Epson P800 paper thickness issue - Calling Mark and Jeff...

[Mark D Segal]

I love my P 800 but have found that I also have head strikes with using heavy paper (300 gpm) on sizes larger than 8.5X11?? I use the from fine arts feeder, set platen gap to the suggested 4 and tried all the way to 15, make sure that the paper is not curled and sets flat in the feed guide...... And still get the same head strikes usuall nearer the starting and finish points....   If any one has any ideas other than sending it back please advise me thanks!, Phil

The problem could well be that if you are using a thick heavy paper, but you told the printer in Printer Settings>Media Type that you are using lighter thinner paper, the printer automatically adjusts to the Media Type selected, unless you over-ride these paper settings in the Advanced Media Control panel of the printer driver; in this case you need to set the platen gap to WIDE and the paper thickness to 4 or 5 if you are using say IGFS, Canson BP, Canson Platine or the like. Not clear from the above that this is what you did. Please verify, try it and let us know. Also, what exact paper are you using, and what paper selection did you make in Media Type?

[Mark D Segal]

The problem could well be that if you are using a thick heavy paper, but you told the printer in Printer Settings>Media Type that you are using lighter thinner paper, the printer automatically adjusts to the Media Type selected, unless you over-ride these paper settings in the Advanced Media Control panel of the printer driver; in this case you need to set the platen gap to WIDE and the paper thickness to 4 or 5 if you are using say IGFS, Canson BP, Canson Platine or the like. Not clear from the above that this is what you did. Please verify, try it and let us know. Also, what exact paper are you using, and what paper selection did you make in Media Type?

I should add to the above, that in Media Type you always want to select the Epson paper whose surface characteristics match as closely as possible to the kind of paper you are actually printing with or what the instructions with the profile for that paper/P800 recommend; but for the luster-type papers, the only choice Epson provides that comes close is either Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster or Semi-gloss. These are thinner, lighter papers than what you may be printing with. So the idea is that you want to preserve the correct Media Type setting for the profile, but in Advanced Media Control make sure you are properly compensating for the additional weight and thickness of the media you may be using.

I think it will be useful that Epson issue a driver update for the P800 including the Legacy papers as their own Media Types. I suspect this may help avoid some difficulties.

[pslocum]

Thanks Mark..  I have been careful to follow all the guidelines you pointed out. Im wondering if I place a piece of cardboard under the paper as it leaves the printer to support it from warping or whatever will make a difference?  Ill play with it . I now have a roll of 66lb 266 GSM RR Palo Duro Satin in and it works wonderfully.  I love the Epsom Luster paper 260 GSM but it only comes 16" not  17" Not sure why they offer it in 16" not 17" 
Thanks Again!!
Phil