Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!wuarchive!brutus.cs.uiuc.edu!apple!ames!think!bloom-beacon!mit-eddie!mit-amt!mjkobb
From: mjkobb@mit-amt.MEDIA.MIT.EDU (Michael J Kobb)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: DeskWriter Questions
Summary: Ink doesn't smear too badly...
Keywords: Deskwriter ink
Message-ID: <520@mit-amt.MEDIA.MIT.EDU>
Date: 18 Aug 89 01:45:55 GMT
References: <158@runxtsa.runx.oz> <9358@venera.isi.edu>
Reply-To: mjkobb@media-lab.media.mit.edu (Michael J Kobb)
Organization: MIT Media Lab, Cambridge MA
Lines: 44

In article <9358@venera.isi.edu> jas@ISI.EDU (Jeff Sullivan) writes:
>In article <158@runxtsa.runx.oz> clubmac@runx.oz (Macintosh Users Group) writes:
>
>I've got a question too:  What do people think of the water-soluble
>ink used in the DW?  Is it easy to smear?  When will HP have a
>non-soluble ink?

I tried out the DeskWriter at the dealer, and one of the big things on my mind was
the soluability of the ink.  The salesperson claimed that the DW was using standard
laserprinter paper, although I'm not sure I trust him (he also claimed that the
CS Palacio font [Palatino] wasn't installed, and that the magnificent 72-point text
I was seeing was a scaled screen font.... :-))

First, a note on the way the DW prints: The printout comes out sliding along on top
of a pair of rails above the output bin.  When the page is finished printing, the
rails move aside and the page drops onto the stack in the bin.  I assume that this is
in order for the ink on the page below to dry before another sheet is dropped on top.

With this assumption in mind, I tried the _second-from top_ sheet on the output stack
with a dry finger.  No problem.  Nothing.  Then I dampened a finger and ran it over
text.  Very slight smear.  Then, a dampened finger over a solid rectangle.  Larger
smear (very noticeable).  Then a _really_ dampened finger and lots of pressure on
text.  BIG smear.

Okay, so I took the printouts home.  On the subway, that took about an hour.  Then,
I tried it all again.  This time, for text, it took a significant amount of both
moisture and pressure to induce text to smear, and much more than before to make the
rectangle smear.  Read: it dries more over time, and becomes difficult to smear.

NOW, the fix:  There are two, actually.  You can spray each sheet with a fixative
(from an art-supply store).  I haven't tried this, since I don't own one of the
printers.   It would be worth a shot, though...
Second:  In MacWeek's review of the DW, they say that HP is working on a non-soluable
ink for the printer, though they don't give any estimated dates.  The conjecture from
folks that I've talked to is that it should be a _real_ easy conversion, since both
the inkwell _and_ the printhead are replaced with each ink cartridge.  Therefore,
any changes that need to be made to the printhead won't be something you have to
take the printer to the dealer for.  It will be automatic when you change ink. :-)

--Mike

Disclaimer:  I hate disclaimers.  I think they're a sad statement about our society.
Nonetheless, nothing I say can or should be construed as having ever been said by
anyone.  Ever.