Digital BW, The Print

Paul, I'm sorry but I can't read your response to the OP. when I click "see more messages" I get a blank box. I'm having trouble navigating this new Yahoo interface, it's not your fault!

Paul

---In digitalblackandwhitetheprint@yahoogroups.com, wrote:

... Epson 1400 and wanted to try BW printing with Eboni-6 ...

My goal is to get a better BW tonal range than I get using conventional color inks.

The paper white and dmax (100% black) set the ends points of the dynamic range of the print. The 6 dilutions of Eb6 will give very smooth gradients between those points.

... questions: (1) can I get good quality prints on matte paper without using QTR?

Yes. QTR is necessary only for Arches and other non-coated papers. Eb6 is compatible with the Epson driver. QTR can get slightly higher dmax on some if not most papers, but the Epson driver is fine for inkjet papers. See pages 4 - 8 of http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/Eboni-6.pdf . That said, I use QTR and it is something that you may want to learn how to use once you decide you like the Eb6 approach. One thing I like, for example, is using an Eb6 profile plus a Black Only profile together in QTR. This makes more neutral prints.

(2) if the answer to #1 is yes...then do I just use the icc file for the paper I use?

As noted in the above PDF, you can even just use the Epson driver "color controls." Making custom ICCs is best. I have some ICCs and curves in the Zip file.

(3) I used the 1400 for color printing but will dedicate it to BW...so I assume I need to flush the 1400's pads. . .but what do I use to do that?

Flushing never hurts, but the inks are compatible. I've never had a problem switching back and forth. It takes 2 cleaning cycles to get rid of the residual color in the heads.

Good luck.

Paul

www.PaulRoark.com

With the discontinuance of the Epson 1400 and the recently skyrocketing prices of remaining new and refurbished units (best price I can find is $799 new or $400 refurbished … plus $20 shipping!), I was wondering if anyone has tried the EB6 inks in the 1430 that Epson lists as the replacement?

Unusually for Epson, the 1430 uses the same cartridges as the 1400 – Epson passed up a chance to obsolete old cartridges!

Chuck Peacock

Pete,

Using my Epson R2000, my results printing B&W on gloss or semi-gloss paper have been good to excellent. I’ve been really happy with Red River Polar Pearl Metallic for glossy and with Red River San Gabriel Semigloss Fiber. For a less expensive semi-gloss I like Red River UltraPro Satin. I’ve made some great prints on Harman Gloss Baryta (although it’s really a semi-gloss), but I gave up on it because it was usually so badly curled that the R2000 wouldn’t feed it – I’d end up using 2 or 3 sheets to get one that ran through the printer properly.

On the other hand, my results printing B&W on matte paper have been disappointing, despite the fact that the R2000 has a separate black ink cartridge for matte printing. The Epson recommended Presentation Matte is absolutely horrible! Results with (expensive!) Hahnemuhle German Etching were better but still fairly awful. The best I’ve managed was with Moab Entrada Rag (also expensive, but not as bad as the German Etching) which at least produces some acceptable prints, but still hit and miss – it seems OK with high-contrast subjects but still suboptimal for wider range images.

My hope is that the six dilutions in the EB6 could keep the good DMax I’ve achieved with the Entrada but let me get a smooth mid-range as well.

Chuck

From: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Pete Bergstrom
Sent: Sunday, November 24, 2013 1:14 PM

To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Digital BW] Epson 1430

Hi Chuck,

I9;m planning to switch to EB6 in a 14xx when my 2200s give up the ghost. I don't actually expect the printing to change much after the switch (the 1400/1430 has a smaller drop size, but only for certain situations - not every dot on a print is printed at 1.5pl.

Getting started with EB6 and QTR in the first place is pretty easy; you've been seeing my prints using it for a while.

My paper choice has partly been driven by my print color preference (relatively warm) but also by the paper handling in my old 2200s. I have trouble with Canson Photo Rag, a paper I really like, in the 2200 but have no trouble with it in my 1400 (color inks). In the 2200, after running a couple of sheets of CPR the rollers don't have much grip for pulling new sheets in. Conversely, I can run a lot of sheets through the 1400. I have the impression that the CPR leaves something behind, but haven't any evidence to prove it's anything more than operator error. A few sheets of another paper clears up the handling just fine.

Lately I've been using Red River's Aurora Art Natural, and it works great.

