Ilford... Really?

[semillerimages]

Wow.
I am absolutely speechless.

So here is the situation, I'm doing this exhibition of small prints and based on this site's recommendation (which I do not place any blame on LL for my woes by the way) I bought this pack of Ilford Gold Fibre Silk paper 8.5x11 size to test it out. I printed a few sheets on my Epson 4800, most of which printed fine - a few didn't feed correctly, but it was kind of rare.
I go and buy 5 packs of 50 sheets - $200+ worth of paper to print 250 images (multiples of the same image 25 images x 10 prints apiece) and as I go to start printed the images, the paper won't feed. Time after time the sheets feed part way in, then the printer shows a printer jam.

I look about on the internet and find info about cleaning the rollers inside the printer - which are just about impossible to get to. Seems as if plenty of other people have had problems with this paper and this printer too.

Then I read the fine print on the paper box "Recommended for single sheet feeding. Not suitable for printers with front loading tray".

Really? These are 8.5x11 sheets Ilford! Really not suitable for a front loading professional grade printer? Have you really tried to single sheet feed 8.5x11 sheet on an Epson 4800? Argghhhh!

Very, very disappointed I am...
Now I have to return those 5 boxes of paper, hopefully the company will take them back...

Be warned anyone that might be interested in printing with this paper in sheet form.

ILFORD GOLD FIBRE SILK will not work well (or at all) with the Epson 4800.

Cheers,

*steve

[Jeremy Payne]

I run my letter and 13x19 GFS through the sheet feeder on my 2880 ... one at a time ...

I found the manual/roll feeder just waaaaay to fickle.

[semillerimages]

yeah I'd be ok with that this time around, if the manual feed on the 4800 wasn't so incredibly difficult...

*steve

I run my letter and 13x19 GFS through the sheet feeder on my 2880 ... one at a time ...

I found the manual/roll feeder just waaaaay to fickle.

[StevenSzabo]

might this have something to do with the weight of the paper?
GFS is pretty far from a lightweight stock.

[hsmeets]

I guess any other similar paper weight/stifnnes will cause same issues.

You have a 4800 why not on roll paper? 2x8.5 gives you 17".....just nest the images 2-up and set copies to 5.....The only extra work is slitting the prints.

[loonsailor]

I guess any other similar paper weight/stifnnes will cause same issues.

You have a 4800 why not on roll paper? 2x8.5 gives you 17".....just nest the images 2-up and set copies to 5.....The only extra work is slitting the prints.

I use the sheet feeder on my 3880 for Canson Baryta, a very similar paper to GFS in surface and weight.  I've never tried more than 6 sheets or so at a time, but it works fine with that.

[semillerimages]

Thanks all for the replies
It seems that the take up rollers are simply slipping, I can see the marks on the back of the paper.
I did a little research on cleaning those rollers, but it just was not within my realm of handy-man-ness. The back of the paper is significantly smoother than say Museo Silver Rag.
I ended up being able to sheet feed the paper one at a time through the front of the printer with some success, but it is definitely a time waster!

Cheers to all!

*steve

[Alan Goldhammer]

Thanks all for the replies
It seems that the take up rollers are simply slipping, I can see the marks on the back of the paper.
I did a little research on cleaning those rollers, but it just was not within my realm of handy-man-ness. The back of the paper is significantly smoother than say Museo Silver Rag.
I ended up being able to sheet feed the paper one at a time through the front of the printer with some success, but it is definitely a time waster!

Cheers to all!

*steve

Epson sells cleaning sheets which work well.  I've used them on my 2880 when the rollers get slippery (usually with dust from matte papers).  Addendum:  I just upgraded to a 3880 last week.  I started printing profiles for the papers I use and darned if the Ilford paper won't go through the rear feeder!  I kept getting a paper skew error and couldn't get it to seat properly.  The sheet feeder works fine for this paper.  I suspect that it is too thin to go through the rear feeder of some Epsons.  I never had this problem with the 2880.  I have not tried 13x19 paper yet.  Museo Silver Rag goes through the rear feeder just fine.

[Mark F]

I use the paper tray on my 4880 for Canson Baryta, which is a 310g/m2 paper and have not had a problem.