March 2015
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ABRASIVE: A substance used for wearing away a surface by friction. Powdered pumice, rottenstone, sand paper, steel wool and rubbing compound are some of the abrasives used for rubbing enamel, varnish and lacquer surfaces.
ABSORPTION: The act of taking up, drinking in or assimilating. A surface is absorbent when it takes into itself and holds the finishing material applied over it.
ACCELERATE: To hasten or quicken the natural progress of an event or series of events. The drying of finishing materials is accelerated by an increase of temperature. An accelerated test is one in which more drastic treatment is given the material being tested than it would receive under actual service conditions, thus determining the resistance or durability in a shorter time.
ACETATES: A group of organic solvents used in making lacquers. Acetates are derived from the reaction of various alcohol's with acetic acid. The acetate usually takes its name from the alcohol, such as ethyl acetate from ethyl alcohol. Some common acetates are n-butyl acetate, ethyl acetate and methyl acetate.
ACETONE: A low boiling, highly inflammable organic solvent used in paint and varnish removers, lacquers, etc. It is completely miscible with water and most organic solvents. It is an excellent solvent for fats, oils, resins and nitrocellulose. Flash point 0°F (TCC). Evaporation Rate 5.7. Boiling range of 55.5-57.1°C @ 760 Torr. Acetone is a VOC-exempt solvent, meaning it is exempt from federal regulation as a contributor to the formation of ground level ozone (smog).
ACID NUMBER: An expression of the amount of free acid in fats, oils waxes and resins or solutions thereof, expressed as the number of milligrams of potassium hydroxide required to neutralize one gram of the material being tested.
ACRYLIC RESIN: A synthetic resin, water-white in color, very transparent, and resistant to discoloration, moisture, alcohol acids, alkalies and mineral oils. Usually made by polymerization of acrylic acid and methacrylic acid.
ACTINIC RAYS: Those rays of light which cause chemical changes in films of finishing materials. These rays are the shorter wave lengths in the spectrum, in the blue and ultra-violet range. It is these rays in conjunction with moisture and temperature changes, that cause deterioration of films.
ACTIVE SOLVENT: A solvent that will readily dissolve or liquify a resin.
ADHESION: The property that causes one material to stick to another. Adhesion is affected by the condition of the surface to be coated and by the closeness of contact as well as by the molecular forces of the unlike substances. Thus, the surface should allow a certain amount of penetration, should be chemically clean and not too smooth, hard or non-porous for good adhesion.
ADSORPTION: A type of adhesion which occurs at the surface of a solid or liquid in contact with another medium, thus allowing an increased number of molecules of the gas or liquid to become attached to the surface of the solid at the point of contact.
ADULTERATION: The act of substituting one substance in whole or part for another (usually of greater value).
AGING: Allowing to stand undisturbed for an extensive period. Aging improves most clear finishing materials through greater clarity but some varnishes, paints and enamels tend to skin over, thicken, or deteriorate in other ways or their chemical or physical properties are unstable.
AGGREGATE: A group of two or more particles of a material that are held together so tightly by adhesive forces that they tend to remain intact as a group. The rinding of paint or enamel is required principally for breaking apart aggregates of pigment particles rather than for reducing the size of the individual particle.
AIR DRYING: A finishing material is said to be air drying when it is capable of hardening or curing at ordinary room temperature, i.e., 60°F to 80°F.
ALCOHOL: In the finishing material industry the term is generally understood to mean denatured alcohol, or ethyl alcohol which has been rendered unfit for beverage purposes. Chemically, an alcohol is a hydroxide of an organic radical. Amyl, butyl, ethyl and methyl alcohols are those most frequently used as solvents for coatings.
ALIPHATIC: A descriptive name applied to petroleum products derived from paraffin base crude oil. Gasoline, mineral spirits, naphtha and kerosene are typical, aliphatic or "straight chain" hydrocarbons, as distinguished from coal tar solvents or "cyclic hydrocarbons," such as benzol and toluol.
ALKYD: A synthetic resin which is made by the reaction of a polybasic acid, such as phthalic, maleic or succinic acid, with a polyhydric alcohol, such as glycerine. Vegetable oils, fatty acids and other resins are often used as modifying agents.
ALLIGATORING: The appearance of a paint, varnish or lacquer film that is cracked into large segments, resembling the hide of an alligator. Caused by heavy coats, by re-coating before bottom coat is completely dry, by the use of thinners that evaporate too quickly or by a less elastic material applied over a more elastic one.
AMBER: A yellowish translucent resin formerly used in the manufacture of varnish but now very scarce and expensive. The term is also used to refer to the color of a resin or varnish.
AMORPHOUS: A term used to describe finely divided solid substances the individual particles of which are without regular or definite crystalline form.
AMYL ACETATE: A colorless, inflammable liquid with a banana-like odor which is used as a high boiling lacquer solvent to decrease blushing and to slow up the evaporation rate. Made by reacting amyl alcohol with acetic acid. Evaporation Rate 0.4. Flash point approx. 93°F (open cup). Boiling range of 146°C @ 760 Torr.
AMYL ALCOHOL: A colorless, medium boiling alcohol obtained from fused oil and used as a solvent in the manufacture of lacquers and spirit varnishes. Evaporation Rate 0.3. Flash point approximately 115°F (open cup). Boiling range of 127-137°C @ 760 Torr. Also known as "fused oil."
ANIMAL OIL: Oil obtained from animal tissues. The only drying or semi-drying animal oil is that obtained from certain species of fish.
ANHYDRIDE: The chemical term used to describe a compound, which becomes an organic acid upon the addition of water.
ANHYDROUS: A material containing no water, especially water of crystallization.
ANILINE COLORS: Colors made from aniline oil or coal tar derivatives, used in the manufacture of wood stains. Aniline dyes are made in different grades to be soluble in water, alcohol or hydrocarbons, and accordingly are called "water colors," "spirit colors" and "oil colors" respectively.
ANTI-CORROSIVE: An anti-corrosive paint is one made with neutral or slightly alkaline pigments and a water resisting vehicle to be used as a primer on steel and other metals to prevent or retard corrosion.
ANTI-FOULING: An anti-fouling paint is one which contains a toxic or poisonous substance to prevent the attachment of barnacles or other marine growth to the hull of ships or other objects submerged in water.
ANTI-OXIDANT: A material which, when added to a varnish or an oil, allows the oxidation to progress to the desired stage and then retards subsequent oxidation thus extending the life of the film.
ANTIQUE FINISH: A finish that is designed to give the appearance of age to the article being finished, usually achieved by high lighting the parts that would normally receive the greatest wear or by darkening the unworn portions to simulate the accumulation of smoke and dirt.
ANTI-SKINNING AGENT: A material which, when added to a varnish or an oil, will tend to prevent a skin of partially oxidized material from forming on the surface of the liquid while in the container or just before use.
APPLICATION: The principal methods of applying finishing materials are: brushing, spraying, dipping, roller coating, flowing, tumbling, squeezing, stenciling and printing. When the entire surface to be coated has been covered an application has been made. When the same surface is re-coated, a second application has been made. Two or more applications may be considered as one coat if the normal drying time was not allowed between applications.
AROMATIC: An aromatic hydrocarbon is one derived from or characterized by the presence of the benzene nucleus, as contrasted to the aliphatic or "straight chain" hydrocarbons. Coal tar solvents, such as benzol (benzene), toluol (toluene), solvent naphtha and xylol (xylene) are some of the more familiar aromatic or "cyclic" solvents.
ASBESTINE: The non-combustible residue, which remains after a material is burned or heated at a very high temperature.
ASH: The non-combustible residue, which remains after a material is burned or heated at a very high temperature.
ASPHALTUM: A black or brown solid or semi-solid substance used in making asphaltum varnish or black japan. Other names for similar materials are: "asphalt," "bitumen," "gilsonite," "pitch" and "tar."
ASPHALTUM VARNISH: A solution of asphaltum or pitch, prepared either by the hot or cold method, with or without the addition of drying oils, metallic dryers, other resins or volatile thinners, according to the method of manufacture and the use to which the finished product is to be put.
AZEOTROPE: A liquid mixture that is characterized by a minimum or maximum boiling point that is lower or higher than any of the components.
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BACTERICIDE: A substance which, when added to varnish, oil, paint or enamel, inhibits the growth of mildew, mold or bacteria on the dried surface.
BAKING: The process of drying a coated material by the application of artificial heat. A baking enamel, japan, paint or varnish is one, which requires elevated temperatures to become hard and dry. Forced drying is a mild form of baking, where temperatures of 100°F to 150°F are used as contrasted to 175°F to 400°F for baking. The application of heat greatly reduces the drying time.
BALD SPOT: An area or patch in a wrinkle finish film that has failed to wrinkle or does not give the desired optical effect.
BALL MILL: A paint mill which employs steel balls inside of a revolving cylinder which, as they fall against each other and against the interior surface of the cylinder, break up the pigment aggregates, wet the individual pigment particles with the vehicle and reduce the size of the pigment particles.
BANANA OIL: See "AMYL ACETATE."
BARYTES: A natural, white, inert pigment, consisting chiefly of barium sulfate. Used extensively as an extender in paints and as a base for chemical colors.
BASE: A term having several meanings, according to the context:
BATAVIA DAMAR: That grade of damar resin, which is cleared through the collecting station in Batavia.
BATCH: The quantity produced in one complete operation.
BATU GUM: A semi-fossil damar resin, imported from the East Indies.
BEESWAX: A wax secreted by honeybees for making their honeycomb. The melting point is about 150°F.
BENZENE: See "BENZOL."
BENZINE: Petroleum Naphtha, a highly volatile petroleum fraction used for thinning coating materials. Less volatile than petroleum ether but more so than mineral spirits. Do not confuse with "benzene," which is pronounced the same but is derived from coal tar and has entirely different solvent properties.
BENZOL: Also called "benzene" which is often confused with "benzine," therefore, "benzol" is the preferred term. Derived from the distillation of coal tar, it is an aromatic or cyclic hydrocarbon with powerful solvent properties but its use is heavily restricted due to its toxicity.
BINDER: The non-volatile, film-forming solid portion of the vehicle in a coating that binds the pigment particles together after the film is dry.
BITE: When a topcoat material partially dissolves or softens an underneath coat, it is said to bite into the undercoat.
BITTY: When small bits of skin or partially hardened material is present in a finishing material, it is said to be bitty.
BLACKNESS: A term used to describe the overtone of a black coating. A material, which absorbs all the light waves, is "jet black"; if some blue wavelengths are reflected, the material is a "blue black," etc.
BLEACHING AGENT: A material which, when properly used, permanently lightens the color of the object on which it is used.
BLEEDING: When the color of a stain or other coating material works up into succeeding coats, imparting to them a certain amount of color, it is said to bleed. A non-bleeding color is one which is not soluble in materials used over it.
BLENDING: This term is often used as a synonym for the word mixing. That is, when two materials are blended together they are intimately mixed together. The term is also used to denote the gradual shading off from one color to another on a finished surface. Blending stains are shading stains, used to gradually change the depth of color from one part of the work to another. Also the term is used to denote the partial mixture of two or more colors after application, so there is a gradual change from one color to another.
BLISTERING: The formation of bubbles or pimples on the surface of finished work. Caused by exposure to excessive heat, by grease or other volatile material under the finish by moisture in the wood or by the too frequent application of coats. Anything that causes a gas or vapor to form under the film may cause blistering.
BLOOM: A bluish cast, which forms on the surface of a dried film of finishing material. May be caused by a deposition of smoke or other foreign material from the atmosphere or by the softening of the film during rubbing operations, thus allowing traces of oil to remain on or in the surface which later sweats out to form a hazy film. "BLOOMING" should not be used to describe the blushing of a lacquer film, as a bloom develops after the film is dry, whereas a blush develops during the drying operation.
BLUEING: Same as "BLOOMING."
BLUSHING: The formation of a white or grayish cast in a spirit varnish, shellac or lacquer film during the drying period. Caused by the partial or total precipitation of the solid ingredients as a result of condensed moisture in the film because of excessive humidity or by improper solvent balance, resulting in the true solvents evaporating first and the diluent or non-solvent portion evaporating later. In either case, the addition of a quantity of slow evaporating true solvent, known as a "blush retarder," usually corrects the trouble.
BODY: Often used to describe the fullness or thickness of film on the work. Also used to describe the consistency of viscosity of a finishing material.
BODYING ACTION: The tendency of a finishing material to take on a thicker consistency upon standing in the package. The action is similar to that which takes place when a material "livers" or "puddings," except it does not proceed so far.
BODYING AGENT: A material added to a protective coating to increase the viscosity.
BODY ON WORK: The apparent thickness of a dried film of finishing material.
BOG OAK: Originally used to describe the black color produced in oak logs, that had laid buried for years in bogs. Imitated by the use of black stains to color lighter oak.
BOILING POINT: The temperature at which the vapor pressure of a liquid equals the air pressure, or the temperature at which a liquid begins to boil.
BOND: The adhesion between two dissimilar materials.
BOND COAT: A coating used to improve the adherence of succeeding coats.
BOTTOM DRYING: Certain types of driers when used with certain oils tend to cause the resulting finish to dry from the bottom up rather than from the top down.
BOXING: The intimate mixing of a finishing material by repeatedly pouring a portion of the original quantity into a second portion in a partially filled container.
BREAK: The flocculent material or "foots" which separates from an oil upon long standing or upon subjection to heat. Varnishes or lacquers are said to break when a portion of the solid ingredients separates from the liquid in the package. The term is also used to describe the defect when the liquid separates from the pigment in a coat of paint soon after application.
BRIDGING: The ability of a finishing material to cover a crack, void or small gap without a break in the film, usually resulting in an air pocket under the dried film. Bridging is usually a defect that is to be avoided, if possible, although it is a desirable feature in certain special finishes.