Best,

Pete

On Wed, Nov 20, 2013 at 10:15 PM, Charles Peacock <lists@cpeacock.us> wrote:

With the discontinuance of the Epson 1400 and the recently skyrocketing prices of remaining new and refurbished units (best price I can find is $799 new or $400 refurbished … plus $20 shipping!), I was wondering if anyone has tried the EB6 inks in the 1430 that Epson lists as the replacement?

Unusually for Epson, the 1430 uses the same cartridges as the 1400 – Epson passed up a chance to obsolete old cartridges!

Chuck Peacock

Hi

For Chuck, I'm printing on a 1430 with the EB6 inks; although the dMax is lower than what you get on glossy papers, numbers aren't everything. Transitions are really smooth and consistent. I use Epson ColdPress (HotPress should be the same) with a little push to get it in the printer. This paper equals the Hahnemuhle Photo Rag but is less expensive. For my everyday paper I use the Red River Polar Matte; it gives less dMax but it not bad at all.

For Pete, your personal mix? I'm using the dilutions sold by Ink Supply; if you made adjustments, must be that one or two inks dilutions is not good?

Thanks

---In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, wrote:

Hi Chuck,

I made a couple of B/W prints with the normal Claria cartridges when I first got my 1400 and was extremely disappointed, just as I had expected I would be. Before buying the printer, I had researched the multiple dilution approach (Paul Roark has the most approachable writing around) and was prepared to go that direction immediately.

If you want to see some prints on specific papers without buying and calibrating first, include some sheets in a print exchange mailer and I'll make you some prints (one of mine, or one that you select) using QTR and my personal mix-set of Eboni inks. You should be able to get a pretty good sense for the possibilities, even though it's on a 2200 and I would expect you may get better results with a 1430.

Best,

Pete

On Mon, Nov 25, 2013 at 9:23 PM, Charles Peacock <lists@...> wrote:

Pete,

Using my Epson R2000, my results printing B&W on gloss or semi-gloss paper have been good to excellent. I’ve been really happy with Red River Polar Pearl Metallic for glossy and with Red River San Gabriel Semigloss Fiber. For a less expensive semi-gloss I like Red River UltraPro Satin. I’ve made some great prints on Harman Gloss Baryta (although it’s really a semi-gloss), but I gave up on it because it was usually so badly curled that the R2000 wouldn’t feed it – I’d end up using 2 or 3 sheets to get one that ran through the printer properly.

On the other hand, my results printing B&W on matte paper have been disappointing, despite the fact that the R2000 has a separate black ink cartridge for matte printing. The Epson recommended Presentation Matte is absolutely horrible! Results with (expensive!) Hahnemuhle German Etching were better but still fairly awful. The best I’ve managed was with Moab Entrada Rag (also expensive, but not as bad as the German Etching) which at least produces some acceptable prints, but still hit and miss – it seems OK with high-contrast subjects but still suboptimal for wider range images.

My hope is that the six dilutions in the EB6 could keep the good DMax I’ve achieved with the Entrada but let me get a smooth mid-range as well.

Chuck

From: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Pete Bergstrom
Sent: Sunday, November 24, 2013 1:14 PM

To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Digital BW] Epson 1430

Hi Chuck,

I'm planning to switch to EB6 in a 14xx when my 2200s give up the ghost. I don't actually expect the printing to change much after the switch (the 1400/1430 has a smaller drop size, but only for certain situations - not every dot on a print is printed at 1.5pl.

Getting started with EB6 and QTR in the first place is pretty easy; you've been seeing my prints using it for a while.

My paper choice has partly been driven by my print color preference (relatively warm) but also by the paper handling in my old 2200s. I have trouble with Canson Photo Rag, a paper I really like, in the 2200 but have no trouble with it in my 1400 (color inks). In the 2200, after running a couple of sheets of CPR the rollers don't have much grip for pulling new sheets in. Conversely, I can run a lot of sheets through the 1400. I have the impression that the CPR leaves something behind, but haven't any evidence to prove it's anything more than operator error. A few sheets of another paper clears up the handling just fine.

Lately I';ve been using Red River's Aurora Art Natural, and it works great.

Best,

Pete

On Wed, Nov 20, 2013 at 10:15 PM, Charles Peacock <lists@...> wrote:

With the discontinuance of the Epson 1400 and the recently skyrocketing prices of remaining new and refurbished units (best price I can find is $799 new or $400 refurbished … plus $20 shipping!), I was wondering if anyone has tried the EB6 inks in the 1430 that Epson lists as the replacement?

Unusually for Epson, the 1430 uses the same cartridges as the 1400 – Epson passed up a chance to obsolete old cartridges!

Chuck Peacock