Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "iwasnvrhere" 
<iwasnvrhere@y...> wrote:
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "smithj72" <smithj72@y...> 
> wrote:

> Hey Justin
>       It sounds like you have air trapped in the print head. I know 
> of four ways to get it out from most gentle to brutal (yet 
> satisfying).


I agree with this reply in great part, but would modify it per my 
experience. I do agree it's air, and also think that the towel under 
the head trick as mentioned by Tigershark will probably not work here.


> First mehod is to let the printer sit for awhile-overnight usually- 
> to let the air/bubbles break up and creep up and out of the 
printhead.

Yes, although I would put something on the parking pad too.

>      Second, you can run head cleanings and nozzle checks until you 
> get about 50% of each channel firing then letting the printer sit 
for 
> a couple hours.

I disagree on this step. I would not do it. I would not run more than 
two head cleanings.

Next I would try installing real Epson carts in printer, and running 
7-10 purge prints. If a color is not coming in, you can run a purge 
pattern of just that one color. Files at MIS. This also will tell you 
whether you're CIS or your printhead had air bubbles. Or both. 

After the purge prints, I leave the Epson carts in and wait overnight 
and run purge again with the Epson carts. After two or three days and 
20% of ink carts if it isn't starting to clear, you get drastic with 
printhead. If it printed right away you know the problem is in the 
Cis.

The Epson ink will act as a solvent you see to clear the printhead 
after a time. 

>      If your in a hurry you can also try either pushing ink though 
> the printhead with a syringe and tubing attached directly to the 
> little nipple that punctures the bottom of the cartridge-be careful 
> to use very gentle pressure if you do this cuase it will get messy 
if 
> the tube flies off spewing ink.

This is the last thing I would do IF the problem is found to be the 
head and not the CIS. It is a last ditch attempt before you replace 
printer under warranty or pay for a new head.

I'm not sure I would do the fourth step below. Maybe, it is really 
getting rough.

The big mistake is letting the printer sit for more than a few days. I 
turn my 1280 on twice a day and run a draft print to keep fresh ink in 
head. If I plan on a vacation I install Epson inks and run them a bit 
before hand, maybe get a friend to come in and operate a draft print 
every so often.

Oh, and it might be wise to replace the carts on the CIS and start 
over, although your recharging the K seems to indicate a air block in 
the head. You recharged without replacing cart??
Jim H.
 
>     The fourth uses the same set up as the third method only instead 
> of pushing ink though you suck air, ink, and anything else out with 
> the syringe. To do this attach a syringe or pump dirctly on the 
> nipple and suck away until no ink comes out the print head-about 100 
> ml of air should do it. When you put the cartridges back in the 
> printer will prime the cleared out head and if air was your problem 
> that should get you going in about 30min. I prefer the first and 
> fourth method.
> Hope this helps.
> 
> PS. What did you do when you "fiddled around a bit"?