BRIGHTNESS: The quantity of light emitted in a direction perpendicular to the surface. The degree of apparent luster in a dried film. The purity of a hue or freedom from darkness of color, as a "bright green." The freedom of turbidity or suspended matter in a transparent material.
BRILLIANCE: The relative apparent purity of a color to the eye. The amount of glitter or surface reflection, such as "brilliant luster."
BRITTLENESS: The converse of toughness or tenacity. The brittleness of a dried film is its tendency to crack or flake when bent or scratched.
BRUSHABILITY: The ease with which a material can be applied with a brush under practical conditions.
BRUSH MARKS: Marks of the brush that remain in the dried film. Caused by working the material after its solvents have evaporated to the point that the flowing power has been lost or by defects in formulation that prevent the material from leveling out after it has been brushed.
BUBBLE TEST: A method of comparing the viscosity of a varnish or lacquer with another material of known viscosity or consistency. Tubes of exactly the same internal diameter are filled almost but not quite completely with the two materials. The two tubes are held adjacent to each other in a vertical position and quickly inverted. The comparative rate with which the bubbles rise in the tubes is a rough measure of the relative viscosity's, the heavier the consistency the slower will the bubble rise in the inverted tube.
BUBBLING: The appearance of bubbles in the film while a material is being applied, caused by any condition that causes air, vapors, or gases to be trapped in the film while it is soft but after it has hardened sufficiently to prevent the gas from escaping.
BUFFER COAT: A coat of finishing material applied over another dried film to protect it from the solvent action of the succeeding coats.
BUILDING COAT: A finishing material, usually of a transparent nature, used over the sealer or color coats and under the finishing coats to increase the fullness of the finished work.
BULKING VALUE: The increased volume produced by grinding a quantity of pigment in a vehicle, usually expressed as the gallons added by grinding 100 pounds of pigment. The bulking value depends mostly upon the specific gravity of the pigment, although the oil absorption, fineness of particle size and similar conditions have some effect on the results in actual practice.
BUNGHOLE: A round opening in a drum, barrel or cask that is closed with a tightly fitting plug or bung. "Bunghole boiled" linseed oil is oil to which a small amount of liquid drier has been added, to improve the drying properties about the same as if the oil had been heat treated.
BURN: A finishing material is "burned" when the dried film is rubbed too strenuously with insufficient lubricant causing the finish to soften and stick to the rubbing pad.
BURNING IN: The process of repairing scratches and damaged spots in a finish by melting stick shellac or similar compounds into the defect by means of a heated knife.
BUTANOL: The more common name for butyl alcohol. Used widely as a constituent of lacquers. Evaporation Rate 0.5. Flash point about 97°F (TCC). Boiling range of 116-119°C @ 760 Torr.
BUTYL ACETATE: A widely used lacquer solvent. Evaporation Rate 1.0. The evaporation rate of n-butyl acetate is used as the reference for all other solvents. Flash point about 100°F (open cup method). Boiling range of 122-129°C @ 760 Torr.
BUTYL ALCOHOL: See "BUTANOL."
BUTYL PHTHALATE: A widely used plasticizer for lacquers. See DIBUTYL PHTHALATE.
BUTYL PROPIONATE: A slow evaporating lacquer solvent, often used to aid in blush resistance.
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CAKING: The formation of a cake of varnish or lacquer on the rubbing pad during the rubbing operation. Caused by improperly dried varnish, not enough lubricant, too much pressure on the rubbing pad, too fine or hard felt in the pad, inferior pumice, dirt in the varnish surface, and similar causes.
CALCIUM CARBONATE: The chemical term for calcite or whiting. Obtained from natural deposits of chalk, calcite or dolomite. It is used as a white inert pigment.
CALCIUM SULPHATE: A white inert pigment which almost completely loses its color and opacity when ground in oil. Chemically-hydrated sulphate of calcium.
CAMPHOR: A white translucent solid of a peculiar characteristic odor, which is derived from a species of laurel tree grown chiefly in Formosa. In the earlier days of lacquer it was used as a softener or plasticizer to give a flexible film. It is seldom used in present day lacquer manufacture because of its high volatility.
CANDELILLA WAX: A wax obtained from a small shrub in Mexico. It is a little softer than carnauba wax, having a melting point of about 156°F.
CARBON BLACK: A black pigment produced by burning natural gas in an insufficient supply of air.
CARBON TETRACHLORIDE: A non-flammable liquid that has good solvent properties for many resins, oils and waxes. Used to some extent in the varnish and lacquer industry, also as a fire extinguisher.
CARNAUBA WAX: One of the hardest waxes in use, having a melting point of about 185°F. Obtained from the leaves of a species of palm grown in Brazil. Yellow in color.
CASE HARDENING: The condition that occurs when a finishing material dries hard on top and remains more or less soft and mushy underneath instead of drying thoroughly throughout the film. Sometimes caused by relative humidity of the atmosphere being too low. Case hardening may result in checking, cracking and alligatoring when the underneath portion of the film finally becomes hard.
CASEIN: A non-crystalline solid obtained from milk, Soya beans and similar sources. Mostly used in the paint industry as the binder in water paints.
CASTOR OIL: Non-drying oil obtained from the castor bear, used as a plasticizer in lacquers and similar products. When subjected to a special treatment it is converted into a drying oil, known as dehydrated castor oil, which is used to a great extent in the manufacture of synthetic resin and varnishes.
CATALYST: A substance which accelerates a chemical reaction by taking part in the reaction but is formed again as a reaction product, therefore only a small quantity needs to be added. Driers are a catalyst in the oxidation of vegetable oils. Similarly catalysts are sometimes used in certain synthetic resins to speed their hardening processes.
CAUL BOARDS: The boards between which veneered work is laid at the time the plywood is put in a press to hold the sheets together while the glue is hardening.
CAUSTIC SODA: See "SODIUM HYDROXIDE."
CELLULOSE: The principal constituent of raw cotton and many other fibers obtained from the vegetable kingdom. Of interest to the finishing material industry because nitrocellulose, ethyl-cellulose and other valuable raw materials are obtained from it by complicated chemical reactions.
CELLULOSE ACETATE: The product formed by the reaction of acetic anhydride with cellulose under special controlled conditions. Soluble in acetone and other special solvents. The dried film is not inflammable and for this reason it is preferred to nitrocellulose for special uses as in finishing airplane fabric surfaces.
CELLULOSE NITRATE: See "NITROCELLULOSE."
CENTRIFUGE: A machine somewhat similar to a cream separator, used for clarifying varnishes and similar materials by throwing out the solid particles, which have a higher specific gravity, through the action of centrifugal force.
CERESIN: A wax obtained from ozocerite and sometimes used as a substitute for beeswax. Has a melting point of about 180°F.
CHALK: A natural, soft, white mineral usually of seashell origin, which is one source of whiting, when ground and purified.
CHALKING: The condition which occurs when a loose powder, derived from the film itself, is formed on the surface of a dried film or just beneath the surface. Caused by a disintegration of the binder portion of the film. Can be detected by rubbing the film with the finger tip or with a piece of cloth of contrasting color.
CHASER: A mill used for grinding stiff pastes such as putty. Consists of a circular pan, which retains the mixture to be ground, and one or more heavy rollers, usually of stone, mounted at the end of a horizontal axis which permits them to revolve edgewise against the bottom of the pan as they progress around a vertical axis at the center of the pan.
CHECKING: Similar to alligatoring, except that the finish is broken into smaller segments. Crowfoot checking is the name given to the defect when the breaks in the film form a definite three-prong pattern with the breaks running outward from a central point of intersection. When the checks are generally arranged in parallel lines, the defect is known as line checking. Irregular checks without a definite pattern are known as irregular checking.
CHEMICALLY PURE: Of a definite chemical composition; free from adulteration, extenders or diluents.
CHINA CLAY: An inert pigment, consisting essentially of an aluminum silicate, used to a considerable extent to impart certain desirable properties to paint materials.
CHINAWOOD OIL: See "TUNG OIL."
CHIPPING: The condition obtained when a dried film of finishing material separates from the underneath surface in the form of flakes or chips. Usually caused by insufficient elasticity or improper adhesion to the base material.
CHLORINATED RUBBER: A synthetic resin made by chlorinating rubber under specified conditions.
CHROME GREEN: A mixture of chromic yellow and Prussian blue usually precipitated together during the process of manufacture. A widely used green pigment. Can be varied in shade at the time of manufacture, by controlling the strength and proportion of the yellow and blue.
CHROME ORANGE: An orange pigment, consisting chiefly of basic lead chromate, made from lead chromate and lime.
CHROME YELLOW: A yellow pigment, produced by mixing solutions of lead acetate and potassium biochromate. Controlling the strength of the solutions, the temperature at the time of precipitation, and other such factors can vary the shade.
CISSING: Another term for the defect known as "CRAWLING."
CLEAN AIR ACT (CAA): A federal law which requires the participation of each state to carry out much of the work in regulating the emission of chemicals that contribute to the formation of ground level ozone (smog). Under this law, EPA sets limits on how much of a pollutant can be in the air anywhere in the United States (see "Hazardous Air Pollutants" and "Volatile Organic Compounds"). This ensures that all Americans have the same basic health and environmental protections. The law allows individual states to have stronger pollution controls, but states are not allowed to have weaker pollution controls than those set for the whole country. The original Clean Air Act was passed in 1963, but our national air pollution control program is actually based on the 1970 version of the law. The 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments are the most far-reaching revisions of the 1970 law.
CLEAR TONE: A finish is said to have a clear tone when it is transparent and has no sign of turbidity or muddiness.
CLOSE DRYING: A material is said to be close drying when it does not show much fullness or body on the work before rubbing. The rubbing operation often brings out the true fullness of the dried film.
CLOUDING: Similar to "blooming." A loss of luster with the accompanying appearance of a cloudy film on the surface.
CLOUDY: When a finishing material is turbid, due to the suspension of finely divided solid particles, it is said to be cloudy. A similar appearance in the dried film is known as cloudiness.
COAGULATE: To change from a liquid to a thickened, jelly-like or curdled, soft mass. Usually caused by catalytic agents.
COALESCING AID: A solvent that causes the individual polymer molecules in the resin to unite into one unifed body, thereby giving a continuous film or coating. TEXANOL Ester Alcohol is a popular coalescing aid for latex paints.
COAL OIL: One of the fractions obtained from the distillation of petroleum. More commonly known as kerosene.
COAL TAR: A black liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons, obtained from coal during its conversion to coke. Coal tar is the basic raw material for many of the solvents, dyes, chemicals and resins used in the coating industry.
COAL TAR NAPHTHA: Same as xylol of an industrial grade.
COAL TAR RESINS: Synthetic resins produced from coal tar.
COAL TAR SOLVENTS: Aromatic or cyclic hydrocarbons obtained from the distillation of coal during the coaking process. See "Benzol," "Toluol" and "Xylene."
COAT: When used as a verb, "Coat" means to cover or apply; as a noun, the word signifies the amount of finishing material applied to a surface during one or more applications without a drying period between applications. See "heavy coat", "thin coat" and "wash coat."
COEFFICIENT OF EXPANSION: The ratio of the length of a material as compared to the original length for each degree of temperature applied to the material.
COHESION: That form of attraction by which the particles of a body are united throughout the mass.
COLD CHECKING: Checks or cracks which appear in the dried film when it is subjected to repeated sudden and appreciable reductions in temperature. In furniture finishes, cold checks usually take the form of parallel lines more or less at right angles to the direction of the grain of the wood. Caused by the force of contraction exceeding the cohesion of the film. Materials can be formulated with high tensile strength to resist cold checking.
COLD COLOR: A color is said to be cold when it has a bluish or greenish tone or is not suggestive of warmth.
COLLOIDAL: An insoluble substance which is divided so finely in another non-solvent substance that it remains in permanent suspension and cannot be filtered out by usual means is said to be in colloidal suspension.
COLLOID MILL: A machine consisting of a high rotor and stator, which produces air emulsifying action between the opposing faces.
COLOPHONY: See "ROSIN."
COLOR: A term used to describe the effect produced by various wavelengths of light upon the retina of the eye. An object is black when all wave lengths of light are absorbed and none are reflected and none are absorbed; it is green when only the wave lengths producing the sensation of green are reflected; and so on. Color is divided into three main parts:
The term color is also used to denote the pigments used to produce colored paints. It is also used to express the act of applying color to an object.
COLOR CHIP: A small piece of paper, celluloid or other material, coated with finishing materials and used as a color sample.
COLOR COATS: Those coats of finishing material, which give color to the finish.
COLOR FLOAT: When one or more colors, different than the original color, appear on the surface after the finishing material has been applied, it is said to have a color float. Caused by imperfect wetting of the pigment particles, by too great differences of specific gravity of the individual pigments, imperfect incorporation of the pigments, and by the use of tinting colors ground in a different liquid than that composing the main body of the material.
COLORIMETER: An instrument for measuring the type and quality of color by comparison with standards, by measurement of the reflected light waves or by similar means.
COLORING MATTER: Any dye color or pigment used to impart color to a finish.
COLOR STANDARDS: A set of standardized color samples for comparing and classifying the color of oils, resins, varnishes, lacquers, paints or other finishing materials or their ingredients.
COLOR STRENGTH: The intensity of color exhibited by a pigment. Another way of expressing its power to alter the tint or shade of another color to which it may be added.
COLOR VARNISH: A semi-transparent or translucent varnish containing colored pigments or dyes but not in sufficient amounts to be opaque or solid covering.
COMMERCIALLY PURE: A loosely applied term used to define the purity of a substance or the basis of acceptable commercial standards.
COMPATIBILITY: The ability of two or more materials to mix with each other without separation or chemical reaction.
COMPLEMENTARY COLORS: Contrasting or opposite colors. The mixture of any two primary colors is the complement of the third primary. For example, green, the mixture of blue and yellow, is the complement of red. Complementary colors in pigments accentuate each other when placed side by side but tend to neutralize each other when mixed.
CONDENSATE: The product that is obtained by cooling and collecting the vapors of a material that is being distilled.
