Coating problem with Epson Exhibition canvas

[iCanvas]

I just recently finished my last roll of Epson Premium Satin canvas and very enthusiastically opened the first roll of my Epson Exhibition canvas-Satin. However, after printing, when I started to roll on the Glamour 2 coating, the ink came off on my roller. I was shocked. I tried another print and ever so lightly putting on the coating and the same thing happened. I called Epson and the rep told me that Epson has not tested the canvas with different kinds of coatings. She advised me not to coat the canvas or spray the canvas. Unfortunately, I don't have a dedicated room to spray the coating. Sihl still makes the Epson Premium Satin canvas, but I thought that there has to be some work around.

Anyone got any ideas or has anyone got a work around with rolling the coating on this canvas so it doesn't bleed?

Gar

[KenBabcock]

Might be a silly question, but how long did you allow the ink to dry before coating?

Also, what ink are you using, Epson or 3rd party?

[Randy Carone]

deleted

[iCanvas]

I let the canvas dry for three days before I coated these particular prints for the Exhibition canvas, and the inks are Epson for my 9900 printer.

[KenBabcock]

I suppose you have your answer there, iCanvas.

I didn't realize the new Exhibition line was not water resistant.  Hadn't tried it yet and now I won't.

Time to look for a replacement for the Epson Premium canvases before the stock depletes.  That pisses me off cause I buy my Epson canvas just 3 blocks from my house for decent prices - $105 (plus 13% tax) for Premium Matte.

Guess I'll have to buy from the USA and cross the border to pick up.  Shipping canvas is way too dear to Ontario.

[davidh202]

Is this true for the matte finish EX Canvas also?

I just purchased a 24" roll a while back and have yet to coat a print with Eco Print Shield
Shouldn't Epson put  a disclaimer on a fact sheet with the paper.

[davidby]

I purchased a bunch of Exhibition Canvas Matte during their buy 2 get one free promotion (see my other recent post re: problems getting rebate) to try a cheaper alternative to BC Lyve (prices aren't that bad but shipping is a killer). I have been using Glamour II gloss at approx. 30% dilution applied with a roller and haven't had a problem with ink running using Canon and HP printers (I have had to discard a number of prints due to problems w/ the canvas weave though)- I wonder if this is a problem w/ Epson ink?

For some reasons I hadn't realized that the Epson canvas isn't water resistant- guess I'll go back to BC, unless someone can suggest a better alternative...

[Peter McLennan]

I rolled Ecoshield on to Lexjet Sunset matte and watched in disbelief as the inks came off on my roller.  Good thing it was a test print.  More than adequate drying.

[Johnny_Boy]

any updates on this? I am about to purchase a 36" role of exhibition satin canvas.

I was told that Epson's profile used matte black inks on the satin and gloss canvas, and they just fixed that by updating the profile to use photo black ink. I was told that matte black ink caused it to take forever to dry, so I am assuming that was the reason the color was lifting while you coated. Have you tried out the new profile?

[jmlamont]

Since about October 2010 I have used Epson Exhibition Satin Canvas with an Epson 7900 for about ten 20" by 30" prints and roller-coated them with three coats of Premier EcoPrint Shield (2 glossy, last one satin). Dried each print two full days before coating. Absolutely no problems whatsoever. Fabulous handling, no cracking when stretched. The canvas has excellent gamut and Dmax. I couldn't be happier. In fact, I am puzzled that the above statements about problems continue to circulate because they would seem to me to have no basis in fact. Odd.

[KenBabcock]

Could it be the satin and gloss versions are in fact water resistant and the matte canvas is not?

I haven't done any research to support this theory.  Just taking a guess.

[John Nollendorfs]

Previous posts on the subject indicate that Epson Changed the material sometime this past summer to a non-water resistant variety.

[KenBabcock]

Previous posts on the subject indicate that Epson Changed the material sometime this past summer to a non-water resistant variety.

Right.  And that explains the trouble encountered with the Exhibition matte.

But now we have posters saying they have used satin and gloss (another thread) and rolled on Eco Print Shield without any problems at all.  I need to find out if satin and gloss are now indeed water resistant for my own use.  It would appear as though the matte canvas is finished differently than the satin and gloss.

[iCanvas]

I am the original poster for this thread and I'll include some of my experiences since this original posting.

I bought six rolls of the Epson Satin Exhibition canvas last August and to my horror the ink bled when I attempted to roll the water based coating. Epson told me I had to either spray the coating or just leave it without a coating. I have now transitioned to spraying the canvas which has worked out for the better because there are no bubbles which I had to deal with previously. Sihl, who supposedly makes Epson canvas, has come out with a 19 ml canvas that is somewhat similar. The Exhibition canvas is 23 ml. The Sihl product is "Lumina 3185". My first sample of this canvas produced cracks across the whole canvas when stretched. I use an canvas stretching machine to stretch small canvas. I then hand stretched (not so tight) the next ones and they didn't crack. The transition from rolling to spraying has been a learning experience. The Exhibition canvas stretches nicely without any cracks on the edges or in the middle.

[langier]

I had issues with the Epson Canvas loosing emulsion even after spraying a couple of years ago that I now have stopped using it. Instead, I use the Fredrix 7777 and now working on my second pallet of 24, 36 and 44 inch canvas. I'm printing these on a 9900.

It is much more robust once printed and I have not had any problems stretching or dry mounting once its coated. I'm using the semi-gloss Clearstar LL water-based coating and coating with either foam rollers for small batches and prints or with the Daige EZ Glide.

With the EZ Glide, I find I need to give each print two coats and that it has worked best with the coating diluted with 20% distilled water to thin it out. It takes about 20-30 minutes to dry before you can apply a second coat.

I like to have my prints dry overnight before coating, but I've had rush jobs come where I've coated in as little as an hour after printing. I didn't have any problems with those prints.

[bill t.]

Hi langier!

How has the qualilty control been for your Fredrix 777 canvas?

I liked it very much for the sharp-printing, very fine weave that was almost like a fine art paper.  But I gave up on it because I got a large number of rolls that were so unevenly wound that the edges were curled down in a way that caused constant head strikes there.  Resulting in constant killer nozzle clogs on the old 9880.  Have you seen any of that?  The 24" rolls were especially bad in that regard.

[KenBabcock]

I tried one 44" roll of Fredrix 777 and thought the canvas was way too thin.  I always thought I was going to tear the canvas when stretching.

I should probably start a new thread, but since we're on the topic of canvas in this one I thought I'd ask here.  Does anyone have experience with HP Collector Satin canvas?  I use Epson and Canon printers, not HP.  I've never been a fan of HP but that's another story.  Anyway, a local supplier is selling 24" rolls of the Collector Satin for $77 (CDN).  I think the price of the larger rolls like 44" are grossly inflated, but I'm wondering why the 24" rolls are so cheap.  Anyone?

[langier]

I had issues with a few rolls that had the wavy edges, but only 24 inch. My working solution was to take a core and wind it over, thus putting the wavy edge on the other side of the roll, thus solving the problem. It only happened on maybe 2-3 rolls in one batch.

Overall, the Fredrix 7777 has worked well, my prints look great and my clients are happy.