Music Trade Review
Issue: 1904 Vol. 38 N. 18 - Page 35
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE
VARNISHES AND THE VARN1SHER.
The Causes of Cracking, Checking and Shrinkage in the Finish of Piano Cases—Difficulties of the Work
and the Remedy Offered—A New Invention and Its Great Possibilities.
By H. A. Norton, of Boston.—(First
LEditor's Note—The series of articles commencing
herewith are of great value and interest, having been
prepared by an expert on the varnish question. They
should be read by piano manufacturers, dealers and
others who experience constant trouble in the matter
of the varnished surface of piano cases—certainly one of
the greatest annoyances to the manufacturer.—Editor
The Music Trade Review.]
Piano manufacturers, and, indeed, the manu-
facturers of all kinds of fine cabinet work, have
always had to contend with at least three things
—cracking, checking and shrinking of varnish.
At the present time, when piano manufacturers
are exceedingly busy with rush orders, it may
be of interest to describe these defects and en-
deavor to estimate the reasons for same.
Varnish cracks are continuous, rather broad,
irregular cracks, which seem to have no relation
in their course as regards the grain of the wood.
The defect may be described by stating the var-
nish has the appearance of having drawn apart
after it has become hard, or shrunken so much
edgewise as not to leave enough to cover per-
fectly the surface it is on. The varnish has
the appearance of having been applied over a
greasy, repellant surface.
There are various reasons for this appearance.
One lies in inherent bad qualities of a varnish.
"Where a varnish of known good qualities cracks
as above described, the fault lies with the
foundation it is on, or the undercoats were not
dry enough to receive more varnish. The trou-
ble may be with the paste filler, or too heavy a
coat of shellac may prevent the varnish from
sinking into and getting a sufficient hold on the
wood. It might also occur where two grades of
varnish are used, the "stocking-up" varnish be-
ing of different gums than the flowing or polish-
ing coat. In this case, the two varnishes would
not expand or contract in the same degree and
trouble occurs. A coat of so-called primer may
be responsible for the trouble.
A word about shellac. At ordinary tempera-
tures it is practically inert, as far as contraction
and expansion are concerned. I t should never
be used under varnish, as i t prevents the var-
nish getting well rooted in the wood. Further-
more, it checks as the wood contracts and ex
pands, and if the varnish over it be brittle it is
apt to check that also. The fewer the number
of different substances put on the wood, the less
liability of trouble.
The checking of varnish is due to brittleness.
Until comparatively recent date all polishing
varnishes were brittle; that is, they were long
in gum and short in oil, and the oil used was of
a nature which, when oxidized, lost the capacity
UNIVERSAL
ARM
Article.)
of expansion and contraction at varying tem-
peratures. As all woodwork swells in hot, hu-
mid weather and contracts in volume in cold
weather, it is obvious that a varnish which does
not come and go with the wood must either
crack or check.
The checks, however, are different from the
cracks, and consist of fine, hair-line cracks, run-
ning in all directions, and resembling the checks
in the glaze of some old china. While some lin-
seed-oil polishing varnishes do not show this
defect for some time if not exposed to low tem-
perature, in course of time the checks appear,
as the age of the varnish causes it to lose what
little elasticity i t originally possessed.
However, all linseed-oil polishing varnishes
will cross check if removed from a temperature
of 70 degrees Fahrenheit to a temperature below
20 degrees Fahrenheit. An instance is on record
of a piano concern whose fireman allowed his
steam to go down over Sunday, the temperature
of the factory Monday morning being 28 degrees
Fahrenheit. The varnish on every piece of
veneer in the building was checked. It is more
than likely that the finish on the majority of
pianos shipped long distances in cold weather is
checked before arrival at destination, but as the
fine checks close up, apparently, when the nor-
mal temperature warms the varnish, they are
not particularly observed. These checks reach
way to the wood, and it is quite likely that in
summer time, they admit the moisture when the
humidity is high as well as admitting moisture
from damp air at low temperatures, which, of
course, further swells the wood.