CONGO RESIN: A fossil-copal resin, found in the Belgian Congo of Africa. One of the most widely used natural resins for manufacturing varnish.
CONSISTENCY: The relative limpidity, stiffness, or resistance to agitation or resistance to deformation of a coating material. See "BODY."
COPAL: A group of natural resins from Africa, New Zealand, East Indies, and South America which consist of the hardened exudations of various trees.
CORE: The central piece of wood used in the construction of plywood. Its grain is usually at right angles to the grain of the adjacent plies. See "CROSS BANDING," "FACE VENEERS" and "PLYWOOD."
CORROSION: The electrochemical degradation of metal or alloys due to reaction with their environment, which is accelerated by the presence of acids or bases. A paint or coating is often applied to a surface to protect it from corrosion, oxidation, or other types of deterioration.
COTTON LINTERS: The short fibers of cotton which adhere to the cotton seed when the cotton is ginned. These short fibers are cut from the seed with special machinery and used in the manufacture of nitrocellulose and for other special purposes.
COUMARONE-INDENE RESINS: A class of synthetic resins derived from tar.
COVERING POWER: The capacity of any pigmented finishing material to hide the color of the material beneath it and to produce a uniform, opaque surface when applied in one coat. See "HIDING POWER."
CRACKER JACK RUB: When a dried film is given only a slight rub, just enough to dull the luster, it is sometimes spoken of as a cracker jack rub.
CRACKING: An intensified or advanced stage of checking ox crazing whereby the breaks in the film are so deep as to expose the underlying surface.
CRACKLE FINISH: A novelty finish, usually produced by applying a heavily pigmented, intense shrink top coat of lacquer over a longer, more elastic bottom coat of lacquer, by which the top coat cracks and pulls apart in a more or less definite pattern to expose the underlying coat in the cracks.
CRAWLING: Description of the refusal of a finishing material to remain spread in a continuous uniform coating after it has been applied. The finish crawls or creeps away from certain spots and leaves them uncoated. May be due to excessive viscosity, high surface tension, low temperatures, glossy surface of undercoat, or to the presence of grease, oil or other foreign matter on the undercoat.
CRAZING: The appearance of minute, interlacing cracks or checks on the surface of a dried film or finishing material.
CRINKLING: Descriptive of the shriveling or crinkling of the fatty or thick edge of the dried film of finishing material.
CRIPPLES: Finished work that does not pass inspection due to imperfections in the finish, and consequently must be touched up or refinished.
CROCKING: When the color rubs on the clothing, especially when wet, the finishing material is said to crock.
CROSS BANDING: The layers of plywood directly beneath the face veneer and adjacent to the core in five-ply construction of plywood. The grain of the wood in the cross banding is usually at right angles to the grain in the face veneer and core.
CROW FOOTING: A species of crystallization wherein the lines come together at a central point.
CRUMBLING: When a material does not contain enough binder to hold it together in a plastic mass, it is said to be crumbly. Used mostly in speaking of filters and other heavily pigmented goods.
CRYPTOMETER: A device for evaluating the hiding power of paints.
CRYSTALLIZING: When varnishes or other materials dry with a rough crystalline surface instead of a clear, smooth surface, they axe said to crystallize. Caused by improper ventilation, by gas fumes or by cold draughts during the drying process or by improper formulation and manufacture of the material.
CUT: The pounds of resin added to each gallon of solvent, such as a four-pound cut of shellac, which is four pounds of dry shellac dissolved in one gallon of alcohol. This results in a solution that contains 2.86 pounds of shellac to the gallon of solution. A cut is also a fraction obtained by distillation. The word is also used to designate the reduction or thinning of one liquid material with another, as a three to one cut with naphtha," meaning a mixture of three parts of finishing material and one part of naphtha by volume.
CUTTING UP: Cutting up takes place when one coating softens another one that was apparently hard and dry before application of the second coat. Caused by the solvents in the topcoat softening and partially dissolving the bottom coat, due to improper drying or improper formulation.
CYCLE: Any periodic repetition of a process. The completion of all the steps in a process of testing, for example, to the point where the steps start to be repeated is one cycle of testing.
CYCLIC HYDROCARBON: An aromatic hydrocarbon or solvent derived from and containing the benzene nucleus. Coal tar solvents, such as benzol, toluol and xylol are cyclic or aromatic solvents.
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DAMAR: A resin, usually of modern origin, obtained from various trees in Australia, New Zealand, the East Indies and South America. It is usually classified by the name of the port from which it shipped, such as Singapore damar, Batavia damar, etc. Usually very pale in color and is used in varnishes and lacquers.
DARK: As used in the trade, "dark" is a comparative adjective to describe those colors approaching blackness as opposed to "light" colors which approach whiteness or "deep" colors which are intense or strong with no apparent presence of black. A dark orange would be a brownish shade of orange.
DEAD FLAT: Having no apparent luster.
DEADENING: When a finish loses its luster after being applied for sometime or when exposed to outside weather conditions, and appears dead or dull, the condition is described as a deadening of the finish.
DECALCOMANIA (Decal): The process of transferring pictures, designs or decorations from specially prepared paper onto other surfaces. The prepared paper designs are also known as decalcomanias or "decals." Some decals carry their own adhesive next to the paper on which they are printed, the designs being slipped from the moistened paper, face up, onto the work. Other decals call for a thin coat of varnish or cement to be applied to the surface to be decorated, the design, with the dry paper still attached, being laid face down against the cement; then the paper backing is moistened and removed. Some decals require a transparent coat to be applied over them; others have the finishing coat already on the design.
DEEP: A finish is said to be deep when it appears to have great thickness. A color is said to be deep when it is intense or strong with no apparent presence of black. A deep yellow is one approaching the orange hue.
DEHYDRATE: To remove water or moisture.
DEHYDRATED OIL: An oil, usually of a semi-drying or non-drying type, which has been chemically treated to convert it into a drying oil, through the rearrangement of the atoms in the molecule to form new double bonds between the carbon atoms. Water is split from the molecule during the process, hence the term "dehydrated." Dehydrated castor oil is the most common one used in the varnish industry. It is used as a replacement for tung oil and produces waterproof varnishes.
DENATURANT: A material added to another substance to alter its effectiveness for certain purposes. Denatured alcohol is ethyl alcohol containing small quantities of other materials, which render it unfit for beverage purposes. Most alcohol denaturants are poisonous.
DEMONSTRATOR: An employee who instructs customers or their employees in the methods of applying finishing materials properly, usually by actually applying the material in the presence of the persons being instructed.
DENSITY: The comparative weight of a unit volume of matter to that of an equal volume of matter to that of an equal volume of a standard material, usually chemically pure water. See "Specific Gravity" and "Weight per Volume." Density is also used to denote strength of color, freedom and voids or to express solidity.
DEPTH OF FINISH: The apparent thickness of the dried film of finishing material due to its smoothness, clarity, brilliance and luster, as well as the actual film thickness.
DESICCATE: To transfer moisture from one material to another which has a higher affinity for the water vapor, usually by placing the two materials in close proximity to each other with the exclusion of air.
DESTRUCTIVE DISTILLATION: The irregular decomposition of an organic compound by the application of temperatures so high as to cause the vapors that are driven off to be of a different chemical composition than was present in the original material.
DIACETONE ALCOHOL: A clear, colorless, almost odorless liquid miscible in all proportions with water and with most other solvents. It is a good solvent for nitrocellulose.
DIBUTYL PHTHALATE (DBP): A water-white, oily, stable, liquid used extensively as a plasticizer in lacquers. It has good solvency for nitrocellulose.
DIETHYLENE GLYCOL (DEG): A clear syrupy liquid used as a solvent for synthetic resins and nitrocellulose.
DIETHYL PHTHALATE (DEP): A stable, colorless and odorless liquid derived from the reaction of ethyl alcohol and phthalic anhydride, used as a plasticizer for nitrocellulose and cellulose nitrate.
DIFFUSED LIGHT: Scattered or dispersed light of a uniform degree of intensity, such as through ground glass.
DILUENT: A non-solvent liquid, which is blended with an active solvent to obtain certain properties in a finishing material. A diluent for nitrocellulose solutions may be a solvent for resin solutions and, therefore, is valuable in providing miscibility and stability of the two solutions when combined with each other.
DILUTION RATIO: A measure of the amount of non-solvent or diluent that can be added to a solution before precipitation occurs.
DIMETHYL PHTHALATE (DMP): A colorless, odorless liquid, derived from the reaction of methyl alcohol with phthalic anhydride. Used as a plasticizer for cellulose acetate.
DIPENTINE: A high boiling solvent for resins derived from the distillation of the sap of pine trees.
DIPPING: The process of applying finishing materials by immersing the object to be coated into the liquid.
DIRTY: Not clean. Containing foreign matter, usually of a finely divided solid nature. A dirty color is one that is muddy or not clear and bright.
DISINTEGRATION: To break apart, pulverize or destroy by separation into small particles. The complete breaking down of the dried film of finishing material is spoken of as disintegration.
DISPERSED: Finely divided or colloidal in nature.
DISTEMPER: A water paint in which the pigments are tempered or mixed with a small amount of binding substance.
DISTENSIBILITY: The ability of a material to dilate, expand, swell or stretch when force is applied. See "ELASTICITY."
DISTILLATE: The product produced by cooling the vapors of a material that has been heated sufficiently to cause a portion of it to vaporize.
DISTILLATION: The act of applying heat to drive off certain portions of a material by vaporization. The vapors are usually cooled and condensed. This is a frequent method used to separate two or more materials with different boiling points.
DOCTORING: The act of changing the properties of a finishing material by incorporating small amounts of modifying agents. See "Doping" also.
DOCTOR TEST: A test for determining the presence of sulphur compounds in petroleum thinners. It depends upon the reaction of sulphur compounds with lead compounds to produce a darkening effect.
DOMINANT COLOR: The predominant or outstanding color in a color scheme.
DOPE: A solution of nitrocellulose or other cellulose derivatives in suitable solvents, used for special purposes, such as coating leather, fabrics, etc. to render them smooth, rigid and non-porous.
DOPING: The act of applying dope to the surface being coated. The term also refers to changing the properties of a finished material by the incorporation of small amounts of modifying agents. See "DOCTORING."
DORMANT: Not active. See "QUIESCENT" and "LATENT."
DRAUGHT TEST: A test applied to finishing materials to determine their ability to withstand draughts of air during the drying stages without producing a dull or crystallized dried film.
DRAW DOWN: A test applied to determine the color tone or opacity of a finishing material, wherein a small quantity is spread out in a thin layer on white paper.
DRIER: A catalytic material which improves the drying or hardening properties of oils or varnishes when added in small amounts. They are usually organic salts of lead, cobalt, manganese, zinc and iron, such as naphthenates, resinates and linoleates.
DRIPS: The small drops of material which collect on the edge of dipped work.
DROP BLACK: A black pigment made by calcining animal bones. Also known as "bone black" or "animal charcoal."
DRY: Free from liquid, containing no water. Raw materials, such as pigments, are dry when they contain no water. Finishing materials are dry when they have solidified or are no longer in a liquid state.
DRY COLOR: A colored pigment, usually with good tinting strength suitable for Grinding into varnishes, oils or lacquer solutions for producing colored finishes. See "DRIERS".
DRY ICE: Solidified carbon dioxide. A white ice-like material which is very which changes directly into a gas without going through the liquid (sublimes) when it is heated above its melting point (-109.3 F).
DRY DUST FREE: That stage of solidification of an applied film or finishing material when particles of dust which settle upon the surface do not become imbedded in the film.
DRY HARD: That stage of solidification of an applied film of finishing material when it has reached approximately its maximum degree of hardness.
DRYING: The act of changing from a liquid film to a solid film by the evaporation of solvents, oxidation, and polymerization or by a combination of these phenomena.
DRYING OILS: Organic, oily liquids which have the property of hardening or solidifying when applied as a thin film and exposed to normal atmospheric conditions.
DRYING SALTS: Compounds of drying metals, which are reacted with the acid constituents of oil or varnish to produce driers.
DRYING TIME: The time required for an applied film of a coating material to reach the desired stage of hardness or non-stickiness. The various stages of drying are: "dust free," "to touch," "tack free," "to handle," "hard," "to rub" and "to pack".
DRY TACK FREE: That stage of solidification of an applied film of finishing material when it does not feel sticky or tacky when the finger is drawn lightly across the film in a quick continuous motion.
DRY TO HANDLE: That stage of solidification of a film of finishing material when the coated article may be picked up or moved without the finish coming off on the hands or being seriously damaged.
DRY TO PACK: That stage of solidification of an applied film of finishing material when it is sufficiently hard that the coated article can be packaged for shipment.
DRY TO RUB: That stage of solidification of an applied film of finishing material when it can be rubbed with an abrasive and a lubricant without softening appreciably or "picking up" on the rubbing pad.
DRY TO SAND: That stage of solidification of an applied film of finishing material when it can be sanded without undue softening, sticking or clogging of the sand paper.
DRY TO TOUCH: That stage of drying of a film of finishing material when it has solidified sufficiently that it can be touched lightly without any of the finishing material adhering to the fingers.
DULL: Lacking brightness, clearness or luster.
DURABILITY: The ability of a finishing material to withstand the conditions or destructive agents with which it comes in contact in actual usage, without an appreciable change in appearance or other important properties.
DUST: Small particles of solid matter. Also a grading or size of natural resin.
DUST FREE: That stage of solidification of an applied film of finishing material when dust that settles on the coated surface will not penetrate or stick to the film.
DRYING AWAY: Loss of apparent film thickness in a dried coating. See "DEADENING".
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EARTH PIGMENTS: Those colored pigments which are mined directly from the earth. They are also known as natural or mineral pigments. They are quite stable and not easily affected by alkali, heat, light or moisture. They are usually of a yellow, brown or red hue. Inert natural pigments are not usually classed as earth pigments.
