[apnumber30]

Hi all,

I am currently attempting to print a black and white photograph which I would like to transfer onto a shirt. I am using an Epson NX105 printer with genuine DURAbrite ink and JPSS transfer sheets.

Unfortunately I have reached a snag while printing. My black and white image is printing extremely blue with horrible detail. The major issue is after attempting 5+ prints, the portrait is printing what looks to be an inverted image. A black ski mask is printing white, and a grayish background is now blue and distorted. I have adjusted the settings of my printer multiple times, using different color management options. I tried printing using only black ink, and the JPSS transfer came out blank with no ink on the page.

If anyone has an idea about what I might be doing wrong your input would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Lnfortun]

Sounds like you are out of black ink or the head is totally clogged.

Does it happen when printing regular black text? Draw a rectangle filled with black then print it in regular paper. If it comes out blank then your printer is either out of black ink or have defective black head (clogged). Your problem does not have anything to do with JPSS.

 

[selanac]

True, and ink jets don't print white ink.

Never printed Black & white photo myself. Is there a setting in the Printer Preference for Black & White Photos?

 

[Fenrir]

Printers without a greyscale inkset and ICC profile generally do a lousy job at true B&W, though to the average consumer it's not noticed unless placed against a professional B&W print. However, the color shift should not be that extreme.

First thing to do is always run a nozzle check to see if you're missing any colors. Also, for t-shirt transfers most people use the plain paper setting on the highest quality mode, not the photo settings which tend to adjust ratios of color saturation so it works best on glossed photo papers that have strange chemical treatments that do weird things to the colors. I remember one HP I had if you used the wrong setting for the wrong paper it would all come out extremely green.

 

[Lnfortun]

True, and ink jets don't print white ink.

Never printed Black & white photo myself. Is there a setting in the Printer Preference for Black & White ?

There is no white ink but what the OP meant is not print in color which is black and white or gray scale Photo. Under the Advance setting there is a checkbox for Print Black Ink Only.

 

[Lnfortun]

The attached photo is B/W or Gray scale that I printed with Black Ink Only checkbox selected that is under Advance tab.

 

[apnumber30]

Thanks for all of the replies everybody. I attempted to print with the 'Black ink only' option and the page came out blank, so I'm guessing its a problem with the black ink cartridge or I've got a clog. Any best practices there?

 

[Lnfortun]

Thanks for all of the replies everybody. I attempted to print with the 'Black ink only' option and the page came out blank, so I'm guessing its a problem with the black ink cartridge or I've got a clog. Any best practices there?

First off make sure the ink cartridge is not empty. Next press the ink button so the cartridge is away from the docking station. Unplug the power cord. Manually move the carriage towards the left so that the docking station is exposed. Fill a syringe with alcohol. Soak the foam in the docking station really well. Plug the power cord then turn the power on. Let it sit and soak over night. Do a head cleaning cycle. Do a nozzle check to see if the black head is printing. You may have to do it several times to completely clear the clog.

On a side note some claims simple green or hot water works but for me I use alcohol. So you have other options to clear the clog. Other option I have done is I bought a 1/16 diameter plastic tubing from hardware store. I put the tubing in place of the needle. Remove the cartridges then push the other end of the tubing on the ink port of the cartridge that is clogged in the carriage. Force the solution into the port. Leave the tubing connected on the port. Let it sit over night. Remove the plastic tubing. Re-install the cartridges then do the cleaning and nozzle check cycle.

 

[selanac]

Luis, if you're having all those problems, wouldn't you get printing errors on your computer, and/or fail the Nozzle Check?

I thought the OP said they printed something earlier, just not a Black and White Photo.

 

[Lnfortun]

Luis, if you're having all those problems, wouldn't you get printing errors on your computer, and/or fail the Nozzle Check?

I thought the OP said they printed something earlier, just not a Black and White Photo.

Right that is when he noticed that some color was missing. Primarily black. As the OP would described it the colors were backwards.

 

[selanac]

Colors are inverted. He said when he prints the Photograph.

Wonder what would happen if he printed something else. Is it the Photograph image thats messed up or is it the actual printer?

What are his settings set to now?

 

[apnumber30]

I used alcohol to clean the pads, let it sit overnight, and ran my first nozzle check. All of the colored lines appeared crisp, but only one faint, broken line appeared in black. I cleaned my nozzle head and printed another nozzle check, but this time no black ink printed. Should I clean again?

 

[mailman]

What type of JPSS are you using?

 

[Fenrir]

Recommended solvent for Epson pigment inks (either OEM or aftermarket) is ammonia, preferably Windex cut 50% with distilled water, or full strength for tough clogs. Isopropyl alcohol doesn't really do much and denatured/ethyl may have chemicals like MEK or acetone in it that will destroy the printhead.

I have recently seen a recommendation that if you have done a waste ink re-route is to clamp the hose, unplug the printer while the printhead is mobile so you can move it around, fill the parking pad with cleaner and move the printhead back over it to soak.

 

[selanac]

AP, you said you did a Nozzle Clean. How many times? With Durabrite, you might have to do several. It's waterbased ink, and clogs easy.

You might want to look into a waste container to re-route ink from doing head cleans. Usually the waste ink will go into the waste ink pads. The fill up after a while. Your printer will even stop printing altogether once you hit that magic number. Epson has a free reset counter utility.

I just bought some fish tank tubing to make two myself. Have to epson wf1100 printers.

 

[Fenrir]

Definitely re-route the waste tank and keep the reset utility handy. For high volume printing you will hit the number sooner than later.

I found that mini aquarium airline tubing is an exact match for the 1100 tubing. Standard tubing is bigger, the "mini tubing" fits right on the connector you find when you take the side off the printer. Only Pet Supermarket in my area had the mini. PetCo did not (I swear they used to though) and PetSmart is too far away.