# Durabrite OEM ink -- black turns green!



## angelic_endeavor (Sep 19, 2007)

OK, so I noticed that my C88+ with Durabrite original OEM cartridges makes people look yellow. I've learned to turn down the yellow to -20 and up the magenta and cyan to +5.

Just recently, I did text that was supposed to be gray. After I pressed it, it looked dark green. Over the course of a week, it turned from dark green to gray. Did another print, this time turning down the yellow to -20 and upped magenta and cyan to +5. Print came out purple. Turned everything back to 0 and printed like I did last time. Again, after pressing, turned green. This time, I am not seeing it turning gray, though.

Is everyone having the same problem with the OEM black turning green after pressing? Happened with IronAll and with SoftStretch transfers, so that's NOT the problem. It's definitely the ink.

NOW THE QUESTION: Do I spend the money on a CIS with Everlast inks? I don't really do that many shirts (maybe 1-2 week) to justify the expense, and the possible head clogging that I hear is prevelant with the CIS systems. However, I can't print a design, and tell the customer to wait a week, and the correct colors with re-appear! HELP! Need some advice here from others who've used OEM Durabrite and Everlast inks.

Thanks so much,
Melissa


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## prometheus (Oct 19, 2006)

This is a common problem that you can read about here. It is an issue with the printer using all it's colors to reproduce the grey. So instead of just black printing, it is using Cyan, Magenta, Yellow & Black. If the original image has NO color in it, then make sure it is a greyscale image in your photo editing software. Also, in the Epson dialog, you can set it to print just with black ink. Now, if there is color in the image, then you need to do some work and go to where the image is grey and "desaturate" it, or in other words, take out the color. It's not an easy thing.


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## angelic_endeavor (Sep 19, 2007)

prometheus said:


> This is a common problem that you can read about here. It is an issue with the printer using all it's colors to reproduce the grey. So instead of just black printing, it is using Cyan, Magenta, Yellow & Black. If the original image has NO color in it, then make sure it is a greyscale image in your photo editing software. Also, in the Epson dialog, you can set it to print just with black ink. Now, if there is color in the image, then you need to do some work and go to where the image is grey and "desaturate" it, or in other words, take out the color. It's not an easy thing.


Actually, the design had both gray and red in it, which I believe will make it difficult to "fix" as you stated above. I knew about the yellow problem with the C88+, but was surprised that the black turned green upon pressing. So is the problem with the gray that the black is turning green upon pressing, or is it still a "yellow" problem, since you said the gray is a composite of all colors? It's just weird because it's gray after printing -- it's turning green after pressing, which leads me to believe that the black ink is breaking down from the heat.

Does this happen with Everlast ink that is supposed to be formulated for heat transfers? My black OEM cartridge is running low, and I bought a replacement cartridge -- but, if the problem is the ink breaking down with the heat, then I will return it and get the Everlast inks instead...

Not sure what keywords I might use for the search, but I will definitely research this, since it really is a big problem...

Thanks,
Melissa


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## prometheus (Oct 19, 2006)

I haven't messed with other inks, yet. Subtle greys are not such a problem, but big areas can be. I did a quick search on "Color Shift" and these are some threads that might help:

http://www.t-shirtforums.com/dye-sublimation/t13398.html
http://www.t-shirtforums.com/heat-press-heat-transfers/t5012.html#post30498
http://www.t-shirtforums.com/heat-press-heat-transfers/t8652.html (this was my first post)


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## DAGuide (Oct 2, 2006)

Robert is correct about the color shift. OEM inks are not made to go under a heat press at 350 degrees F (or whatever you press out). There are other non-OEM inks that do a better job in preventing the color shifting because of the way they are manufactured. You might want to look at trying a different ink.


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## angelic_endeavor (Sep 19, 2007)

Well, I have spent almost the entire day researching refillable cartridges, CIS, and other 3rd party inks. Boy am I confused!

Magic Mix has had mostly good reviews, but several members have had magenta banding problems.

This site and the Yahoo Group have suggested inksupply.com, who has a Double Density Black without the apparent color shift. Also mentioned were efillink.com, inkrepublic.com, inkjetcarts.com, colorstarink.com and inkquik. Accckkk!

At this point, I am leaning toward using refillable cartridges, since I do not have a lot of business at this point, and I don't want to worry about clogging issues due to printer inactivity.

*Can the members here say what system/ink you're using and whether you've experienced color shift and/or clogging problems with your method (CIS/refillable carts)? Please help!*

Melissa


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## angelic_endeavor (Sep 19, 2007)

Hi all, just bumping this thread to see if I can get a response on what 3rd party inks and systems people are using...

Running out of time to make my decision -- all expenditures have to be made by 12/31 to be tax deductible AND my black is running out quickly!

Melissa


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## Lnfortun (Feb 18, 2006)

Not sure how much adjustments you have tried. Here is the color settings for Durabrite ink that was posted in a yahoo group:


-15 Yellow
+5 Magenta
+5 Cyan

Good luck.


