Digital BW, The Print

Yes, the last two are last ditch methods before you take the 
printer to the repair shop. It's a question of how much time your 
willing to spend reaching a conlusion for the pr As far as head 
cleanings go I would run as least ten- if no ink is coming out then 
your not losing any. Epson help techs will tell you to run a many as 
five just to prime the head with oem carts and I've never seen any 
warnings about max head cleanings.  
> 
> > 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"?