Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 25

Thread: Inkjet printers

  1. #1
    Senior Member

    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Melbourne, NE.
    Age
    55
    Posts
    2,693
    Thanks
    391
    Thanked 555 Times in 383 Posts
    Rep Power
    438
    Reputation
    7898

    Default Inkjet printers

    Our 5yo canon MG5660 is giving us a print head error 1403 so time to replace it, i don't see any printers with decent size individual tanks anymore at least not in the sub $100 range.
    With teenage kids at school i prefer decent size tanks that can be bought in a generic replacement and in individual tanks, always preferred Canons but should i be looking at other brands as well ?



Look Here ->
  • #2
    Senior Member
    Johnno's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    The Dark Side of the Moon
    Posts
    1,240
    Thanks
    1,594
    Thanked 2,226 Times in 580 Posts
    Rep Power
    1129
    Reputation
    44531

    Default

    I'm a Brother Laser Printer fanboy.. I have a few, Prefer the MFC range.. After the warranty period I end up using the cheaper compatible/generic toner cartridges which are half priced and produce good quality prints.

    I've been down the Ink Jet path with the Ink Tanks.. (I don't Like) I only purchase Laser nowadays /reliability

  • The Following User Says Thank You to Johnno For This Useful Post:

    gulliver (06-09-20)

  • #3
    Premium Member

    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    3,688
    Thanks
    1,938
    Thanked 2,104 Times in 1,050 Posts
    Rep Power
    967
    Reputation
    32468

    Default

    Run an Epsom Worforce WF 3640 for work and the family with Rihac ink tanks. Don't particularly recommend Epsoms as their print heads clog and you are always cleaning them, but the ink tanks pay for themselves in one purchase as they come full, approx $100. Have filled the tanks 4 times in 5 years. If you want to go down this track best you ring the ink tank suppliers and get them to recommend a printer that bests suites the tanks
    Nearly forgot to mention that the printer is 5 years old as well, recently had to update the print heads for the tank and something in the back of the printer which collects the spent ink, is going the best it has ! approx cost $90. A new unit evidently would not allow the soft ware to accept the tank feed
    Last edited by allover; 05-09-20 at 07:10 PM.
    There is a fine line between "Hobby" and "Madness"

  • #4
    Senior Member

    Join Date
    May 2018
    Posts
    2,251
    Thanks
    527
    Thanked 1,857 Times in 894 Posts
    Rep Power
    880
    Reputation
    36714

    Default

    I have had a lot more to do with Inkjet printers than most sane people. When you buy paper by the pallet and Ink in liter bottles only because they don't supply it in 5L bottles, you get to know a few things. I have had well over 100 inkers now.

    I had the bulk ink tanks and found them to be great for doing a LOT of printing. The tanks hold about 120 Ml of ink per colour, the regular cartridges hold about 8 Ml and you don't get all of it.
    These days I just buy some of the generic Carts for whatever printer I have then refil them as I only need to print around 500 A4's on average now not 1000 prints a day.

    Canon carts are easy to Modify to refill. Put the orange cap on the bottom of the cart so the ink can't run out. You rub your finger along the top lable toward the front of the cart and you will feel a depression. Cut the label and you will see a plastic ball . Get a sharp screw or an awl, Screw it into the ball and pull it out. There is a nice neat hole there. Get a syringe, fill it with the bulk ink ( available in 100, 250, 500 and 1L bottles) and fill the cart. DO NOT over fill. Put the plastic ball back in and you are ready to go. Takes 2 min if you do it slow. IF you get carts that Don't have the ball, ( some are filled through the ink outlet) just drill a 5 MM hole in the to of the cart and use a plug. at a Pinch you can cap the hole with blu Tack but the silicone plugs are much easier.

    You can also get 3mm Silicone Plugs from Rihac for the job which seal very well. ( )

    Once you have done the mod all you have to do is put the protective cap on to stop the ink running out when the plug is removed, pull out the plug, refil the ink, plug back in and you are ready to go.
    You can also get refillable carts but Much cheaper to modify cheap Carts. ( )

    I just bought a couple of TS5060's. I think they will be the last machines that you can refill the carts in. I have a couple of 80 series and they use an ink counter on the cart that even if refilled, is cancelled out. use the ink, refil, get half way through and the printer throws a fault code no matter how much ink in them. The Replacement Ink companies so far have not come up with a re settable cart I have found. The carts the '60s Use can be refilled over and over.

    One thing I will spell out to everyone regarding the complete and utter Bullshit the printer companies push endlessly, using Non OEM carts will NOT screw your printer.

