Digital BW, The Print

I have an Epson 1160 running the MIS Full Spectrum inkset with a CIS 
bulk ink supply.  It has basically been trouble free for a couple of 
years, until today.

I decided to do a few prints.  Since I had not used the printer for a 
bit I decided to do a few head cleanings and a nozzle check before I 
started printing.  Nothing out of the black head (all other heads 
fine).

I did a few more cleaning cycles then parked the head on Windex 
saturated the shut down sponges overnight.  The next day still 
nothing from the black head.

I removed the supply line from the black head and attempted to push 
the ink in the line back into the supply bottle with a syringe.  The 
line is plugged.  I worked with the line a bit and it seems to be 
full of a vicious sludge like material.  I still do not have the line 
clear.

An interesting side note; I have a friend running the same setup and 
he recently reported the exact same problem.

Any other elist members with this problem?  Any proven remedies?

Enjoy!   Lon

* -----Original Message-----
* From: londuck [mailto:lon_c@...] 
* Sent: Friday, October 10, 2003 8:31 PM
* To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
* Subject: [Digital BW] MIS FS Sludge
* 
* 
* I have an Epson 1160 running the MIS Full Spectrum inkset with a CIS 
* bulk ink supply.  It has basically been trouble free for a couple of 
* years, until today.
* 
* I decided to do a few prints.  Since I had not used the printer for a 
* bit I decided to do a few head cleanings and a nozzle check before I 
* started printing.  Nothing out of the black head (all other heads 
* fine).
* 
* I did a few more cleaning cycles then parked the head on Windex 
* saturated the shut down sponges overnight.  The next day still 
* nothing from the black head.
* 
* I removed the supply line from the black head and attempted to push 
* the ink in the line back into the supply bottle with a syringe.  The 
* line is plugged.  I worked with the line a bit and it seems to be 
* full of a vicious sludge like material.  I still do not have the line 
* clear.
* 
* An interesting side note; I have a friend running the same setup and 
* he recently reported the exact same problem.
* 
* Any other elist members with this problem?  Any proven remedies?
* 
Lon,

It has been suggested that with CIS systems that you clean out the lines and
replace the cartridge portion at regular intervals. No one has come up with
a good time frame but usually folks suggest 6 to 12 months. The fact that
you managed to go for 2 years is a good piece of info but I think you have
done very well.

It is not just the MIS inks either. The Piezo inks do the same thing. Over
time some of the carbon pigment precipitates from the suspension and is
deposited in the lines, bottles and cartridges.

As for remedies order new cartridges for your CIS and flush the lines out
with a good cleaner and a syringe or replace the lines completely. This is
not a defect but a normal maintenance procedure.

Martin Wesley
http://www.carolyn.cc/Guests/MartinWesley/pages/MW_01.html
http://www.borderless-photos.de/guests.html

I am running UT on 1280 and after a month and half i had about an inch 
and half of the sludge
close to the black cartridge in the line.
So I would recommend running the typical cleanup and purge print every 3 
weeks the most.
Jack

_________________________________________________
Jack M Kucy
JMK Gallery (www.jmk-gallery.com)
917-991-2096     jmk@...
Member of ASMP (www.asmp.org)
_________________________________________________
...a riveder le stelle



Martin Wesley wrote:

> * -----Original Message-----
> * From: londuck [mailto:lon_c@...]
> * Sent: Friday, October 10, 2003 8:31 PM
> * To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
> * Subject: [Digital BW] MIS FS Sludge
> *
> *
> * I have an Epson 1160 running the MIS Full Spectrum inkset with a CIS
> * bulk ink supply.  It has basically been trouble free for a couple of
> * years, until today.
> *
> * I decided to do a few prints.  Since I had not used the printer for a
> * bit I decided to do a few head cleanings and a nozzle check before I
> * started printing.  Nothing out of the black head (all other heads
> * fine).
> *
> * I did a few more cleaning cycles then parked the head on Windex
> * saturated the shut down sponges overnight.  The next day still
> * nothing from the black head.
> *
> * I removed the supply line from the black head and attempted to push
> * the ink in the line back into the supply bottle with a syringe.  The
> * line is plugged.  I worked with the line a bit and it seems to be
> * full of a vicious sludge like material.  I still do not have the line
> * clear.
> *
> * An interesting side note; I have a friend running the same setup and
> * he recently reported the exact same problem.
> *
> * Any other elist members with this problem?  Any proven remedies?
> *
> Lon,
>
> It has been suggested that with CIS systems that you clean out the 
> lines and
> replace the cartridge portion at regular intervals. No one has come up 
> with
> a good time frame but usually folks suggest 6 to 12 months. The fact that
> you managed to go for 2 years is a good piece of info but I think you have
> done very well.
>
> It is not just the MIS inks either. The Piezo inks do the same thing. Over
> time some of the carbon pigment precipitates from the suspension and is
> deposited in the lines, bottles and cartridges.
>
> As for remedies order new cartridges for your CIS and flush the lines out
> with a good cleaner and a syringe or replace the lines completely. This is
> not a defect but a normal maintenance procedure.
>
> Martin Wesley
> http://www.carolyn.cc/Guests/MartinWesley/pages/MW_01.html
> http://www.borderless-photos.de/guests.html
>
>

Lon
Re the sludge problem, if you were starting over faced with 
choices for the 1160, would you buy the same stuff?

