[DavidHawke]

My friend and I have been experimenting with Black Widow, trying to find the mix that looks best for our prospective projectors (Mine's a Sharp XV-Z3100, his is a Panasonic AE2000u).

I'm a little confused, because several forums say that it is acceptable to make Black Widow in either a 4:1 ratio in un-tinted Ultra White Flat base, or as a 5:1 ratio in Valspar tinted to Bermuda Beige.

The small batches I have made, seem to show much better sparkle in the 4:1 un-tinted version. Its almost like the tint substantially masks the aluminum flakes. Not to mention that there are physically fewer flakes in the 5:1 mix.

What was the definitive decision on which version performs better? Is the addition of Bermuda Beige tint that crucial... or can calibration overcome any push that the 4:1 ratio in pure white base might exhibit?

I ask this, because I'm wondering why no one has mixed Black Widow in a 6:1, 7:1, or even 8:1 ratio (in pure white) to acheive a lighter gray mix? I've been fooling around with Craft Smart Silver Metallic... and it just doesn't seem to pack the punch of Black Jack aluminum. At least not to my eyes. Just wondering what the photo spectrometer has to say about it. Anybody ever analyzed it before?

 

[DavidHawke]

Thanks guys. I actually scored a 5 gallon bucket of the BlackJack water based aluminum. Walmart was closing it out, for $20... so I figured why not.

It looks like Bermuda Beige to Auto Air Aluminum 4:1 is the formula of choice. Does anyone know if Bermuda Beige is still the tint of choice when using the BlackJack Aluminum?

Or, should I chalk it up as a $20 loss, and go to the art supply store and just by a bottle of the AAA?

Also, please clarify... HE558 is now NOT recommended at all? My buddy bought a gallon of it... but I believe it is unopened, so he can probably still return it.

 

[DavidHawke]

What about the HE558? Any uses for it... or are BlackJack & AAA clearly superior if obtainable?

 

[DavidHawke]

Might be worth noting for the record...

The Black Jack BW, has a tendency to react adversely with latex paint, if it is stored in cans rather than used right away. It builds extreme pressure in the cans, and also seems to degrade the texture of the base paint over time. I'm pretty sure that it must have something to do with the solvents in the Black Jack. They are pretty foul smelling. Probably isn't too great to breathe the fumes, after painting a screen indoors. Being a roof paint, it was definitely never intended to be used inside.
At this point, I'd say that the AAA Fine is probably a much safer choice over all. It definitely seems to be a much more benign formula, for use in a home.

 

[DavidHawke]

Yes. I had a couple quart cans of BJA Black Widow pre-mixed and it happened in both of them. One of them was a lined metal can for latex paints, and the other was a non-lined metal can used for automotive paints. The reaction occurred in both of them.

The solvent base used in BJA is apparently NASTY stuff.

 

[DavidHawke]

The reaction occurred in the cans, and it did blow the lids off. It occurred very quickly, within only 2-3 days max. The paint in the cans appeared to be slightly bubbling or you might even say slightly "boiling". Don't get me wrong, the reaction isn't horribly violent. I discovered that the cans would be OK if I simply cracked the lid open a little every few days to release some of the pressure. I never personally noticed any heat build up... just pressure build up.

After a couple weeks on the shelf, the paint did seem to degrade somewhat. I tried painting some comparison test panels, with BJA BW that had been in my garage for 2.5 weeks, and the paint seemed slightly thicker, and it didn't flow as well any more.

I'm pretty sure that the base paint was either Dutch Boy Brilliant white flat, or Sherwin Williams Luminous White flat. Sorry, I don't know for sure which one... but definitely one of those two.

It was mixed in a 5:1 ratio with bermuda beige. It also happened to a lesser extent, in a can of leftover scorpion I had. However, to a much lesser degree. So diluting it obviously reduces this effect.

For good measure, I allowed the aluminum in my 5 gallon bucket of BJA to settle to the bottom. Then I siphoned off as much of the solvent as I could, and then replaced it in the bucket with distilled water. After doing this, I mixed and stored another can... just to see if it would build pressure. It still does, but to a much lesser extent now. So, I have to assume that the reaction is caused by the solvents that BJA aluminum is suspended in. I did notice that one of the home improvement websites selling gallon cans of BJA, states that it has to be shipped as a "hazardous material" and is subject to a $70 hazardous materials shipping surcharge by UPS.

As far as someones screen blowing up.... I highly doubt that's a concern. It always seems just fine when freshly mixed, and used right away. It just doesn't store well, from what I can tell.