Digital BW, The Print

While this mixing can be done fairly easily with bulk chemicals and a kitchen scale or graduated containers or in small batches with a syringe for measuring. I can see where for many, who do a few prints using this technique, it is a bit over the top and for many the purchase of ready mixed inks is a good choice. I would expect that ink makers would do their research and then purchase the chemicals for the base in bulk containers and then carefully mixing these components which often are a few dollars a gallon especially in quanities in over 5 gallon containers. The ink pigment is a totally different issue as particle size and particle coating are very complex issues so I did purchase the full strength black pre mixed Eboni ink as a starting point using Paul's formulas.

I am receintly retired and my wife is interested in Genealogy which got me involved in restoring and reprinting a large collection of school class photos from the 1880's to the 1940's some in very bad condition for a county archive. I wanted to make restored prints on an archival stock using a truly archival ink. Archivists think in 100 year increments and they wanted prints that would look good in 200 years. I was using Canon 100+ year dye inks on Epson 100% cotton Scrapbook paper. One weekend I spent nearly $150 0n Ink So I needed another ink that the Archivist would accept. 

Web searches found Paul's site and the Carbon on Cotton process which I read thoroughly and then contacted him directly. He suggested that this site was also a good resource so I joined and have read relivant threads in the entire archives over a peroid of several months. I worked as an electronic engineer and then later did systems analysis. I also have 4 semesters of college chemestry including organic so mixing and measuring are something I have no problem doing. At first I intended to purchase the six premixed Eboni 6 inks for use in an Epson 1400 but for the quanities I am expecting to use on this project I decided to mix it myself and refill ARC cartridges. While building my digital darkroom the 1430 was anounced so I have purchased that printer which is for most specifications a 1400 with wireless connectivity. I think there are some mechanical and programming improvements but most specifications are exactly the same between both printers
 including the ink cartridges and ink, both are list price $300 but currently the 1430 has an $80 rebate.

I have been and still am a user of non OEM inks since 1995. I expect those that decide to mix it up themselves is a very small segment of the customer base of any of these ink suppliers. Having spent most of my working life in research labratories I look forward to working with these custom inks and learning the processes needed to properly use them.

Bill Lewis