What ink mixing system do you use?

[inkstain]

Hey guys,
I do a lot of pantone matching for jobs.  Couple years ago I was using Union Mixopake inks.  I thought that they were great
and really liked the high opacity with them (I was printing Manually then).  Then my distributor close to me stopped selling the Union brand and started carrying QCM inks.  I dove in and bought the whole QMX system.  One thing I noticed with QMX is that there is a clear base for some colors.  It seemed weird to me cause Union Mixopake didn't have that.  Any way, I've used the QMX system for a year now and have had issues with opacity on whites and even on underbases on darks.  Some colors are opaque and some are not.  I totally take out clear bases whenever it's in the recipe. 
So I'm looking to try out a different mixing system.  I've heard some about the Rutland M3. 
What I really want is something that is really opaque, not sorta see through.
Plastisol ink.

Open to advice. 
Thanks!

[jasonl]

I am about to buy the Equalizer system.

[ZooCity]

QCM has (had) the best RFU system out there in my opinion. 

We moved on to Wilflex Epic and are very happy with the Epic PC system.  It is kinda hardcore in the sense that the pigments are not curable or balanced so you need to use the IMS software carefully to mix but is far and away the most versatile system out there regarding the variety of bases you can tint with the pigment concentrates. 

Equalizers are like an in-between, like an idiot-proof PC system.

[Prosperi-Tees]

With the qcm software it gives you an opacity strength number from 1-100. They also have alternate opaque formulas for certain colors that use the white base instead of the clear. The only thing I don't like about the qmx system is how thick some of the pigments are.

[brandon]

With the qcm software it gives you an opacity strength number from 1-100. They also have alternate opaque formulas for certain colors that use the white base instead of the clear. The only thing I don't like about the qmx system is how thick some of the pigments are.

Yup, that is what we use. We really don't have any problems and the ones we did we corrected in our own way. I agree with you about how thick some of the pigments are. Stir baby stir

[Rockers]

None yet but we are going for the Wilflex Epic mixing system. What I`m just not sure about yet is if it will be the PC Express or the Equalizer system. As a matter of fact I have to read more about it to see what the difference is between those two. Can`t wait to get all those Union gallon pots of the shelves;)

[ZooCity]

None yet but we are going for the Wilflex Epic mixing system. What I`m just not sure about yet is if it will be the PC Express or the Equalizer system. As a matter of fact I have to read more about it to see what the difference is between those two. Can`t wait to get all those Union gallon pots of the shelves;)

People like EQ b/c you cannot over pigment a mix.  If you have a shop that can use software and follow recipes than PCs are fine.  If you have a shop that can't or won't, better get the Equalizers. 

If you have printers that like to "mix by eye" avoid PCs, too risky. 

PCs also open up the ability to use the Epic Performance Base which only works with PCs.

[Rockers]

Tell me more about the Epic performance base please.

[jasonl]

Performance base is for printing on performance material, I use Performance white on EVERYTHING with polyester in it.  Its better than ANY polywhite and cures at 290 degrees.

[ZooCity]

Tell me more about the Epic performance base please.

It's designed for 100% poly and the like.  Cures at 290˚F, dye-blocking, supposed to have good stretch properties but I haven't found it to excel in that department over other inks.  It smells weird and the smell is still there on the finished print somewhat.  It's a huge help to us in that we can mix small batches of this type of ink in any pantone color we need to keep costs on performance wear runs under control.  Check out the WFX data sheets for more info but that pretty much sums it up.   

PCs are the only pigments you can use with the system, they do not offer spot colors outside of Performance Black, Performance White and Performance Underbase Grey and suppliers that I contacted had really stupid high minimums to mix colors from the base.  It was the main reason I chose PCs over the EQ and I'm very glad I did, we had a whole string of poly and performance jobs after we switched than needed small amounts of pantones.   

Some have no problem with putting std inks on top of a dye-blocking poly ink base but I tend to stick to one ink system in a run wherever possible.

I might've gone with the EQ b/c I was so adjusted to mixing by eye with the RFU system from QCM as well as other ink systems I've used and thought it would be nice to have that safety net that the Equalizers offer.  This a little bit of a moot point though as I've found the pigment colors from WFX to be a little different.  There's no Red YS for example, Red 185c gets mixed with Fluro Pink, Orange and Maroon.  Also, Equalizers aren't intended to be printed as inks on their own like the MX system (although someone here mentioned doing so), they are simply balanced pigment concentrates.  I personally don't really get why you wouldn't go PC except for that one little reason above. 

[Rockers]

Tell me more about the Epic performance base please.

It's designed for 100% poly and the like.  Cures at 290˚F, dye-blocking, supposed to have good stretch properties but I haven't found it to excel in that department over other inks.  It smells weird and the smell is still there on the finished print somewhat.  It's a huge help to us in that we can mix small batches of this type of ink in any pantone color we need to keep costs on performance wear runs under control.  Check out the WFX data sheets for more info but that pretty much sums it up.   

PCs are the only pigments you can use with the system, they do not offer spot colors outside of Performance Black, Performance White and Performance Underbase Grey and suppliers that I contacted had really stupid high minimums to mix colors from the base.  It was the main reason I chose PCs over the EQ and I'm very glad I did, we had a whole string of poly and performance jobs after we switched than needed small amounts of pantones.   

Some have no problem with putting std inks on top of a dye-blocking poly ink base but I tend to stick to one ink system in a run wherever possible.

I might've gone with the EQ b/c I was so adjusted to mixing by eye with the RFU system from QCM as well as other ink systems I've used and thought it would be nice to have that safety net that the Equalizers offer.  This a little bit of a moot point though as I've found the pigment colors from WFX to be a little different.  There's no Red YS for example, Red 185c gets mixed with Fluro Pink, Orange and Maroon.  Also, Equalizers aren't intended to be printed as inks on their own like the MX system (although someone here mentioned doing so), they are simply balanced pigment concentrates.  I personally don't really get why you wouldn't go PC except for that one little reason above. 

My contact at Wilflex in China recommended as well the PC system, actually he did not even mention the EQ. He was saying as well they have a low cure poly base which probably is the performance base you have been talking about.

[inkstain]

With the qcm software it gives you an opacity strength number from 1-100. They also have alternate opaque formulas for certain colors that use the white base instead of the clear. The only thing I don't like about the qmx system is how thick some of the pigments are.

Where in the software program do you find an alternate opaque formula?  I need to find that.

[Prosperi-Tees]

After you choose Pantone, there will be choices and one of them says "Pantone C- Alt Opaque"

[Prosperi-Tees]

Hope this screen shot helps

[ZooCity]

Rockers, you're in Japan right?  I'd go with the PC as a gallon of that stuff lasts forever.  Less shipping cost.