Printer For Heavy (Thick) Paper

I do not like these equipment questions but I must ask one!

 

I like to print using true artist's watercolor papers from art

stores. I am using a simple Epson 820 printer with very good

results, but some of the most beautifully textured papers are very

thick (on the thickness of a true heavy weight silver geletan paper).

 

My printer will often jam when I try to use them!

 

Are there printers that will accept heavy weight papers by using

manual or auto thickness adjustments?

 

Thank you.

I use an Epson 1160 and have no problems printing on Arches Watercolor 140lb cotton paper. Adjustement of paper thickness mandatory. And it helps if you manually start the paper feed from the printer panel. That way you know the paper is correctly engaged in the printer before you start printing.

I run a Stylus 760 and put heavy card through it (300Mic card = about as thick as 5 sheets of ordinary paper = as about thick as two sheets of heacy weight photo paper). I do occasionally get jams (ca 5 in 100) from one of two causes, not sending the leading edge in with any curl upwards in the tray; and not sending it precisely straight into the paper pick-up rollers. In your case the watercolour type art paper may also be a bit "floppy" as some of the art papers are not treated and presure rolled in manufacture to stiffen / harden them, and that is intentional so the fibres can absorbe normal water colour paints and pigments. Could try a different brand, or more then one, of paper to get around that.

 

The specs on your 820 indicate that it can handle envelopes - and if it can do that it should handle heavier papers as well. Check your instr book for the tension / pressure settings for envelopes and see if the printer is now set to handle only lighter stock.

 

One of the advantages of Epson over HP, for example, is the ability to handle heavy stock in the Epson's straight line paper path v the HP's round-the-back-and-over-the-top paper path (a 180deg turn)

2200 deals with thicker papers by manual feed through the back, & a higher

position for print head. But I don't know the maximum thickness.

Thank you,

 

I have not rea problem in using lightweight watercolor paper (about the thickness of Epson Heavyweight Matte Photo paper at 44lb (not really "heavyweight!").

 

The paper I really want to use is Canson "rough surface heavyweight watercolor paper" that has a weight of 120lb as compared to the Epson Matte Heavywheight Paper at 44lb.

 

It has no curl, and I think you are correct with regard to the feeding configurations and methods. Sometimes it will start to feed and print half of the image and then get stuck, or it will sit there and not feed and dump ink all over the printer foam (which can be removed and washed out).

 

It's also amazing to me that these printers often don't come with instruction books, or comprehensive "how-to" instructions. I will look to see if I have one.

 

I would like a 2200 but such is a bit beyond my budget at this time.

 

Informational:

 

The watercolor paper produces a rather interesting look, and, I was told by an experienced darkroom printer, that the watercolor paper is designed to absorb dyes and water-colors, obviously, and is quite archival..it soaks in nicely. I have one on my wall in good light and it hasn't faded or changed color balance. Most of what I do is in sepia. I need to use a "plane paper" setting to get the best image.