I use an Epson R800. In a little over a year, I've spent more on ink cartridges that I did on my printer to begin with! (Yes, I know about the settlement of a class action suit with Epson, but that's a picoliter-sized drop in the bucket.) I don't even make that many prints, but at $11+ a cartridge for and 8 cartridge printer it adds up fast.
Aftermarket "continuous" ink system are available. If they work, it looks like they'd pay out in a year or so for me.
If you have experience with these set ups, I'd like to hear what you think about this way to reduce ink cost.
Pete D.
Posted by Mel Ladewig on April 19, 2006 at 10:12 PM
I believe Scott Borger on CNP was using a media street system on the R1800. It didn't sound like he was having good luck. I've not used one on my R1800 mainly from worry about the system clogging. I've not been printing more than once per week with mine and with the delivered ink, I've not had any clogging issues after the initial few weeks. I think that if you are printing significant volumes you'll probably mitigate any clogging worries and will get a good ROI, but otherwise, I think it would probably be an invitation to trouble.
On my previous printer, the Epson 1280, I had fitted MediaStreet's CIS with their Generation 5 ProPhoto inkset. My main reason for going with MediaStreet was to use their pigment inkset for longer permanance over the OEM dye based inks that come with the 1280. While I was switching inks, it was a good time to also invest in the CIS.
The overall experience was positive. The CIS worked flawlessly although I did encounter a couple of clogging issues. These were solved by either running several cleaning cycles or in one case the use of Windex based cleaning of the head. I soon realized that in order to prevent or minimize clogging with the pigment inkset the best bet was to make at least a couple of prints each week. Once I started doing that I didn't see any new clogging issues.
Cost-wise the CIS was a real boon. I could get 6 medium sized ink bottles for the same cost as the 2 stock cartidges but these bottles held 16 times as much ink. In addition, with proper profiles I was getting some really nice prints; ones that really had a long life.
Discussion
2 repliesAftermarket "continuous" ink system are available. If they work, it looks like they'd pay out in a year or so for me.
If you have experience with these set ups, I'd like to hear what you think about this way to reduce ink cost.
Pete D.
The overall experience was positive. The CIS worked flawlessly although I did encounter a couple of clogging issues. These were solved by either running several cleaning cycles or in one case the use of Windex based cleaning of the head. I soon realized that in order to prevent or minimize clogging with the pigment inkset the best bet was to make at least a couple of prints each week. Once I started doing that I didn't see any new clogging issues.
Cost-wise the CIS was a real boon. I could get 6 medium sized ink bottles for the same cost as the 2 stock cartidges but these bottles held 16 times as much ink. In addition, with proper profiles I was getting some really nice prints; ones that really had a long life.
Hope this hepls.