I was an early adopter of Piezography back in 2001. I printed traditionally for about 25 years but after I bought my first
inkjet printer I was convinced I could find a way to replicate the look of Platinum or Palladium prints by feeding Arches paper into
it not understanding a coating was needed. I started writing Jon Cone when he first published he was working on a digital platinum printing
process for desktop printers. My first Piezography experience was using his plug-in and Sundance Inks. I used an Epson 1160 and
two Epson 3000 printers. I had to use multiple printers because the clogging was so bad I couldn't finish a project without constantly
cleaning and using Windex to keep the printers running. The Piezography prints I made were some of the finest I have ever printed, however,
after several years of working with the system I decided I could no longer live with all of the frustrations and the inability to complete projects
on time. I am not a hobbiest. I am a busy professional photographer and the ordeal of working with the Piezography inks just about made me
crazy. When the Epson 4000 came out I purchased one along with Imageprint and have been happily printing with just an occasional clog.
However, I have always been haunted by the beauty of my Piezography prints and thought I should give them another try. I had an Epson
2200 and bought the new inks and QTR Rip. I wasn't able to print more then four or five prints when the printer started clogging. I reloaded
the Epson inks. After a couple of cleaning cycles with the OEM inks I was able to get the printer unclogged and tried again with the Piezo inks.
Again after just a few prints the clogs returned and I gave up. There was no way I was going to go through this again. Too many years and
too many dollars were wasted trying to keep the system working.
Recently I purchased an Epson 9600. I want to dedicate it to quadtone printing.I want to make sure I get the purest black and white prints
I can. I keep thinking others are getting good results with the
Cone Inks aren't they or is it just down to a few loyal followers? What about all of those people attending the workshops? Surely the printers
aren't clogging at those events, right?
I would really like to hear a non-biased view of the current state of Quadtone
printing with Inkjet Mall products before I commit to over a thousand dollars for ink and cleaning carts to indulge myself with what I think
may be real or imagined differences in the appearance of prints made with Cone vs. Epson inks. I have a very ambitious project that I bought
the 9600 for and want to try using the split tone inks. I don't have very much time for experimentation.
Thank you for reading and replying to this long post. I am not looking for a confrontation. I just want to believe there is a solution to this.
Regards,
Thomas Jackson
Full Version: Return to Piezography?
Thomas,
As a fellow veteran of the Windex wipe wars with desktops and quadtone inks, I feel your pain. I've been running the PiezoTones (sel and sepia) in a 9600 for 3(?) years now and clogs, while ocasional have not been a big issue. Much less frequent than with my 9000 and nothng like with the 1160s and 1200s. The K6/7 inkset may be an option, as one of its touted features is clog-free performance. I don't have those in-house on a LF machine so will let others comment on real-world use. From side-by-side comparisons I've seen, a K6/7 print will be a step up from Epson ABW (for that matter so will a PiezoTone config). You might want to wait on the gloss-compatible Cone inks and see what the options are for the 9600.
If you were starting from scratch, I would say look at the Z printers from HP. If you take 3rd party inks and drivers out of the equation, that's the new standard for bw IMHO.
If you go the K6 route with QTR you shouldn't have too much experimenting to do. On x600 and later models the canned profiles work very, very well (and good thing because you can't make your own linearizations with the K6/7 inks). But if you were looking to use StudioPrint, you've got some work ahead of you, with all the options and confogurations to set.
As a fellow veteran of the Windex wipe wars with desktops and quadtone inks, I feel your pain. I've been running the PiezoTones (sel and sepia) in a 9600 for 3(?) years now and clogs, while ocasional have not been a big issue. Much less frequent than with my 9000 and nothng like with the 1160s and 1200s. The K6/7 inkset may be an option, as one of its touted features is clog-free performance. I don't have those in-house on a LF machine so will let others comment on real-world use. From side-by-side comparisons I've seen, a K6/7 print will be a step up from Epson ABW (for that matter so will a PiezoTone config). You might want to wait on the gloss-compatible Cone inks and see what the options are for the 9600.
If you were starting from scratch, I would say look at the Z printers from HP. If you take 3rd party inks and drivers out of the equation, that's the new standard for bw IMHO.
If you go the K6 route with QTR you shouldn't have too much experimenting to do. On x600 and later models the canned profiles work very, very well (and good thing because you can't make your own linearizations with the K6/7 inks). But if you were looking to use StudioPrint, you've got some work ahead of you, with all the options and confogurations to set.
