Paper Dry Time vs Cure Time
wingspar:
A post in another thread got me to start this thread. I’ve used the Epson Premium Semi-gloss paper for years. Prints come off the printer dry to the touch, but the documentation that comes with the paper says that it takes 24 hours for the ink to cure, so I’ve always waited 24 hours before mailing prints, or letting the customer come by and pick them up. Is this necessary, or can I deliver them within an hour or two after the prints come off the printer?
Fred A:
Gary,
That is a great question.
I can only relate some experiences, but I'm sure there are others with chemical knowledge of the coating/ink interaction.
That would likely be better than my post.
Nevertheless, I found out about curing time and color curing and the final setting of the colors when I was really hot into Profiling my own printer/papers, and trying out many less expensive store brands like Office Depot paper etc.
I had to print the target for the initial scan for PROFILE PRISM, the software that makes the best home brew profiles.
(I am not going to touch the expensive colorimeter type of hardware that you can buy (well over a thou) as that is not in my budget)
I am usually like a kid, well, I am a kid, and always will be.... and I can't wait. You know, "are we there yet? are we there yet" type.
So I print the target using the paper, and wait a reasonable amount of time (like 3 minutes, blow on it, and scan.
After making the profile, next day, I printed a second print of the target, and that was left overnight. I could actually see the reds were totally different from the 3 minute print, although they looked alike now after 24 hours.
I made a second profile using the cured print and it was far better, and it matched.
I experimented some more with other papers, and not all papers changed color over night.
Epson Prem glossy did not, and Ilford Gallerie Smooth gloss did not either.
Bottom line, in my way of thinking, when I need to be serious about quality, I would wait the overnight cure time to be sure.
One last comment. I think it was one of our own posters on the forum here, Jack Winberg that told me to use a hair dryer (gentle heat applied to the emulsion) to speed the "curing" time. If memory serves me, I think we had good luck doing that.
Maybe Jack will chime in if he reads this.
Best
Fred
kieranmullen:
I picked up a Xrite DTP20UV Colorpulse Elite off of ebay for about $150 This is still a model in production.
Fred A:
That's a spectrophotometer; man they have come down... Couldn't touch one 5 years ago for less than 1200.
That was a great deal.
Fred
kieranmullen:
New are still that price
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