Digital BW, The Print

"dlwearl26" <dlwearl26@...> wrote:
>
> I recently received a free R300, whose head was clogged.  I ran the MIS purge print page, and have the printer printing well without streaking or banding on the original oem inks.

If the heads are clean, that ought to be a good printer for Carbon-6.  I believe it's like the 220 that I have used quite a bit.  I may have profiles (but am not at home to check that).

 
> I'm referencing the file below for carbon-6 printing:
> 
> http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/Carbon-6.pdf
> 
> Since the R300 is not an 8-color printer, I assume that the mixing ratios for the K, C, M, LC, LM, and Y positions are what I would use?

Yes. 


>  These ratios are by mass, correct?

Yes. 

For the base mixing it matters the most. I think the glycerol specific gravity is 1.26.  All of the others are  close  enough to 1 or small enough ratios with flexible  enough percentages that they'd be the same, but the glycerol does need adjustment for its weight (which helps hold  up the carbon).

Once the base is  mixed, you can go with either weight or volume.  Having a good scales is the accurate way to go for small volumes.



> 
> I also assume that I need:
> 
> -a set of empty R300 cartridges from MIS

Yes.  Those  might still be the types you reset manually.  So, you may need a resetter.

> -1 18 oz. bottle of Eboni MK

You could get away with 4 oz.


> -syringes for injecting the ink (?)

Yes, and a bottom  fill adapter.  It's best if modified per 
http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/Modified-Bottom-Fill-Adapter.pdf

These bottom fill adapters will cut easily with a sharp scissors.


> -Kodak Photoflo 200 and glycerol

I'd  also use the Edwal LFN.  It's an impressive surfactant.


> 
> Do I need to clean out the remaining color ink before introducing the MIS ink?

I would.  I'd fill the empty carts with just the base first and blow  out the color inks.

>  Does MIS provide instructions explaining how to fill their cartridges (I have never refilled carts before)?

(I'm not sure.)

I cut the bottom seal with a sharp knife, carefully.  Remove the plug  that is  over  the reservoir.  Fill half way.  Use the bottom fill adapter on a syringe to pull the base/ink through the outlet, removing the air from the outlet (just pull until you're  getting a fair amount of base).  Fill the reservoir.  Put the plug in the reservoir.  Remove the plug  from  the air inlet (usually the plug  on top that near the back of the cart).  Insert the filled cart into the slot.


> Also, I do not own a spectrophotometer (although I do have a Monaco Optix XR for calibrating my monitor).

I like the DataColor spectro.  It makes reading my standard 21-step test strips very easy, outputting a text file that is  easy to open in Excel to check out the graph of the curve.  That saves as a text file on the desktop and can be simply dragged and dropped  into QTR's Create ICC-RGB to make  an ICC that will print that inkset very well on almost all coated matte inkjet papers -- with my obvious  favorites being Epson HP and Premier Art's Smooth Fine Art 325 and Smooth BW 200.

When you run a full hextone monotone in the printer the Epson driver  is easy to control  and use in a color  managed workflow.  When I put  in inks like  my dyes or HP Pk/LK, or when I print on Arches uncoated HP, I use QTR -- the rip.

>  I also do not own a copy of QTR. 

You'll definitely want one.

> I know there are directions for using a flatbed scanner for making profiles, but do I need QTR to do this?

Not completely, but  you'll want QTR for the script that makes this easier and  for Create ICC-RGB and  the rip, eventually.


By the way, I compared Lab L ramps  measured  with a spectro and measured with a flatbed and the Q13, using the QTR PS script -- the results were  virtually identical -- very nice to see.  A flatbed is  clearly a viable option,  although I think the spectro makes it easier.

Good luck  with the setup.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com