[VirgilGuitar]

Hi, We are currently using an Epson 3000 printer, which is used for transparency film (17x22)- we are a t-shirt screen printing company and make halftones, line art and process colors. I am currently using The standard Epson inks for the printer, Ulano Dye Inkjet film USA "C" DIJF4356CM-100 . We recently purchased a refurbed Epson 3000 because our old one had some really old heads that were giving us several printing issues. With this new (refurbed one) I have been pulling my hair out - I used to do line shots/art using the Epson driver and use PowerRip X for the halftones, however, with the replacement printer here, any line art I try to print using the Epson drivers, the ink lays down WAY too thick.... so thick, that even after letting it dry overnight, it's still coming off on the screens. I tried to drop it down from the 1440 dpi to the 720 dpi and I don't get enough opacity. Tried going the CYMK, KCMY, RGB, Grayscale routes, nothing seems to give me just a nice solid line that doesn't wind up looking like the Valdez Oil Spill. I did try using the Power RipX ScreenPrint, but on really large Black (opaque) areas, I get lines, and any fine print stuff gets dots around the edges. I print out only from Photoshop CS3. If anyone has a magic setting combination - that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for any help you can give!
Virgil

 

[brent]

Are you sure you're printing on the correct side of the film?

 

[VirgilGuitar]

Are you sure you're printing on the correct side of the film?

LOL Yes, great question though... rough side up, with curved corner at top right...

It's funny tho - it actually sounds like that would be the problem,but it's not - thanks

 

[brent]

Oh, well! That would have been a super easy solution, huh? When I first set up my 3000 I printed out a film and the ink was all blotchy and looked horrible. Then I just flipped my stack of films and printed them out right.

I had to set up this new computer a while ago and go through the process again of getting Photoshop and drivers set up to make good films. To get the best print options in Photoshop, I had to install Epson's 3000 specific drivers. Did you try that?

Another possibility, do you have "ink jet transparencies" selected on the 3000 itself?

You were using a 3000 before, right?

This is tricky!

 

[VirgilGuitar]

Yes, I do have the most recent drivers set up for running prints through the Epson. The "Inkjet Transparencies" was the main setting that I keep trying to use - I have even tried the "Backlit Film" as well. I even took out the BRAND SPANKIN new ink cartridge (Epson only) and replaced it with another one - just in case if that may have been the problem.

And yes, our last printer was an Epson 3000 as well.

 

[brent]

It could be a problem with the printer itself. Where did you get it from? I got mine from POSjet who uses a place in Brooklyn as the actual refurbisher. Mine was damaged during shipping, so I called the place in Brooklyn and talked to someone who troubleshooted over the phone, decided it was messed up, so I shipped it to them, they fixed it, shipped it back, worked great after I got all the settings right. Hopefully you bought it from a company rather than an ebay person...
If you can, call whomever sold it to you.

Does it print on paper okay?

 

[VirgilGuitar]

The reburbisher came highly recommended from Ulano - he's west coast - you know those guys - they're still in bed LOL

 

[brent]

Well give him a call when you think he's awake! Describe the problem and see if he has a solution, whether it's you tweaking something or biting the bullet and shipping it back to him for repair. I'd bet my biscuits it's an issue with the mechanics of the printer itself, because it sounds like you've exhausted every other possibility. These things are old, they can have problems. Give him a call and post back with what he says, I wanna know if it gets resolved.

 

[VirgilGuitar]

Well give him a call when you think he's awake! Describe the problem and see if he has a solution, whether it's you tweaking something or biting the bullet and shipping it back to him for repair. I'd bet my biscuits it's an issue with the mechanics of the printer itself, because it sounds like you've exhausted every other possibility. These things are old, they can have problems. Give him a call and post back with what he says, I wanna know if it gets resolved.

