Digital BW, The Print

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "Chris Mende" <chrismendefoto@...>
To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 2003 11:02 PM
Subject: [Digital BW] Addendum to Banding with new CIS


> I just looked at a purgefile I printed with the 10x loupe and lo and
> behold, the banding does NOT have "white lines" but a variable black
> level that looks like a "rag rug"pattern.  Is this a problem with the
> feed mechanism?

Chris,

If you are printing the purge file with default Epson driver settings at 360
dpi with the quality setting on low you will always see banding. Make sure
you use a higher resolution, heavy weight matte paper setting and high
quality if you want to use this to evaluate your output.

This part of your problem sounds like what has been called "dark banding" or
"corduroy banding". This seems to be an artifact of inkjet printing and is
parallel to the path of the print head. It should not be visible without a
loupe and should only appear in smooth tonal areas of a specific range.
Where is shows up is image and inkset dependent to some extend. Put away the
loupe. If you can't see it under normal viewing conditions ignore it or you
will drive yourself crazy.

>  It looks as if it truly has nothing to do with the
> new CIS - I'm just looking closer now.  Also, the dropped white lines
> I had mentioned are only in the first (upper) digits of the alignment
> pattern, too, not the second,lower digits.(the "1" of "13" for
> instance). Odd.

If you are dropping dots then there is still a partial clog or air bubble in
the head and you should continue to try the standard remedies.

> Looks as if I have a printer servicing coming up.  Any suggestions as
> to where to go?  I'm in San Francisco.

Some people have had some luck with repair people being able to clear out
tough clogs. Don't know anyone in the Bay Area.

Martin

No, Martin - this is very visible without a loupe - it's particularly
visible in midtones and highlights, but runs  throughout the image.  I
printed the purge pattern with both Epson and Piezo drivers, at
highest resolution, then printed a portrait with Peizo at best
quality.  Nozzle checks and alignments are now looking good.
in frustration - Chris Mende
-- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Martin Wesley"
<mwesley250@e...> wrote:
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Chris Mende" <chrismendefoto@n...>
> To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 2003 11:02 PM
> Subject: [Digital BW] Addendum to Banding with new CIS
> 
> 
> > I just looked at a purgefile I printed with the 10x loupe and lo and
> > behold, the banding does NOT have "white lines" but a variable black
> > level that looks like a "rag rug"pattern.  Is this a problem with the
> > feed mechanism?
> 
> Chris,
> 
> If you are printing the purge file with default Epson driver
settings at 360
> dpi with the quality setting on low you will always see banding.
Make sure
> you use a higher resolution, heavy weight matte paper setting and high
> quality if you want to use this to evaluate your output.
> 
> This part of your problem sounds like what has been called "dark
banding" or
> "corduroy banding". This seems to be an artifact of inkjet printing
and is
> parallel to the path of the print head. It should not be visible
without a
> loupe and should only appear in smooth tonal areas of a specific range.
> Where is shows up is image and inkset dependent to some extend. Put
away the
> loupe. If you can't see it under normal viewing conditions ignore it
or you
> will drive yourself crazy.
> 
> >  It looks as if it truly has nothing to do with the
> > new CIS - I'm just looking closer now.  Also, the dropped white lines
> > I had mentioned are only in the first (upper) digits of the alignment
> > pattern, too, not the second,lower digits.(the "1" of "13" for
> > instance). Odd.
> 
> If you are dropping dots then there is still a partial clog or air
bubble in
> the head and you should continue to try the standard remedies.
> 
> > Looks as if I have a printer servicing coming up.  Any suggestions as
> > to where to go?  I'm in San Francisco.
> 
> Some people have had some luck with repair people being able to
clear out

> tough clogs. Don't know anyone in the Bay Area.
> 
> Martin

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "Chris Mende" <chrismendefoto@...>
To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, May 22, 2003 10:39 AM
Subject: Re: [Digital BW] Addendum to Banding with new CIS


> No, Martin - this is very visible without a loupe - it's particularly
> visible in midtones and highlights, but runs  throughout the image.  I
> printed the purge pattern with both Epson and Piezo drivers, at
> highest resolution, then printed a portrait with Peizo at best
> quality.  Nozzle checks and alignments are now looking good.