Shrinkage is a very common defect, and the
reasons for i t are very numerous, and at the
same time more obscure. There are two things
called shrinkage, one of which is really swell-
age. In true shrinkage the varnish appears to
have settled into the pores of the wood, or
sunken into the filler in the pores, thus leaving
an imperfect surface, which means a loss of bril-
liancy.
In swellage, which is never seen on a veneer
unless there has been some kind of paste filler
used to fill up the pores of the wood, the increased
volume of wood due to high temperature and
moisture of Summer weather causes pressure on
the filler, and if the filler be of a gummy na-
ture, or being of a hard nature, is not securely
rooted to the wood, it is forced or squeezed up
out of the pores, and forces up the varnish over
it. This causes an imperfect surface, which
always means loss of brilliancy.
Swellage,
BORING MACHINE
FOR PIANO MANUFACTURERS.
35
REVIEW
however, i s more uncommon than shrinkage.
Shrinkage may be caused by varnishing on
imperfectly dried veneers. Thus, a double ve-
neer needs a long time to recover its normal
state, owing to swelling of the wood from water
in the glue. If varnished too soon the excessive
moisture will push out the filler and the varnish.
If, however, the veneer is dry, but the wood not
fully shrunken to its original state before be-
ing varnished, in course of time, the wood
shrinks a little, and carries the varnish with it,
and the varnish is blamed for the trouble.
Another sure case of shrinkage is the bad prac-
tice of staining and filling the wood the same
day. The moisture in the water-stain swells the
wood, and the wood does not go back to its origi-
nal state quickly. It may seem dry, but i t is
not, and the filler helps to seal up a little moist-
ure. In course of four or six months the finish
is not good, the varnish having followed the
wood in shrinking. The moral is, never stain
and fill the same day, or in case no filler is used,
never apply first coat of varnish the same day
wood is stained.
Another cause of shrinkage is the application
of the first coat of varnish before the filler is
thoroughly hardened and dry. The resultant
imperfection does not show for quite a few
months, but it is sure to appear. The process
that goes on, is the slow oxidation of the oil in
the filler, the result being a loss in volume of
the filler in each pore of the wood, i. e., it
shrinks, making a little indentation at each pore,
as the varnish follows the filler. The staining
and filling on the same day, and the application
of the first coat of varnish before the filler is
thoroughly dry and seasoned, are unpardonable
offenses, and should never be permitted.
Another cause of shrinkage lies in not giv-
ing the first two coats of varnish sufficient time
to shrink before the remaining coats are put on:
This is especially true where no filler is used^
The oil penetrates the minute cells of the wood
and, of course, needs longer time to dry than if
the varnish were on the surface, and more ex-
posed to receive oxygen from the atmosphere.
More time can be given between the first and
second, and second and third coats, without
danger of very great trouble from scaling, as on
fine cabinet work the rubbing probably does not
go below the second coat.
(To be continued.)
COMMISSIONS ON CONDITIONAL SALES.
The Kentucky Court of Appeals held, in a re-
cent opinion, that in an action to recover com-
missions for the sale of an article which was
sold upon condition that the sale might be coun-
termanded if done within a given time, and
such sale was countermanded, and another ar-
ticle sold by another party, the original seller
took the risk of not consummating the sale of
his article, and he couldn't recover commissions.
J. Austin MacConnell, manager of the Wiss-
ner warerooms in Bridgeport, Conn., who was
married on Tuesday last at Springfield, Mass.,
to a very charming young lady of that city, gave
a bachelor dinner to his associates previous to
his departure for Springfield.
THE GREAT PIANO POLISH
FOR ALL FINE FURNITURE
o
H. B. SMITH MACHINE CO.,
EVE&Y DESCRIPTION
., N. J.
NEW YORK,
123 Liberty St.
mtd Pricw •»
only by LYON * HEALY, Chicago.
LYON & HEALY, Chicago
WOOD WOUKING MACHINERY.
FACTORY,
Put tip In an
8-oz. can, with
beautiful gold
label. Retails for 25 cents. ZOL
is a money maker. Every music
store should display it in the win-
dow. Write for FREE Sample
can (dealers only), and sample of
strong illustrated circular. Made
CHICAOO,
«• 5. Cuul 5t.
