Digital BW, The Print

I am getting inconsistant nozzle checks on a 1280 epson.  I print one 
nozzle check, and I might have one small gap in the black position.  
I re-clean, then, a small gap in a grey section that printed 
perfectly on the previous nozzle check.  Very frustating.  If I 
*ever* get a perfect nozzle check, I can almost be sure that the next 
nozzle check or print job will have some screwed up nozzle positions.   
 
Very frustrating. 
 
I have had severe clogging problems the whole year and a half I have 
had this printer.  First with Piezo inks, then, with Paul's new UT 
inks.  I am at my wits end. 
 
I have tried: 
 
paper towel windex trick. 
removing cartridges and inject windex via syringe trick. 
coating rest pad with windex trick. 
clean a few times, let rest a while, try again trick. 
clean a few times, let sit overnight, try again trick. 
 
I have no more tricks left.  I am ready to chuck this thing in the 
dumpster.  I would pay for a new printer (again) to get a decent 
print, but I have no assurances that anything I buy will be any 
better than what I have. 
 
I am now at the point of trying any drastic measure, as a last 
restore.  I am willing to listen to anything.  Please post any 
suggestions that will help me before I lose any last little thread of 
sanity I have left. 
 
Thanks,

I have had the same problems that you outline over the same period 
of time using the 1280 with UC inks.  I finally gave up, cleaned up 
using windex, wet towels, cleaning carts. and purges.  I then 
reinstalled Epson OEM dye inks and the printer works well with 
little or no problems with nozzle checks.  I bought a 2200 and Image 
print and sure am not as frustrated as I was.  Just a lot poorer.

Paul

          --- In 
DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Ranyart" 
<dilcher@y...> wrote:
> I am getting inconsistant nozzle checks on a 1280 epson.  I print 
one 
> nozzle check, and I might have one small gap in the black 
position.  
> I re-clean, then, a small gap in a grey section that printed 
> perfectly on the previous nozzle check.  Very frustating.  If I 
> *ever* get a perfect nozzle check, I can almost be sure that the 
next 
> nozzle check or print job will have some screwed up nozzle 
positions.   
>  
> Very frustrating. 
>  
> I have had severe clogging problems the whole year and a half I 
have 
> had this printer.  First with Piezo inks, then, with Paul's new UT 
> inks.  I am at my wits end. 
>  
> I have tried: 
>  
> paper towel windex trick. 
> removing cartridges and inject windex via syringe trick. 
> coating rest pad with windex trick. 
> clean a few times, let rest a while, try again trick. 
> clean a few times, let sit overnight, try again trick. 
>  
> I have no more tricks left.  I am ready to chuck this thing in the 
> dumpster.  I would pay for a new printer (again) to get a decent 
> print, but I have no assurances that anything I buy will be any 
> better than what I have. 
>  
> I am now at the point of trying any drastic measure, as a last 
> restore.  I am willing to listen to anything.  Please post any 
> suggestions that will help me before I lose any last little thread 
of 

> sanity I have left. 
>  
> Thanks,

First of all, don't give up.
Second, if you chuck the printer, chuck it this way...

>  
> I have no more tricks left.  I am ready to chuck
> this thing in the 
> dumpster.  I would pay for a new printer (again) to
> get a decent 
> print, but I have no assurances that anything I buy
> will be any 
> better than what I have. 
>  

My question is what is the final purpose (gallery,
prints for family, business) for your images, as well
as the final sizes.  If the printer is not working for
you, I will not be the one to advise pumping more
money into that pit.  

Most WalMart stores have Fuji Frontiers these days,
and they give excellent greyscale results - the one
issue is prints can't be larger than 8x12 in most
areas.  Perfect prints with little investment - as
well as archivally stable (whatever that means). 
Another bonus is that with a good profile of the
specific machine you are using, you can do excellent
duotone colorings/tonings.    

If perfect tonality is your final image requirement, I
would highly suggest using a black only method for
printing.  You only have to clear up the black
nozzles, and with a pretty easy workflow - you will
get great images.

If a completely smooth or "grain free" image is your
intended purpose, you would not be completely content
with BO and are better off with UT2 or the
Piezography/R9 driver.  This still leaves you with the
problem of a good nozzle check.  It seems you are
doing everything you can - I don't really have any
alternative suggestions. 

