Digital BW, The Print

Greg


>... a mix of llb + glop ...

I mixed my own LLK from a standardized LK.  I do not think lighter than LLK
is needed or desirable.  The LLK does a lot of heavy lifting in my profiles.
I think the LLK Epson is using is a good choice of densities.

Using Epson LK as the bench-mark, I standardized the bottle of LK I used by
adding a bit of PK.  In my experience with mixing these inks from each
other, the ratios of the PK, LK, and LLK end up in the 29% to 34% range,
with clear base being the remainder.  

I have not tried Glop to mix with.  I use the MIS base.  I'm not sure if MIS
will sell its new base (slightly yellow and with a bit of an ammonia smell),
but it does, I believe, sell one that is compatible and others on this list
use.

I've also used a generic base mix of just 43% glycerin and 57% distilled
water.  I've made Epson Archival and UC-based B&W inksets with it that work
well.  The ingredients are primary constituents of Epson inks.  I've
balanced the viscosity to the Epson standards.  At a 50:50 mix, there are
enough of the other ingredients in the Epson input inks to do the rest of
what needs doing.  I have not tried it at the larger 1:2 ratio.

I want to separate the base from the rest of the approach.  If some of us
can easily mix from basic inputs, we'll be able to compare which base, for
example, gives the least bronzing or fade tests the best.  There might be
differences.  I've wondered if, for example, the MIS base has a UV filter in
it.  That might explain why MIS inks beat the above-mentioned Epson-based
mixes, but when both types are sprayed with a UV spray they were equal.  The
base is where a lot of the action is.  This allows us also to simply use a
wire-wound rod to standardize our own inksets.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com