Using an old printer

[Artur5]

Apart from not being marked, most non coated papers, like matte/ fine arts are also difficult to tell apart the back from the printing side. On some of them, the 'wet finger' test isn't very conclusive either. To avoid mistakes, I always draw with a pencil a faint sign on the backside.

 

[hdpete]

Hi, I had exactly the same dilemma not so long back. I purchased cheap inks and they were OK for a while. I then re-ordered exactly the same ones, but the printer wouldn't recognise them, but worst of all, bricked itself and wouldn't allow the ink doors to open, which resulted in some open heart surgery with a screwdriver. The only way around it was to get the expensive set - which hurt - but you know what? I'm so pleased that I did, because the printer simply jumped back into life and has been absolutely perfect. My only advice would be to clean the contacts in the ink doors (and maybe the ink intake pipe) with some IPA/rubbing alcohol on a cotton bud. The first print may not be perfect, but then the usual priming and nozzle checks will sort it all out.

 

[The Hat]

Here are my observations

The original issue you had with your compatible ink carts was this little probe sticking out of the cart, the (Spigot) is a light sensor and you would need to straighten it before it will work properly in the printer, error B500 = giving incorrect cartridge fitted, some of the Chinese carts have this problem.

Here are a half dozen of my compatibles that I got in from China, note how straight the little paddles are on them.

My only advice would be to clean the contacts in the ink doors (and maybe the ink intake pipe) with some IPA/rubbing alcohol on a cotton bud. The first print may not be perfect, but then the usual priming and nozzle checks will sort it all out.

There is no need to do any cleaning of any of the contacts on either door, its not necessary, or the cartridge intake inlets, in fact the less you fiddle with the printer the better it works..

This is how to open the ink doors when the printer won’t allow you..

 

[kalides]

the advice for keeping pluged in and off, work for pro 9000 mk2 also? i hade mine in storage for a long time, like 2 years, but it cam right up and gave me a good nozzel check. i have it sitting waiting for a print job, but there will not be many. i do have it plugged in, and off. hope that saves me some greif...i am back to OEM inks, and will be using the couple of canmon bottled inke, where i can, and buy carts for the colors that don't. i use it so little that it makes no sense to go 3rd party...thanks guys.

 

[kalides]

My only advice would be to clean the contacts in the ink doors (and maybe the ink intake pipe) with some IPA/rubbing alcohol on a cotton bud. The first print may not be perfect, but then the usual priming and nozzle checks will sort it all out.

i would think IPA would make everything sticky. i will save it for drinking.

 

[swisscow]

@raggamuffin, some months ago I wrote down a longer thread: Canon Pixma PRO-1 (partly) demystified. Check it out, maybe it can help to answer some of your questions

 

[raggamuffin]

Printer arrived, just waiting on the calibrator.

Got my latest A2 drawings scanned and had PDF's emailed to me. I'm not sure if I should ask for any other image file types from the print shop?

I'm getting 2 copies of each with giclée prints. 5-7 working day lead time. I'll be interested to see the results.

Ed

 

[raggamuffin]

@raggamuffin, some months ago I wrote down a longer thread: Canon Pixma PRO-1 (partly) demystified. Check it out, maybe it can help to answer some of your questions

Thank you for this. It gives me hope I'll get my Pro-1 back in use in the future.

Ed

 

[Paul Mohney]

First off, try to insure that the printer can get a good nozzle check first, then you can think about feeding the beast..

There’s no point in wasting good money on the printer if it doesn’t print, and you can use 3rd party inks in this printer no problem, but you will have to profile the new inks to suite your needs.

You can get good bottle ink and aftermarket carts (if you don’t want to refill your own carts) from AliExpress, they also have reset chips available too..

Time for a li0ttle heresey.
I am teaching myself to use a grown up printer (Pixma pro 9000 mk11) so I use 3rd party inks I found on E-bay.
In the 3 years i'e been using the 3rd party inks I've had 2 or three bad carts. when the color balance takes a dump on me, i do a litle color research and then remember what cart I last replaced. For $1.50 or so per cart . I can make as many mistakes as it takes for me to figure out wtf I'm doing ( matter of opinion)
This having been said your print head is prolly pretty crusty after 4 years in the garage.
This fix worked for my Pixma pro, other print heads might not respond to this treatment like mine did
I turn on the printer with the cover open. When the ink rack comes to a stop in the middle, pull the plug, and it will stay put
The print head on this thing is much more robust than advertised. I was altogether surprised I didn't drown/ ruin the thing but, It came back to life like new.
I took a plastic container slighty larger than the p/h , folded up a paper towel, stuck it on the bottom.
Then the fun starts
Bween my experience that the p/h is water proof and as long as you dont scrub off the couple of microns of gold on the connector side, , or do anything involving any thing much hotter than 130 degrees, and not physically breaking it. It should be OK
I found kroger glass cleaner has a hefty amout of ammonia, and what ever they use for soap doesn't leave a film.
So I soak the paper towel so the p/h as a soft wet place to sit.. Then I hose down the p/h with the blue bomber and put it in a baggie andlet it sit for 10 minutes. Pull it outta the bag and rinse off with the sink sprayer till it runs clean. First run letting it sit in a baggie in the "hosed down condition" will do you no harm. It all depemds
Repaet as necessary till things look clean
Air dry till it not obvously drippg anything
Install in printer add inks, plug in restart
print nozzle check
run aheavy cleaning cycle
check nozzles
if everything is good go forth and sin no more. If not note which color(s) are a problem and repeat the above focusing on the problem colors
there are suggested ways and means to long store p/h
This worked for me twice. Your experience may vary
Paul in L.A.\teetring on retirement

 

[The Hat]

Time for a li0ttle heresey. This worked for me twice. Your experience may vary

Unfortunately the cleaning method you described here won’t work on a Pro 1, because on this type of printer you just can’t take out the print head and clean it, the printer can do as good a job at cleaning the head itself, in fact much better than any external manual cleaning can..