Paint shop

“ Paint mills have not penetrated into every workshop yet. In some is still used the old-fashioned slab and muller; this [107] is a more tedious operation, and is not so successfully accomplished as by the mill.
Colours.
The colours generally used in the carriage paint shop are the following:—White-lead, whiting. Yellow ochre and red-lead, used for rough work. Ground colours, which the painter uses in combination with other pigments, as chrome yellow, Indian red, raw umber, Prussian blue, &c. Panel colours, as carmine, lake of various hues, ultramarine blue, verdigris, &c. ”

“ But so far as the painter is able to have authority in the matter it should be directed in favor of large, roomy apartments, high ceilings, and a fine outfit of windows. Light is an indispensable commodity in the paint shop. And room—there is never an excess of it. To do good work at a profit invokes an easy, commodious working space. To this end, therefore, the painter may well direct his best endeavors. ”

“ The Paint Shop. A small room serving little more than as a storeroom for paints and painters' materials, as their work is principally done at various points in the shops, wherever the machines or parts may happen to be. ”

“ The Paint Shop is sometimes located in one of the manufacturing buildings or the erecting building; but as the painting of machine parts and complete machines is generally done in any one of the departments where the work may be, and the paint shop is hardly more than a storeroom for paints, a due consideration of the question of fire protection would indicate that it had better be placed in a small building entirely detached from all manufacturing buildings. ”

“ In color matching, however, which, despite our best efforts, must continue to be a part of paint shop practice, it is best to take over to the mixing bench a certain part of the work to be touched up, and, touching a few inches of space with varnish so that it can be seen what the spots and what the color as a whole will look like under a fresh coat of varnish, proceed to gauge the matching color to it. It is a principle adhered to by many skilled workmen in the matching of colors that the touch-up color should contain sufficient varnish to cause it to dry with a stout gloss. ”

“ And it ended in their hiring—dog-cheap, because times were so bad—this tumble-down old house on the corner of Madison Avenue and Sprigg Court, which, as you know, had a paint-shop in the garden.
"The truth is," said the agent, "that the Cosmopolitan Railway Company, when they began, hired the barn and fitted it up for a paint-shop. They would leave their cars there to dry. But that was long ago. And no one has wanted to hire these premises till now. You don't happen to know a painter you could underlet the shop to?"
No. Max knew no such painter. ”

“ The jobbing paint shop requires and should be given a system of marking and tabulating all work taken in, so that when the finish is reached and hanging off occurs, valuable time need not be wasted in searching for mislaid and unidentified parts, such as cushions, carpets, storm aprons, and the like. ”

“ For a better job, give the body a coat of black rubbing varnish (provided the body is black) , then finish with a good coat of wearing body. The gear may be treated the same as the body if in [141] like condition, but if the felloes are worn bare, lead them up and color as you would new work, then touch up the balance and varnish.
The great plague of the paint shop is cracked work, which is otherwise solid. Where the varnish is hard but peeling, take it off with ammonia ”

“ The commission to paint this water-colour being unfettered in every way, the artist felt herself at liberty to create a colour scheme of her own—hence the changes in the dresses, etc.; also to put an old woman (after a Devonshire cottager) in place of the shopman, and to make the shop a toyshop instead of a tinsmith’s. ”

“ There are several formulas in circulation for the mixing of the lead, but the writer thinks the one here given (used in the leading factory paint shops) covers the painter's practical needs fully. Mix dry white lead to a grinding consistency in 3/4 raw linseed oil to 1/4 japan, the liquids to be carefully measured. Add enough lampblack to give the mixture a clean slate color, then run through the paint mill, after which reduce to a brushing consistency with the proper proportions of oil and japan. Make the lead just stiff enough to brush on with a fairly stiff bristle brush. ”

“ There are difficulties enough in art without adding another to the list. At best (or worst) you can hardly use more than twenty dollars' worth of pigment on any one canvas, and that is a bagatelle in comparison to the thousands which you propose to ask for your picture. Paint with house paints if you are too poor to have a generous supply of the tube variety, but for Heaven's sake, don't stint your palette. ”

“ Most of them are made as cheap and common as possible; but the best results can be secured from really good ready-mixed paints. Any large dealer of established reputation, who is not himself a manufacturer of a cheap paint, may ordinarily be relied upon for a correct opinion. ”

“ On the other hand, tubes of paint—bearing in mind that we invariably squeeze out more colour than is necessary—are, most decidedly, extravagant.
We can trust any reputable colourman to fit a box with paints, and we strongly advise buying the best paints and leaving those of a cheaper grade alone. It is by far the best economy. The small boxes contain eight to fourteen half-pans.
Group your colours together carefully. Nothing hampers a young artist more effectually than sprinkling paints haphazardly in a paint-box. ”

“ Then for a cheap job give it a coat of color varnish, a coat of rubbing and a coat of body varnish.
If you are to do a fine job, and can get pay for it, and you find the body cracked, burn off the old paint, and commence at the foundation as in new work. For a cheap job, lead up the bare places on the gear and wheels, give a coat of color and a coat of color varnish and finish with heavy gear varnish. For a fine job, if the old paint is cracked or scaled, take it off and work up from the wood as on a new job. ”

“ Paint is a loyal friend to your balance in bank, for it protects and beautifies everything of yours which it covers. In your office, paint makes cheerful surroundings. [54] It makes an agreeable atmosphere. In your store, it makes an effectual background for your goods. If you operate a factory, it will make better light and better work. It will save wood and metal from rust and decay. It gives the exterior of your plant an air of prosperity and creates a pride of connection in the minds of employes. Paint makes cheer inside and outside, in home or business home. ”

