Digital BW, The Print

Hi  group,

I just received my first can of Print Shield

http://www.premierimagingproducts.com/

and am testing it out right now. I printed out two 21-step wedges on a sheet
of EEM letting it cure for 24+ hours. I then sprayed one wedge (three coats,
rotating print 90 degrees between coats) and let it dry 24 hours. I'm using
MIS Ultratone carts in a 2200 with an IJC/OPM profile.

So far under incandescent light the two wedges look similar--I can't detect
any visual difference.

I'm getting the following density readings:

Before applying Print Shield

0% step : 0.05*
1% step : 0.08
5% step : 0.15
25% step: 0.50
50% step: 1.04
75% step: 1.28
95% step: 1.57
99% step: 1.64
100% step: 1.66

After applying Print Shield

0% step : 0.07*
1% step : 0.09
5% step : 0.18
25% step: 0.55
50% step: 1.08
75% step: 1.32
95% step: 1.57
99% step: 1.63
100% step: 1.65

*paper white, no ink

(My densitometer holds +/- .01 and I measured both step wedges before
coating the one)

Seems like at the highest ink densities, the spray doesn't increase
density--it lowers it a bit. At the lowest ink densities, the spray
increases density a bit. You get the most increase in density in the mid
tones. I'm wondering how much of these differences are caused by different
absorption rates or my spraying technique...

I'm going to let the coating dry a couple of days and read it again to check
for density changes, then I'm going to try to scuff and scratch the surface,
and then leave it out in the sun for awhile to look for fading.

How about list members using coating rods and other coating materials? What
kind of density changes are you getting? Is the surface of your coated paper
harder to damage? Any yellowing or fading?

Jon