Digital BW, The Print

I'm moving to a new base mix for the next generation of my carbon printing.  I'll refer to the latest version of the mix and carbon inkset as "Carbon-7" or "C7" to distinguish it from the previous recommendations.

I'll update my progress at 
http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/Carbon-7.pdf

While the 7800 is my target, I expect this new base mix will also have benefits for other printers. 

The main change in the current base mix is the addition of a Dow surfactant/wetting agent that brings the smoothness of what I can achieve on Arches watercolor paper up to virtually the OEM level.  My tests so far show C7 to be slightly smoother and more neutral than Eboni-6.

The surfactant is Dow Tergitol 15-S-7.  It is similar to the active ingredients in both Photo Flo and the Edwal LFN wetting agents that we've used for years in photography.  But, when added to the mix, the results are a slight improvement -- worth the effort for me.  See http://www.dow.com/surfactants/products/second.htm for more information on this surfactant.

Tergitol 15-S-7 is generally not sold in small quantities, but I have found a source. Chemical Marketing Concepts at 860-354-2278 usually handles Dow's sample business.  They will sell quart quantities of Tergitol 15-S-7 for $68.

As my publishing of this information indicates, I do not intend to go into the ink selling business.  But if no company is interested in taking the job of re-packaging this surfactant in smaller quantities, I might be willing to sell small quantities to people who want to experiment with it.

I'm still experimenting with the new ink base outlined at 
http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/Carbon-7.pdf.  There may well be changes.  Today the centrifuge will be dusted off to test the settlement rate.  However, the mix that is published there is making the best prints yet on Arches with my 2200.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com