At the present time in the paint, varnish, and lacquer industry there are a number of different methods for determining the viscosity, or as the paint man expresses it “the consistency” of a paint, varnish, or lacquer. It is difficult, and in some cases impossible, to obtain a correlation between these methods, which means that practically each type of product in this industry has its empirical method for measuring consistency. It would be highly desirable if one method and apparatus could be used throughout the industry so that intercomparisons could be made between all types of products. This paper is a description of an attempt to produce such an instrument which in addition to being universal would be correct in theory, would have the speed necessary for industrial use, and would require only a small amount of material.