QUOTE (adiallo @ Nov 9 2007, 09:35 AM) 
Thomas,
As a fellow veteran of the Windex wipe wars with desktops and quadtone inks, I feel your pain. I've been running the PiezoTones (sel and sepia) in a 9600 for 3(?) years now and clogs, while ocasional have not been a big issue. Much less frequent than with my 9000 and nothng like with the 1160s and 1200s. The K6/7 inkset may be an option, as one of its touted features is clog-free performance. I don't have those in-house on a LF machine so will let others comment on real-world use. From side-by-side comparisons I've seen, a K6/7 print will be a step up from Epson ABW (for that matter so will a PiezoTone config). You might want to wait on the gloss-compatible Cone inks and see what the options are for the 9600.
If you were starting from scratch, I would say look at the Z printers from HP. If you take 3rd party inks and drivers out of the equation, that's the new standard for bw IMHO.
If you go the K6 route with QTR you shouldn't have too much experimenting to do. On x600 and later models the canned profiles work very, very well (and good thing because you can't make your own linearizations with the K6/7 inks). But if you were looking to use StudioPrint, you've got some work ahead of you, with all the options and confogurations to set.
As a fellow veteran of the Windex wipe wars with desktops and quadtone inks, I feel your pain. I've been running the PiezoTones (sel and sepia) in a 9600 for 3(?) years now and clogs, while ocasional have not been a big issue. Much less frequent than with my 9000 and nothng like with the 1160s and 1200s. The K6/7 inkset may be an option, as one of its touted features is clog-free performance. I don't have those in-house on a LF machine so will let others comment on real-world use. From side-by-side comparisons I've seen, a K6/7 print will be a step up from Epson ABW (for that matter so will a PiezoTone config). You might want to wait on the gloss-compatible Cone inks and see what the options are for the 9600.
If you were starting from scratch, I would say look at the Z printers from HP. If you take 3rd party inks and drivers out of the equation, that's the new standard for bw IMHO.
If you go the K6 route with QTR you shouldn't have too much experimenting to do. On x600 and later models the canned profiles work very, very well (and good thing because you can't make your own linearizations with the K6/7 inks). But if you were looking to use StudioPrint, you've got some work ahead of you, with all the options and confogurations to set.
Thomas--
I am focusing on the same dilemma. I've been using Jon Cone's inks since about '99, and the clogs with the original Piezophraphy BW inks were chronic, and for a time I gave up and went with MIS inks. These simply did not have the tonal range of the d-max of the piezography inks. I returned to the Piezotone [selenium] inkset for the 1280, using museum black. I have had rare problems, usually do not have to revert to windex, but it is important to keep ambient temp below about 78 degrees in the area the printer is located. Prints on display adacent to a local restaurant's window, purchased by the owner, have not faded [did use UV aborbing Plexiglass]. As my 1280 w/ CIS is about to give up the ghost, I am struggling with what to do next. I suspect I'll go with the K7, and will be purchasing an R1800 for home use. I am also converting a 9600 to the same system, and will use the selenium inks in both cases, knowing I'll only need to add gloss optimizer when it [finally] becomes available. The selenium inks are currently available, and I've been exchanging e-mail with Jeff Hirsh, the tech. guy at inkjetmall, who has been very helpful. Talking with him and others, I think QTR is the way to go for now.
By the way, I'm delighted to have found this board, and will follow this, and other items with interest.
--Norm
QUOTE (quadtones @ Nov 18 2007, 06:50 PM)
Thomas--
I am focusing on the same dilemma. I've been using Jon Cone's inks since about '99, and the clogs with the original Piezophraphy BW inks were chronic, and for a time I gave up and went with MIS inks. These simply did not have the tonal range of the d-max of the piezography inks. I returned to the Piezotone [selenium] inkset for the 1280, using museum black. I have had rare problems, usually do not have to revert to windex, but it is important to keep ambient temp below about 78 degrees in the area the printer is located. Prints on display adacent to a local restaurant's window, purchased by the owner, have not faded [did use UV aborbing Plexiglass]. As my 1280 w/ CIS is about to give up the ghost, I am struggling with what to do next. I suspect I'll go with the K7, and will be purchasing an R1800 for home use. I am also converting a 9600 to the same system, and will use the selenium inks in both cases, knowing I'll only need to add gloss optimizer when it [finally] becomes available. The selenium inks are currently available, and I've been exchanging e-mail with Jeff Hirsh, the tech. guy at inkjetmall, who has been very helpful. Talking with him and others, I think QTR is the way to go for now.
