JF Ptak Science Books Post 2053
Recipes for the Laboratory
by Thomas Taylor, 1865
The following are some interesting examples of laboratory nostrums and general roundabout handiperson knowledge taken from Thomas Taylor's Natural Philosophy (London, 1865).
SILVERING LOOKING-GLASSES WITH
QUICKSILVER
Take a piece of marble or some other substance very smooth, true, and level,
lay on this the glass you wish to silver, then make a ridge of putty on the
marble against the edge of the glass all round it, so that you can pour
quicksilver on the glass until it is all covered over, and will be prevented
from running off by the ridge of putty; an inch or two, or three outside this
ridge make another of putty; then cover the quicksilver on the glass all over
with tin-foil, and press it firmly but cautiously against the glass until you
have squeezed out all the quicksilver you can. while you press this you may
remove part of the first ridge of putty to give the quicksilver a chance of
escape. When it is well pressed against the glass there will be an amalgam
formed of the tin-foil and the quicksilver that is left, which will firmly
adhere to the glass. By this means you have a very beautiful and cheap
looking-glass; the quicksilver that escapes, being saved by the second ridge of
putty, may be used again.
FIRE AND WATER-PROOF CEMENT
To half a pint of milk add half a pint of vinegar to curdle it; then separate
the curd from the whey, and mix the whey with 4 or 5 eggs; beating the whole
well together; when it is well mixed, add a little quick-lime through a sieve,
until it has acquired the consistence of a thick paste. This is a prime article
for cementing marble, in or out of the weather. It is excellent for broken
vessels, &c.
This ink is not injured by frost - is a beautiful article, and only costs 5
cents. per gallon, and is sold for from $1 to $3.Take 1 lb. logwood, 1 gallon
soft water, simmer in an iron vessel for one hour, then dissolve in a little
hot water 24 grains bychromate of potash, and 12 grains prussiate of potash,
and stir into the liquid while over the fire, then take it off and strain it
through fine cloth. This ink is a jet black flows freely from the pen and will
stand the test of oexylic acid.
INDELIBLE INK
1 inch of the stick of the nitrate of silver dissolved in a little water, and
stirred into each gallon of the above, makes first rate indelible ink for
cloth. Judge what indelible ink costs.
INDELIBLE INK
Nitrate of silver 1 1/2 oz., dissolved in liquor ammonia fortisine 5 1/2 oz.,
orchil for colouring 3/4 oz., gum mucilage 12 oz., mix the two latter, then mix
them with the two former, and it is ready to use.
WRITING FLUID OR BLACK COPYING
INK
Take two gallons of rain water and put into it gum arabic 1/4 lb., brown sugar
1/4 lb., clean copperas 1/4 lb., powdered nut galls 3/4 lb., mix and shake
occasionally for ten days and strain. If needed sooner, let it stand in an iron
kettle until the strength is obtained. This ink can be depended on for deeds or
records, which you may want someone to read hundreds of years to come. Oexylic
acid 1/4 oz., was formerly put in, but as it destroys the steel pens, and does
just as well without it - it is now never used
10 or 12 drops of pure, clean sulphuric acid, and it is ready for use;
write with this using a clean quill pen on letter paper, and when
dry you can see no mark at all, then hold it to a strong heat and the writing
becomes as black as jet. If you want to write to a young lady or gentleman, as
the case may be, and fearing that the letter might be opened before she or he
gets it, write with common black ink something of no importance, then between
the lines write what you want to say with the secret ink. The person to whom
you are writing must understand the scheme so that she or he may hold it to the
heat and thereby make the writing visible.
CHANGING VARNISHES
Varnishes of this description are call changing because, when applied to metals
such as copper, brass, or tin or silver foil, they give them a more agreeable
colour; indeed, the common metals, when coated with them acquired a lustre
approaching to that of the precious metals, and hence these varnishes are much
employed
in manufacturing imitations of gold and silver. Put four ounces of
the best gum gamboge into 32 ozs. of spirits of turpentine, 4 ozs. of dragon's
blood into the same quantity of spirits of turpentine as the gamboge, and 1 oz.
of anatto into 8 ozs. of the same spirits. The three mixtures being made in
different vessels, they should then be kept for about a fortnight in a warm
place, and as much exposed to the sun a possible; at the end of that time they
will be fit for use; and you can procure any tints you wish by making a
composition from them, with such proportions of each liquor as practice and the
nature of the colour you are desirous of obtaining will point out. Changing varnishes
may likewise be employed, with very good effect, for furniture, such as picture
frames, &c.
