Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "piezobw" <jon@...> wrote:
>
> If you buy ink X from cartridge supplier X, you can get the entire package supported by X. If you buy ink X from cartridge supplier Y and you have a problem that may be cartridge or ink - then you may have a heck of time getting support. We know our cartridges work and we know why and when they do not. But its hard for any supplier to support someone else's products when it's not clear exactly what the problem may be.
> 
> With that said, our refillable 3800 carts are really good. We've sold hundreds of sets. We supply the OEM chips for the manufacturer of them - and they modified the design to our requests...
> 
> regards,
> 
> Jon Cone
> InkjetMall and Piezography, etc...
> 
> 
> 
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, David Kachel <david@> wrote:
> >
> > There doesn't seem to be a lot of choice out there but before I hand over $2-300 for $25 worth of plastic, it would be very helpful if I could get some feedback from others who have already been down this road regarding which of these absurdly overpriced sets of empty cartridges for the 3800 have worked out the best for you.
> > 
> > I will probably end up using the Cone Sepia set of inks, but have made no final decision yet.
> > 
> > Also, any experiences that ink set X is problematic with cartridge set Y would be most helpful.
> > 
> > David Kachel
> >
>
David,

I took  advantage of the "Black Friday" sale last year to buy a set of refillable carts and colour inks for my 3800 from InkjetMall. I installed the cartridges in less than half an hour and after a couple of power cleanings I was ready to print. I suspect the power cleanings were needed because of air in the lines - not any intrinsic problem with the cartridges. I found the cartridges very robust and well-made, and the installation was easy.

Since installing the Cone ink system I have not had any problems. Colour rendering is different, but I make my own profiles so not a big problem. I also make my own curves for QTR, and again these are different from the K3 curves that I had made previously. With the Cone colour inks, with QTR, I get a slightly lower Dmax in glossy prints but matt prints are better than with the K3 inks. One should not be surprised if different ink sets give different results. In the event I am still getting very pleasing B&W prints from the 3800, and I am happy with the cartridges.

At the risk of being accused of going OT, I am surprised, and a bit disappointed, at your attitude to the vendors of these cartridges. As a physics graduate who spent over 40 years in product development and manufacturing I am under no illusions about selling prices of specialist items such as these. The value is not in the cost of the raw materials as you imply ("25 dollars worth of plastic") but in the overall cost of developing them and bringing them to market.

If I were to buy one of your prints, would you value it at the cost of the paper and ink used to produce it? Show some respect for others' intellectual efforts, even if they are in the technical rather than artistic fields. Most members of this group rely on these third-party developments and we should be pleased that someone sees our minority demands as opportunities to establish a viable business.

Roger Barrett