Ce^rv Fill Your Orders for
EVERYTHING MUSICAL
THE
MUSIC TRADE
VARNISHES AND THE VARN1SHER.
The Causes of Cracking, Checking and Shrinkage in the Finish of Piano Cases—Difficulties of the Work
and the Remedy Offered—A New Invention and Its Great Possibilities.
By H. A. Norton, of Boston.—(First
LEditor's Note—The series of articles commencing
herewith are of great value and interest, having been
prepared by an expert on the varnish question. They
should be read by piano manufacturers, dealers and
others who experience constant trouble in the matter
of the varnished surface of piano cases—certainly one of
the greatest annoyances to the manufacturer.—Editor
The Music Trade Review.]
Piano manufacturers, and, indeed, the manu-
facturers of all kinds of fine cabinet work, have
always had to contend with at least three things
—cracking, checking and shrinking of varnish.
At the present time, when piano manufacturers
are exceedingly busy with rush orders, it may
be of interest to describe these defects and en-
deavor to estimate the reasons for same.
Varnish cracks are continuous, rather broad,
irregular cracks, which seem to have no relation
in their course as regards the grain of the wood.
The defect may be described by stating the var-
nish has the appearance of having drawn apart
after it has become hard, or shrunken so much
edgewise as not to leave enough to cover per-
fectly the surface it is on. The varnish has
the appearance of having been applied over a
greasy, repellant surface.
There are various reasons for this appearance.
One lies in inherent bad qualities of a varnish.
"Where a varnish of known good qualities cracks
as above described, the fault lies with the
foundation it is on, or the undercoats were not
dry enough to receive more varnish. The trou-
ble may be with the paste filler, or too heavy a
coat of shellac may prevent the varnish from
sinking into and getting a sufficient hold on the
wood. It might also occur where two grades of
varnish are used, the "stocking-up" varnish be-
ing of different gums than the flowing or polish-
ing coat. In this case, the two varnishes would
not expand or contract in the same degree and
trouble occurs. A coat of so-called primer may
be responsible for the trouble.
A word about shellac. At ordinary tempera-
tures it is practically inert, as far as contraction
and expansion are concerned. I t should never
be used under varnish, as i t prevents the var-
nish getting well rooted in the wood. Further-
more, it checks as the wood contracts and ex
pands, and if the varnish over it be brittle it is
apt to check that also. The fewer the number
of different substances put on the wood, the less
liability of trouble.
The checking of varnish is due to brittleness.
Until comparatively recent date all polishing
varnishes were brittle; that is, they were long
in gum and short in oil, and the oil used was of
a nature which, when oxidized, lost the capacity
UNIVERSAL
ARM
Article.)
of expansion and contraction at varying tem-
peratures. As all woodwork swells in hot, hu-
mid weather and contracts in volume in cold
weather, it is obvious that a varnish which does
not come and go with the wood must either
crack or check.
The checks, however, are different from the
cracks, and consist of fine, hair-line cracks, run-
ning in all directions, and resembling the checks
in the glaze of some old china. While some lin-
seed-oil polishing varnishes do not show this
defect for some time if not exposed to low tem-
perature, in course of time the checks appear,
as the age of the varnish causes it to lose what
little elasticity i t originally possessed.
However, all linseed-oil polishing varnishes
will cross check if removed from a temperature
of 70 degrees Fahrenheit to a temperature below
20 degrees Fahrenheit. An instance is on record
of a piano concern whose fireman allowed his
steam to go down over Sunday, the temperature
of the factory Monday morning being 28 degrees
Fahrenheit. The varnish on every piece of
veneer in the building was checked. It is more
than likely that the finish on the majority of
pianos shipped long distances in cold weather is
checked before arrival at destination, but as the
fine checks close up, apparently, when the nor-
mal temperature warms the varnish, they are
not particularly observed. These checks reach
way to the wood, and it is quite likely that in
summer time, they admit the moisture when the
humidity is high as well as admitting moisture
from damp air at low temperatures, which, of
course, further swells the wood.
Shrinkage is a very common defect, and the
reasons for i t are very numerous, and at the
same time more obscure. There are two things
called shrinkage, one of which is really swell-
age. In true shrinkage the varnish appears to
have settled into the pores of the wood, or
sunken into the filler in the pores, thus leaving
an imperfect surface, which means a loss of bril-
liancy.
