Color Matching Systems

[Pangea]

I bought the starter kit of Matsui pigments from their website to get my feet wet and am looking to possibly switch. I've never had any issues with CCI and am strongly considering them over Magna or Green Galaxy because I already use their white and clear discharge.

Anyone have any experience or reasons to pick a different system?

[ericheartsu]

We love Matsui here, but TBH, have never had luck with any PMS system, and have always had to alter formulas to get what we needed.

[Maff]

never had luck with any PMS system, and have always had to alter formulas to get what we needed.

Same here and we've used a few systems now, but always have to eyeball the mix at the end and after test printing.  We also tend to add a higher ratio of opaque base to help get colors the way we want...

[T Shirt Farmer]

I have been using the Rutland WB system and have pretty good result, brought in the Green Galexy system as the Rutland pigments are pricy. IMO the Green Galaxy is No Bueno,  i have not mixed a single color from there recipes that was even close to the desired color.

[ZooCity]

Agreed, most pms formulas offered with WB systems are a horseshoes/handgrenades non-solution.  Just accept that they are roughouts or starting points.

We use Rutland WB99 mostly because a supplier we love (and who is a 2 day ship from us) carries it.  Some of the formulas are excellent in the system, others not so much but in most cases we modify all of them.  Typically start by halving the white at a minimum, omit all black, mix test, adjust.

In the past Matsui had a poor rep for their formulae's accuracy but I imagine their PCs are high qual given our experience with the rest of their inks.  Their "Glow" PCs (not GID but flo, poor choice of name) that we have a couple of are pretty tight.

CCI has a smart, straightforward Pantone based system that I like the best and we used to run theirs exclusively.  We moved to Rutland product and so brought in their pcs but would have been happy with CCIs too.  CCI PCs are not as concentrated which is kind of a plus in some ways.  Concentrated pigs like to provide your printers with various headaches on press at times, especially yellows.

Can't speak for Magna but their PCs were the Wilflex Oasis PCs for years so I imagine they're also great.

The GG rfu product we trialed wasn't up to snuff so we never explored the line any further. 

All of the highly concentrated PC systems will drop into practically all of the wb/dc/hsa bases so go with what you like and what is available nearest to you.   

If you don't need PCs the Sericol Texcharge system is great but I would check to make sure fuji is still distributing it in gallons first. 

[Cole]

I have been using the Rutland WB system and have pretty good result, brought in the Green Galexy system as the Rutland pigments are pricy. IMO the Green Galaxy is No Bueno,  i have not mixed a single color from there recipes that was even close to the desired color.

Unfortunately, I have to second this. Wish I would have bought a smaller starter kit because now I have a ton of pigments and want to finish them before switching to another color mixing system.

[DannyGruninger]

For us here most of the discharge = cci t charge and lately we have been moving lots and lots of hsa to matsui

I really like the mixing systems and how they utilize the pantone book color builds.

Best discharge base is rutland, and for white we like super 75 from matsui.

[ZooCity]

Danny, how has the Rutland DC base been for you on press?  We were big into the "Super DC" base but have had a consistently terrible and weird issue I'd describe as micro-flaking where very tiny flakes of the DC ink suddenly clog a small portion of the screen.  The Mastui Brite DC base seems to have taken the issue away so we went over to all matsui. 

Speaking of, if anyone wants a bunch of fresh in the bucket Rutland DC Plus White let me know as we could let it go for a good deal.

[T Shirt Farmer]

but have had a consistently terrible and weird issue I'd describe as micro-flaking where very tiny flakes of the DC ink suddenly

This X2 and have not had this issue with CCI base.

[ZooCity]

but have had a consistently terrible and weird issue I'd describe as micro-flaking where very tiny flakes of the DC ink suddenly

This X2 and have not had this issue with CCI base.

Neither did we, it's super weird.  My best guess is there is something in the Rutland DC base that doesn't like high speed printing.  Shame, because we got excellent colors out of the Super DC base but it simply cannot be ran.  Trashed 100s of prints and salvaged many more at the end of a toothpick dipped in ink due to this issue before moving on.

Oh and not to be confused with Rutland's standard discharge base, that product tested very poorly for us v. the super base.