Anyone using an Epson 9800???

[jddzigns]

My boss bought an Epson F6070 for printing on aluminum blanks while we have an Epson 9800 collecting dust. Now we're printing aluminum blanks with a grainy look because the F6070 has larger droplets (designed for textiles). I want to set up our 9800 with a set of Sawgrass inks and use that machine for metal prints but my boss isn't convinced that the 9800 will give us better quality (grain-free) prints. If I can show him a print on metal produced by a 9800, I think he will be convinced. So my questions...

• Do you do dye sub prints on a 9800? If so, can you sell me a print on aluminum?
• How's the quality compared to a 9890? How does it compare to F6070?
• Other than the Sawgrass ink, what other stuff do I need to get the 9800 doing dye sub work?
• Is there any way to get the F6070 printing sharper? I tried different profiles and media. I set up the media type, did and nozzle cleaning, head alignment, feed adjust, etc. I dried the prints in the press before sublimating.

NOTE: we have Wasatch Soft RIP.

 

[WasatchRaven]

This is Ryan Rawlings with Wasatch Computer Technology. I'm the tech here who has produced the profiles for the Epson F-series printers, including the profiles for Unisub Chromaluxe plates.
Producing good Chromaluxe prints on the F-series printers can be a little tricky, its more of an art than science. If you have a current service contract, I would recommend calling our support department and asking for me or emailing wct@wasatch.com with your serial number and your contact information and I can contact you and walk you through some steps to possibly improve the quality of your Unisub Chromaluxe prints.

 

[rubo]

why don't you just print on aluminum direct? forget sublimation - just more steps and chances to mess up things - and it costs more. get some inkaid (inkaid.com), coat the aluminum and print away. if you mess up, wipe it off and start again - you can't do that with sublimation. don't need a rip for it. clear coat after the printing. i do that all day everyday - used to print on 7800 which is the younger sibling of your printer, i go with 9700 nowadays. let me know if any ??

 

[knucklehead]

Or, might want to check out ChromaRoll aluminum. The new version has a more brushed look. Direct print with pigment inks, and now is self adhesive. I just got a sample roll, haven't had a chance to try it yet. chromaroll.com I reckon.