There are two kinds of brushes on the market: natural- and synthetic- bristle types. Natural-bristle brushes are made from boar, sable, camel, ox or badger hair. Soar- bristle ("China hog") brushes are ideal for applying varnish. Other natural-bristle brushes are best suited to lacquer and shellac. They are a poor choice, however, for spreading water-based finishes because they may cause the finish to foam up.
Synthetic-filament brushes are made of nylon or polyester, or both. These brushes are your best bet for applying water-based products. Durable and flexible, they can also be used with varnish and penetrating oil stains.
How to choose brush?
Finishing chemistry has changed radically in recent years. The most significant advance has been the development of water-based finishes in response to both the health risks posed by solvents and clean-air legislation that limits the percentage of VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, in solvent-based finishes. Most of these regulations are primarily intended for furnituremakers who use more than one gallon of finish per day, yet industry experts predict that by the mid-1990s, VOC-compliant finishes will be the rule rather than the exception for everyone in the United States.
Inhalation is the most common way that solvents are absorbed into the bloodstream, but toxins can also be ingested from food and beverages left in the shop. Others can be absorbed directly through the skin or even by swallowing vapors in saliva.
In their most poisonous form, solvents can cause damage to the central nervous system and respiratory tract. Methylene chloride, for example, is suspected of being a carcinogen, while some glycol ethers have been linked to birth defects. Keep in mind, however, that the health hazards of any finishing product depend on a number of factors. Most products on the market are actually benign when used only on occasion, and could only be considered poisonous if swallowed directly. Some can even be made non-toxic; shellac is commonly used as an ingredient in confectioners' glaze.
When choosing a finishing product, be aware of the combination and concentration of organic solvents in its makeup, particularly if you intend to use the substance for extended periods of time; prolonged exposure may be hazardous. The chart below lists the solvents contained in a variety of finishing products and evaluates the relative toxicity of each one. Always choose the safest product for the job at hand.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alan_Usen
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Synthetic-filament brushes are made of nylon or polyester, or both. These brushes are your best bet for applying water-based products. Durable and flexible, they can also be used with varnish and penetrating oil stains.
How to choose brush?
- Pay a little more to get a superior-quality brush; a better brush will improve your results.
- Avoid brushes with hollow bristles. Unlike solid bristles, hollow ones do not spring back to their original shape when bent.
- For a good-quality, all-purpose brush, choose a chisel tip model with long springy bristles-soft for thin water-based finishes and stiff for heavy-bodied products such as shellac, lacquer and varnish.
- If you want a brush with flagged bristle tips, check for branch-like split ends.
- If you are looking for a tapered-bristle brush, make sure that the bristles are thicker at the ferrule end than at the tip.
- Buy brushes that have good spring. Squeeze the bristles with your hand and bend them; they should feel full and spring back to their original positions.
- Confirm that the bristles are different lengths by running your hand down one side of the bristles from the ferrule to the tip; the shorter bristles should spring up.
- Make sure that the bristles are firmly set in the ferrule, which should be securely fastened to the handle.
Finishing chemistry has changed radically in recent years. The most significant advance has been the development of water-based finishes in response to both the health risks posed by solvents and clean-air legislation that limits the percentage of VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, in solvent-based finishes. Most of these regulations are primarily intended for furnituremakers who use more than one gallon of finish per day, yet industry experts predict that by the mid-1990s, VOC-compliant finishes will be the rule rather than the exception for everyone in the United States.
Inhalation is the most common way that solvents are absorbed into the bloodstream, but toxins can also be ingested from food and beverages left in the shop. Others can be absorbed directly through the skin or even by swallowing vapors in saliva.
In their most poisonous form, solvents can cause damage to the central nervous system and respiratory tract. Methylene chloride, for example, is suspected of being a carcinogen, while some glycol ethers have been linked to birth defects. Keep in mind, however, that the health hazards of any finishing product depend on a number of factors. Most products on the market are actually benign when used only on occasion, and could only be considered poisonous if swallowed directly. Some can even be made non-toxic; shellac is commonly used as an ingredient in confectioners' glaze.
When choosing a finishing product, be aware of the combination and concentration of organic solvents in its makeup, particularly if you intend to use the substance for extended periods of time; prolonged exposure may be hazardous. The chart below lists the solvents contained in a variety of finishing products and evaluates the relative toxicity of each one. Always choose the safest product for the job at hand.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alan_Usen
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