Yes, thanks Brent - I sent him a long descriptive email in regards to the problem - the owner spoke with him originally - he tried walking him through a quite a few things with the old printer to try to resolve some probs and it sounded like he knew his stuff. When we got the refurbed printer it came with some sample prints (color photos, etc.) but that don't mean a hill of beans in this industry - I need some good clean film brother!! LOL Will keep you posted. Thanks again!

 

[out da box]

Have you tried different film? I recently got dome waterprof film for my 4800, but it works excellent in the 3000. Black, but not overly thick and it wont run or smudge.

 

[VirgilGuitar]

Have you tried different film? I recently got dome waterprof film for my 4800, but it works excellent in the 3000. Black, but not overly thick and it wont run or smudge.

No we haven't - the reason mainly is because we have been using the same film for years and we have not had probs with it... I am willing to try anything at this point tho.

 

[VirgilGuitar]

Have you tried different film? I recently got dome waterprof film for my 4800, but it works excellent in the 3000. Black, but not overly thick and it wont run or smudge.

I rec'd an email from the guy who sold us the refurbed unit and coincidentally he suggested the same thing - the only problem is, the boss man is saying that that particular film is twice as expensive as the film we are currently using - my question to you is: Were you using another type of film (possibly the Ulano USA "C" DIJF4356CM-100 ?) is it a "Dye Inkjet Film"? and did you experience smudging (Meaning after letting it dry even overnight, it rubs off VERY easily - winds up on the screens too! OH BOY LOL) I am also wanting him to look into us possibly getting just 1 or 2 sheets from the manufacturer just to test it before we spend all that money on something that will not fix the problem. Somewhere I had heard that Epson stopped making "Dye" type of inks a few years back and this is actually a different type of ink now... And lastly, what is the manaufacturer/part number of the waterproof film you are recommending? Thanks so much for your time

 

[out da box]

Valley Litho Supply - Quality Lithographic Supplies & Equipment at a discount!
(Reference #1318WP)

Good stuff. Pretty reasonable in terms of price. Wont run, wont smudge, comes out jet black, great detail. Best stuff I have used for my 3000. Works excellent on the 4800, also.

 

[VirgilGuitar]

One thing I would like to find out from you before I go and buy this new type of film is find out what settings you have on your Epson 3000 before you print - can you copy and paste me your print summary out of your dialog box? I am very interested to see if if we are using similar settings - there are so many variables, with not only the media type, but KCMY, Grayscale, Saturation, contrast, etc. by going to your 2nd print dialog box, the Print Summary option is at the bottom of the 3 set of drop down boxes - I am mainly interested in what you have selected for "Printer Features" this describes the Printer settings as well as your output settings.... that would be awesome -mainly because I have been messing with that all morning and I am seeing that I have certain controls over the ink etc... Thanks!

 

[out da box]

I'll save you some headaches.... just print to photo glossy film and leave everything else alone. Hit print. Done.

 

[VirgilGuitar]

I'll save you some headaches.... just print to photo glossy film and leave everything else alone. Hit print. Done.

Hmmmm... There are tons of options for printing out like:
Automatic Glossy Film (Just tried that, it printed out Gray)
Automatic Premium Photo Paper
TONS of DPI settings as a prefix to the above, however, I do not see any options that actually say "photo glossy film" how far down the list is that on yours? Thanks again!

 

[snarley]

Hi
I have an Epson 3000 also and would be interested in getting a copy of that printer report, I haven't been using it for film positives but have gotten soma inquiries on some large print tshirts and it would be nice to know what works without all the experimentation.

Bill m

 

[VirgilGuitar]

Hi Bill, lookslike we can start our own 12-step support group with all of these Epson 3000 questions LOL

 

[out da box]

Are you using the pl-2 epson rip or the regular windows driver?

 

[VirgilGuitar]

On a Mac here (Don't hold that against me - the boss insists on it) And I downloaded the Epson Drivers for the 3000 on their site - so it says on the Printer Utility it is a version 2.14