Epson 10600 print quality?

[KenBabcock]

I have a chance to grab an Epson 10600 for next to nothing.

I don't really need another printer, but the price is too low to ignore.

The printer would only be used to print on canvas.  No paper; I have my paper printers.  I'm thinking it might alleviate some of the printing from the newer, more expensive printers for low cost prints.  Not everyone wants to buy the best canvas.

How does the print quality on canvas look?  I know it has 6 inks and is 'missing' light black.  Has anyone ever seen a canvas print off a 10600?  I'm not expecting it to match my 9880 or 8300.  Heck, it might not even rival my 7600.  But I do have a project in mind for it if I can get decent enough prints from it.

[Sven W]

A workhorse and the 10600 is known for its non-clogging, but it must be 8-10 years old?
Are you sure the ink charts are still available?
I know you can find third-party ones, but that´s something I would avoid.


/Sven

[KenBabcock]

I've read the 10600 is a workhorse.  Didn't know about it not clogging - that would be a bonus with an older Epson

Actually for inks I would want to use 3rd party (G&G) in this.  This is going to bring up a whole new topic, but I have used G&G in the past with older Epson's and my experience is that they work great.  The client that wants large prints doesn't mind.  In fact, he asked if I could use cheaper inks to keep costs down, but so far in both of my other 44" printers I only use original ink so it hasn't been an option I could offer.

What concerns me is the lack of light black and the rather large 5 picoliter droplet size.

[Sven W]

Good Luck 

[artbot]

buy the printer.  and about three times a year buy a print head assembly to it.  take it a part and sell off the dx4's  (three of them) for twice what you paid.  you need a 10600 and serial number to actually purchase that part.  epson keeps the better heads for themselves.  and charges other manufacturers twice wholesale for the inferior ones.   with a manifold change the head becomes a solvent print head.  a single after market solvent dx4 cost $800 retail.  head ranks are a myth designed by epson to help give the resellers an excuse to insist on oem "roland" or oem "mimaki" heads.  they are all the same no difference at all.

[KenBabcock]

The one I can buy I can get for $250 and it has had little use.  Of course I'll be checking the internal counters to verify that claim.

Person selling doesn't know what he has and could get much more.

[Farmer]

head ranks are a myth designed by epson to help give the resellers an excuse to insist on oem "roland" or oem "mimaki" heads.  they are all the same no difference at all.

For most of the solvent market, which isn't so colour critical compared to fine art inkjet printing, that's probably true. However, I've seen the difference an incorrect head rank ID can make to the output in terms of colour performance and consistency.

The ID individually maps the characteristics of the peizo print head to allow the unit to obtain the most precise performance.

[artbot]

i know what they do.  i've had countless epson techs discuss with me and other printers that they (on epson printers) have attempted to see the difference, with loop, etc.  the consensus after lots of testing is that they aren't that important in most cases, solvent or aqueous.

[Ernst Dinkla]

Sign printers with Rolands etc equipped with Epson heads have RIPs to print with. Linearisation per ink channel gives sufficient control on what might be variable in inkjet heads. An Epson 10000 or 10600 controlled with the normal Epson driver should meet some manufacturing standards in heads as it does not have the linearisation control. Enough RIPs to drive a 10000 or 10600.

What is more interesting is the availability of 10000/10600 alternative heads today, in 8 channel or 6 channel assemblies and their costs. As I understand it they are no longer produced in more plants and possibly in none. The 250 $ price of the printer will be absolutely lower than a replacement head price and that is something one should consider if third party inks are also considered. There is a 10000 here that could use a new head but not at a price near 1000 Euro.


met vriendelijke groeten, Ernst

Try: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Wide_Inkjet_Printers/