Oh no mr bill, i can't get a "True Opaque" Black... The Fire Chiefs' New Tricked-out Expedition is still "Bare" in my Truck Bay and I am trying to outline solid Black on SignGold and the Black looks Translucent. hmmm?? Can I alter the number of "passes" the inkheads make?? Am i thinking in the right direction...more passes-more opaque?? Or the old Standby: Just use solid black vinyl....or the old french quill-Not! hohum
Posted by Barry Branscum (Member # 445) on :
I am looking forward to this answer too.
So far I have "helped" it by messing with the contrast in versaworks, but I'm not too thrilled with the overall vibrancy either...not just black, but othercolors too.
Come on you experts and veterans, divulge your secrets!
Seriously, maybe the NEW ink will be better...OR you could make the switch to the much less expensive and seemingly applauded TRIANGLE eco-sol inks available from NUSIGN. They offer empty carts and bulk liter bottles of each color CMYK for 149.00, and claim superior color gamut, faster drying, equal or better durability than the OEM inks, as well as higher abrasion resistance.
I am gonna get a few more printhours under my belt 'fore I try it though.
Posted by Checkers (Member # 63) on :
Hey guys, It depends on your media and profiles, but it is possible. When working with 100% black add as much of C,M & Y that the media can handle. Some media may only be 100%k, 33%c, 33%m, & 33%y. others may be able to handle Corel's 100% cmyk. With RGB color, the values would be 000 for a black black. Your media profiles may have ink limits programmed and even though you want 100% cmyk, it may not print the 100% full combination.
Havin' fun,
Checkers
Posted by Mike O'Neill (Member # 470) on :
Ran into this recently printing black in transparent to make positives to burn screens for silkscreening.
1) find the right profile
2) set print quality to hi
3) under printer controls in versaworks check the 'use custom settings' box then you can set the number of overprint passes to whatever you need. In my case 2 was enough to get a nice solid black printing when on a clear film.
When experimenting with this or any other settings change its always good to do a small print on a test piece. Without removing the media from the machine you can move the head horizontally and back up the media to another blank spot for subsequent tests, just hit the 'Base Point' button to set new origin.
Barry, I'd be leery about using third party inks, or recommending the use of third party inks. When things go wrong 'who ya gonna call'. As long as I'm buying inks from my dealer I feel he has a vested interest in me and will go out of his way to keep me happy & printing. Besides with the printing cost so low as it is, why bother.
[ August 18, 2005, 07:46 AM: Message edited by: Mike O'Neill ]
Posted by fred field (Member # 5740) on :
Thanks mike, brian, and barry for your input. I tried the ink passes setting at 2 seems to be great coverage. I also saw head passes and tried 3? Hmm Dont know if this just makes it more opaque. Hey anyone tweak the scan speed up to 1000? I think my default setup was set at around 600.
Hey anyone run into the "edges curling" shrinkage from heavy ink deposits? Fred
Posted by Barry Branscum (Member # 445) on :
What media are you using, Fred?
Posted by fred field (Member # 5740) on :
Hey Barry
I am trying Coburn "Imitation" Engine turn. I dont want to use my sign gold yet. I burned about 11 ft. already. I know i should do the tests SMALLER... My wife already let me know that. It is a 150 anniversary seal for the Fire Dept. upper and lower banners and a monogram in the middle.
fred
Posted by Suelynn Sedor (Member # 442) on :
Yes Fred, I have experienced the edges curling up and shrinking when there is a high amount of ink on the edges. It happens the worst on calendared vinyl. Butch Anton wrote about it in an article about the versacamm. His solution (works for me) is to try to design with a light outline on those jobs. In your case, leaving a small gold outline around the black might look fine. When I print full color license plates, I leave a small white outline around the print, the difference in the shrinkage factor is amazing....like someone turned up the heat in the pool...HA HA HA HA
Suelynn
Posted by Checkers (Member # 63) on :
Hey Barry, Fred and anyone else with a wide format printer, You have to get to one of these seminars... http://www.graphintel.com/dsm/ It will be well worth the investemnt. I went to one a couple of years ago and learned whole a lot about ICC profiling, color theroy and management and how it effects the final print quality. Although it is an intense one day course, the cost of the seminar paid for itself within a week. I applied what I learned and reduced reprints from bad color matching by at least 90%. If we invested in the proper hardware and software they recommend, it would have been 99% or greater.
Havin' fun,
Checkers
Posted by fred field (Member # 5740) on :
Thanks Suelynn: I will try to experiment. Is .01 enough for border or what is your suggest. ...about the pool, if you hav 2 chop the ice to get in better wear your long johns. Isnt Canada up there by Siberia? heheehe fred
Posted by fred field (Member # 5740) on :
Thanks Checkers will try to "brush up" on Icc profiling school SOON and crayola-ing theRoy, he must be the teacher... jus kiddn fred
Posted by Suelynn Sedor (Member # 442) on :
Fred, It would have to be bigger than that. I'd try .10
Suelynn
Posted by Mike O'Neill (Member # 470) on :
Color profiling was the only reason I went to Roland U in Irvine. The correct use of color profiles is essential.
Posted by Paul McDowell (Member # 5092) on :
Some of our vinyls shrink and curl a bit due to the solvents in the ink, especially on where the ink is thick. Laminating before contour cutting normally resoles both problems. If laminating is not an option, apply the vinyl as soon as possible. The sooner the adhesive has something to hold onto the sooner the shrinkage stops.
Our software has a control called overprint which lays down double or triple the ink. It alters the colors though. A bright red might look more burgundy but the black is thicker.
You might also be able to control the black output individually but It probably depends on your machine.
![[Confused]](confused.gif)
Just use solid black vinyl....or the old french quill-Not!![[Smile]](smile.gif)