Digital BW, The Print

Paul,

This problem of fogging the glass is not new.  The Epson dye based 
inks for the 1270/1280 class of printers show this effect very 
prominently when printed on the Premium range of RC papers.  Epson 
has always recommended placing a plain paper between prints - which I 
followed in when I got my first inkjet printed some 2 years ago (a 
long time, so it seems).  I have noticed the curing plain paper 
actually curls within a few hours.  So there must be a lot of 
outgassing.  I occasionally pull frames off my wall, dismatle the 
frame, and clean the glass with windex.  Amazing thing is that this 
fog cannot be simply wiped with a soft cloth - it really needs the 
windex or other cleaner.  My frames are metal, so this is not a 
problem.  I would hate to think what people would have to do if 
thehier frames are wood, with all sorts of paper covering up the rear 
of the frame.  The fogging does not happen with EAM or MHW papers - 
it is perceptive of you to suggest the RC as the barrier for 
outgassing to occur from the back side.

Regards.

Shilesh

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Paul Roark" 
<paul.roark@v...> wrote:
> There is a  thread on the Epsonx7x list has a lot of discussion 
about the
> UltraChrome outgassing issue.  To save you the time of reading 
through the
> entire thread, here is a summary of what I have gleaned from it.  
What an
> Epson representative said about the issue was reported by lthown on 
12/10.
> 
> There have been a number reports of UltraChrome prints causing a 
fog to
> appear on the inside of glass frames (or plastic bags that the 
prints are
> stored in) even when the prints have been left to air dry for 24 
hours
> before being framed.
> 
> Epson's response appears to be that the fog is caused by outgassing.
> 
> Apparently the glycols in the ink take a long time to totally dry 
out.  An
> Epson rep appears to recommend that the prints be "cured" with a 
plain piece
> of paper in contact with the print for 24 hours.  The paper helps 
absorb the
> water.  With prints that have a heavy ink load it might be 
necessary to
> change the paper after 24 hrs and let it sit another 24 hrs.
> 
> The problem apparently arises with any print on an RC paper that is
> framed under glass.  The RC paper makes a barrier on one side, and 
the glass
> on the other side.
> 
> The Epson rep apparently said that even letting the print dry for 2 
weeks
> may not outgas the print completely.
> 
> I could not tell from the thread whether this problem is unique to 
the
> UltraChrome inks or not.  We've heard of this paper-curing 
procedure with
> respect to other inksets also.  So, the problem may not be new; it 
may be
> just a matter of degree.
> 
> I've been told that one way the new inks achieve higher gamut is by 
holding
> a higher load of pigment.  This apparently comes from having a 
different
> base/medium in which the pigments are suspended.  So, it may be 
that this
> base has more of a problem than the older ink base.
> 
> Paul
> http://www.PaulRoark.com