In swellage, which is never seen on a veneer
unless there has been some kind of paste filler
used to fill up the pores of the wood, the increased
volume of wood due to high temperature and
moisture of Summer weather causes pressure on
the filler, and if the filler be of a gummy na-
ture, or being of a hard nature, is not securely
rooted to the wood, it is forced or squeezed up
out of the pores, and forces up the varnish over
it. This causes an imperfect surface, which
always means loss of brilliancy.
Swellage,
BORING MACHINE
FOR PIANO MANUFACTURERS.
35
REVIEW
however, i s more uncommon than shrinkage.
Shrinkage may be caused by varnishing on
imperfectly dried veneers. Thus, a double ve-
neer needs a long time to recover its normal
state, owing to swelling of the wood from water
in the glue. If varnished too soon the excessive
moisture will push out the filler and the varnish.
If, however, the veneer is dry, but the wood not
fully shrunken to its original state before be-
ing varnished, in course of time, the wood
shrinks a little, and carries the varnish with it,
and the varnish is blamed for the trouble.
Another sure case of shrinkage is the bad prac-
tice of staining and filling the wood the same
day. The moisture in the water-stain swells the
wood, and the wood does not go back to its origi-
nal state quickly. It may seem dry, but i t is
not, and the filler helps to seal up a little moist-
ure. In course of four or six months the finish
is not good, the varnish having followed the
wood in shrinking. The moral is, never stain
and fill the same day, or in case no filler is used,
never apply first coat of varnish the same day
wood is stained.
Another cause of shrinkage is the application
of the first coat of varnish before the filler is
thoroughly hardened and dry. The resultant
imperfection does not show for quite a few
months, but it is sure to appear. The process
that goes on, is the slow oxidation of the oil in
the filler, the result being a loss in volume of
the filler in each pore of the wood, i. e., it
shrinks, making a little indentation at each pore,
as the varnish follows the filler. The staining
and filling on the same day, and the application
of the first coat of varnish before the filler is
thoroughly dry and seasoned, are unpardonable
offenses, and should never be permitted.
Another cause of shrinkage lies in not giv-
ing the first two coats of varnish sufficient time
to shrink before the remaining coats are put on:
This is especially true where no filler is used^
The oil penetrates the minute cells of the wood
and, of course, needs longer time to dry than if
the varnish were on the surface, and more ex-
posed to receive oxygen from the atmosphere.
More time can be given between the first and
second, and second and third coats, without
danger of very great trouble from scaling, as on
fine cabinet work the rubbing probably does not
go below the second coat.
(To be continued.)
COMMISSIONS ON CONDITIONAL SALES.
The Kentucky Court of Appeals held, in a re-
cent opinion, that in an action to recover com-
missions for the sale of an article which was
sold upon condition that the sale might be coun-
termanded if done within a given time, and
such sale was countermanded, and another ar-
ticle sold by another party, the original seller
took the risk of not consummating the sale of
his article, and he couldn't recover commissions.
J. Austin MacConnell, manager of the Wiss-
ner warerooms in Bridgeport, Conn., who was
married on Tuesday last at Springfield, Mass.,
to a very charming young lady of that city, gave
a bachelor dinner to his associates previous to
his departure for Springfield.
THE GREAT PIANO POLISH
FOR ALL FINE FURNITURE
o
H. B. SMITH MACHINE CO.,
EVE&Y DESCRIPTION
., N. J.
NEW YORK,
123 Liberty St.
mtd Pricw •»
only by LYON * HEALY, Chicago.
LYON & HEALY, Chicago
WOOD WOUKING MACHINERY.
FACTORY,
Put tip In an
8-oz. can, with
beautiful gold
label. Retails for 25 cents. ZOL
is a money maker. Every music
store should display it in the win-
dow. Write for FREE Sample
can (dealers only), and sample of
strong illustrated circular. Made
CHICAOO,
«• 5. Cuul 5t.
Ce^rv Fill Your Orders for
EVERYTHING MUSICAL
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