Digital BW, The Print

Michael Gordon wrote:

> Here's an update. I printed a 16x30 on Photorag original, same
> settings as described in my intro post (but with sheet feed, manually
> cut), and I got a 16" measured height on both short sides of the
> print, but lost 1/32 on one 30" side, and lost 1/4" on the other 30"
> side. This hardly even seems possible, but it's happening. When
> mounting and matting, I can see the obvious sweep of the image
> shortening. This is baffling me and pissing me off.
>
> Any ideas? Thank you.
>
> Michael Gordon

Another thought. I had the problem you are describing happen a few times 
when my 7600 printer was new. It was because I wasn't doing a good job 
loading the paper. The printer is fairly touchy about that, especially 
with roll stock.

I learned to load rolls in one of two ways. First, a fresh roll that is 
cut straight and perpendicular, can be loaded as a sheet (you have to 
tell the front panel that you are loading a sheet). You hold the paper 
on both sides, and make sure it settles into the slot solidly before you 
push the pause button, then you keep a little pressure on both sides 
until the printer pulls the paper out of your hands. Don't walk away - 
when the load cycle is done you have to tell the front panel that you 
are actually using roll paper. If you don't, it'll pull the entire roll 
though when it finishes printing (you told it that it had a single 
sheet, yes?).

Second way to load a roll is to open the paper lever and push the 
leading edge all the way through the printer. Hold the leading edge, and 
take all the slack out of the roll. Then line the edge of the paper up 
with the row of holes on the left hand side of the big stainless steel 
plate that runs across the bottom front of the printer. Line it up in 
the middle of the holes - it seems to matter. Once it's lined up, close 
the paper lever (with your third hand ;-)

This may or may not be your problem, but I thought I should at least 
acknowledge that it's a possibility.
--
Bruce Watson