Making a B&W ink set for 6-color Epson printers

[pharmacist]

Hi Paul,

Actually using the GO does make the ink quite shiny and glossy. For some papers it causes a metallic sheen when observed a certain angles. For pure carbon I would recommend the Cb6 mix, because of the high density of the carbon particles to prevent premature precipitation. It contains a very high concentration of glycerol that increases the viscosity of the ink in order to keep the particles suspended efficiently. If you use standard photo black, then you can use GO without any problems, taking into account the disadvantages of the metallic sheen.

 

[Paul W.]

OK, I see. I'm using Eboni, as I'm sure you can tell, but what is meant by "standard photo black"? Is that the black in a six position OEM inkset? And would third party inksets also use that standard photo black?

 

[Paul W.]

@The Hat:

(old thread I know, but am trying to catch up here!)

Paul Roach’s attempts are a prime example, for me I think he has lost the plot.

Sorry, but I'm not sure what "lost the plot" means... please enlighten me! Thank you...

Oh, and do you mean Paul Roark, perhaps?

 

[The Hat]

(old thread I know, but am trying to catch up here!)
Sorry, but I'm not sure what "lost the plot" means... please enlighten me! Thank you...
Oh, and do you mean Paul Roark, perhaps?

What I meant was the photos that I looked at on Paul Roark’s site (Spelled correctly) were dire to say the least, they were good B&W’s but not a lot else, there was very little halftone in them, this is more to my liking from @pharmacist...
http://www.printerknowledge.com/thr...t-for-6-color-epson-printers.9198/#post-72470

I reckon these big guys mess around so much in Lightroom that they end up with something so unreal in my opinion...

 

[Paul W.]

I take your point. Just a few weeks ago I ran across a discussion where one of the participants was talking about the same thing... he was speaking up about the importance, and sadly the neglect, of midtones. In fact, I've had that very thought rattling around my brain lately. I'll let it rattle some more.

 

[The Hat]

There’s other member that doesn’t think I’d nuts...
Thanks @Paul W.

 

[pharmacist]

OK, I see. I'm using Eboni, as I'm sure you can tell, but what is meant by "standard photo black"? Is that the black in a six position OEM inkset? And would third party inksets also use that standard photo black?

Eboni is pure carbon, this is considered matte black, just like chinese ink, that is pure carbon mixed with pine resin and produces writings and paintings that last for millenia. Photo Black is a chemical obtained pigment that often is resin coated at particle level and is considered to be much smaller in size than carbon black.

 

[Paul W.]

Excellent, @pharmacist, very clear. Helps explain why Eboni is considered more archival. Thank you!

 

[pharmacist]

Excellent, @pharmacist, very clear. Helps explain why Eboni is considered more archival. Thank you!

Actually carbon is one of the 100 or so basic building blocks (elements) of the universe and cannot be destroyed unless in a nuclear lab or in the inner centre of stars, where nuclear fusion reactions take place to form other elements. There is a tiny percentage of C14 isotopes in carbon that decades into other elements, but this just a minute amount of the naturally occuring amount of carbon, that is just negligible and T1/2 of these radioactive carbon particles is 5736 years, so even if carbon does exist of entirely C14 isotopes, your writing/painting will be 50% fainter after 5736 years, if your paper will last that amount of time.