Stated briefly, the process consists in coating the body with blue-black enamel by means of gravity only; that is to say, the enamel is placed in an elevated tank and discharged on to the work through a flexible pipe and slotted nozzle opened by a lever which is actuated by the thumb of the operator. Thus no spraying is required, while dipping is out of the question, as only the outside of the body is required to be painted.
Each coat takes two minutes to apply to the whole surface of a four-seated Ford motor body! An achievement which justifies our use of the word "remarkable."
But it will be convenient to explain how the present method came into use. Until a few months ago the several undercoats were sprayed on the work in the ordinary manner, but the finishing coat of varnish was flowed on by the gravity apparatus now referred to. Then it was thought that the undercoats might be applied by the same method, and some careful experiments having been made, it was found that by dispensing with the spraying and flowing on the coats a much more satisfactory result was obtained. As the new method caused more paint to adhere to the work than would be put on by the spray under ordinary conditions, one coat, it was found, could be dispensed with altogether. There was also less rubbing down required because of the very smooth coat obtained by flowing on, and, above all, the time of applying the coat was reduced to the extraordinarily short time of two minutes.
Fig. 119.—A China Fruit Dish Decorated with the Airostyle.
Fig. 120.—Table Cover Decorated with the Airostyle.