As soon as the cement or varnish has become tacky, a corner of the heavy paper is separated from the lighter paper, and the transfer applied to the selected spot. A rubber roller or skweegie is used to smooth the back of the design, without wrinkling, after which operations the transfer is allowed to "set" for about 15 minutes. It is then dampened with a sponge until the heavy backing paper can be peeled off from the corner which was previously separated. The remaining layer of thin paper can then be soaked with water and 340 FURNITURE MAKING AND CABINET WORK gently peeled away and the gummy residue washed off with a damp cloth. When dry, any surplus cement or varnish can be wiped off with a cloth moistened with naphtha. No protective finish is required over transfers that have been applied over a final enamel coat; on stained finishes they are usually applied under the final varnish coat. Stencils. Like decalcomanias, stencils can be procured in a variety of designs and sizes, or they may be cut out by the hobbyist according to an original design. In the latter case the pattern is first traced on regular stencil or other tough glazed paper, then cut out with a sharppointed stencil knife. If solid portions of the stencil are completely surrounded by cut out portions, such as the center of the letter "O," for example, tieins of paper must be left uncut to support the solid "island." These blank tie marks can be painted in by hand after the painted design has dried. Even when regular stencil paper is available, it should be toughened and waterproofed with a coat of shellac or lacquer after the stencil is cut. The completed open stencil may be fastened in place with masking or Scotch tape. As was the case with the masking lines used for striping, the edges of the stencil pattern must adhere tightly to the furniture to prevent runs. Thus in the case of a curved surface such as a chair back, great care must be exercised to insure close contact; this is especially true if the pattern is to be sprayed on (with a nozzle adjustable to a round pattern, and reduced air pressure). Application of the stencil colors by brush will permit careful adjustment as the work progresses. As in striping, pigments ground in oil are reduced to a fairly thick consistency to prevent their running under the edges of the stencil. A regular stencil brush is required because the stenciling operation is based upon a vertical up and down pouncing movement against the bristle ends, instead of the customary lateral brushing. In an emergency the bristles of an old shaving brush can be cut off short to form an effective stencil brush. Multicolored stencil designs can be produced by cutting separate stencils for each color. This is a tedious method, however, since it is usually necessary to wait for each color to dry before applying another. Faster results are obtained by masking out all but one color at a time. This can be accomplished with standard masking tape, or, if the design permits, by attaching hinged flaps to the stencil.