EAST INDIA: A natural resin of a fossil or semi-fossil nature that is collected in the East Indies and marketed through Singapore.
EFFERVESCE: The phenomenon that occurs when a liquid froths or bubbles due to the escape of gas not formed by boiling.
EFFLORESCE: To form or become covered with a white powdery crust, such as is often seen on interior and exterior masonry walls, due to the evaporation of water from a solution which leaves the white crystals of various salts behind on the masonry.
EGG SHELL: An indefinite term used to describe the appearance of a film that has little or no luster. The term is also used to describe an off-white color. It was no doubt, derived from the similarity of appearance of such films to that of an egg.
ELASTICITY: That property of a film, which allows it to stretch or to change size or shape and to return to its original condition without breaking or rupturing. Do not confuse with "toughness," "tensile strength" or "elongation," which have different meanings.
ELASTIC LIMIT: An expression of the maximum stress or distorting force, a material can withstand and still be able to return to its original length, size or shape after the force is removed. When the applied force is sufficient to stretch the material to a point where it does not return to its normal or original condition the elastic limit has been exceeded.
ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE: The potential for retaining an electrical charge. Measured on megaohms, this is a measure of resistance to flow of electrical current. Particularly important in electrostatic spray applications. Typically, ketones, glycol ethers, and alcohols have lower electrical resistance while esters, aromatics, and aliphatics have higher resistance.
ELECTROLYSIS: Chemical decomposition by the action of an electric current.
ELECTROSTATIC SPRAY: The process of applying an electrostatic charge to a coating while applying an opposite charge to the substrate. Electrostatic spray allows for better substrate coverage and improved transfer efficiency.
ELEMI GUM: An aromatic, balsamic, resinous gum of modern origin. Used to some extent in the manufacture of lacquer, because of its plastic and adhesive properties.
EMPIRICAL: A method or formula arrived at by a "trial and error" procedure rather than by a consideration of theoretical or fundamental factors.
EMULSIFIERS: Those materials which form protective colloids that serve to intimately mix and dispense dissimilar materials that are ordinarily immiscible and form a stable finished product.
EMULSION: A suspension of fine particles of a liquid within another liquid which ordinarily is not miscible with the first liquid. Usually an emulsifying or dispersing agent is used to promote this intimate and more or less permanent intermixing of the dissimilar liquids.
ENAMEL: A broad classification of free flowing pigmented finishing materials which dry to a smooth, hard, glossy or semi-glossy finish. Generally the liquid portion consists of varnish or lacquer and the pigment portion is ground to a very small particle size. Paints, on the other hand, usually have raw or treated oils as the vehicle and the pigments may not be so finely ground.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA): The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency is an independent federal government agency whose mission is to protect human health and to safeguard the natural environment — air, water, and land — upon which life depends.
EROSION: That phenomenon found in dried films of finishing material wherein the top surface wears away under exterior exposure or other climatic conditions to expose the underneath surface. It usually occurs as a result of chalking of the film.
ESSENTIAL OIL: Oil, which has an essence or odor. An essential oil is distinguished from a fatty oil by its volatility, odor and non-greasiness.
ESTER: A compound that is formed when an organic radical replaces a hydrogen ion of an acid. The usual reaction is that of an acid (organic or inorganic) with an alcohol or other organic compound rich in OH groups. Some of the more familiar esters used as solvents in the coatings industry are ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, amyl acetate, and other esters of acetic acid.
ESTER GUM: A modified natural resin produced by the reaction of an alcohol such as glycerine with the acids in a natural resin, such as rosin. Ester gum is very insoluble in water and, therefore, adds properties to a varnish that cannot be obtained with natural rosin.
ESTERIFICATION: The formation of an ester.
ETHYL ACETATE: A colorless liquid produced by the reaction of ethyl alcohol and acetic acid. A good solvent for nitrocellulose. Evaporation Rate 4.1. Flash point about 41°F (open cup method). Boiling range of 75.5-78°C @ 760 Torr.
ETHYL ALCOHOL: A colorless and inflammable liquid derived by the distillation of fermented liquors. Second only to water in being the oldest and most widely used solvent. It is also the active ingredient in alcoholic beverages. Evaporation Rate 1.8 (approx.). Flash point about 50°F (TCC). Boiling range of 74-82°C @ 760 Torr.
ETHER: Same as "Ester."
ETHYL CELLULOSE: A cellulosic compound made by the reaction of ethyl chloride upon alkali cellulose. Used in making special lacquer products.
EVAPORATE: The act of volitilization. Transforming from the liquid to vapor phase. Driving off a liquid by the application of heat, vacuum or similar conditions.
EVAPORATION RATE: The rate at which a specific material will volitilize, or convert from the liquid to gas phase. In North America all evaporation rates are given in comparison to that of n-butyl acetate (ER=1.0). One cc of n-butyl acetate under normal air flow and 0-5% relative humidity will evaporate in 468 seconds.
EXPANSION: To enlarge, i.e., when moisture is present in wood.
EXPOSURE TEST: A preliminary and practical method of evaluating the durability of a protective coating by subjecting it to conditions similar to those which will be present in actual usage.
EXTENDER: An inert pigment used to increase the bulk of a paint or enamel or to dilute the color strength of a pigment. An extender often improves a paint or enamel.
EXTRACT: The product derived from vegetable matter by the application of solvents, heat or pressure to separate it from the other constituent parts.
EXUDATE: Any material usually of a resinous or balsamic nature, that filters through the walls of a living vegetable cells and accumulates on the exterior tissues.
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FACE VENEER: The outside piece of wood used in the construction of plywood. Its grain is usually at right angles to the grain of adjacent plies.
FADING: The loss of color due to exposure to light, heat or other destructive agent.
FAILED: Not up to expectations. When a finishing material, either in the liquid or dried film state, does not pass a given test, it is said to have failed in that respect.
FALSE BODY: An abnormally heavy consistency that gives the false impression that the material contains a high solid content and, therefore, will deposit a heavy film.
FAST TO LIGHT: A color which does not fade or change appreciably in hue, tint or tone upon exposure to light over a considerable period of time is fast to light.
FAT: An oily or greasy hydrocarbon of animal or vegetable origin.
FATTY: Having a consistency of solidified fat or butter. Often caused by age. Some fatty finishing materials lose their good drying properties.
FATTY ACID: An organic acid derived from fats or oils or produced by syntheses from hydrocarbons. The three principal fatty acids are palmitic, stearic and oleic acid.
FATTY EDGE: The thick edge sometimes found on heavily coated work, especially dipped work, which results in a rounded thicker film along the edges of the work.
FEATHER EDGE: The tapering of the edge of a film of dried material either by the method of application of by sanding or rubbing the dried film, resulting in a gradual progression of the film thickness from little or no material at the edge to a normal coating at the center.
FEATHERING: The formation of fine shreds of precipitated solids in a varnish or lacquer when excessively thinned with an improper solvent.
FILLER: A finishing material, usually containing considerable quantities of pigment, used to build up or fill depressions and imperfections in the surface.
FILM SCRAP: Reclaimed photographic film from which the emulsion has been removed. Used as a replacement for virgin nitrocellulose in the manufacture of lacquers and sealers.
FILTER: To remove solid particles from a liquid by passing the liquid through a paper, cloth or other membrane containing openings that are too small to allow the solid particles to pass through.
FILTER AID: An extraneous substance added to a liquid to facilitate the removal of suspended matter during filtration.
FILTER CAKE: The deposit of solid matter that is built up on the filtering membrane during the filtration process.
FILTER PRESS: A machine so constructed as to form hollow chambers when filter cloth or filter paper is placed between the plates. The plates are held together by strong pressure. The suspended particles in a liquid are removed and deposited in the chambers when the material is forced through the filtering medium by a pump.
FINENESS: The degree of subdivision of pigments or the extent to which they are dispersed in the vehicle upon grinding.
FINGER NAIL TEST: A physical test upon the dried film of a finishing material to denote the ease with which it can be marred, scratched, flaked or broken. The test is often performed by picking at the finish with the edge of the nail of the thumb or index finger.
FIRE CRACKED: The appearance of a dried film that contains delicate intricate and almost invisible surface cracks, such as might be caused by exposure to heat.
FIRST COATER: A finishing material used as the initial film-forming coat.
FISH OIL: A drying or semi-drying oil obtained from the bodies of fish.
FIXATIVE: A material that is used to make another substance or color permanent. For example a dye mordant is sometimes called a fixative. Also clear liquids that are applied to pastel paintings or charcoal drawings to prevent the surface from smudging or rubbing off are called fixatives.
FIXED OIL: A non-volatile stable fat or oil, as contrasted to essential or volatile oils. A saturated oil, therefore non-drying.
FLAKING: The phenomenon of the detachment of small pieces of dried film from the underneath surface.
FLASH BAKE: Originally a process of baking which ignited the solvents in a film of coating material and the solid residue deposited on the surface. Now used as a descriptive term to indicate a rapid baking process, usually at high temperature.
FLASH POINT: Lowest temperature at which a flammable liquid gives off sufficient vapor to form an ignitable mixture with air near its surface or within a vessel. Combustion does not continue. Flash point is determined by laboratory tests in cups.
FLAT: Having no gloss or luster.
FLATTING AGENT: A material added to a normally glossy coating to reduce the luster and produce a flat appearance.
FLOATING: See "COLOR FLOAT."
FLOCK: The finely divided, soft, fluffy fibers used to produce a flock finish, which consists of an adhesive applied to the surface to be coated and into which the flock is blown or sifted before it is dry to produce the appearance of felt or a pile fabric.
FLOOD: The excessive application of considerably more finishing material than is necessary to secure satisfactory results.
FLOODING: The change in color of a pigmented finishing material from that exhibited at the time of application to that shown, in the dried film. Flooding is due to a uniform color float by which one tone of the color becomes stronger as the film dries.
FLOW: The characteristic of a coating that allows it to level or spread into a smooth film of uniform thickness before hardening.
FLOW COAT: A coat of finishing material applied to a vertical surface in an excessive amount, the surplus being allowed to flow down over the surface and drip off the bottom edge.
FLUID: Any material, either a gas, a liquid or a semi-solid, that is capable of flowing or changing its shape under normal conditions.
FLUSH COLORS: Chemically precipitated colors in paste form, which are capable of being incorporated directly into oil or varnish without being ground. In the flushing process the oil replaces the water around the pigment particles and the water, being lighter than oil, rises to the top of the mixture, where it can be removed.
FOOTS: The finely divided, extraneous, gelatinous matter that separates from the oils when aged in an undisturbed condition.
FORD CUP: A type of viscometer originally used by the Ford Motor Company, but now extensively used in testing laboratories. It consists of a cup, with an overflow device to insure a standardized volume, in the bottom of which is a standardized orifice. The number of seconds required for the cup to empty itself at a standardized temperature gives a numerical expression of the viscosity of the material.
FORMALDEHYDE: A colorless gas with a sharp odor formed by the partial combustion of methanol. A preservative and disinfectant and ingredient used in phenolic and urea resins.
FOSSIL RESINS: Those natural resins, which derive their hardness and desirable characteristics from aging in the ground.
FRENCH POLISH: An old method of finishing wood, consisting of the application of repeated coats of low solids shellac solution with a soft cloth pad on which a few drops of oil has been placed. The shellac solution is applied sparingly with a rotary motion of the pad and the wiping action is repeated until the film is nearly dry. The finish is allowed to harden between applications.
FROSTING: See "CRYSTALLIZING."
FUGITIVE: Lacking in permanence of color upon exposure to light.
FULLER’S EARTH: A type of clay used to aid in the bleaching and deodorizing of oils and other liquids.
FULLNESS: A term denoting the apparent body or depth of finish on the work.
FUME: The finely divided particles of a solid material that are suspended temporarily in air during a spraying operation.
FUNGICIDE: A material that reduces or prevents the growth of fungus on the surface to which it has been applied. Often added to finishing materials to prevent the formation of molds and mildew under humid conditions.
FUSEL OIL: An oily acrid blend of the higher alcohols which are produced in smaller quantities concurrently with ethyl alcohol during the fermentation of sugars. Separated during the distillation of grain alcohol and whiskey. Used to some extent in the lacquer industry.
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GALLON: A standard unit of volume measurement. It is 231 cubic inches.
GAS BLACK: A carbon black pigment produced by burning natural gas in an in-sufficient supply of air.
GAS CHECKING: The fine checking, wrinkling or frosting of a coating during the drying process, especially when gas or other impurities are in the air. Also called "Gas Crazing."
GEL: A term used to describe an over polymerized material.
GILSONITE: An asphaltum found naturally in Utah. Used in black asphaltum varnishes and similar compounds.
GLAZE: A term used to describe several types of finishing materials.
GLOSS: The luster, shininess or reflecting ability of a surface.
GLOSSING UP: The increase of luster in a rubbed film through friction in use or the increase in luster of a flat varnish in the package through a decrease in the flattening effect of the flatting agent.
GLOSS METER: An instrument for measuring the luster or gloss of a finished surface.
GLOSS OIL: A brittle varnish consisting essentially of a solution of treated rosin in petroleum thinners and containing no oil.
GLYCERIDES: Ethers or esters of fatty acids combined with glycerine.
GLYCERINE: A syrupy oily liquid which is chemically propenyl alcohol. It is a basic raw material in the manufacture of ester gum, synthetic resins and plasticizers.
GLYCERYL PHTHALATE RESIN: Any synthetic resin that is made by the reaction of glycerine with phthalic anhydride. These resins are also known as alkyd resins.
GOOSE FLESH: The appearance of a dried film which has small pimple-like elevations over the surface.
GRAIN ALCOHOL: See "Ethyl Alcohol."
GRAININESS: The objectionable appearance of small grain-like particles in a finishing material or in the dried film thereof.
GRAINING INK: A colored ink or paint material used over a colored ground color to produce an imitation of the grain of wood marble or other substances.
GRAIN RAISING: The objectionable roughness of wood caused by the swelling and stiffening of the short, broken fibers on the surface.
