Part 324

I.—Wall papers may be easily rendered washable, either before or after they are hung, by preparing them in the following manner: Dissolve 2 parts of borax and 2 parts of shellac in 24 parts of water, and strain through a fine cloth. With a brush or a sponge apply this to the surface of the paper, and when it is dry, polish it to a nigh gloss with a soft brush. Thus treated the paper may be washed without fear of removing the colors or even smearing or blurring them.

II.—This is recommended for drawing paper. Any kind of paper is lightly primed with glue or a suitable binder, to which a finely powdered inorganic body, such as zinc white, chalk, lime, or heavy spar, as well as the desired coloring matter for the paper, are added. Next the paper thus treated is coated with soluble glass—silicate of potash or of soda—to which small amounts of magnesia have been admixed, or else it is dipped into this mixture, and dried for about 10 days in a temperature of 77° F. Paper thus prepared can be written or drawn upon with lead pencil, chalk, colored crayons, charcoal, India ink, and lithographic crayon, and the writing or drawing may be washed off 20 or more times, entirely or partly, without changing the paper materially. It offers the convenience that anything may be readily and quickly removed with a moist sponge and immediately corrected, since the washed places can be worked on again at once.

«Wax Paper.»—I.—Place cartridge paper or strong writing paper, on a hot iron {506} plate, and rub it well with a lump of beeswax. Used to form extemporaneous steam or gas pipes, to cover the joints of vessels, and to tie over pots, etc.

II.—For the production of waxed or ceresine paper, saturate ordinary paper with equal parts of stearine and tallow or ceresine. If it is desired to apply a business stamp on the paper before saturation and after stamping, it should be dried well for 24 hours, so as to prevent the aniline color from spreading.

«Wrapping Paper for Silverware.»—Make a solution of 6 parts of sodium hydrate in sufficient water to make it show about 20° B. (specific gravity, 1.60). To it add 4 parts zinc oxide, and boil together until the latter is dissolved. Now add sufficient water to reduce the specific gravity of the solution to 1.075 (10° B.). The bath is now ready for use. Dip each sheet separately, and hang on threads stretched across the room, to dry. Be on your guard against dust, as particles of sand adhering to the paper will scratch the ware wrapped in it. Ware, either plated or silver, wrapped in this paper, will not blacken.

«Varnished Paper.»—Before proceeding to varnish paper, card-work, pasteboard, etc., it is necessary to give it 2 or 3 coats of size, to prevent the absorption of the varnish, and any injury to the color or design. The size may be made by dissolving a little isinglass in boiling water, or by boiling some clean parchment cuttings until they form a clear solution. This, after being strained through a piece of clean muslin, or, for very nice purposes, clarified with a little white of egg, is applied by means of a small clean brush called by painters a sash tool. A light, delicate touch must be adopted, especially for the first coat, lest the ink or colors be started or smothered. When the prepared surface is quite dry it may be varnished.

«Impregnation of Papers with Zapon Varnish.»—For the protection of important papers against the destructive influences of the atmosphere, of water fungi, and light, but especially against the consequences of the process of molding, a process has been introduced under the name of zapon impregnation.

The zaponizing may be carried out by dipping the papers in zapon or by coating them with it by means of a brush or pencil. Sometimes the purpose may also be reached by dripping or sprinkling it on, but in the majority of cases a painting of the sheets will be the simplest method.

Zapon in a liquid state is highly inflammable, for which reason during the application until the evaporation of the solvent, open flames and fires should be kept away from the vicinity. When the drying is finished, which usually takes a few hours where both sides are coated, the zaponized paper does not so easily ignite at an open flame any more or at least not more readily than non-impregnated paper. For coating with and especially for dipping in zapon, a contrivance which effects a convenient suspension and dripping off with collection of the excess is of advantage.

The zapon should be thinned according to the material to be treated. Feebly sized papers are coated with ordinary, i. e., undiluted zapon. For dipping purposes, the zapon should be mixed with a diluent, if the paper is hard and well sized. The weaker the sizing, the more careful should be the selection of the zapon.

