A Dead Black Paint.

The Manufacturer and Builder 2, 1886

Probably many of our readers, especially those who are the possessors of optical instruments, have, at some time or other, been in need of a "dead black" paint or varnish for brass work, such as tubes, diaphragms, etc. We have often been in the same boat, and all the formulæ and recipes given in the books were unsatisfactory because of their vagueness. The following can be relied upon to give a first-rate dead black, and it is easily made: Take two grains of lampblack, put it into any smooth, shallow dish, such as a saucer or small butter plate, add a little gold size, and thoroughly mix the two together. Just enough gold size should be used to hold the lampblack together - about three drops of such size as may be had by dipping the point of a lead pencil about half an inch into the gold size will be found right for the above quantity of lampblack; it should be added a drop at a time, however. After the lampblack and size are thoroughly mixed and worked, add 24 drops of turpentine, and again mix and work.