GOLD LACKER OR VARNISH
In using the changing varnish or any of these lackers, for picture frames for
instance, lay them over with tin or silver foil, by means of plaster of Paris
glue, or cement of some kind, that the foil may be perfectly adherent to the
wood, then apply your varnish; apply as many coats as may suit your taste, and
if it be the gold lacker you use it has the appearance of being laid with gold
leaf, and if the pale brass lacker, of being laid with brass, &c., and if
you use the changing varnish you may make it just what colour you wish, by
mixing the three materials in different proportions. For making gold lacker,
put into a clean 4 gallon tin 1 lb. ground turmeric, 1 1/2 oz. powdered
gamboge, 3 1/2 lbs. powdered gum sandrack, 3/4 lb. shellac, and 2 galls.
spirits of wine; after being dissolved and strained add 1 pint of turpentine
varnish, receipt No.112, well mixed, and it is ready for use.
RED SPIRIT LACKER
Take 2 galls. spirits of wine, 1 lb. dragon's blood, 3 lbs. Spanish annatto, 3
1/2 lbs. gum sandrack, 2 pints turpentine. Made exactly as the gold lacker.
PALE BRASS LACKER
Take 2 galls. spirits of wine, 3 ozs. cape aloes, cut small, 1 lb. fine pale
shellac, 1 oz. gamboge, cut small, no turpentine. Varnish made exactly as
before, but observe, that those who make lackers frequently want some paler and
some darker and sometimes inclining more to the particular tint of certain of
the component ingredients; therefore if a 4 oz. vial of a strong solution of
each ingredient be prepared, a lacker of any tint can be prepared at any time
as by changing varnish.
DEMAR VARNISH
This is a fine clear varnish, being harder and less coloured than mastic, while
it is as soluble, and may be had at one-tenth the price. Put 6 oz. of gum demar
in a bottle with 10 ozs. of spirits of turpentine, and put into another bottle
6 ozs. of gum demar, with 16 ozs.alcohol, when they are dissolved put them
together, and you have an excellent cheap varnish which dries quickly and is
very clear.
COPAL VARNISH
Take 1 oz. of copal, and 1/2 oz. of shellac, powder them well and put them into
a bottle or jar containing 1 quart of spirits of wine; place the mixture in a
warm place and shake it occasionally, till you see that the gums are completely
dissolved, and when strained the varnish is fit for use.
WHITE HARD VARNISH
Take 1 lb. of mastic, 4 oz. of gum anima; and 5 lbs. of gum sandrack, put them
all together to dissolve, into a vessel containing 2 oz. of rectified spirits
of wine, which should be kept in a warm place and frequently shaken till all
the gums are quite dissolved; then strain the mixture through a lawn sieve, and
it will be fit for use.
CRYSTAL VARNISH
Procure a bottle of Canada balsam, which can be had at any druggist's; draw out
he cork and set the bottle of balsam at a little distance from the fire,
turning it round several times, until the heat has thinned it; then have
something that will hold as much as double the quantity of balsam; carry the
balsam from the fire, and, while fluid mix it with the same quantity of good
turpentine, and shake them together until they are well incorporated. In a few
days the varnish is fit for use, particularly if it is poured into a half
gallon glass or stone bottle, and kept in a gentle warmth. This varnish is used
for maps, prints, charts, drawings, paper, ornaments, &c.
BLACK VARNISH FOR OLD STRAW OR
CHIP HATS
Take a 1/2 oz. of the best black sealing wax, pound it well, and put it into a
4 oz. vial, containing 2 ozs. of rectified spirits of wine; place it in a
sand-bath or near a moderate fire till the wax is dissolved, then lay it on
warm, with a fine soft hairbrush, before a fire or in the sun. It gives a good
stiffness to old straw hats, and a beautiful gloss equal to new. It likewise
resists wet.
VARNISH FOR VIOLINS &c.
Take 1 gallon of rectified spirits of wine, 12 ozs. of mastic, and 1 pint of
turpentine varnish; put them altogether in a tin can, and keep it in a very
warm place, shaking it occasionally till it is perfectly dissolved; then strain
it, and it is fit for use. If you find it necessary, you may dilute it with
turpentine varnish. This varnish is also very useful for furniture of plumtree,
mahogany, or rosewood.
TURPENTINE VARNISH
Take 5 lbs. of clear good resin, pound it well, and put it into 1 gallon of oil
of turpentine; boil the mixture over a stove till the resin is perfectly
dissolved, and when cool, it will be fit for use.