GRAIN SHOWING: The objectionable appearance when a pigmented, supposedly opaque finish fails to completely obscure the grain of the wood over which it is applied.
GRAPHITE: A black pigment consisting essentially of carbon, which has a metallic, plate-like appearance. Found naturally or produced from coke in an electric furnace.
GRAVITY: See "Specific Gravity."
GRAYNESS: An objectionable, hazy dull appearance in a rubbed film, usually caused by the finish being oil rubbed too soon after application. Avoided by allowing more drying time.
GRAY PORES: The objectionable appearance when the pores of the wood have a bleached, yellowish. or grayish look after the finishing coats are applied. Caused by improper formulation of the filler or top coats or by the use of a filler too weak in color strength for the stain color.
GREENISH CAST: The objectionable appearance of a finish wherein a muddy greenish tone is observed, especially when viewed in a strong light.
GREEN MATERIAL: A freshly made finishing material which has not been allowed to age sufficiently before being used.
GRINDING: The process of incorporating pigments into oils, varnishes or other vehicles by passing the mixture of pigments and vehicle between two closely adjacent moving surfaces or by similar means to insure complete wetting of the pigment particles and their uniform dispersal throughout the vehicle.
GRITTINESS: See "Graininess."
GROUND COAT: The coat of colored material, usually opaque, applied before the graining ink, in producing imitation wood or marble effects, or before the glazing coat in obtaining antique glazed effects.
GUIDE COAT: A coat of different color than the other surfacing coats which serves as a guide in rubbing or sanding operations to help obtain a smooth surface without sanding through to the underlying wood or metal.
GUM: "Gum" The resinous material exuded by trees or plants. Strictly speaking a true is water soluble but the term is widely used in the varnish industry to designate those natural resins usually not water soluble, that are obtained from trees.
GUM SPIRITS: Turpentine that has been produced by distillation of the sap of pine trees.
GUM TURPENTINE: Same as "Gum Spirits."
GUN COTTON: A form of highly nitrated cellulose used in high explosives. It is not as readily soluble in the usual lacquer solvents as the lower nitrated grades that are known as nitrocellulose.
GYPSUM: A natural inert pigment consisting essentially of a hydrated form of calcium sulphate. When heated to remove a part of the water of hydration, "plaster of Paris" is formed. Further heating to remove all of the water of hydration, produces calcium sulphate which does not react with water to form a solid "set material" as does plaster of paris.
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HAIR LINES: Fine lines or incipient checks in the dried surface of finishing materials. Often caused by sudden temperature changes.
HANSEN SOLUBILITY PARAMETERS: An indicator of the preferences for hydrogen bonding of solvents. Used to predict the solubility of polymers in solvents.
HARDENED ROSIN: Rosin which has been partially neutralized by cooking lime with it.
HARD GUMS: The fossilized resins or "copals," Exuded from living plants centuries ago.
HARDNESS: The opposite of softness. That property of a dried film of finishing material which causes it to withstand denting or being marked when pressure is exerted on its surface by an outside object or force.
HAZARDOUS AIR POLLUTANTS (HAPS): Chemicals contained on a list of 189 chemicals and chemical categories, including a handful of common solvents, whose use is regulated as a result of the 1990 revisions to the federal "Clean Air Act". Under the Clean Air Act, the EPA is required to develop rules to control HAP emissions from many types of industrial operations.
HAZE: The dullness of a surface that prevents a clear reflection of light. Usually caused by partial precipitation of one or more ingredients during the drying period. Often removed by polishing or cleaning.
HEAT CONVERTIBLE RESIN: A resin which can be transformed into an insoluble mass by the application of heat as contrasted to one that is softened by heat.
HEAVING: The slight swelling or raising of the surface caused by partial softening of the undercoat by the solvents in the succeeding coat.
HEAVY COAT: A generous or excessive coat of finishing material.
HIDING POWER: The ability of a colored finishing material to obscure or cover up the surface that has been coated with it.
HEAVY BODY: A general term denoting a relatively high viscosity in the liquid state or the deposition of a film of great thickness before drying.
HIGH LIGHT: The lighter colored or more transparent portions of a finish, such as on furniture, that has been purposely made uneven in color to similate worn spots caused by frequent use over a period of years. Usually obtained by wiping off a portion of the stain while wet or by using steel wool or sandpaper after it is dry.
HIGH SOLIDS: A general term used to denote the presence of a higher than average percentage of solid ingredients.
HOLIDAY: A skipped or uncoated portion unintentionally missed while applying the finishing material.
HUE: The quality of a color responsible for its name by which it is distinguished From other colors, as red, green or blue.
HUMIDITY: The amount of water vapor in the air. Also see "Relative Humidity."
HYDROCARBON: An organic compound containing only carbon and hydrogen.
HYDROMETER: An instrument for measuring the specific gravity of a liquid. Usually consists of a long glass spindle attached to a bulb which is weighted at one end to cause it to stand upright in the liquid. The distance to which the spindle sinks in the liquid is a measure of the density of the liquid.
HYGROMETER: An instrument for measuring the degree of humidity or relative humidity of the atmosphere.
HYGROSCOPIC: A descriptive adjective applied to materials that readily absorb and retain moisture from the atmosphere.
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IGNITION TEST: A test to determine the amount of non-combustible and non-volatile material in a sample. The sample is ignited, after being previously weighed, and allowed to burn until it extinguishes itself. It is again weighed and the percentage of non-combustible material calculated.
IMMISCIBLE: Not miscible; not capable of being mixed together intimately without developing cloudiness or turbidity. Usually applied to liquids.
IMPACT TEST: A test for determining the resistance to shattering of a dried film by dropping a weight onto the finish.
IMPERIAL GALLON: The British and Canadian unit of volume measurement. It is the volume of 10 pounds of water or 277.42 cubic inches as contrasted to 8.33 pounds of water or 231 cubic inches in the U. S. Standard gallon. For rapid calculation an imperial gallon may be considered as 5 quarts, U. S. measure.
INCOMPATIBLE: Not capable of being mixed together without impairing the original properties of the materials being mixed. Usually results in a separation of solid particles, cloudiness or turbidity.
INDIA INK: A black, waterproof ink, consisting of a dispersion of carbon black in water.
INDICATOR: A material which changes in color or other properties as the conditions to which it is exposed are changed. Used to test the presence of alkali or acid or for similar purposes.
INERTS: Those inactive, extender pigments which have little or no hiding or tinting properties when wet with oil, varnish, or similar materials, and which are chemically stable or inert.
INFRA RED: A group of long wavelength rays generated by heat from a hot body. They have the property of raising the temperature of the receiving body and this fact is utilized to accelerate the baking of finishing materials by use of infra-red lamps or infra-red burners, through the development of heat in the surface to which the coating, has been applied.
INFUSORIAL EARTH: A siliceous earth of an animal origin.
INHIBITOR: An agent which arrests chemical reaction. In the coatings industry, an inhibitor is usually a pigment or other agent that retards the formation of rust.
INTENSITY: The intensity of a color is its purity or degree of hue as seen by the eye.
IODINE VALUE: A numerical method of expressing the degree of insaturation or drying properties of the fatty acids in vegetable oils, expressed as the number, of centigrams of iodine reacting with one gram of the substance under test.
IRIDESCENT: Having the property of exhibiting prismatic colors or varied colors.
IRON BLACK: The black oxide of iron. Also known as magnetic iron oxide.
IRON BLUE: Any blue pigment which depends upon its iron content for its blue color. Another name for Prussian blue.
IRON MILL: A paint mill consisting of corrugated steel disc which revolves tightly against a stationary steel base. As the pigment particles pass between these moving steel parts it is subdivided and wet by the grinding vehicle.
IRON OXIDE: A red, brown or yellow pigment consisting of the oxides of iron.
ISOPROPYL ACETATE: A colorless liquid with properties between those of ethyl and butyl acetate used as a solvent for nitrocellulose. Evaporation Rate 3.0. Flash point, 35°F. (TCC). Boiling range of 85-90°C @ 760 Torr.
ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL: A colorless stable liquid intermediate in its properties between ethyl and butyl alcohol, used in lacquers and spirit varnishes. Evaporation Rate 1.7. Flash point, 55°F., (TCC). Boiling range of 80.8-83.8°C @ 760 Torr.
ISOPROPYL ETHER: A colorless liquid somewhat similar to ethyl ether, but having a higher boiling point.
IVORY BLACK: A high grade of drop black, or bone black, formerly made by charring ivory.
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JAPAN: An indefinite term indicating a form of varnish or dryer.
JAPAN BLACK: A black baking varnish made from an asphaltic base in conjunction with oils, dryers, thinners and, sometimes, other varnish ingredients. Usually applied to metal, such as automobile fenders, and baked at comparatively high temperature of 400°F.
JAPAN DRIER: A liquid drier containing sufficient resin to form a hard film with considerable coherence, when used alone. Used for blending with oils, paints varnishes and enamels to hasten their drying.
JAPANESE LACQUER: A varnish made from the sap of a species of tree which grows in Japan. As it dries it becomes very hard and black. Black baking japans were first made to imitate the results produced by Japanese lacquer.
JAPAN WAX: A soft wax with melting point of about 127°F., obtained from a bush that grows in Japan.
JELL: The act of taking on body or becoming gelatinous or jelly-like.
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KAOLIN: Another name for china clay.
KAURI: A natural resin derived from the exudation of the pine-like kauri tree in New Zealand. Ranges in hardness from the fossilized "brown" kauri dug from the earth, to the contemporary "bush" kauri that is gathered from living trees.
KAURI-BUTANOL VALUE: A measure of the solvent power of petroleum thinners, expressed as the number of milliliters of the product under test required to cause cloudiness or turbidity in 20 grams of a solution of kauri in butyl alcohol, which has been prepared under standardized conditions.
KAURI-REDUCTION TEST: A test used to indicate the flexibility and probable durability of a varnish. The method consists of adding a measured amount of standardized "run-kauri in turpentine" solution to a measured volume of the varnish under test and determining the flexibility of the resulting dried film under the standardized methods of testing.
KEROSENE: A high boiling distillate of petroleum, also known as "coal oil." Formerly derived from the distillation of bituminous shale. Used extensively as a light producing element before the advent of illuminating gas and electricity. Used also as a slow evaporating solvent.
KETONE: An organic compound that contains the bivalent ketone groups. Usually a colorless volatile liquid, such as acetone or methyl propyl ketone, but may also be a crystalline solid, such as camphor.
KETTLE BOILED OIL: A vegetable oil that has had its drying properties improved by the incorporation of driers, added while heating the oil in open kettles.
KILN: A room or separate compartment with regulated heat and proper circulation of fresh air. The relative humidity may also be controlled.
KNIT: A coat of finishing material knits to another when the two coats cannot be separated or peeled apart after drying.
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LAC: A natural resin, exuded by insects which eat the sap of trees in India. When melted and strained it forms shellac.
LACQUER: A thin-bodied, quick-drying coating material that forms a hard film. Originally it referred to solutions of shellac and other resins that dried by evaporation alone. Then the term was applied to the oriental products derived from the sap of certain trees in China, Burma and Japan. Still later the term was applied to thin, hard baking varnishes used for coating food cans made from tin plate and similar metal articles. More recently the term applies to mixtures of solutions of nitrocellulose, ethyl-cellulose, natural and synthetic resins which dry by evaporation alone.
LAKE: A pigment made by precipitating an organic dye upon a base of inert, translucent pigment of an inorganic nature.
LAMPBLACK: A black organic pigment made by burning oils, fats, greases or other organic matter in an insufficient supply of oxygen to produce a dense smoke, containing particles of carbon. When this carbon is separated it forms lampblack, which is used as a black pigment for coloring and tinting paints and enamels.
LAP: Used as a verb, to lay or place one coat so its edge extends over and covers the edge of a previous coat, causing an increased thickness where the two coats are present as compared to the single thickness on either side of the lap. As a noun, it is that portion of a coat of finishing material which extends over the edge of and onto a previous coat.
LATENT HEAT: The quantity of heat that must be applied to a substance to change its state from a solid to a liquid or from a liquid to a gas without raising its temperature.
LATENT SOLVENT: A volatile liquid which is not an active solvent within itself but attains solvent properties when mixed with a true solvent. A latent solvent will not dissolve a resin without the presence of an active solvent. It is possible for a solvent to be an active solvent for one type of resin and a latent for another type of resin.
LATEX: Any of several milky saps that occur in vegetable life, containing hydrocarbons that tend to congeal into plastic masses upon exposure to air. Modern latex reins are produced synthetically with the largest application area being waterbased architectural coatings.
LEADED ZINC: A mixture of zinc oxide and basic lead sulphate derived by heating a mixture of lead and zinc ores or by blending pure zinc oxide and basic lead sulphate by mechanical means. Used as a white pigment for protective coatings.
LEAFING: That property of flat pigment particles, such as metallic powders, mica, etc., to align themselves more or less parallel with the coated surface, when mixed with vehicles and spread in a thin film.
LET DOWN: To dilute the color strength of a colored pigment by mixing it with a colorless, translucent mineral pigment. Also to thin or reduce a liquid coating.
LEVELING: Ability of a film to flow out free from ripples, pock marks, orange peel, brush marks, runs, sags or other surface defects after application.
LIFE: An expression of the period of time a film will retain elasticity or durability.
LIFTING: The softening and penetration of a dried film by the solvent action of a second film applied over it, in such a manner as to cause raising and wrinkling of the previously dried first coat.
LIGHT FASTNESS: The ability of a color or of a dried film to remain unchanged when exposed to brilliant light.
LIGHT OILS: Those distillates of coal tar having boiling points of 230°F to 400°F.
LINOLEATE: A metallic soap made from linolic acid, the fatty acid from linseed oil.
LINOLEIC ACID: A yellow oily liquid which occurs as a glyceride in linseed and most other drying vegetable oils.