    I have used loads of them and never had a problem. I print high end photos and I am surprised at the quality of all the inks I have tried. Generally I use ink in them for printing forms and Brochures then refil them when empty BUT, they are fine for photos. The colour balance may be a bit different which you can re calibrate for but I am YET to have a problem with the ink.

    The printer cos make far more from ink than anything else so naturally they will push the idea that any other ink will ruing the printer.
    in my case, I say so Fking what? The printers I just bought cost $79. The ink replacement OEM carts are $120. If I had to buy more ink I'm better off buying a new printer.
    I usually pull the oem ink out and sell it on dumbtree for what I paid for the printers so they are effectively free.

    Something else the printer cos don't tell you...
    The printers are software limited in the amount of prints they will do. My guess is around 3-4000 Pages. That's about where mine normally stop functioning. After that they will throw an error code which is usually to change the ink absorber pad. The thing can be completely dry but the printer counts the pages printed and then when it hits the number, the printer is shut down. To change the absorber pad means pulling the machine apart and is far more exy than buying a new one. You can do it with software but I have never been able to get the software to work. For the $80 or less I pay for printers, I just throw them out and drag out the next one or go buy another 4 and carry on. I can burn printer in one job so to me they are just just a consumable.

    Rihac do the bulk ink and bulk tanks. I used them for many years but I now use a company in Sydney Called MIR-Aus. ( ) I have found them to be cheaper, their Tech is the nicest, most helpful and knowledgeable guy you will ever find and they are just a good co to deal with. Rihac are fine but can be a bit pricey and I did get a few problems with incorrect orders which I will say they corrected fast as possible and at no charge.

    I buy an amount of the cheapest carts I can find for the printer off ebay, usualy 5-10 sets and then just drill them and put the plugs in the things to refil them. I wait till I have a bunch of empty carts then refill them 4-9 carts at a time in each colour and then I can just swap them as they empty while I am printing and then do a batch refil at the end or beginning of the next printing session. For home use one could buy 5 sets and not have to refill for months.

    Years ago when I changed to the " dodgy" ink as I affectionately call it now, OEM ink was costing me a tad over $1 per A4 Print. Even now, close as I can calculate it, the bulk ink costs me bet1 and 2 cents per print. In other words, it's just not a consideration. I still buy the litre bottles and I estimate each liter is worth about 5000 prints per colour. Depends what you print, I go through a fair bit more Cyan or magenta depending on what I'm doing, Yellow is the least I use. For home use, 100ml bottles are around 10-12 refils per cart.

    I have used canon printers for years, like 20+ I did try a fairly pricey Hi end Epsom a few years back and hated the thing. I -think- the print quality may have been a hair better than the canons but that's only a Maybe with me using the most critical eye possible, but every other Goddamn thing about it drove me nuts. Took forever to do it's boot up cycles and sounded like someone threw bricks in a cement mixer. I hated the printing software and found the thing an absolute bitch to colour calibrate either by eye or by the top of the line calibration machine I have. Couple of mates have similar dislikes to mins and while the canons are not perfect, for my proclivities are definitely the preferred choice.

    I find the Bulk ink much better than the OEM.
    OEM has screaming bright Colours that are often NOT life like. I find the dodgy ink is much more true to life and calibrates far closer to actual. I have found no difference in colour fastness in my own ( put prints out in the sun till the paper breaks down in the weather ) and is in no way a lesser product than OEM.

    Refill ink just takes ink costs from Cringe worth to couldn't give a Fu.... Hoot.

  • #5
    Premium Member
    wotnot's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2019
    Location
    Scenic Rim, SE Qld
    Posts
    3,222
    Thanks
    1,460
    Thanked 2,927 Times in 1,508 Posts
    Rep Power
    1332
    Reputation
    58550

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by loanrangiel View Post
    With teenage kids at school...
    ..you get them to use the school printer. Zero cost of ownership, no maintenance/refilling, and most schools have industrial grade printers with better specs/print quality than you can buy domestically.

  • The Following User Says Thank You to wotnot For This Useful Post:

    lsemmens (13-09-20)

  • #6
    Premium Member
    gulliver's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Sydney
    Age
    78
    Posts
    1,183
    Thanks
    10,859
    Thanked 341 Times in 234 Posts
    Rep Power
    337
    Reputation
    5032

    Default

    My HP 3632 inkjet wont accept generic ink,only originals.
    Is there a way around itThanks in advance.

  • #7
    Senior Member
    Johnno's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    The Dark Side of the Moon
    Posts
    1,240
    Thanks
    1,594
    Thanked 2,226 Times in 580 Posts
    Rep Power
    1129
    Reputation
    44531

    Default

    @gulliver, Try: restoring the printer back to factory defaults. Or watch the Link.

    Control panel
    Setup
    Tools
    Restore factory defaults
    click yes..


