Etac FX paint - Grex vs Marrissa - any experience?

[Bossman]

That is scary since I'm a HUGE e'tac fan. I don't like to hear that there are chemical issues with that stuff.
Do you use RESTORE from createx ever? That is the only substance I know of that even having trace residue will cause paint to turn into tar slime.

 

[crewchief227]

No the only cleaner I have used is Iwata airbrush cleaner. Although I did pick up a big bottle of createx cleaner today from Hobby Lobby. I don't see at anytime how any cleaner would have come in contact with the paint but there was some kind of reaction because I added the black like I said. Shook it up in the cup and sprayed out until it darkened and then was using it when I was having to flush paint out from clogging. I opened the cup lid to see how much paint I had left and all this sand like grit stuff was on the lid and that's when I knew I had a problem.

 

[Bossman]

If at all possible, is there anyone you can contact and can you replicate the issue? Make a video if you can. Call those guys at USAirbrush. They seem to be hand in hand with E'tac.

 

[crewchief227]

Ya if I run into it again I will grab my GoPro and take a video and post it.

 

[Bossman]

Ya if I run into it again I will grab my GoPro and take a video and post it.

Can't you just mix those same paints again? Does the same thing happen over and over?

 

[crewchief227]

Can't you just mix those same paints again? Does the same thing happen over and over?

I could but I'm not one to just waist paint on a hunch especially e'tac. I will be painting again tomorrow so we will see.

 

[spazticchild]

What size is the mesh.. that is genius.

I think it's either 100 or 120 micron.. Not sure. Its standard paint strainers. I get em when I buy my paint from the shop here. Never asked the size. Sorry I can't help more then that. However, if you don't use your paints very often, you may want to store your bottles upside down. The paint on the mesh may dry if not. Causing you to replace it very often. Make sure the cap is snapped down tightly, or you may have a nice mess on your hands.

 

[Sekta51]

Well, Bill contacted me today, just emailed my order in as the website is setup for North American Orders. So I am happy camper now.
Been playing with the Etac I have some more over the past week when I get a chance. I have ordered 1OZ of condition air. It says it is used to hold the line for fine detail. Would be interested to hear others experiences / advice using condition-air.

 

[Melbee]

Today I was using some PS and had regular grey and added a couple of drops of black and all of a sudden everything got gritty and started clogging the nozzle. This is on paint I just bought this week. So I had to flush it out and practically do a full break down to get all the crud out and then I switched over to Com-Art to finish up for the day. Tomorrow I am going to take a closer look at that bottle and see if there are any problems with the paint. If there is I might be inclined to send it back since I just got it in a $300 order. Other then that the grey is smooth out of my micron. Took some reduce air and a few drops of water to get to the transparency I like but man it blows away any other paint I tried.

That sound pritty much like my experience I had with the Grex Etac FX Carbon Black. It was gritty and started to clog the nozzle to the point I was pushing small clumps of paint out of the nozzle when I cleaned it.

 

[Melbee]

Probably a bad or old batch, or maybe even started to dry on the top and edge of the bottle, when you shake it, it peels off and floats in the paint. I have the issue w a few of my colors. I use a paint strainer, cut the mesh out, unscrew the top of the paint bottle, and stick it on, then rescrew the top on. It strains as I pour it into my color cup.

I did that too but it didn't help. I double strained the paint using a paint strainer and then I cut out some of the mesh to put over the mouth of the bottle. I'm also wondering if the paint is forming clumps in the cup when mixed with the Bottled water and Reduce Air.

I haven't had time to properly test the Marrissa FX Carbon Black because I'm so busy doing other things and the painting I'm doing now is with Com-Art.

 

[spazticchild]

That's odd. Never had any issues with the mesh idea. Also if you have some createx wicked reducer or createx high performance reducer, or trident reducer, it will help minimize the tip dry as well as reduce it. Yes I mix media, not comfy with it, don't do it. I know how far I can push etac, I've done some odd tests with it. It kinda substitutes the waters place, allowing for a slightly faster dry time. Only colors to give me issues so far is paynes grey and a custom blue mix reduced w autograph. Had dried particles in it and clumps. But once I strained it, worked fine. I work with private stock. I use the extend air to make the private stock lil more eraseable. (Whenever I rarely find the need to erase)

Curious to see how the turnout on this paint issue goes. Making me wonder about future orders.

