Is this normal?

[smitch6]

did you prime the cartridges 1st?
usually you have to do this by sticking a needle in and drawing the air out of the cart
and yes always a good idea to let it settle overnight

good luck

[bms]

did you prime the cartridges 1st?
usually you have to do this by sticking a needle in and drawing the air out of the cart
and yes always a good idea to let it settle overnight

good luck

The Easyflow systems are already primed so this isn't normally necessary.

[justme]

I didn't prime it...I watched the video on the xpres website which included priming them...but the system looked different to the easyflow one I'd ordered (and been sent!).

Instead I followed their downloadable instructions where the system looked identical to the one I'd been sent...and didn't include priming.

I printed a nozzle check last night...everything perfect, except totally nothing for black.

I printed one this morning, the same. Then I did 2 head cleans this morning and have just printed a perfect nozzle pattern for all 6 colours. Hoorah!!!

I hope now it's done it once...it'll continue to behave. No leaking either...although I now have my suspicions that a curious child might have been involved there. Needless to say, he will now not be touching!!!

Next thing...to get the colours looking right...I am using photoshop...all of xpres instructions are coral draw.

I have downloaded the profile (emailed by them). The only thing I'm confused about is that when I go to the 'colour settings' bit in photoshop...in the first drop down menu, there is still no reference to a sublimation profile...as per the instrutions on sawgrass.

Any guidance appreciated...I promise I'll stop being so 'needy' soon!!

Sadie

[justme]

Colours look very dull when printing an image...I am still testing using normal paper - being a cheap skate and not wanting to waste the other paper. Are the colours likely to be duller on normal paper?

I'll get xpres to remotely check my settings tomorrow....just feel impatient to move onto my first mug!!

Thanks - Sadie

[John G]

The colours will look dull on paper until they are pressed - thats when they come to life! but you do need to get your profile installed properly

[smitch6]

Paul is the best person to speak to about profiles
although it sounds like you already have the correct one so maybe if someone already uses this set-up they can walk you through how to install it

and as John said the colour do look really dull until pressed
i rem my 1st one ringing the supplier of the ink up saying you sold me dud ink mate and he laughed and said trust me just press it

[justme]

Oh OK - thanks John and Smitch6 - maybe I just need to take the plunge and attempt my mug then!!! Might just get xpres to cast an eye over my settings tomorrow first.

Not sure if I've now screwed up my settings for normal printing with my other printer!!!

Thanks SO much - you're all so super helpful!

Sadie

[Justin]

http://www.sawgrasseurope.com/technical ... tware/1400

Have you followed setup for Photoshop software?

[justme]

Yep I have - I have just saved the color settings as dye_sublimation and so it appears in the first drop down box of the colour settings options as in the sawgrass instructions.

I have also now saved my settings for normal printing...so i can chop and change between them which is what I need to do.

I hope I've done it right.

Thanks.

[AdamB]

The best way to do things is to give it a try Sadie.

If you've followed all instructions and installed profiles then you just need to 'have a go'.

If you get it spot on first time, fantastic, but the likelyhood is that it'll need tweaking to individual settings (i.e press temp, pressure can all be slightly different for everyone). Write everything down so you can go back to your notes and then try again if you are having no luck.

I remember getting the set up a few years ago and 'nothing went right' ............... after many months I decided to 'sack it' and left it until last year. I bought the propper equipment (bit more expensive but support is 100% worth every penny) and the first mug I did was spot on. I have had a few mishaps along the way (as we all do) but it's good to look back over your notes at time and temp settings to see what 'could' have gone wrong.

The best advice I can give you is to plan on wasting a few mugs and sheets of paper getting things right. It'll be worth it in the long run and can mea that you are 100% confident about printing that image and pressing it onto a mug because of the homework you did before hand.

Also, if you are testing the press 'ALWAYS' use the same image for testing so you can compare results in the colours and saturation when finished. Do one, if it looks right then try adjusting the time and temp a little to see if it looks too saturated - if it looks better then go again. You'll then find your 'goal-posts' that you'll be familiar with and can then hopefully look at an image and know what setting to put it on.

Personally, (touch wood) I have my press on a setting now and it turns out mugs 100% everytime it's played with. The only exception is when I change the actual mug as this throughs in different variations (i.e colour change mugs, for me, don't need as long).

Hope this helps

Adam