  • The Following User Says Thank You to Johnno For This Useful Post:

    gulliver (07-09-20)

  • #8
    Senior Member
    Johnno's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    The Dark Side of the Moon
    Posts
    1,240
    Thanks
    1,594
    Thanked 2,226 Times in 580 Posts
    Rep Power
    1129
    Reputation
    44531

    Default

    If the above info don't work for ya... Let me know, I'm speaking to a HP printer tech later in the week.

  • #9
    Premium Member
    gulliver's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Sydney
    Age
    78
    Posts
    1,183
    Thanks
    10,859
    Thanked 341 Times in 234 Posts
    Rep Power
    337
    Reputation
    5032

    Default

    Thanks.I have to buy some ink this week and let you know how it went.

  • The Following User Says Thank You to gulliver For This Useful Post:

    Johnno (08-09-20)

  • #10
    Senior Member

    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Melbourne, NE.
    Age
    55
    Posts
    2,693
    Thanks
    391
    Thanked 555 Times in 383 Posts
    Rep Power
    438
    Reputation
    7898

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by wotnot View Post
    ..you get them to use the school printer. Zero cost of ownership, no maintenance/refilling, and most schools have industrial grade printers with better specs/print quality than you can buy domestically.
    Doesn't work for home schooling as it is now in lock down.

  • #11
    Premium Member
    wotnot's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2019
    Location
    Scenic Rim, SE Qld
    Posts
    3,222
    Thanks
    1,460
    Thanked 2,927 Times in 1,508 Posts
    Rep Power
    1332
    Reputation
    58550

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by loanrangiel View Post
    Doesn't work for home schooling as it is now in lock down.
    Ahh, fair point (I'm in Qld), but overall it makes sense to use the school's printer.

    *Anything* that can be sent to a printer to render into hardcopy, can easily be submitted as an attachment to email ~ the actual *need* to produce a hardcopy at all, is somewhat polemical at best (there will always be exceptions) ; we do live in the 'digital' age after all, not last century's era of pen&paper =) Then you have to consider most of these hardcopies, are going to end up in the waste paper basket -anyway-, so you're paying for a machine, paper, inks etc etc, to produce something 'pretty'...to throw into the bin. Seems like a pointless waste of money for mine.... just saying.

    I realize this doesn't speak to your current needs/situation, but let's imagine we're talking about a 'typical' school year. If you want to, you can quantify exactly how many -pages- per pupil per year actually need to be printed ; IMHO it's never enough to justify the cost of owning/maintaining a printer, especially when the school's printer is available. I taught my nieces the parlay.... create the document on your computer, send the file 'to yourself' via email using their school provided email account, get to school and access your email, print the file ---> welcome to the digital age. Whether or not the school charges a flatrate per printed page or not is variable, but even if they do it's invariably still cheaper than buying/owning your own printer - it is what it is.

    Personally speaking, I think creation of the document/file is enough.

  • #12
    Senior Member
    Johnno's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    The Dark Side of the Moon
    Posts
    1,240
    Thanks
    1,594
    Thanked 2,226 Times in 580 Posts
    Rep Power
    1129
    Reputation
    44531

    Default

    Printer sales are doing pretty well in Victoria. Most people in Melbourne are working from home. I know it's the Digital age, but some people, businesses & companies take their time to change.

    Both my missus & step daughter are working from home and print shit for work continuously, much easier if they just stored it on their laptop/tablet and emailed.. But No.. they need a printed hard copy. No saving the planet with them... lol

  • #13
    Senior Member

    Join Date
    May 2018
    Posts
    2,251
    Thanks
    527
    Thanked 1,857 Times in 894 Posts
    Rep Power
    880
    Reputation
    36714

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by wotnot View Post
    If you want to, you can quantify exactly how many -pages- per pupil per year actually need to be printed ; IMHO it's never enough to justify the cost of owning/maintaining a printer,
    Geez, How much do you think having a printer costs??
    You can buy them for $39 at bigw or orifice works and if you use non OEM ink, it's a fraction of the price and certainly good enough for printing school projects. If you got 3 years out the thing, you'd be lucky to have spent $20 a year on it. I can't Budget that tight for a start.

    especially when the school's printer is available. I taught my nieces the parlay.... create the document on your computer, send the file 'to yourself' via email using their school provided email account, get to school and access your email, print the file --->
    Wait to get back to school, go to the office/ Libary, wait for them to get it, hope it printed formatted right, finish whatever you were doing with it or take it wherever you had to......

    Or you could just have a printer, press print and do away with all the fking around.

    I have a printer set up with wifi we just use for domestic purposes. Has a photocopier function which is handy as well. No, we don't exactly use it every day but it's handy enough to justify it's non issue cost for me.

