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A HANDBOOK ON JAPANNING
_FOR IRONWARE, TINWARE, WOOD, ETC._
WITH SECTIONS ON TIN-PLATING AND GALVANIZING
BY
WILLIAM N. BROWN
_SECOND EDITION: REVISED AND ENLARGED WITH THIRTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS_
LONDON
SCOTT, GREENWOOD AND SON
"THE OIL AND COLOUR TRADES JOURNAL" OFFICES
8 BROADWAY, LUDGATE, E.C.
1913
D. VAN NOSTRAND COMPANY
8 WARREN ST., NEW YORK
_First Edition under title "A Handbook on Japanning and Enamelling",
1901_
_Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged, under title "A Handbook on
Japanning"--January, 1913_
CONTENTS.
PAGE
SECTION I.
INTRODUCTION. 1-5
Priming or Preparing the Surface to be Japanned 4
The First Stage in the Japanning of Wood or of Leather
without a Priming 5
SECTION II.
JAPAN GROUNDS. 6-19
White Japan Grounds 7
Blue Japan Grounds 9
Scarlet Japan Ground 9
Red Japan Ground 10
Bright Pale Yellow Grounds 10
Green Japan Grounds 10
Orange-Coloured Grounds 11
Purple Grounds 11
Black Grounds 11
Common Black Japan Grounds on Metal 12
Tortoise-shell Ground 12
Painting Japan Work 13
Varnishing Japan Work 17
SECTION III.
JAPANNING OR ENAMELLING METALS. 20-28
Enamelling Bedstead Frames and similar large pieces 24
Japanning Tin, such as Tea-trays and similar goods 25
Enamelling Old Work 27
SECTION IV.
THE ENAMELLING AND JAPANNING STOVE--PIGMENTS SUITABLE FOR
JAPANNING WITH NATURAL LACQUER--MODERN METHODS OF JAPANNING
WITH NATURAL JAPANESE LACQUER. 29-48
Appliances and Apparatus used in Japanning and Enamelling 29
Modern Japanning and Enamelling Stoves 34
Stoves heated by direct fire 34
Stoves heated by hot-water pipes 36
Pigments suitable for Japanning with Natural Lacquer 45
White Pigments 45
Red Pigments 46
Blue Pigment 46
Yellow Pigments 46
Green Pigment 46
Black Pigment 46
Methods of Application 46
Modern Methods of Japanning and Enamelling with
Natural Japanese Lacquer 47
SECTION V.
COLOURS FOR POLISHED BRASS.--MISCELLANEOUS. 49-57
Painting on Zinc or on Galvanized Iron 49
Bronzing Compositions 49
Golden Varnish for Metal 51
Carriage Varnish 51
Metal Polishes 51
Black Paints 52
Black Stain for Iron 53
Varnishes for Ironwork 55
SECTION VI.
PROCESSES FOR TIN-PLATING. 58-60
Amalgam Process 59
Immersion Process 59
Battery Process 59
Weigler's Process 60
Hern's Process 60
SECTION VII.
GALVANIZING. 61-66
INDEX. 67-69
HANDBOOK ON JAPANNING.
SECTION I.
INTRODUCTION.
Japanning, as it is generally understood in Great Britain, is the art
of covering paper, wood, or metal with a more or less thick coating of
brilliant varnish, and hardening the same by baking it in an oven at a
suitable heat. It originated in Japan--hence its name--where the
natives use a natural varnish or lacquer which flows from a certain
kind of tree, and which on its issuing from the plant is of a creamy
tint, but becomes black on exposure to the air. It is mainly with the
application of "japan" to metallic surfaces that we are concerned in
these pages. Japanning may be said to occupy a position midway between
painting and porcelain enamelling, and a japanned surface differs from
an ordinary painted surface in being far more brilliant, smoother,
harder, and more durable, and also in retaining its gloss permanently,
in not being easily injured by hot water or by being placed near a
fire; while real good japanning is characterised by great lustre and
adhesiveness to the metal to which it has been applied, and its
non-liability to chipping--a fault which, as a rule, stamps the common
article.
