Digital BW, The Print

Paul thank you so much for your detailed answer! 
> 
> 
> You must remove the plug in the air inlets.
> 

Yup. The black cart works fine now. Doh! The printhead pattern has a little gap in black, will try to print a few more when i get back home. The YMC carts are not recognized. Waiting for MIS to get back to me on that one...

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> The MIS "EZ" systems were set up for that market.
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> I set up the newer WorkForce 1100 in a similar manner but recommended using LK density for the midtone ink.  See http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/1100.pdf  It appears MIS did not follow my recommendation, so to avoid confusion with their approach, I'm calling the LK density "EZ" approach by a different name -- "K2-Quad."  It uses the K2 LK and has 4 black/gray inks.


So I could potentially use the K2-Quad on my C86? I'll have to re-read your pdf to get a better idea of the advantages over the EZ-N set.

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> > Here are options I am considering:
> > 
> > 0. Clean or fix the c86?
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> Try the trick of putting Windex with amonia on the parking pad and having the head sit in it over night.  You get to the parking pad by pushing the ink changing button so the head moves to the left and then pulling the plug.  On older machines you can also just reach into the printer and move the large gear on the left toward you.  I moves a locking peg down to release the head.  At any rate, the amonia will dissolve dried in on the head.  After an overnight soak, do a head cleaning.  If OEM inks still give a bad nozzle check, you may have a head that is seriously clogged.  More work, like cleaning solutions in carts with some windex mixed in might work, but a C86 is not worth too much trouble.

Will try that, thanks! I guess I got discouraged and a little confused by the combination of two issues: closed vent on K and unrecognized carts on YMC...

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> > 2. Above plus ezn inks again. Maybe buy empty carts and move ink from my now useless c86 carts? How hard would it be to switch back to durabrite eventually?
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> You can switch back and forth, but it takes probably 2 cleaning cycles to get all the color out of the heads.  It's a nuisance.

Might get a set of cleaning carts to fix my clogging but then also use those between inkset switches...

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> > 3. A slightly fancier epson with MIS inks but still using simply the epson driver?
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> 
> That's what the MIS "EZ" and my 1100 K2-Quad systems are aimed at.  
> 

Yes, very tempted. I have to say it takes a few reads to get used to all the info and terms in your pdfs. But I think I am getting the hang of it now! :-)

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> > 4. A  fancy r2880 (or r3000? with rebate!), epson inks in ABW mode, no tinkering but most expensive. 
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> You'll still be doing some tinkering with the ABW controls to get the print to match the monitor.  

Yeah... plus the hardware upgrade syndrome is rarely cured with a purchase....

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> There is not perfect system that can do it all.  I think the "EZ" system wins the quality/effort and $ contest.  The OEM K3 wins the flexibility contest. (And dyes on high gloss, metallic papers win the "Wow" contest for cards and snapshots, but not for matte paper or fine art on the wall.)


Paul, thanks again for your help here and all the work you've put into this community!

Gianguido


> 
> Paul
> www.PaulRoark.com
>