Woodworker's Journal 2011-35-Winter, страница 60

When held correctly, a paint brush is an extension of your hand and the bristles an extension of your fingers.

Holding and Cleaning the Brush

As with any tool, a brush is an extension of your hand. I hold a brush by grabbing it on the ferrule, with my fingers facing the same direction as the bristles. Hold the brush at about 45' to the surface, deflecting the bristles slightly. As you move the brush, increase the deflection pressure to feed out more finish. Take your time and watch how the finish flows off the brush.

finish, soak the bristles of the brush all the way up to the ferrule in whatever solvent is right for the finish. Wait a minute or two, then squeeze out the excess solvent, but don't spin the brush or try to dry the bristles.

Stir the finish and pour some into a straight-sided pan. Dip only the lower third of the bristles into the finish. Touch the tips of the bristles gently to the side of the container to prevent drips, but don't scrape the brush across the edge.

As you work, the finish will creep up the bristles, and it will thicken and dry, eventually forming a crust near the ferrule. Don't let that happen. It will make cleanup difficult and will stiffen the bristles, making them less effective.

When you see the finish getting higher and thicker up the bristles, stop and rinse the brush out in a pan of whatever solvent you soaked it in. Squeeze out the excess solvent, as before, and go back to work. In 30

seconds, you will have a brush that is as clean, wet and supple as when you first dipped it into coating.

Clean the brush by massaging the bristles in the appropriate solvent. When it looks clean, shake off any excess solvent and wash the bristles with plenty of soap and warm water, scrubbing them into your hand to create lots of lather. When the bristles are clean and all the solvent is washed out, rinse them to remove the soap (or shampoo), and spin out the excess water.

Roll up the clean, wet brush in a piece of clean brown bag paper about twice as wide as the length of the bristles and 10 times as long as the width of the brush. Flatten the paper and reshape the brush by folding the extra paper over about one inch past the ends of the bristles. When you return the next day, the bristles will be as supple and clean as the day you bought the brush and perfectly shaped.

If you have any brushes that already sport a dry crust of old paint below the ferrule, all is not lost. Soak the bristles up to the ferrule in paint remover until the finish comes off easily, then follow with a rinse in mineral spirits before you move to the sink for the final cleaning.

How to Help Your Brush Last a Lifetime

Roll up the ferrule and the clean wet bristles in brown paper bag material.

Feel for the end of the bristles and fold the paper over about 1" past the end of the bristle.

A piece of tape or a rubber band around the ferrule will hold the paper in place until the bristles are dry.

60 Brushing Up On Finishing