Got a good deal on an Epson 4800...now what?

[mk162]

I just picked up a cheap 4800, but it had Chromablast inks installed.  How can I go about flushing these?  Anything else I should know about the printer to get it going?

[jasonl]

check out the videos at inkjet.us, I am about to do it with my 4900.

[ZooCity]

Filmdirect has good gear and product for this.  But, what you need to do regardless of whose product you use is fill all those heads' carts up with cleaning solution and flush, flush, flush.  You may need to replace the dampers (might not have the right word for these) but it's not very difficult to do. 

We run our 4800 with 7 carts full of cleaning solution and one with FilmDirect black ink and output from Accurip.  Very pleased overall. 

[Prosperi-Tees]

I know that the hybrid printers that used dye sub on one side and chromablast on the other were also used for films with the chromablast black. Maybe use it up until gone and then flush it.

[jasonl]

you should run black in ALL heads, and change which head you use every so often, and document it.  Your rip lets you decide which head to print through.

[Sbrem]

Filmdirect has good gear and product for this.  But, what you need to do regardless of whose product you use is fill all those heads' carts up with cleaning solution and flush, flush, flush.  You may need to replace the dampers (might not have the right word for these) but it's not very difficult to do. 

We run our 4800 with 7 carts full of cleaning solution and one with FilmDirect black ink and output from Accurip.  Very pleased overall.

Hey Zoo, the AccuRIP is supposed to pull from all cartridges equally, so they run down together, but I'm sure you know that. Could you expound upon why you have it set up the way you do? It's pretty interesting...

Steve

[blue moon]

use AccuInk from Chromaline.

if you don't plan on using the colors, replace with cleaning solution. Color cartridges are pretty pricey.

still not sure what happens when you try to do a head alignment with clear solution, but will let you know!

One cartridge prints cleaner than multiple, so we are sticking with one.

In Film Maker you can select the printing speed and we are at 1440x1440 High speed, single density. It prints the films in a fraction of time 3000 used to take.

pierre

[ZooCity]

you should run black in ALL heads, and change which head you use every so often, and document it.  Your rip lets you decide which head to print through.

Why?  Like Pierre, I've tried multiple black on a variety of films and found single to be superior in resolution across the field of them.

What are you running for film Pierre?  I tested Chromaline way back when I had a 3000 and found it to be the same or inferior to others and costs way more but I see now they have quite a few varieties.  I wouldn't mind buying an extra spool for the 4800 and running some of their high-end film for the higher-end work and using the ol' Fixxons (Microjet) for everything else. 

Hey Zoo, the AccuRIP is supposed to pull from all cartridges equally, so they run down together, but I'm sure you know that. Could you expound upon why you have it set up the way you do? It's pretty interesting...

Steve

Steve, see the screen shot attached.   We do not run on Multi-Black as in the shot so it defers to black only. (unless I am crazily mistaken here and printing cleaning solution this whole time!  I doubt it though as I think I would have noticed something) But, if you do select the option you can then select which cart(s) you would like to pull from. 

The only multi setting that worked acceptably for fine detail and dots was 2 black for me but even then 1 black was superior. 

[jasonl]

get use out of all of your cartriages by running black in all of them, your rip can print from any cart and they all get equally used.  You decide which cart each week or day or month.  Document it and rotate.  If you run black in only one cart, what happens if that cart has a problem?  Run black in all cartridges and never worry about that.  Thats what was recommended to us by the cartriage company.  Thats what we do.

[ZooCity]

get use out of all of your cartriages by running black in all of them, your rip can print from any cart and they all get equally used.  You decide which cart each week or day or month.  Document it and rotate.  If you run black in only one cart, what happens if that cart has a problem?  Run black in all cartridges and never worry about that.  Thats what was recommended to us by the cartriage company.  Thats what we do.

Of course your ink company recommends you run all black ink carts even though you are only printing through one of them, they sellin' you ink fool. 

If the cart has problem?  Replace the cart.  Heads + dampers are more likely to be a problem here the carts and supply lines are fairly simple and unlikely to fail.  Dampers are specific to the head yes but the head assembly is one deal. (I think)

The point of our setup is that every time the printer runs one of epson's cleaning routines (which it does automatically on this model to prevent clogs) and just dumps ml of ink into the waste tank, it's mostly dumping cleaning solution.

[jasonl]

get use out of all of your cartriages by running black in all of them, your rip can print from any cart and they all get equally used.  You decide which cart each week or day or month.  Document it and rotate.  If you run black in only one cart, what happens if that cart has a problem?  Run black in all cartridges and never worry about that.  Thats what was recommended to us by the cartriage company.  Thats what we do.

Of course your ink company recommends you run all black ink carts even though you are only printing through one of them, they sellin' you ink fool. 

If the cart has problem?  Replace the cart.  Heads + dampers are more likely to be a problem here the carts and supply lines are fairly simple and unlikely to fail.  Dampers are specific to the head yes but the head assembly is one deal. (I think)

The point of our setup is that every time the printer runs one of epson's cleaning routines (which it does automatically on this model to prevent clogs) and just dumps ml of ink into the waste tank, it's mostly dumping cleaning solution.

Not a fool.  I know whats up, the bulk ink black is 85 bucks for a liter, way cheaper than buying carts!  You avoid a single head problem if you are able to use all of them.  This process is $1000 cheaper than replacing carts.  I am sure running clear works great aswell, but to my knowledge its not available for my 4900.  I will save my $1000 every time.

[ZooCity]

Just playing with you jasonl, hopefully you're nobody's fool, but when do carts ever go bad?  I'm not following the logic.  But do what feels good man. 

[jasonl]

Just playing with you jasonl, hopefully you're nobody's fool, but when do carts ever go bad?  I'm not following the logic.  But do what feels good man.

No worries Homie, you got to see that my way saves $1000 everytime you place ink.  There are more options for older epsons than I currently have with the newest model.  But whatever works for you.

[Get Shirts]

Your cart won't go bad, but your chip can. 

[jasonl]

chips can reset with a screwdriver or any metal object really.  And they can get new batteries.