Ink and RIP questions now that I caved and bought an Epson

[Itsa Little CrOoked]

Pierre,

Do you think it is Film Maker, or the ink you use.... that yields your super dense films?

I don't have a 4000, but with my Epson 1400's and Accurip, I can lay down so much ink it will kinda RUN or puddle.... and never really dry. That is if I use the highest settings. So I back it off a notch or two, and get (I think...) dense films.  But I don't have a densitometer, and have never sent any films off to be metered. And I've read densitometers vary in scaling, so I'm not sure how much that even means, unless everyone used the same lab, or identical equipment.

I use Cobra dye based black, Fixxons or Ulano Inkjet films in a seasonally varied office climate. Sometimes if it is very humid where I shoot screens, I'll spray a little Krylon Acrylic Clear (also labelled Satin Clear) on the films to avoid ink sticking to the stencil. Talcum doesn't seem to work very well for me. Maybe I don't use enough...

Stan

[blue moon]

Pierre,

Do you think it is Film Maker, or the ink you use.... that yields your super dense films?

I don't have a 4000, but with my Epson 1400's and Accurip, I can lay down so much ink it will kinda RUN or puddle.... and never really dry. That is if I use the highest settings. So I back it off a notch or two, and get (I think...) dense films.  But I don't have a densitometer, and have never sent any films off to be metered. And I've read densitometers vary in scaling, so I'm not sure how much that even means, unless everyone used the same lab, or identical equipment.

I use Cobra dye based black, Fixxons or Ulano Inkjet films in a seasonally varied office climate. Sometimes if it is very humid where I shoot screens, I'll spray a little Krylon Acrylic Clear (also labelled Satin Clear) on the films to avoid ink sticking to the stencil. Talcum doesn't seem to work very well for me. Maybe I don't use enough...

Stan

it is the ink as we were using Film Maker with the old ink too. The old film read 3.05 and the new ones read 5.57 (or something like it). I was laying down a boatload of ink and it was pooling just as you said. We have since backed off the amount of ink being put down, but the films are still significantly darker. There is just no comparison.

Now, I should add a couple of things. My densitometer only reads regular light rather than UV. Many inks have UV blocking additives in them and they can be rather translucent (or so I am told). So it would be possible to have a film printed that would measure very high on UV blocking, but would be easy to see through it. The only way to really tell is to measure it.

On the other hand, AccuInk is made for screenprinters and it is designed to block UV, so by using their ink, I don't have to worry about those factors.

If you send me a piece of film, I'll gladly take a reading and let you know what it says.


pierre

[Itsa Little CrOoked]

Not sure I can refuse an offer like that!!!

Pierre, please send me a PM with an address, and I'll print something for you.  I remember you said a while back, you were pretty pleased with your ink. I'm definitely willing to step up my game, as 5% is about it, as far as holding teensy weensy dots.

Surely are some great folk on this forum....

[blue moon]

email sent. I should mention that the AccuInk is not available for the 1400 to the best of my knowledge. I think it is only the wide format printers. There should be somebody out there who makes the ink specifically for film positives.  filmdirect has come up frequently, but I son't really know. Our local supplier carries the Chromaline products so I did not have to shop around for the ink.

pierre

[Sbrem]

We're happy with AccuRIP, it works well for us. We also use a set of cartridges with cleaning fluid in them, so when we notice a streak in the films, then we know it's time for a refill, and before we do, we run the AccuRIP test page with the cleaning fluid twice, onto paper, then put the refilled black cartridges in, seems to work very well so far...

Steve

[ScreenPrinter123]

Accurip here as well on a 4880 using this ink:

http://store.inkjetcarts.us/screen-positive-black-hybrid-ink-p4487.aspx

For $87 a liter ink cost is no concern and it works great.  We also use there refillable cartridges which also I would highly recommend.  The following link is where you would pick your Epson Pro model and then you will see various inks and the refillable cartridges.

http://store.inkjetcarts.us/pro-print-engines-c518.aspx

If you ever have any questions call them and speak with Ross as he is a wealth of knowledge.

[blue moon]

Accurip here as well on a 4880 using this ink:

http://store.inkjetcarts.us/screen-positive-black-hybrid-ink-p4487.aspx

For $87 a liter ink cost is no concern and it works great.  We also use there refillable cartridges which also I would highly recommend.  The following link is where you would pick your Epson Pro model and then you will see various inks and the refillable cartridges.

http://store.inkjetcarts.us/pro-print-engines-c518.aspx

If you ever have any questions call them and speak with Ross as he is a wealth of knowledge.

yup, that seems like an excellent choice!

pierre

[IntegrityShirts]

Update.  With one day to go on my Accurip trial I have received my refillable ink carts.  Filled them all up with my gallon of blank ink and did a deep cleaning cycle to purge lines of the silly color inks.  Ran a droplet weight test print and I'm right in the 13-14 range for a solid black.

All is well in Epson land.  I then bought Accurip.

This was a long overdue, but expensive, upgrade in production capability.  Thanks all for the input and help!

[jasonl]

i use the wasatch, only because I was already used to it when I opened my shop.