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Printing Phototex with latex

Vinyldog

New Member
I'm printing 100% Black and Gray with my L310 but it's coming out Dk. and Lt. Brown. The Phototex product I'm using is the one specified for solvent or latex as that is what I have on hand, and I'm using the HP matte vinyl profile as recommended at the PT website 10p / 100.
It is a very nice looking print, but the wrong color.
Is this typical of Fabric-paper or do I just have the wrong profile for it?
 

MikePro

New Member
you need to either make your own profile, which is easy on that machine.
or download the profile provided by the manufacturer. They had one for Onyx, hp26500, which is what I use.

or you can just trial/error setting CMYK%'s manually and run with it, but that's a headache if you have to do it all the time.
 

dypinc

New Member
I'm printing 100% Black and Gray with my L310 but it's coming out Dk. and Lt. Brown. The Phototex product I'm using is the one specified for solvent or latex as that is what I have on hand, and I'm using the HP matte vinyl profile as recommended at the PT website 10p / 100.
It is a very nice looking print, but the wrong color.
Is this typical of Fabric-paper or do I just have the wrong profile for it?

If you have the latest firmware on the L310 most likely the old profile will be off and there is no way to correct it. Create a new Media setting and then calibrate and profile. Don't clone an existing media as it will carry the old setting with it and you will not be able to correctly calibrate it.

I found the best setting for PhotoTex at least the solvent version was to start with backlit vinyl and and use 16pass and 150% ink density. I did create one with frontlit vinyl at 12pass and 120% but the color gamut was much lower.

I just noticed that you said you were printing 100% Black and Gray. Your RIP should allow you to force the L310 to print black as inkjet black or your RIP might call it pure primaries. Set your tolerance to 0% and all pure grays and black will print with the black ink only. Of course your CM in the RIP needs to be set correctly so that the input profile correctly match the profile assigned to the print file.
 

jfiscus

Rap Master
Profile problem or possibly an RGB image?
Our latex prints GREAT on either type of phototex (Latex or Solvent). Printing onto the opaque phototex generates better prints than the regular.
 

dypinc

New Member
Profile problem or possibly an RGB image?
Our latex prints GREAT on either type of phototex (Latex or Solvent). Printing onto the opaque phototex generates better prints than the regular.

Has anyone done a wet wipe test with the latest solvent vrs. the Aqueous phototex. In the past I tried the Aqueous version in the latex and when wiping with a wet cloth the coating smeared where as the solvent version did not. I don't have any of the new (if it is new) Aqueous Latex version to test. I hate to buy some and find out it smeared like the aqueous version I have here.
 

dypinc

New Member
Aqueous inks are not water proof...they will always smear when wet...

latex and solvent have no issues wiping

I am not talking about the inks, I am asking about the coatings on phototex. Typically Solvent coatings will not smear while Aqueous coatings will when wiped with a wet cloth, which is what I found in the past with phototex. I am just curious why does phototex recommend using the Aqueous version with latex printers.

Can't someone just test the latest aqueous phototex printed with latex ink and tell me if the coating will smudge when when wiped with a wet cloth?
 

Jackpine

New Member
Has anyone done a wet wipe test with the latest solvent vrs. the Aqueous phototex. In the past I tried the Aqueous version in the latex and when wiping with a wet cloth the coating smeared where as the solvent version did not. I don't have any of the new (if it is new) Aqueous Latex version to test. I hate to buy some and find out it smeared like the aqueous version I have here.

I've printed PhotoTex aqueous with an Epson 7700 with great results. I spray laminate with Krylon clear. Seal the surface very will.
 

dypinc

New Member
I've printed PhotoTex aqueous with an Epson 7700 with great results. I spray laminate with Krylon clear. Seal the surface very will.

Well I print Phototex Solvent all the time with the Latex and for most applications (8' and 25' tiled walls for example) I do need to laminate it. With the solvent version it is pretty tough and you can wet wipe it without any coating smudges. Like I said I have some older aqueous here that when printed with the latex it's coating smudges when wet wiping it.

I am just trying to figure out why supposably phototex now says to use the aqueous version for Latex. Surely someone here can wet wipe test the aqueous coating (current product) with latex and give me an answer.
 

Jackpine

New Member
Well I print Phototex Solvent all the time with the Latex and for most applications (8' and 25' tiled walls for example) I do need to laminate it. With the solvent version it is pretty tough and you can wet wipe it without any coating smudges. Like I said I have some older aqueous here that when printed with the latex it's coating smudges when wet wiping it.

I am just trying to figure out why supposably phototex now says to use the aqueous version for Latex. Surely someone here can wet wipe test the aqueous coating (current product) with latex and give me an answer.

I don't do latex. But I also print PhotoTex solvent with a Mutoh solvent printer and do not spray laminate.

"aqueous here that when printed with the latex it's coating smudges when wet wiping it" aqueous print material is coated to accept the ink (not papers) and therefore will smear if not clear coated.
 

dypinc

New Member
I don't do latex. But I also print PhotoTex solvent with a Mutoh solvent printer and do not spray laminate.

"aqueous here that when printed with the latex it's coating smudges when wet wiping it" aqueous print material is coated to accept the ink (not papers) and therefore will smear if not clear coated.


I decided just to call Phototex and see what they say. Had a nice chat. Yes the aqueous will smear. You'll have to spray overlaminte it if you want to protect it. Solvent you don't. He said some people prefer the aqueous version with latex. Not sure why as I have always got excellent results with the solvent version.
 

Vinyldog

New Member
I think I needed more ink and more heat than 170, as I was able to smudge it a few places with fingerprints. This material just seems really light-weight so I hated to put too much ink or heat on it. Also using the product not specifically meant for latex was probably not ideal. But I had to buy another roll and I bought the same type again so it would match what I had already printed. So I will deal with the same situation next time I use it.
Fortunately the customer seemed satisfied the Charcoal look.
I’ll add one other thing. This stuff is hard as the devil to cut even with a Olfa Black blade
 

dypinc

New Member
At 16Pass you should be able to hit 200 or 205 degrees without any problems.

I wouldn't be surprised with the Latex aqueous version you would get some smudging.
 
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