Chris,

At this point I'm not sure what to tell you. It's tough not having an
example to look at. Perhaps your original thoughs on the rollers is correct
and they need to be cleaned. How old is the printer by they way?  You
probably said earlier in the thread but I don't recall.

Martin

(snip earlier)

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Martin Wesley"
<mwesley250@e...> wrote:
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Chris Mende" <chrismendefoto@n...>
> To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Thursday, May 22, 2003 10:39 AM
> Subject: Re: [Digital BW] Addendum to Banding with new CIS
> 
> 
> > No, Martin - this is very visible without a loupe - it's particularly
> > visible in midtones and highlights, but runs  throughout the image.  I
> > printed the purge pattern with both Epson and Piezo drivers, at
> > highest resolution, then printed a portrait with Peizo at best
> > quality.  Nozzle checks and alignments are now looking good.
> 
> Chris,
> 
> At this point I'm not sure what to tell you. It's tough not having an
> example to look at. Perhaps your original thoughs on the rollers is
correct
> and they need to be cleaned. How old is the printer by they way?  You
> probably said earlier in the thread but I don't recall.
> 
> Martin
> 
> (snip earlier)

Well of course there is the old Jon Cone Epson 3000 trick to check for
transport problems as the culprit in dark banding (or light banding
for that matter):

Take a file of a known size, like 9.75 inches long (or metric if you
prefer). Make sure you print it as you would your other prints at
100%. Take a very accurate ruler, I use an engineers scale but
anything really will do, and measure the actual printed output length.

If the printout is shorter by a minimum of 1.6mm (1/16 inch) your
print is slipping causing horizontal dark banding. If longer by at
least the same amount the transport is advancing paper too quickly and
you then see white lines.

If printout is within +/- 1/16 inch of file size, the problem is
likely not the transport.

The 1/16 inch assumes about a ten inch length. If you decide to do a
18 inch length you might want to allow larger tolerances.
Jim Hayes

(snip earlier)

Jim,

Thanks for the reminder. Basic stuff like this has a tendency to fade from
the collective and individual memory.

Martin

>
> Well of course there is the old Jon Cone Epson 3000 trick to check for
> transport problems as the culprit in dark banding (or light banding
> for that matter):
>
> Take a file of a known size, like 9.75 inches long (or metric if you
> prefer). Make sure you print it as you would your other prints at
> 100%. Take a very accurate ruler, I use an engineers scale but
> anything really will do, and measure the actual printed output length.
>
> If the printout is shorter by a minimum of 1.6mm (1/16 inch) your
> print is slipping causing horizontal dark banding. If longer by at
> least the same amount the transport is advancing paper too quickly and
> you then see white lines.
>
> If printout is within +/- 1/16 inch of file size, the problem is
> likely not the transport.
>
> The 1/16 inch assumes about a ten inch length. If you decide to do a
> 18 inch length you might want to allow larger tolerances.

