Flow Cup

R 72.00

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  • Plastic Flow Cup to easily measure the viscosity (thickness / flow) of high-flow paints and mediums.
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Flow Cup

Basic description

A simple plastic Flow Cup with a 4mm hole at the bottom. The cup is used to measure the flow of certain liquids. 

People who know about Flow Cups will know that there are many types, and prices typically range from R700 to R4000. The expensive ones are fully calibrated and come with a calibration certificates. The expensive cups are constructed of expensive materials.

The cup type that we sell is aimed to bring basic, low cost flow measurement to artists who do not require laboratory accuracy, It is fully constructed of plastic. Despite its low cost, these cups provide an excellent indication of how various mediums and paints mixed with various mediums will flow. 

How to use the Flow Cup

The cup is dipped into any water-based, high flow paints or mediums to fill it. As it is lifted out of the liquid a timer is started and the time it takes to run empty is measured. The longer the time to run empty, the lower the flow and the higher the viscosity of the paint. Higher viscosity means the paint is thicker or acrylic artists may say that the consistency is higher. 

Water takes about 9 seconds to run out the cup. Practical measurements of paints and mediums will usually be between 16 seconds and 3 minutes. Anything that takes longer than this is too thick to measure easily using this Flow Cup. 

After use, wash the cup well with water. The hole should not be cleaned by poking with a sharp object so is is always best to clean it immediately. Dried paint around the edges of the hole will change the values that you measure. 

Treat the cup gently as it is only made of plastic and rough treatment during washing can break the handle. The cup will still work with a broken handle but the user then has to get paint on their fingers for future measurements.

What this Flow Cup cannot measure

Do not use for solvent-based paints. Solvent-based liquids may damage the plastic. Use exclusively for water-based products.
Do not use for acrylic paints that have not been thinned. The paints will take a very long time to run through the hole so use these cups exclusively to measure paints that have been thinned. 
For some acrylic pouring techniques, the flow of the mixed paints may be slightly thick for this flow cup to measure easily. Even if you don't have time to let all the paint run out the cup, you can still get valuable information from observing the flow out the hole.
 

Advantages of using a Flow Cup

Measuring the thickness or flow allows you to compare various mediums, the effects of various mediums and to record the paint thickness used in an activity e.g. a spray application or an acrylic pour. 
Adding a scientific measurement can compliment the ability to "feel when the paint is right" that comes from experience.
You can easily see if a mixture you have made is thickening up during storage. If it does thicken up during storage you can determine how much water to stir in to bring it back to its original flow. 
You can communicate flow or thickness easily with other people who have purchased a Flow Cup from us. 
 
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