Handbook on Japanning: 2nd Edition | Page 8

powder or

whiting must be employed, a final coat being afterwards given, and the
work stoved again. The last coat of all is one of varnish. And here, as a
preliminary remark, it is advisable that all enamels and japans should
be purchased ready-made, as any attempt to make such is almost sure to
end in disaster, while, owing to the fact that such are only required for
small jobs; it would involve too much trouble and would not pay. It is
for this reason that few japan recipes are given, as, although many are
available, they do not always turn out as suitable for the purpose as
could be desired, in addition to which the ready-made articles can be
purchased at a very reasonable price and are much better prepared. The
operator should procure his enamels a shade or two lighter than he
desires to see in the finished article, allowing the chemical action due
to the stoving to tone the colours down. Another necessity is to keep
the enamel thoroughly well mixed by well stirring it every time it is
used, as if this is not done the actual colouring matter is apt to sink to
the bottom, the ultimate result being that streaky work is produced in
consequence of this indifferent mixing of the enamelling materials.
It is hardly necessary to state that all japanning or enamelling work
must be done in a room or shop absolutely free from dust or dirt, and as
far away as possible from any window or other opening leading to the
open air, for two reasons--one being that the draught therefrom may
cool the oven or stove, and the other that the air may convey particles
of dust into the enamelling shop. In fact, it cannot be too much
impressed upon the workmen that one of the primary secrets of
successful enamelling is absolute cleanliness; consequently all
precautions must be taken to ensure that the enamel is perfectly free
from grit and dust, and it must be so kept by frequent straining through
fine muslin, flannel, or similar material. The work having been
thoroughly cleaned and freed from all grease and other foreign matter,
it must be suspended or held immediately over the pan elsewhere
referred to, and the enamel poured on with an ordinary iron ladle, or
covered by means of the brush. When it has been permitted to drain
thoroughly, the work should be hung on the hooks on the rods in the
oven as seen in the explanatory sketch, care being observed that no
portion of the work is in such a position that any superfluous enamel
cannot easily drain off--in other words, the work must lie or hang that it
is always, as it were, on the slant. Always bear in mind when shutting

the oven door to do so gently, as if a slam is indulged in all the gas jets
will be blown out, and an explosion would probably result.
Should the job in hand be a large one, it will be found as well to get a
cheaper enamel for the first coat, but if the work is only a small job, it
will not be necessary to have more than one enamel, of which a couple
of coats at least will be required. When the first coat has thoroughly
dried and hardened, the surface will have to be thoroughly rubbed till it
is perfectly smooth with tripoli powder and fine pumice-stone, and
afterwards hand-polished with rotten-stone and putty powder. And here
it may be remarked that the finer the surface is got up with emery
powder and other polishing agents the better will be the enamelling and
ultimate finish. The rubbing down being finished, another coat of
enamel must be applied and the work baked as before, care being
always taken to keep the enamel in a sufficiently fluid condition as to
enable it to flow and run off the work freely. It can easily be thinned
with a little paraffin. A third coat will frequently be advisable, as it
improves the finish.
In enamelling cycles, it is well to hang the front forks crown uppermost
when they are undergoing the final baking, and it is advisable to bear in
mind that wheels require an enamel that will stove at a lower
temperature than is called for for other parts of the machine. Some
japanners advocate the fluid being put on with camel-or badger-hair
brushes, and for the best descriptions of work, final coats, and such like,
I agree with them; but this is a detail which can be left to the operator's
own fancy, the class of work, etc.; but I would remind him that
applying enamel with a brush requires much care and a certain amount
of "knack". It is something like successful