Digital BW, The Print

"Gary Wagner" <gcwagner@...> wrote:


> Could the entire dilution be made with HP Vivera PK? 

I'm not sure what you mean here.  
In http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/Ink-Mixing.pdf I describe one 
possible inkset that uses 4 dilutions of the HP PK, with Eboni being 
the MK and an MIS LK being used as a warm carbon toner.  One could 
use just the HP PK dilutions if cool shadows are preferred.  Or, as 
suggested in the PDF, one could set up parallel LK-LLK density 
dilutions for a warm/cool channel system.

 
> Is the issue the cost of HP  ink being 4 times the price 
> of Eboni  or is there some other issue with doing this?

Cost is one big factor.  However, the thermal head printers like HP's 
use a lower viscosity ink than the Epson printers.  So, one thing I'm 
doing with the C6 base is raising the viscosity to the Epson range.  

This also holds the pigments in suspension better.  HP apparently has 
a system of mixing its pigments in the carts rather continuously, 
which is a feature most of at least the older Epson wide format 
printers lack, and will not need with this dilution system.  While 
the HP pigments do not settle at a rate that I think is a serious 
problem, they don't appear to settle hardly at all with the heavier, 
thicker C6 base.

Additionally, the C6 dilution base has been very clog free.  I 
believe this is due to the high glycerol content and lack of any 
binder.  I suspect the diluted HP pigments will clog less than the 
stock ones.  Again, most of us do not have a printer that stays on 
and runs nozzle checks automatically every so often. 

> What type of dmax are you getting on Matt paper with your formula? 

It's standard Eboni MK, so nothing changes there.  Based on some dmax 
figures Ernst provided, I think Eboni is still very competitive.  
With the new Premier Art Generations Alise line of papers, by the 
way, mid 1.70's are very realistic.  On HPR 1.70 - 1.72 is 
normal.  "EEM" - UPPM hits 1.68- 1.7.  Lots of papers are in the mid-
160's.  I generally will not use a matte paper that is below 1.6.


I try to make the best inkset I can for my own uses, given the 
materials that are available to me.  Cost and quality are both major 
factors.  Additionally, I really dislike clogged or otherwise high-
maintenance printers -- and mine sit idle a lot.  The HP-C6 looks 
like a very promising alternative for the neutral B&W prints I 
prefer.  But, it also has not sat in an idle printer for a month.  
So, it'll be a while before I know for sure whether I want to load it 
into my 7500.


Paul
www.PaulRoark.com