Digital BW, The Print

Hello, I am new to B&W printing and this group. I have been lurking
for a few days, deciding which way to go.

 Due to an article in January's issue of Black and White Photography,
and an article on The Luminous Landscape website, I decided the Epson
C86 with the EZ inks were the way to go. I ordered the printer and
inks today.

 My problem is after doing a search of this newsgroup, I see some
people are having clogging problems. The MIS site says that this will
not be a problem because the particles are smaller than the head
openings. At the same time, when reading the problem solving section
of the website, they go through procedures for cleaning clogged
heads. 

Is this problem a common occurance? 

I almost bought the Piezotone? system, until the problem seemed
widespread. At least the monetary involvment is not as great this way.
I plan on using this until I can get no better results, then get a
2200 and start again.

What you are experiencing is not clogging, it's air bubbles.

Run a few nozzle checks. If they are no good, let the printer sit for 
a few hours and then try again. Do that until you have a good nozzle 
check.

I don't think I'd bother with a "cleaning", as this seems to make it 
worse.

Scott


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "jhncates" 
<jwcat@e...> wrote:
> 
> 
> Hello, I am new to B&W printing and this group. I have been lurking
> for a few days, deciding which way to go.
> 
>  Due to an article in January's issue of Black and White 
Photography,
> and an article on The Luminous Landscape website, I decided the 
Epson
> C86 with the EZ inks were the way to go. I ordered the printer and
> inks today.
> 
>  My problem is after doing a search of this newsgroup, I see some
> people are having clogging problems. The MIS site says that this 
will
> not be a problem because the particles are smaller than the head
> openings. At the same time, when reading the problem solving section
> of the website, they go through procedures for cleaning clogged
> heads. 
> 
> Is this problem a common occurance? 
> 
> I almost bought the Piezotone? system, until the problem seemed
> widespread. At least the monetary involvment is not as great this 
way.
> I plan on using this until I can get no better results, then get a
> 2200 and start again.

Hi there,

I recently bought a C86, partly on the strength of the B&WP article,
but also the on-balance positive reviews that I've read here and
elsewhere; I thought that for the price it certainly was worth a shot.
 I also have the MIS EZN inks installed with both the photo and eboni
blacks (not at the same time, obviously) using the new cartridges
which are a breeze to fill.

Since setting up the MIS system, I've encountered a couple of very
obvious banding issues, mainly in the K position, that I thought would
be due to clogging.  Admittedly, this would have been worrisome seeing
that my printer is only a couple of weeks old!  Anyway, each time the
problem was taken care of by simply taking out the offending 'colour'
and using the bottom fill adapter to withdraw a ml or 2 of ink from
the cartridge- after that everything was copacetic.  Make sure you get
that adapter, I think at least some problems that have been attributed
to clogging might have been easily remedied using it.

Best of luck,
Jens


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "jhncates"
<jwcat@e...> wrote:
> 
> 
> Hello, I am new to B&W printing and this group. I have been lurking
> for a few days, deciding which way to go.
> 
>  Due to an article in January's issue of Black and White
Photography,
> and an article on The Luminous Landscape website, I decided the
Epson
> C86 with the EZ inks were the way to go. I ordered the printer and
> inks today.
> 
>  My problem is after doing a search of this newsgroup, I see some
> people are having clogging problems. The MIS site says that this
will
> not be a problem because the particles are smaller than the head
> openings. At the same time, when reading the problem solving section
> of the website, they go through procedures for cleaning clogged
> heads. 
> 
> Is this problem a common occurance? 
> 
> I almost bought the Piezotone? system, until the problem seemed
> widespread. At least the monetary involvment is not as great this
way.
> I plan on using this until I can get no better results, then get a
> 2200 and start again.

Actually, that's the reason you want the adapter: to get the bubbles
out!  Forgot to mention that in my last post.
Rgds,
Jens

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

> 
> 
> What you are experiencing is not clogging, it's air bubbles.
> 
> Run a few nozzle checks. If they are no good, let the printer sit for 
> a few hours and then try again. Do that until you have a good nozzle 
> check.
> 
> I don't think I'd bother with a "cleaning", as this seems to make it 
> worse.
> 
> Scott

>  My problem is after doing a search of this newsgroup, I see some
> people are having clogging problems. The MIS site says that this will
> not be a problem because the particles are smaller than the head
> openings. At the same time, when reading the problem solving section
> of the website, they go through procedures for cleaning clogged
> heads.
>
> Is this problem a common occurance?
>

No problem here. I'm almost through my first set of 4 oz bottles in a CIS
setup.

I just print very liberally. Feels liberating to be able to do so.

Daniel Ridings
http://www.dlridings.com/paw2005