Zapon to be used for coating purposes should be particularly thick, so that it can be thinned as desired. Unsized papers require an undiluted coating.

The thick variety also furnishes an excellent adhesive agent as cement for wood, glass, porcelain, and metals which is insoluble in cold and hot water, and binds very firmly. Metallic surfaces coated with zapon do not oxidize or alter their appearance, since the coating is like glass and only forms a very thin but firmly adhering film, which, if applied on pliable sheet metal, does not crack on bending.

For the preparation of zapon the following directions are given: Pour 20 parts of acetone over 2 parts of colorless celluloid waste—obtainable at the celluloid factories—and let stand several days in a closed vessel, shaking frequently, until the whole has dissolved into a clear, thick mass. Next admix 78 parts of amyl acetate and completely clarify the zapon varnish by allowing to settle forweeks.

«Slate Parchment.»—Soak good paper with linseed-oil varnish (boiled oil) and apply the following mass, mentioned below, several times in succession: Copal varnish, 1 part, by weight; turpentine oil, 2 parts; finest sprinkling sand, 1 part; powdered glass, 1 part; ground slate as used for slates, 2 parts; and lampblack, 1 part, intimately mixed together, and repeatedly ground very fine. After drying and hardening, the plates can be written upon with lead or slate pencils.

«Paper Floor Covering.»—The floor is carefully cleaned, and all holes and {507} cracks are filled up with a mass which is prepared by saturating newspapers with a paste that is made by mixing thoroughly 17 5⁠/⁠8 ounces wheat flour, 3.17 quarts water, and 1 spoonful of pulverized alum. The floor is coated with this paste throughout, and covered with a layer of manilla paper, or other strong hemp paper. If something very durable is desired, paint the paper layer with the same paste and put on another layer of paper, leaving it to dry thoroughly. Then apply another coat of paste, and upon this place wall paper of any desired kind. In order to protect the wall paper from wear, give it 2 or more coats of a solution of 8 4⁠/⁠5 ounces white glue in 2.11 quarts hot water, allow them to dry, and finish the job with a coating of hard oil varnish.

«METALLIC PAPER.»

This paper, made by transferring, pasting, or painting a coating of metal on ordinary paper, retains a comparatively dull and dead appearance even after glazing or polishing with the burnisher or agate. Galvanized or electroplated metal paper, on the other hand, in which the metal has penetrated into the most minute pores of the paper, possesses an extraordinarily brilliant polish, fully equal to that of a piece of compact polished metal. It is much more extensively used than the kind first mentioned.

The following solutions are recommended for making “galvanized” metal paper:

I.—For silver paper: Twenty parts argento-cyanide of potassium; 13 parts cyanide of potassium; 980 parts water.

II.—For gold paper: Four parts auro-cyanide of potassium; 9 parts cyanide of potassium; 900 parts water.

Moth Paper.—

Naphthalene 4 ounces Paraffine wax 8 ounces

Melt together and while warm paint unsized paper and pack away with the goods.

«Lead Paper.»—Lay rough drawing paper (such as contains starch) on an 8 per cent potassium iodide solution. After a moment take it out and dry. Next, in a dark room, float the paper face downward on an 8 per cent lead nitrate solution. This sensitizes the paper. Dry again. The paper is now ready for printing. This process should be carried on till all the detail is out in a grayish color. Then develop in a 10 per cent ammonium chloride solution. The tones obtained are of a fine blue black.

«Aluminum Paper.»—Aluminum paper is not leaf aluminum, but real paper glazed with aluminum powder. It is said to keep food materials fresh. The basic material is artificial parchment, coated with a solution of rosin in alcohol or ether. After drying, the paper is warmed until the rosin has again softened to a slight degree. The aluminum powder is dusted on and the paper then placed under heavy pressure to force the powder firmly into it. The metallic coating thus formed is not affected by air or greasy substances.

PAPER (ANTI-RUST) FOR NEEDLES: See Rust Preventives.

PAPER CEMENTS: See Adhesives.

PAPER DISINFECTANT: See Disinfectants.