Posts Tagged ‘french’
French Stage
Wednesday, August 17th, 2011
The Basic Of French Polishing
Generally considered to be the most prestigious and de¬sirable of all the clear finishes, french polish is the best looking, but in many ways the least practical. Its depth and brilliance are unequalled by varnishes or lacquers, because the surface it forms is actually wafer-thin, and gives grain pattern and colour a particular clarity, almost a transparency.
The French Martin brothers developed a polish based on shellac in the eighteenth century, a version of which was being used in England for pianos by 1815. By the late nineteenth century it had become the most popular treatment for high-quality furniture and joinery, espe¬cially mahogany. This timber still looks beautiful french polished, but other woods (though not wide-pored oak) can be treated equally successfully.
French polish is resistant to neither heat nor liquids, and is particularly susceptible to alcohol, so table tops are usually waxed to ease maintenance. This is not to say that the finish cannot be repaired at all but rewaxing is a great deal easier and quicker.
There is a certain mystique about polishing, probably because application with a rubber is an involved process, and recognizing the stage it has reached demands experience. Once you have developed a ‘feel’ for the rubber, however, you will find that it is a great deal easier than generations of craftsmen would have us believe. Doing it is really the only way to learn.
If you are finishing a new piece there is very little to be said for french polishing it, if it will be getting ordin¬ary household use. But you will find it on antique, old or reproduction furniture and will need to know how to apply it when you are refinishing.
French polish is particularly reactive to damp; white blotches will appear in the finish if you apply it in & humid atmosphere, and it will not harden if the temperature in your workspace is less than 15°C (60°F). If conditions are bad and you still have to french pol’sh, fix up a non-flammable heater over the surface, or warm it over with an iron on top of a blanket. This can also eliminate damp patches in the wood fibres.
Shellac
The basic ingredients of french polish are shellac and methylated spirits (wood alcohol). The secretions from the lac insect, found in India, Africa and the Far East, were originally used for red dye; while commercial chemistry has evolved better and cheaper colouring agents, there is still no synthetic equivalent of lac for french polish. The fluids secreted from the larvae encrust the twigs of infested trees; the ’stick lac’ formed like this is harvested, pounded, melted, refined and filtered through ’seed’ and ‘lump’ stages to make wafer-thin sheets. These sheets are then flaked and exported as shellac.
About the Author
Also learn the tips for successful gardening without the use of artificial fertilizers and chemical pesticides and also how to choose a wood floor in your house
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A French Entertainer sings a wonderful song – 1929
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Panasonic NN-H965WF, 2.2cuft 1250 Watt Sensor Microwave Oven, White $160.27 2.2 CU-FT CAPACITY1250WINVERTER TECHNOLOGYDIGITAL DISPLAY9 COOKING CATEGORIESDEFROSTWHITEUPC : 037988909124Shipping Dimensions : 26.50in X 21.25in X 16.60inEstimated Shipping Weight : 56.3125… |
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The Commedia dell’Arte Company (oil on panel) by French School – Mug – Standard Size $14.50 This mug is created using the finest dye sublimation techniques and creates a stunning dishwasher safe finish. Great as a gift, or for promotional items. Each of our mugs come individually boxed for protection in transit…. |
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The Four Stages of Life (oil on panel) by French School – Mug – Standard Size $14.50 This mug is created using the finest dye sublimation techniques and creates a stunning dishwasher safe finish. Great as a gift, or for promotional items. Each of our mugs come individually boxed for protection in transit…. |
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The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall [Blu-ray] $19.99 Let the spectacle astound you! In celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera, Cameron Mackintosh produced a unique, spectacular staging of the musical on a scale which had never been seen before. Inspired by the original staging by Hal Prince and Gillian Lynne, this lavish, fully-staged production set in the sumptuous Victorian splendor of London’s leg… |
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Michael Jackson: This Is It $1.50 It’s hard not to watch This Is It without feeling a mixture of sorrow and elation. When he passed away in the summer of 2009, Michael Jackson was in the midst of rehearsals for his final tour, an ambitious 50-date engagement. In editing 120 hours of rehearsal footage together, Jackson producer Kenny Ortega proves that it would’ve been an event for the ages. Michael performs material that spans his… |
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Rush – Beyond the Lighted Stage [2 DVD] $8.09 There isn’t a directorial duo better equipped to profile Canada’s famed power trio than compatriots Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen, the makers of Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey. Insightful and entertaining, Beyond the Lighted Stage starts with the band’s roots in working-class Ontario. Singer-bassist Geddy Lee, the son of Holocaust survivors, a self-described “nebbishy quiet kid,” bonds with guitarist … |
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You Can’t Take It With You [VHS] $9.99 Televised theater production of the Pulitzer Prize winning play by George Kaufman and Moss Hart. Staged by Ellis Rabb, this is a faithful rendering of the famous play. Charming, zany and thoughtful, this is a superb version that shouldn’t be missed…. |
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The Last Metro (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray] $23.98 François Truffaut again tackles the elusive nature of creativity and the elusive creation in this thoughtful, sumptuous, 1980 film. Nominated for the Best Foreign Language film Oscar, and a winner of various Césars, The Last Metro is a tale of the theater in occupied France during World War II. Marion Steiner (Catherine Deneuve) manages the Theatre Montmarte in the stead of her Jewish husban… |
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Bizet: Carmen [Blu-ray] $26.00 BIZET:CARMEN – Blu-Ray Movie… |
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On Stage by Edgar Degas – 24H x 18W – Peel and Stick Wall Decal by Wallmonkeys $33.99 WallMonkeys wall graphics are printed on the highest quality re-positionable, self-adhesive fabric paper. Each order is printed in-house and on-demand. WallMonkeys uses premium materials & state-of-the-art production technologies. Our white fabric material is superior to vinyl decals. You can literally see and feel the difference. Our wall graphics apply in minutes and won’t damage your paint or l… |