IRON WORK BLACK OR BLACK
VARNISH FOR IRON
Put 48 lbs. asphaltum into an iron pot, and boil for four hours; during the
first two hours, introduce 7 lbs. litharge, 3 lbs. dried copperas, and 10
gallons boiled oil; add 1/8 lb. run of dark gum, with 2 gallons hot oil; after
pouring the oil and gum, continue the boiling two hours, or until it will roll
into hard pills like Japan; when cool, thin it off with three gallons of
turpentine, or until it is of proper consistence. This varnish is intended
principally for the iron work of coaches and other carriages.
VARNISH FOR HARNESS
Take 1/2 lb. of india rubber, 1 gallon of spirits of turpentine; dissolve
enough to make it into a jelly by keeping it almost new milk warm; then take
equal quantities of good linseed oil, (in a hot state,) and the above mixture,
incorporate them well on a slow fire, and it is fit for use.
QUICK DRYING HARNESS BLACKING
VARNISH
Break 1/2 cake (which is about 1 ounce) of white wax into an earthen pan, and
just cover it with oil of turpentine; place a board over the pan to keep out
the air; let it stand for 24 hours or until formed into a paste; then in
another pan, mix 1 lb. of best ivory black with neatsfoot oil, until it assumes
a thick consistency; then mix the contents of both pans together. It may be
reduced with spirits of turpentine. Bottle, and it is fit for use.
POLISH FOR OLD FURNITURE
Take 1 pint best spirits of wine, 1 pint raw linseed oil, 1 pint spirits of
turpentine; mix all three together, and shake well before use. Apply with a
rubber of cotton wool covered with a piece of clean old white cotton cloth.
Apply slightly and you will be astonished at the effect. Old furniture that is
scratched, soiled, or stained, if the wood is not torn up, being polished with
this, has the appearance of new.
GENERAL DIRECTIONS FOR
BRONZING
This art is nothing but a species of painting, but far from being of the most
delicate kind. The principal ingredients made use of in it are the true gold
powder, the German gold, the aurum mosaicum, and copper powder, (all above described.)
The choice of these powders is, of course, to be determined by the degree of
brilliancy you wish to obtain. The powder is mixed with strong gum water or
isinglass, and laid on with a brush or pencil; and when not so dry as to have
still a certain clamminess, a piece of soft leather wrapped round the finger,
is dipped in the powder and rubbed over the work; when the work has been all
covered with the bronze, it must be left to dry, and any loose powder then
cleared away by a hair pencil.
BRONZING IN WOOD
This may be effected by a process somewhat differing from the above, Prussian
blue, patent yellow, raw amber, lamp-black, and pipe clay are ground separately
with water on a stone, and as much of them as will make a good colour put into
a small vessel three-fourths full of size. This mixture is found to succeed
best on using about half as much more pipe clay as of any of the other
ingredients. The wood being previously cleaned and smoothed, and coated with a
mixture of clean size and lamp-black, receives a new coating with the above
compound twice successively, having allowed the first to dry. Afterwards the
bronze powder is to be laid on with a pencil, and the whole burnished or
cleaned anew, observing to repair the parts which may be injured by this
operation; next, the work must be coated over with a thin lather of castile
soap, which will take off the glare of the burnishing, and afterwards be
carefully rubbed with a woollen cloth. The superfluous powder may be rubbed off
when dry.
IN BRONZING IRON
The subject should be heated to a greater degree than the hand can bear; and
German gold, mixed with a small quantity of spirit of wine varnish, spread over
it with a pencil; should the iron be already polished, you must heat it well
and moisten it with a linen rag dipped in vinegar.
SHELL-LAC VARNISH
Dissolve in an iron kettle, one part of pearl-ash in about 8 parts of water;
add one part of shell-lac, and heat the whole to ebullition. When the lac is
dissolved, cool the solution, and impregnate it with chlorine, till the lac is
all precipitated. The precipitate is white, but its colour deepens by washing
and consolidation; dissolved in alcohol, lac bleached by the above process
yields a varnish which is as free from colour as any copal varnish.
CHLORINE FOR SHELL-LAC VARNISH
This may be formed by mixing intimately eight parts of common salt, and three
parts of the black oxide of manganese in powder; put this mixture into a
retort, then pour four parts of sulphuric acid, diluted with an equal weight of
water, and afterwards allowed to cool upon the salt and manganese; the gas will
then be immediately liberated, and the operation may be quickened by a moderate
heat. A tube leading from the mouth of the retort must be passed into the
resinous solution, where the gas will be absorbed, and the lac precipitated.
SHELL-LAC VARNISHES OF VARIOUS
COLOURS
These may be made by using ant colour in fine powder with the varnish, in the
following manner: rub up the colour with a little alcohol or spirits of
turpentine till it becomes perfectly smooth, then put it into the cup with the
varnish. Shell-lac varnish is the best spirit varnish we have, and may be made
any colour by the above process.
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