E-Z FLO (BASIC 48) AND ALL SPECIALTY E-Z FLO PAINTS AND DISCONTINUED BALLPOINT COLORS ~~ Product Use Guide ~~ E-Z Flo and E-Z Flo Specialty Paints are oil-based paints with ballpoint tips that screw-on and are removable. These paints and tips clean up easily with Tri-Chem Solvent, if you already possess some. Buy solvent for artist oil paints at a paint or artist supply store to use as a replacement, if needed. Just try to purchase a brand with no gums or lacquers. Tri-chem is not able to make or sell solvent in the US any longer. Care should be taken when using these paints, as once dry, they are permanent. These paints do not require heat setting prior to laundering. They are colorfast and sun / light-fast. E-Z Flo paints can be applied directly from the tube with the use of either an E-Z Flo Ballpoint Tip (#0402 and 0423), Fast-Flo Tip (#0407 and 0408) or Wonder-Flo Tip (#0420 and 0421). The regular EZ Flo ballpoint tip is perfect for most painting. It is an easy, no mess, way to paint all projects. The Fast Flo tip is a larger version of the regular ballpoint tip. It allows for rapid fill-in of large areas. This tip twists on in the place the regular ballpoint tip once it is removed by use of a Tip Pliers (#0641) or Tip Changer (#0643). The Fast Flo tip comes apart for easy cleaning with solvent. Take care not to loose inner parts. - Be sure to hold the paint tube in a tip up position between the thumb and the index finger when removing a tip. Gently press the sides of the crimped end of the tube to pull paint away from the ballpoint tip end. Keep sides as rounded as possible.do not crease. There is another method available for "back-burping" the tube which can be more effective. Further information on replacing and changing ballpoint tips can be found on page 6 of the "Art of Decorating with Tri-Chem" Book (#0675). The BBS/Forum, available at http://www.fabricpaint.com/main.htm by clicking the Bulletin Board link, has an excellent article on doing this. We recommend printing and reading this article BEFORE changing tips, especially for the first time. The Wonderflo tip is a white plastic open-end tip for the ballpoint tube which can be used in place of the regular ballpoint tip. When the Wonder-Flo Tip is used, additional techniques can be created by using a brush or the open-end tip itself. Use of a Tempo Tray (#0824) allows tubes to be placed into a tray with the tip up temporarily while painting. Never over-tighten this tip, and never leave Wonder-Flo Tips on the tubes when not in use. Remove and clean the Wonder-Flo Tips on the tube with a small piece of lint free fabric and Solvent and replace them with regular E-Z Flo ballpoint tips or Handy Plugs (#0429). Any of these three tips can be used to paint with EZ Flo paints. Choose the one best suited for your painting project. Replacement & extra tips are available from your instructor or any Tri-chem distributor/dealer/instructor. FABRIC / GARMENT / ITEM PREPARATION: Before painting, all items to be painted should be washed free of dirt, grease, and fillers or films. They must also be rinsed free of detergents and soaps. All fabrics must be washed without fabric softener before painting and be completely dry and clean. Use the fabric's laundering care label as a guide for preparation. Fabrics can be ironed, without steam, prior to painting to assure dryness and a smoother surface to paint on. For non-woven material like Decoron or heavy cotton fabrics, like denim or linen, place a Painting Pad (#0653) directly behind the design area so it will absorb paint that penetrates the fabric. This will keep it from staining through to the opposite layer of fabric in a garment or through to the painting surface. For regular cotton material, a Painting Hoop (#0789 or 0799) may be used to accomplish the same thing and it will secure the fabric so it does not move while being painted. To use the hoop, just remove the ring, place the design area over it so its blotter is under the design, and place the ring back on while smoothing the fabric tightly over its surface. Do not use a hoop on Decoron or any other non-woven (pressed) material! For knitted-type of fabrics, including T-shirt material, you will need a piece of Knit Sticker (#0648 or #0649) as your fabric backing. Just place the Knit Sticker piece to the back of the design area and smooth the fabric over it. The Knit Sticker will hold it place so you can paint it. Then place all onto a hard surface, like a table, to paint it. THE DOs AND THE DON'Ts - THE BASICS OF