Epson 3880 scraping at back end of sheet

[robgo2]

I am using a 3880 with 13x19 inch Canson Platine sheets.  The prints are fine until the trailing ends of the sheets come under the print head.  Then I can hear a scraping sound, and sometimes the paper actually starts to twist askew while still in the printer.  Needless to say, that end of the print is smudged.  I am using the manual rear feeder, and I have the paper thickness at 4 and the Platen gap on Auto.  Also, I am testing ImageNest as my printing program. 

Suggestions will be most appreciated.

Rob

[Randy Carone]

Try placing a spacer on the exit tray, like an empty paper box, so that you support the Platine and keep it level until it completely exits the printer. Without a spacer on the exit tray, the paper will curl down as it exits the printer and when the trailing edge is almost through the printhead path it is raising up and the head is striking the paper. Let us know if this alleviates the problem.

[robgo2]

Try placing a spacer on the exit tray, like an empty paper box, so that you support the Platine and keep it level until it completely exits the printer. Without a spacer on the exit tray, the paper will curl down as it exits the printer and when the trailing edge is almost through the printhead path it is raising up and the head is striking the paper. Let us know if this alleviates the problem.

Randy,

I have never before experienced this problem with Platine, which has been my main paper for more than a year.  Observing the printing process very closely, I can detect that the paper is being released on one side just before the print is completely finished.  This causes the sheet to come out at a slight angle.  Also, I am getting head strikes, which were not a problem in the past.  The prints otherwise look fine. 

Rob

[ckimmerle]

I'd try two things. First, widen the platen gap from the printer control panel. Second, be sure to gently roll back the trailing corners so that they won't rise up into the head. I usually do this before loading in the printer so that I can brush away any potential flakes, although I have been known to roll the corners back after securing it into the rear feed.

[Alan Goldhammer]

I haven't had this problem with the Canson paper but it is a problem with Hahnemuhle matte papers.  Primarily the problem comes from paper curl which gets worse on storage.  You need to make sure the paper is perfectly flat by rolling it (I do this at an angle to both trailing corners).  I routinely use a spacer and set my platen gap to wide.

[robgo2]

As mentioned in my original post, I had the platen gap set on Auto.  When I set it on Wider, the head strikes stopped, and the paper no longer got turned on an angle at the end of the print, which was due to a head strike on the corner of the paper.  Prints are now back to perfect.  It's amazing how important small details can be in complex processes.

Rob