Epson ET-2600 printing issue/color trouble

Hi All

First time post (sorry for the long message), and new to sublimation printing. I am starting off with mugs and after a few attempts with a little help from youtube I thought I had it mastered......I was wrong

I have recently bought (second hand) the Epson Ecotank ET-2600 printer and when I create a template to print using flexisign the print out and heat press perfectly.

The issue I am having is with photos when doing photo prints on mugs and when I am sent a company logo.

The black comes out more of a brown, the background and the faces of the photo go a magnolia type, the silver went yellow - these are just some of the many failed attempts.

I wasn't sure if it was an issue with the logos themselves as they seem to print out ok.

I have done nozzle clean, ink flush but that's about as far as my knowledge goes with all this.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

What inks are you using and do you have a profile installed? Blacks can turn brown when overheated/cooked, what time and temp are you pressing at?

Hi

The bottles just say premium ink, not sure on the profile and sorry but not sure what that it (i really am a beginner in all this)

In regards to blacks i have tried at all different temps to get the right one and i use 370 for 170 seconds.

Its strange if i do black from a the design programme its fine, the issue seems to be with photos or a pdf of a logo that dont work.

On one of the logos the writting actually prints off a bit brown but rest is black on the print out but when pressed all the colours go brown or magnolia type colour (again from the logo or photos)

First thing you need to know is your ink manufacturer or you won't be able to keep buying with consistent results.

If you don't know what a profile is that's likely your problem, this controls the colours primarily and is essential. Any decent supplier should be able to help with the profile.

You mention. 370, I assume you're talking Fahrenheit? Good starting point for mugs is 180c for 180 seconds, possibly slightly less with some inks.

Ok thanks, I will take a look into that.

Any recommendations for ink at all?

Yes Fahrenheit so its about 187c.

Thanks for your help will see how i get on!

You could do worse than look at Inkjet SubiNova inks, you'll get discounts on these through the premium membership scheme as well. I use these in some of my printers and find they very good. I also use Sawgrass inks in my larger machine which again I can't fault.

Hi Justin

I have now tried varipus temperatures, changed to the top range ink, even purchased better paper and installed the prfile from ink Express who supplied my ink

The result is atill the same, that if i draw up a design it is fine but if i try to print a photo on a mug or a company logo its still coming out discoloured.

Im wondering if its the progrmae im using maybe?

Anymore help would be greatly appreciated

Remind me what software you're using?

Are yo designing and printing in RGB or CMYK in your graphics software? You need to be in RGB.

I use Flexi Sign 10.

I have downloaded GIMP so will try that this evening to see if get any better result

Quote:

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Originally Posted by webtrekker

Are yo designing and printing in RGB or CMYK in your graphics software? You need to be in RGB.

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Sorry, not that clued up on this sort of thing - I will take a look tonight to try and find out

Quote:

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Originally Posted by diamonddesigns

Sorry, not that clued up on this sort of thing - I will take a look tonight to try and find out

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My printer has the CMYK colors but are you saying the graphics need to be different?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by diamonddesigns

My printer has the CMYK colors but are you saying the graphics need to be different?

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Yes, your printer uses CMYK inks, but the data you send to the printer must be RGB.

For instance, in Photoshop, this is the menu where you select RGB colour mode ...


Attachment 5943



By the way, what graphics software are you using for designing and printing?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by webtrekker

Yes, your printer uses CMYK inks, but the data you send to the printer must be RGB.

For instance, in Photoshop, this is the menu where you select RGB colour mode ...


Attachment 5943



By the way, what graphics software are you using for designing and printing?

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Thanks I will take a look this evening.

I started off trying to use a signage software which I am using for vinyl sign writing (another issue I am having but that's for another day!) I assume this could be half the problem?

I have downloaded Gimp as I didn't want to spend the money on Photoshop just yet until I have exhausted options/ built up business. Never used this type of software before so currently spending time watching you tube for instruction! I will try printing direct from Gimp this evening to see if that makes a difference.

Gimp handles ICC colour profiles so should get you going. Remember that, like Photoshop, Gimp is raster-editing software, as opposed to vector-editing software such as Coreldraw, AI, or Inkscape. So, it is mre geared up for editing and printing photographic images and images with gradients, whereas vector is more for solid colour designs and designs which need to be scaled without loss of quality.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by webtrekker

Gimp handles ICC colour profiles so should get you going. Remember that, like Photoshop, Gimp is raster-editing software, as opposed to vector-editing software such as Coreldraw, AI, or Inkscape. So, it is mre geared up for editing and printing photographic images and images with gradients, whereas vector is more for solid colour designs and designs which need to be scaled without loss of quality.

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Ok thats great.

I will check the printing in gimp this evening and see how i get on.

Flexisign is prob the wrong type of software, although thatbis also causing me trouble wuth scaling up logos to cut so i may look at one of the other programmes for that

Quote:

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Originally Posted by diamonddesigns

Ok thats great.

I will check the printing in gimp this evening and see how i get on.

Flexisign is prob the wrong type of software, although thatbis also causing me trouble wuth scaling up logos to cut so i may look at one of the other programmes for that

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I am not yet into sublimation but my printer will arrive tomorrow. I considered Gimp as well but most people said its not so good for that, thats why i bought affinity designer today. Here you can choose your ICC profile very easy and do some basic adjustments. I dont have experience in mug pressing at all but i watched hundreds of video in the last weeks from all over the world and what i discovered was that most people dont use 180 Celsius or higher. The average was more like 170 for 120 seconds, some even use 60 seconds. Some used even 165 Celsius. What not many people do in those youtube videos is heating up the press with a "sacrificial mug" to prevent blisters on the material in the press. Another confusing thing for beginners is the fact that some people say lets say 240 seconds pressing time but they could mean the overall pressing time inside the mug or the pressing time when your mug reaches its target temperature, that was very confusing to me. Because when you say 120 seconds and 170 Celsius the mug is much longer on inside the press than 12ß seconds because the temperature drops as soon as you put the mug in.

Hi All

It has been a long time, I am now getting back to this after being far to o busy in my day job!

Before Christmas I managed to get the sublimation printer working (not sure how), however things have messed up again.

I have created a document in Coral Draw in RGB, however when printing it is converting the colours and coming out quite different.

My management settings are:

Attachment 6097

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Keith