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Show Wednesday, August 17, 1983 Sun Advocate, Price, Utah 7B Spruce up that old but functional furniture By BARBARA MAYER AP Newsfeatures Judging from the frequency with which he is asked how to refinish furniture, Tom Benson says there must be a great many pieces of old furniture about that are still serviceable but need sprucing up. Benson, a furniture care expert for Johnson Wax, answered some questions at a furniture care recently seminar in New York. Though an amateur should not risk hurting a fine antique or costly piece of furniture, any lesser pieces can be adequately refinished by someone without any special knowledge or skill, he said. A fairly simple procedure is to first remove accumulated dirt and polish by scrubbing a pieces surface with a solvent-soake- d rag sprinkled liberally with a powdered detergent. The solvent can be turpentine, mineral spirits or a specially formulated polish remover. Using plenty of clean rags and discarding them as they get dirty, keep wiping until all traces of the detergent are removed. Then sand the piece to remove the finish, wipe it with a solvent-soake- d rag and allow it to dry. Next, apply a sealer purchased in the paint or hardware store and allow it to dry. Then sand the piece lightly, dust it off and apply one or more coats of varnish, shellac, polyurethane or other coating. Your retailer can advise which product to use. If more than one finish coat is applied, sand lightly between each coat. Finally use a furniture polish to protect the newly applied finish. If you find the finish goes on unevenly, leaving some surfaces insufficiently covered this is known as fish eyeing a few drops of fish eye weddings preventer available from paint and hardware stores can be added to the varnish or other finish to alleviate the problem, said Benson. intense sunlight hours or rotate the furniture in place to prevent spot bleaching. Also, avoid placing objects in one spot on a table for a long time. Benson says most new furniture is sold with a highly resistant nitrocellulose coating designed to protect the underlying finish and wood for a long time. To keep new furniture looking good a long time, he advised obtaining specific information about the finish and how to care for it. Dont place furniture next to a radiator or other heat source or where it will be subjected to frequent sudden drops in temperature. If you do, it may develop swollen joints and surface blemishes as the wood alternately expands and contracts. If excessive humidity or dryness is a problem, consider or using a dehumidifier humidifier to alter humidity. Aim for an average humidity measurement of about 30 percent, said Benson. The major enemies of wood furniture are sunlight, excessive moisture or dryness, and temperature extremes. Constant exposure to direct sunlight can cause tiny hairline cracks in the finish of wood furniture. To avoid the problem, arrange furniture away from direct sunlight, use sunscreening draperies during You can minimize damage to furniture through water, alcohol or food spills by wiping up spills as soon as they occur. And dust your furniture with a soft cloth so it is not exposed to the un- necessary abrasion which comes from dusting with a harsh cloth. Home remedies can be employed to treat minor furniture ailments. But dont attempt any repair or touch-u- p without first testing the procedure on an inconspicuous surface. Here are some of Bensons first-ai- d suggestions for dealing with typical problems. For hairline cracking in the finish, a thin coat of paste wax applied in a circular motion and buffed immediately with a dry, clean cloth sometimes works. Scratches and nicks can often be disguised with an application of furniture polish. If the scratch still shows, try rubbing in paste wax with very fine steel wool. If the area needs restaining, one or more of the following may be used, depending on the color boiled required: nutmeats, linseed oil, coloring or wax sticks in woodtone colors, paste shoe polish or iodine. crayons Water or alcohol rings not caught immediately sometimes can be removed by rubbing with paste wax, toothpaste or moistened cigar ash. If this doesnt work for alcohol spots, an application of Put a few drops of salad oil or lubricating oil on the blemish and shake on enough rottenstone to make a paste. Rub the area with the grain of .the wood and then a soft clean cloth. Compare the repaired area with the original finish by try rot-tensto- wiping frequently. Heat