Digital BW, The Print

I've been using this setup (on my 2nd 1280 now) since shortly after
the UT2 inks became available. I use Paul's curves and generally the
printers have been trouble-free. The ink bottles are 20-30% full and
they have an expiration date of 2/06 except the eboni which I replaced
a few months ago. All the carts appear to be full. Everything seems to
be working fine except for one problem. I can't duplicate the nice
sepia tones that I was getting several months ago. I usually print
with the neutral or carbon  
prints and hadn't noticed any problems.

I've always done test prints on EEM. I don't often use the dark sepia
(EEM) curve and haven't used it in a few months. but I've used it
successfully in the past on EEM and PR. Now I've got a client with a
dark sepia photo that I need to reprint and Paul's EEM dark sepia
curve would have worked very nicely a few months ago. I expected it to
work today, but it doesn't.

Today's prints look just fine except that they're much more neutral
with a yellowish cast. Much different than the older samples with this
curve. The same is true when I print with the EEM light sepia or PR
sepia curves; they're obviously more neutral. I pulled out an older
dark sepia project and reprinted it with the same results.

I don't know if I managed to get a good sepia print after installing
the new bottle of eboni or not. I just don't remember. That's the only
change that I've made that might have created this problem.

I'd appreciate any thoughts or suggestions you have. I was supposed to
deliver this print today or tomorrow.

Thanks...

Tom Keesling
Indianapolis

Tom,

> ... UT2 inks ... The ink bottles are 20-30% full and
> they have an expiration date of 2/06 ...
>I can't duplicate the nice sepia tones that I was getting 
>several months ago. I usually print with the neutral or carbon
> prints and hadn't noticed any problems.

And the nozzle checks are perfect?

My knee jerk reaction is that the sepia ink has separated.  You may have the
older version, and all of them will separate if not regularly used and/or
agitated.

> I don't often use the dark sepia
> (EEM) curve and haven't used it in a few months.

That is probably the problem.

It sounds like your also using a CFS.  If you look at that bottle, you might
be able to see the magenta mostly down at the bottom of the bottle.  The
printer is probably pulling mostly carbon with yellow in it -- and very
little magenta.

You might be able to agitate the sepia bottle to be sure all the pigs are in
suspension.  Then you probably need to pull the agitated ink through the
system, getting the old, separated ink out of the tubes and cart. 

Good luck.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Paul Roark"
<paul.roark@v...> wrote:
>
> Tom,
> 
> > ... UT2 inks ... The ink bottles are 20-30% full and
> > they have an expiration date of 2/06 ...
> >I can't duplicate the nice sepia tones that I was getting 
> >several months ago. I usually print with the neutral or carbon
> > prints and hadn't noticed any problems.
> 
> And the nozzle checks are perfect?
> 
> My knee jerk reaction is that the sepia ink has separated.  You may
have the
> older version, and all of them will separate if not regularly used
and/or
> agitated.
> 
> > I don't often use the dark sepia
> > (EEM) curve and haven't used it in a few months.
> 
> That is probably the problem.
> 
> It sounds like your also using a CFS.  If you look at that bottle,
you might
> be able to see the magenta mostly down at the bottom of the bottle.  The
> printer is probably pulling mostly carbon with yellow in it -- and very
> little magenta.
> 
> You might be able to agitate the sepia bottle to be sure all the
pigs are in
> suspension.  Then you probably need to pull the agitated ink through the
> system, getting the old, separated ink out of the tubes and cart. 
> 
> Good luck.
> 
> Paul
> www.PaulRoark.com
>


Thanks, Paul.

Actually, I've got two of the original CIS units (rather than CFS)
that I alternate using.

Yes, nozzle checks and purge patterns are fine. I did a couple of
cleaning cycles just to be sure. But it made no difference.

Ink separation makes sense. I've done less printing than usual in the
past few months and haven't agitated the bottles in that time. I've
seen the instructions for pulling ink through a cart, but have never
done it. I'll have to go back and do some reading to see what I need
in terms of the syringe and how specifically to do it. I suppose I'd
use the same technique you've described for priming the 1280 EZ fill
carts?

I got new bottles of the Y, M and LM a few months when I replaced the
Eboni bottle. I had expected to be doing more printing than I've been
doing and expected to be replacing the color cart and bottles before now. 

If I can talk the client into waiting a few days for the print, I
should probably just order a new color cart and go ahead and install
the new bottles. Especially since one of the UT2 inks (I forget which
one was the problem) was replaced earlier this year. I made sure I got
the new one when I ordered the new bottles.

Thanks again for your help. I think you're right about the ink
separation and it looks like I've got a couple of options.

Tom Keesling
Indianapolis