can someone with an EPSON c80 please give me some tips on what settings they use to print on rice paper? Just bought one and testing it out, thanks Nick
Hi Nick, Regardless of the Epson models, all Epson products printing function are same. Steps are as the followings: 1)Prepare your logo with image editing software. 2)For professional results, try to adjust the image resolution to 1600 pixel or above, the file may be very big but its worth to set it into. Or use vector grahic software to make the logo then you 'll have no headache. 3)For those vector grahic software, you can try to print the image “OUTLINE” only, test the size and position without wasting too much ink. 4)Inside the Epson printing function, click into the contents and turn the print media mode into " Photo Quality Glossy Film", this will enhance a fine printing. 5) Feed the rice paper into the printer, if you find the rice paper is too thin or too soft, feed the rice paper together with a A4 size plain paper. 6)Remember to reflect the image to 90 degree, the printable side is face down to the deck. 7)I did lots of mistake before in laying the logo into the deck, first make sure the deck is dust free, lay a small qty resin into the deck and slight put the logo into the area. Squeeze out the air-bubble. My last board has few airbubble not escape, it will delam~~… Remember cut the sharp edge out of the rice paper. 8) Have a happy board building experience and good luck. Regards, Crabie
Thats very helpful, thanks alot. Im using Illustrator I agree with the vector graphics! If I can do it in illustrator I keep away from photoshop. Nick>>> Regards,>>> Crabie
I tried the glossy paper setting and it bled real bad. I am using it on “plain paper” setting right now. Is there a reason why the color ink is slightly bleeding into the paper? The black looks just fine. thanks Nick
Hi Nick, I m using Color 480, this is a really really cheap model, just cost me US$ 70.00. While I print with Illustrator, it never bleed. Bleeding only occurs in printing with Photoshop but its slightly and can be tolerant. I tried different low end cheap model printer with Illustrator, it never bleed. So I sugest you to check the ink, I use original Epson, but it may bleed in other compatible ink. Try to clean the print head and see any help to it. Do u print the coarse side of the rice paper? Regards, Crabie
As you know your printer uses four colors- Cyan, Magenta, Yellow & Black. The printer mixes these four colors to come up with any color you can imagine (Over simplified example= Green is Cyan & Yellow mixed, a light green, but you get the point). In my opinion, the reason your colors are bleeding and not the black is due to the mixing of your cyan, magenta, yellow & black to obtain your color. If you have a solid black value in your design, due to its opacity, your printer is having to lay down less black ink to obtain your desired effect. Rice paper, like newspaper tends to bleed a lot if you start laying down a lot of ink. In your print dialog box, try kicking down the quality setting (ie- most epson printers have a slide bar setting from econo to high quality output) to about halfway between econo and full on quality. I have found that this works well for my set up. Remember your image will become more vibrant once it is saturated with resin and laminated on your board. You probably won’t notice a difference from your output & what you were expecting & what is on the screen. I set mine up with a plain paper setting with print quality set halfway. I have a Epson 980. I am planning on getting the C80 soon. Good luck, you will just have to play with the settings to get clean prints. Right now it sounds like you are just laying down too much ink.
As you know your printer uses four colors- Cyan, Magenta, Yellow & > Black. The printer mixes these four colors to come up with any color you > can imagine (Over simplified example= Green is Cyan & Yellow mixed, a > light green, but you get the point).>>> In my opinion, the reason your colors are bleeding and not the black is > due to the mixing of your cyan, magenta, yellow & black to obtain your > color. If you have a solid black value in your design, due to its opacity, > your printer is having to lay down less black ink to obtain your desired > effect. Rice paper, like newspaper tends to bleed a lot if you start > laying down a lot of ink.>>> In your print dialog box, try kicking down the quality setting (ie- most > epson printers have a slide bar setting from econo to high quality output) > to about halfway between econo and full on quality. I have found that this > works well for my set up. Remember your image will become more vibrant > once it is saturated with resin and laminated on your board. You probably > won’t notice a difference from your output & what you were expecting > & what is on the screen. I set mine up with a plain paper setting with > print quality set halfway. I have a Epson 980. I am planning on getting > the C80 soon. Good luck, you will just have to play with the settings to > get clean prints. Right now it sounds like you are just laying down too > much ink. I printed 40 lams yesterday on my C80 and have to do 40 more today.I’ve had my C80 since Dec. and have printed at least 500 lams on it. Mike D. has the settings right but don’t be afraid to try some tweaking. I’v never had a bleeding problem but the rice paper I use is a little different than what you are probably using.
Kokua: Is the DuraBrite ink unique to the C80 series or available for other printers? What do the cartridges cost for the C80 and on average how many lams can you get out of one? Sounds like a good system. Tom S.>>> I printed 40 lams yesterday on my C80 and have to do 40 more today.I’ve > had my C80 since Dec. and have printed at least 500 lams on it. Mike D. > has the settings right but don’t be afraid to try some tweaking. I’v never > had a bleeding problem but the rice paper I use is a little different than > what you are probably using.
Kokua: i agree with Kokua, It may be the paper you are using. Rice paper is not actally made from rice. Rayon is used in alot of the so called rice papers. chech your source for paper. Also if you back the ricepaper with a sheet of plain paper it will help absorb some of the excess ink & also prevent your machine from getting gunked up.
Okay I’ll try those things out, thanks for all your help. Its the logo paper from foamez.com I think it will work fine, just need to find the settings thanks Nick
Nick: I’ve been using the laminate paper from SurfSource.net, about $0.30 per sheet. My printer is an HP Deskjet 832 C with regular cartridges. Have had no problem with bleed or fading colors/black for that matter. I’m sure there are better inks than what I use and DuraBrite looks promising as an upgrade. Keep in mind that there are 3 weights of the laminate paper from what I’ve dug up on the net. Noodle tipped everyone off early on that the Silkspan used in model airplane building is the same material and can be ordered in rolls and larger sheets through most specialty hobby type online sites or stores. I’d start with a Med. weight Silkspan product and probably shoot for something low tech, in other words stay away from the newer replacements which have a high content of man made materials in them. Get the old timer’s stuff that used to be coated with “dope” as the finishing coat. Good luck. Tom S.>>> Okay I’ll try those things out, thanks for all your help. Its the logo > paper from foamez.com I think it will work fine, just need to find the > settings>>> thanks>>> Nick
I just bought a roll of rice paper from chinese calligraphy store, cost me US$ 4.00 per roll. Until right now, the color does fade and does not bleeding. Thanks god~…
Kokua:>>> Is the DuraBrite ink unique to the C80 series or available for other > printers? What do the cartridges cost for the C80 and on average how many > lams can you get out of one? Sounds like a good system.>>> Tom S. Durabrite ink is an epson product. Epson uses a different type of print head on it’s printer. To my knowledge durabrite ink only works with C80. But there is achival ink that works with other Epson printers and possibly some other printer brands. Archival ink is UV resistant,but I’m not sure if it’s waterproof like durabrite. Try www.lysonic.com for more info on archival ink.I think that’s the url address