I did a search on this but I didn't really find anything with regards to my application. I was just wondering if anyone has had experience in using inkjet prints from the latest generation of printers (Canon IPFx100 and Epson x880... specifically the IPF6100) in a flush mount album (Finao, Zook, Leather Craftsmen, etc... not a Graphi Style where the print is an integral part of the binding... those drive me nuts, I personally don't care for them)?
In the past some album manufacturers would accept inkjet prints from the Epson 2200 if printed on Ilford Smooth Pearl however it wasn't long before they all flat out stopped accepting inkjet prints. The reasons they sighted were that the prints were "too delicate to withstand the production process".
My understanding is that the major issue has to do with ink transfer from one page to another as the the prints are put under an enormous amount of pressure during the binding process.
I do know of someone who is using an old 9600 (first gen Ultrachrome isn't it?) with Ilford Smooth Pearl to print their album prints and is submitting them to one of the manufacturers that doesn't allow inkjet prints but they are doing so with their blessing because they apply two coats of 1400 lacquor with a Neschen Accutech ACCU-18XE.
So... it's possible but that's a darn expensive machine for coating prints (more than the printer). I asked my binder if they'd run any tests with the most recent crop of professional wide format printers and they said no, but they'd be happy to run a test for me if I sent some prints in (so I'm going to do that).
I'm thinking that printers have come a LONG way since the original Epson UltraChrome inks and there's a lot more out there in terms of paper as well. I'm curious to know what the community here thinks? Are the prints these printers produce more robust than earlier version (the manufacturers seem to make similar claims). In addition is there a certain lustre paper you might recommend which would be more robust in terms of "rough" handling during an album production process?
Thank you very much! Cheers, Joe
