Digital BW, The Print

So, there's this Epson 3000 up for sale locally (but, to 
paraphrase Woody Gutherie, I'm not saying which locality).  
According to the owner, it's seen some miles.  The heads likely 
need cleaning.  A few of the feed tubes to the print head could 
likely use replacement.  But it likely has an ethernet card in it 
already (a fairly big deal if confirmed).  And, it's cheap. _Really_ 
cheap.

I'll likely check it out tomorrow.  I may, in fact, have enough
pocket  money to pick it up and call a car service to drag it home 
if I'm feeling lucky.  The thing is, I've rarely dealt with any Epson 
larger than 13", and this would be the first I've ever owned.  I 
know the specs (the owner warned me about the limitations of 
four-color printers for "critical" color photo work, and was quite 
intrigued when I told him I wanted it for quad work).  What I want 
to know is: what should I be looking out for with a beastie like 
this?  In a worst-case scenario, what's the average tab for head 
replacement, should it come to that?  Given how cheap I'd be 
getting it for, I can deal with sinking a few hundred more in the 
thing to get it "right" if necessary (cheap compared to, say, laying 
out for a 4000), but I'd like the lay of the land regarding rollers, 
feed mechanisms, etc.  I've had great luck with my 1160, which I 
bought used (and keep on a steady diet of Lyson Quad Black 
Neutral), and this would be a chance to go bigger for relatively 
cheap.

- Barrett

Oh boy, you aren't going to be printing those images from that cheap
Konica rangefinder 
are you???  (I'm still jealous, I want one!).

How ya doing Barret? Haven't seen you in a while. Shoot me an email
and let's have a beer!

Jon
Ft. Greene

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Barrett Benton" 
<bwbenton@b...> wrote:
> 
> So, there's this Epson 3000 up for sale locally (but, to 
> paraphrase Woody Gutherie, I'm not saying which locality).  
> According to the owner, it's seen some miles.  The heads likely 
> need cleaning.  A few of the feed tubes to the print head could 
> likely use replacement.  But it likely has an ethernet card in it 
> already (a fairly big deal if confirmed).  And, it's cheap.
_Really_ 
> cheap.
> 
> I'll likely check it out tomorrow.  I may, in fact, have enough
> pocket  money to pick it up and call a car service to drag it home 
> if I'm feeling lucky.  The thing is, I've rarely dealt with any
Epson 
> larger than 13", and this would be the first I've ever owned.  I 
> know the specs (the owner warned me about the limitations of 
> four-color printers for "critical" color photo work, and was quite 
> intrigued when I told him I wanted it for quad work).  What I want 
> to know is: what should I be looking out for with a beastie like 
> this?  In a worst-case scenario, what's the average tab for head 
> replacement, should it come to that?  Given how cheap I'd be 
> getting it for, I can deal with sinking a few hundred more in the 
> thing to get it "right" if necessary (cheap compared to, say,
laying 
> out for a 4000), but I'd like the lay of the land regarding
rollers, 

> feed mechanisms, etc.  I've had great luck with my 1160, which I 
> bought used (and keep on a steady diet of Lyson Quad Black 
> Neutral), and this would be a chance to go bigger for relatively 
> cheap.
> 
> - Barrett

One comment regarding E3000 performance referenced in the PiezographyBW 
information:  Check the paper feed mechanism performance: a 16x20 print 
should be 20 inches long within +- 3/16" . Beyond that the dot groups 
will be spread/compressed creating excessive banding. 

Mine is 1/8" over, has microbanding, but the performace is not 
consistent with the paper moving too far as the black ink seems to 
overlay and a mid grey tone seems slightly overspaced. If you are not 
looking too closely - a few feet away, it works fine .

( I use the E3000 for 16x20 and an E2000P for smaller print sizes )

- Alex

Barrett,

I have no idea what head replacement would be for the 3000, as mine never
needed any servicing at all.  My 1160 had its head replaced for $160.  I'd
call the nearest Epson authorized repair person and ask about the head
replacement.  

A 3000 with all the jets firing correctly should go for only a few hundred
bucks.  At that price, it's clearly the most affordable route to 16 x 20
prints.  

I used mine with MIS UT-FSN and VMS inksets, printing mostly on EEM, and was
very satisfied with it.  Paper thicker than EEM was just not worth hassling
with, however.  Today I might try PremierArt 205 for an acid free paper.

I cut the EEM from a roll (24" x 100' for less than $60), then I put the
paper between a couple of water-misted blotter papers to "release" the curl.
After about 30 seconds of that, the EEM fed through the front paper try
without a hitch.  Between the bulk inks, roll of EEM, and price of the 3000,
16 x 20 prints need not cost much at all. 

The dots are too large for top notch variable-tone prints, and glossy prints
are probably not an option.  However, with a monotone inkset and matte paper
the prints will be excellent at viewing distance.

Good luck.

Paul
____________

-----Original Message-----
From: Barrett Benton [mailto:bwbenton@...] 
Sent: Saturday, February 26, 2005 10:09 PM
To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Digital BW] Query, or: "An Epson 3000 walks into a bar..."



So, there's this Epson 3000 up for sale locally (but, to 
paraphrase Woody Gutherie, I'm not saying which locality).  
According to the owner, it's seen some miles.  The heads likely 
need cleaning.  A few of the feed tubes to the print head could 
likely use replacement.  But it likely has an ethernet card in it 
already (a fairly big deal if confirmed).  And, it's cheap. _Really_ 
cheap.

I'll likely check it out tomorrow.  I may, in fact, have enough
pocket  money to pick it up and call a car service to drag it home 
if I'm feeling lucky.  The thing is, I've rarely dealt with any Epson 
larger than 13", and this would be the first I've ever owned.  I 
know the specs (the owner warned me about the limitations of 
four-color printers for "critical" color photo work, and was quite 
intrigued when I told him I wanted it for quad work).  What I want 
to know is: what should I be looking out for with a beastie like 
this?  In a worst-case scenario, what's the average tab for head 
replacement, should it come to that?  Given how cheap I'd be 
getting it for, I can deal with sinking a few hundred more in the 
thing to get it "right" if necessary (cheap compared to, say, laying 
out for a 4000), but I'd like the lay of the land regarding rollers, 
feed mechanisms, etc.  I've had great luck with my 1160, which I 
bought used (and keep on a steady diet of Lyson Quad Black 
Neutral), and this would be a chance to go bigger for relatively 
cheap.

- Barrett






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