Self Confessed Sceptic!

[pete]

Hi all,

I am VERY keen to reduce my printing costs. I do ALOT of printing marketing my business, and have to date only used manufacturer cartridges.

I use a Canon ip5000 (now i do, got it 2 weeks ago, used to use epsons). I also use an Epson large format printer (I am a photographer).

Now....what about this refilling business? I have never even used a compatable cart, let alone refilled one of my own, but i bought a new black (3e) cart today, and payed $21 for it (australian). Sitting next to it was a refil kit for $7. Boy i was tempted. The main fear i have it stuffing the printer.

What do i need to know before i start refilling? Any vital parts of the process? Any ink manufactuers expecially good? What do i need to do to avoid needing a new printer? With my Canon, does the ink monitor automatically refill? Does the 3e cartidge need to be refilled with pigment ink?

Anyone care to convince me that i should buy refills?

Thankyou muchly for any help.

Pete.

 

[panos]

"Anyone care to convince me that i should buy refills?"

Since you have initial reservations, it would be pointless to convince you. Yes refilling can go wrong and create a mess.

You can buy non-OEM cartridges at less than 1/3 of the original cartridges. Thus you can reap the rewards of economy without laboring on the art of refilling. Search the web for your local supplier.

 

[Craig Ross]

Pete
G,day to a fellow aussie, you say you want to reduce printing costs to say refilling will save you money is an understatement I calculate an average canon cart to cost 85cents to refill. I also work in photographics so colour is reasonably important .Having said that there is a learning curve that needs to be negotiated for me about 12 months and this forum is a good starting place.but as a professional I,m sure you will do what needs to be done to achieve results.

 

[Craig Ross]

Whoa now I,m a guru I,ll have to reprint my business cards

 

[fotofreek]

I lifted the following quote from a post on a printer newsgroup I watch in addition to this forum -
"I use compatibles and bulk ink in my Canon iP5000, though not from Alotofthings as they won't export internationally. But they would be my first choice for inks as they are most trusted name. My iP5000 has the smallest nozzles of all printers made. So if there was any danger of my compatibles or bulk ink clogging the printhead then I have the
perfect printer to test them with. I have nothing to report other than I'm getting perfect nozzle checks and pictures.... I have zero fear because I've long been successfully using compatibles and or bulk ink for use in HP, Canon, Epson and Lexmark printers. I've done them all." from a Canadian named Taliesyn. He also mentioned that he was using ink that he had ordered from Australia. I emailed him this morning and asked him what his source was in OZ and if he was using or refilling the pigmented black cart or using dye based black instead. If he replies I will pass that info along. For refill techniques you should look at Neil Slade's site at www.neilslade.com/papers/inkjetstuff (search through for his refilling technique) and also look at the various web sites that sell inks. MIS has good instructions for refilling. This forum has great info on resealing carts after refilling. For really high volume printing you might ask on this forum about contiuous feed systems. I personally use MIS inks for refilling, and carts with Formulabs inks have a good reputation from what I've read on posts. Nifty is presently testing Wiredbeans carts which have Formlabs inks. No one, however, should try to convince you to try these products. Head clogs can happen with OEM and non-OEM inks and Neil's site that I mentioned has techniques for clearing them. Just educate yourself regarding printer maintenance and see what people report about their own use of third party inks and make up your own mind. I don't know what the ip5000 costs in OZ, but it is available here for $150 to $165 US. The retail price of OEM carts is $12, so three sets exceeds the cost of the printer. One set of refill non-OEM inks (2 oz each color) saves enough to buy another printer should yours fail, and you have a year warrantee, so to me it is a no-brainer.

 

[Nifty]

It's all about risk management. Pretty much anything you do has potential risk, but you need to determine if the potential return is worth the potential risk.

Anybody who isn't converted to refilling, or third party cartridges should go out and buy a Canon i560 or Pixma 3000 printer for $50 - $80 and try refilling or non-OEM cartridges... basically the price of two new sets of cartridges.

If everything goes as it should you'll see that you can save HUNDREDS of dollars and have the satisfaction of feeling good about printing whatever you want, when you want in color.

If things don't work out then you're only out $50 - $80.

If you have lots of money, and/or don't print in color very much then sticking with OEM may be the way to go. In all other cases refilling and/or third party cartridges is the way to go.

Of course, there are some problems that come up with refilling and/or third party cartridges, but they also come up with OEM cartridges... just remember, risk and return.

 

[fotofreek]

Rob - I can afford OEM carts, but there is also the pleasure of beating the system! I can't tell the difference between prints made with MIS refilled carts and OEM carts, so the quality of the image is equal and the cost is about 1/10th. I enjoy having my hand in the whole process - for the same reason that I did all my own car repairs for 30 years and tie my own flies for fly fishing. In a very abstract way it is akin to chopping your own wood and carrying your water when camping. I like more self reliance. OOPS - did I stumble into the "Philosophy of inkjet printing" forum???

 

[pete]

Thanks for all your replies.

I have just ordered a set of 8oz bottles for my Canon from MIS inks.... am going to give it a go. Will still be using OEM carts on my large format epson 4000, but they are much more economical anyway, as they hold 220mls each.

Ill let you know how i get on!

 

[Nifty]

fotofreek, excellent point, and one I wholeheartedly subscribe to. It is absolutely a great feeling to refill cartridges and "beat the system"

Another point is that refilling is less wasteful as you are using the same cartridge over and over, vs. putting a bunch of plastic cartridges into the landfill.

 

[laserman]

In my experience there are as many clogs caused by OEM as non OEM inks which raises the question - Is it the ink or is it the way that Inkjet printers work? I think it is the latter, inkjets operate in a way that is extremely demanding of printhead technology. Several non OEM ink vendors do disclose the ink they use.
No idea what this aftermarket club is but it sounds to me that you may be the one that is evangelical. Nevertheless I for one welcome your opinion.