LINOLENIC ACID: A colorless oily liquid or slightly different chemical composition than linoleic acid, which occurs as glycerides in linseed and most other drying oils.
LINSEED OIL: A yellowish oil obtained by crushing the seeds of flax. Contains a mixture of glycerides of several fatty acids. Has the ability to absorb oxygen from the air and gradually form a tough hardened coating when exposed in a thin film. Used as a vehicle in paints and as the softening agent for resins in the manufacture of varnishes.
LIQUID PLASTIC: A synthetic resin in liquid form which hardens to a plastic sheet after being applied and subjected to heat.
LITHOL RED: A red lake pigment made by precipitating a complex red dye on a blanc fixe base. It is non-bleeding.
LITHOPONE: A synthetic white pigment produced by the reactions of barium sulphide and zinc sulphate to formzinc sulphide and barium sulphate. Used largely in interior finishes and undercoats.
LITHO VARNISH: Oil which has been thickened by heat. Used in printing inks and for similar purposes.
LIVERING: An increase in the consistency of a coating material while in the package to form a viscous, rubbery, liver-like mass. Due to a chemical reaction between various ingredients or to a change in the colloidal nature of the product.
LONG OIL VARNISH: One which is relatively low in resin content and high in oil content. Usually contains more than 25 gallons of oil per 100 pounds of resin.
LOUSY: A varnish is lousy when it contains small particles of solid matter not removed by filtering. A brush is lousy if it contains particles of partially dried material which are transferred to the work.
LUMINESCENCE: That property of glowing in the dark after exposure to visible or ultraviolet light. Luminous paints are of two varieties, depending upon the ingredients used:
LUSTER: The gloss, shine or brightness of a finished surface. See "Gloss" also.
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MACERATE: To soften by soaking in a liquid either with or without heat.
MAGNESIUM SILICATE: A white inert pigment produced from natural deposits. A complex combination of silicic acid, magnesium and water of crystallization.
MALEIC RESIN: Synthetic resins made by polymerizing maleic acid or maleic anhydride with a polyhydric alcohol, rosin or some similar substance.
MANILA RESIN: A natural resin, found in the East Indies and imported from Manila.
MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET (MSDS): A document that states specific properties, safety considerations, and handling suggestions for a designated material (such as a chemical).
MEDIUM: The liquid that is used to disperse pigments. Another name for "Vehicle" or "binder." When speaking of colors, the term is used to describe a color approximately midway between a light and dark shade of the same hue, as medium blue, etc.
MELAMINE RESINS: Synthetic resins made from melamine and formaldehyde. They cure quickly at relatively low temperatures and are quite stable in color, even when exposed to high temperatures.
MENHADEN OIL: One variety of fish oil.
METHANOL: Same as methyl alcohol.
METHYL ALCOHOL: The chemical term for wood alcohol, obtained by the destructive distillation of wood or synthetically by combining carbon monoxide and hydrogen under pressure by the aid of a catalyst. Evaporation Rate 3.5. Flash point 50°F (TCC). Boiling range of 64-65°C @ 760 Torr.
MICA: A mineral silicate that readily separates into thin sheets. When powdered, it is sometimes used as an inert pigment in paint products.
MICROMETER: A device used for measuring the thickness of pigments.
MICRON: One thousandth of a millimeter. The standard unit of size in measuring the particle size of pigments and similar materials.
MILKING: When excessive varnish is applied on an upright surface it tends to form a heavy, fatty edge at the bottom of the work. When this heavy accumulation is removed by wiping with the finger, the operation is known as "milking."
MILKY: Having the appearance of milk or showing some whiteness, as when water is mixed with varnish or when a dried transparent film starts to turn white from moisture.
MILL WHITE: A white paint or enamel used on large interior surfaces, such as the walls of factories.
MINERAL BLACK: A black pigment made by pulverizing shale or slate.
MINERAL OIL: Any oil derived from a petroleum base. Also known as "paraffin oil" and "liquid paraffin." The boiling point is usually above 675°F.
MINERAL SPIRITS: A medium boiling fraction of petroleum naphtha having a boiling range between 300°F. and 400°F. The flash point is usually slightly above 100°F. and weight is about 6-1/2 pounds per gallon.
MISCIBILE: Capable of being mixed in any ratio without separation of the two liquids.
MISTCOAT: A coat of thinner, or of thinner and a small amount of lacquer, applied as a final coat to increase smoothness.
MOBILITY: Another expression for fluidity; the reciprocal of viscosity; the ease with which a material flows.
MOISTURE: Very finely divided particles of water, present to a moderate degree in the air or in a material.
MOISTURE REPELLENT: The property of resisting the passage of moisture through a dried film of finishing material.
MUDDY: Lacking a bright, clear, transparent appearance, when speaking of clear materials. A muddy color is one having a trace of brown in it which takes away the purity or brightness of the color.
MULLING: The act of thoroughly mixing pigments and liquids together either by hand, as in a pestle and mortar, or by passing the mixture through a mixing machine.
MURIATIC ACID: The commercial name for hydrochloric acid in a dilute form.
MUSHY: Soft and plastic, not hard.
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NAPHTHA: An indefinite term denoting hydrocarbons such as the lighter fractions of petroleum and coal tar. Usually used in conjunction with adjective that signify the fraction, as VM&P Naphtha, "coal tar naphtha," "solvent naphtha," "cleaners tar naphtha," etc.
NAPHTHENATE DRIERS: Salts of naphthenic acid and various drying metals, such as lead, manganese, cobalt, etc. Usually used in solution form.
NATURAL COLORS: Inorganic pigments derived from nature as contrasted to manufactured or synthetic pigments.
NATURAL RESINS: The hardened sap of trees, used in the manufacture of varnish, as distinguished from synthetic resins.
NAVAL STORES: The products of the sap of the pine tree - rosin, turpentine and pine oil, principally.
NEUTRAL: Neither acid nor alkaline, therefore not reactive in a chemical sense.
NEUTRAL COLOR: A dull or grayed color that harmonizes or blends readily with other colors. A neutral gray is one of medium value, midway between light and dark gray.
NEUTRAL OIL: A light gravity mineral oil, obtained by the distillation of petroleum. Often used as the lubricant for rubbing a dried film with pumice stone, sandpaper or other abrasive materials.
NIBS: Foreign particles such as lint, dust, etc., which get mixed with a finishing material during application, causing the formation of raised specks in the dried film.
NIGROSINE: A spirit soluble blue-black dye used in stains.
NITROCELLULOSE: The product obtained by nitrating cellulose, in the form of linters, cotton waste, wood pulp, etc., by treatment with a mixture of nitric and sulphuric acid. For different purposes the cellulose is nitrated to various degrees. The NC used for manufacturing lacquers contains about 12% nitrogen.
NITROGEN OXIDES (NOx): A colorless, odorless gas that is a primary component in creating ground level ozone (SMOG). Main sources include automobiles and fossil burning power plants.
NODULAR: Spherical in shape, especially when used to describe pigment particles.
NONBLEEDING: The opposite of "Bleeding." Not soluble in succeeding coats.
NONDRYING: Lacking the ability to absorb oxygen from the air or to change from a liquid to a solid state when spread out in a thin film. Mineral oils, castor oil, peanut oil, and coconut oil are examples of nondrying oils.
NONVOLATILE: That portion of a material which does not evaporate at ordinary temperatures; the solid substances left behind after the volatiles have evaporated.
NUANCE: A small gradation or slight degree of difference in color. Somewhat the same meaning as "cast" or "tinge." For example, Indian Red is a brownish-red with a purple nuance, cast or tinge.
NUBS: One of the size gradings of natural resins being about the size of the end of the finger. Smaller than "bold," but larger than "seed" or "dust" gradings.
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OBSCURATION: Same as "Hiding Power."
OCCLUDE: To take in or retain a material in the pores of another material, Many pigments contain occluded air.
OCHRES: Earthy iron oxide pigments, usually yellow or brown in color, consisting of hydrated ferric oxide mixed with varying amounts of clay, sand and other materials.
ODOR: That property of a substance that is perceptible by the sense of smell; the smell, scent, or fragrance of a material.
OFF COLOR: Not matching the color of a standard with which a material is being compared.
OIL: A smooth, greasy feeling liquid. Oils are classified as: vegetable, animal or mineral, according to their origin; and as fixed or fatty and volatile or essential, according to their behavior upon being heated.
OIL ABSORPTION: The quantity of oil required to wet a definite amount of pigment to form a stiff paste during the grinding process. Affects consistency, hiding power and other qualities of the finished material.
OIL COLORS: Colors which have been ground to a paste or semi-paste consistency in a vegetable oil.
OIL DRIERS: Liquid driers that contain little or no resin but do contain considerable vegetable oil.
OIL LENGTH: The number of gallons of oil cooked with 100 pounds of resin. A short oil varnish contains less than 10 gallons of oil to 100 pounds of resin; a medium oil varnish contains from 10 to 25 gallons of oil to 100 pounds of resin; a long oil varnish contains in excess of 25 gallons of oil to 100 pounds of resin.
OIL POLISH: A polishing material containing oil as one of the ingredients. Also the finish obtained by rubbing successive thin coats of linseed oil on wood.
OIL RUBBING: The process of dulling the luster and smoothing the surface of a dried film of finishing material by rubbing it with pumice stone or other abrasive materials while lubricating the surface with oil.
OIL SOLUBLE: Capable of being dissolved in an oil.
OIL STAINS:
OIL VARNISHES: Varnishes that contain oil and that harden by oxidation and polymerization, as contrasted to spirit varnishes that harden exclusively by evaporation of volatile solvents.
OITICICA OIL: An oil derived from a nut grown in Brazil. It has good drying properties when cooked with resin and has been used as a replacement for tung oil.
OLEATE: A metallic soap having for its acid constituent, oleic acid.
OLEORESINOUS: Made by combining oil and hard resin by heating them in a kettle, as contrasted to synthetic varnishes which are not made by melting a resin and combining oil with it.
ONE WAY DRUM: A light gauge steel drum designed for use only one time, therefore also referred to as "one time shippers."
OPACITY: The degree of obstruction to the transmission of visible light. Another expression for "hiding power."
OPAQUE: Opposed to "transparent." Having the property to hide or obliterate an underlying material.
ORANGE MINERAL: A type of red lead having an orange color. Made by heating basic carbonate of white lead in special furnaces.
ORANGE PEEL: A pebbled surface similar to that of an orange skin. Caused by the coating not leveling out completely after application by spraying.
ORGANIC COLORS: Pigments of animal, vegetable or dyestuff origin; those containing carbon, hydrogen and oxygen but no minerals.
OVERBAKED: An overly hard or brittle film or one, which is badly discolored by the application of too much heat for too long a period.
OVERTONE: The mass color, self color or top color as exhibited by reflected light as contrasted to the undertone that may show through the main color.
OXIDIZE (Oxidation): To chemically unite with oxygen.
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PALE: Not dark. Lacking color intensity.
PAPER MARKING: Furniture and other finished objects are often wrapped in paper for shipment. When the paper sticks to the finish in transit or leaves a mark in the finish, the article is said to be paper marked.
PARAFFIN OIL: A light gravity mineral oil often used as a lubricant for sanding or rubbing a dried film of finishing material.
PASTE: A stiff plastic mixture of pigment and vehicle.
PEBBLING: Similar to "Orange Peel." A roughened surface after spraying, due to lack of flowing properties.
PEELING: A defect in a dried film made manifest by rather large pieces becoming detached from the underneath surface and coming loose in sheets or large flakes.
PENETRATING STAINS: Those stains which penetrate into the surface of the wood. Usually made of dyes dissolved into liquids which easily penetrate the wood.
PERRILA OIL: An oil obtained from plants grown in China and Japan and often used in place of linseed oil in the manufacture of varnish.
PERISH: Loss of life or elasticity in a dried film of finishing material.
PERMEABILITY: The ability of a material to allow another material to pass through it without rupture.
PETROLEUM SPIRITS: Another name for "mineral spirits."
PFUND GAUGE: An instrument for measuring the thickness of an undried film.
PHENOL: Another name for carbolic acid. Used as a reaction product with formaldehyde and other materials in the manufacture of synthetic resins.
PHENOLIC RESINS: Synthetic resins made by condensing phenol with formaldehyde or similar aldehydes.
PHOSPHORESCENT: Exhibiting light or glowing after exposure to light.
PHTHALIC ANHYDRIDE: The oxidation product of phthalic acid. A white crystal-line substance used in alkyd resins.
pH VALUE: The concentration of the hydrogen ion in a material. A pH value of 7 is considered neutral. Lower values are acidic; higher values are alkaline in nature.
PICKING UP: The softening and raising of underneath coatings by the solvent action of coats applied over them.
PIGMENT: The fine, solid particles used for color or other properties in the manufacture of paint and enamel.
PIGMENT STAINS: Those stains which get their color primarily from pigments mixed with binder and volatile thinners.
PILING: An excessive quantity of finishing material is said to be piled on. If the material does not level out and flow out smooth, the defect is called piling.
PILL: The soft ball produced by chilling varnish when the resin and oil have been thoroughly combined before thinning.
PINE OIL: A naval stores product consisting of a complex mixture of turpenes, alcohols, ketones and ethers. A distillation product obtained from the sap of pine trees.
PINE TAR: The black residue obtained by the destructive distillation of the sap of the pine tree or of the wood itself.
PINHOLING: The appearance of fine pimply defects in a dried film, due to bubbles or other causes, which result in small holes in the film after the tops have been removed by rubbing or sanding.
PITCH: The black residue left from the distillation of tar, oil and similar materials.
PITTING: Small holes that appear in a dried film, caused by moisture, grease or some volatile substance that escapes from the film during the drying opera-tion after setting sufficiently to prevent the finishing material from flowing to a smooth film.
PLASTICITY: Plastic materials hold their shape under normal conditions, but are deformed when heat, pressure or abnormal conditions are applied. The ability to flow under stress without loss of continuity.
