Semi-budget printer recommendations for printing transparencies?

[bobbotron]

I'd like to get a printer for making transparencies so I can start making my own cyanotype prints. I'm looking for something that will give me fair results and have reasonable cartridge economy when printing large negatives. Currently I'm deliberating between the Epson Artisan 1430 and the Epson P600. The 1430 would be much easier on my pocketbook, but I'm wondering whether I would regret it in terms of IQ. I'm looking to make 8x10 and 11x14 cyanotypes.

[Erik Larsen]

Either one should work fine for you. The 600 with OEM inks and the 1430 with the cone inks or their piezoDN system for diginegs. I can only speak to the 600 but I believe the 1430 is used and recommended by many.

[stawastawa]

also consider your old BW laser printer.

[bobbotron]

Either one should work fine for you. The 600 with OEM inks and the 1430 with the cone inks or their piezoDN system for diginegs. I can only speak to the 600 but I believe the 1430 is used and recommended by many.

Interesting, I've never heard of piezoDN before. From what I just found, it looks like they're pretty expensive - the stock inks won't cut it for monochrome inkjet transparencies?

[Erik Larsen]

Interesting, I've never heard of piezoDN before. From what I just found, it looks like they're pretty expensive - the stock inks won't cut it for monochrome inkjet transparencies?

Im not sure if the oem dye inkset is capable of blocking UV light enough to make digital negs. The 600 with oem pigments inks is fine though. You might try browsing the cone inks forum for better answers http://www.inkjetmall.com/tech/forum.php

[bobbotron]

Ah, that's interesting, I hadn't thought about whether it would block UV. I sort of assumed it would, UV seems to be relatively easy to block. Looks like I need to do more investigating... thanks!

[bobbotron]

also consider your old BW laser printer.

I have done them successfully with transfers made from a friend's laser printer. I might go this route, though from what I've read you can get better quality from an inkjet.

[jp]

An inkjet will do better than a laser (which will only print on mylar) as lasers tend to be limited to halftones for making images.
Do not just run anything through a laser for overhead material. It may turn into a smelly molten mess.

[bobbotron]

An inkjet will do better than a laser (which will only print on mylar) as lasers tend to be limited to halftones for making images.
Do not just run anything through a laser for overhead material. It may turn into a smelly molten mess.

Yeah, I've made a few test prints from a laser this week, I feel like they're 60% of the way to something I'd be happy with, definitely looking to buy an inkjet printer to do this.

[sanking]

Ah, that's interesting, I hadn't thought about whether it would block UV. I sort of assumed it would, UV seems to be relatively easy to block. Looks like I need to do more investigating... thanks!

The Epson 1430 is capable of very high quality digital negatives because of the resolution and small picoliter size. I don't have one and am not sure how well it does in UV blocking with the Epson driver, but you would have the option to use the QuadToneRIP driver which would allow you to use only the inks in the set that block UV, the black and yellow. If you are working with a Mac you will also need the Print Tool. QuadToneRIP and the Print Tool are both superb software and I believe you should be able to make good digital negatives with QTR and the 1430 ink set. If not, you can always go the PiezoDN route for really superb digital negatives, but my suggestion would be to first try QTR with the native ink set.

Sandy

[bobbotron]

The Epson 1430 is capable of very high quality digital negatives because of the resolution and small picoliter size. I don't have one and am not sure how well it does in UV blocking with the Epson driver, but you would have the option to use the QuadToneRIP driver which would allow you to use only the inks in the set that block UV, the black and yellow. If you are working with a Mac you will also need the Print Tool. QuadToneRIP and the Print Tool are both superb software and I believe you should be able to make good digital negatives with QTR and the 1430 ink set. If not, you can always go the PiezoDN route for really superb digital negatives, but my suggestion would be to first try QTR with the native ink set.

Sandy

Thanks for the info Sandy. I bought a 1430 last week, and have some some experimenting with it. Still working out contrast curves, last print is a nice step in the right direction. This was done on a inkjet transparency, stock inks, stock driver. Still drying in this photo, the stock dyes definitely block UV!

There's a slight yellow cast in this photo. I had read somewhere someone pretreating their paper with vinegar, I did this hear, found it leaves a slight yellow cast.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2843/32828901933_ac34ddc81c_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/S1YGNz)