Digital BW, The Print

I am in the UK and I currently have an Epson R1800 and an HP B9180. I 
am short of space and want to get rid of the B9180 and make the R1800 
work harder for its keep. I would like to use it for color IMK and PK 
papers) and BW (again MK and PK papers) by switching inks every now 
and again (not too often) between MIS's R1800 color set and an MIS BW 
set. 

So my questions are:
1. Is there a BW inkset that is compatible with the MIS color R1800 
inks and do not react with them to clog the heads?
2. With (1) above in mind, can someone please recommend an ink set 
for this printer that will work with papers requiring photo black as 
well as with matt papers? I have used QTR in the past with a 2100 so 
am happy with that workflow and I do have a Colorvision spectro to 
linearise and undertake any other requisite measurements. 
2. What is the best way to deliver the inks - use the MIS refill kit 
to refill the OEM Epson cartridges or get some refillable cartridges 
off Ebay? If the latter, is there a vendor that folk here have 
experience with and can recommend? I would prefer not to go down the 
CIS route.
3. I know this is a BW group but has anyone here had experience with 
the MIS R1800 color inks? In particular I want to get rid of the 
bronzing and metmerism of the Epson OEM inks and MIS claim that their 
inks are much better in these two regards but at the expense of less 
gloss than the OEM inks. Can anyone who has used MIS R1800 color inks 
collaborate this claim (or refute it for that matter!)?

All and any assistance very much appreciated!

regards

Alistair Owens

Alistair Owens wrote:

> ... have an Epson R1800 ... I would like to use it for 
> color MK and PK papers) and BW (again MK and PK papers)
> by switching inks every now and again (not too often) 
> between MIS's R1800 color set and an MIS BW set. 
... 
> Is there a BW inkset that is compatible with the MIS color 
> R1800 inks and do not react with them to clog the heads?

The 1800 3-MK setup described at http://www.paulroark.com/BW-
Info/R1800.htm can handle the matte paper, but not the glossy.

Some people use a 3-PKN approach with the 1800.  Those are compatible 
with the MIS color inks.  I found the PKN approach a little rougher 
than I liked, but that's a subjective issue.  While all the MIS UT 
inks are compatible with the MIS color pigments, I have never written 
up a specific 1800 glossy workflow using PKN inks.  

The UT14-C is a good, cool (40% blue), PKN.  See 
http://www.inksupply.com/ut14_black_and_white.cfm  The UT-RC inkset 
has cool (30%) and neutral (20%) PKNs also.  See 
http://www.inksupply.com/r260_blackandwhite.cfm  All of the "warm" 
PKs for these inksets are the same K4-PK.

... 
> 2. What is the best way to deliver the inks - use the MIS
> refill kit to refill the OEM Epson cartridges or get some
> refillable cartridges off Ebay?

I use MIS re-fillable carts.  


Paul
www.PaulRoark.com

Anyone else had problems with quality control on MIS cartridges ? I just
received the UT-3D set for the Epson 2200 and the locking tabs on the back
of the M and LM cartridges were missing ! The orange wedges were in the
package so obviously someone just packed them anyway - tabs or no tabs.
Needless to say I was not impressed !

 

-----------------------------------------------------

Brian Corll



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

Thank you Paul for those thoughts. Looking through the excellent 
material on your site, I am drawn to this approach for BW: 
http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/Eboni-1800.pdf modified either by 
replacing one of the ebony MK's with GLOP or by using a spray as 
described in this paper: http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/R1800-
Glossy.pdf

On the occasions that I need to print color, I can batch them up and 
swap out the entire inkset for MIS R1800 color.

Some experimentation and trial and error will clearly be required on my 
part but can you see any problems with embarking on a journey along 
this route Paul? Or indeed offer any insights that you may have already 
come across regarding this approach that you have not already talked 
about in the papers on your site?

Thanks and regards, Alistair.

Alistair wrote:

> ... I am drawn to this approach for BW: 
> http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/Eboni-1800.pdf modified either by 
> replacing one of the ebony MK's with GLOP or by using a spray as 
> described in this paper: http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/R1800-
> Glossy.pdf

If you didn't want to use the 3-MK approach, relying on the Eboni-6 
(in the R1800 configuration), you could have both the PK and Glop in 
their normal OEM positions.  

Dilute Eboni prints very warmly on glossy papers (my new recommended 
sepia approach).  If you want a more neutral 100% carbon print, the 
straight 100% Eboni would be needed.

> On the occasions that I need to print color, I can batch them 
> up and swap out the entire inkset for MIS R1800 color.

> Some experimentation and trial and error will clearly be 
> required on my part ...

Yes, but then isn't developing your own unique workflow part of the 
fun?

>  can you see any problems with embarking on a journey along 
> this route Paul?

If you use MIS PK, stay with the K4-PK or one of the several newer 
PKNs.  The MIS-Pro PK seems to be too high a load for the 1.5 pl 
printers.  

I'd keep an "insulating" Eboni between the dilute Eboni-6 inks and 
any glop or PK.  I'm not sure PK or Glop and the Eboni-6 dilution 
base are very compatible.  Keep an eye on whether they are forming 
agglomerations on the pad that then stick to the surface of the 
head.  I'm not saying they will, but that is one possible problem to 
look for.  Eboni is compatible with all of them, so it can be between 
them in the printer and help keep them apart.

If you use a straight 3-MK and then try to nail it down with a post-
printing spray, it just takes too much spray to work well.  Using a 
PK at the end of a 2-MK + PK approach might make it a lot easier to 
get a good, even finish with the spray.

Glop in the printing step, added in proportion to the amount of 
carbon, also makes getting a good finish easier.  My memory is that 
as you add glop, you'll warm the image a bit. 

With a solvent-based spray, a nice finish can be produced with these 
combinations.  Spraying is just a hassle and the VOCs are not very 
environmentally friendly or healthy.  I'm not sure my favorite 
Premier Art Print Shield is sold in the UK, but I suspect there is an 
alternative.  You have Lascaux there, but it's too thin for good 
glossy prints.  

Good luck with the setup.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com

Oh yeah! I stopped doing business with them long ago for the reasons 
you mention and for poor customer service.

Don Bryant

>
> Anyone else had problems with quality control on MIS cartridges ? I 
just
> received the UT-3D set for the Epson 2200 and the locking tabs on 
the back
> of the M and LM cartridges were missing ! The orange wedges were in 
the
> package so obviously someone just packed them anyway - tabs or no 
tabs.

> Needless to say I was not impressed !
> 
>  
> 
> -----------------------------------------------------
> 
> Brian Corll
> 
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>