PLASTICIZER: A softening material added to lacquers or other compounds to impart elongation, elasticity and flexibility.
PLYWOOD: Wood which is built up by gluing thin pieces of wood together in three or more laminations. The grain of adjacent plies usually are at right angles to each other.
POCK MARKS: Another description of "orange peel."
POISE: The absolute unit of viscosity. A material has a viscosity of one poise when a force of one dyne is required to move a surface film of one square centimeter at the rate of one centimeter per second when that surface is separated from a parallel surface by a film one centimeter in thickness.
POLARIZED LIGHT: Light which vibrates in one plane or direction only.
POLISH: The act of increasing the luster of the dried film of a finishing material by friction. Or the material used for producing the high luster. Or the result and, brilliantly glossy finish produced by polishing.
POLYMERIZATION: The reaction by which two or more molecules of a given sub-stance combine with each other to form a compound from which the original substance can be regenerated.
POLYSTYRENE RESINS: Synthetic resins formed by the polymerization of styrene.
PONTIANAK RESIN: A semi-fossilized Manila copal.
PONY MIXER: A small change can mixer used for mixing pigments with liquids.
POPPYSEED OIL: A semi-drying oil obtained from the seed of various species of poppy plants.
POROUS: Not dense or having the presence of small voids or holes which absorb top coats of finishing material.
POWDERING: The defect exhibited by certain short oil finishes by the formation of a powder when friction is applied; or the appearance of a powder on the film with age or due to any cause whatever.
PRECIPITATE: The solid substance separated from a liquid by a chemical reaction or by the application of light or heat.
PRIMARY COLORS: In pigments the primary colors are yellow, crimson-red and blue. In the spectrum the primary colors are scarlet-red, green and violet. The basic colors from which all other colors are made.
PRIMER: That coat of material that is applied directly over the uncoated surface.
PRINTING: The impression left in a film of dried finishing material after pressure has been removed.
PROTECTIVE COATING: Any coating protecting the surface from deterioration.
PROXIMATE ANALYSIS: The testing of a material to determine the types of compounds or elements present without reference to the quantities present. Another expression for "qualitative analysis."
PUCKERING: The crinkling, shriveling or material upon drying.
PUDDING: A pudding or liver formed by a package. A wrinkling of a coat of finishing thickening action upon aging in the package.
PUDDLING: The application of excessive heavy, uneven coats of finishing material.
PULL OUTS: Small holes that are caused by rubbing dirt nibs or other defects out of a dried film of finishing material.
PULLING UNDER THE BRUSH: The resistance to brushing caused by too much viscosity, too fast drying or other properties that prevent easy and fluent brushing.
PULVERIZED: Powdered.
PUMICE STONE: A powdery substance of volcanic origin used as an abrasive in rubbing the dried film of finishing materials.
PURITY: Freedom from adulteration.
PUTTY: A pasty material consisting of pigment and binder, used for filling imperfections in the surface to be coated or for holding window panes in place.
PYROXYLIN: Another name for nitrocellulose.
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QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS: Another expression for "Proximate Analysis."
QUALITY: The character, nature, characteristic or peculiarity belonging to a material or product. A quality product is a superior or excellent one.
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS: An analysis to determine the amounts and kinds of compounds or elements present.
QUANTITY: The amount, bulk, mass, weight or measure of a thing. A measure of its size or numbers.
QUICK DRYING: A material which dries in less than 4 hours or very quickly.
QUIESCENT: Being in a state of repose; still; not moving; dormant.
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RAIN SPOTS: A defect in a dried film caused by drops of water depositing small quantities of mineral matter in the surface of the film.
RAPESEED OIL: An oil of a dark brown or pale yellow color, having an unpleasant odor, obtained from the seed of certain plants and used to some extent as a plasticizer because of its poor drying properties.
RAT TAILING: A defect in a dried film caused by a bubble or a small piece of dirt, flowing downward on a vertical surface in such a way as to leave a thinner film of finishing material above it, due to the material having lost its flowing power, and somewhat resembling a rat tail.
RAW MATERIALS: The natural, untreated, or unprocessed materials from which varnishes or other coatings are made.
RAW OIL: Linseed oil which is in its natural, untreated condition.
RAW SIENNA: One of the brown earth colors used in the manufacture of pigmented stains and fillers. A mixture of ferric oxide and silica or silicates.
RAW UMBER: A brown earth color, consisting of iron oxide, manganese oxide and silica or silicates, used in the manufacture of pigmented stains and fillers.
RECEDING COLORS: Colors that give an illusion of withdrawing into distance. They are usually the cooler shades of blue or green.
REDUCE: To lower the viscosity of a material or to thin it by the addition of a solvent, thinner, varnish, oil, etc.
REDUCER: The volatile materials included in a paint, varnish or lacquer to reduce its viscosity, or the volatile materials added to the coating by the user.
REDUCING OILS: Special oils used for mixing with or thinning of pigmented coatings to impart special properties to them.
REFINED: Purified, clarified or separated from extraneous matter.
REFLECTION: The act of a surface throwing back light, heat, etc., in substantially its original form. Rough surfaces reflect in a multitude of directions, and such reflection is said to be "diffuse." Smooth, brightly polished or glossy surfaces reflect clearly and sharply at the same angle to the surface as the angle at which the light or heat contacted the surface.
REFLECTOMETER: An instrument for measuring the luster or sharpness of reflection of a finished surface.
REFRACTIVE INDEX: The ratio of the velocity of light in a certain medium compared with its velocity in air.
RELATIVE HUMIDITY: An expression in terms of percentage of the amount of water vapor in air at a given temperature as compared to the total amount of water vapor the air could hold at that temperature. The percentage of saturation of air with water vapor at a given temperature.
RESIN: A solid or semi-solid organic substance, usually derived from the sap of trees or by chemical synthesis. Used in the manufacture of varnishes, lacquers and similar coatings.
RESINATE: Any salt of a rosin acid. The heavy metal resinates are used as driers for paints and varnishes.
RETARDER: A slowly evaporating solvent which decreases the evaporation rate or slows up the drying of lacquers and similar materials.
RIBS: Raised ridges in the finish caused by heavy brush marks that were not removed by sanding or rubbing before the final coat was applied.
RICH: Vivid, deep, not faint; or abundant in special qualities.
ROLLER COATING: A method of applying finishing materials to flat surfaces by passing the surface between rollers, one or both of which are coated with the material.
ROLLER MILL: A paint mill consisting of hardened steel rollers which revolve in opposite directions at different speeds, thus producing a sheering action that causes pigment particles to be dispersed in the vehicle when a mixture of pigment and vehicle is passed between the rolls. The paint is transferred from one roll to another until it is finely ground.
ROPY: Possessing a sticky or stringy consistency that will not allow the material to level or flow out smoothly after application.
ROSIN: The resinous material obtained by distilling turpentine and other volatile materials from the sap of pine trees. Also called "colophony."
ROSIN OIL: A viscous oil obtained by the destructive distillation of rosin.
ROTTENSTONE: A soft, siliceous lime stone in pulverized form used as an abrasive and polishing agent for dried films of finishing materials. Also known as "tripoli."
ROUGH STUFF: A surfacing material formerly used extensively in the automotive industry for filling the imperfections in the metal. When dry it was rubbed to a smooth surface with an abrasive and then coated with color varnish or other finishing coats.
RUBBER FINISH: A black finish having approximately the luster and appearance of hard rubber.
RUBBER RESINS: Resins derived from rubber by chemical treatment. Used for making certain coatings.
RUBBING: The act of applying mechanical friction, usually in conjunction with an abrasive and a lubricant, to a film of finishing material to bring it to a level, smooth surface, to deaden the luster, to remove specks of dirt or for similar purposes.
RUBBING BLOCK: A block of felt, sometimes mounted on a wooden block, used in connection with an abrasive, and a lubricant for rubbing dried films of finishing materials.
RUBBING OIL: A pale, medium heavy mineral oil used with pumice stone or other abrasives as a lubricant for rubbing the dried film of finishing materials.
RUBBING VARNISH: A varnish that is so constructed as to withstand rubbing with an abrasive and a lubricant within a reasonable time after being applied.
RUNS: Defects in a dried film caused by an excessive amount of material being applied, usually in an uneven manner, so that a portion of the material flows down in an irregular or curtained effect.
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SAGS: Irregularity of film thickness due to uneven flow.
SANDING SURFACER: A heavily pigmented finishing material used for building the surface to a smooth condition. It is sanded after being dried.
SANDPAPER: A paper coated with an abrasive material which is used for surfacing wood, metal or finishing materials.
SANDY: A term used to describe the roughened surface of a finishing material caused by unground pigment particles, skins, dirt or similar foreign bodies.
SAPONIFICATION VALUE: The number of milligrams of potassium hydroxide required to neutralize or saponify all the acid in one gram of an oil or resin.
SATIN FINISH: A finish with a luster similar to that of satin-between a full gloss and a semi-gloss luster.
SCALING: A term used to describe the cobwebby appearance of varnish when the top coat has been rubbed through, showing the next coat of varnish underneath. The term also described an aggravated form of flaking, in which large pieces of the dried finishing material come off and expose the bare surface below.
SCHEDULE: A statement of the sequence of operations, the types of finishing materials, amounts of reduction, methods of application, drying times and temperatures, sanding and rubbing operations, etc., used in obtaining the finish on the work.
SCRATCHES: Slight incisions, breaks, tears or indentations on the surface caused by abrasive friction.
SEALER: Any finishing material which is applied with the primary purpose of stopping the absorption of succeeding coats.
SEBACIC ACID: An organic acid used for making synthetic resins through combinations with glycerine or other alcohols.
SECONDARY COLORS: A mixture of any two primary colors. For example, the primary colors blue and yellow, when mixed, produce the secondary color green.
SEEDING: The formation of grains of undissolved resin in a varnish or lacquer or the formation of pigment aggregates from small individual particles in a paint caused by severe chilling or improper thinners.
SEMI-DRYING OIL: An oil which only partially hardens when a film is exposed to the air as contrasted to one which hardens completely (a drying oil) or one which does not harden at all ( a non-drying oil).
SEMI-GLOSS: A luster about half way between a full gloss and a dead flat.
SEPARATION: The breaking up or segregation of two or more integral parts of a mixture into its component parts. In a varnish this may take the form of the resin, becoming insoluble in the other ingredients; in a paint or enamel, it may mean that a clear liquid portion forms above the pigmented portion; in liquid there may be a segregation of layers of component liquids.
SETTING-UP TIME: The time required for the initial stage of drying of a finishing material, whereby it has lost its ability to flow, but is still soft and plastic.
SETTLING: The separation of a pigment or other solid ingredient from a coating material upon standing.
SET TO TOUCH: The initial stage of drying when sufficient solvents have evaporated to allow the film to harden to where it can be touched lightly without adhering to the finger.
SHADE: The degree of a color, as a dark green; also the act of changing the tone or degree of color by adding small quantities of other colors to it.
SHARP DRYER: A term applied to finishing materials which dry quickly and completely all the way through the film without a mushy effect.
SHARP LUSTER: A very high luster.
SHEARY: A finishing material is sheary when it is not uniform in luster after being applied and dried.
SHEEN: The degree of luster of the dried film of a finishing material. Usually used to describe the luster of rubbed surfaces or of flat drying materials.
SHELLAC: The resinous material secreted by an insect which feeds upon the twigs of certain trees in India. It is soluble in alcohol to form liquid shellac which is used as a sealer and finishing material for wood.
SHELLAC SUBSTITUTE: A spirit varnish made by dissolving various resins in denatured alcohol or other solvents to produce a coating that has characteristics similar to those of shellac varnish.
SHINE: A dried film of finishing material has a shine when it has a high gloss.
SHORT: Lacking toughness or elasticity. A dried film is short when it is brittle. An undried material is short when it is crumbly or does not flow easily.
SHORT OIL VARNISH: One that is relatively high in resin content and low in oil content; usually less than 10 gallons of oil to 100 pounds of resin.
SHRINKAGE: The disruption of the level plane of a finished surface with age, whereby the thickness of film appears to diminish or the luster dies away. Usually caused by repeated slight movements of the wood or of underneath coats of material.
SICCATIVE: A siccative coating dries or hardens through oxidation rather than by evaporation or polymerization.
SIENNA: An earth pigment of a yellowish-brown, or reddish-brown color, used in paints, stains and fillers. The color is derived from the presence of oxides of iron and manganese.
SILICA: An inert pigment used as an extender in paints and in paste wood fillers.
SILICATE OF SODA: The chemical name for water glass. Soluble in water. Dries to a hard transparent film. Slightly alkaline.
SILKING: Parallel hair like lines in the surface of finished work that has been brushed or dipped. The lines are in the direction of the flow. Sometimes caused by a color float.
SINKING IN: A finishing material is said to sink in when a considerable amount of it is absorbed by the underneath surface.
SIZE: A liquid coating used to seal a porous surface and prevent subsequent coats from being absorbed.
SKIN: The film of oxidized or polymerized finishing material that forms on the surface while in the container or in a tank.
SKIPS: Uncoated parts of a surface which have unintentionally been left bare.
SLUSH: The act of applying a finishing material roughly by dipping, spraying or brushing. Slush oils are rust-proofing coatings for steel. Pumice slush is the finely divided slurry produced by rubbing.
SMOKY: A finish is smoky when it has a cloudy look and is not bright, transparent and high in gloss.
SOFT: Easily penetrated by a hard object. The opposite of hard.
SOFTENERS: See "Plasticizers."
SOLID: A body of matter which will not yield or flow except under extreme force.
SOLID COVERING: Having the ability to obscure the underneath surface in one coat.
SOLUBLE: Susceptible to being dissolved. Capable of being emulsified.
SOLUBILITY: The amount a substance will dissolve in another substance. Generally, the more fluid like the substance becomes, the greater the solubility.
SOLUTION: A liquid substance that is homogeneously mixed with another liquid.