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## Lnfortun (Feb 18, 2006)

Another thing you can try is use CMYK palette instead of RGB for your color in the application program if you are not doing it already.


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## badalou (Mar 19, 2006)

angelic_endeavor said:


> Hi all, just bumping this thread to see if I can get a response on what 3rd party inks and systems people are using...
> 
> Running out of time to make my decision -- all expenditures have to be made by 12/31 to be tax deductible AND my black is running out quickly!
> 
> Melissa


I have refillable cartridges and I use everlast pigment ink from Coastal.


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## angelic_endeavor (Sep 19, 2007)

badalou said:


> I have refillable cartridges and I use everlast pigment ink from Coastal.


Can you share where you got the refillable cartridges? This is the route I am also looking to go -- don't do enough volume for CIS and don't want to deal with clogging problems because it's not being used everyday. There are a lot of sites with refillable cartridges, and don't know which one to choose. I was also thinking of going with PRE-FILLED cartridges, b/c it looks so complicated to setup for the first time.

Any particular reason you went with Coastal's Everlast ink instead of Magic Mix or heat transfer ink from inksupply.com?

As always, thank you, Lou!
Melissa


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## angelic_endeavor (Sep 19, 2007)

lnfortun said:


> Another thing you can try is use CMYK palette instead of RGB for your color in the application program if you are not doing it already.


OK, guess it's time to "fess up". I don't use the big brand name software. I use a combination of Macromedia Fireworks MX, different programs for text like PrintMaster, and then assemble them using PowerPoint since it's easy to layer and reposition. Don't know how I would go about using CMYK pallette with the backward way I am doing my designs... But thanks for the advice. Someday I'll invest in a good program, but I'm afraid the learning curve will be a little steep!

Melissa


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## angelic_endeavor (Sep 19, 2007)

lnfortun said:


> Not sure how much adjustments you have tried. Here is the color settings for Durabrite ink that was posted in a yahoo group:
> 
> 
> -15 Yellow
> ...


Yes, I've used that setting quite a few times, especially when doing photos, which came out very yellow before the adjustment. However, when I tried that when doing the gray text, the printed version came out purple. I actually used -20 yellow, +5 cyan, +5 magenta.

Quite honestly I think it's ridiculous to waste that time sitting and adjusting the colors, let alone wasting sheets of JPSS trying to get the color right, and then see it change after pressing.  With Durabrite ink it's DEFINITELY NOT "What you see is what you get", and for what I'm paying for that tiny bit of ink in the OEM cartridges, it's just not worth it. It's always a surprise what color you're gonna get after pressing, and I just don't have the time or the money to waste! Quite frankly, I'd rather invest a few more bucks into pigment inks that will be able to withstand the heat, and do it right than sit there and adjust each time. Especially since the work I'm doing is mostly one-offs.

I just don't want to waste MORE money and time buying 3rd party ink and refillable cartridges that also won't perform to my satisfaction. That's why I was looking to see what others on the Forum are using. Hopefully others besides Lou will chime in before I make yet another mistake! LOL

I'm gonna try to download the photos from my digital camera so you can see what I mean about the gray --> green color shift... Funny, it just dawned on me that the shirt that I did that went back to being gray in a few days was 100% cotton, and the sweatshirts that DID NOT return to being gray were 50/50 -- wonder if that has something to do with it... hmmm...

Thanks again,
Melissa


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## ashamutt (Feb 22, 2008)

Here is a post to up date this thread....

Thanks to melissa/angelic_endeavor vbmenu_register("postmenu_210411", true); , i am now buying my carts and inks form inkjetcarts.us!!
(talk to Ross, he will give you a great deal)
She says that she loves this stuff and now has no color change problems!!
YEAH MELISSA!!!!!!
Cant wait to get mine!!
No more durabrite for me either!!!!!

CHECK THIS THREAD OUT PEOPLE... GOOD STUFF!!!.......

Here is a LINK that kelly/Girlzndollz gave me to a great thread ...(thanks kelly!)
.....it addresses the black/olive situation: Durabrite vs. Inksupply.com HT ink -- Durabrite, You're Fired!


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## momtaz (Aug 26, 2008)

Hey Melissa

As you said that the printing came out purple after adjusting yout color settings to -20 Y, +5 M, +5 C.. may be thats because you have increased the Cyan and Magenta sliders, Did any one tried to decrease the yellow color only without missing with other colors?

I face this problem last time I printed a shirt It had some gray color on it and it turned to phosphoric gray , and there was some yellow too in the design which came out so bright and glowing, the customer didnt notice that but of course I did, Im guess Im going to miss with the Yellow color abit and will see what im gonna come out with..

And Melissa I guess you useing more than a software to make your design is not the good way to run a business as color profiles changes from a software to another, guess its time for a little pit of knowledge 

thank you for the usefull topic


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