[23]This pigment on analysis proved to be zinc lead.
[23]This pigment on analysis proved to be zinc lead.
[24]This pigment on analysis proved to be zinc lead.
[24]This pigment on analysis proved to be zinc lead.
An inspection of the original test fence, erected and painted by the North Dakota Agricultural College, on the grounds of the agricultural Experiment Station at Fargo, was made by the inspection committee[25]representing the Paint Manufacturers’ Association of the United States, on the 19th and 20th of November, 1909. The fence was erected in 1906 and painted with commercial paints, procured in the open market. The east side of the fence was built of soft pine and cedar weather-boarding, such as is almost universally used on houses in that locality, presenting a very good surface for test purposes, while the west side was built largely of flat trimmed boards of hard pitch pine which, unfortunately, contained knots, pitch pockets, and uneven surfaces, causing to a greater or lesser extent cracking, scaling, and bad general results on all paints applied thereto.
[25]Henry A. Gardner, Director Scientific Section, Educational Bureau, Paint Manufacturers’ Association of U. S.; George Butler, Master Painter; Charles Macnichol, Master Painter.
[25]Henry A. Gardner, Director Scientific Section, Educational Bureau, Paint Manufacturers’ Association of U. S.; George Butler, Master Painter; Charles Macnichol, Master Painter.
The fences built in 1907 and 1908 at the suggestion of the Paint Manufacturers’ Association, were inspected on the 20th, 21st, and 22nd of November, 1909, and the detailed results of the inspection of all these fences follow in this report. The same general conclusions as to the woods represented in the 1906 fence also apply to the 1907 and 1908 fences, and because of the general bad quality of wood used on the western exposure of all fences, the detailed reports were made only from an examination of the eastern side of the fences, both on cedar and soft pine.
The following general summary of the inspection and its results applies to all the test fences on the grounds of the college and is the unanimous conclusion drawn by the inspectors from this work:
“Non-absorbent woods, difficult to penetrate, such as those on the west side of the fences, would undoubtedly have given much better results had they been painted with paints properly reduced to suit the nature of the wood. This treatment seems to have been overlooked in the North Dakota tests, and the painting of the hard pine boards was done with the same consistency of mixtures and the same reductions as upon soft pine. Scaling of course resulted. One of the chief purposes of the fences, however, was to study the different types of wood, and compliance with this desire resulted in the bad conditions herein noted. It has been shown in many other field tests that adherence of paints to hard wood surfaces can be obtained only by causing the priming coat to become amalgamated with the woody fibre, by the use of a large percentage of volatile diluent turpentine, benzole, asphaltum spirits, etc., to secure penetration. If such treatment is omitted, failure soon results, as was evidenced by the uniformly bad conditions presented by the paints on the hard pine panels.
North Dakota Test Fence 1
North Dakota Test Fence 2North Dakota Test Fences
North Dakota Test Fences
Pine Board Showing Knot and Sappy GrainTypical Sample of Hard Pine Trim Board Showing Knot and Sappy Grain
Typical Sample of Hard Pine Trim Board Showing Knot and Sappy Grain
Complete Disaintegration of Cheap PaintTest No. 13—1906 FenceComplete Disintegration and Failure of Cheap Paint
Test No. 13—1906 FenceComplete Disintegration and Failure of Cheap Paint
Pine Weatherboarding Showing Knots and GrainPine Weatherboarding Showing Knots and Grain
Pine Weatherboarding Showing Knots and Grain
Condition of Lumber Affecting PaintCondition of Lumber Affecting Paint, West Side 1906 Fence
Condition of Lumber Affecting Paint, West Side 1906 Fence
Hail-stone AbrasionsHail-stone Abrasions on House Repainting Tests
Hail-stone Abrasions on House Repainting Tests
Hail-stone DamageHail-stone Effect, West Side of 1907 Test Fence
Hail-stone Effect, West Side of 1907 Test Fence
“During July, 1908, a violent hailstorm occurred in Fargo, and left its impression on nearly every wooden structure; in many cases deep dents being made into the wood. The west side of the test fences, which received the most injury from this storm, was covered with these dents over almost its entire surface, causing cracks in the form of concentric rings to appear on the abraded paint coatings. The bad condition of the wood, improper method of applying priming coat, combined with the hailstorm effect on the painted surfaces on the west side of the fences, were undoubtedly responsible for the universal failure of the paints thereon, and, for these reasons, the west side was eliminated from the detailed inspection, only general observations of these tests being made. These general observations, however, showed that paints Nos. 6 and 8 on the 1906 fence, and paints Nos. 8, 10, and 13 on the 1907 fence, proved the most satisfactory on the western exposure.[26]
[26]These formulas were the same as those respectively numbered on the Atlantic City and Pittsburg fences.
[26]These formulas were the same as those respectively numbered on the Atlantic City and Pittsburg fences.
Peculiar Crystallization EffectPeculiar Crystallization Effect on Section 41. New Special Fence Paint Applied During Cold Weather
Peculiar Crystallization Effect on Section 41. New Special Fence Paint Applied During Cold Weather
“Ochre was tried out as a priming coat on several formulas, but it was found to be most unsatisfactory, affecting the subsequent coats of paint and causing early failure, as evidenced by broad checking, discoloration, and general bad condition. Theseconditions also apply to those panels on the 1908 fence coated with shellac as a primer.
“The colored formulas in every case showed a great superiority over the same paints in white untinted, and demonstrated that a percentage of color has a wonderful influence on the preservation of the paint coating, reducing chalking, checking, and general disintegration. This condition is probably due to the reinforcing value of the color pigments used.
“It is safe to state that the combination formulas tinted yellow were of better appearance than the corroded white leads tinted yellow, the latter appearing quite dark in many cases.
“The wearing of the paints made solely from white lead and zinc oxide seemed to indicate that a percentage of a third pigment, of an inert nature, would have been beneficial.
“The high-type mixtures of pigments containing lead and zinc, with moderate percentages of inert pigments, on good wood, were in most excellent general condition; in fact, much superior to the single pigment paints. Their surface exhibited only minor checking and moderate chalking with good maintenance of color, and presenting surfaces well adapted to repainting.
“The sublimed white lead was in fair condition, with very little checking, and offering a fair repainting surface. The corroded white lead was somewhat whiter than the sublimed white lead, but a careful observation of the surface of the corroded lead revealed deep checking.
“It was clearly demonstrated, however, that in climates of the North Dakota type, white lead alone is not entirely satisfactory. The addition of zinc oxide to white lead forms paint that has proved much superior to the white lead alone.
“It was conclusively demonstrated that mixtures of white lead and zinc oxide, properly blended with moderate percentages of reinforcing pigments, such as asbestine, barytes, silica and calcium carbonate, are most satisfactory from every standpoint, and are superior to mixtures of prime white pigments not reinforced with inert pigments.
“The white leads painted out on the 1908 fence exhibited different degrees of checking, the mild-process lead and sublimed white lead which presented the best surfaces, being free from checking, while the old-process leads seemed to show very deep and marked checking, even after one year’s wear.
Photomicrographic Apparatus in Use
Photomicrographic ApparatusPhotomicrographic Apparatus and Method of Use
Photomicrographic Apparatus and Method of Use
Fargo, N. D., Nov. 19-23, 1909No gloss shown by any of the paints. Formulas in white on white pine only included here, on east side of fence
Fargo, North Dakota, Nov. 19-23, 1909