Digital BW, The Print

Ernst,


>>...
>> Alex and I are both doing experiments to see if
>>there is any base that will
>> dilute Eboni reliably.  It appears to precipitate
>>in reaction to unknown factors when diluted.
>>...

>The base of all the inks in the Ultratone set must be equal or am
>I wrong in that assumption?

The midtones and Photo black are all from the same set and seem to work well
together and with the MIS 7600 base.  I think it is a well-engineered set.

Eboni appears to be a different animal.  I'm not sure what base will work
with it.

> I thought that I could make the
>Eboni more fluid by mixing in some of the next grey but if that
>doesn't work I better reload that channel with photoblack.

I have not been able to tell what base will work.  Alex has found
precipitation with the standard MIS archival base (clear, like water, as
opposed to the light "tea color" of the 7600 base).

>It would be nice to get that MIS base if it was only to get the
>Eboni at a level that it can be used in any printer.

Indeed.  MIS had to dilute the color positions of the 7600 inkset a bit to
work reliably in many desktop printers.  These high-load inks (the midtone
UC and UC clones, as well as the UC Matte black and clones (Eboni), and
maybe even the Photo blacks) can be tricky, it appears.

>To keep a higher load of pigment afloat the base has to be thick
>in rest. It has to be fluid in motion if it ever has to get
>through the nozzles.
>Thixotropic behaviour. Glycerine has been mentioned as a
>component in inkjet inks, it has that behaviour. But that's just
>one of the components.

I don't know the chemistry of the 7600 base.  I doubt MIS even has access to
the formula.  I just trust (hope) that the chemical company that is behind
the base inks & base for the inkset has done it's homework well.  From what
I can see, it has.  I have found that whenever I use a component in a mix
that is from outside this engineered inkset system, I have problems.  So,
I've been limiting myself recently to the MIS 7600 inkset as inputs.  I keep
testing others, but they invariably fall short for one reason or another.

But, again, I think Eboni is a different animal -- not in the system.

Paul
http://www.PaulRoark.com