Epson 4880 Help

[Redeemed]

I'm going to purchase a 4880 tomorrow for $150, It's been sitting since June but they say it worked flawlessly up till then. I would like to know what I would need to do to change to refillable cartridges? Do they have chips on them like the 1430, are they expensive, where to get Etc. I'm pretty sure AccuRip works fine with this but correct me if I'm wrong. Should it come with a installation CD? All help is appreciated thanks.

[mimosatexas]

Lots of threads on these that will help you out, but the basics are this (in no particular order):

-get a set of refillable carts and fill them with homemade cleaning solution (windex, iso alcohol, distilled water)
-soak a piece of tshirt in windex and rest the head on it over night to break up any dried ink (push down on the cutting blade to unlock the head and slide it over the cloth).
-run a couple of power cleans and ink flushes to move the cleaning fluid through the lines and the head.
-buy a single cart of accuink black and run cleaning fluid in the other 7 carts.
-setup accurip to print using the single black cart and adjust ink density to get the cleanest halftones.
-enjoy your cheap, awesome film printer.

[Maxie]

This site in China, Sign-in-China@sign-in-china.com. Has tanks with chips, maintenance tanks and chip resetters that are really cheap.
I use bulk ink that I buy in quarts.      I think Ryonet sell this.
I would put black in more than one tank, if the one you are using blocks up you can switch using Accurip.
I use Accurip but print through only one head, I find this gives me a better result than all black.

[Redeemed]

Thanks for this helpful info, much appreciated! Any other info, like is it a good idea to get this over a 1430 or a new 17" printer?

[CBCB]

I would put black in more than one tank, if the one you are using blocks up you can switch using Accurip.

That’s a great idea! Backup head ready to go. I know my printer only likes to act up when I’m reallyyyyyy not in the mood.

Thanks for this helpful info, much appreciated! Any other info, like is it a good idea to get this over a 1430 or a new 17" printer?

I had a 1430 before my 4880. Main differences are that I never feed sheets, and it’s a bit less cutting. It can print a wider image. Ganging with Accurip can save film. I fill the ink less often because of the bigger tanks. And somewhere in there it’s supposed to print excellent halftimes!

All that adds up to more time and better quality. More time in this part of the process means more time in other parts of our process that need it more. Can’t go wrong for $150! I find photographers like to get rid of them once they realize how much OEM ink costs. Scoop those deals!



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[Stinkhorn Press]

Lots of threads on these that will help you out, but the basics are this (in no particular order):

-get a set of refillable carts and fill them with homemade cleaning solution (windex, iso alcohol, distilled water)
-soak a piece of tshirt in windex and rest the head on it over night to break up any dried ink (push down on the cutting blade to unlock the head and slide it over the cloth).
-run a couple of power cleans and ink flushes to move the cleaning fluid through the lines and the head.
-buy a single cart of accuink black and run cleaning fluid in the other 7 carts.
-setup accurip to print using the single black cart and adjust ink density to get the cleanest halftones.
-enjoy your cheap, awesome film printer.

covers most of it.
i think it's a great printer/film solution - major upgrade from 1430. accurip plays nice with it. the default curve isn't too far off.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qkh0wAywfnc there are 3-4 videos by this company dealing with making a 4880 (4800) good, basic maint.
if it's totally dried up it might take a couple of days to get it clear (I found the MANUAL cleaning to be far more effective than the program cleans with a very dry printer).
we run oversized carts, all but one with cleaning solution. one with GOOD ink - chromaline accublack is pricey but much much better than anything else we tried.
film rolls - haven't found any that are particularly nicer than any others, at that point cheaper makes a difference (be buy the basic stuff from TechSupport).

biggest annoyances:
1 learning how to tell the roll to cut to waste less (you do it through the driver itself every time) and
2 running EVERYTHING sideways. (if you print art sideways AND parallel to the feed they won't register, there is a bit of stretch. you CAN adjust for it, but it is MUCH simpler to just print the one way forever)

[mimosatexas]

don't put black in multiple carts.  The whole point of running cleaning fluid in the other 7 is if your black clogs, you can switch it to one of the other slots and know for a fact it will print cleanly because cleaning fluid won't dry and clog a nozzle.  You're basically just running the cleaning fluid in those carts to keep them clean just in case you have to switch.  Switching takes no time at all as the accuink chip will work in any slot.  If you run black in any of the others but arent printing with it every day, it will begin to dry and clog over time and require cleanings. 

I have had my 4800 for a few years now and literally havent run a single clean or had to switch the accuink to a new slot and it prints perfectly.  There are occasionally other issues like film jamming or weird glitches, but nothing related to the head clogging or printing poorly. I'm also running it in a horrible environment, no A/C, tons of dust, etc.  If you have it in an office I can't see ever having issues unless you let it sit for months.

[Redeemed]

A bunch more helpful information, It's all appreciated thanks.

[domineight]

I recently purchased a 4880 to replace a 4450 that had come to the end of its life.
I was a little sceptical because this 4880 hadn't run for 3 years and had sat in a spare bedroom with ink carts removed.

Figuring I didn't have anything to lose I plugged the ink carts back in and ran the charging cycle, and a nozzle check when it was completed. 100% functional and clear  The printer had printed a total length of 6.5 meters of media according to the printed status. I'm probably lucky there and very grateful.

I purchased the bypass board to trip the ink carts and maintenance tank to full every time the printer is powered on. I also purchase replacement 4880C ink carts out of China should I wish to continue printing colour images (and I do) the "C" cartridges are a significant saving over regular 4880 carts. As far as I can tell the 4880C is identical but meant for Chinese market only. Same inks, same printer but the chips on the carts meant for 4880C printers only - hence the chip bypass board purchase.

They're quite a capable colour printer, the only downside is the black ink swap out for photo/mat ink or stock. So I'm limited to glossy photo paper which isn't my preference. I can't fault the print quality though.

Whoever the genius was that suggested tipping a cup of water into your maintenance tank to create an environment whereby your print heads remain clog free should be afforded sainthood too. Clever little mod that one. I haven't noticed a single downside to doing that either.

[Maxie]

Two things I’ve never heard if.
Bypass board , sounds like a great idea, where do you get them?

tipping a cup of water into your maintenance tank.
Please give more info, do you pour water into a empty maintenance tank?

[domineight]

Chip/cart bypass.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/162684732420
Same seller, I just got the 4880 variety. It just completely bypasses the ink cart chips so they aren't even required. Your carts don't even need to run them so I'm told.

Be warned though, the instructions to fit it are marginal at best. Marginal to the point I flipped out at the guy in back/forth emails for setting me up and ripping me off.

Worked out ok though, you just have to work it all out based on pictures.

Regarding the water in maintenance tank.
The idea is to introduce humidity so the nozzles don't dry. Pure genius in simplicity. I discovered it while searching google for "unclog 4880 printhead" in anticipation of collecting the one above expecting the worst.

There were a few references to it. I ended up just tipping a cup of water in mine anyway because it read quite sensible and logical.

Apparently the maintenance tank life if linked to the cycle of auto cleaning the machine does by itself, and the manual cleaning you do in unclogging nozzles. There's no detection for a full maintenance tank, it's just a set lifespan encoded in the chip and 'brain' of the printer.

Obviously some more investigation on your part required here. I can tell you though I tipped a cup of water into mine and three months later the printer is still fine and not a clogged nozzle in sight.  I haven't done a great deal of printing on it either. Maybe 5 meters of film in that time.