Digital BW, The Print

Hi Howard,

>I've recently acquired a used 7600 ...

>The first question regards the tone of the MIS K4 inks ...
> for 4k+. Where do they fit on a scale between UT-FSN Neutral 
>& UT7 Carbon?

The carbon core of the 4K+ is pure carbon -- the same tone as the UT7
carbon.  They are basically the same inks but with different (standard Lk &
LLK) dilutions.

> I am particularly concerned that I will be having to put down 
> a lot of coloured ink just to achieve my favourite basic tone.

It'll be the same amount of color as is mixed into the current inks -- just
not mixed in and thus not subject to separation in the 7600 lines and
dampers.

>Secondly, will the LC (or LLC) and LM inks be enough to achieve 
>the same range of toning throughout the tonal scale that I can 
>achieve with the Selenium & Sepia inks? I appreciate that 
> Yellow would be required for full sepia but would I at least 
> be able to get some way towards it with just LC & LM?

Sepia can be made with carbon, yellow and LM.  The original UT2 sepia was 8%
MIS 7600 Y, 8% M, and 84% light carbon (UT7 LC).  If LM is used instead of
M, the formula would be about 8% yellow, 27% LM, 42% LK, and 23% base.  This
gives you the ratios of the Y, LM and Lk needed for a fairly strong sepia
tone.

>... am I going to see a significantly different "look" to my prints 
>than I am getting at present or will the coloured inks blend 
>in smoothly such that I shouldn't really be able to 
>see any difference?

You won't see any difference.  The main issue us whether it's worth dilution
the LC.  That is going to be the limiting factor in smoothness.  In a 7600,
I'm not sure it's worth the effort, but for the very smoothest prints, the
50% LC (LLC) might be considered.

Good luck with the setup.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com