Digital BW, The Print

Martin,

>...After the all the nice things the Piezo
>users have had to say I am thinking in terms of Piezo on a 3000.

When you get the print exchange package, you'll be able to see what my 3000
prints look like with the MIS VM inkset.

Last night I decided to enter a print in a juried show that required
submission this morning.  The image I chose was in a Genuine Fractals file
that is about one year old.  I had made it for/with Piezo inks then.  I
increased resolution to what is needed for a 16x20 at 360 dpi and printed it
unaltered through the 3000 with MIS VM inks and the neutral curve.  I let
the print dry over night, and this morning I taped it into a Light
Impressions pre-cut matte, put that into a frame, and entered it into the
show.

It was really as simple as that.  One piece of paper, a year-old file that
was done when I was using Piezo inks, and bingo, a perfect 16x20 out of the
3000.  I love that old clunker.  (People I talk to on the phone when the
3000 is running think I'm in a newspaper printing room:  Ker-Chunk,
Ker-Chunk ....)

But, the 3000 clearly has its weaknesses. Even front feeding EAM took three
tries last night before it worked.  Also, I'm not a thick paper guy, so I
don't have all of those problems.  I just front feed EAM that I cut from a
24" roll.  (I tried Museo front-fed, which the company says works.  It fed,
but looked terrible -- mottled.)

Also, I am not expert on 3000's.  I have not had it long, and I've basically
just followed what appeared to be the consensus of users, mostly on the
Piezo group, who were not reporting problems.  For me it's just been a very
easy and relatively cheap way to get what I consider excellent 16x20s.

So, the experts like Tyler are going to know a lot more about the machine
than I do.

>...I am thinking of using the
>Piezo driver with the MIS Full Spectrum inks until the selenium Piezo
>arrives.

I wonder if there is enough demand for a non-warming, neutral version of the
FS inkset for me to bother with it.  I think the 4-ink version would be an
easy modification of the next-generation variable-tone I'm working on.
(Don't worry, it uses the same curves.)  My feeling is that a lot of people
want either warmer or cooler than the current FS inkset.

>The 3000 is fast vanishing at this point ...

I see it is still on the Epson website.  Have they stopped selling it?

>With the Piezo or MIS inks am I likely to have to modify the printer
>by removing pizza wheels, etc.?

I have seen some wheel marks on a couple of prints with EAM.  I have not
removed the offending ones yet, however.  On most EAM prints it's not a
problem.

>I don't hear much about the 1520. Is this a viable
>alternative to the 3000?

No.

>How difficult is it to fill your own virgin cartridges for the 3000?

No problem.  Follow MIS instructions.  Get their clamps to hold the carts
upright.  (The clamps seemed like they could break the carts, but being
careful, it all worked perfectly the first time.)

>How is it done?

Big syringes with special needles -- I was a bit afraid I'd wrecked the seal
by pushing the syringe through, but it all worked out.  Getting the air out
sounds tricky, but it was really no big deal.

>How important is it to have the Epson warranty? Would a used one be a
>reasonably safe bet?

After the Piezo list, I was afraid to get one without that warranty and
until I was fairly convinced that the Epson driver was an alternative. I
also waited until EAM was available.  I understand it'll now be called
"Endurance" in rolls and sold in November.

If you want 16x20s and can't justify a 7000, go for it -- there really
aren't any alternatives.  To me the 16x20 size is really important, as that
is what I've been printing for years in the darkroom.

Paul
http://www.PaulRoark.com