Printing on CDs

  • Thread starter Thread starter fredlloyd
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fredlloyd

Hello,
I recently bought an EpsonR220, and from the start have only used compatible
cartridges, purely for the financial benefit.
I'm very happy with the end product for printing ordinary correspondence,
and glossy card; but I've just tried to print on CD blanks and the ink
separates into little globules.
I wondered if I could spray the printing side of the CD with some sort of
base for the ink to adhere to, and I'm wondering if anyone here has already
travelled this route and could suggest any solutions or alternatives.
Many thanks
Fred
 
Ordinary CD's don't have the proper surface to accept printer ink as you can
see from the results. However, most media companies make printable media
with either or a white or other color surface that is inkjet printable that
serves for printing nicely.
For example:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817150174

since you mentioned CD's. However the media is available from many
manufacturers for CD's as well as DVD's.
 
Hello,
I recently bought an EpsonR220, and from the start have only used compatible
cartridges, purely for the financial benefit.
I'm very happy with the end product for printing ordinary correspondence,
and glossy card; but I've just tried to print on CD blanks and the ink
separates into little globules.
I wondered if I could spray the printing side of the CD with some sort of
base for the ink to adhere to, and I'm wondering if anyone here has already
travelled this route and could suggest any solutions or alternatives.
Many thanks
Fred
Click to expand...

Which CDs are you using? (brand and type, i.e. white or silver
surface). I do know the Verbatim silver surface CDs are very picky
about what will print on them (Canons don't work) so I figure they're
coated specifically for Epson inks.

It could be that the compatibles you're using are not close enough to
the Epson viscosity to be able to print onto a CD surface, though most
white CDs I've seen simply have a standard 'matte' photo paper surface
that should be printable with anything. I'm still not sure whether to
use the Epson Standard or Premium surface disc settings because I've
never seen a stack of printables that said 'Standard' or 'Premium'
coating on them, I usually use Premium mode and let it dry for a day.
You may want to switch to refillable blanks and use ink from a known
good source, such as MIS, that's designed to match the original inks.
I've always been more inclined to suggest refilling over pre-filled
compatibles, because you're not quite sure if they refilled it with
properly formulated inks, or just some 'universal refill' kit they got
on sale somewhere. Of course, if you're buying the compatibles from a
reputable refiller, then that's probably not the problem.

---

http://www.FenrirOnline.com

Computer services, custom metal etching,
arts, crafts, and much more.
 
fredlloyd said:
Hello,
I recently bought an EpsonR220, and from the start have only used
compatible cartridges, purely for the financial benefit.
I'm very happy with the end product for printing ordinary correspondence,
and glossy card; but I've just tried to print on CD blanks and the ink
separates into little globules.
I wondered if I could spray the printing side of the CD with some sort of
base for the ink to adhere to, and I'm wondering if anyone here has
already travelled this route and could suggest any solutions or
alternatives.
Many thanks
Fred
Click to expand...


You are using printable cd's arent you?!
 
I wondered if I could spray the printing side of the CD with some sort of
base for the ink to adhere to, and I'm wondering if anyone here has already
travelled this route and could suggest any solutions or alternatives.
Click to expand...

You can set the printer for transparancy, but the ink will still beed.
There is not a spray solution to your issue that i'm aware of. Alas
your only solution is to either buy printable cds or wait for the ink
to dry, which will take weeks or months.
 
Thank you all for your very helpful comments. In ignorance, I had not tried
printable CDs, but will do.
Thank you also for the reference to MIS refill cartridges
http://www.inksupply.com/index.cfm which is very enlightening - but perhaps
a bit above my present needs.
Fred
 
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