 

[AndreZA]

I just hope my paint does not start to go off. At the rate I'm using, I will toss 2/3 per bottle if it goes bad. I'll just make a note to shake my stored bottles ones a week.

 

[Melbee]

Also if you have some createx wicked reducer or createx high performance reducer, or trident reducer, it will help minimize the tip dry as well as reduce it.

That's interesting, I have two bottles of Trident Reducer which I'm not using because I'm not using my Trident paints. I will definitely give it a try with the Grex FX Black and see if that make a different. I will using it instead of Bottled water as you suggested. I'm really glad you mentioned Trident Reducer because I don't have any of the Createx Reducers or paint apart from one lonely bottle of Createx Illustration White. Thanks for the tip @spazticchild

 

[Melbee]

I just hope my paint does not start to go off. At the rate I'm using, I will toss 2/3 per bottle if it goes bad. I'll just make a note to shake my stored bottles ones a week.

Like crewchief's experience AndreZA my bottle was like this from the moment I opened the bottle from new. Perhaps it wasnt' stored well, or the seal was not tight enough or it has sat in the shop for a long time and then at the suppliers before that. Who knows, all I know is it put me off Etac big time and as I paint monochromes with very reduced Black or Dark Gray the Black paint is the most important.

I've given it a second chance because every one raves about it so much by buying the Etac Marrissa FX Carbon Black. The quick test I did was good so fingers crossed it stays that way

I agree with you AndreZA it is good to shake paints on the shelf regularly and I'm gonna start doing it more myself. I know I'm bad with it.

 

[AndreZA]

Except for the white, I get very little tip dry. Does not matter if I use reduce-air or just plain water. That is at about 10-15psi.

 

[crewchief227]

Yep Mel same thing as you described I am going to do more tests tonight, but like spaz said I have used the W500 Reducer with Com-Art and Golden High Flow to reduce tip dry. Not high percentages just like 5-10%, I was wondering why Iwata doesn't have a reducer like it for the Com-Art as the W500 is like water. The transparent bases for Golden and E-tac have too thick of a consistency to really use them on their own without water. Maybe not really a reducer they need but more of a water thin retarder which would help with tip dry.

 

[AndreZA]

Transparent bases are not to be used as reducers. They are there to change opacity. Com-art does not need a reducer because it's viscosity is much lower then the others mentioned.

 

[crewchief227]

I do use the transparent reducers to make my paint really transparent as I like to work slow and build layers and yes for the most part Com-Art is fine straight out of the bottle but there are some Com-Art opaques that could use some thinning when working really small details. I rarely add water to Com-Art but that's because I love transparent's and never really touch the opaque except for white.

 

[spazticchild]

You can use the pol'Etac as a reducer also. It gives a thinner consistency. Not really sure as to how it affects erasability, but works fine. I use it this way when I'm wanting a thinner mixture. I usually cut that with the autograph (few drops)(private stock is what I use) and extend air for a more transparent paint mix. Etac is a very adaptable system. That's what makes it so great, yet so hard to figure out.. Lol .. It can be used any way possible. Also can be used to pinstripe if you buy the jel Etac base.

 

[crewchief227]

Ok so an update on the supposed gritty black. I mixed the same grey that I was using yesterday with the same stuff except 1. I instead used a brand new bottle of Aquafina water to thin with. Yesterday I had a generic bottled water, anyways after I was done for the day I had about 1/8 oz left in the disposable lidded plastic cups I mix in. So seeing how this is about the same amount I had yesterday in my brush I decided to add the same amount of PS Hi-Jet Black and just see what would happen in the cup. I wanted to give it some time in case there was some kind of reaction and after mixing and letting it sit in the for a couple hours I re shook it and turning the cup found no grit or particles like yesterday. So the only thing I can determine is that the original issue was caused from the other bottle of water. Perhaps since it was a generic bottle of water it could have had some traces of maybe a chemical or something that they used in the purification process IDK just a hunch.