17. The mechanical aids to graining are quite numerous and some are valuable. For the graining of many kinds of woods the devices which are shown below will finish the work completely, and in the graining of others will partially do the work, which may afterward be improved by hand work in the finishing. It is not claimed for these tools that they will do as good work nor as varied as can be done by hand, but that in the hands of one who is used to the proper handling of them they will do better work than the average hurried up hand work that is usually seen, and which has probably had no small share in disgusting people with graining.

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Fig. 6
Fig. 6

18. Fig. 6 shows the three Davis rollers made of rubber. One is used in the wiping out of heart growths; another for the wiping out of champs in quartered oak and other woods, which when quartered present the same peculiarities. The last has three graded sets of indentations and are used as combs for any kind of combing where rubber combs are used.

In this lesson it is not the purpose to explain the use of the tools enumerated; this will come under its proper heading when the modus operandi of graining, both by hand and by the use of other helping tools will be fully detailed.

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Fig. 7
Fig. 7

19. Fig. 7 shows another rubber device, patented by the Ridgely Trimmer Co. The corrugations, as will be seen, are in halves and are made so that by proper pressure upon the handles curves them, enabling the operator to follow indentations, and which also produces many variations upon plain surfaces.

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Fig. 8
Fig. 8

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Fig. 9
Fig. 9

20. Figs. 8 and 9 are handled corrugated quarter-round rubber grainers. These are especially handy in graining floors, also in getting into corners where the others cannot readily be made to fit up to the jointing of the two corners. These are also made by the above-named firm; as well as the following:

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Fig. 10
Fig. 10

21. Fig. 10 shows a rubber graining comb with graduated sized teeth, which is frequently desirable as the work shows a more natural lessening of the width of the veining from the heart outward.

22. Fig. 11 shows graduated widths steel combs in three sizes of teeth, fine, medium and coarse. These are used in plain oak combings, etc.

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Fig. 11
Fig. 11

23a. An artificial rubber thumb made from a piece of rubber about ½ an inch wide at the end, which is then bevelled to a sharp edge, and is frequently used by men who have never been able to use their natural thumb in wiping out.

23b. The check roller shown in Fig. 12 is a series of notched metal disks which are joined together. The projecting parts of the disks are brushed over with distemper color and the roller revolved over such parts of the work where the operator desires to show weather checks, which are so often seen in oak.

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Fig. 12
Fig. 12

24. Last but not least, an abundant supply of soft cotton rags to use in connection with wiping out and in cleaning up tools.

QUESTIONS ON LESSON V.

17. General remarks on tools used in graining.

18. What are rubber graining rollers used for in graining?

19. What is represented by Fig. 6?

20. What is represented by Fig. 7?

21. What do Figs. 8 and 9 represent?

22. What is represented by Fig. 10?

23a. What is said of the steel combs, Fig. 11?

23b. What is the check roller used for, Fig. 12?

24. What is an artificial rubber thumb?

25. What is said about the use of rags?