# Quick Question: Can you print on to normal photo paper with sublimation inks?



## jay2k6ie (Apr 12, 2012)

Hi,

General question from a newbie.. I have an Epson 4880 using artanium sublimation inks and I'm wondering can I print on to regular paper or photo paper? If not why?

I was hoping I could save money on expensive sublimation film by running daily nozzle checks and design tests on regular paper or photo paper fed from the tray.

I'm guessing they wont work as well as regular inks on paper but if its not damaging to the machine it may be worth doing for testing..

Many Thanks


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## lben (Jun 3, 2008)

The paper is the cheapest part of sublimation. It's the ink that will kill you. When I do my "keep the print head open" prints I open my CorelDRAW and import a colorful photo, then shrink it down to about 2x2 and print on regular paper. It wastes the ink, but having to replace a printer is much more costly. I'm not sure what wastes more ink, the nozzle checks or just printing a small picture.


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## jay2k6ie (Apr 12, 2012)

The particular film we are using isnt normal sublimation paper unfortunately, its a very specialized metallic film so its quite a bit more expensive thats why I was wondering about tests on regular paper..


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## lben (Jun 3, 2008)

Are you printing on "Mates" adhesive paper?


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## jay2k6ie (Apr 12, 2012)

lben said:


> Are you printing on "Mates" adhesive paper?


No we are printing on a metalized film with artanium inks.. Really bloody expensive film at that..


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## lben (Jun 3, 2008)

Sorry to hear your paper is so expensive. But yes you can save a bundle then by printing on just plain old paper. You don't even have to use a new sheet each time. Just put the paper in the printer in a different direction. That way the only thing you are wasting is that painfully expensive ink. Of course if you have a wide format printer you're probably already getting your ink in bulk.


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## jay2k6ie (Apr 12, 2012)

lben said:


> Sorry to hear your paper is so expensive. But yes you can save a bundle then by printing on just plain old paper. You don't even have to use a new sheet each time. Just put the paper in the printer in a different direction. That way the only thing you are wasting is that painfully expensive ink. Of course if you have a wide format printer you're probably already getting your ink in bulk.


Great thanks Iben!


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## JimboG (Jan 13, 2008)

lben said:


> Sorry to hear your paper is so expensive. But yes you can save a bundle then by printing on just plain old paper. You don't even have to use a new sheet each time. Just put the paper in the printer in a different direction. That way the only thing you are wasting is that painfully expensive ink. Of course if you have a wide format printer you're probably already getting your ink in bulk.


We also just use plain paper to keep the head clean and just keep flipping and rotating the sheet in order to save money.


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## lben (Jun 3, 2008)

I'm glad I'm not the only tightwad around here who guards every cent. Why waste a new sheet when you have top & bottom, front & back to print on? I just wish they made an ink that didn't destroy print heads by drying on them.


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## Fenrir (Mar 13, 2012)

Can't you just print a nozzle check? This way you also make sure you run every single jet in the printer and not just the ones it uses for whatever print setting you have picked. Remember, if you pick plain paper mode it only uses part of the printhead, and according to some ink refill companies, it only uses basic CMYK and not the extended colors.


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## lben (Jun 3, 2008)

I suppose I could just do a nozzle check but it wouldn't be as nice to look at. Maybe I should just switch to nozzle checks. My 1100 does it's own nozzle checks as long as it's turned on anyhow.


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## Conde_David (May 29, 2008)

What are you transferring to?
Are you doing 3d sublimation?


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