The Workshop.

Otago Witness, Issue 1418, 25 January 1879, Page 5

The Workshop.

HINTS FOR THE WORKSHOP. When oiling an axletree the spindle should bo ■wiped clean with a cloth wet with spirits o5 turpentine, and then apply a few drops of castor oil near the shoulder and end. When greasing an axletree, just enough grease should be applied to give it a light coating 5 more does more harm than good, by working out and damaging the hub. — Carriage Journal. To take rusfc out of steel, place the article in a bowl containing kerosene oil, or wrap the steel up in a soft cloth well saturated with kerosene ; let it remain twenty-four hours or longer, then scour the rusty spots with brick dust. If badly rusted use salt with hot vinegar ; after scouring • rinse every particle of brick dust or salt off with boiling hot water ; dry thoroughly, then polish off with a clean flannel cloth and a little sweet oil. ' .' : A cement particularly adapted for attaching tho brass works to kerosene lamps is made by boiling three parts resin with one part of caustic soda and five of water. The composition is then mixed with half its weight of plaster of Paris. It sets firmly in half to three quarters of aa hour. It is said to be of great adhesive power, not permeable to petroleum, a low conductor I of heat and but superficially attacked^ by hot water. Zinc white, white lead, or precipitated chalk, may be substituted for plaster, but nirdana more slowly. Staining, if well done, is incomparably finer and richer than paint, which always gives a, coarse look, especially to panel work, as it obliterates tho sharp edges and more or less fills up the in-springing angles. Paint always looks cheap, especially a coat of black paint ; you can never make paint as smooth as the surface of well-finished wood -work. Piauo # makers, for instance, would not think of painting and graining carved piano legs in imitation of rosewood ; they make them of cherry, or, what is better, of pear, stain thorn, and give them a few coats of varnish (solid rosewood heavy enough for carved piano legs is not to bo bad). There _ is another objection to paint, it i* so easily scratched off, and is sometimes difficult to repair well, except by an entirely new coat ; while stained wood without pamfc can easily he cosfcored in caeo of accident, or a new spot of stain and vavuiah can .bo polished down with, fitio sandpaper, and be treated aa cibiuet makers treat old furniture. __________«. 1 r^^^^^ m^~~~'~~'~ m i^»