Handyman Guide > French Polish

While absolute perfection in this skill demands considerable experience, there are many amateurs quite capable of producing a good finish. Given the right working conditions and materials, any beginner should make good progress in a few hours.



Conditions of dryness and warmth are of great importance. A cold draft or damp atmosphere is almost sure to cause french polish to dry with a permanent, whitish bloom, or with considerable loss of brilliance. Brown french polish should be prepared from the very best quality orange shellac. White french polish should be made from the best white shellac. Both can be bought prepared.

A stock mixture for brown french polish contains 4 to 5 oz. of shellac dissolved in one pint of denatured alcohol. The standard mixture for white french polish contains approximately 6 oz. of shellac dissolved in one pint of denatured alcohol.

FRENCH POLISHING

New Woodwork. Preparing the surface of new woodwork and polishing it are generally carried out in clearly defined stages, in the following sequence: (a) sanding down the wood and filling holes, (b) staining, (c) grain filling (essential with open-grained and soft woods), (d) oiling in, (e) bodying up, (f) spiriting off. Both new and old work Should, as far as possible, be dismantled, handles and other obstructions removed (see Fig. 12).

Sanding. Cracks and nail holes may be stopped or filled with plastic wood (see Fig. 13), which hardens so rapidly that the surface may be sanded within a few hours. Always rub in the direction of the grain, using a flat block of cork inside the sandpaper. Any rust or ink stains have to be bleached out by one or more applications of an oxalic acid bleach or a commercial wood bleach.

Staining. Staining and filling the grain should be carried out according to the directions given in the section on Painting.

Oiling In. This operation entails a sparing application of linseed oil to check excessive porosity of the dry filler. Use a clean rubber, made with flannel and calico, for the purpose.

Bodying Up. Bodying up is mainly concerned with building up the body or thickness of the shellac and with producing a smooth, level surface. The first few coats of polish may be applied with a brush (see Fig. 14), the stock polish being thinned with an equal amount of denatured alcohol. Always allow time for the hardening of each coat and sandpaper, whenever necessary, between coats. Use No. 00 sandpaper.

The rubber, a piece of flannel, wrapped in two layers of calico, is employed for all later coats. Apply half-strength polish at intervals to the unused side of the flannel, unwrapping the outer layers to do so. The polish can thus penetrate slowly and evenly to the face of the rubber, keeping it in a semi-dry condition. Move the rubber in a series of overlapping circles across the surface. Prevent any tendency to "stick" by adding a very small quantity of linseed oil to the face of the rubber.

The best method of doing this is to allow one drop of oil to fall on the tip of the face of the pad so as to make an even distribution. This procedure should not be resorted to if it can be avoided, as an oily sheen will soften the brilliance of the finished surface.

Spiriting Off. A separate rubber, charged with quarter-strength polish and applied in long strokes following the direction of the grain, should remove any rubber marks and pro. duce a uniform gloss.

Finish the work with a clean rubber barely moistened with alcohol.

Old Surfaces. Old surfaces are prepared by washing with a warm solution of washing soda and rinsing with clean water. Repair small defects with plastic wood and touch up with colored polish. Body up the surface with a rubber, using slightly colored polish to restore the richness of hue.

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The Workshop
Equipping the Workshop - Heating - Fire Precautions - The Workbench - Saw Bucks - Tool Rack.

Home Construction
Elements of the House - Building Materials - Lumber - Molding - Kinds of Wood and their Characteristics - Plywood Wallboard - Roofing Materials - Concrete - Mixing Concrete - Cement Mortar - Concrete Forms - Concrete Blocks - Cinder Blocks - Bricklaying - Fieldstone - Anchoring in Masonry - Soldering.

Furniture
Upholstered Furniture - Furniture Upkeep - Removing Stains - Removing Dents - Leather Upholstery - Cane Seats - Furniture Repairs - How to Repair Breaks - Levelling furniture - Remodeling Furniture - Polishes and Polishing - French Polishing - Painting Furniture - Sticking Drawers - Metal Furniture.

Painting
Paint Brushes - Storing Brushes - Varnish - Water Paint and Plastic Paint - Types of Paint - Paint Thinners - Mixing Paints - Preparing the Surface - Painting Flaws - Removing Paint - Exterior Painting - Painting New Wood - Repainting - Metal - Interior Painting - Calcimine - Painting Woodwork - Old Wood Trim - Staining - Fillers - Varnishing - Bleaching - Enameling - Painting Radiators - Painting Concrete - Shingles - Stoves and Stove Pipes - Whitewash.

Heating
Home Heating Systems - Chimneys - Coal Furnaces - Fuels - Burning Wood - Furnace Dampers - Starting a Coal Fire - Removal of Ashes - Coal Stokers - Oil Burners - Kerosene Heaters - Thermostats - Boiler Dampers - Fuel Economy - Warm Air System - Steam System - Vacuum System - Hot Water System - Radiators - Boilers - Maintaining the System - Insulating the System - Home Insulation - Storm Windows - Weather Stripping - Insulating Your Home - Blanket and Rigid Insulation - Unfinished Attic and Exterior Walls - Winterizing a Cabin - Preparing the foundation - Winterproofing a Cottage - Fireplaces - Reducing Condensation - Humidity.

Plumbing
The Plumbing System - Fresh water supply - Low Water Pressure - Hot Water System - Hot Water Heaters - Hot Water Tanks - Dirty Hot Water - The Sewage System - Sewage Disposal - Cesspools - Septic Tanks - Clearing Sewer Pipes - Clearing Drains - Plumbing Traps - Toilet Traps - Noisy Plumbing - Leaks in Water Tanks - Frozen Pipes - Clogged Water Pipes - Hard Water - Faucets - Shower Mixing Valves - Leaky Flush Tanks - Flush Valves - Removing Toilet Bowl - Leaky Pipes - Draining the Plumbing - Sealing Traps - Draining the Heating System - Types of Pipe - Insulating Pipes - Water Corrosion - Cleaning Fixtures.

Electricity
Definition of Terms - Ohm's Law - Alternating and Direct Current - Sources of Electrical Power - The Electrical System - Overloading the Circuit - Rewiring - Reading a Meter - Precautions - Fuses - Types of Cord - Splicing Wires - Replacing Plugs and Switches - Home Lighting - Electric Motors - Signaling System - Transformers - Burglar Alarms - Repairing the System - How to Install a Bell System.

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