Digital BW, The Print

First of all, don't give up.
Second, if you chuck the printer, chuck it this way...

>  
> I have no more tricks left.  I am ready to chuck
> this thing in the 
> dumpster.  I would pay for a new printer (again) to
> get a decent 
> print, but I have no assurances that anything I buy
> will be any 
> better than what I have. 
>  

My question is what is the final purpose (gallery,
prints for family, business) for your images, as well
as the final sizes.  If the printer is not working for
you, I will not be the one to advise pumping more
money into that pit.  

Most WalMart stores have Fuji Frontiers these days,
and they give excellent greyscale results - the one
issue is prints can't be larger than 8x12 in most
areas.  Perfect prints with little investment - as
well as archivally stable (whatever that means). 
Another bonus is that with a good profile of the
specific machine you are using, you can do excellent
duotone colorings/tonings.    

If perfect tonality is your final image requirement, I
would highly suggest using a black only method for
printing.  You only have to clear up the black
nozzles, and with a pretty easy workflow - you will
get great images.

If a completely smooth or "grain free" image is your
intended purpose, you would not be completely content
with BO and are better off with UT2 or the
Piezography/R9 driver.  This still leaves you with the
problem of a good nozzle check.  It seems you are
doing everything you can - I don't really have any
alternative suggestions. 

> I am now at the point of trying any drastic measure,
> as a last 
> restore.  I am willing to listen to anything. 
> Please post any 
> suggestions that will help me before I lose any last
> little thread of 
> sanity I have left. 
>  

Well, other than the Fuji Frontier prints, and
printing black only, my last "drastic" suggestion if
you can't deal with the 1280 is this.  Sell it on ebay
and purchase one of the HP printers that use the new
grey position inks.  Last time I checked, the lesser
model that uses that cartridge (57?) is only about
$150.  The prints have a Kodak Polycontrast III RC
look with the familiar bromide green cast, but they
look fantastic for being an inkjet.  As the inks are
not a third party product, you may not have clogging
issues and you can print glossy.  Another bonus is
that carts are available at most local office supply
stores.  The downside is that you are stuck with a
letter size printer.

If all else fails, send your image files to west coast
imaging for output and concentrate on shooting and
editing.

Just a few thoughts,
Don

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