Re: continued solarplate notes
That's great Chris. Congrats on your results and thanks for the report. I'd love to see the comparison. Some questions: Which of your theories are your referring to? The screen/image ratio theory? Did you expose image first or screen? How were you creating the poly plate sandwich? With a contact frame in both instances? Also, what's the size of the plates you tested? Also, can you post the brand/model of the UVBL tubes you're using Chris? Sorry if you've already done this. If you're right, and the tests are scalable, I will formally retract my blanket statement that UVBL is bad for poly plates on the whole, and will admit that I was wrrr...wrrr...wrong. Unless someone has developed a better workflow that changes things for the better somehow, I will maintain that UVBL is definitely a problem when using Solarplates larger than 8x10, however. In my world, I'm currently recalibrating my standard adjustment curve to work with the new 7800 in my basement. Just a giant version of the 2200, really. Ink carts are like the size of VCR tapes, which is pretty wild. The only high-tech object I own that is larger now is my car. 8-D Max density is lesser on the 7800, as has been reported, but the 1440 dpi output I had been using on the 2200 was actually much, much thinner than the 7800's output at 2880 or 1440. I created the adjustment curve by looking at the transmissive values of a step wedge printed out using my old curve on my old printer/media using my scanner. I then printed out an unadulterated step wedge on the 7800, read the values of it, and charted the differences. I then built a new curve from that data (several, in fact), printed them all on an 8x10 piece of OHP, made the plate, made several prints. Looked at print #4, and tweaked the best curve... Will wash, rinse, repeat as needed. I tested the new Pictorico OHP Ultra's last week and found its added base density to be over the top (way too cloudy white for me and my workflow with poly plates), so I exchanged it for a roll of the regular Pictorico OHP. Pictorico wasn't happy, but they were accommodating. :-) I should have just asked them to send me samples... I'm hoping the roll OHP isn't much different than the sheet OHP media. Does anyone use, or recall anyone else using, different curves for roll vs. sheet standard Pictorico OHP? I'm also developing another curve for a roll of this AccuArt2 transparency media (remember that stuff?). I've had a roll of it in my basement for a couple years now. Has very little base density compared to Pictorico OHP, which is way better for me than having too much imposed density in the media's base. Once that's worked out I'm hoping to have some things to post that aren't just step wedges (though they'll be those too I assure you). :) Now pursuing two leads on the finer 1800 dpi stochastic screens and will keep you all posted. Also, not sure if I mentioned this, but Harold at Box Car has confirmed the availability of A1 sized KM73 plates (23x30-ish). Pricing is comparable to his current prices, however it takes 2 months to get them from Japan. :-o I'm placing an order soon and hope my current workflow supports doubling the plate size. If not, I can always cut them down, as one of my clients who wants me doing bigger plates for them, reminded me. :-) Wish me luck with that...in about two months. :-P Cheers, Jon Christina Z. Anderson wrote: Well, results of two tests, for whatever it is worth:
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