The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-12-11
DR.. LADD TALKS
| ON GOOD PAINTS
PROF. E. r. LADD, NORTH DAko-
IA AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE
CHEMIST, ADVISES ABOUT THE
THINGS TO LOOK FOR IN GOOD
PAINTS. ".@s-,, '.-..

ays L. F. Ladds chemist of the
North Dakota Agricultural college:
What is a. good paint? 1t is a paint
that wears well and furnishes a good
protective coating. When n asks,
How may we recognize a good paint o
IL is not so easy to answer, for In gem
era appearance there is very little
III the mixed paint, as usually found
upon he market, that will enable one
70 Judge from its appearance as to
Whether or not it has these two es-
sent1al properties.
IN selecting paint, or white leads
10 be used for paint, take only those
Whlch have a well established repu-
tatlon. None Of the catalogue-house or
made to order paints that have come
INTO North Dakota thus far, belong to
thls class. In applying a paint the
working qualities may lead one to
Juoge somewhat Of the value of the
paint, put even here a person needs to
De skilled. How shall we then know
the things to o 0 for in a good paint?
IN North Dakota and other states
"here there are paint laws in force,
see that the paint is labeled to show
the composition of the paint, and if SO,
AVOID any paint that contains any great
amount Of water, say 2 per cent or
more. Water Is to be avoided in all
paints. Avoid paints which contain
benzlne or petroleum products, also
paints which contain n great amount
or so-called inerts, as whiting, chalk,
barytes, clay, etc.
Mixed paints. aside from the added
color, contain white lead and zinc as
pigments, and linseed oil and turpen-
tine as liquids. White lead constitutes
the basis for the pigment to which
zinc is added. Some manufacturers
add small amounts of silicateS or
parytes, but If there is more than 10
per cent of these constituents present,
1t would be we'll to consider whether
the paint has a good reputation or
simply an advertised reputation. 1t
Is claimed that the addition of q small
noun OF silicates, as magnesia, adds
to the wearing quality, prevents set
Ting and hardening in the can. AS
to the wearing quality, this has been
questioned.
Paints which contain water usual
~ have added emulsifers or thicken-
ers to give the paint a better ppear
ance thar it really is entitled to, and
many Of these emulsifiers destroy or
lessen the wearing quality of the paint.
"A paint. without turpentine dries
slowly, but with too much turpentine
the paint may be destroyed, burned up.
therefore; turpentine should be used in
moderation, say from 5 to 8 per cent,
in the liquid.
Good paints may give bad results.
They may be applied over old paints
in repainting where there is no foun-
dation because the old paint was either
not we'll applied, or a bad primer was
used. Again, an inferior paint which
readily peels and scales furnishes no
foundation. Where paint Is applied to
damp lumber there is bound to be
trouble; or, if danpness can come from
behind so as; to interfere with the
paint, its wearing and protective quail
tiles may be destroyed. Then again,
the paint may not be properly thinned
or mixed or applied. All these are
faults Of workmanship and lack of
judgment.
But the, essential things. after all.
to look for in a good paint are to see
that 1t contains a generous proportion
OF white or sublimed lead with zinc,
and the less of inerts, barytes, chalk,
clay, ETC., that it contains the better.
AS for thinners, these should be raw
l1nseed oil and a small amount of tur-
pentine, with the necessary coloring
matter. See that the label shows this
and nothing else. Then if the work is
we'll done, you should have a paint of
good quality.
"If the manufacturer does not show
the composition Of his paint on the
label, then 1 would look for a paint
where the analyses is shown, and work
for a law which would require this
information to be shown.
Oh Holley, now of the Acme White
Lead & Color works, Detroit, Mich, in
speaking Of paints which contain eX-
tenders or cheaper ingredients, says:
"'Such combinations nay have a
commercial value, but the selling price
should be determined accordingly, and
chemical analyses a be depended
upon to show their probable service
value"