WAGON LETTERING

Wagon letiering may be done, on the “flat coat” or, after the rubbing varnish has been ;UM)lied. and thoroughly dried. The rubbing varnish should be rubbed with ])ulvcrisc(l pumice stone, or curled hair, which re- moves the gloss and i)rcvents the proi(l from sticking.

However, it is l)est U) b; wjyrc “sure than sorry” and thoroughly “pounce” the sur- face to be lettered with your white “pounce bag”; this will usually ])rcvcnt g”ld from sticking.

Should the surface not be thoroughly hard (or’ dry) it is better to wait a few days, or trv the following, which is a sure preventive and is used only ill extreme cases :

Coat surface (to be lettered) with white of egg diluted with water ; if any gold sticks to this it can be easily washed or wiped ofl^, with moist chamois skin.

Now make “Pounce Pattern” and proceed in the usual man- ner to “layout” job. Size let- ters carefully and evenly with our celebrated quick size, and lay it on smoothly and not too runs and leaves wrinkles in the gilding.

Begin to lay on size from left to right, as in glass sizing and gilding.

When size is thoroutjhly dry (or to the desired “tack”), gild and burnish with cotton as in glass gilding, then shade and outline. (See shading.)

frame, size in lettering with quick size, and rub on gold bronze, “cut in” and sprinkle on flock (same as in smalting signs).

Cut in with oil color about same shade as flock. Flock may be had in most any color desired.

FROSTING ON GLASS

The two most used frostings. in the sign business, is the one as described in “white frosted glass” and the one herewith de- scribed.

Tie up a large piece of com- mon house painters’ putty (size of fist), in a piece of cheese cloth, leaving enough of the latter to hold as a handle. With this, dabble over glass where frosting is wanted (using putty very soft), making perfectly even, when dry this may be varnished.

PRIMING COAT FOR BOARDS

The priming or first coat on new boards should be very thin, mixing the white lead with about one-third oil and two- thirds turpentine, adding a small amount of dryer to aid in drying hard, so it can be sand ])apered smooth.

First, coat all knots and pithy nlaces with thin shellac, let stand 30 minutes or until dry. then coat (or prime), putty all cracks and holes.

Rub the priming coat into the wood thoroughly by cross- ing and recrossing with the brush several times.

When this coat is thorough- ly dry or hard, sand paper and You are then ready for a second coat. (See second coating.)

FLOCK

Flock is used for back- grounds on oilcloth and makes a beautiful inside sign.

ECHING GOLD (On Glass)

To etch pictures or designs on gold leaf, make pounce pat- tern of picture or design and place on outside of glass and pounce, then trace over pounce marks with a grease pencil, then gild in the usual manner. Avoid patching and overlap- ping as much as possible. When patching and washing is done (as in glass gilding) you will reverse the pattern and use it on inside of glass and pounce the design on the gilded sur- face. Now coat over design on outside with water color black. You will then scratch or draw the outline of your picture or design with a sharp stick through the gold, the water- color (on the outside) will show through and aid you in shading. To shade the picture (or etching as most commonly known) you will cut ofif a ^-in. bristle fitch, 34-iiich from the ferrule. This will leave the bristles stifif enough to cut through the gold leaf and do your shading (or etching). When picture or design is etched, clean the black off of outside and back up design with japan black on the inside. For backing up use lamp black (ground in japan) to which is added quick rubbing varnish and thinned to a proper work- ing consistency with turpen- tine. One coat will be sufficient and may be varnished in about two hours.

LAYOUTS

Laying out signs (“called layout”) is very interesting and requires no small amount of taste, but by looking at other signs and layouts you will see that there are many different ways to arrange them, and it would be impossible for us to attempt anything further than snap])ing lines, drawing semi- circles, letters, etc.

MUSLIN SIGNS

Muslin signs are one of the most i)opular temporary signs made, and <i4-e -used across store

fronts for special announce- ments, removal sales, openings, etc. Also used for signs on frames large enough to cover entire huiUlings.

