Spirit Varnishes Technology Handbook (with Testing and Analysis)

Varnish is a clear finish best suited for accenting wood grain. Technically, all resin and solvent mixes are varnishes. Most resin or gum varnishes consist of a natural, plant or insect derived substance dissolved in a solvent. The two main types of natural varnishes are spirit varnish (alcohol-based) and turpentine or petroleum based varnish. Spirit varnishes made with alcohol are conveniently prepared and on account of their rapid drying and leaving no disagreeable smell are in frequent use in the household for covering various articles of art. Resin is a class of non volatile (non-evaporating), solid or semisolid organic substances obtained directly from certain plants as exudations or prepared by polymerization of simple molecules. Some hard and soft resins used in varnishes are amber, copal, shellac, sandarac, mastic, resin of turpentine, dammar etc. Rosins are classified as pale yellow, yellow, reddish to yellow, brown or black rosin. If the injection water be not completely expelled the rosin is opaque. If the essential oils have not been completely eliminated the rosin is viscous and tacky. Spirit varnishes are more or less thin, more or less viscous, colourless or more or less coloured, opaque or transparent solutions, of one or more natural resins, e.g. shellac and shandarac etc., in one more appropriate volatile solvents which leave on evaporation a thin, more or less resistant film which both adorns and protects the object on which it is applied.
Some of the fundamentals of the book are characteristics of spirit varnishes solvents, chemistry and distillation of rosin, sources and methods of obtaining turpentine, distillation of turpentine, turpentine testing and turpentine substitutes, chemistry and distillation of rosin, rosin spirit rosin oil, chemistry of terpenes and camphors, amber, asphaltum collodion and celluloid varnishes, India rubber, insulating, mastic and matte spirit varnishes, rosin spirit, sandarach, shellac spirit varnishes and enamels, testing and analysis of spirit varnishes, the determination of resins and solvents in spirit varnishes.
This book gives detailed information on spirit varnishes, types and characteristics of spirit varnishes, sources of origin, principles of manufacturing processes, testing and analysis of spirit varnishes and many more. We hope this book will be very resourceful to all its readers, new entrepreneur, libraries, paint and varnish technologists existing industries etc.