viscosity

Suggested Tip Sets
Light Consistency - Ford #4 5-18 Sec	.8-1.0 pressure or minigun / 1.3-1.4 Gravity Feed	i.e. stains dyes, automotive, thin woodworking
Medium Consistency - Ford #4 18-30sec	1.2-1.3 Pressure or Mini Gun / 1.5-1.8 Gravity Feed	i.e. wood standard lacquers and enamels, single stage old enamels
Thicker Consistency - Ford #4 18-32sec	1.3-1.4 Pressure or Mini Gun / 1.7-2.0 Gravity Feed	.e. Pigmented Lacquers, thicker urethanes, enamels
Heavy Consistency - Ford #4 32-50sec	1.3-1.6 Pressure Feed or MiniGun / 1.6-2.0 Gravity Feed	i.e. latex paint
Very Heavy Consistency - Ford #4 50-100 sec	1.7-2.8 Pressure Feed / Gravity Feed 2.0-3.6	i.e. gel coat

FORD 4 Viscosity Cup

The viscosity or thickness of your materials determines the tip size that you will use in your spray gun. Matching your viscosity with the correct orifice size is key to achieving a well atomized finish. If too thick, the finish will not atomize or may not even come out of your spray gun. Poorly atomized coatings create a rough surface and look poor. You will move too slowly or too close to get coverage and your fan pattern will be affected. Properly atomized material looks like a fine mist and leaves micro droplets of paint on the surface. These tiny droplets flow together and make a smooth, level film. Why use a viscosity cup? When you spray material at the same viscosity and relative temerature, you get more consistency in your results. You can keep a chart to remind yourself of the best viscosity to temerature and thereby spray consistently day in and out. Remember also that you material gets thinner as the weather gets warmer. Too thin and you will get runs and sags. You usually like to spray between 15c and 30c.

ford 4

How to Use a Ford #4 Viscosity Cup

ford 4 how to use

Hang the Ford #4 viscometer cup. Allow the paint to stabilize at room temperature, or at whatever temperature you intend to measure the viscosity and spray at. Remember temperature will change the viscosity of your material. Measure the temperature for your records. Place a small container under the Ford 4 cup. Place your finger under the orifice to prevent the paint from running out of the cup. Fill the cup all the way to the top until a small amount overflows. Start a stop watch and immediately remove your finger. Allow the paint to run out into the container below. As soon as the paint stream stops flowing stop the stop watch. Record the time it took for the paint to leave the cup. The shorter the draining time, the thinner the paint.