Severe Banding with i950

[mnags]

Purchased a i950 about 15 months ago and recently started getting banding that is so band that the photos are worthless. I had switched to Abacus inks and they had been working okay but had not used the printer in about 2-3 months and then the problem started. I went through the suggestions from Canon with exception of bringing the printer to a service center and have them charge me $50 to have them tell me that the printer has a bad print head. When I do a Nozzle Check, the 3rd color, Magenta has broken partens and the bottom section, pattern C is faint in the entire center section. I have run multiple cleanings and a deep cleaning and still have the same issue. If I choose to print a regular piece of paper it look okay but I guess that this is because of how the ink flows into and spreads into the paper.

One last thought, last night I chose to print a B/W on it and printed in Greyscale it still had the banding.

Would anyone have any suggestions on how I can get rid of this issue without having to replace the print head? Also, from reading a couple other posts here, it appears that most do not like the Abacus inks. What other inexpensive aftermarket inks would you recommend?

Hopefully these question are not too dumb. I am not an expert at photo printing.

I really appreciate the advice!

Mike

 

[Sorensson]

Mike:

Cannor help with your banding problem. I let my i950 sit unused for two weeks to have the black nozzle plug. Repeated deep cleaning does not clear it.

I have been using Atlas inks for a year or more with satisfaction in the i950 and an i860. A user of Atlas inks posted a remedy for plugged nozzles; soak the head in rubbng alchohol. I just came on this idea today. He used a solution with 91% isopropyl alcohol. A bottle or 70% solution was in the medicine cabinet and is now empty as the i950 head sits in a small bowl surrounded by rubbing alcohol.

Atlas inks are listed at Atlascopy.com.

Sorensson

 

[Nifty]

Personally I try several different methods of clearing out a clogged head, each one more severe with more risk of permanently damaging the print head... Hey, no risk, no reward!

Here are a few of the things I've tried on my printers (I've only done 1 & 2 on my Canon. Fortunately I haven't had any "major" clogging problems with my Canon yet... knock on wood).

1) Regular and deep print head cleaning cycles
2) Pull out the head and run distilled water all through the nozzles and head and let thoroughly dry.
3) Let the head sit in isopropyl alcohol (just deep enough to cover the nozzles) and let thoroughly dry.
4) Same as above, but with warmed up alcohol.
5) Same as above with "hot" alcohol.

I haven't tried Neil's method of using a computer air cannister to blow air through the nozzles, but I'd probably try that at step number 3.5 or so.