Paint scanners and mixers blog

[level42]

Seeing the various results of people having paints mixed as closely as possible I thought it might be interesting to make a kind of blog of results so that we may be able to find the same scanners/mixing machines/paint brands locally.

SO the idea is that when you have your paint mixed look what scanner is used, what mixing machine and what brand and type of paint. Then give a judgement on the result, anywhere between 0 and 10 (0 is terrible, 10 is perfect).

Format would be like this:

Store name and location, country:
Scanner brand and type:
Mixing machine brand and type:
Paint brand and type:
Quality judgement:

I hope Bruno and Ully may know some of this already from their sources.

I guess it's not always clear what scanner and mixing machine used, but you can always simply ask.

[zapposh]

Great initiative. If ever the Baby Pac mix turns out well in the end, I'll post the info.

I also have another suggestion, for those who are willing to help:
I know it can be expensive to mail 1L of paint to someone, but frankly, it in many cases can save time and hassle and many km if someone could just get another member a pot of paint pre-mixed from his store (like I will very soon need Ms Pac-Man blue and wouldn't mind saving the hassle I have at the moment with the Baby Pac).
I saw in other posts that it has been done on several occasions between members, but it could be made more official.

So for those willing to ship out to others, their member name could be added to the info you listed.

[eurotronic]

This machine is that hard to find?
In Belgium you can find one in almost every hardware shop.

have seen paint mixer/scanner at "Brico", "Mr Bricolage","Gamma", "Plan It","Hubo", etc..
There are 2 majors brands : Levis and Dulux.

[zapposh]

Not hard to find. But sometimes results hard to achieve.

[eurotronic]

I think all of thes machine work the same, the only thing that can go wrong is the color sample.
For me you need to have a matt sample or the scanner will give you a too light result (due to scanning light's reflection)

[zapposh]

The sample part is correct = needs to be good.

The machine part is wrong = every make uses a different white base and different color components for mixing = means that some mixers (independently of the scanner or sample) simply cannot achieve certain colors because the base (white type and available color tints in the machine) will not allow them to, but other machines can, without any problem. Hence the importance of knowing which make allowed an exact reproduction of which color.

[Etienne MacGyver]

colormatching is the most dificult thing in the world.

just one micro / pico liter of mixing color too much/less and you have a color mismatch

and the base is also not the same even from the same brand, maybe the same batch, but between 2 batches there are differences

[level42]

Mmm, Ok well ....I can't produce a reliable report myself. I just came back from De Verfkoning and they don't have a scanner.

However, the guy who helped me suggested to go to a certain company further in the city to have it scanned there if I wanted to go that way. But when he saw what I wanted to scan (the decals) he said it would be very hard to match anyway. So we discussed a bit further and we agreed to try it the old-fashioned way, with color samples. He was very honest about it, but I replied that in this case it's not really the most sensitive issue, because the blue will only be on top and back. Also, the decals are quite glossy but I wanted semi-gloss for the paint.

We settled for Sigma color nr. 3060-B by looking at it under the TL light in the shop AND outside, in both situations this was the best match.

Here it is: http://www.color-swatches.com/sigma/s-3060-b/swatch.html

However the pot I received is a brand I never heard of "Hermes vakverf" Basis Z. I said I wanted the best quality they had and he said this was it...

Well....I'll try a little sample tonight and we'll see. There's not a high risk in it for me, the paint cost me only €6.50 for a half liter can

I also needed some black for the inside and since they were out of semi-gloss 250 ml cans he gave me a 750 ml for the same price ! (at only €5).

Sample pics tonight !

[level42]

Hey gee, that's a pretty great site: http://www.color-swatches.com

They list all the "comparable"  colors for different brands including samples on screen. You can even see the colors full screen.

Of course you need a color matched monitor to be accurate but I guess my iMac has to be pretty close

You can see there are little differences between the brands.

[eurotronic]

You can use this device to calibrate your monitor.
http://www.befr.ebay.be/itm/Spyder-3-EXPRESS-Monitor-callibration-device-BRAND-NEW-/140604643089?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item20bcb09711
The add dont say much, but basically it's an USB calibration tool for monitor.
Put it on your screen, plug on an usb, put the software on your PC, and the app do all the rest.

[level42]

Bit too expensive for me ....don't really need it (not a pro ).

[2-mad]

just one micro / pico liter of mixing color too much/less and you have a color mismatch

What about "nano" ?? It's living between micro and pico !?

[Q*ris]

Even on a very good calibrated monitor, the colors on the screen have always to be regarded more as an indication compared to printed colors on the final document.
Because there's no way you can ever compare backlit colors (screen) with colors you see thanks to the reflexion of the light on it (print).
+ there's also the media factor and the finish varnish that are interfering as well (different type of primer will give you different final results for instance)
Sadly, it's just the way it is, in our hobby it's more a case of trial(s) and error(s).
That's why this topic woud be really convenient: if somebody tried different mixes/brands to find the perfect match, he can share his experience (and thus save some time and money for the others).

[level42]

And it's also different between CRT and LCD/LED monitors ....in pro TV studios there are still some CRTs for quality control.

The thing is, we are just TOO spoilt. Until,what, 15 years ago we couldn't even BUY mixed paints.....

It's funny how modern technology has given us tools to do "perfect" restorations of 30 year old cabs. Scanners, computers, hi quality inkjet printing etc. Within a couple of years we're printing our own parts on 3D printers

[solidsnake]

The thing is, we are just TOO spoilt. Until,what, 15 years ago we couldn't even BUY mixed paints.....

It's funny how modern technology has given us tools to do "perfect" restorations of 30 year old cabs. Scanners, computers, hi quality inkjet printing etc. Within a couple of years we're printing our own parts on 3D printers

yea technology goes fast
check this guy out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PD83dqSfC0Y&feature=player_embedded
maybe Invisibility paint in the future,so you can see thru the cab and see al the shiny parts that were restored