Printing negatives on a 9900 getting scratches please help.

[bHendrix]

Hello everyone here in large format photography.

For the past few weeks I've been printing negatives off my 9900, I did the conversion to piezo and had custom curves made to print my negatives. My major issue is when printing the back of the transparency paper gets scratches form what looks like the raised parts of the printer plastic, just below the print head.

Has anyone experienced this ? Any thoughts on what it could be?

Thanks everyone.

[Liquid Artist]

Welcome to the world of Large Format.

I think that you'll get a better response in one of the Digital sub forums, however I don't know which one.

However if the scratches happen to be there before the scanner, which does happen you are in the right place.

Good luck with the issue.

[andy]

which substrate are you using?

[Oren Grad]

I think that you'll get a better response in one of the Digital sub forums, however I don't know which one.

Moved.

[Greg Miller]

I'm not sure how thick your substrate is. But with thicker papers it is necessary to change the platen gap setting to Wide or Wider to avoid print head strikes and other catastrophies.

[bHendrix]

hey guys thanks for moving my post. I'm using the Pictorico OHP 17x66 feet https://www.bostick-sullivan.com/cart/product.php?productid=785&cat=170&page=1
and letting the printer decide the size of the gap. I wasn't sure if i should change it for what it thought would it should be. its on the back of the papper which makes me think that it had something to do with suction ?

[Greg Miller]

I have no experience with this, but doing a quick internet search shows that people suggest setting platen gap to Wider, and also temporarily taping the bottom of the OHP to cardboard to prevent feed issues. Seems like the cardboard would also prevent scratches to the bottom. But again i have no experience with it, you might want to give this a try until people who have real world experience chime in.

[sanking]

hey guys thanks for moving my post. I'm using the Pictorico OHP 17x66 feet https://www.bostick-sullivan.com/cart/product.php?productid=785&cat=170&page=1
and letting the printer decide the size of the gap. I wasn't sure if i should change it for what it thought would it should be. its on the back of the papper which makes me think that it had something to do with suction ?


Are the scratch marks showing on your prints? If not, you may not need to take any corrective action.

I print digital negatives on 24" wide (roll feed) Pictorico OHP for various types of alternative printing with an Epson 7800, and use normal suction and platen gap. Some negatives have slight scratches on the base side, but this does not show on the print.

Feed with Pictorico is very good with my printer.

Sandy

[bob carnie]

Ask your pictorico supplier for a profile and printer setup for your printer.

I was having head scratches with bartya paper on my printer and basically your material supplier can give you
a setup to avoid this problem

I would not continue with head strikes issues as a single head replacement on my machine is $500

Hannamule Bartya was causing head strikes on my machine .. they sent me a fix for my specific printer and holy crap batman it worked.

I doubt pictorico is as sophisticated as Hannamulhe so you may be SOOL ..
but it has to be fixed with your specific printer and the material you are using.

Pictorico is so thin I am surprised you are having strike issues. but I am sure for your printer you can find a profile and setting that will work to avoid this nasty issue.

[andy]

Scratches on the bottom would suggest that maybe the suction is too high, and I don't think changing the platen gap will help, since that controls the distance from the head to the platen. In a lot of ways, diagnostics are opposite of issues with paper.

I'd second a test print to see if the scratches are actually problematic, or if they disappear. If they show up in the silver print, then I'd try maybe using some glassine to cover the parts that you suspect are causing the scratches.

I'm assuming they're running on the long edge of the print, given the length of the print is longer than the width of the roll?
If they're running the same direction as the print head, it would suggest the scratches are on the substrate prior to printing.

[DMKELLEY]

Hi I saw your pos about scratches and I wonder if you had any luck avoiding them when printing on the Pictorico OHP? Thanks!