Printing canvas on 3880- went well!

After pouring through the archives and learning everything I can about techniques (overwhelming!) I decided to go for it today and start printing canvas on my Epson 3880.

Previous tests on 8.5x11 with various leaders and backing were getting frustrating so I was hoping to figure out the technique for feeding the sheet alone through back feeder. From everything I read and watched, it looked like standing behind the printer while feeding was going to be the key to making this work.

Purpose was to create 13x19 gallery wraps, so I was printing 17x24 sheets cut from a roll. I used a rotary cutter and was able to get nice square edges. Canvas is Hahnemühle Monet and I'm printing from Lightroom (only giving the print command after loading a piece of canvas of course).

Standing behind the printer, I placed the leading edge of the canvas into the rear single sheet feeder. Once I got close to the point where it starts to grab and pull the sheet in, I spread all my fingers across the canvas and pushed as close to the rollers as possible with even pressure. After a couple try's, I got a feeling for timing the pause when it is about to pull the sheet and then applied stronger pressure at the moment it began pulling. The key seems to be if strong pressure is on the canvas at that first instant it starts to pull, it will grab without a problem. First attempts took maybe 3 tries before getting an acceptable feed (either didn't grab or "skewed" error on display), but by second and third canvas printed I got it down and pretty much get a good feed every time now.

Not sure if the larger canvas made the difference (more rollers grabbing?) or if the stiffer Monet is the key, but sure happy to be getting canvas prints without a hassle. And of course the prints from this printer on the canvas are stunning!

Hope someone finds this helpful.

Did you cut the entire roll or just the sheets you needed? I am curious how flat the sheets turned out, especially at the end of the roll. I just cut a 17" roll of Breathing Color Lyve into 25" pieces. I cut the entire roll then stacked the sheets and put weight on them to flatten them for few days. They had some curl on the edges at first but seemed to have flattened out pretty good. I fed a few in to test the feed but haven't actually printed one yet. I think they are going to be fine.

Also, on 13 x 19 sheets, I put a 13 x 19 piece of cheap photo paper behind the canvas, no tape just held it together with thumbs and fingers, and it fed in great. I have printed several of those using that method. I use the same sheet over and over. I am going to try it with the 17 x 25 sheets as well. I had to open the platen gap one notch to prevent head strike.

I would like to see that canvas. What are you coating with? Have you tried the Lyve? If not, want to swap a sheet?

Just cut the sheets I needed. With this all cotton canvas it does not seem to be a problem, the sheets laid flat right off the roll- and it is a 3" spool for what that is worth. I fed them directly after cutting.
I actually had ordered the Lyve first last week, but they messed up the order and it never shipped so I just walked over to Adorama and got a roll of the Monet. Was not impressed with the Breathing Color bunch so have given up on them at this point and will stick with the local guys since I am in New York.
I have some Hahnemühle Masters Varnish that I picked up along with the easy wrappe frames that I am planning to mount with tomorrow so will see how it goes.

I have had nothing but good experience with BC, and I like the Lyve a lot. The roll I just cut up had what I described as a scar in the middle of the roll. It went across the 17" dimension. It cost me one 17 x 25 sheet. I called them and they made a note on my account to price whatever I order next at the next quantity bracket. It will more than pay for the approx $5 piece of canvas I lost.

Curious to know if you see any shrinkage on the long dimension with that canvas and coating. I have to print a little long with my 3880 on the Lyve to offset the shrinkage. I am using the Timeless coating.

Would you share which rotary cutter you used to cut it? I tried a couple with mixed success. I ended up with a big safety straight edge and a razor blade. Would love to use a rotary cutter.

I got the Rotatrim M24 based on some reviews here that the cheaper cutters had trouble with canvas. Yes, I have read good reports on BC and maybe will give them another try at some point. Adorama happens to be a short walk from my office in NYC so it is pretty handy to just pick up what I need when I need it.
Will let you know what happens shrink wise- I just laid down the Hahnemühle Masters Varnish and am impressed with how smoothly/evenly it went on. I was thinking this was going to be the tricky part but it was really easy with a roller. I don't see a single streak or roller mark.

What profile did you use?

Yeah, I have no problem rolling the coating on streak free. The tricky part for me was figuring out how to line up the image on the stretcher bars.

Good to hear about the Rotatrim as that is one that I wasn't able to try. I have already been looking at getting one for paper. The fact that it will do canvas will pretty much seal the deal.

carshop wrote in post #13084760
What profile did you use?

They have a profile for the 3880 on the website.

haroldwilson wrote in post #13084860
They have a profile for the 3880 on the website.

I know, they have a few, just asking which one you used.

carshop wrote in post #13085057
I know, they have a few, just asking which one you used.

Ah. I didn't print on the Monet, so haven't used any of them. Odd that they have more than one profile for 3880 though.

Exhibition Canvas Matte
SP3880 Exhibition Canvas Matte v1 ?

Carshop,
I'm confused? Not odd for me. Stuart was talking about Hahnemuhle Monet canvas and I was talking about Breathing Color Lyve. Are you talking about Epson canvas?

haroldwilson wrote in post #13085340
Carshop,
I'm confused? Not odd for me. Stuart was talking about Hahnemuhle Monet canvas and I was talking about Breathing Color Lyve. Are you talking about Epson canvas?

Not sure either, but if you are asking me what profile I used with the Hahnemuhle Monet canvas, it is the one on their site for MK ink.
Shrinkage over 24 inches seems to be about 1/8 inch after printing, then a total of 5/16 inch after two coats of varnish now mostly dry. The "satin" coating I used looks pretty good, maybe a little closer to matte than satin though but pretty much what I was after. Directions say to add more coats to build up more sheen, but I think I will stick with what I have. Can't wait to mount them with the Canvas Wrappe frames!

Sorry for the confusion, I was referring to the Epson ICC for canvas.
I realized you meant the specific canvas suppliers ICC

Cool. Post a pic if you can. I'm hoping to make my first 14 x 21 wrap in the next few days. I have been making 10 x 16 for a while on my R1900. Got a 3880 and made a few 10 x 16 on it. I now have all the components in place to make 14 x 21.