Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "Paul Roark" 
<paul.roark@v...> wrote:
> Jim,
> 
> >> The VM K has the highest ink load and uses a more volatile 
solvent.
> >>If you have used the standard MIS Archival K (not as black),
<snip>

thanks I will print out your response and tuck it away as I consider 
getting some of the archival k. I already ordered a full replacement 
VM hex set, and I first want to see if I can fill a CART and get the 
mottling to go away, so I can get closure on this experiment. If it 
doesn't go away, it's either not the ink, or the printhead is gummed 
up with the altered past ink.


> 
> UC-K appears to be tougher than the MIS VM-K.

Excellent. I should follow the 2200 threads more closely than I have 
been...

> 
> > and finding a workflow that doesn't cost
> >$500 if possible<g>. Any illumination on these?
> 
> I'm thinking of pulling UC-K from a 9600 cart.  I think the price 
would be
> close to PiezoTone pricing.

Actually I was speaking of the IP 5 software for $500. But my gawd, is 
the UC ink for 2200 more expensive than PT? Well, if the printer is 
more behaved that's worth $$<shrug>...


> 
> Have you tried the PT midtones?  I'm curious how the carrier they 
use would
> react in your environment.  Of course, you'd be stuck with one tone, 
but
> that is a question of your subjective preferences.  The PT midtones 
with the
> UC-K probably makes the most lightfast desktop inkset possible with 
today's
> technology.  Add a coat of UV absorbing coating, and you'd be close 
to a 200
> year inkset.

I don't know. Sounds like a dream team, but...I just want to get back 
to a simple solution that works without endless tweakings, clogs, cart 
fillings, printhead failures, density changes (yes I know PT is not 
the old piezo ink), mottling,  non Epson cart chips blowing out, newly 
installed carts bleeding ink into printer bed, having to  run ink 
every 12 hours, controlling humidity and temperature and monitoring 
them closely everyday, having to run control test prints every month 
to be sure nothing is changing in printer or ink, throwing away 
expensive ink after only 3 months of usage because it's gone bad, 
throwing away CFS/CIS for the same reason, or even any HINT that 
something new may have a suspected problem flowing through a head.
Maybe I should move to a wetter climate.<sorry for the rant>

Arrgh! I think a 2200 next year is a certainty, even tho $$$...
 

> >I got TSS photo to print out some stuff on Eclipse 190gsm with both
> >matte AND photo black. Yes it has some problems the biggest is I'm
> >disturbed by the drop out from just higher than 90%k to 100%k.
> 
> Was this the full UC inkset in a 2200?

Yes, and they were changing out their photo k for matte k on the day 
they did my job, so for free they printed out my files on  the 
alternate k ink too, both on Eclipse.

> 
> >Also of course they didn't use any correcting software and there is
> >metamerism, and also an overall color change in different light.
> 
> The full inkset is still a color inkset, and not the greatest for 
B&W.  I'm
> more inclined to use the UC-K (matte) as part of a quad set.

My "matte k ink" sample shows shadow compression and well, it's rather 
greenish in daylight. Of course, IP5 can fix this, if I choose one 
light source to always view it under.
Jim H.
> 
> Paul
> http://www.PaulRoark.com