Digital BW, The Print

> "pr_roark" wrote:

> A couple of us are looking at using the C6 
> base to dilute PKs for use in warm carbon 
> channel to go with the HP cool dilutions.  

Thank you for all of the research and information sharing Paul.

I have been looking for a good "photo black" only (glossy and semi-
gloss) ink set.  I am going to let the matte papers go in favor of 
the new baryta's, and the standard Epson Luster etc., that I use for 
color printing.

After testing the Carbon 6 on matte papers last year, I mixed up a 
test "glossy" ink set for my 7600 using the Epson PK and the C6 base 
last summer.  

I wound up with a 5K+GLOP ink set that I was quite happy with.  I was 
going to use the last channel for a magenta/cyan toner ink, but never 
quite got around to it. ;>)  The PK mixture was a bit brown and 
green, as expected with the Epson, but I was happy with it for 
proofing.  I never envisioned using it as a final ink set.

I also mixed up an Epson PK ink set on the 2200 using the 3 K3 
blacks - PK, LK, LLK.  I saw no real reason to prefer that ink set 
over the one on teh 7600, just starting with PK and making my own 
dilutions using the C6 base.

I am going to try the same kind of mix using the HP PK, as you have 
outlined.  

To make a set of 250 ml cartridges of eack ink in the 5K+GLOP mix 
requires about 500 ml of the base "K" ink to start. To mix, I just 
used 250 ml bottles and put 1/2 as much K ink in each successive 
bottle as in the preceeding. Then I "filled up" the bottle with the 
C6 base. 

So I started with 250 ml of K in the first bottle, then 125 ml, 60ml, 
30 ml, and 15 ml, and finally 5ml for a 6K set.  I need to take a 
close look at the Lab A and Lab B tone curves of an HP PK only mix 
and decide on the final channels.  I will probably try a 6K+GLOP with 
all HP PK and no toner first, then see if I really need a toner. I am 
not quite as obsessed with longevity and will probably just use color 
inks as toner in the 6th "K" channel if needed. 

Cost would be for two double-packs of the 130ml HP PK carts, or about 
$200 from mpex.com, plus the small cost of the C6 base (maybe $10?).  
That will make 6 x 250 ml = 1.5 liters of ink. Add in about $25 for 
250 ml of GLOP if I remember pricing correctly ($50 per 500 ml?)

It may be a week or 2 before I have a chance to mix and profile the 
inks.  Just getting back after many months off (neck pain problems.)

Best,
Michael