BALLPOINT PAINTING: DO: Always hold an E-Z Flo metal tube in a vertical position when painting in order to "roll" the paint on. This will allow the paint to be distributed better across the painting surface. To be used correctly, the tube must be held more straight up and down than a pen or pencil. Do not paint too fast or bear down too much on the tip. Before starting to paint with a new tube, remove the plastic tip cap and depress the ballpoint tip onto a hard surface while gently pinching the crimped end of the tube. This breaks the seal covering the ballpoint tip. DO: Always use Tube Protectors (#0351). Tube Protectors protect the tube from being squeezed or bent while painting, and gives the user a firm place to hold the tube. Holding the tube correctly in a vertical position will also prevent excessive wear of the ballpoint tip. DON'T: Never roll or fold the paint tube. Paint flows to the tip end automatically when painting. Keep sides from creasing to prevent cracks and breaks which leak paint. Allow tube to flatten naturally as paint is used up over time. DON'T: Never allow tubes to reach temperature extremes. ALWAYS keep at room temperature. For longer term storage, place all plastic tip protection caps back on and store in Tube Trays (#0800, 0887) or Tube Toter (#0850) with tips down. Tube protectors must always be kept on the tubes, also. They also allow the paints to fit more snugly into the toter and tray spots. Store all Tri-chem paints inside your home away from heaters and colder areas. Tip protection caps and tube protectors can help prevent tip and tube damage during moving. DO: Always keep tips clean. Use a small piece of lint free fabric to wipe tip and Tip Zip (#0371) to clean tip frequently while painting to insure the best possible product performance. DO: Clean E-Z Flo Ballpoint Tips using Tri-Chem original Solvent (#0362 or 0361) when possible. Odorless Tri-chem Solvent (#0363 or 0364) should be used for thinning paint and creating washes. Buy solvent for artist oil-based paints, if you do not have any Tri-chem solvent for your EZ Flo paints. Note that Softly Flo paints may be purchased as replacement for EZ Flo paints instead. Softly Flo paints do not need any solvents. They clean up and can be thinned with water. See our conversion charts for help in choosing the correct color replacements. GUIDELINES FOR PAINTING WITH A BALLPOINT TIP First, start the flow of paint by gently pressing the crimped end of the tube between your thumb and forefinger placing the pressure toward the ballpoint applicator tip and then release. This process is referred to as burping the tube. It maximizes the pressure inside the tube so the paint flows more easily. Always hold the tube in a cradle position between your fingers when painting with the EZ Flo ballpoint tip. Hold it by the plastic tube protector, much like a pen is held. Hold the paint tube very vertically. Place the tip on a scrap piece of fabric, and press down firmly on the point to depress the ball in the tip. This will allow the paint to flow and roll through the metal ballpoint bearing in the tip. When painting, use firm even lines or circles to fill an area with paint. This will ensure even coverage and proper paint penetration. Allow the paint to flow as it is rolled on.do not paint too fast or bear down more than needed. The friction will slow the paint flow and cause unnecessary wear to the tip. While the paint is still wet, work the paint into the fabric with the use of a Stylus (#0487) or Shading Tool (#0488). The use of either of these products will improve both shading and penetration of the paint into the fabric for best wash-ability. When blending and shading on velveteen or suede, the fiber tips of the Shading Tool work best. The Stylus is best when blending and shading on heavier weight, stable fabrics such as denim and canvas. Both the Shading Tool and Stylus can be used to evenly blend colors together when shading. TIP REPLACEMENT POLICY, PLEASE READ CAREFULLY! All Tri-Chem products are guaranteed against defects in material and workmanship for two years from the date of purchase. During the two-year guarantee period, we will gladly replace any Tri-Chem E-Z Flo Tips, for no charge, that are defective because of materials or workmanship. An E-Z Flo ballpoint tip can wear out through extended use on rough fabric or by pressing down hard on fabric being painted. Over-used tips, or tips that are inoperable because paint has dried in the tip, are not covered under our two-year guarantee. It is