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "jim hayes"
<jimhayes@f...> wrote:
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Martin Wesley"
> <mwesley250@e...> wrote:
> > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > From: "Chris Mende" <chrismendefoto@n...>
> > To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
> > Sent: Thursday, May 22, 2003 10:39 AM
> > Subject: Re: [Digital BW] Addendum to Banding with new CIS
> > 
> > 
> > > No, Martin - this is very visible without a loupe - it's
particularly
> > > visible in midtones and highlights, but runs  throughout the
image.  I
> > > printed the purge pattern with both Epson and Piezo drivers, at
> > > highest resolution, then printed a portrait with Peizo at best
> > > quality.  Nozzle checks and alignments are now looking good.
> > 
> > Chris,
> > 
> > At this point I'm not sure what to tell you. It's tough not having an
> > example to look at. Perhaps your original thoughs on the rollers is
> correct
> > and they need to be cleaned. How old is the printer by they way?  You
> > probably said earlier in the thread but I don't recall.
> > 
> > Martin
> > 
> > (snip earlier)
> 
> Well of course there is the old Jon Cone Epson 3000 trick to check for
> transport problems as the culprit in dark banding (or light banding
> for that matter):
> 
> Take a file of a known size, like 9.75 inches long (or metric if you
> prefer). Make sure you print it as you would your other prints at
> 100%. Take a very accurate ruler, I use an engineers scale but
> anything really will do, and measure the actual printed output length.
> 
> If the printout is shorter by a minimum of 1.6mm (1/16 inch) your
> print is slipping causing horizontal dark banding. If longer by at
> least the same amount the transport is advancing paper too quickly and
> you then see white lines.
> 
> If printout is within +/- 1/16 inch of file size, the problem is
> likely not the transport.
> 
> The 1/16 inch assumes about a ten inch length. If you decide to do a
> 18 inch length you might want to allow larger tolerances.
> Jim Hayes
Well, guys, I am beginning to think after all this deliberation and
the help of Dana at Inkjetmall's techsupport that I have misfiring
nozzles that over spray or spray the wrong directions.  Again - where
should I take this printer to get it's printhead worked on?  Will
anyone replace the printhead or fix it?  The printer is about three
years old and has printed hundreds of prints but went fairly lengthy
periods out of service because of my dissatisfaction with the orig.
piezo inks.  Now that I've invested in a new CIS and inks I certainly
want another even if this one can't be made to work.
Ideas?
Chris Mende

> Well, guys, I am beginning to think after all this deliberation and
> the help of Dana at Inkjetmall's techsupport that I have misfiring
> nozzles that over spray or spray the wrong directions.  Again - where
> should I take this printer to get it's printhead worked on?  Will
> anyone replace the printhead or fix it?  The printer is about three
> years old and has printed hundreds of prints but went fairly lengthy
> periods out of service because of my dissatisfaction with the orig.
> piezo inks.  Now that I've invested in a new CIS and inks I certainly
> want another even if this one can't be made to work.
> Ideas?
> Chris Mende

For less than the cost of a head replacement locally, I shipped an 1160 to
Arditos from Sunnyvale & got a complete overhaul.

www.arditos.com

However, be sure to check your machine with OEM Epson carts befroe you
commit to this expense, although it does seem reasonable given the age of
your machine. The problems you describe can result from defective carts, air
in the cart, foamy ink... and I have run across several bad carts recently.
The "shaky" reputation of the Eboni ink is directly attributable to bad
carts, not the ink.   -BK

> > Well, guys, I am beginning to think after all this deliberation and
> > the help of Dana at Inkjetmall's techsupport that I have misfiring
> > nozzles that over spray or spray the wrong directions.  Again - where
> > should I take this printer to get it's printhead worked on?

Only one comment: Make sure wherever you take it has the Epson tech
manual AND more important, the alignment software for the head.
Described in the manual, this is on two floppy discs(!) running on
Win98 only(!) through paralel port only(!). Could have been updated
since my manual ver though. It burns the EPROMS in the printer to
accept the new voltage ID of the new head (if replaced) garnered from
a number inscribed on every 1160 replacement head and input into the
program. Then it goes off and does an angular alignment and a
bi-directional alignment and I forget what all else. It can reset the
ink cleaning counter (yes, AFAIK the printer is programed to disable
itself after a certain very large number of cleaning cycles have been
recorded) and even return a value burned into printer memory for where
printer was originally destined to be shipped to (region of world?).

Mention some of the above blather to your prospective tech service
center, and if they don't know what you're talking about, they aren't
blessed or whatever it is that Epson does to service centers to make
them official. For there are many places that say they fix Epsons;
most aren't Epson approved. Or have the software.
Jim Hayes