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I got some questions about brushes and their care. I know that having a sonic cleaner is probably the best but there are those times that we use them that the cleaner isn't around. As I am not a lettering or painting person...yet, I wish someone would post something about taking care of our brushes, what to do to get paint out of the ferrule, what kind/size of brush to use for sizing, etc.
Last night while I was sizing, I noticed that there was air bubbles in the size after I applied it and I know that this can show up in the goldleaf job. I used LeFranc 12 hr with a touch of 1shot. I just poured a little in the cup with the 1Shot and stirred gently. Could the bubbles be from the type of brush that I am using?
[ March 03, 2006, 10:08 AM: Message edited by: Laura Butler ]
-------------------- Laura Butler Vision Graphics & Sign 4479 Welch Rd Attica, Mi 48412 Posts: 2855 | From: Attica, Mi, USA | Registered: Nov 2000
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Laura. ...for brand new enamel "lettering" brushes (quills, flats, fitches, stripers (work oil into the ferrule, and (after use) clean them in spirits and re-oil.
...Never oil your water base brushes (seems obvious), and after use clean them well in tap water and a plastic scrub brush if needed. Before their next use, I work any dry "stiffness" out in isopropal alcohol. Dry this out before use.
...Apply oil size with quills or flats. For GLASS gilding you need a "special" brush for flooding the water and gelatin size on, and it should ONLY be used for this purpose. If any oil gets on it, it's ruined.
...I've never had a problem with bubbles in size. You should be applying it well thinned in a single thin layer with minimum "pooling". . . . Good luck, I hope this helps.
I use French Master lettering quills for applying 12 Hr LeFranc size and lettering enamels (I also use foam brushes on occassion but naturally I toss those).
When I'm done working I clean the brush out in mineral spirits then work Neets Foot Oil into the brush and ferrule. Working the oil into the brush and ferrule releases a lot of paint residue that the spirits didn't.
I store my brushes wet by keeping them soaking in Neets Foot oil in a rig I made up out of a 9 x 13 baking pans that are basicially slightly pitched high on the handle end (3/4" block of wood under pan) to keep a small oil reservoir down on the brush and in the ferrule and the handles dry above the oil. I keep these brush pans away inside a metal cabinet.
When I clean a brush for applying size I usually pay a lot more care by wicking out the oil first with a paper towel then rinsing the brush thouroughly at least twice in clean spirits.
I mix my size with a healthy drop of one shot chrome yellow generally. I've never thinned size. Then I'll pallet the size into the brush and ferrule till it flows real nice.
I've never used alcohol, gasoline or anything else on my quills and fitchs and most of them in my collection are 15 years old and going strong.
Believe me, I've ruined a few brushes in the early days but never ruined any since I've taken the time to take care of them.
Sometimes I have some bubbling in the size after it's been applied but it generally dissipates and levels out by the time the size goes off and is unnoticeable when gilded.
Bubbling that ruins the finish could possibly be the result of an impurity in your brush or on the surface or by applying the size too heavy. That's the only time I've had problems with 12hr size.
Sorry for the long post. Hope that helps some.
Harry
-------------------- Harry Ellis Signs East End Sign Co. Montauk Point, Long Island, NY
"Happiness in a cheap price is soon overcome by the bitterness of poor quality" Posts: 17 | From: Montauk, NY | Registered: Feb 2006
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Thanks Harry. That was a lot of good info. I am doing this piece for the second time and its still no good. I guess I'll just have to keep practicing.
[ March 04, 2006, 10:16 PM: Message edited by: Laura Butler ]
-------------------- Laura Butler Vision Graphics & Sign 4479 Welch Rd Attica, Mi 48412 Posts: 2855 | From: Attica, Mi, USA | Registered: Nov 2000
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