Locked in one-woman studio with Z3100

[sasslkg]

This is my first post although I have been a member/consumer, reading and often benefiting from the wisdom of others for some time. Some out there enjoy involvement with the mechanics of their Z3100, and from the sound of their emails could have degrees in physics and information sciences; however I do not. And when I spend way more time trying to get my work OUT of the printer, than creating, processing and connecting with the public to get it INTO the Z, something has gone terribly wrong.
I have paid my dues with the black-hole, loops to nowhere, and never being unable to find the same path to information twice, or page back ... what we lovingly know as HP.com. And I have tried to work with their support, all facets.  My only real help came after an email to Ben Wolf. It was early on, something absolutely counterintuitive, and easily fixed.

If I could enlist some help, these are my questions today. From day one I've used Red River UltraPro Satin, for general review and some actual work.  I would like to use Ilford Gold Silk, but am having no luck.
1. I've used RR, most often feeding small and large sheets, and after initial success, now I am getting increased bronzing, more recently v. faint vert. banding, and on both front AND back, some regular, irregular tire tracks. The tracks are more pronounced on the back.
2. Although I have calibrated the printer for the Ilford Gold and then properly created and installed profiles, the resultant work is not good. There is bronzing, that surprises me, with very noticeable tire tracks on both sides. I profiled with 'fine art paper,' not >250, and I didn't use more or less ink. Fatal?
3. And I am now several days past my year warranty but would call anyway, as I assume I have some pizza wheel problems? But in advance of such a call, I used the roll paper that came with the printer, assuming their 1st question would be about HP media; the marks were not problematic. What is a problem - I don't like their paper, PRO photo satin.  However, I haven't tried all of their paper to find a substitute. Didn't need to until recently as the RR paper was well suiting my needs.
 
Is anyone successfully using Ilford Gold?  What parameters for the profile. Bronzing?
Red River UltraPro bronzing for everyone? If not, specific profile parameters?
Any RR like paper use out there, something RC like that has substance is fairly warm?
Finally, I'm looking for a great barta paper that works well in this printer and if so, has anyone been able to successful profile in a yellow label 3100 without a RIP.  If so, what paper type and properties.
I pretty sure I'm dead getting help with this from HP, but they do after allow for 3rd party paper use!

thanks in advance to all.

[William Morse]

Hi sasslkg (?)

I suspect that you have a dirty or defective GE head. It  is very diffecult to detect, since the ink is clear? Sounds also like you have ink build-up under the heads. Look here for info on using coffee filters to clean under the heads.

You can try to print the head eval print, or you can just run a cleaning cycle or 2 on the GE head. I ended up just replacing the head, and it seemed to solve my problems.

GFS needs alot of GE, and if there's any loss, the bronzing will show right away.

Bill

This is my first post although I have been a member/consumer, reading and often benefiting from the wisdom of others for some time. Some out there enjoy involvement with the mechanics of their Z3100, and from the sound of their emails could have degrees in physics and information sciences; however I do not. And when I spend way more time trying to get my work OUT of the printer, than creating, processing and connecting with the public to get it INTO the Z, something has gone terribly wrong.
I have paid my dues with the black-hole, loops to nowhere, and never being unable to find the same path to information twice, or page back ... what we lovingly know as HP.com. And I have tried to work with their support, all facets.  My only real help came after an email to Ben Wolf. It was early on, something absolutely counterintuitive, and easily fixed.

If I could enlist some help, these are my questions today. From day one I've used Red River UltraPro Satin, for general review and some actual work.  I would like to use Ilford Gold Silk, but am having no luck.
1. I've used RR, most often feeding small and large sheets, and after initial success, now I am getting increased bronzing, more recently v. faint vert. banding, and on both front AND back, some regular, irregular tire tracks. The tracks are more pronounced on the back.
2. Although I have calibrated the printer for the Ilford Gold and then properly created and installed profiles, the resultant work is not good. There is bronzing, that surprises me, with very noticeable tire tracks on both sides. I profiled with 'fine art paper,' not >250, and I didn't use more or less ink. Fatal?
3. And I am now several days past my year warranty but would call anyway, as I assume I have some pizza wheel problems? But in advance of such a call, I used the roll paper that came with the printer, assuming their 1st question would be about HP media; the marks were not problematic. What is a problem - I don't like their paper, PRO photo satin.  However, I haven't tried all of their paper to find a substitute. Didn't need to until recently as the RR paper was well suiting my needs.
 
Is anyone successfully using Ilford Gold?  What parameters for the profile. Bronzing?
Red River UltraPro bronzing for everyone? If not, specific profile parameters?
Any RR like paper use out there, something RC like that has substance is fairly warm?
Finally, I'm looking for a great barta paper that works well in this printer and if so, has anyone been able to successful profile in a yellow label 3100 without a RIP.  If so, what paper type and properties.
I pretty sure I'm dead getting help with this from HP, but they do after allow for 3rd party paper use!

thanks in advance to all.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=221851\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

[Jim Cole]

I still have gloss differential on GFS even when GE is used in full page mode. I still like the paper enough to use it for warm toned B&W prints, but it is worse in this respect than any other baryta paper I have used.

