[JustWondering]

This may be in the wrong spot, if so I apologise.
I need to know what this contraption is and what it's used for.
I'm pretty sure it's used in the production or testing of paint. I just can't figure out what exactly, anyone have any clues?

A BIG thank you in advance!!

[Borek]

I think there is something missing in your post...

[AWK]

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/contraption
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contraption

[JustWondering]

http://www.patricias-palette.com/photo.jpg

sorry

[JustWondering]

so no one knows?

[C6H8O7]

As a guess I would say fluid viscosity.

It looks like it measures it by determining the swing of the pendulum over a period of time similar to a metronome or the forever drinking bird (minus the chemical reaction) The viscosity would be directly proportionate to the resistance of the pendulum swing.


I really have no clue haha.

[PolymerKnowHow]

It also looks a lot like an impact testing apparatus...

http://www.matweb.com/reference/izod-impact.aspx

[P]

It also looks a lot like an impact testing apparatus...

Yea  - That's what I thought when I saw it.  The pendulum swings the needle over the surface and you time how many swings it takes to stop it.  They measure surface "hardness" and scratch resistance of a coating.

Some people who want a rough test of surface hardness used to use a range of pencils (6B, 5B..through H to 6H) to see which sharpened point would physically scratch the surface rather than just draw on it. Problem with this though was that different people push with different forces on the pencils and sharpen in different ways, so the test was usually done by the same practiced person each time in an attempt at reproducibility. Obviously this could only be a small scale in house indicative test - the pendulum and nowadays the Taber abrasion tests are allot more reproducible.  The taber tests are done with a spinning abrasive disk.

[P]

OK  -  I've just remembered that the pendulum test is called the Konig Hardness test.