Pro-100 retrofit ink kit from Precision Colors....Dramatic delivered.

[Paul Verizzo]

Not a matter of belief, just wanted to know how you arrived at your conclusion.

I'm very, very impressed, Mike. I think we all are, and should feel comfortable using PC in leiu of OEM.

 

[Stationair206]

Just proves the point. They are so close, most will not see the differences. There is a difference that profiling can extract...look for the extended extreme vibrant green below the B&W test. This could be paper related as well and might happen even on the OEM inkset. The key thing is that you can achieve great results and not know a thing about ICC profiles etc.

I have a new inkset for the MX860. It leaves the old inkset in the dust. Tracking of that inkset is very similar to the new one for the Pro-100. You could know nothing about ICC profiles and achieve very good results. PC226 inkset. They are more fade resistant as well.

Let me say this. Using the auto print functions with the new inks PC226 soon to be available, you will achieve better results than using odd inks and using Datacolor Spyder profiling hardware and software and using ICCs created from that.

In 2015 I will roll out new inksets that supersede the old ones. The new inksets for Epson pigment printers will be nothing similar to what IS offered prior. They are a matched hybrid inkset combining the best of what different mfrs have. Not a single one. Each is selected for color tracking, linearity and end print results and reliability. Reliability is an issue. (They are all made in the USA.....reason is that mfrs. in North America tend to maintain a better standard for quality that what comes from abroad.) Without profiles. Each mfr appears to have certain strengths in an inkset and also certain weaknesses. If you can harness the best of what each can offer you end up with a really good combination that a single supplier cannot offer. I think I have done that.

Mikling will you also have this super inkset for HP printers that use pigment inks, like the Officejet Pro 8630.
PS: you'll have to complete your HP section. It's still Under construction. LOL

 

[Stationair206]

I don't know, Roy. It cost me a lot of hard-earned money. $50 plus $20 shipping.

But of course that included 50 sheets of 13x19" paper and a set of ink, so the sting wasn't so bad. Come to think of it, maybe I should just buy another one when it runs out of ink and paper.

Actually, I haven't tried the printer yet. But sorry, I digress from Mikling's fine thread. Congratulations again, Mike.

Mozilla, are you serious, $70, you probably live in the US, we don't have these deals in Canada. Is the deal still on, I'll be going in Florida in a month and give it a shot, if it's still on. Were do you go to see this deal?
Thank's

 

[ThrillaMozilla]

Mozilla, are you serious, $70, you probably live in the US, we don't have these deals in Canada. Is the deal still on, I'll be going in Florida in a month and give it a shot, if it's still on. Were do you go to see this deal?
Thank's

That deal is long gone, but there will probably be two more to take its place. I'm happy to gloat about this, but don't feel too bad. The flip side of living here is that now they're going to court to try to take away our health insurance.

 

[Subarunyon]

Hi milkling, I want to buy the improved magenta but want to know if all clogging issues have been fixed? If I am to continue using my pro-100, I will need to buy a new printhead because my current head have been clogged by the previous version of precision colors magenta.

Any member who can vouch for the clogging issue will be great as well... I'm still on the fence if I should invest further on this printer or just look for a used ip4500.

Thank you.

 

[The Hat]

Hi @Subarunyon and welcome, Here is a thread that might answer your questions

http://www.printerknowledge.com/threads/pixma-pro-100-print-problem.10044/#post-83541

 

[mikling]

It is now about a year since I wrote to STS owner about the problems with the magentas. Let me clarify my position so it is clear.
At the time I suspected that the source of dye that was supplied to them had trace amounts of fungal spores. Now many chemists would doubt this from the onset and their own Phd chemists were bo booing this. Well I also explained in january, that it was fortuitous that I had also been working to produce superior magentas from a color standpoint using ink NOT FROM Image Specialists. In January 2015, I accelerated that development because I had a suspicion something was going on from a NON chemical standpoint.

The new magentas were so much improved that I cut short the testing cycle and make the switch. Remember as far a late December 2014, IS/STS gave me approval to ship their magentas as they found no issue with it. Irregardless, I did not follow through on that and made the switch to NON Image Specialists Magentas.

In February, I was able to find some fungal growths in some old cartridges. To me that confirmed it.

