| A number of years ago a few firms put lines of spirit | | | | Some of the best liquid stains on the market today |
| stains on the market. These were manufactured | | | | are really a combination of volatile oil and spirit stains |
| from various colors that are soluble in alcohol. At the | | | | and wood finishers are having satisfactory results |
| present time the colors or dyes which are used are | | | | with them even though they are rather expensive on |
| almost entirely spirit soluble basic coal tar dyes. | | | | account of the high cost of the solvents. Water is |
| Spirit stains dry very, very quickly, and do not | | | | also sometimes used as a thinner for spirit stains, |
| penetrate deeply into the wood. Pure spirit stains dry | | | | reducing the rapidity of drying to some extent. |
| with such great rapidity that it is difficult to apply | | | | You cannot leave spirit stains in open vats because |
| them evenly. Laps, streaks, and brush marks are | | | | of the rapid rate of evaporation, which increases the |
| likely to disfigure any large surface stained with spirit | | | | risk of fire. Such stains should be kept in tightly |
| stain. The trouble is due entirely to the rapid | | | | closed glass bottles, if possible. The method of |
| evaporation of the alcohol which is used as the | | | | application for spirit stains is to apply them with a |
| solvent for the colors. | | | | brush and them to wipe and spread the excess in |
| These stains are more expensive than water stains, | | | | order to achieve more even tones and brilliance. You |
| because the solvent alcohol, costs much more than | | | | can obtain the best results in one of two ways: |
| water. They are sometimes used for quick work, | | | | 1. By working rapidly with a brush loaded with color, |
| especially for touching up spots and streaks, and in | | | | rather than with an almost dry brash; and |
| making repairs or renewing old finishes. The expert | | | | 2. By evening up, by wiping before the stain has set |
| can occasionally use them to advantage, but the | | | | or dried. |
| beginner always has trouble with them. | | | | A word of caution about using spirit stains is |
| Another difficulty with spirit stains is that they may | | | | necessary - they do fade. Spirit-stains made from |
| "lift" with the filler-coat, or with the application of | | | | aniline or other coal-tar dyes arc considered by many |
| shellac, which is a spirit varnish cut with alcohol. Such | | | | experts to be the most fugitive of all stains, although |
| stains are liable to mix with the shellac under the | | | | they are much more permanent than they were a |
| brush without any sort of mixing or measuring tools ( | | | | few years ago. Their tendency to fade, and difficulty |
| and produce a muddy effect which spoils the | | | | in application, has caused them to be used much less |
| transparency and beauty of the finish. | | | | than either water or oil stains. Compare the difficulty |
| You can also purchase mixed spirit stains and volatile | | | | level of using a simple tool, such as a tape measure |
| oils. Some manufacturers of spirit stains have | | | | to using a cumbersome saw to get an idea of the |
| changed their formulas and do not use alcohol | | | | difference. |
| exclusively as a solvent. Turpentine and benzol are | | | | The spirit stains are made from basic coal-tar dyes, |
| sometimes used as solvents or thinners in addition to | | | | which the manufacturers know to be fugitive. Where |
| alcohol, and these oils slow down the rapidity of | | | | a temporary brilliant effect is desired, and fastness to |
| drying of the spirit-stain. Benzol also causes the stain | | | | light is not a requisite, such stains may be used to |
| to penetrate more deeply than if alcohol alone is | | | | advantage. |
| used. | | | | Whenever spirit stains are used on articles of |
| These stains can be thinned with either alcohol or | | | | furniture the fresh colors should not be exposed to |
| turpentine, but turpentine is preferable when it | | | | bright light until after coats of shellac and varnish |
| comes to stains and supplies and a sort of ruler ( of | | | | have been applied. Such impervious finishes keep out |
| stains because of its slower rate of evaporation. | | | | the air and prevent fading to a large extent. |