--- In
Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Alan King <alan@...> wrote:
>
> derekhawkins wrote:
>
> >>I know for a fact that the R340/320/300M/300/220/200 ink (all the
> >>same) will not work on copper or brass.
> >>
> >>
> >
> >I have a R320 and the ink works fine with Epson's transparencies. That
> >ink doesn't clog the nozzles easily either, I'm yet to clean the heads
> >yet and usage is like twice a month. There's an Ink and Paper
> >
> >
>
> Epson is notorious for wasting 30% of the ink for cleaning the
> heads. This printer cleans the heads on its own about every time it's
> used, even only hours apart The reason it's almost never necessary to
> do a manual cleaning is because it does so many automatic ones.
> Printers are super cheap for the manufacturing costs, carts only have
> 13.5 grams of ink and cost a fortune. It's also why the driver resets
> to Epson Vivid every chance it gets, they make their money off the
inks..
And that's why I only use 3rd party bulk inks in mine...
There are wide format printers that can print directly onto non-coated
vinyl. They use a solvent ink and heat the vinyl. They say this opens
pores in the vinyl, but I wonder how much of this process is simply
that the solvent bites into the vinyl and the head evaporates it quickly.
Down side is you are looking at $20K or more minimum for such a
printer. Other side of this, is that many brands of these use Epson
print heads. However, you'd have to make sure the solvent ink doesn't
eat other parts of the printer such as the parking station and
head-cleaning squeegee.
I tried to get some samples of some of these inks, but they won't send
them to anyone but resellers. Since I have a digital photography
website, they think I'm trying to scam them when I say that, if they
work, I will be reselling them.
Steve Greenfield