Digital BW, The Print

Peter,

> > See [Vivera Grey] Lab readings and scan at 
> > http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/HP-Grey-EEM.jpg
> > ... 
> > A 100% carbon variable tone glossy and matte inkset just 
> > might be possible for our Epson printers.


> Really interesting. Please tell more.

A really large and very good elephant has entered our B&W arena, and 
from what I've seen so far, I'd say it -- HP -- has lived up to its 
reputation for outstating R&D.  I'm definitely not opposed to using 
HP ink if it works in the printers I'm interested in and does a great 
job.  So, I'm going to be looking at what, if anything, HP has 
brought to the party that we who like to do our own thing can use.

My initial reaction is that they probably have the very best cool 
grey inks at this point.  As such, the logical starting place for me 
would be to simply substitute it for the cool channel of UT14, with 
MIS warm carbon in the warm channel and glop in the Y position.

I'll do some rudimentary compatibility testing first, but the only 
way to really know what will happen is set up a system and see how it 
runs.  So, I'll probably do just that.

In general, I'll stick with off the shelf inks for now.  While the 
viscosity of the HP ink is on the low side for the Epson printers, 
it's not the lowest I've tested and used.  So, I think it's probably 
within range.

For the 1400 UT14-HP all I need is the grey and PK.  The 1.5 pl drop 
gives me smooth enough prints without the LLK (Light Grey).  The K2 
and K3 printers would want to add that lighter ink, however.

I do think the ink needs to be fade tested.  I don't doubt Wilhelm's 
outstanding testing of it at all, and I'll go ahead and start setting 
up a system before the results of the fade testing are in.  Howver, a 
comparison to what I can do with cheap MIS inks would be of value.  
They are very good inks also.

One has to ask how HP gets carbon cool.  The answer is, I believe, 
that it's all about how the edge of the carbon is treated.  My (late) 
brother (PhD in chemistry with a carbon specialization) indicated 
that what is going on at the edge of carbon particles is an entire 
specialty of its own.  It's some real complex stuff.  While I don't 
ever expect to understand it all, what I do know also is that most of 
our fading is oxidation from the edge inward.  So, if the edge is 
where the coolness comes from, then oxygen might get at it and shift 
its colors even if the image stays within the Wilhelm tolerances for 
many centuries.  So, the my fader is going to be dusted off.  

For those who want to do only matte printing, it may be that there 
would be less likelihood for clogging if a matte warm ink was used in 
the warm channel, as opposed to the MIS UT14 glossy compatible inks.  
Here, with the HP cool channel, a C6 approach with Epson UC MK looks 
interesting.  Since we may not need to worry as much about getting a 
print neutral, the extra warmth of the dilute UC MK might be an 
advantage.  What is also an advantage is that it appears to be 
sterically stabilized as opposed to electrostatically stabilized.  
Steric stabilization is not nearly as fussy, and it shows in my 
centrifuge tests.  

I think it's great if we, in fact, have more B&W ink sources now. 

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com