[Ready2Rock]

I have been reading about what printer I should get for transparency printing and see the Epson 1430 is a current favorite because of the large printing and small picoliter drop size (1.5) for working with halftones.

What about using the Canon PIXMA IX6820? It prints 13" x 19", 9600 x 2400 resolution along with a 1 picoliter droplet. I have found a CISS with dye ink to fit this too.

This printer is about half of cost of the 1430 and seems to fit the criteria needed. Am I missing anything or can anyone give advice on this system?


Thanks

 

[Ready2Rock]

Well I had to make the call and went with the Canon. I did get the CIS for it also and will hopefully have positive results.

I would still love to hear any info about this setup if anyone has or is using it to print transparencies for screen printing.

 

[Ready2Rock]

So I hooked the printer up and installed the stock inks for now until the CISS comes in.

I made some color blocks with different values to see which one would burn better and they all worked but I did notice some edges coming off where the art meets the emulsion but I think I hit that area to close with the pressure washer.

The test blocks looked darkest/densest with the matte photo paper media type selected with print quality high but I left the intensity settings at auto. The CMYK value that looked darkest on film was 75 75 30 100 along with the matte photo setting mentioned above.

One thing to note about these UV dye inks is that you may be able to see a little bit of light through the printed film but that doesn't mean UV is making its way through. I could see light through all of my test blocks but every one of the blocks washed out very well, even the 100% K that looked about as good as what my cheap Brother laser would do.

I could see where the art was before water ever touched it, sprayed a mist on the screen both sides and let it set for about 30 seconds. I pressure washed it out within 20 seconds or so.

I will post an update after I fine tune exposure times, screen dry times and actually print with them but as it stands I am very very happy with this printer for the price.

 

[Orijinaru]

Hello Ready2Rock.

I have been wondering exactly the same. I want to print transparencies for print screen, and everybody talks about the epson 1430, but the specifications of the canon IX6820 are better. Are you happy with the printer?

 

[Ready2Rock]

I bought the CISS system for it but decided I didn't want to make those modifications to my new printer so I went with the all black refillable cartridges and will see how well it does with that. I have to take back what I said about UV inks too. I personally think you need to have complete blackout for the best results. I put a piece of black electrical tape on a screen that had all of my test blocks and it was amazing how easy/fast the black tape area washed out compared to my printed blocks.

I should have the all black set by Monday and will post my results then.

As far as printing on transparencies the printer does a pretty good job for not being advertised as being able to print them. I am using 13" x 19" and feed them one at a time. One thing to note is this printer is not post-script. I do not know what all that means but have been told that non post-script printers will give problems when trying to print separations unless you have separation software (which I do).

When I get the all black setup installed I will post more results.

 

[Ready2Rock]

Well after some fuss with exposure times and other issues (I will make a post about the whole story), this printer should work great. I am using CISinks Canon all black set and this is better than the stock ink.

I was using 3 films at first but just got done using 1 film and it worked awesome! If you use Illustrator I would suggest changing your color to the registration color as it will force printing with all heads. I was using 100% CMYK with the all black setup and it was still coming off the printer very light but I changed my artwork color to the registration black and man what a difference! After changing to registration black it would come off the printer solid black and no light showing but would dry a lot less opaque.

I really can't speak yet on the quality of halftones but I don't see why that would be an issue with the 1 picoliter drop size (this is not a postscript printer so some features of Photoshop and Illustrator may not work). I am very happy I went with this Canon so far. It was only $150 from B&H Photo Video Digital Cameras, Photography, Camcorders so I had enough to get film and plenty of ink.

 

[Ready2Rock]

OK so I am NOT recommending this printer. Although the specs are great and it does an OK job the lines on the films are not as crisp as I want.

I will be ordering the 1430

 

[Orijinaru]

Ok. Many thanks for the report! I will get one to... in my case the 1500w (europe).
Best regards

 

[yohew]

OK so I am NOT recommending this printer. Although the specs are great and it does an OK job the lines on the films are not as crisp as I want.

I will be ordering the 1430

Do you recommend the product for simple prints or is there still light going through the printed black image on the transparency?

 

[Ready2Rock]

Do you recommend the product for simple prints or is there still light going through the printed black image on the transparency?

I really wouldn't recommend this printer. Even simple prints will have jagged lines from my experience. I could see a little bit of the light with the Canon but I also see light with the Epson. Ink with UV blockers work fine for us.

Watch for coupons/deals at Staples for that Epson. If I remember correctly we got ours for $199.

 

[JENYAKENYA]

Well that's unfortunate.. You really had me going there with all the earlier posts.

I currently run my business entirely on vinyl and transfer paper (heat pressing). After having several Epson WF7110s clog up, I got a Pixma and have been using it for heat transfers for a while now with cheap Ebay ink and have had Zero issues.

I've pretty much given up on Epson and feel soooo much more comfortable with my Canon, but now that I want to expand to screenprinting, it looks like I'll have to give Epson another shot.

 

[Vegans Rock]

That is a bummer! I love Canon printers and despise Epson. I just got a new wide format Can but haven't had a chance to use to try and make film positives yet.

 

[inkrediblenz]

I used a Canon pro9500 for a few years to make film. It worked fine, I recall just having to fidget with the print settings and using the glossy photo paper setting from memory, the matt ink didn't work that well. I may very well have been saving all my vector art as PDF's and printing from Acrobat too but I can't be sure now.

Standard Canon pigment inks too. Not the same printer obviously but probably not a million miles away either.

This printer printed incredible photo's onto good quality photo paper and canvas, which probably isn't unheard of now but at the time I was blown away by the quality. We have epson 9880's here for fine art giclee prints, terrific quality prints too but that old Canon Pro could knock out the same quality though only in A3.

I still have it somewhere, might dig it out.

 

[ToxicPressApparel]

I bought the CISS system for it but decided I didn't want to make those modifications to my new printer so I went with the all black refillable cartridges and will see how well it does with that. I have to take back what I said about UV inks too. I personally think you need to have complete blackout for the best results. I put a piece of black electrical tape on a screen that had all of my test blocks and it was amazing how easy/fast the black tape area washed out compared to my printed blocks.

I should have the all black set by Monday and will post my results then.

As far as printing on transparencies the printer does a pretty good job for not being advertised as being able to print them. I am using 13" x 19" and feed them one at a time. One thing to note is this printer is not post-script. I do not know what all that means but have been told that non post-script printers will give problems when trying to print separations unless you have separation software (which I do).

When I get the all black setup installed I will post more results.

Hey bud where did you get the cartridges and all black ink from ? thankyou