Same experience, Lon.  My MIS CFS has been in the landfill for some time
now.  Their instructions are very clear that you must print continually for
it to work, but I didn't believe it at some level.  First the black clogged,
then finally I couldn't get other nozzles to work, despite head cleanings,
Windex, and all that.  I was going a week or two sometimes between printing.
Excellent results, but for me it has to be individual cartridges.

Regards,

  --Ken Carney
    www.kencarney.com

-----Original Message-----
From: londuck [mailto:lon_c@...]
Sent: Friday, October 10, 2003 10:31 PM
To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Digital BW] MIS FS Sludge


I have an Epson 1160 running the MIS Full Spectrum inkset with a CIS
bulk ink supply.  It has basically been trouble free for a couple of
years, until today.

I decided to do a few prints.  Since I had not used the printer for a
bit I decided to do a few head cleanings and a nozzle check before I
started printing.  Nothing out of the black head (all other heads
fine).

I did a few more cleaning cycles then parked the head on Windex
saturated the shut down sponges overnight.  The next day still
nothing from the black head.

I removed the supply line from the black head and attempted to push
the ink in the line back into the supply bottle with a syringe.  The
line is plugged.  I worked with the line a bit and it seems to be
full of a vicious sludge like material.  I still do not have the line
clear.

An interesting side note; I have a friend running the same setup and
he recently reported the exact same problem.

Any other elist members with this problem?  Any proven remedies?

Enjoy!   Lon




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Regarding my CIS-MIS FS Quadtone Sludge Problem

First, thank all of those on the list that help with my sludge 
problem.

I have the printer working again.  There was a very nasty plugged up 
black (K) line in the CIS.  With the lines disassembled very 
aggressive vacuum and pressure would not clear the black (K) line.  I 
finally had to resort to a steel wire in the tube.

It was a grand mess.  I will be repainting part of my wall and 
ceiling.

I did not replace the black cartridge on the CIS yet, but I when I 
reassembled everything and drew the vacuum to get the black cartridge 
primed, it seemed sluggish.  Even though the printer seems to be 
working fine, I think I will replace the black cartridge soon.

I had used the printer for about two year without a problem.  
Although I cleaned out all of the lines, it seemed that there was 
only a problem with the black.  Possibly routine maintenance at a 
year on only the black might be a reasonable approach, and a longer 
time for the other tones.

One list member asked if it was worth it (1160 / CIS / MIS FS 
Quadtones); I am not sure.  One you are in deep water you typically 
loose your objectivity.

One comment I can make.  If you are not very mechanically inclined, 
run away.  This is not turnkey functionality.

Enjoy!   Lon
________________________________
--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "awsimages" 
<awsimages@a...> wrote:

> Lon
> Re the sludge problem, if you were starting over faced with 
> choices for the 1160, would you buy the same stuff?

If your MIS-FS inks are a couple of years old then you don't have 
the eboni black, and that is the problem.
I got the sludge effect also and had to replace the cartridge and 
the black ink.  None of the other carts exhibited the problem after 
more than 2 years of usage.
As for the question of "doing it again" my answer is a definite 
yes.
I use the Randall workflow and get excellent tonal range with 
EEM.
If I have to start over (shudder) I would give a serious look at the 
Roark workflow, but I'd have to have good reason to switch.
Incidentally, I'll be reporting here shortly on my experience with 
Photorag vs EEM.  So far the results are very promising.

Harry Lockwood



--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, 
"londuck" <lon_c@h...> wrote:
> Regarding my CIS-MIS FS Quadtone Sludge Problem
> 
> First, thank all of those on the list that help with my sludge 
> problem.
> 
> I have the printer working again.  There was a very nasty 
plugged up 
> black (K) line in the CIS.  With the lines disassembled very 
> aggressive vacuum and pressure would not clear the black (K) 
line.  I 
> finally had to resort to a steel wire in the tube.
> 
> It was a grand mess.  I will be repainting part of my wall and 
> ceiling.
> 
> I did not replace the black cartridge on the CIS yet, but I when I 
> reassembled everything and drew the vacuum to get the black 
cartridge 
> primed, it seemed sluggish.  Even though the printer seems to 
be 
> working fine, I think I will replace the black cartridge soon.
> 
> I had used the printer for about two year without a problem.  
> Although I cleaned out all of the lines, it seemed that there was 
> only a problem with the black.  Possibly routine maintenance at 
a 
> year on only the black might be a reasonable approach, and a 
longer 
> time for the other tones.
> 
> One list member asked if it was worth it (1160 / CIS / MIS FS 
> Quadtones); I am not sure.  One you are in deep water you 
typically 
> loose your objectivity.
> 
> One comment I can make.  If you are not very mechanically 
inclined, 
> run away.  This is not turnkey functionality.
> 
> Enjoy!   Lon
> ________________________________
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, 
"awsimages" 

> <awsimages@a...> wrote:
> > Lon
> > Re the sludge problem, if you were starting over faced with 
> > choices for the 1160, would you buy the same stuff?