Canon i860: getting started

[PenguinLust]

I'm a little surprised that there aren't any comprehensive howtos on how to get into this racket, so I'm going to need to ask a few things. I have an i860 and my cartridges are BCI. I never know what OEM means, since it seems to change w/the context, but all my cartridges have "Canon" on them.

• Where do I get the ink? If I Google it, I just get hits on cartridges.
• What's a good technique for making the hole and plugging it? I've seen a few, but it's not obvious which is recommended.
• Where do I get the syringe? There's a reason these things are hard to get, and I don't have any dirty needles.
• How do I prevent cross-contamination? The reason I'm here is that I have 3 better-than-half-full colour cartridges that have turned dark on me. So a 0.05$ solution to the immediate problem is refill, but I'd rather have to never have this problem again.

 

[ghwellsjr]

OEM means Original Equipment Manufacturer. When we are talking about ink cartridges, it means the expensive ones made by Canon. Other brands may also say Canon on them but the originals look like this:

If the .ca in your email address means you are in Canada, then your best supplier is Precision Colors:
http://cgi.ebay.com/12-oz-Refill-Ki.../200402233564?pt=BI_Toner&hash=item2ea8e768dc
I recommend using the German refill method which is much easier to do and doesn't require an absolute air-tight plug but it does require a 2-inch needle. You should find out if you can get the longer needle.

If you have cartridges that have been contaminated then you should flush the ink from them and purge them before refilling.

 

[Redbrickman]

I don't want to hijack the thread, but want to chime in with a related question.

Is it OK to refill Canon OEM's with Good quality ink without flushing them first?

They have been sitting for months and I'm sure the sponges are dry.

PenguinLust I think the confusion with OEM comes from the early days of PC's when OEM actually referred to "Other Equipment Manufacturers" in other words a vanilla PC built with a licensed copy of Bill's OS

 

[The Hat]

Redbrickman Is it OK to refill Canon OEM's with Good quality ink without flushing them first?
They have been sitting for months and I'm sure the sponges are dry.

There shouldnt be a problem just filling the OEM cartridges with the good quality inks.
Dye ink tends to dry out very slowly anyway, so just go for it..

 

[ghwellsjr]

I don't want to hijack the thread, but want to chime in with a related question.

Is it OK to refill Canon OEM's with Good quality ink without flushing them first?

They have been sitting for months and I'm sure the sponges are dry.

PenguinLust I think the confusion with OEM comes from the early days of PC's when OEM actually referred to "Other Equipment Manufacturers" in other words a vanilla PC built with a licensed copy of Bill's OS

I just answered that question on this thread.

 

[PenguinLust]

Hmm... how did my e-mail address get there? I thought I had it hidden
Well, I guess, then, that what I have is OEM. If you don't believe me, here's a snap of a new one, ready to be opened.

Excellent! Not only do they provide the inks, but they also provide the syringe and caps. The only thing I need to know now is how to prevent future cross contamination.

 

[ghwellsjr]

Usually you won't have a problem with cross contamination if you use Canon OEM cartridges like you have and if you use the German method (so that you don't have to worry about an air tight seal on the refill hole) and if you print at least once a week. You should always do a nozzle check at least once a week anyway, just to make sure you don't have any nozzle problems.

 

[PenguinLust]

Well, that's the problem: I am using OEM (that is a pic of an OEM up there, right?) that haven't been refilled. Now maybe the problem is that I wasn't using the printer enough. So what should I do when I'm not using the printer for what turns into months? I imagine the answer has something to do w/some baseline printing.
I'm not sure I understand the German method. Is this it? Why is there no talk about sealing the refill hole?
Last question: how should I flush the cartridge if I'm using the German method? This seems to be a popular method, but that's for a cartridge that has a large refill hole, and not one that the German method makes.

 

[ghwellsjr]

Just do a nozzle check once a week to keep make sure your printer has no problems, including cross contamination and clogged nozzles.

Yes, your link describes the German method. Many people don't seal the German refill hole but I recommend putting a piece of tape over it, especially if you are not going to be printing very much because the ink will dry out if you don't. You don't need a perfect seal like you do when you top fill a cartridge. I explain all this on post #41 of your link to the German method.

You can still flush a cartridge using the German method by filling the reservoir with water and then draining it. It just takes a little longer.