SOLVENT: A liquid substance capable of dissolving of dispersing other substances (typically resins).
SOLVENT NAPHTHA: A volatile thinner obtained from the distillation of coal tar or from similar sources. Similar to benzol, toluol and xylol except it is not a pure chemical compound but is a mixture of two or more of these compounds.
SORTS: One of the size gradings for resins, referring to rather large pieces that have been sorted for color and size.
SOYBEAN OIL: A semi-drying oil obtained from the soya bean, which is grown extensively in Asia and in the United States. When properly combined with resins or other chemicals it produces good quality synthetic varnishes.
SPAR VARNISH: A very elastic waterproof varnish, originally used for coating masts and spars on sailing vessels.
SPATULA: A long, flexible knife used for mixing colors and for similar purposes.
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: The ratio of the weight of a given volume of a substance to the weight of an equal volume of distilled water at a temperature of 62°F.
SPEWING: The separation of one or more components of a finishing material on the surface of the film during the drying process. Usually caused by incompatibility.
SPIDER LEGS: When the paint on the upright surface separates or breaks and the vehicle runs down in long, crooked channels, the defect is called spider legs.
SPINNING BELL:
SPIRIT STAIN: A stain made by dissolving a dye in alcohol.
SPIRIT VARNISH: A varnish made by dissolving resin in alcohol or other volatile solvents in such a way that the varnish dries by evaporation rather than by oxidation or polymerization.
SPLIT: When a finishing material separates into two or more distinct parts upon standing, it is said to split
SPOTTING: The formation of small off-color areas on a finished surface.
SPRAYING: The act of applying a material by means of compressed air through a spray gun in such a manner as to break up the material into a fine mist and to blow it onto the work.
SPREADING RATE: The number of square feet of surface that can be covered with a gallon of a given finishing material by a given method of application, one coat.
STABILIZER: Any substance added to a coating material to make it more stable in the package or while being applied.
STAINING: The act of changing the color of wood without disturbing the texture or markings, through the application of transparent or semi-transparent liquids made from dyes, finely divided pigments or chemicals.
STEAREATE: A soap of stearic acid.
STEARIC ACID: An organic acid obtained from many fats and oils. Used for making metallic soaps which in turn are used as fatting agents or as a coating for pigment particles.
STIFF: When a material works hard under the brush or has a high viscosity, it is stiff.
STIPPLED FINISH: A finish with a slightly roughened or pebbled surface produced by pounding the material with the ends of the bristles in a stiff brush, or by any other suitable means, while the material is still wet.
STOCK: The amount of material on the work. If the film thickness is not great enough, it is said that there is not enough stock on the work.
STONE MILL: A paint grinding mill consisting of two flat pieces of roughened stone, one stationary, the other revolving, between the paint passes.
STRENGTH: The relative tinting or hiding power of a colored finishing material.
STRIKING IN: The defect produced by a coat of finishing material softening and partially penetrating an underneath coating.
STRING: A finishing material is said to string when a partially hardened film of it stretches out to a thin thread when pulled instead of snapping off short.
SUBLIMATION: The change of state directly from a solid to a gas without going through the liquid state. The melting of dry ice or solid carbon dioxide is an illustration of sublimation.
SUNDAYS: Skipped places caused by failure to entirely cover the surface at the time the finishing material is applied.
SURFACE: The outside or exterior boundary of any substance. One is said to surface the work when he rubs or sands it to a smooth, level plane.
SURFACE DRYING: When a coating dries on top but remains relatively soft on the bottom, it is said to surface dry.
SURFACER: Any finishing material that is used to produce a smoother surface.
SURFACE TENSION: The attraction force exerted on surface molecules of a liquid by the molecules beneath, resulting in the drawing of the surface molecules of the liquid into the shape that yields the least surface area. The modifying of one phase in contact with another.
SUSPENSION: A substance that has its particles mixed with but undissolved in another liquid.
SWEATING: When a coating becomes more or less glossy again after being dull rubbed, it is said to sweat. Usually it is caused by rubbing the coating before it is sufficiently dry.
SYNTHETIC: Prepared artificially or chemically rather than occurring naturally.
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TACK FREE: That condition when a film of finishing material has reached the point that the surface can be touched lightly without a sensation of stickiness.
TACK RAG: A piece of loosely woven cotton cloth that has been dipped into varnish and wrung out. It soon becomes tacky or sticky and is used to wipe a surface to remove small particles of dust.
TALC: Also known as soapstone. An inert pigment used in paints. It is a flaky or fibrous form of hydrated aluminum silicate.
TALL OIL: A vegetable oil-resin by-product of the manufacture of wood pulp.
TAR: A thick brown or black viscous liquid consisting of a mixture of hydro-carbons and their derivatives. Obtained by the distillation of materials of organic origin such as wood, coal, shale, oil, etc. Tar becomes pitch upon distillation or oxidation.
TAUTNESS: The degree of tightness of a film or membrane.
TEARS: Small drops of finishing material formed by the collection at the bottom edge of vertical surfaces, caused by the surface tension of the material counteracting the pull of gravity.
TENACITY: The ability to hold fast or adhere to a surface.
TENSILE STRENGTH: The ability of a film to withstand pulling stresses.
TEST RACK: An exposure rack on which coated panels are tested for durability under exterior conditions.
TEXTURE: The impression created by a surface structure or the general physical appearance of a surface.
THERMOMETER: An instrument for measuring temperature of quantity of heat.
THERMOPLASTIC: The property of softening when heated and cannot be resoftened with heat.
THICK: Having a heavy consistency.
THICKNESS OF FILM: The body on the work after the film of finishing material has thoroughly dried.
THIN COAT: A coat of finishing material that is less heavy than usual.
THINNER: A volatile material used to thin or reduce finishing materials.
THIXOTROPHY: The property of certain gels to become liquid upon being shaken or agitated and to coagulate again when left in an undisturbed condition.
THRESHOLD VALUE LIMIT (TLV): Maximum concentration of solvent vapor that a person can work in for 8 hours a day with no ill effects.
THUMBNAIL PROOF: Resistant to being scratched with the thumbnail.
TIFFANY FINISH: A blended multi-color finish used for decorating interior walls.
TINGE: A faint trace of an altering color.
TINT: A color produced by the addition of another color to white paint or enamel. The act of adding the color to the white material is known as tinting.
TOLUENE: See "Toluol."
TOLUOL: A solvent usually obtained from the distillation of coal tar.
TONE: A modification of a full color.
TOOTH: That condition of a surface that allows the film of succeeding coats of finishing materials to adhere readily.
TOPSTONE: The color reflected by the surface of a film of finishing material.
TOUGHNESS: The ability of a dried film to be bent, indented or distorted without cracking. The opposite of brittleness.
TRANSFER EFFICIENCY: The measure of transfer of a coating from the application source to the substrate. The higher the value the more efficient the transfer.
TRIPOLI: See "Rottenstone."
TUBE BODY: The consistency of a liquid as noted by the speed with which an air bubble rises through the material in a calibrated glass tube.
TUNG OIL: An oil obtained by pressing the nut of the tung tree which grows in China and neighboring lands. Hardly ever used in the raw state because it dries to a flat non-lustrous film. When heat treated it dries with a glossy finish. Very valuable in making quick-drying, water-resistant varnishes and wrinkle finishes.
TURBIDITY: A cloudiness in transparent coating caused by finely suspended matter.
TURPENTINE: A volatile thinner produced by the distillation of the sap of pine trees.
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ULTRAMARINE BLUE: One of the blue pigments, made by heating china clay, sodium carbonate, sulphur and carbon.
ULTRA-VIOLET: Those light rays are outside the visible spectrum at its violet end. These rays have a chemical effect upon the dried films of finishing materials.
UMBER: A hydrated iron-manganese oxide pigment of a brownish or greenish brown color. Used in paints, pigment stains and paste wood fillers.
UNDER BAKED: Not baked hard, due to insufficient time or temperature or both.
UREATHANE GRADE SOLVENT: A solvent with less than .05% water and .5% alcohol.
UREA FORMALDEHYDE RESINS: Synthetic resins obtained by the chemical reaction of urea and formaldehyde in the presence of a catalyst.
UV CURABLE COATINGS:
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VACATIONS: Skipped or uncoated places in the finished work.
VALUE: The quality by which a pale or light color is distinguished from a deep or dark one of the same tone.
VAPOR PRESSURE: The pressure exerted by a vapor that is in equilibrium with its solid or vapor liquid form.
VARNISH: Any homogenous transparent or translucent liquid which when applied as a thin film hardens upon exposure to air or heat, by evaporation, oxidation, polymerization or a combination of these to form a continuous film that imparts protective or decorative properties.
VEGETABLE OILS: Oils obtained from various seeds or nuts of vegetable growth.
VEHICLE: The liquid portion of a finishing material consisting of the binder and volatile thinners as contrasted to the pigment or solid matter.
VEILING: The formation of a cobweb pattern when applied with a spray gun, due to the rapid evaporation of the solvents.
VINYL RESINS: Synthetic resins resulting from the polymerization of vinyl compounds.
VISCOMETER: An instrument that measures the viscosity of a liquid.
VISCOSITY: The resistance to flowing exhibited by fluids. It is the internal friction of the movement of molecules against each other.
VM&P NAPTHTHA: The abbreviation for Varnish Makers and Painters Naphtha. A petroleum distillate with a boiling range of about 244-282°C @ 760 Torr. Flash point 44°F (TCC).
VOLATILE: Readily vaporizable at a relatively low temperature.
VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND (VOC): Any substance containing carbon that will volatilize or evaporate. All solvents are VOCs, but some are exempt from regulations governing the limitation of materials active in producing atmospheric photochemical reactions.
VOC EXEMPT SOLVENT: Any volatile organic compound (VOC) that does not have to be reported as a VOC because it has been determined and recorded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to exhibit negligible photochemical reactivity.
VOLATILE THINNER: That liquid portion of a coating material which reduces the consistency for application but evaporates from the film completely.
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WARM COLOR: Any color in which red or orange predominates.
WASH COAT: A thin solution of shellac, lacquer or other material applied over the stain to enrich it and to stiffen the fibers of the wood so they may be easily sanded. In special cases a wash coat is applied to the bare wood to prevent succeeding coats from discoloring it or over a filler to enable a glaze to be wiped off easily.
WASHING: A type of paint failure evidenced by formation of a surface powder that is washed off by rain.
WATERBORNE COATINGS:
WATER COLORS: Colors mixed with or ground in water.
WATERGLASS: See "Silicate of Soda."
WATERPROOFING AGENTS: Products added to protective coatings to improve their waterproofness, or sealing materials used for the same purpose.
WATERSPOTTING: An imperfection in a dried film manifested by spotty changes in the color or luster.
WATER STAIN: A stain consisting of dyes dissolved in water.
WATER WHITE: As colorless as water.
WAX: Any of a number of resinous, pliable substances, of plant or animal origin, which are insoluble in water, partially soluble in alcohol, ether, etc., and miscible in all proportions with oils. Used for making polishes and for similar purposes.
WEAK COLOR: Weak in hiding power.
WEATHEROMETER: An instrument used for accelerated testing of coatings for their resistance to exterior exposure conditions. Alternate periods of artificial sunlight and darkness, interspersed with simulated showers are repeated continuously and automatically until the film shows signs of deterioration. Its durability is then expressed in number. of cycles or number of hours of exposure.
WEATHER RESISTANT: Capable of withstanding exposure to the weather.
WEIGHT: That property of a body which tends to pull it toward the center of the earth. The attraction of gravity exerted upon an object.
WEIGHT PER VOLUME: Mass per unit volume at a given temperature. For example, pounds per gallon, kilograms per liter, etc.
WETTING AGENTS: Products that are added to protective coatings to aid the dispersion of the pigment in the vehicle, the penetration of the coating into the surface being treated, and for similar purposes.
WHITENING: A condition brought about in the dried film of a coating material by the absorption of moisture.
WRITING: An inert white pigment consisting mostly of calcium carbonate.
WIND BREAK: Roughness formed on the surface of a finishing material by a current of air blowing over it while drying.
WIPING STAINS: Those stains, usually pigmented, which are applied and wiped with a cloth to remove the excess stain.
WOOD ALCOHOL: The common name for methyl alcohol.
WOOD FILLER: A pasty material used for filling and coloring the pores of wood. It is usually thinned with naphtha, applied to the surface and then wiped off across the grain of the wood, allowing it to remain only in the pores.
WOOD OIL: See "Tung Oil."
WRINKLE FINISH: A varnish or enamel film which forms fine wrinkles or an irregular surface as it dries. This is also a defect that sometimes occurs when regular varnish is applied too heavily.
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XYLENE: See "Xylol."
XYLOL: A coal tar distillate having a specific gravity of about 0.860.
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YELLOWING: The tendency of a dried film to take on a yellowish cast with age.
YIELD: The quantity of finished product obtained from the quantity of raw materials specified in the formula.
YIELD POINT: The initial pressure required to cause a plastic material to flow.
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ZANZIBAR: A hard fossil resin, now practically extinct, obtained from Zanzibar, East Africa.
ZEBRA BOARD: A testing chart with alternate black and white stripes, made non-absorbent by a protective coating. Used for evaluating the hiding power of pigmented coatings.
ZEIN: An alcohol soluble protein, usually derived from corn. Used as a binding agent in sealers and as a plastic molding material.
ZINC CHROMATE: A bright yellow pigment which is used to a considerable extent as a rust inhibitor in metallic primers and in similar coatings.
ZINC RESINATE: The metallic soap of zinc and the rosin acids.
ZINC STEARATE: The zinc soap of stearic acid, used as a drier and as a flatting agent.
ZINC SULPHATE: A colorless, crystalline substance, used to some extent as a paint pigment, but mostly for making lithopone.
ZINC SULPHIDE: A white pigment. One of the components of lithopone.
ZIRCONIUM OXIDE: A white pigment made by oxidizing various salts of zirconium.