Paper and Printing Recipes Part 9

A GOOD DRYER.

A good dryer for printers' use is made by taking a small quant.i.ty of perfectly dry acetate of lead or borate of manganese in impalpable powder will hasten the drying of the ink. It is essential that it should be thoroughly incorporated with the ink by trituration in a mortar.

A STRONG LYE.

A very strong printers' lye may be made as follows:--Take of table salt, 2 oz.; unslacked lime, 2 lb., and bruised Scotch was.h.i.+ng soda, 2 lb. Mix together in three gallons of water, stirring frequently until the ingredients are dissolved, when the lye will be ready for use. This is a powerful mixture, and will wash off almost any color.

EFFECT OF PETROLEUM OIL ON WOOD TYPE.

Although petroleum oil is a highly useful fluid for cleansing wood letter or wood-cuts, the printer should be cautioned that it is highly detrimental to type and stereoplate. While it has no effect in opening the pores of the wood, but on the contrary, hardens the surface, rendering the face peculiarly smooth, it corrodes or rots the metal, and leaves a white powder on the face, which, although it may be removed with a brush, shows that the type has been injured. Besides this, petroleum is highly dangerous on account of its inflammability. It cannot be extinguished by water.

A BRONZE OR CHANGEABLE HUE.

A bronze or changeable hue may be given to inks with the following mixture:--Gum sh.e.l.lac, 1-1/2 lb., dissolved in one gallon of 95 per cent alcohol or Cologne spirits for 24 hours. Then add fourteen ounces aniline red. Let it stand for a few hours longer, when it will be ready for use.

When added to a good blue, black, or other dark inks, it gives them a rich hue. The quant.i.ty used must be very carefully apportioned.

In mixing the materials, add the dark color sparingly at first, for it is easier to add more, if necessary, than to take away, as in making a dark color lighter, you increase its bulk considerably.

GOLD LEAF PRINTING.

Gold leaf printing requires much more care than bronze printing, but if properly managed will be found to be a great improvement. Ink should be made of chrome yellow, mixed with Venice turpentine, virgin wax and varnish. Cut the gold leaf into slips a shade wider than the lines it is to cover, ink the form in the usual way, and pull a sheet; then lay on the gold leaf with no great harm. Some colors will not keep at all, and others deposit at the bottom of the can almost all their solid ingredients. It is not easy to alter this, but colza oil will at least prevent the surface skinning over.

TO PREVENT COLORED INKS FROM BECOMING HARD.

Red and some other colored inks are often found to become so hard in a few weeks after the can has been opened that the knife can scarcely be got into them, and they cannot be got to work at all. Oil, varnish and turpentine are of no use in such a case; the remedy is paraffine oil mixed well up with the old ink. Many prefer paraffine oil rather than boiled oil or turps for thinning down both black and colored inks.

TO KEEP COLORED INKS FROM SKINNING.

Colored inks can be kept from "skinning" by pouring a little oil or water on the top and closing the can tightly.

HOW TO REMOVE COLORED INKS.

Benzine is a powerful chemical preparation which may be used to remove colored inks when lye and turpentine fail. It should, however, not be used after dark, as it is very inflammable, and it should be kept out of doors if possible.

A VARNISH FOR COLOR PRINTS.

To make a varnish for colored prints, etc., take of Canada balsam, 1 ounce; spirits of turpentine, 2 ounces, and mix well together. The print or drawing should first be sized with a solution of isingla.s.s in water, and when this has dried the varnish above named should be applied with a camel's hair brush.

REPAIRING BATTERED WOOD TYPE.

Wood type when battered may be repaired by removing the damaged part with a sharp pointed knife, and fill in with beeswax or gutta-percha.

INKING SURFACES FOR COLOR WORK.

The best inking surfaces or slabs for color work at press or machine are porcelain, litho stone, marble or slab. Metals are injurious to colored inks--even polished iron surfaces give a dullness to bright colors.

HOW TO PRESERVE COLORED INKS.

If it is necessary to keep colored inks, the best way of preserving them so that they shall be workable after standing some time is to pour a little colza oil on the top, and securely close the vessel containing them. This oil will not generally rob the ink of any of its color, and even if it is not all poured off afterwards, its presence can do a piece of cotton wool; when dry, it may be washed in the same way as bronze.

Rolling afterward will improve it very much.

HOW TO BRIGHTEN COMMON QUALITIES OF COLORED INKS.

Common qualities of colored inks may be brightened by using the whites of fresh eggs, but they must be applied a little at a time, as they dry very hard and are apt to take away the suction of rollers if used for any lengthend period.

PRINTERS' VARNISH.

For fine work, a little Canada balsam of the consistency of honey makes a good varnish of great purity. The coa.r.s.er but similar Venice turpentine may also be used with effect where time is precious and purity of tint not indispensable. A little soft soap may be added to the Venice turpentine.

If the work be coa.r.s.e and varnish not at hand, a little oak varnish and soft soap form a good subst.i.tute.

TO PREVENT OFF-SETTING.

Setting off may be prevented by slightly greasing or oiling a sheet which may be placed on the tympan if in press work, or the cylinder if at a machine. This will answer for several thousands without requiring to be replaced.

A HARDENING GLOSS FOR INKS.

A hardening gloss for inks may be made by dissolving gum arabic in alcohol or a weak solution of oxalic acid. This mixture should be used in small quant.i.ties, and mixed with the ink while it is being consumed.

A MODELING MATERIAL.

Some pretty effects can be produced by the use of a composition made by thoroughly mixing rice flour with cold water, and allowing it to gently simmer over the fire until a delicate and durable cement results. When made of the consistency of plastic clay, models, busts, etc., may be formed, and the articles when dry resemble white marble, and will take a high polish, being very durable. Any coloring matter may be used at pleasure.

LEAF COPYING.

Take a piece of thin muslin and wrap it tightly round a ball of cotton wool as big as an orange. This forms a dabber, and should have something to hold it by. Then squeeze on to the corner of a half-sheet of foolscap a little color from a tube of oil paint. Take up a very little color on the dabber, and work it about on the center of the paper for some time, till the dabber is evenly covered with a thin coating. A little oil can be used to dilute or moisten the color if necessary. Then put your leaf down on the paper and dab some color evenly over both sides. Place it then between the pages of a folded sheet of paper (unglazed is best), and rub the paper above it well all over with the finger. Open the sheet, remove the leaf, and you will have an impression of each side of the leaf. Any color may be used. Burnt or raw sienna works the most satisfactorily.

DRYER FOR RULING INKS.