LAUNDRY SIGNS

The most practical and use- ful laundry signs made are the Sidewalk sign, Double-faced Board sign, and Glass Hanging sign. The sidewalk sign is made of white pine boards, 12 inches wide, tongue and grooved and glued together. When dry, plane off smooth and with No. 1^ sandpaper on a block, rvib across the grain until plane marks disappear. Before planing and sanding, nail a 1×2 inch strip on top and bottom. This w\\\ keep sign from warping, prime and coat (as in priming and second coat- ing). Letter in black, dark blue, dark red or any dark color, and shade with tints (as i n oilcloth signs). T h e “Double-faced” Board sign is rsually 12 inches by 18 inches ;ind lettered on both sides, cleated on ends, coated and let- tered (as in sidewalk signs) ; are fastened ‘ to building bv means of a 1×3 inch cleat,. 18 in.ches lonsr, nailed on edge of ove end. This strip will extend 3 inches over at top and bot- tom, and can be nailed or screwed to building and sign will extend out

GOLD STIPPLE ON BOARD SIGNS

To Stipple background on board signs in gold leaf, pro- ceed to cut in and smalt, same as in smalting board signs. To cutting in color add a trifle more japan and allow to dry longer. \\^hen dry, paint with a thin coat of flat white, using ])lenty of japan dryer. Be very careful in this coat, and do not rub out the paint, as it will loosen the smalt, making let- ters rough. And should smalt get in letters on this coating, go over each letter with yotir fingers which wall knock every particle of smalt off. \\’hen second coat is dry, thin shellac entire surface and size in “sIoav size.” W^hen readv, gild on out f>f book as in Gilding ( Surface or flat letters). Before burnish- ing, press down entire gilded surface with a piece of cotton or pbish. This will force gold in all hollow places. Lettering mav be done in black or anv dark color that w^ill look good with a gold backjrround. Do iwt fill in letters with black en- tirely, but leave % inch of flat gold around letters.

FLAT COATING

Most all coating in the sign shop should be flat or semi- flat. This is imi)ortant and very essential. In laying out and smalting, smalt will stick- to glossy surfaces, causing all kinds of trouble. Marking with chalk or pencil on glossy surfaces will dig into the soft glossy film and almost spoil the job. Semi-fiat coats are sel- dom used unless same is to be varnished over. All colors (ground in japan and thinned with turpentine) will dry per- fectly flat and free from gloss. White lead (ground in oil. thinned with turpentine) will also dry flat. If gloss or semi- gloss is recjuired, add rubbing varnish to the Japan colors and oil to the white lead. To draw oil out of white lead, break u]) a small keg of lead in tur])cn- tine and let stand over night. Dip off the oil and repeat as often as necessary. This can be mixed with Demar varnish or any light-colored varnish, and is mostly done in this man- ner for wagon work, when i)er- fcctly wdiite job is wanted.

EMBOSSED GOLD

To emboss gold letters on glass, gild and outline in usual manner. Coat one letter at a time with thick Demar varnish. When letter is coated, dabble the end of a half-inch bristle fitch (that has previously been cut t)ft’) into the varnish. This is called embossing (or stip- pling). When thoroughly dry (say over night) size and gild as in glass gilding. This is used on inside of letters that have previously been outlined in burnished gold, and for backgrounds that have been lettered in any dark color. For embossing backgrounds, letter panel in black or any dark color, and shade with asphal- tum to which has been added a little quick rubbing varnish.

Remove letters and stand screen and frame on edge again. This entire operation requires a helper to hold frame on edge and drive the tacks (or tack on letters).

Hold your letters in place by means of a 2×4, about 2 feet long, covered on one end with two thicknesses ‘ of chamois skin. This you will dampen and hold securely against face of letters, while your helper drives the tacks through the screen into back of letters. Make no mistakes in spelling or placing tacks, as screen is very expensive and holes and soiled places cannot be re- paired. (See price list).