Digital BW, The Print

I have just started printing B&W on some fine art paper (Ilford) on an
Epson 2200.  The first print that I did (A4) came out with some black
ink smears in the bottom corners, and a little along the lower edge.

This appears to have happened because the paper curls up slightly into
a concave shape, and as the lower part of the image is being printed,
the bottom edge of the paper is free of the rollers holding it down
and rubs up against the bottom of the print head.  You can hear it and
see it happening.

Anyone else had this problem?  What solutions?

I guess I could try and roll the paper the other way before I feed
it.  

Also I tried a variant of the declog-the-print-head technique, by
pressing the ink cartridge button, turning the printer off, and then
sliding pieces of fine paper towel under the print head.  

Sure was a lot of ink there.  How does it get there?  Is it from the
pads that collect the overspray from borderless printing, or is it
from the pad on the right hand side that collects the ink from head
cleanings?

Is there a way to prevent this build-up, or is this just something
that has to be done periodically?

I was hoping to get a few more ideas before I try printing again on
fine art paper.  

F_P

I've had exactly the same problem with FA paper, EEM at times, and note card
paper (the type of which I use  is really just FA paper cut down and
scored).

The only soultion I've found is exactly what you suggest - curl it back at
the leading edge. Typically, if it looks even a little curled, curl it back
because running it through the top paper feeder will usually result in the
edges getting smeared. This started some time after I got my 2200. So I'm
guessing the paper is hitting something that collects ink over time. Maybe
someone knows exactly what it is, and cleaning it regularly might just make
the problem go away.

I have never seen this problem when using the straight through feeder - not
to say it can't or will never happen. But I get the sense that the paper
feeder exacerbates the problem by encourging the curl a bit more, causing
the paper to brush up against the offending part. I'll watch it some when
I'm printing later today. If I see anything that looks promising I'll pass
it along.

>I have just started printing B&W on some fine art paper (Ilford) on an
>Epson 2200.  The first print that I did (A4) came out with some black
>ink smears in the bottom corners, and a little along the lower edge.







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My problem was actually with the trailing edge, not the leading one.

I had forgotten about the straight-through feeder.  Might give that a
try.

I also posted this question in the Epson group. (My question was
really about the printer and so was more appropriate in that group,
but in practice I get more useful advice about the 2200 in this
group).  There are a couple of replies that you might want to read:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EPSON_Printers/message/29007
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EPSON_Printers/message/29013

The one from Art refers to a document about curing Epson printer
clogs, which all Epson owners should have.  He will send it to you for
free.  I should have looked at it again about how to clean under the
heads, as it describes how best to do that.

The other post mentions a novel technique for preventing the paper
from dropping as it leaves the printer.  Even with the
straight-through feeder you might still benefit from a trick like
this.

F_P


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Bill Cheadle"
<wpcheadle@i...> wrote:
> I've had exactly the same problem with FA paper, EEM at times, and
note card
> paper (the type of which I use  is really just FA paper cut down and
> scored).
> 
> The only soultion I've found is exactly what you suggest - curl it
back at
> the leading edge. Typically, if it looks even a little curled, curl
it back
> because running it through the top paper feeder will usually result
in the
> edges getting smeared. This started some time after I got my 2200.
So I'm
> guessing the paper is hitting something that collects ink over time.
Maybe
> someone knows exactly what it is, and cleaning it regularly might
just make
> the problem go away.
> 
> I have never seen this problem when using the straight through
feeder - not
> to say it can't or will never happen. But I get the sense that the
paper
> feeder exacerbates the problem by encourging the curl a bit more,
causing
> the paper to brush up against the offending part. I'll watch it some
when
> I'm printing later today. If I see anything that looks promising
I'll pass
> it along.
> 
> >I have just started printing B&W on some fine art paper (Ilford)
on an
> >Epson 2200.  The first print that I did (A4) came out with some
black
> >ink smears in the bottom corners, and a little along the lower
edge.