Re: Epson printers

Ken Carney (kcarney@okla.net)
Thu, 19 Jun 1997 22:42:23 -0500

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Sil Horwitz writes:
>
> Too bad you didn't investigate the ALPS "Micro-Dry" printers. Results are
> much better than the Epsons (except for the Epson Photo, which I haven't
> yet evaluated). Negatives made with the ALPS printer were used by Dick
> Sullivan to make Ziatype prints which I showed at APIS. Terrific! The
ALPS
> MD series printers use pigment inks which they say are archival; I tested
> one for only two weeks in the Florida sun, and there was no fading
> whatsoever. (There is also a "photographic" mode which uses a type of
> dye-sub printing, and that is like all other dye-sub images: great, no
> screen effect, but not permanent.)

I notice there is a small explosion of better quality printers. It
appeared that whatever one purchased it would be next month's doorstop,
hence a desire for a lower expenditure such as the 800. Better to let
things settle a bit (as much as they can in this area) before laying out
money for a serious printer. I did notice in the newsgroup discussions that
the ALPS seemed to have a worse banding problem than the Epson -what has
been your experience?

> >I wound up using the same papers used for pt/pd prints, Crane's
> >8111 and Arches hotpress watercolor paper, 140#.
>
> The way I handle these papers is to make the computerized print on
transfer
> film, and then use a drymounting press to transfer the image. (A hand
iron
> can also be used.) By heating another piece of the art paper on top, the
> final photograph has the proper paper texture. In my experiments, I found
> direct printing on art paper at high screen rates was unsatisfactory. The
> transfer method works very well.

Is this the T-shirt transfer material? I have a big Seal press and might
try this. However, it seems there would be a generation loss. The Epson
prints sharp on Arches 140# hot press, with a very smooth surface. Are
you using hot press or cold press?