Re: MIS clogging

[Paul Bingham <hollow@istar.ca>]

> I have been using MIS archival color inks for about 6 months now in my EX.
> Have used about 24 oz. of ink in total with no clog problems. I always run a
> nozzle check before doing any printing and sometimes have to run a clean cycle
> or two to get things flowing good.

I have also been running some informal fading tests on a few papers. Results to
date below:

These tests started on June 14 of this year and at this time have been running
60 days. I printind images on several types of paper  with Epson inks and MIS
archival inks. The images were cut in half with one side placed in a drawer away
from light and the other half placed in a south facing window.  The images were
taped to the glass and get quite warm in the afternoon sun.  It has been very
humid for the last two months in this area as well.

Epson Photo Paper:

With Epson Inks this paper showed noticeable fading in 5 days and at 60 days the
image is almost tatally gone. Even the black background has faded to a light
grey. Another 60 days and it will probably have faded to white paper again.

With MIS archival inks the paper started to show yellowing at 30 days and the
blacks show a little fading. At 60 days the paper has continued to yellow but
the black fading does not seem to have changed much. There is a little fading of
the magenta inks. Overall the image has survived quite well at 60 days. The
fading is only noticeable if compared with the original image.  Hanging on a
wall the average viewer would not notice a problem.

MIS  GP-170

With MIS archival inks this paper has survived reasonably well at 60
days.Compared to the protected half it shows an overall loss of magenta, but
there have not been any large shifts of color. Again the blacks show the most
fading.

MIS CS-8511

With Mis archival inks this paper has survived remakably well considering that
it is not an archival paper.

Again it is the magenta and black that have been affected the most, but it just
beginning to be noticed at 60 days. On the wall it would never be noticed at
all.


Conclusions:

If we assume a two year life on the wall as suggested by formal testing for
Epson ink and Photo Paper it may be safe to extrapolate a life for these papers
based on their respective results in sunlight, heat and humidity as experienced
in a South facing window.

Epson shows fading in 5 days, therefore CS-8511 with a fade of 60 days should
last 12 times as long hanging on an interior wall. That's 24 years with archival
ink..

The GP 170 started to show fading in 10 days suggesting it is good for about 4
years with the archival ink.

The Epson Photo paper started to show fading in about 30 days suggesting about12
years with archival ink.

The varying results on these papers suggests that as reported by others the
paper has a major bearing on the life of even pigmented archival inks.

Based on these informal tests I would be happy to use Epson Photo paper and MIS
CS-8511 for many of my printing needs. 12 to 24 years hanging on a wall is
plenty for most of the prints we make.

For those prints requiring more longevity and a more arty look, watercolor
papers such as Concorde Rag and others will certainly dothe job.


Paul


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