> I am now at the point of trying any drastic measure,
> as a last 
> restore.  I am willing to listen to anything. 
> Please post any 
> suggestions that will help me before I lose any last
> little thread of 
> sanity I have left. 
>  

Well, other than the Fuji Frontier prints, and
printing black only, my last "drastic" suggestion if
you can't deal with the 1280 is this.  Sell it on ebay
and purchase one of the HP printers that use the new
grey position inks.  Last time I checked, the lesser
model that uses that cartridge (57?) is only about
$150.  The prints have a Kodak Polycontrast III RC
look with the familiar bromide green cast, but they
look fantastic for being an inkjet.  As the inks are
not a third party product, you may not have clogging
issues and you can print glossy.  Another bonus is
that carts are available at most local office supply
stores.  The downside is that you are stuck with a
letter size printer.

If all else fails, send your image files to west coast
imaging for output and concentrate on shooting and
editing.

Just a few thoughts,
Don

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Have you considered the cleaning carts - I remember there were carts filled
with cleaning solution. I think the residue of the different inks  could be
the cause of the clogging problems. Running clean cycles or you could just
print several copies of some color test pattern, wait a couple of hours
rerun the few copies print - all of this is to flush out any inks and soak
and clean the nozzles.

My own printer is starting misbehave a little but I guess it could be that
its getting on in years.

  -----Original Message-----
  From: Ranyart [mailto:dilcher@...]
  Sent: Wednesday, January 07, 2004 12:08 PM
  To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
  Subject: [Digital BW] Inconsistant nozzle checks / losing my sanity
  I have had severe clogging problems the whole year and a half I have
  had this printer.  First with Piezo inks, then, with Paul's new UT
  inks.  I am at my wits end


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: D. Hill [mailto:hill14701@...] 
> Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2004 11:34 PM
<snip>
> Most WalMart stores have Fuji Frontiers these days,
> and they give excellent greyscale results
<snip>

I'd have to disagree with this, at least on a local level.  My Wallmart
gives pretty good color results, but their B&W has a terrible magenta
cast that they admit they can't get rid of. (dumb kids).

Ed

Does your printer give you inconsistent nozzle checks using original
Epson carts? If so, I have no clue to your problem. But if if works
with Epson carts, your problem is in your carts and everything you've
been doing is trying to solve a clog problem, which is not what you have.

The nozzles on my 1280 have been absolutely reliable for the 18 mos.
I've had it. Any problems I've had have been in the carts. 

Bob Michaels 


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Ranyart"
<dilcher@y...> wrote:

> I am getting inconsistant nozzle checks on a 1280 epson.  I print one 
> nozzle check, and I might have one small gap in the black position.  
> I re-clean, then, a small gap in a grey section that printed 
> perfectly on the previous nozzle check.  Very frustating.  If I 
> *ever* get a perfect nozzle check, I can almost be sure that the next 
> nozzle check or print job will have some screwed up nozzle positions.   
>  
> Very frustrating. 
>  
> I have had severe clogging problems the whole year and a half I have 
> had this printer.  First with Piezo inks, then, with Paul's new UT 
> inks.  I am at my wits end. 
>  
> I have tried: 
>  
> paper towel windex trick. 
> removing cartridges and inject windex via syringe trick. 
> coating rest pad with windex trick. 
> clean a few times, let rest a while, try again trick. 
> clean a few times, let sit overnight, try again trick. 
>  
> I have no more tricks left.  I am ready to chuck this thing in the 
> dumpster.  I would pay for a new printer (again) to get a decent 
> print, but I have no assurances that anything I buy will be any 
> better than what I have. 
>  
> I am now at the point of trying any drastic measure, as a last 
> restore.  I am willing to listen to anything.  Please post any 
> suggestions that will help me before I lose any last little thread of 
> sanity I have left. 
>  
> Thanks,

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Bob Michaels" 
<bob@b...> wrote:
> Does your printer give you inconsistent nozzle checks using original
> Epson carts? If so, I have no clue to your problem. But if if works
> with Epson carts, your problem is in your carts and everything 
you've
> been doing is trying to solve a clog problem, which is not what you 
have.
> 
> The nozzles on my 1280 have been absolutely reliable for the 18 mos.
> I've had it. Any problems I've had have been in the carts. 
> 
> Bob Michaels 

I'd have to agree with Bob.  I've been having clogs on my 1280 with 
UT ink and can't seem to get past them.  If I put Epson Color Carts 
in everything is fine.  I've been refilling using the MIS bottom fill 
carts and I think that's the problem.  There must be bubbles in the 
carts when I'm done as sometimes a color is completely blocked off.  
In the next day or two I'll be trying some top fill carts from Media 
Street so we'll see if that makes any difference.