[viswan]

This is my first post although I have been a member/consumer, reading and often benefiting from the wisdom of others for some time. Some out there enjoy involvement with the mechanics of their Z3100, and from the sound of their emails could have degrees in physics and information sciences; however I do not. And when I spend way more time trying to get my work OUT of the printer, than creating, processing and connecting with the public to get it INTO the Z, something has gone terribly wrong.
I have paid my dues with the black-hole, loops to nowhere, and never being unable to find the same path to information twice, or page back ... what we lovingly know as HP.com. And I have tried to work with their support, all facets.  My only real help came after an email to Ben Wolf. It was early on, something absolutely counterintuitive, and easily fixed.

If I could enlist some help, these are my questions today. From day one I've used Red River UltraPro Satin, for general review and some actual work.  I would like to use Ilford Gold Silk, but am having no luck.
1. I've used RR, most often feeding small and large sheets, and after initial success, now I am getting increased bronzing, more recently v. faint vert. banding, and on both front AND back, some regular, irregular tire tracks. The tracks are more pronounced on the back.
2. Although I have calibrated the printer for the Ilford Gold and then properly created and installed profiles, the resultant work is not good. There is bronzing, that surprises me, with very noticeable tire tracks on both sides. I profiled with 'fine art paper,' not >250, and I didn't use more or less ink. Fatal?
3. And I am now several days past my year warranty but would call anyway, as I assume I have some pizza wheel problems? But in advance of such a call, I used the roll paper that came with the printer, assuming their 1st question would be about HP media; the marks were not problematic. What is a problem - I don't like their paper, PRO photo satin.  However, I haven't tried all of their paper to find a substitute. Didn't need to until recently as the RR paper was well suiting my needs.
 
Is anyone successfully using Ilford Gold?  What parameters for the profile. Bronzing?
Red River UltraPro bronzing for everyone? If not, specific profile parameters?
Any RR like paper use out there, something RC like that has substance is fairly warm?
Finally, I'm looking for a great barta paper that works well in this printer and if so, has anyone been able to successful profile in a yellow label 3100 without a RIP.  If so, what paper type and properties.
I pretty sure I'm dead getting help with this from HP, but they do after allow for 3rd party paper use!

thanks in advance to all.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=221851\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Hello:


I am using the Ilford gold silk, with wonderful results, on your printer.  I use a profile that I downloaded, it is called IGGFS13_HPZ3100_FAPPMIamc.icc.  If you can't find it I can e-mail it to you.  I use a different media setting, it is the "Fine Art Pearl, less ink".  I use the gloss enhancer to reduce bronzing.  The best paper though is the Harmon Gloss FB Al, which has just about no bronzing at all, though it costs much more.  

-Josef

[neil snape]

Once Hahnemuhle PhotoRag Baryta is on the shelves I see no reason to fight against other media that have inherently too much gloss diff, bronzing.
It is true that on the Z you have to use GE or you'll see all the image quality defects that are linked to the high gloss differential in the light grey and other lights. GE often clogs but normally it is cleaned between prints and on daily maintenance automatically and in the background. IF there is lint or hair on the bottom of the print heads, on the capping station or the NEDD, the problem will persist until you manually remove the sticky half dry ink and hair/lint.

[sasslkg]

Hello:
I am using the Ilford gold silk, with wonderful results, on your printer.  I use a profile that I downloaded, it is called IGGFS13_HPZ3100_FAPPMIamc.icc.  If you can't find it I can e-mail it to you.  I use a different media setting, it is the "Fine Art Pearl, less ink".  I use the gloss enhancer to reduce bronzing.  The best paper though is the Harmon Gloss FB Al, which has just about no bronzing at all, though it costs much more.   

-Josef
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=221887\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

thank you i'd love to try your profile.

[sasslkg]

.... IF there is lint or hair on the bottom of the print heads, on the capping station or the NEDD, the problem will persist until you manually remove the sticky half dry ink and hair/lint.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=221934\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

 i'm sorry. capping station or NEDD?

[sasslkg]

Hi sasslkg (?)

I suspect that you have a dirty or defective GE head. It  is very diffecult to detect, since the ink is clear? Sounds also like you have ink build-up under the heads. Look here for info on using coffee filters to clean under the heads.

You can try to print the head eval print, or you can just run a cleaning cycle or 2 on the GE head. I ended up just replacing the head, and it seemed to solve my problems.

GFS needs alot of GE, and if there's any loss, the bronzing will show right away.

Bill
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=221860\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

head evaluation print on GFS= does show some banding in E-G block and the front/back tracks. [what are those called?] I am at a loss as to no problem with the HP paper.