important to learn proper tip care. A spare set of replacement tips should be kept available at all times. Replacement tips are available in pack of ten (#0423) for only $6.95. Artex Tips (Item #0409 / 25-tip pack for $18.95) are provided as a courtesy to our customers who retain Artex tubes. The Artex Tips are not covered under the Tri-Chem guarantee against defects in materials or workmanship, however. E-Z FLO ENHANCEMENTS AND EMBELLISHMENTS Spark-L-On, Slix-Stix, and Fashion Shimmers may be applied over E-Z Flo paints for enhancement. Washes made of Softly Flo paint can be applied over E-Z Flo paint to create colored backgrounds. There is no need to worry about applying Softly Flo paint over the E-Z Flo paint when creating washes. E-Z Flo paint is an oil-based paint that will resist any water-based paint such as Softly Flo. Softly Flo paints also look very nice when used with EZ Flo paints in any design. HINT OF SILVER OR HINT OF GOLD . . .Wonderful for enhancing your E-Z Flo creations! Hint of Silver or Hint of Gold can be used when a hint of precious metal is desired to enhance the design. Shake thoroughly before using. Brush lightly to highlight E-Z Flo and add that extra luster for a look that is rich and elegant. In time, this product may appear darker in the tube but will retain its original luster when applied. Its is best used within its one year warranty period. 0150 Hint of Silver. Use with Cool paints as an enhancer. 0151 Hint of Gold. Use with Warm paints as an enhancer. REMEMBER ...When E-Z Flo paints are not in use they should be kept capped and stored applicator tip down in either a Blue Rose Tote (#0850) or a Tube Tray (#0800 or 0887). Always use Tube Protectors (#0351) over each E-Z Flo tubes! They are its insurance policy! THE CHECKLIST Items that may be needed to paint with EZ Flo Paints: 0 0402 or 0423 - E-Z Flo Replacement Ballpoint Tip * as needed to fix non-working paints. 0 0407 or 0408 - Fast-Flo Tip * is optional. 0 0420 or 0421 - Wonder-Flo Tip * is optional. 0 0351 - Tube Protectors, one for each tube! Required for ballpoint painting! 0 0653 - Painting Pad or 0789 / 0799 Painting Hoop 0 0648 or 0649 - Knit Sticker. For knit fabrics (like T-shirts, lace, and others) 0 0362 or 0361 - Tri-Chem (Original) Solvent or substitute 0 0363 or 0364 - Tri-chem Odorless Solvent or substitute 0 0641 - Tip Pliers and/or 0643 - Tip Changer 0 0371 - Tip Zip * highly recommended. 0 0487 - Stylus and/or 0488 - Shading Tool 0 0800 / 0887 - Tube Trays or 0850 - Tube Toter 0 0675 - "Art Of Decorating With Tri-Chem" Book * highly recommended. 0 0429 - Handy Tube Plugs * as needed. 0 Choice of embellishment or enhancing paints, if desired. For brush painting with EZ Flo: choose from the many Tri-chem brushes. Remove tip according to directions in this guide, and squeeze out needed paint onto the back of your Painting Hoop or onto Disposable Palette Paper (#0587). Be careful not to dent or crease the tube. Replace tip or use a Wonderflo tip. Please see our Accessory webpage at http://www.fabricpaint.com/accessories.shtml for brush selection and other Tri-chem accessories. WASHING INSTRUCTIONS - Always pre-wash any new fabric or garment PRIOR to painting to remove chemicals, fillers and loose fibers. Do not use fabric softener. Make sure item is completely dry before painting. For the best results, iron first, without steam, to remove wrinkles and to assure fabric dryness. - EZ Flo paints do not need heat setting but allow garments to air dry for 7 days before washing. Wash and dry according to the fabric or garment's laundering care label. Use of bleaches and laundry additives, and dry cleaning are okay on fabrics without other embellishment. For embellished items, follow the laundering directions for that type of paint. You will find all Tri-chem paint types listed in our Product Gallery. - Non-fabric painted items will dry with in 2 hours unless a heavy coat of paint was applied. Wash with soap and water normally only after paint has been allowed to thoroughly dry. Do not wash, if not needed. Items should be cleaned of dirt and grease PRIOR to painting for best results. ~~~ *This Product Guide is provided as a courtesy of The Fabric Paint Company (www.fabricpaint.com). This guide is freely distribute-able in printed or copied form as long as it stays in its complete original form, which MUST include this entire statement and everything before it. We reserve our copyrights to HTML and web versions of this guide. ~~~ We thank you for your interest in Tri-chem products!