Digital BW, The Print

I'm using a 1400, the Eb6 inkset, and Premier Art Smooth 205 paper, and am going to try making a curve. I know Paul already has one in the QTR zip file, but I want to learn more about the process and will save it with a different name.

The upper five or six blocks in the yellow strip of the Calibration print are quite mottled, but they did get better after an hour or two. After I did a head cleaning and nozzle check, which turned out perfectly, I printed out another Calibration print and the yellow strip was a little better but still mottled. For both prints, every block below those upper six in the yellow strip were fine, as were the strips for the other color positions.

All carts have ink, but the yellow cart is a bit low.

Any tips would be welcome... thank you!

Paul

The QTR Calibration Mode print shows the inks and results way past the ink limits. Mottling above the ink limit is rather normal. It's not just the darkest patch that you look for, it's also the smoothness of the printing. Some papers are particularly bad at the mottling. EEM comes to mind. Most heavily calendared alpha cellulose bases cannot absorb as much water as a good cotton base. With matte papers that do not have barriers between the coating and base, the base is part of the reservoir of the water. Getting those limits right for the paper involved is part of the game.

Thanks very much, Paul... are we saying then that this mottling above the ink limit doesn't matter?

That make sense... but why didn't I get this after my first setup with Eboni6? It seems to be the mottling started after I topped off the yellow cart with a fresh batch of that 2% dilution. But I'm suspicious of that dilution because I think that's when my scale reset to its default unit, which is ounces not grams... and my math got screwed up. Dumb mistake!

I've mixed up a new batch of the yellow position dilution and made doubly sure I was in grams. I've emptied the yellow cart and will fill it with the 2% dilution this afternoon.

Thanks again, and stay tuned!

Paul

Paul,

Haven't run my Calibration print yet, but I did fill my yellow cart with the bona fide 2% dilution. Topped off the others while I was at it... sure like those manual reset carts.

I'm using your C6b base, and Premier Art FineArt Smooth 205. Isn't EEM the same paper, but marketed by Epson under an agreement with Premier Art? That's my recollection anyway.

When I was doing film and paper photography I learned after some experimenting with different papers and developers to stick to Tri-X or HP4+, D-76, Dektol, and Ilford MuliGrade. I thought it best to stick with one combination till I was limited by it and then branch out. Got some very nice prints, if I do say so.

Same now: I'm sticking with the Premier Art paper and your C6b and Eboni for the time being. I do want to try that relatively new Epson Hot Press Natural you've mentioned, but not yet.

Will let you know soon how the Calibration print goes...

Paul

Finally... ran my Calibration print with the new mix of the 2% yellow position dilution.

Am happy to report it's much, much better... in fact I won't even attempt to photograph it, it's barely visible to the naked eye much less a snapshot with a modest point-and-shoot digital camera in available light. The mottling basically starts in the 95 position, so it's essentially just the last patch that has barely visible mottling. Must have been my screw-up when my scale was set to ounces. I ran a second test, not quite as good this time, started at around 90 but still difficult to see.

I may very well have had that mottling in my first setup with Eb6 but never noticed it. And Paul, your saying a certain amount of this is normal was a big help.

I need a better understanding of ink limits in QTR - basically the reason I wanted to create my own curve was to learn more about QTR. Well, I'm learning QTR, for sure.

Thanks, Paul, and everyone else, now I can begin printing ... it's been a long haul, starting with carts that weren't even recognized!

Paul

Paul,

I try to be loyal with MIS as much as possible, due mainly to your collaboration with them. But I did want manual reset carts and struggling with my conscience I found these on Jon Cone's website:

http://shopping.netsuite.com/s.nl/c.362672/it.A/id.5597/.f?sc=11&category=34585

A close and respected colleague here (Billings, MT) uses Cone's products... but I resonate with your commitment to being able to making quality b/w prints that are affordable for folks on a fixed income.

I also got my chip resetter there. It's a new version as of 2013, and works on the 220, the 1800 and on up to the 1400 and 1430. Many others too, but I can't remember:

http://shopping.netsuite.com/s.nl/c.362672/it.A/id.5752/.f

Jon was exceedingly prompt and personal for even such a small order. He claimed that he worked directly with the Chinese supplier and they made these chips to his specs, which included being manually resettable.

So, where can I learn about EEM paper?

Oh, and I found your approach to quality printing challenging for someone like me... thanks for sharing that. My level is complex enough!

Yes, you're right... I meant the Epson Scrapbook paper. I have a goodly stash of the PA 205, should last a while.

As for coatings, I wish I had submitted my 3MK-1800 test to Aardenburg without the spray... and he's not taking any new samples, at least for now.

Just to make sure once and for all, here's my earlier sample of the mottling, before I made the correction in my 2% dilution: I don't know if you saw it over in the QTR Group. Now, as I say, it is barely visible.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/spegvjtez0kwgy4/AABNy67dVuWze2E6oar_i6mia

Thank you so much,

Paul