Section 4. PAINT EQUIPMENT, GAGES, AND MATERIALS

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Tank Surface Preparations

TB-43-0144 Painting of Watercraft Manual

Brush Care and Maintenance.

SECTION 4.

PAINT EQUIPMENT, GAGES, AND MATERIALS

INDEX

PAGE

4-1.

Introduction ....................................................................................

4-2.

Paint Equipment.............................................................................

4-3.

Brush Care and Maintenance........................................................

4-4.

Paint Rollers...................................................................................

4-5.

Paint Thickness Gages..................................................................

4-6.

Paints and Paint Materials.............................................................

4-7

Paint Requisition ...........................................................................

Table 4-1

Inter-chemical Wet Film Thickness Gage.................................

4-1. Introduction. The selection of the proper equipment and materials for any painting job requires a

general knowledge of the equipment and materials needed to do the job correctly. The different tools that

are available for the application of paints and for testing are described in this section. Also given in this

section is information on the requisition, storage, and testing of paints.

4-2. Paint Equipment. Tools used for the application of paint shall be of first quality and maintained in

perfect working condition at all times. The types of tools and their care and maintenance are described

below.

a. Paintbrushes. Brushes are identified by the type of bristle used; natural, synthetic, or a mixture of

each.

(1) Chinese Hog Bristles. Chinese hog bristles are the finest of the natural bristles because of their

length, durability, and resiliency. Hog bristle has a unique characteristic in that the bristle end forks out

(flags) like a tree branch and permits more paint to be carried on the brush. In addition, the hog bristle

flagging leaves finer brush marks, which flow together readily and result in a smooth finish.

(2) Horsehair Bristles. Horsehair bristles are used in inexpensive brushes and are an unsatisfactory

substitute for hog bristles. The ends of the horsehair bristles do not flag and quickly become limp. They

also hold far less paint and do not spread the paint as well. Brush marks left in the applied coating tend to

be coarse and do not level as smoothly.

NOTE

Some brushes contain a mixture of hog bristle and horsehair and their quality depends upon the

percentage of each type used.

(3) Other Animal Hair Brushes. Animal hair is used in fine brushes for special purposes. Badger hair,

for example, is used for a particularly good varnish brush. Squirrel and sable are ideal for striping, lining,

lettering, and freehand art brushed.

(4) Nylon Brushes. Nylon is the most common synthetic used in paint brushes. By artificially exploding

the ends and kinking the fibers, manufacturers have increased the paint load nylon can carry and have

reduced the coarseness of nylon brush marks. Nylon is usually superior to horsehair. Nylon brushes are

recommended for use with latex paint because water does not cause any appreciable swelling of nylon

bristles. The fact that nylon is a synthetic substance makes nylon brushes unsuitable for applying lacquer,

shellac, many creosote products, and any other coating that would soften or dissolve nylon bristles.