(3) There are three powdered abrasives: pumice stone, rottenstone, and jeweler's rouge.
Powdered abrasives are used primarily on furniture for fine-woodwork finishing, to smooth the finishes
between coats of paint, and to polish metal surfaces. Pumice stone comes in grades F, FF, FFF, and
FFFF. The best all-around powdered abrasive to use is FFF. Only one grade is available for rottenstone
or jeweler's rouge.
h. Metallic Wools. Metallic wools have a variety of uses, and in many areas, they are better
than abrasives. There are four major types of metallic wools: aluminum wool for use on aluminum;
copper wool for use on copper; stainless-steel wool for use on stainless steel; and steel wool (the most
common type) for use on steel, iron, and wood. Metallic wools come in six grades that number from 3
(coarsest) to 3/0 (finest). Use Table 3-3 as a guide for selecting the correct steel-wool grade.
Table 3-3. Selecting steel-wool grades
i. Blowtorches. Use blowtorches (Figure 3-10, page 3-10) to remove paint from interior and
exterior surfaces. Blowtorches are available in many forms and use gasoline, alcohol, acetylene, or
petroleum gas for fuel.
(1) To fill a blowtorch, turn it upside down and unscrew the filler plug. Pour unleaded
gasoline (leaded gasoline will clog the torch) into the base, which serves as a funnel. When the tank
becomes full, replace the filler plug and wipe off the excess gasoline. Turn the blowtorch upright, then
operate the air pump to put pressure on the gasoline in the reservoir. Pour a small amount of gasoline in
the bowl located below the vaporizing assembly, and ignite the gas. You can also place gasoline in the
bowl by opening the needle valve by a small amount and allowing the gasoline to drip into it. When the
gasoline in the bowl is almost burned, open the needle valve and the torch will light. In addition to
conventional blowtorches, there are torches that use pressurized petroleum. These torches are very
convenient, especially for removing paint from small areas.
3-9
EN0562
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