[comp.sys.amiga] Color inkjet inks

hgm@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu (Hal G. Meeks) (06/12/89)

A few months ago there was a general discussion of color inkjet printers
and inks. Out of this discussion I bought a Xerox 4020. I'm not encouraging
discussion on the merits of this printer; let's just say I'm pleased with
it.

However, I've just used my last black ink cartridge. I've called Xerox, and
been advised that I must use their ink cartridges for optimal results. I'd
like to find a less expensive solution. I have heard of using watercolors
and various other inks (such as the HP inkjet ink). Ideally, what I'd like
to buy is a larger quantity, such as a pint bottle size. I do a lot of
printing, and I anticipate I'll be doing even more in the near future. 

I need advice on what to use, or where to look. I'm obviously concerned of
such things as ink jet clogging, etc. But spending $6.00 for two black ink
cartridges, or $11.00 for a rainbow pack bothers me. Ideally, I'd also like
to find something that will give the same saturated colors as I'm getting
now. If it comes down to something that is cheaper, but gives less
satisfying results, I'll bite the bullet and buy the Xerox cartridges.

One other thing: Is there such a thing as a thermal transfer ink? A fluid,
that when applied to paper and allowed to dry, creates a thermal transfer
(like iron-ons for fabric). Does anyone have any experience with this?

Please email me your suggestions. 

-- 
---------------
hgm@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu       "Things have changed, things will change, 
netoprhm@ncsuvm.bitnet     and it breaks down."
			   The Past Revisited 4/88

richard@gryphon.COM (Richard Sexton) (06/12/89)

In article <3157@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu> hgm@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu.UUCP (Hal G. Meeks) writes:
>However, I've just used my last black ink cartridge. I've called Xerox, and
>been advised that I must use their ink cartridges for optimal results. I'd
>like to find a less expensive solution. I have heard of using watercolors
>and various other inks (such as the HP inkjet ink). Ideally, what I'd like
>to buy is a larger quantity, such as a pint bottle size. I do a lot of
>printing, and I anticipate I'll be doing even more in the near future. 

I'd be REAL careful as to what ink you stick in your ink-jet printer.
If it doesn't match exactly  the original ink, it may clog the jets
(an expensive proposition) or not match the smearing characteristics
enought to make a decent picture.

>I need advice on what to use, or where to look. I'm obviously concerned of
>such things as ink jet clogging, etc. But spending $6.00 for two black ink
>cartridges, or $11.00 for a rainbow pack bothers me. Ideally, I'd also like
>to find something that will give the same saturated colors as I'm getting
>now. If it comes down to something that is cheaper, but gives less
>satisfying results, I'll bite the bullet and buy the Xerox cartridges.

Ther was an ad in, I *believe*, AmigaWorld for an aftermarket ink supplier
that sold ink jet inks for all the popular ink jet printers.

>One other thing: Is there such a thing as a thermal transfer ink? A fluid,
>that when applied to paper and allowed to dry, creates a thermal transfer
>(like iron-ons for fabric). Does anyone have any experience with this?

I have no direct experience but I did ask around once and found that
it's not ink you want, its a paper with a plastic coating that you
print/paint on, then iron the wretched mess onto a T-shirt or something.

The bad news is I can't remember where you'd get this stuff, and
my *guess* would be that it wouldnt stand up the the washing
machine real well.

>
>Please email me your suggestions. 
>
>-- 
>---------------
>hgm@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu       "Things have changed, things will change, 
>netoprhm@ncsuvm.bitnet     and it breaks down."
>			   The Past Revisited 4/88


-- 
       ``The who's who of Milwaukee only eats Ugandan pineapples''
richard@gryphon.COM  decwrl!gryphon!richard   gryphon!richard@elroy.jpl.NASA.GOV

commike@sunybcs.cs.Buffalo.EDU (Alan Commike ) (06/13/89)

In article <16708@gryphon.COM> richard@gryphon.COM (Richard Sexton) writes:
>In article <3157@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu> hgm@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu.UUCP (Hal G. Meeks) writes:
[stuff about ink jet printers gone bye-bye]

>I have no direct experience but I did ask around once and found that
>it's not ink you want, its a paper with a plastic coating that you
>print/paint on, then iron the wretched mess onto a T-shirt or something.
>
>The bad news is I can't remember where you'd get this stuff, and
>my *guess* would be that it wouldnt stand up the the washing
>machine real well.
>

This is something that I've been wanting to do for a long time, but could
not get enough info on. I have a stack of the paper. It is called transfer
paper, and could be gotten from most shops that make T-shirts and sweat
shirts. The paper transfers to whatever it is against around 350F.

My problem has been that we use Apple LaserWriters here, and according to
the docs that came with the LaserWriter, it can get up to 200 degrees
*Celcius* inside that thing! 

Does anyone know if the 200C number is correct. Has it changed with the
LaserWriterII's. I have this really nice Eikonix camera sitting here,
begging to make some T-shirts (makes great amiga and sun backgrounds too).

	thanks, 
		...alan

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Real-Life: Alan Commike - SUNY @ Buffalo, Buffalo NY

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farren@well.UUCP (Mike Farren) (06/13/89)

In article <6485@cs.Buffalo.EDU> commike@fomalhaut.UUCP (Alan Commike ) writes:
>My problem has been that we use Apple LaserWriters here, and according to
>the docs that came with the LaserWriter, it can get up to 200 degrees
>*Celcius* inside that thing! 

Unfortunately, that's correct.  The fuser rollers can get that hot - they're
actually melting the ink (toner) onto the paper.  Can't really get around
it with current laser technology.  But then, isn't the transfer paper
an impact-sensitive thing?  Or am I thinking of something else?

-- 
Mike Farren 					 uucp: well!farren

david@ms.uky.edu (David Herron -- One of the vertebrae) (06/18/89)

In article <6485@cs.Buffalo.EDU> commike@fomalhaut.UUCP (Alan Commike ) writes:
>My problem has been that we use Apple LaserWriters here, and according to
>the docs that came with the LaserWriter, it can get up to 200 degrees
>*Celcius* inside that thing! 
>
>Does anyone know if the 200C number is correct. Has it changed with the
>LaserWriterII's. I have this really nice Eikonix camera sitting here,
>begging to make some T-shirts (makes great amiga and sun backgrounds too).

The engines I am familiar with, the old Xerox engine that DEC used
in the LN01 and the Canon engine, use heat to fuse the toner particles
to the paper.  This heat is a fundamental principle of how these
printers work and it would take a radically different sort of toner
to work without heat.

What I know is fromm a talk with a DEC repairman who was working on
our LN01 once.  (We don't have the thing anylonger)

As the paper goes through the engine toner is sprinkled on it.  Then the
laser paints across the page -- as the page passes by -- and ionizes
some of the toner.  As the next stage some toner is removed magnetically
leaving the pixels behind, but unfused on the paper.  Next it passes by
a heated element which fuses the toner to the paper, and finally it
passes sommething which removes the heat.

Any inaccuracies are due to the intervening 4-5 years.
-- 
<- David Herron; an MMDF guy                              <david@ms.uky.edu>
<- ska: David le casse\*'      {rutgers,uunet}!ukma!david, david@UKMA.BITNET
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<- New word for the day: Obnoxity -- an act of obnoxiousness