Mixing system Tips and ideas

[Maxie]

I am about to start using the Rutland M3 mixing system.
The first color I mixed (a navy blue) was not accurate according to my Pantone chart.
In another post I read that people put clear base on the spatula and inside the mixing container.
What does this do?
Are there any other ideas or tips ideas that will make mixing easier?

[JBLUE]

Buy a good accurate scale. Best thing you can do starting with a mixing system.

[Onewithpez]

Not to hijack the thread,
Can anyone recommend a accurate yet cost effective scale?


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[Frog]

I am about to start using the Rutland M3 mixing system.
The first color I mixed (a navy blue) was not accurate according to my Pantone chart.
In another post I read that people put clear base on the spatula and inside the mixing container.
What does this do?
Are there any other ideas or tips ideas that will make mixing easier?

Some colors just work better than others. I have used the Union Maxopake system for years, and some formulas have even been supplemented with alternatives on tough-to-match colors, and they are still less than perfect.

The clear base coatings just help assure that all of the different ingredients get mixed in rather than sticking to the sides of the container or spatula

[Colin]

Maxie:

Please tell us how you tested the ink mix for color accuracy.

But yes.... the formulas from Rutlands online mixing system run the gamut from - Dead Nuts Perfect - really close - in the same ball park - in the same golf course..... - finishing with, did they even try?

Pantone matches are all printed through 150 mesh onto a white fabric swatch, fully cured, then color checked in a light box to rule out light contamination.

[jvanick]

we use this scale:  1000g x .01g accuracy.

http://www.amazon.com/My-Weigh-iBalance-Table-Precision/dp/B004C3EK02/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1435883254&sr=8-1&keywords=iBALANCE+M01

our Wilflex PC system is really close 99% of the time...  we print onto the shirts, then check with the pantone cards outside, or sometimes will use the color cue (although it's not even accurate in reading the pantone books themselves?)

we do the same clear base around the edges trick),

we also add a bit of pigment at a time, and will 'bump' the top of the quart container on the scale to get it to remeasure...  when weighing .01g at a time, you'll find that the scale doesn't detect you added pigment until you tap it at times.

[Zelko-4-EVA]

I am about to start using the Rutland M3 mixing system.
The first color I mixed (a navy blue) was not accurate according to my Pantone chart.
In another post I read that people put clear base on the spatula and inside the mixing container.
What does this do?
Are there any other ideas or tips ideas that will make mixing easier?

how much ink did you make?  100g ?   1000 ?   4000 ?   sometimes the amount you make will result in a slight difference.  the computer will round the numbers up or down which can shift the color a bit. 

[Frog]

I am about to start using the Rutland M3 mixing system.
The first color I mixed (a navy blue) was not accurate according to my Pantone chart.
In another post I read that people put clear base on the spatula and inside the mixing container.
What does this do?
Are there any other ideas or tips ideas that will make mixing easier?

how much ink did you make?  100g ?   1000 ?   4000 ?   sometimes the amount you make will result in a slight difference.  the computer will round the numbers up or down which can shift the color a bit.

Without a doubt, especially with the pigment concentrates, accuracy increases with quantity!

[jvanick]

Totally agreed on the quantity... we mix almost everything in 900g batches, and even that seems too low at times...

[ebscreen]

M3 is a finished ink system, so .01 shouldn't make much of a difference, even at small quantities.

It's the beige's that kill us.

[Maxie]

We have a really good scale, made in Germany and weights .01gm.
We did not print the colour, we visually checked the mixed color with the Pantone book.

[Colin]

Always Always Always   Compare a cured print to the color book.

With navy shades there is a lot of clear/translucency involved.  That can make the ink look dark when in the bucket, but correct when printed on your garment.

[tonypep]

BTW Rutland and Wlfx both have systems that hook your computer right up to the scale. If you over pour it will immediately compensate the other components weight. Slick. At times, when I  ask nicely, they provide all that for free as long as you use their ink.
But you didn't hear that from me.

[Maxie]

I am using a tablet for downloading the Rutland program so I cannot connect to the scale.
I am hoping to switch all my printing to the mixing system.
I have too much plastisol that's all sorts of weird colors that we've mixed over the years.
I understand that I will still need the buy the solid colors we use a lot.    Blue, red etc.
Thanks for the feedback.

[ZooCity]

As a follow up to Tony's excellent suggestion, does anyone know which scales reading to 0.01g hook up to the Wilflex IMS?