A Dictionary of Occupational Terms Based on the Classification of Occupations used in the Census of Population, 1921.

ORDER XV.—WORKERS IN WOOD AND FURNITURE

Sub-order 1.—Workers in Wood

478.—French Polishers

bodyer, bodier (pianos and organs): takes roughly polished parts from filler q.v. and rubs on more polish to give body or increased depth of colour.
filler, filler-in, polisher's filler-in ; polishing boy: fills up with knife, porous grain of white wood, used in piano and organ making, with a patent filling composition (composed largely of plaster of Paris), which he applies by hand, with a piece of sacking; rubs whole with sandpaper; then applies rough first coat of polish by hand, with a cotton-wad.
polisher, French polisher, wood polisher: covers surfaces of woodwork (usually hardwood) with a coating of spirit varnish, i.e. gum shellac dissolved in spirit, and rubs it over with a hand pad containing cotton wool saturated with varnish until spirit has entirely evaporated; for inferior work occasionally applies varnish with a mechanical spray; sometimes uses wax and other materials for polishing in addition to, or instead of, spirit varnish; sometimes stains and fills wood surfaces, in addition to polishing them, see filler.
polisher (pianos, harmoniums, organs): a polisher q.v. engaged in polishing cases of pianos, organs, harmoniums, etc.; can sometimes "colour up" case to any desired colour; sometimes finishes polishing with methylated spirit, or by rubbing in vitriol and chalk.
polishing boy: see filler.

From: A Dictionary of Occupational Terms Based on the Classification of Occupations used in the Census of Population, 1921,
Ministry of Labour, 1927. Digitised by Peter Christian, August, 2016. This text is in the Public Domain.