Can I print on artstore-bought Canvas with my 5500?

[VinylLabs.com]

I wanted to test out some printing on canvas with my designjet 5500. My supplier only sells by the roll, not the yard.

I noticed at a local art supplier they sell canvas by the yard and i was wondering if I could use it to see a few test prints.

_IF_ I could use it (not for sale, just to see how much ink it uses, plus for my bedroom) what prepwork would I have to do? do I need to apply gesso? the material seems very flimsy, i dont want my printer head to get caught in it. is there a backing to adhere it to?

 

[Jet Fast Printing]

I have done it, but you have to make sure it's not raw.

 

[VinylLabs.com]

what do you mean "not raw"?

do you mean untreated cotton?

I went out at lunch and bought 10 feet of cotton banner (60" wide) a 32"x24" test frame and some gesso. will try somethign tonight.

 

[Jet Fast Printing]

I should be more clear. It should be primed.

 

[VinylLabs.com]

and to be crystal clear (*zing!*) Gesso is primer?

 

[wes70]

Not sure if you can print on un-coated canvas with aqueous inks. Something tells me no. Let us know the results. If it doesn't work, you can apply ink-aid.

www.inkaid1.com/

 

[Jet Fast Printing]

and to be crystal clear (*zing!*) Gesso is primer?

LOL, Yes

 

[Billct2]

No way would I put gessoed canvas thru my HP.
I have a hard time believing that anything other than material formulated for an aqueous printer would work.
I used some from Lexjet and Pitman with good results.

 

[sfr table hockey]

Not sure what ink set you have but to print canvas you should used a pigmented waterbased ink and not a dye ink. You should print on the propper canvas for printers, torino is a good one. You need that coating on the canvas for the best results. Also I think you will have an issue with the feeding of the material if it is not the propper media. A slight buckle may cause a head strike and thus out a lot more $$ than the cost of a roll if the heads get damaged.

 

[tiredcreations]

A slight buckle may cause a head strike

he's right ya know

 

[Gino]

I've used a lot of gesso in my time and I've never found one that didn't dry hard, let alone crack if you put it on something non-rigid. Although one uses gesso to coat out paint canvas [plus many other substrates]... the canvas is usually stretched very tight so it won't crack. It's also applied in many thin coats until you have an acceptable coverage so paints don't penetrate through it ruining the canvas below. I don't know the set up of your printer, but unless it's a flatbed, I'd say you looking for trouble. Last, if your inks are solvent, don't use an acrylic gesso.... it will probably eat right through it in no time.

 

[VinylLabs.com]

ok, head strike is the bottom of the head hitting the media, or it getting jammed?

you'll really have to excuse my newbish-ness I am VERY new to this, I don't even have a RIP yet, i'm printing through windows drivers.

sfr_table:I am using original HP UV inks. (83) sidenote: after reading billct's post I went to lexjet, is their 99$ uv ink any different then OEM ink? (my lm is low)

 

[sfr table hockey]

A far as ink, I assume that it's a waterbased ink. The Roland pigmented waterbased inks are about $111.00 for a 220 ml cart so they are not cheap. Dye can be half the price but they are not good for being water resistant and don't have the 75 year life that the propper ones will. I do think the Roland pigmented also are UV something or other. You can get other waterbased pigmented inks but should use ones meant for your printer so you will get the right colors when printing.

If you use other brand inks you will need to get profiles made so that the printer will spit the right amount of ink out of each color to make the propper colors in your picture. Even inks that are said to be able to use the same profiles, can tend to be off in color. For art it is a big issue. Stay with your printers ink for at least that reason. If it is listed as pigmented waterbased then you should be ok.

Yes a head strike is due to the heads rubbing the media and it does not take much to damage the heads.

Even if you got a piece of canvas to go into your printer you won't get the results that you will with the correct media so you my not like what your printer can do when actually it may do really well on the right canvas.