marks sometimes e respond to rubbing with a cloth moistened with camphorated oil. Wipe up immediately and then repolish with paste wax or liquid furniture wax. Come Share More of the Good Life At Melanie Parry Mark Scott Mr. and Mrs. Thomas M. Parry are pleased to announce the forthcoming marriage of their daughter, Melanie Joyce to Mark Scott, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Scott and Mrs. Margaret Scott. The couple will be married August 20 at the Masonic Temple in Price. A reception will be held in their honor from 7 to 9 p.m. that evening at the Helper Civic Auditorium. Jill Black - Greg Rector Friends Jill Black, of daughter of Ross and Earlene Black, and Greg Rector, son of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Rector, are cordially invited to join them at an open house at Unicorn Hall (Canyon Club), Orangeville, on Aug. 20 at 7 p.m. should know the Medicare rules Users, By LOUISE COOK Associated Press Writer If youre over 65, you probably know about Medicare, the federal health insurance program for the elderly. But unless you know exactly how Medicare works, you may be paying more than you have to for health care. Does your doctor accept assignment, for example? Whatsis an approved charge? How much will Medicare actually pay? There are two parts of Medicare, one for doctors bills and one for hospital charges. When it comes to doctors bills, Medicare generally will pay 80 percent of the approved charges for covered services above a fixed annual deductible, currently $75. The approved charge sometimes referred to as the is not reasonable charge necessarily the same amount your doctor charges you. It is based on a formula involving all the fees charged by all the in your area for a particular service. The Health Care Financing Administration of the Department of Health and doctors because of the way approved charges are' determined and because of the high rates of inflation in medical care prices, the approved charges are often less than doctors and suppliers actual charges. You are protected against the doctor agrees to accept assignment. When a doctor agrees to accept assignment, he or she agrees to accept the amount approved by Medicare as payment in full even if he normally charges more. Suppose you go to your doctor for a cardiogram. The regular charge is $50. The approved charge, according to Medicare, is $35. Assume youve already paid the $75 deductible for this year. Medicare will pay 80 percent of the approved $35 charge for your cardiogram or $28. If your doctor agrees to accept assignment, all you must pay is the remaining $7. If he or she 20 does not, you must pay $22 of the approved charge, percent plus the difference between the approved charge and the actual one. Hospital coverage is different. Human Services says that Use leftovers of lamb for a delicious curry dish By CECILY BROWNSTONE Associated Press Food Editor Chutney Rice Cobbler LAMB CURRY of After roasting a half-le- g leftovers use the can lamb, you in this hot curry. 1 tablespoon butter 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced Vi teaspoon cinnamon teaspoon paprika 1 tablespoon curry powder 1 & ry chicken bouillon teaspoon Tabasco sauce cups cubed ( inch) leftover 8th WHEN: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER TIME: 7 WHERE: Carbon High School Auditorium Admission is FREE COST: p.m. Hundreds of Dollars in DOOR PRIZES including the Grand Prize MICROWAVE OVEN roast lamb Cold Marinated Vegetables Peach-Raspber- Vs 2 nt Salt to taste BUFFET SUPPER Lamb Curry Charlotte will be giving demonstrations on stage of exciting recipes including costand time saving tips saving, energy-efficieusing conventional and microwave cooking. difference between approved and actual charges if your cube dissolved in IV4 cups hot water 1 tablespoons flour canned flaked 3 tablespoons coconut 3 tablespoons tomato paste Peanuts and chutney In a medium saucepan in the hot butter, stir together onion, garlic, cinnamon, paprika and curry; add Vi cup chicken bouillon; simmer until liquid has almost evaporated and about mixture is a thick paste 15 minutes. Gradually stir the remaining 1 cup bouillon into the flour; add to onion mixture with coconut, tomato paste and Tabasco. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in lamb and salt; reheat. Serve over rice; offer peanuts and chutney. Makes 4 small servings. Sponsors: SUN ADVOCATE EMERY COUNTY PROGRESS Because of last years tremendous response, please no children under 10 lint-fre- |