Sealing the refill hole BCI-6 BCI-3

[CanonPhreak]

It seems to me that the screws and gaskets are going to eventually fail.

I got these from weink and they did the trick:

http://www.weink.com/ecom/catalog/easy-plug_universal_black_neoprene_fill_port_plug_4547352.htm

I believe hobbicolors sells them as well.

I can even refill canon brand cartridges and use these plugs. Just drill a 3/16" hole, vacuum fill, then plug.

 

[goober059]

I'm afraid I have to disagree with CanonPhreak about eventual failure.

I have been using my self drilling sheet metal screws and rubber/neoprene 'O' Rings for over nine months. They fit very nicely into the hole after the "canon ball" has been removed from the cart.

I have yet to have any sort of leakage from these critters and have had 4 or 5 refills on each cart thus far. I imagine the cart will fail before the screws and 'O'Rings leak.

Cheers from Oz.

 

[panos]

I agree with CanonPhreak since I tested these plugs a few months ago

http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=1413#p1413

The great thing about these plugs is that you can use them in a method I call "simple vacuum fill" for BCI's. The method, (quickly and without illustrations) is that

1) once your BCI is empty,
2) remove the ball, put the rubber plug in place (and never remove it again)
3) insulate both the outlet hole and the pressure stabilizer hole (use alotofthings clip for the first and , adhesive tape for the second)
4) insert a large syring with ink enough to fill the cartridge
5) pull the syringe until you vacuum the cartridge
6) let the syringe return, replacing the vacuum with ink
7) remove the syringe. let the cartridge stay one day. remove the adhesive tape before inserting to printer.

You never ever push ink with this method. You simply pull and let air pressure do the rest. Pulling is much more reliable than pushing because ink won't try to get out, it will try to stay inside the cartridge (simplified explanation). And it probably has a great effect on removing trapped air from the internal sponge.

Easy, clean, reliable. Just have to run a few more tests, then I'll post it.

 

[ocular]

Ingenious Panos, you have combined the plugs and the vacum filling technique from the spongeless cartridge to the the OEM sponge cartridge. All those hours wasted on the spongeless cartridges have not gone to waste!

Your technique probably needs a topic of its own , but I will ask here.

With this simple vacum technique how much ink do you get into the BCI 3blk? Does it fill level with the top of the sponge. Can you insert the syringe end directly ( with a needle) into the ball hole of the OEM cartridge and do the vacum refill technique? Be interested to hear if this technique enhances the life of the refillable sponge cartridge.

 

[panos]

Hey, thanks Occular! Yes, I will post it on a separate thread -- but not before I make sure it works 100% without problems. So far I had zero problems, but I really need more tests. I believe it will take less than 2 weeks.

If there is a "problem" then it is exactly the cartridge you mention. I can't fill it as much as I wish... I am trying to find a method to improve this.

To answer your question though, it is impossible to insert the needle into the ball hole. The ball (at least in my OEM cartridges) is made of hard plastic (even if I managed to pierce it, the hole would remain open).

 

[Nifty]

My $0.02:

For the most part I've been very happy with the screw / o-ring setup I've got now. It took a few iterations (going from zinc to stainless and to smaller neoprene o-rings) but I'm happy to report that this is an excellent system. I find it easier to handle the screws than any plugs I've used in the past.

Panos, I look forward to your other post with your new refilling technique. Make sure to post lots of pictures!

 

[ocular]

Panos,
Sorry , I wasn't precise with my question. Correct me if I am wrong. With your OEM cartridge you remove the ball from the hole and plug it with the soft plug with the right angle tag and then inject with a needle thru that plug.

Could you remove the plug and fit the syringe end directly to the hole (without a needle) - like the spongeless refill technique.

 

[drc023]

Over the past few years I've experimented with numerous methods of filling and sealing cartridges and I've found that using 10-32 nylon screws provides an excellent seal. O-rings are also used, but not really necessary as the threads provide a 100% seal. With an opening large enough for the 10-32 threads, there isn't any problem with ink being forced out due to air pressure. I also have been able to eliminate using a syringe for injecting the ink since I use yorker cap bottles with micro-diameter vinyl tubing to inject the ink (similar to the tubing used on CFS setups). This method eliminates any ink spills because even if the supply bottle is knocked over or dropped, ink doesn't come out of the tubing unless the bottle is setting upright and is squeezed so as to force ink through the tubing. This setup is described more fully in a previous thread.

 

[panos]

Ocular, actually I was refilling the spongeless with the needle. I will take a look if it is possible without it. But I don't think so....

 

[hpnetserver]

My experience in using plastic (Nylon) screws to seal the ink fill hole has been just perfect. Nylon is a bit flexible. The material of the cartridge is also a bit flexible. This makes the sealing completely air tight. If you use metal screws it may not be air tight. There is still an issue. The wall of the cartridge is fairly thin. It is nearly impossible to drill a thread so thin and hope it will hold the screw. The thread needs to have enough depth. I have been using several refill kits from Hobbicolors. The cartridges came with the kit use plastic screws. The thread has enough depth because it has the depth of the fill hole. This is the reason I have not had any problems for at least 6 months already. I am sure you can make your own seal by finding the right size plastic screws. Drill and cut the thread right on the fill hole. It will give you enough depth for the thread. Use fine thread. It will seal better than coarse thread. I can refill my cartridges from Hobbicolors as full as I want and fear no overfilling at all. I would squeeze the cartridge to force a few drops of ink out of the fully filled and sealed cartridge. It will be ready to use immediately and there will be no leak no spill no problems.