Then starting in April 2015, I took some sample of said fungus and was able to grow more of it in samples in OTHER manufacturers ink as well. This told me that is fungus was a superfungus resistant to different types of biocides. Nothing any mfr of ink could do to stop it once it got into their system.

To date I have NO ISSUES anymore of any magentas from the new supplier in January 2015. Nearly a year into it.

At the same time to date Npv 2015 IS/STS stand by the claim that nothing was wrong with their magentas. Well based on what I saw happening I would conclude differently but it matters no more. I have been problem free with my magentas since January 2015. Now what is not known is that the supplier raised the cost of this ink to me the last few months by 40%. I still stand by my upgrade offer on my homepage.
http://www.precisioncolors.com/PC42R_Upgrade.html


At the same time Jan 2015 I also completely discontinued the Image Specilists magentas from my stock. I can now sleep nights. I had to blend my own using a combination of colors from the new supplier. Surprising, these new magentas ended up superior to the older 6121 etc. I called them the 6121TD.

In retrospect, this magenta issue has been with us to a smaller degree in prior years but never really caught anyone's specific attention. Occasional clogging of PM on Pro9000s..Rodbam was hit......soaking could not clear....brings back memories.... Yes, this fungus was there. Over ten years ago, MIS sold CIS and would advised that tanks needed to be cleaned occasionally because of algae....yes. similar issue. You can bet this problem has been kicking around but with the Pro-100 and heavier use, I nailed me but I finally figured it out. To let you know as well, I lost two printheads from this issue and not known about it. Toolman lost two heads while he was printing with his 9000 and we could not figure out what was going on. Now I know exactly what caused it.

Rules of thumb to prevent this.s. A small amt of spores could land in your ink from the air. If you use it up within a year, it would be of no harm either it will not reproduce enough or the biocide will control it.
So here is what I recommend. Always only purchase enough ink to use up to and within a year. Yes, we've heard ink can last 5 years BUT why tempt nature? How much is there to gain versus the risk. How long can carts last? well. The problem is that if there is microrganisms in the sponge, you want to knock them out. Even sealed tins eventually turn bad. Keep that in mind. Bleach the carts out every couple of years EVEN if you have no problems. It is insurance. If you ever need to replace a printhead, replace the ink as well if it is over 6 months old. Flush the cartridge with bleach or get a new one or refurbed one. Weigh the cost of ink seven bucks or so versus the cost of a new printhead. Not worth the risk of bad ink. Again remember that ink is a good medium for bacteria etc. to grow. Only biocides try and block that and control that BUT sometimes biocides will fail to do that. Just like antibiotics don't always work. Also in case you are wondering, YES the ink is tested when it is made BUT the only thing that stops it from going bad is the BIOCIDE and if it is not effective against some contamination eventually it will.

So in conclusion, I fixed the magenta situation completely by switching away from IS magentas and today NONE of the dye magentas I have display any issues and I hope I will not be hit by that problem again. It was a learning experience for me and hope others learn from this as well,,,though the lab guys at STS still don't buy in. I know better,....I have seen the results. I've paid the price personally and I hope we all learn from this. Does IS still use the same dye in their magentas today? I don't know but I don't need to anymore thankfully.

 

[jtoolman]

Here it comes, Short and sweet!

I've been using these new inks on one of my three PRO-100s since Mike began to ship the updated ink set.

Abosultely no probles thus far and the results are nothing but outstanding.

Joe

 

[rodbam]

That seems like good news Mike & thanks for the work you put in to try & solve a tricky problem.

 

[Subarunyon]

Hi Milkling,

I am about to purchase the PC42-BK2, PC42-M2, and PC42-PM2. However I noticed that in the purchase page, you have also renamed two more carts into into PC42-GY2 and PC42-LGY2.

I haven't had any issue with these GY and LGY carts clogging, but you can please let me know why these were updated? I am going to put the BK2, M2, and PM2 in a brand new print head. Just making sure if there's something about the GY and LGY that I don't know of.

Thank you!

So in conclusion, I fixed the magenta situation completely by switching away from IS magentas and today NONE of the dye magentas I have display any issues and I hope I will not be hit by that problem again. It was a learning experience for me and hope others learn from this as well,,,though the lab guys at STS still don't buy in. I know better,....I have seen the results. I've paid the price personally and I hope we all learn from this. Does IS still use the same dye in their magentas today? I don't know but I don't need to anymore thankfully.