamond
printing, etc., take twice the quantity; and where an extra quick dryer
is desired, add a few drops of dissolved gum-arabic to the ink, after it
has been mixed with No. 1. In all cases, mix well with the ink before
applying to the rollers.
_Dryer._—No. 2.—For news and poster ink. Spirits of turpentine 1 qt.,
balsam copaiba 6 oz. Add a sufficient quantity to the ink to thin it to a
proper consistency for working.
* * * * *
_Silvering Solution for Electrotype Plates._—Nitrate of silver 2 drachms,
distilled water 37 drachms. Dissolve and add sal ammoniac 1 drachm,
hypophosphate of soda 4 drachms, precipitated chalk 4 drachms. Agitate
the preparation occasionally for twelve hours, when it will be ready for
use. Apply with a piece of fine sponge.
* * * * *
_How to coat Electrotypes with Silver._—Electrotypes can be coated with
silver (for working with red ink) in the following manner: One part
copper, 5 parts pure tin; this alloy to be granulated, not too fine, and
mixed with water and cream of tartar into a paste. To each 200 parts of
the granulated alloy add 1 part oxide silver, the electro is then laid in
it, and boiled for a short time, when it will be found to be beautifully
plated. Fresh oxide must be added from time to time. This coating is
quite equal in durability to silver or tin.
* * * * *
_To soften Leather Belting._—Castor oil is a good article for keeping
leather belting soft and pliable.
* * * * *
_How to open a Ball of Twine._—A ball of twine, if opened from the
inside, will run off easily enough and give no trouble in the untwining;
but if begun from the outside, it will speedily get tangled and knotted.
* * * * *
_To prevent Adhesion._—M. GARDE, in _l’Imprimerie_, tells paper-makers
how to obviate the inconvenience of the adhesion together of sized
papers, on damping, by the coagulation of the size. This is effected
in the mills, by dipping the sheets in a solution of alum or tannin. A
secondary advantage obtained is that the paper becomes tougher.
* * * * *
_To detect ground Wood in Paper._—Mix three parts of strong nitric acid
with one part of sulphuric acid: a drop of this solution will immediately
turn paper containing an admixture of ground wood a brown colour.
* * * * *
_French Gold Printing._—French copal varnish 1 oz., mastic varnish ¼ of
an oz.; mix together and add twenty drops to the black ink table, and
distribute; take an impression and apply, with wool, gold leaf, Dutch
metal, or bronze. Apply the bronze with cotton wool and rub _hard_ over
the black ink. After each fifty printed, wipe off the superfluous gold
from the type with a silk handkerchief.
* * * * *
_Transfer Varnish._—Take equal quantities of fir balsam and spirits
turpentine. Mix, shake well, and set in a warm place until clear. Used
in decalcomania, and for maps, prints, drawings, and other articles of
paper; and also to prepare tracing papers, and to transfer engravings.
* * * * *
_To make Paper Waterproof._—Dissolve 8 oz. of alum and 3⅓ oz. of white
soap in 4 pints of water. In another vessel dissolve 2 oz. of gum-arabic
and 4 oz. of glue in 4 pints of water. Mix the two solutions and heat
them over the fire. Then immerse the paper, sheet by sheet, in the hot
liquid, then hang them up edgewise to dry, or pass them between heated
cylinders.
* * * * *
_Books Preserved._—The bindings may be preserved from mildew by brushing
them over with the spirits of wine. A few drops of any perfumed oil
will secure libraries from the consuming effects of mould and damp.
Russia leather, which is perfumed with the tar of the birch tree, never
moulds or sustains injury from damp. The Romans used oil of cedar to
preserve valuable manuscripts. Russia leather covered books placed in a
stationer’s window will destroy flies and other insects.
* * * * *
_To restore Engravings, etc._—Old engravings, wood-cuts, or printed
matter, that have turned yellow, may be rendered white by first washing
carefully in water containing a little hyposulphite of soda, and then
dipping for a minute in Javelle water. To prepare the latter, put 4 lbs.
bicarbonate of soda in a kettle over a fire; add 1 gallon of boiling
water, and let it boil for fifteen minutes. Then stir in 1 lb. of
pulverized chloride of lime. When cold, the liquid can be kept in a jug
ready for use.
[Illustration]