3824. To Bronze Plaster Casts, etc.

3824.     To Bronze Plaster Casts, etc.. The powdered soap of the last receipt is thus applied: Boil 3 pounds pure linseed oil with 12 ounces finely powdered litharge; strain through a coarse canvas cloth, and allow to stand until clear; 15 ounces of this soap varnish, mixed with 12 ounces metallic soap powder (see last receipt), and 5 ounces fine white wax, are to be melted together at a gentle heat in a porcelain basin, by means of a water-bath, and allowed to remain for a time in a melted state to expel any moisture that it may contain; it is then applied with a brush to the surface of the plaster previously heated to 200o Fahr., being careful to lay it on smoothly, and without filling up any small indentations of the plaster design. Place it for a few days in a cool place; and, as soon as the smell of the soap varnish has gone off, rub the surface over with cotton wool, or fine linen rag, and variegated with a few streaks of metal powder or shell gold. Small objects may bo dipped in the melted mixture, and exposed to the heat of a fire till thor-oughly penetrated and evenly coated with it.

3825. To Make Bronzing for Wood

3825.     To Make Bronzing for Wood. Grind separately to a fine powder, Prussian blue, chrome yellow, raw umber, lampblack, and clay, and mix in such proportions as will produce a desired dark green hue; then mix with moderately strong glue size.

3826. To Bronze Wood

3826. To Bronze Wood. First coat the clean wood with a mixture of size and lampblack ; then apply two coats of the green colored sizing in the last receipt; and lastly with bronze powder, such as powdered Dutch foil, mosaic gold, etc., laid on with a brush. Finish with a thin solution of Castile soap; and, when dry, rub with a soft woolen cloth.

3827. To Bronze Porcelain, Stoneware, and Composition Picture Frames

3827. To Bronze Porcelain, Stoneware, and Composition Picture Frames. A bronzing process, applicable to porcelain, stoneware, and composition picture and looking-glass frames is performed as follows : The articles are first done over with a thin solution of water-glass {see No. 2816) by the aid of a soft brush. Bronze powder is then dusted on, and any excess not adherent is knocked off by a few gentle taps. The article is next heated, to dry the silicate, and the bronze becomes firmly attached. Probably, in the case of porcelain, biscuit, or stoneware, some chemical union of the silicate will take place, but in other cases the water-glass will only tend to make the bronze powder adhere to the surface. After the heating, the bronze may be polished or burnished with agate tools.

3828. Browning for Gun Barrels

3828.     Browning for Gun Barrels. Mix 1 ounce each aqua-fortis and sweet spirits of nitre; 4 ounces powdered blue vitriol; 2 ounces tincture of iron, and water, 11/2 pints; agitate until dissolved.

Or: Blue vitriol and sweet spirits of nitre, of each 1 ounce; water, 1 pint; dissolve as last.

Or: Mix equal parts of butter of antimony and sweet oil, and apply the mixture to the iron previously warmed.

3829. To Brown Gun Barrels

3829.    To Brown Gun Barrels. The gun barrel to be browned must be first polished and then rubbed with whiting to remove all oily matter. Its two ends should be stopped with wooden rods, which serve as handles, and the touch-hole filled with wax. Then rub on the solution (see last receipt) with a linen rag or sponge till the whole surface is equally moistened. Let it remain till the next day then rub it off with a stiff brush. The liquid may be again applied until a proper color is produced. When this is the case, wash in pearlash water, and afterwards in clean water, and then polish, either with the burnisher or with bees' wax; or apply a coat of shellac varnish. (See No. 2954 (Varnish for Gun Barrels).)