Best RIP for Epson 1270 using unusual inkset

[coomber]

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>I am wondering if it is possible to use a RIP on a 1270 to print 'normal' colour work using just the CMYK inks and separately print B/W photo's using the LC/LM/K ink tanks? These would contain shades of grey not LC and LM.</p>

<p>Background:</p>

<p>I have recently picked up an old Epson 1270 for very little money and I am really interested in experimenting with Black and White prints but I also would like to retain the option to print colour, although happy to sacrifice a bit of quality on that if need be. Photo's and banners for the cub pack look much better printed out in A3+ sizes rather than bits of A4.</p>

<p>I have an empty CIS system for it and I did consider two CIS's and just flush out the heads when swapping between colour and B/W inksets but that seems wasteful of ink and more importantly time! I don't have space for a second 1270 which is the obvious solution.</p>

<p>I am wondering if I can fill the CMYK parts of the CIS as usual but replace the LC and LM with photo grey inks originally destined for a HP #100 cartridge. I know that using ink designed for an HP printer may well have differing viscosity and create messy puddles/air issues with the printer, but I'm willing to play around with this if its something that might just work out. I know MIS does eboni inksets for my printer, but they are not particularly cheap, plus I have to get them to the UK.</p>

<p>I will also obviously have to create ICC profiles for both types of print to get anything vaguely useful from it, but again if this is possible, I would be interested in trying it out.</p>

<p>Anyone tried anything as crazy as this?</p>

[eddes]

<p>Hi Graig<br>

Check out "Quad Tone RIP". It's inexpensive. I don't think you can make a Color and B&W printer in the same kit but you could probably convert your 1270 to a B&W machine. Buy another cheap printer for color.</p>

[roger_smith4]

<p>I don't think this is going to work well. Wasn't the 1270 known for clogging? I would not put HP ink in it.<br /><br />If you use a RIP you don't use ICC profiles. ICC, from my experience, can only do so much to correct a way off printer where the inks are not what the printer expects. You may be able to do color with 4 channels using a RIP and a hardware printer calibration tool but losing the light colors will likely sacrifice smoothness.</p>

<p>If you're interested in B&W, Eboni-based inksets from MIS is actually a cheap option. I'm not quite sure what works for your model (look up QTR's list of supported inksets) but generally you use Black (eboni ) dark gray, and light gray inks, and maybe light light gray for newer printers. That's only 3 bottles of ink. It's also possible (depending on the printer) to use a 3 black set up to get pure carbon prints and ignore the other channels. I've done this with my R1800.</p>