Tom

Ed,

Is the magenta cast originating from a greyscale file,
or a desaturated RGB file?  I have also found that the
Frontier prints straight greyscale files with a
magenta cast - However, the desaturated RGB file
outputs as a neutral print (go figure).

Another thing to check with them is if they are
running the prints "without corrections."  Sometimes
you really have to push them to run the files without
corrections, but that is key in getting a good print
as well as consistency.

If you can get them to do that, simple profiles via
Monaco EZ Color or other similar program will aid in a
good enough soft proof.  I've been using the locals
for about a year now and could not be happier for my
wedding work - proofs and final images, color and
greyscale.  And no complaints from the customers.

That an at .24 a print, it makes using an epson
obsolete...  <--- O.K. that deserves a flame.....

Don


--- Ed Mathews <ed@...> wrote:
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: D. Hill [mailto:hill14701@...] 
> > Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2004 11:34 PM
> <snip>
> > Most WalMart stores have Fuji Frontiers these
> days,
> > and they give excellent greyscale results
> <snip>
> 
> I'd have to disagree with this, at least on a local
> level.  My Wallmart
> gives pretty good color results, but their B&W has a
> terrible magenta
> cast that they admit they can't get rid of. (dumb
> kids).
> 
> Ed
> 
> 


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> -----Original Message-----
> From: D. Hill [mailto:hill14701@...] 
> Sent: Wednesday, January 07, 2004 11:04 AM

> Is the magenta cast originating from a greyscale file,
> or a desaturated RGB file?

I've given them both on CD.  No difference.

> Another thing to check with them is if they are
> running the prints "without corrections."  Sometimes
> you really have to push them to run the files without
> corrections, but that is key in getting a good print
> as well as consistency.

I'm sure that would help, but they are a very busy shop and I doubt they
would take the time to do that just for me.  The kids barely have enough
time to squeeze their zits. <g>

> If you can get them to do that, simple profiles via
> Monaco EZ Color or other similar program will aid in a
> good enough soft proof.  I've been using the locals
> for about a year now and could not be happier for my
> wedding work - proofs and final images, color and
> greyscale.  And no complaints from the customers.

I too, tried it specifically for my wedding work.  The price was right,
but the quality at my local Wallmart just isn't that good.  Also, I
don't like having it say "Wallmart" on the back of every print.

Ed

Solidly agree with the folks that recommend installing Epson carts. Do
no more than 3 cleaning cycles or you'll really see LOTS of skipping
around spaces!

Make sure parking pad is clean and rubber perimeter is free of gunk as
well.

Also: what is your local climate? Altitude?

SW USA can get very dry, esp in winter. Terrible for lots of 3rd party
inks, even weekly- the 1280 Epson dye inks where I live
(sometimes<20%RH, 5000 ft). I use a humidfier, go for 42-50%RH, but it
only partly helps. The 2200 is magic; I get literally maybe four clogs
a year, always cleared in less than 3 cleaning cycles.

Disagree that "cleaning carts" will work. Misnamed, unless they
changed the purpose of them in the last year. They were used only when
transitioning from one ink to another, incompatible ink.

Jim Hayes 





--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Ranyart"
<dilcher@y...> wrote:

> I am getting inconsistant nozzle checks on a 1280 epson.  I print one 
> nozzle check, and I might have one small gap in the black position.  
> I re-clean, then, a small gap in a grey section that printed 
> perfectly on the previous nozzle check.  Very frustating.  If I 
> *ever* get a perfect nozzle check, I can almost be sure that the next 
> nozzle check or print job will have some screwed up nozzle positions.   
>  
> Very frustrating. 
>  
> I have had severe clogging problems the whole year and a half I have 
> had this printer.  First with Piezo inks, then, with Paul's new UT 
> inks.  I am at my wits end. 
>  
> I have tried: 
>  
> paper towel windex trick. 
> removing cartridges and inject windex via syringe trick. 
> coating rest pad with windex trick. 
> clean a few times, let rest a while, try again trick. 
> clean a few times, let sit overnight, try again trick. 
>  
> I have no more tricks left.  I am ready to chuck this thing in the 
> dumpster.  I would pay for a new printer (again) to get a decent 
> print, but I have no assurances that anything I buy will be any 
> better than what I have. 
>  
> I am now at the point of trying any drastic measure, as a last 
> restore.  I am willing to listen to anything.  Please post any 
> suggestions that will help me before I lose any last little thread of 
> sanity I have left. 
>  
> Thanks,