The use of ready mixed paints seems to be a thorn in the side of the average painter, and in some cases with reason. The market has been flooded with miserable, grossly cheapened and adulterated mixtures which, at one time, well nigh ruined that branch of the business, and prejudiced many, for all time, against their use. On the other hand, many good brands are on the market, which give excellent satisfaction, cover fairly well and are durable. They are carefully and scientifically prepared and have many of the merits claimed for them. None cover, mask so well as straight white lead and oil, because they contain, in practically all cases, 50 per cent. or more of other pigments than white lead; notably, oxide of zinc. These pigments do not have the opacity, or what the painter calls covering power, of white lead. The introduction of over 50 per cent. of white lead in a ready mixed paint would cause the pigment to settle or "bake" in the bottom of the can and interfere with the slight emulsification of the oil which aids in holding the pigment in suspension and making a good paint solution. The fact that zinc and other bases are used with white lead explains why ready mixed paints do not chalk so readily, being in this sense, more durable than white lead and oil. The cheaper ready mixed paints and most so-called best grades contain whiting, paris white, silica, litho-phone, or barytes in various proportions, in addition to lead and zinc. They cover poorly and while the pigments used may not seriously affect the wearing qualities, except to cause cracking or peeling of the paint, yet the emulsion of oil and water is overdone to such an extent as to largely kill the binding quality of the oil, and just here is the serious fault in these cheap grades.

In the manufacture of the ordinary shades, a white base, composed of one or more of the pigments before mentioned, is ground and to this is added raw linseed oil, turpentine or benzine, dryer, tinting color, and usually, more or less solution to hold up the pigments properly. The following would be a good example of a first grade paint:

White lead ...............150 lbs.

White zinc ...............150 "

Raw oil................... 20 gallons.

Dryer.................... 2 "

Turpentine ................ 2 "

Solution................... 2 "

Such a paint would cost for material, labor, packages, etc., over one dollar per gallon.

In a cheap paint, zinc and barytes would be the pigments and a larger percentage of solution and benzine. If you wish to make a cheap paint yourself, there is no reason why it can not be done by extending the oil with some solution which will combine and form an emulsion with it. The use of such paint is justified on cheap work, particularly interiors. Such solutions can be made as the following:

Dissolve 1-4 pound of the best glue, gelatine preferred, in sufficient hot water. Dissolve 2 pounds of sugar of lead in water and add these two solutions to enough water to make 12 gallons.

Another solution is made with 5 ozs. of silicate of soda; 2 ozs. of carbonate of soda; and 2 ozs. of borax in 2 gallons of water. Mix this solution with raw linseed oil to any proportion desired, or mix in pure linseed oil paint. This solution is best adapted to paints in which the pigments are neutral or the iron oxides such as ochre, Venetian red, metallic brown, etc.

Some of the poorer or cheaper grades of ready mixed paints and metallics used for barn and roof work contain from 25 to 40 per cent. of solutions of the above nature.

Some few of the best ready for use paints now on the market are free from solutions or practically so.