By the way, I'm delighted to have found this board, and will follow this, and other items with interest.
--Norm
I am focusing on the same dilemma. I've been using Jon Cone's inks since about '99, and the clogs with the original Piezophraphy BW inks were chronic, and for a time I gave up and went with MIS inks. These simply did not have the tonal range of the d-max of the piezography inks. I returned to the Piezotone [selenium] inkset for the 1280, using museum black. I have had rare problems, usually do not have to revert to windex, but it is important to keep ambient temp below about 78 degrees in the area the printer is located. Prints on display adacent to a local restaurant's window, purchased by the owner, have not faded [did use UV aborbing Plexiglass]. As my 1280 w/ CIS is about to give up the ghost, I am struggling with what to do next. I suspect I'll go with the K7, and will be purchasing an R1800 for home use. I am also converting a 9600 to the same system, and will use the selenium inks in both cases, knowing I'll only need to add gloss optimizer when it [finally] becomes available. The selenium inks are currently available, and I've been exchanging e-mail with Jeff Hirsh, the tech. guy at inkjetmall, who has been very helpful. Talking with him and others, I think QTR is the way to go for now.
By the way, I'm delighted to have found this board, and will follow this, and other items with interest.
--Norm
Hi I'm new here, I'm learning and this is great with your deep book Amadou!
Hi Thomas, I have to increase the volume of my prints, and as my R2400 with K3 and QTR on Matte papers should soon be dedicated to an ink set which should be the MPS Selenium, Have you heard of someone happy of this combination?
It'll be a CIS, and the Niagara 4 is the right tool?
In term of stability will the new Selenium greys diluitions be as good as the Neutral K7, or is a sort of little compromise in order to print also on the glossy media with the same set of inks.
Thanks a lot.
al
QUOTE (adiallo @ Nov 9 2007, 04:35 PM)
Thomas,
The K6/7 inkset may be an option, as one of its touted features is clog-free performance. I don't have those in-house on a LF machine so will let others comment on real-world use. From side-by-side comparisons I've seen, a K6/7 print will be a step up from Epson ABW (for that matter so will a PiezoTone config)...
If you go the K6 route with QTR you shouldn't have too much experimenting to do. On x600 and later models the canned profiles work very, very well (and good thing because you can't make your own linearizations with the K6/7 inks). But if you were looking to use StudioPrint, you've got some work ahead of you, with all the options and confogurations to set.
The K6/7 inkset may be an option, as one of its touted features is clog-free performance. I don't have those in-house on a LF machine so will let others comment on real-world use. From side-by-side comparisons I've seen, a K6/7 print will be a step up from Epson ABW (for that matter so will a PiezoTone config)...
If you go the K6 route with QTR you shouldn't have too much experimenting to do. On x600 and later models the canned profiles work very, very well (and good thing because you can't make your own linearizations with the K6/7 inks). But if you were looking to use StudioPrint, you've got some work ahead of you, with all the options and confogurations to set.
Hi. I'm new to the list and also another old-time user of Piezo inks going back to the original Sundance driver! Used a CIS with an Epson 1160 for a long time and yes, struggled somewhat with the clogs and Fantastic/Windex dance.
Now I'm getting back into BW printing and thinking of buying the Niagara CIS for my 2100/2200 (also given the new ruling forbidding 3rd party carts in Epson printers) and using the Cone K7 inkset. I am also considering purchasing a 2400 for colour use and possibly some toned prints, though the Piezo inks have produced the most stunning monochrome prints so far, which is why I want to get back to using them.
I, too would like feedback on how well the Niagara CIS works, especially in a 2100/2200. I assume the K7 inks will do well with that printer.
Inkjet Mall still lists carts for the 2200. From my understanding, this whole Epson patent deal is in limbo for awhile. You could try a set of carts to determine if you like the K7 inksets, before committing to a CIS.
I have run various K7 products in a 2200 for over 2 years and have had very little clogging, and even then - only if the system has been sitting for a few weeks. Nothing that one or two head cleanings couldn't cure. I'm in the process of converting a 7800 to the selenium K7, and I've got to say, the selenium is a beautiful inkset. Stunning. Very clean. Highly recommended.
I have run various K7 products in a 2200 for over 2 years and have had very little clogging, and even then - only if the system has been sitting for a few weeks. Nothing that one or two head cleanings couldn't cure. I'm in the process of converting a 7800 to the selenium K7, and I've got to say, the selenium is a beautiful inkset. Stunning. Very clean. Highly recommended.
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