If the English process of japanning be more simple and produces a
less durable, a less costly coating than the Japanese method, yet its
practice is not so injurious to the health. Indeed, it is a moot point
in how far the Japanese themselves now utilize their classical
process, as the coat of natural japan on all the articles exhibited at
the recent Vienna exhibition as being coated with the natural lacquer,
when recovered after six months' immersion in sea water through the
sinking of the ship, was destroyed, although it stood perfectly well
on the articles of some age. In the English method, where necessary, a
priming or undercoat is employed. It is customary to fill up any
uneven surface, any minute holes or pores, and to render the surface
to be japanned uniformly smooth. But such an undercoat or priming is
not always applied, the coloured varnish or a proper japan ground
being applied directly on the surface to be japanned. Formerly this
surface usually, if not always, received a priming coat, and it does
so still where the surface is coarse, uneven, rough, and porous. But
where the surface is impervious and smooth, as in the case of metallic
surfaces, a priming coat is not applied. It is also unnecessary to
apply such a coat in the case of smooth, compact, grained wood. The
reason for using this coating is that it effects a considerable saving
in the quantity of varnish used, and because the matter of which the
priming is composed renders the surface of the body to be varnished
uniform, and fills up all pores, cracks, and other inequalities, and
by its use it is easy after rubbing and water polishing to produce an
even surface on which to apply the varnish. The previous application
of this undercoat was thus an advantage in the case of coarse, uneven
surfaces that it formed a first and sort of obligatory initial stage
in the process of japanning. This initial coating is still applied in
many instances. But it has its drawbacks, and these drawbacks are
incidental to the nature of the priming coat which consists of size
and whiting. The coats or layers of japan proper, that is of varnish
and pigment applied over such a priming coat, will be continually
liable to crack or peel off with any violent shock, and will not last
nearly so long as articles japanned with the same materials and
altogether in the same way but without the undercoat. This defect may
be readily perceived by comparing goods that have been in use for some
time in the japanning of which an undercoat has been applied with
similar goods in which no such previous coat has been given. Provided
a good japan varnish and appropriate pigments have been used and the
japanning well executed, the coats of japan applied without a priming
never peel or crack or are in any way damaged except by violence or
shock, or that caused by continual ordinary wear and tear caused by
such constant rubbing as will wear away the surface of the japan. But
japan coats applied with a priming coat crack and fly off in flakes at
the slightest concussion, at any knock or fall, more especially at the
edges. Those Birmingham manufacturers who were the first to practise
japanning only on metals on which there was no need for a priming coat
did not of course adopt such a practice. Moreover, they found it
equally unnecessary in the case of papier-mâché and some other goods.
Hence Birmingham japanned goods wear better than those goods which
receive a priming previous to japanning.
PRIMING or PREPARING THE SURFACE TO BE JAPANNED.
The usual priming, where one is applied, consists of Paris white
(levigated whiting) made into a thin paste with size. The size should
be of a consistency between the common double size and glue, and mixed
with as much Paris white as will give it a good body so that it will
hide the surface on which it is applied. But in particular work
glovers' or parchment size instead of common size is used, and this is
still further improved by the addition of one-third of isinglass, and
if the coat be not applied too thickly it will be much less liable to
peel or crack. The surface should be previously prepared for this
priming by being well cleaned and by being brushed over with hot size
diluted with two-thirds of water, that is provided the size be of the
usual strength. The priming is then evenly and uniformly applied with
a brush and left to dry. On a fairly even surface two coats of priming
properly applied should suffice. But if it will not take a proper
water polish, owing to the uneven surface not being effectually filled
up, one or more additional coats must be applied. Previous to the last
coat being applied, the surface should be smoothed by fine glass
paper. When the last coat of priming is dry the water polish is
applied. This is done by passing a fine wet rag or moistened sponge
over the surface until the whole appears uniformly smooth and even.
The priming is now complete and the surface ready to take the japan
ground or the coloured varnish.
THE FIRST STAGE IN THE JAPANNING OF WOOD OR OF LEATHER WITHOUT A
PRIMING.
[The leather is first securely stretched on a frame or board.] In this
case, that is when no priming coat is previously applied, the best way
to prepare the surface is to apply three coats of coarse varnish (1
lb. seed-lac, 1 lb rosin to 1 gallon methylated spirit, dissolve and
filter). This varnish, like all others formed from methylated spirits,
must be applied in a warm place and all dampness should be avoided,
for either cold or moisture chills it and thus prevents it taking
proper hold of the surface on which it is applied. When the work is
prepared thus, or by the priming made of size and whiting already
described, the japan proper is itself applied.