Hahnemuehle Photo Rag Duo/Epson 7900

[miles.flint@btinternet.com]

I've just printed an album using Hahnemuehle Photo Rag Duo (and the Hahnemuehle album) on my Epson 7900.

Overall it looks excellent but on some pages there are faint traces of what looks like roller marks.  These are all on the second side printed so my supposition is that it may be that the ink may not be fully dry from the first pass or that the roller pressure is wrong.

My dealer had no advice about, or experience of, this.

Has anyone come across the same problem or found a better two sided paper and album combo ?

Obviously I know I can go to one sided printing in future but would like to find more economical solution.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Nora_nor]

Hi, I bought some Hahnemuhle paper yesterday, and read the instructions, and there were genereal instructions as this paper was not double sided.

Anyway, it clearly said one should back the paper with a sheet of ordinary paper to avoid roller marks.

[Ed Foster, Jr.]

Has anyone come across the same problem or found a better two sided paper and album combo ?

Miles,
Just feed a "backer" sheet against the printed side when inserting the HPRD. I use a thin sheet of Red River Premium Matte #32 with the second printing and it works like a charm and can be reused many times. I use the RRPM because I have a 100 sheet box that I don't use for printing but any thin matte sheet should work.

Good Luck,
Ed

[miles.flint@btinternet.com]

Many thanks for your replies and advice.  Much appreciated and will try this for my next prints.

[jack777]

Just wanted to mention that Canson Rag Duo has the same problem. Luckily a "backer" sheet works as well:)

[DeanChriss]

Just a note... when printing double sided with a backing sheet the vacuum will hold the backing sheet flat, but not the paper you're printing on. It could result in the head hitting the paper. Without the backing the vacuum will pull a printed side of the double sided print against the vacuum manifold and it will rub against it as it advances, possibly causing marks. You can probably make successful double sided prints with some experimentation, but basically these printers don't seem designed for doing that.

[Brian Gilkes]

What about backing with a  paper thin enough for the vacuum to suck through it?
What about a fine plastic net or similar?
Time for some testing.

[Ed Foster, Jr.]

Just a note... when printing double sided with a backing sheet the vacuum will hold the backing sheet flat, but not the paper you're printing on. It could result in the head hitting the paper.

That's a point, but personally, I've never had a problem with head strikes using a backing sheet with a 7600, 7800 or a 7900. So, I guess that is a word of caution if that situation arises.

Ed

[elihu]

Curious if anyone has tested a reusable 'mesh' backer - I'm having the same trouble with the Hahnemuhle Book & Album.

[JayWPage]

I have recently bought the Hahnemuehle Book & album (Photo Rag Duo paper) but I haven't started printing it yet, so this is of interest to me.

I have an Epson 3880, has anyone had problems with roller marks on the back of this album paper when using a 3880?

[JRSmit]

Miles, what about reducing the vacuum strength?

[jferrari]

Jan, Miles hasn't been here in two and a half years. Not likely he's going to reply to your post.    - Jim

[elihu]

Hey Jay - the 3880 doesn't use vacuum suction at all, so you shouldn't have any trouble. I think it starts with the 4k series...or anything that feeds straight down.

Jan, I reduced the vacuum to the min setting (-4) and still had the same trouble. I think part of the pressure applied to the vacuum manifold comes from the feed rollers themselves, which you can't loosen programmatically.

I've found that any regular backer sheet wreaks havoc in the 7900 (printing arm rips the paper nearly in half, can't be good for the printhead). I'm getting some "Darice perforated plastic canvas" on Amazon to see if it's thin enough to run as a backer on the 7900. Fingers crossed.

[JayWPage]

I've begun printing on the album pages with my 3800 using the auto-sheet feed and so far so good. I haven't had any problems at all.