    Thankfully I'm not that poor that owning a printer and putting ink in the thing is a significant enough cost I have to worry about.

  • #14
    Senior Member
    LeroyPatrol's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    N.E. Vic
    Posts
    16,229
    Thanks
    3,528
    Thanked 4,710 Times in 2,797 Posts
    Rep Power
    1669
    Reputation
    46551

    Default

    I bought an Epson WF2830. I think it was $130. Print quality is very nice. I don't print heaps but kids doing school at home kinda prompted decision. You can buy bigger tank cartridges but they aren't that cheap really.

  • #15
    Senior Member
    Johnno's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    The Dark Side of the Moon
    Posts
    1,240
    Thanks
    1,594
    Thanked 2,226 Times in 580 Posts
    Rep Power
    1129
    Reputation
    44531

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by loanrangiel View Post
    Our 5yo canon MG5660 is giving us a print head error 1403 so time to replace it, i don't see any printers with decent size individual tanks anymore at least not in the sub $100 range.
    With teenage kids at school i prefer decent size tanks that can be bought in a generic replacement and in individual tanks, always preferred Canons but should i be looking at other brands as well ?
    Hey loanrangiel,
    I spoke to a Canon printer tech today and I mentioned your fault with the MG5660.. He sent me these links below.. He also said that there was a class action lawsuit brought against Canon in 2015 on this matter.
    Print head error 1403..





    Hope it helps..

  • The Following User Says Thank You to Johnno For This Useful Post:

    loanrangiel (08-09-20)

  • #16
    Senior Member
    Johnno's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    The Dark Side of the Moon
    Posts
    1,240
    Thanks
    1,594
    Thanked 2,226 Times in 580 Posts
    Rep Power
    1129
    Reputation
    44531

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by LeroyPatrol View Post
    I bought an Epson WF2830. I think it was $130. Print quality is very nice. I don't print heaps but kids doing school at home kinda prompted decision. You can buy bigger tank cartridges but they aren't that cheap really.

    My supplier sells the Compatible/Generic Extra Large Cartridges for the Epson WF2830 for $25 Black & $14.50 each for the colors.

  • #17
    Senior Member

    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Melbourne, NE.
    Age
    55
    Posts
    2,693
    Thanks
    391
    Thanked 555 Times in 383 Posts
    Rep Power
    438
    Reputation
    7898

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Johnno View Post
    Hey loanrangiel,
    I spoke to a Canon printer tech today and I mentioned your fault with the MG5660.. He sent me these links below.. He also said that there was a class action lawsuit brought against Canon in 2015 on this matter.
    Print head error 1403..





    Hope it helps..
    I was getting hassled by the rest of the family so bought a canon TS3160, $49 plus $5 delivery from JB. I will see if i can fix the MG as its a good printer and i have plenty of ink.

  • #18
    Premium Member
    gulliver's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Sydney
    Age
    78
    Posts
    1,183
    Thanks
    10,859
    Thanked 341 Times in 234 Posts
    Rep Power
    337
    Reputation
    5032

    Default

    Once I was short of cash and my daughter needed the printer for school so I bought a HP printer from office works,took the cartridges out and took the printer to the salvos. Still under warranty,only needs ink. It was cheaper then just buying ink.

  • The Following User Says Thank You to gulliver For This Useful Post:

    loanrangiel (09-09-20)

  • #19
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2020
    Posts
    3
    Thanks
    1
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Rep Power
    0
    Reputation
    10

    Post Unable to select draft quality on Canon Pixma TS6260 inkjet printer

    We have a Pixma TS6260 inkjet printer, and I can't select draft quality on the slider on the print menu? We have previously had a Pixma, and there wasn't a problem selecting this.
    Can anyone advise me on this - am I doing something wrong? It doesn't matter if I have the paper on Plain paper or photo.

  • #20
    Senior Member
    Johnno's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    The Dark Side of the Moon
    Posts
    1,240
    Thanks
    1,594
    Thanked 2,226 Times in 580 Posts
    Rep Power
    1129
    Reputation
    44531

    Default

    Is it greyed out Or is it just not there ?

    Check that you have the latest firmware...

    Some info I had stored on this issue.

    Go to SYSTEM PREFERENCES, then PRINT AND SCAN.
    Click on the minus button to remove the current listing for your printer.
    Check for the current printer driver
    Reset printer configuration

    Not sure if this helps..
    Last edited by Johnno; 19-09-20 at 04:01 PM.

  • Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

    Bookmarks

    Posting Permissions

    • You may not post new threads
    • You may not post replies
    • You may not post attachments
    • You may not edit your posts
    •