Vertical lines showing on Epson 3800 - media type??

[duraace]

I've got narrowly spaced vertical lines showing up in the Advanced B&W mid tones on ILFORD Gold Fibre Silk 13x19 paper.  I've done two head alignments, with no change.  I also printed on Hahnemuhle Fine Art Pearl 11x17 paper, and try as I might, I swear I can't see the vertical lines, while it easily visible on the other paper.  How probable is it that the lines are because of the specific media?  Is there a fix?  

I have an earlier print (different image) on the same paper (B&W) and can't see the lines.

[Gary Gray]

I see this on my Z3100 using Premier Photo Luster.  In my instance the problem is definitely the paper and not the printer.  One way to narrow it down is to print different orientations and see if the pattern follows the paper instead of the print.  I've never seen it on any other paper stock.  I've used the Ilford Gold Fiber Silk in sheet format without a problem, but have never tried the rolls.  I know Michael R likes the Gold Fiber Silk and seems to have a good selection of printers.  He may be able to shed some light on it, assuming he reads the threads and has an opinion he is willing to share.

I've got narrowly spaced vertical lines showing up in the Advanced B&W mid tones on ILFORD Gold Fibre Silk 13x19 paper.  I've done two head alignments, with no change.  I also printed on Hahnemuhle Fine Art Pearl 11x17 paper, and try as I might, I swear I can't see the vertical lines, while it easily visible on the other paper.  How probable is it that the lines are because of the specific media?  Is there a fix?  

I have an earlier print (different image) on the same paper (B&W) and can't see the lines.

[duraace]

Thanks Gary.  The paper has a  definite lengthwise curl, and it's been suggested that the head is coming in contact with the sheet.  I increased the width from 4 to 5 and the gap to wider.  It made no difference.  What I should have done also, is try and bend the paper so it lies flatter.  I've now run out of GFS paper and wasted 5 sheets + ink.  The next thing I'll try once I get a sheet, is Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper, which is perfectly flat, and see it the narrow stripes disappear.

It would be great if Michael could comment on printing Advanced B&W on this paper with the 3800.

[Gary Gray]

Are the lines perfectly parallel and square with the edges of the print?  If you look at them under a loupe, you may be able to see if they are scratched lines or inked lines.  If you're hitting something inside the ink carriage, the lines would have a definite edge/seam under magnification, which would indicate a physical/mechanical issue with the paper and carriage interface.  You could also be getting what is called backlash in the carriage drive mechanism.  Slop in gears or drive belts can cause what looks like scan lines or error lines across an image, and perhaps just inspecting the belts, chains and gears for looseness or wear could identify the problem. Thicker papers may cause a binding in the paper drives with additional resistance to the mechanisms.  If the lines have regular and repeatable patterns across the sheet and looked more like they were imaged and digitized or imaged lines created by ink, you could have a problem with software or resolution encoding somewhere.  The rub is you aren't going to find it without wasting paper to troubleshoot it.  If it's only showing up on one brand of paper though, I'd suspect the paper stock.  Examine blank sheets for microscopic defects with a loupe, you may find the problem.  Rule of thumb is, if the problem goes away when you change papers, it's the paper causing the problem.  I have more problems with roll media than sheet media with defective paper, probably 10:1 ratio.

Thanks Gary.  The paper has a  definite lengthwise curl, and it's been suggested that the head is coming in contact with the sheet.  I increased the width from 4 to 5 and the gap to wider.  It made no difference.  What I should have done also, is try and bend the paper so it lies flatter.  I've now run out of GFS paper and wasted 5 sheets + ink.  The next thing I'll try once I get a sheet, is Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper, which is perfectly flat, and see it the narrow stripes disappear.

It would be great if Michael could comment on printing Advanced B&W on this paper with the 3800.

[duraace]

"If the lines have regular and repeatable patterns across the sheet and looked more like they were imaged and digitized or imaged lines created by ink"

I'd say this is the case.  The lines are definitely imaged, which is why it's so frustrating, except that it didn't appear on a different paper type.  I'll have to try it on an Epson paper (Exhibition Fiber), and see it the problem goes away.  I wished I'd tried to flatten the paper first, in the last test, but the artifacts look imaged to me, just in the mid tones.

[duraace]

FYI  After communicating with Eric Chan, he theorized it was more probably due to a clogged nozzle.  Per his suggestion, I ran a cleaning check, and it indeed indicated a clogged nozzle in the black area.  I ran the cleaning and checked again, and all nozzles flowing freely now.  I can't reprint, as I've run out of paper, and I'm snowed in here in Vancouver.  So another time.