QTR-Quadtone RIP

Interesting experience, Richard.  You could have done like I did with the 1280.  A new print head costs $100 and is super easy to install.  Voila, clogs gone!  However, for $200 you can get a totally new 1400 printer, which is a better printer.  You probably made the right choice.

With regard to your comments about the inverting ink bottles in the CIS system I'm not sure I see any advantage of CIS over cartridges.  A CIS system is still a cartridge based system.  Those cartridges are full of ink and settling issues (if they are indeed issues) are going to happen in the cartridge of a CIS system just like they will if using standard cartridges.

Is there some aspect of the CIS system I'm not seeing?  I used to have a CIS system with Cone inks a few years back before it clogged up due to infrequent use.  That's the reason I commented in my original post that I don't want to go the CIS route.  The 5 to 10 prints I will make a month can't really keep a CIS system going.  I'm hoping the same is not true even of the cartridge only solution.

--- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, "abrams371" <richard.abrams@...> wrote:
>
> 
> My old Epson 1280 finally got totally clogged using a Jon Cone's K6 CIS
> inkset and I had to get rid of it--admittedly, though, I had left it
> alone during long periods when I did nothing but turn it on and off
> daily.  So I bought an Epson 1400 and the new K6 CIS inkset for it, and
> after a couple of weeks of almost daily printing it clogged permanently,
> despite my trying every trick in inkjetmall's book to unclog it. 
> Fortunately, amazon replaced the printer at no cost, and now I think I
> have found the answer to avoid clogs.
> 
> Every morning without fail I invert each of the bottles of ink a couple
> of times to keep the pigment in solution (hold your finger over the
> air-hole when you do this!), then do a head cleaning--one such daily
> cleaning has worked so far to give a perfect nozzle check.  I've been
> printing daily for 2-3 weeks now--about 75 13x19  prints in all--with
> nary a clog.  This is a particular advantage of the CIS because you can
> invert the bottles, something you can't do with cartridges.
> 
> 
> --- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, "dawsonmpleasanton" <dawsonm@>
> wrote:
> >
> > I'm going to post in both QTR and Piezography 3000 forums in the hopes
> that someone can help me out.
> >
> > I recently made a concerted effort to get back into b&w printing on a
> desktop inkjet. I decided to go with the Jon Cone K6 inkset for my Epson
> 1280 printer.
> >
> > I am not using a continuous feed system. I went that route with b&w
> printing a few years ago and my printing needs are infrequent enough
> that it just doesn't make sense (maintenance or cost-wise). Instead I am
> using spongeless cartridges from MIS.
> >
> > In prepping for this move I bought and installed a brand new print
> head as the old print head had two nozzles that just would not unclog
> after all sorts of cleaning. Nozzle checks with the new print head were
> perfect using Epson OEM inks and with Cone flush ink.
> >
> > Loading up the new K6 inks also went perfectly. Beautiful prints. But
> I was only able to get about 10 prints out before I had missing nozzle
> checks. Several cleaning cycles did not fix the problem.
> >
> > I thought maybe the cartridges were defective in some way so I loaded
> up a new blank set of cartridges. After installation, bingo, first time
> delivered perfect nozzle checks. Printed about 5-10 more prints before
> same nozzle clogging problems occurred.
> >
> > Cleaning would not solve the problem. I put back in the Cone flush
> cartridges. Beautiful. Perfect nozzle checks. Put back in the K6 inks.
> No joy. No amount of cleaning gives me a clean nozzle check.
> >
> > I'm close to giving up on this system but I know there are many out
> there happily printing b&w. So any hints on what to do with my system
> would be greatly appreciated.
> >
> > I know the 1280 is outdated and I have heard that nozzle clogging can
> be an issue with this printer. I thought the pigment in the K6 inks were
> supposed to be the finest particles yet from Cone.
> >
> > Do I...
> >
> > 1. Perservere with my 1280 and Cone inks? Anyone have some hints?
> > 2. Give up on the K6 inks and move to MIS inks?
> > 3. Give up on the 1280? The Epson 1400 uses the K6 inks too.
> > 4. Switch both to the 1400 printer and to MIS inks.
> > 5. Give up on these 3rd party b&w inks altogether? (I hope not)
> >
> > Regards, and thanks in advance.
> > Mike
> >
> 
> 
> 
> 
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