Digital BW, The Print

I've updated my PDF that deals with ink mixing and now have it focused
on a specific proposed open-source 100% carbon (Eboni) inkset, which I
call "Carbon-6."  The name is intended, in part, to distinguish it from
Eboni-6, which will use the MIS base and different mixing ratios, but
they clearly are closely related.  Eboni-6, will have a commercial base
and be pre-mixed, and this Carbon-6 will have to be mixed from scratch
by users.

See http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/Ink-Mixing.pdf
<http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/Ink-Mixing.pdf>

As I've noted over the last couple of years, I've used and explored an
easy-to-mix ink base that is just water and glycerol.  Actually most
water-based inkjet inksets are mostly water plus a significant
percentage glycerol.

The primary constituent in my experiments that improved the smoothness
of the bare-bones glycerol + water combination was a surfactant or
wetting agent.   While I've been experimenting with some Dow
surfactants, I've decided to step back and do long term testing of a
simple mix using the more readily available Kodak Photo Flo.  It is not
the strongest of this class of chemicals, but it's well known and good
enough for printers with droplet sized greater than 1.5 picoliters. 
This includes the vast majority of Epson printers.

Note that adding stronger surfactants may make this inkset slightly
smoother under a loupe, but they also make it print warmer, which is not
a positive characteristic when one is fighting carbon's tendency to have
an elevated Lab B in these inksets.  So, the strength of the wetting
agent or surfactant is a double edged sword.   Photo Flo appears to be a
very nice and simple compromise.

I do still expect MIS to produce Eboni-6, and that remains in my 7500,
just as the 3-MK workflow will remain in my 1800.  However, I think a
"home brew" base and carbon inkset that will run on most Epson printers
and is extremely economical might have significant appeal to many.   It,
hopefully, will take the low cost and high stability of the 1800 3-MK
workflow to most of the remainder of the Epson printer base.  Because it
can use the Epson driver for printing, it lends itself to very easy
workflows.  The prints are among the smoothest and best I've ever
produced.

This is still an experimental inkset.  I have not had it in a printer
for long periods of time.  I have tested a bare bones water + glycerol +
Eboni ink in a 220 for a number of months, including periods of no use
that extended for several weeks, and it did not clog or otherwise cause
any problems.  But the addition of the Photo Flo is new.

Kodak Photo-Flo 200 is mostly water with 25 - 30% propylene glycol and 5
- 10% wetting agent (p-tert-octylphenoxy polyethoxyethyl alcohol).  The
propylene glycol is well know and often used in inskets.  It and
glycerol are often seen as substitutes.  I have used it with good
success.  But the wetting agent is a new component that I have not
tested long term in this context.   I do, of course, have a fairly high
confidence level in it or I would not publish this.

Paul

www.PaulRoark.com <http://www.PaulRoark.com>





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