Digital BW, The Print

Actually, now, I'm printing like usual, testing my new paper. But I'm afraid 
that I'll have to refill soon since the Epson Dialog Box is telling me that "Ink 
is low". It's kind of messy here!
**********************************

I have been refilling since 1995 and a good workflow is important. First pick up 
a box of rubber gloves at the drugstore I can usually get 3 or 4 uses out of 
each pair. Next I use a kitty litter tray as a work area, put some paper towels 
or newspaper in the bottom. I keep my inks in a small tackle box I removed the 
tackle trays and use it to keep everything together it sits at one end of the 
litter tray I write the type of ink on the lid so it is easy to see and remove 
the cartridge and then the ink that matches I refill and put that ink back this 
avoids the often seen wrong ink in the cartridge problems that show up on 
various groups. 


I have the 1430 and use the E6 inkset I have a set of MIS Carts bought empty I 
made my own inkset using Pauls instructions. I also purchase some of the cheap 
Chinese Cartridges these have caused problems due to not making good contact and 
needed a slight shim to work I use these as cleaning cartridges so the head will 
be clear of ink when I am on a trip. I am also not a fan of ARC cartridges due 
to the seeming inacuracy of the level sensing mechanism which requires more 
refilling. In the long term I intend to find empty OEM cartridges and transfer 
the chips to the China cartridges and use a resetter. The advantage for this is 
that when a cartridge shows low I can just pop in one that is sitting ready to 
go. My Wife uses a Canon 9000 and this is what I have done with that printer I 
have 4 cartridges of each color filled and ready to use that printer uses a lot 
of ink on her 12 X 12 scrapbook pages and I was getting 12 pages with Light 
Magenta before it showed low.


I am not doing pro work rather printing archival copies of important family 
photographs which there is only one original copy from the late 1800's and early 
1900's so each child and grandchild has an album. I am also working a project 
with a historical society to repair and restore their collection of old 
school class photos from the 1880's to WW II and reprint to a standard size 8 X 
10 in 8 1/2 X 11 archival paper. For these phtographs content is the driving 
factor descent quality is good enough since many of the originals are not in the 
best condition. Using Pauls E6 inkset and 100% cotton paper I have told them 
they can expect these to last 100 years and with archival care twice that.

Bill Lewis

Thanks Mr.Lewis

Since I'm pretty new with all that "kitchen work", I'll copy part of your workflow. One question arise, pardon me if it's really basic, but having a set of full cartridges waiting for a change, is there any danger, that at the bottom of the cartridge, ink will dry and finally clog the printer?

Up to now, I'm printing with the Epson driver (trying to figure out "curves") and Red River Polar matte. I'm waiting for a box of Hahnemühle Photo Rag to see if I can expect a nicer result.

Thanks again

I'm struggling but I'm having fun with the process (if that Epson machine wants to cooperate a bit!)

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, Bill Lewis <bill-lewis@...> wrote:

> 
> I have been refilling since 1995 and a good workflow is important. First pick up 
> a box of rubber gloves at the drugstore I can usually get 3 or 4 uses out of 
> each pair. Next I use a kitty litter tray as a work area, put some paper towels 
> or newspaper in the bottom. I keep my inks in a small tackle box I removed the 
> tackle trays and use it to keep everything together it sits at one end of the 
> litter tray I write the type of ink on the lid so it is easy to see and remove 
> the cartridge and then the ink that matches I refill and put that ink back this 
> avoids the often seen wrong ink in the cartridge problems that show up on 
> various groups. 

> Bill Lewis
>