Grandad's cleaning method for BCI-3eBK

[Nifty]

With my super old Canon bjc-1000 I could get some extra ink into the carts by injecting warm alcohol into the carts. I'm not sure why it worked, or if it was even a good idea, but it seemed to do the trick.

 

[Tin Ho]

Injecting alcohol into any ink cartridge has a negative impact to the usability of the cartridge. If there is too much alcohol in the ink, more than 2 - 3%, the ink already entering print head orifices will lose the alcohol content if the printer is idle for a few minutes. The result is a thickened ink in the orifices. You may get a clog as a result. Alcohol has the effect of reducing the ink's surface tension which helps the ink flow in the cartridge. But when it evaporates eventually the ink loses the help from the reduced surface tension. If there was an ink flow problem that was improved it will be right back as it was before adding the alcohol when the alcohol dries.

 

[on30trainman]

fotofreek,
Did you order the squeeze bottles with the needles - 0.5" I think and is that long enough? Seems the needles would be needed to get the ink into the refill hole. They look neat - loading the syringe and getting the ink into the cartridge is the source of most spills for me. These bottles would also remove the worry of tipping over open ink bottles. Price is very reasonable. What method of refilling? Put enough ink in to fill the sponge and then some more to fill the spongeless chamber to about 80%? If you use the needles, do you just recap with the plastic tip piece?

Edit: Just relooked at the Howard Electronics page and tip caps don't seem to come with the bottles. Correct?

Steve W.

 

[fotofreek]

Call the company and ask them to send the squeeze bottles with longer needles instead of the 1/2 inch ones. I think I got either 1 1/2 or 2 inch needles. I also asked them to include caps and they did at no charge. They sell the caps in bags of 100 as I recall, and they are really cheap. Unfortunately, the caps didn't fit the needles well but maybe the ones they send you will fit properly. Just be careful to not overtighten the luerlock needle hub into the cap as you can strip out the cap socket. I always check the needle to be sure it is securely connected before turning the bottle over to fill the cart. Nothing very scientific about filling the cart. I just inject slowly into the reservoir until the ink is a few millimeters from the top and seal it up. I then check to be sure it drips a bit by blowing lightly into the vent hole.

 

[Grandad35]

fotofreek,

I recently received a set of these bottles and two different types of caps:
1. Caps for the needle tips - the red caps on the bottom right. They fit so loosely that they fall off, and they will not provide the seal required to prevent ink from drying in the needle between refills. They are of no use unless there is a way to them with something and then drill out a hole that matches the needle.
2. Luerlock caps that replace the needle to seal the top of each bottle - the black caps on the top right (JG-TCBP). These seal tightly, but using them means that I will have to flush out the needles after each use. Unless I can fix the needle caps, this will be my approach.

 

[fotofreek]

Grandad - I had the same experience with the red caps being too large. You could use a piece of wire the same thickness as the needle, fill the cap with silicone caulk or a quick set epoxy, insert the wire (lubricated in the case you use epoxy), let it set, and pull the wire out. Voila - a custom fitted cap. OR - just put a little piece of tape over the needle tip at the end of a filling session. I discarded the black cap as I didn't want to be cleaning ANYTHING. Check with your friendly dentist, physician, or pharmacy as you may be able to pick up a few hypodermic syringe luer-lock needles that come with the protective cover that keeps them sterile prior to use. They snap onto the needle hub. I don't think you need an absolute seal. If something just covers the tip to minimize evaporation you will be ok. I also squeeze the container after use to run air in and out of the needle to clear out any ink left in the needle. The little residue that sticks to the inside of the needle may eventually start to clog the needle, but that would be simple to wash out when necessary.

 

[on30trainman]

fotofreek & Grandad,
Thanks for the replys about the items you got. I sent two emails to Howard Electronics before I got an answer back, but the answer I got wasn't what I had hoped for. I wanted to order the 2 oz bottles with 1.5" needles instead of 0.5" ones plus smaller quantities of the caps - ones for the bottles (JG-TCB) and ones for the needles (JG18SC). Their answer was - sorry, no can do - only sell in the quantities listed on our stock lists. Looks like I have to order the bottles (10), needles (50) and the JG-TCB caps (100). The needle caps (JG18SC) only come in a quantity of 1000 for $90. Wow - 50 needles and 100 caps - will never run out of those. Both of you don't seem too happy with the red needle caps you got, so I may forgo buying them and just wash out the needles each time I use them.

Steve W.

 

[fotofreek]

Any luerlock needle will work. If they won't sell you the size you want you can buy them from several vendors. I called Howard and spoke to a very helpful fellow who substituted the needles I wanted on the ten bottles at no additional charge. If you are in the US or Canada give it a try.

 

[on30trainman]

fotofreek,
I tried asking them in several emails about substituting the 1.5" needle for the supplied 0.5" needle, but couldn't convince them even when I said I knew someone that they had done it for . What I ended up doing was ordering the bottles and caps without any needles and ordered a package (50) of the 1.5" needles plus a package of caps for the bottles. Much more than I will ever need but actually it was only a few $ more to get what I wanted. Probably will use the bottle caps to seal the bottles between uses even if I can come up with a needle cap. Don't think it will be much trouble to clean out the needles between uses. Looking forward to receiving the stuff - I have a set of the newer Hobbicolor UW8 inks that I am ready to give a try. Saw Inky's post about his experience, and trouble, with the UW8 inks - hope they work OK for me.

Steve W.

 

[fotofreek]

Steve - just sqeezing the upright bottle a few times with tissue over the end of the needle seems to put enough air through the needle to adequately clean it in a practical sense. I've used these bottles athis way for about eight sets of carts and had no problems with them. The greatest benefit is speeding up the process by reducing the number of items you have to handle from opening a container, using a syringe to withdraw ink, replacing excess ink into the container, capping the container, taking the syringe apart to clean, and cleaning up whatever little drips you may have created. I can do refilling at my desk with just a scrap of old newspaper on it. Remove the cap from the squeeze bottle, refill, squeeze the bottle a few times to run air through the needle, and recap. Throw the newspaper and a piece of tissue away that was used to wipe the top of the carts and the outside of the needles and I'm done. Try to work out a cap so you don't have to remove and clean the needle or use the additional cap that fits where the needle screws into the squeeze bottle cap. Sounds like you can go into the business of selling off the additional 40 needles and caps! Sorry you couldn't repeat the arrangement they made for me with the substitute needles.