Digital BW, The Print

Paul;

Thanks for your as usual thoughtful and thourough reply.  I'm 
actually more relieved than dissapointed to hear your results, I 
wasn't at all looking forward to having to take up post-print 
coating. About your comment->>  I speculate that the coatings
> just lay on top of the pigs, and the gases and moisture enter 
through the
> matte paper.  (I am curious if coatings on a barrier (RC) paper do 
any
> better.)
 I assume that since you haven't  tested RC papers you also haven't 
tested dry-mounted prints? I would guess that the mount board and 
glue/tissue would help, if a barrier does indeed make a difference? 
> I just bought a 7500 and think it will make a great B&W machine.  
I'm
> currently planning on using the coated Epson Archival black 
pigment mixed as
> an FS/Piezo-compatible "quad."  I'll print with the Epson driver 
an use the
> double-cyan ink placement method.  (In short, I'm going to go with 
the
> Epson-coated pigs rather than rely on post-printing coating to 
protect the
> individual pigment particles.  Whether I use post-printing coating 
for dmax
> and physical protection depends on other factors.)

Is it possible to buy the Epson archival black in bottles, or are 
you sucking it out of cartridges? Also, What is the double-cyan ink 
placement method? As you may have noticed by my other post I did go 
ahead with the 7500- it was "like new still in original packing, 
used only once for a demo" and the Fiery Rip came with it at no 
extra cost. Total price 1875.00, and I can drive to Miami and pick 
it up on Monday. Needles to say I'm excited... but it does open up a 
whole new confusing set of options and problems. I do like the idea 
of an Epson arch. K inkset, that would put my mind to rest, even if 
it cost a bit more.

I must say though, I have seen some beautiful color work done on 
that printer-but with a few thousand dollars of profiling software 
and hardware supporting it, as you said. Might be a stretch for my 
Monaco EZcolor...

Sreve Karafyllakis
 http://www.stevekphoto.com