Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "jekphoto1" <jim@j...> 
wrote:
> Hi, 
> 

> 
> The printer makes great prints and has perfect nozzel checks.  The 
> only problem seems to be that ink keeps getting on the small rollers 
> closest to the print head.  I can clean them, but then while making 
a 
> print, more will splatter onto them and they will leave smeared ink 
> trails across the paper.  Sometimes this is worse than others, but I 
> have never had a perfectly clean print.  Is this symptom indicative 
> of a solvable problem?  Any help will be much appreciated.

This happened to me on the 1160 and the 1280. On the 1160 it was 
usually due to lint, cat hairs, Q-Tip lint, etc under the head. I 
think Cone details this in his tech FAq's quite well if I remember. 
What I did was to put a green photo-wipe (less lint and stronger then 
paper towel) under the head (send printhead to left and unplug first). 
 Then after it's under head put some drops of cleaner (Fantastik, 
maybe windex although this latter seems to be falling into disfavor 
these days) on the photo-wipe and move head across towel or wipe 
towel back and forth under head. May have to repeat.

You will have ink left in the black plastic tray and on rollers after 
this possibly. I NEVER use Q-tips anymore...they cause lint problems. 
I use foam swabs from Radio shack, $3 for ten part #44-1094. There are 
other swabs out there like for makeup, tape drives, etc.

I guess you should also check the Parking pad to be sure the rim is 
clean and no gobs of old ink are gumming it. Adding a few drop of 
Fantastik to the pad may help with clogs in general. When I got 
blotting though, the paper towel trick was needed. Worth a try, 
anyway...

I've seen some HORrible 1160 refurbs, ones that could never had had 
more than the covers dusted off with a rag. I suspect cleaning the 
heads  in any manner is an option only used rarely by Epson when they 
get ready to sell one of these(?).

On my new 1280, I get localized ink blotting at the end of the 8 1/2 
sheet of paper when I switch from MIS inks to Epson ink carts or back 
without first running two or three cleaning cycles. Why this would be 
I don't know, but I've been able to repeat the problem once, I'm not 
going to try for two. Maybe the Epson ink and MIS ink aren't entirely 
miscible, and a little diluting or "spitting" occurs?
Jim H.