Additives, whats in your shop

[Colin]

Integrity:  Which thread did I say that is was " not intended to modify for wow".

While it is not my first choice as a wet-on-wet printing modifier, It will improve the wet on wet printing characteristics of the ink you are adding it to.

However...You don't "want" to add it to an ink that will be printed over a white base.  This is because it greatly reduces the viscosity of the ink you are adding it into.  This will cause the ink to spread out more/have greater dot gain than an unmodified ink.  It also makes it's perceived opacity less.  Because it is printing a thinner layer than standard ink, it looks less opaque.

THIS GOES FOR ANY LOW VISCOSITY MODIFIER/BASE ON THE MARKET

If you are printing directly onto the garment, softee base and the other soft hand modifiers are great to use as a wet on wet modifier.

My wet-on-wet base of choice is the WOW-1001/QMX-1020 mixing clear clear base (I believe it's still called that, been a while).  My reasoning for this is: 

1) It is shorter bodied.  This means it will shear very well.  As a result the halftone dots remain very very crisp and clean, recreating your grey-scale image very closely.  You know how the word on the street is to add 2%+ of the HD clear to your inks to improve halftone detail?  Well, the QCM WOW inks have been doing that since they were introduced back in 2006.  That's part of why I love the WOW clear we had on the market.

2) It also maintains it's body, it's form, it's ink shape.  This allows the ink to maintain much of it's opacity.  It will not print thin or thin-shear when the squeegee is moving.

So guys... check to see if they are still making the QMX mixing clear.  It's the same product   or it was at least.

Post if you have any more questions

[ZooCity]

yeah qcm wow bases were the jam, rip sweet bases.

anyone using wfx epic halftone base for this?

fwiw, some bases extend the ink without overly modifying it's print characteristics, some extend but will drastically modify the viscosity like the 'soft' or fashion prefixed ones.  like colin says these are no fun over an underbase but great direct to the shirt wow on each other.

both types will decrease opacity at some point of addition. this is where I find a pc system worth the extra effort' to implement.

Sent from my intelligent phone-a-majigger.

[alan802]

The wow base I used was the QMX-1030.  I talked to my supplier today and told him that I'd heard they were discontinuing that product but he said that he ordered a pail of it last week so the 1030 is available as of right now from QCM.  He was going to call them back after I told him what I'd heard here on the forums and make sure to find out the status of the 1030 going forward. 

Colin, I wonder if the 1030 is the same as the 1020 you mentioned earlier?  Maybe they improved it?  I have big plans for some of the terrible wow inks that we have to buy currently by modifying them with the 1030, and if they are scrapping the product I'm going to be pissed and then start the long process of testing new products.

[shellyky]

It is qcm wow base, I got it from Lee's Supply in Houston.  Damnit, shouldn't have told you because when they run out, I'm screwed.  I had no idea they weren't making it anymore, I hope someone has something similar or they are replacing it with something.  It's basically the only additive I've found to significantly decrease the buildup of an ink.  Some do a marginal job and most make it worse.

is there a model # on this?  i usually dont do WOW printing at all let alone a large run, but i have a 1500+ pc, 7 color run on blacks/whites that is coming up really soon and i'd love to have something to cut down "issues" im going to have....Any 2nd recommendations if i cant find the QCM stuff?

hey Shelly, I have been using this, just bought a 5G of it last week. Seems to work really well. Similar to Wilflex's Finesse base, hence the name...

http://www.texsourceonline.com/p-139-texsource-fine-wet-on-wet-base.aspx

...Let Brandt know I may call him this week if thats cool, I need some hardware help, I know he likes that stufff...

OK i was literally just placing an order with them so i checked this thread for some info first--not sure how much i need to mix into the ink but i got a QT for now to see how it goes., even if it helps with one color better than none lol thanks!

[Colin]

You are correct Alan, it's the QMX-1030. 

I had a brain fart last night on the number designations....that's what happens when you don't play with the stuff for a year

I would be surprised if they are discontinuing the clear base for the QMX mixing system, as it's an integral part of the formulas.  I can see them dropping the WOW-1001 halftone base though.  But that was just a re-label of the QMX-1030.

[MeLC]

You are correct Alan, it's the QMX-1030. 

I had a brain fart last night on the number designations....that's what happens when you don't play with the stuff for a year

I would be surprised if they are discontinuing the clear base for the QMX mixing system, as it's an integral part of the formulas.  I can see them dropping the WOW-1001 halftone base though.  But that was just a re-label of the QMX-1030.

Both products are available and have no plans of being discontinued. Colin is correct that it wouldn't make sense to discontinue the clear base for the mixing system. The WOW-1001 halftone base is also still available, despite rumors of it being discontinued. 

If there are any questions on QCM, Rutland or Union product offerings, feel free to shoot me an email and I can confirm whether or not a product is in production. Hopefully, saving you some time and unnecessary hassle. 

Best Regards'
Melissa Cambra

MelissaC@Rutlandinc.com