“ They beam affectionately at the suspicious buyers who must have a certain number of cracks to the square inch of surface, [97] who count the fly specks with loving care, who test the paint with alcohol in order to find out whether it is new paint or old paint, and who hunt so assiduously for that rich and mellow golden-brown tone that comes only with age. ”

“ The rough plaster wall, tinted, is the cheapest method of all to use in decoration and has numerous advantages. It is much to be preferred to smooth plaster in that it gives a slight unevenness of surface which is a distinct advantage because of the vibration of color thus attained. Water color, while it does not last as long as oil paint, is so much cheaper and quicker to put on that it becomes possible to do over a gallery after a year or two without any more outlay than oil paint in the beginning would have necessitated. ”

“ They solemnly assure the prospective customer that they will paint his vehicle for, say, $6, the price asked ordinarily for the color and one coat varnish job. The stranger, caught by the price and the alluring prospect of getting the job painted, responds to the "hold up" until the dishonesty of the thing is revealed, as it is sure to be, by the exacting needs of service. The color, stripe, and varnish job calls for no little dexterity in many cases, in placing the color directly over a hard, flinty surface of paint and varnish and making it stay for a [120] reasonable term of service. ”

“ It keeps doors and windows from warping and buckling, because it keeps out dampness.
The partnership of paint is many sided, from the standpoint of utility and good looks. Its good offices are illustrated on [55] every hand. If a man wants to keep a piece of property, he paints it. If he wants to sell it, he paints it. If he wants a good rental for it, he keeps his paint and varnish renewed.
Paint is powerful. It influences us all, all of our lives. It is as personal in its relation to industry as you are. It has a way of sticking to business and growing more useful every day. ”

“ The careful painter will, when using heavy pigments, carry a paddle, and not neglect to use it. To prevent white lead and other heavy pigments from settling in the pot the paint must be well mixed, and kept mixed by stirring with a paddle as often and as much as may be necessary to keep the oil or other vehicle, and the pigment well incorporated. No one out a novice, or a careless painter will permit a sediment to accumulate in the bottom of his pot; no matter whether the pigment is coarse or fine; or whether the vehicle used is linseed oil, turpentine or benzine. ”

“ If the surface has been previously painted and is in good condition, thoroughly sandpaper and apply a coat of paint mixed fiat and tinted to the proper ground color with a pint of hard-drying varnish added. Should the paint dry too flat for good working or combing of the graining color, an additional amount of varnish can be added, or a small amount of oil. If numerous coats of oil paint have been applied, or if the surface is badly cracked, the paint will have to be burned or removed with paint remover, then proceed as with new work. ”

“ There are on the market two sorts of mixing machine for paints that would prove of great service to the painter who has to produce large quantities of paint. But, as a rule, they are only used by paint manufacturers. ”

“ DECORATIVE ASPECTS OF THE WORK—THE VARIOUS PROCESSES OF PAINTING EMPLOYED—THE PREVAILING COLORS—STRIPING AND SCROLLING—REPAINTING, REVARNISHING, PROFITS TO BE REALIZED, ETC. Cutter and sleigh painting are justly esteemed interesting parts of the art of vehicle painting. Coming at a time when the ordinary activities of vehicle painting are practically at a standstill, the cutter and sleigh painting business furnishes a medium for profits gleefully taken advantage of by the average factory and jobbing shop painter. ”

“ Cheap paint should not be used for inside work any more than on the exterior of the building, if good results are to be expected. It is a mistake to use cheap ochre for priming. The same paint, or something as good, should be used for priming or first coat as is used for the finishing coats or for building up the ground work for enameling, graining and like work.
Oil Paint in White. Where two coat oil paint work is specified, without sizing, the first coat should be reduced with half turpentine and half oil to a good consistency, then a half pint of good hard drying or enamel varnish added. ”

“ When you have finished carving both the head and hands you are ready to paint them. You will need red, yellow, blue, and white oil paints. Use a piece of smooth wood or glass for a palette. Squeeze onto your palette a small amount of each color. As you know, people do not have pure-white skins. There is a tinge of yellow-orange in the white man’s skin, deep red and orange in that of the red man, brown in that of the Negro, and yellow in that of the Oriental. Begin by squeezing out onto your palette a small quantity of white paint. ”

“ It should be borne in mind that light and air are necessary to the drying of paint. Paint will not harden in tightly closed rooms. This is especially true of kitchens, pantries and work of this character where there are numerous shelves and drawers, and if closed the paint or varnish will remain tacky and not harden through. ”

“ I got hold of the Barber himself turned painter; and as the little cangia was moored alongside the Urania in order to hold all the mattresses, carpets, etc. I was his victim. First, it was a request for ‘three pounds to buy paint.’ ‘None but the best of paint is fitting for a noble person like thee, and that thou knowest is costly, and I am thy servant and would do thee honour.’ ‘Very well,’ say I, ‘take the money, and see, oh man, that the paint is of the best, or thy backsheesh will be bad also.’ Well, he begins and then rushes in to say: ‘Come oh Bey, oh Pasha! ”

“ The general purpose enamels for sale in stores have no place on a motor car. They belong to the home. Probably no other vehicle excepting a locomotive has harder service for paint to withstand. Hence, the necessity for the very best materials.
There is one reputable concern selling repainting outfits to car owners so that greatly simplifies the painting problem, if one wishes to do it himself. These outfits include everything, materials, brushes, and instructions, and range in price from $6 for a small runabout to $8 and $10 for a roadster and touring car. ”

“ COMMERCIAL PAINTING IF you take up any art dealer’s catalogue, you will find more than a hundred varieties of colors; and, among them, the vast majority should not be used by the average painter. But, there is a legitimate use for them in commercial painting. In sketching, for advertising purposes or for book illustration, brilliant colors are permissible, where half-tone reproductions are desired; and, under the circumstances, it would be well for the painter to know exactly what he is using. ”