Why I have given up on vacuum refilling.

[avolanche]

That's insanely fast. Unfortunately, I don't believe it..

As tempted as I am to go and film myself refilling a cartridge, I'm not. I can't understand what's so hard to believe?
Takes me 2 seconds to insert needle, 8 seconds to send ink into cartridge. Not hard to do, if the needle is slid home all the way to the prism and backed off just a hair to allow for flow.

In the end I guess it's whatever works best for you, but you'll definately not make any believers from people successfully using the German method.

Ten seconds is EASY to accomplish.But I used needles for 30 years(until I retired) to inject anesthetic into living,breathing,moving human beings.This is WAY easier.The cartridges never move or complain.Just takes getting the cartridge into the correct position and the tactile sense to put the tip of the needle where it's supposed to go.How could that be harder than having to remove plugs?I don't even need gloves using the German technique.But removing and inserting plugs(that often don't seal well-another topic) generally gets some ink on the fingers.

I've used both methods and I much prefer the German.

 

[ghwellsjr]

If you refill Canon original cartridges, you have to remove the tape to uncover the ball that plugs the refill hole on top of the reservoir, and you have to remove the ball or shove it into the reservoir OR you have to drill another hole in the top of the reservoir AND you have to get some good plugs that must form a perfect seal.

No, you don't do it that way. That is why you have difficulties to refill the traditional way. It is beyond me why people want to tamper with the original ball seal and make life miserable. You are right that you have to drill a new hole, which is so easy and works perfectly. The plugs I got from Hobbicolors are exactly for doing that and they work perfectly. I have used screws before. I have tried the German method too. Neither of them is easier than drilling a small hole through that thin layer of plastic on the top of the reservoir and use the plug that fits just right. To unplug the plug it takes almost no effort either. If you never did it this way you really have no idea how easy it is.

I just received my first ink order from Hobbicolors and was surprised to see that it included a small syringe with a pointed needle and ten of the plugs that you described. Your description sounded intriguing so I got out the plugs and instructions and followed them precisely. Unfortunately, the plugs leak. Am I correct that the plugs don't go in all the way?

EDIT: I recently received refill ink from both Hobbicolors and inkjetcartridge.com (who sells the Inktec syringes). I got mixed up. Hobbicolors did not send me plugs. The plugs that I used in the previous paragraph were from inkjetcartridge.com. They are not designed to go in a 1/8 inch drilled hole but rather in the refill hole that is already installed in the BCI-6 cartridge. After popping out the plastic ball and putting in the plug, it seals correctly. I apologize for castigating Hobbicolors in this matter.

So, if you take two virgin Canon cartridges and give them to someone who has never refilled before and you measure how long it takes to refill one of them using the traditional method versus how long it takes to refill the other one using the German method, the German method will win hands down.

This is really just your opinion. It is not any easier for a newbie to be free of fear from drilling on the side near the bottom of the cartridge and stick a long needle to pierce through the sponge inside. If you are to drill a hole drill it at the top of the reservoir. It is equally easy if you think about drilling the cartridge. It does work fine. But it is not easier in my own experience. If you tamper with the original ball seal yes you will have leaks and all kinds of problems. But if you use a plug that does the job you will not have any problems in a long run and it wil be a lot easier to refill this way.

I don't recommend drilling. It is risky and totally unnecessary. Just use an awl, a scribe, an ice pick or any small pointed object to poke a hole in the end of the cartridge as close to the bottom of the cartridge as possible. I also do not recommend using a sharp needle because you do not want to pierce the sponge material. A blunt needle will slide between the bottom of the sponge and the bottom surface of the cartridge.

then I believe that process will be much faster than the traditional method,

Believe me, it is absolutely not faster. One of the advices for the German method is to inject ink slowly, or ink will spill out through the hole you drill or the vent at the top. There was a post some time ago that suggested to insert two needles, the 2nd one for releasing air. That's way too much trouble to do. If I want to be fast I can refill the traditional way in less than 1 minute.

The only problem I have seen is that if you have the end of the needle too close to the prisim (which prevents it from going in further) and you inject the ink too slowly, it can wick right up the needle and out the hole at the bottom of the reservoir. But if you pull the needle back a little bit, you can inject the ink as fast as you want.

I'm simply trying to help the novices. The German method is far easier, faster, cleaner, more convenient and cheaper than the any other method.

The German method is not easier, nor faster. It 's absolutely not cheaper. It has nothing to do with cost. I am sorry to have an opposite opinion than yours. I am speaking of my experience as a novice in the past and today. Just thought I share my experience with everyone.

If you have to buy plugs, then it costs more than the German method. I appreciate your sharing your information, I have learned something and I don't want you to feel that you are doing anything wrong by having a difference of opinion. Please continue.

 

[qwertydude]

To make a hole really easily simply use a sewing needle and heat it up with a lighter, really easy to make a clean hole with that.

 

[nche11]

I can't understand what's so hard to believe?

10 seconds. I did believe everything else you claimed. OK, tell me how many seconds did it take your sponge to absorb ink from the reservoir? I can do the traditional way in 10 seconds too if I wait 0 seconds for the sponge to absorb ink.

In the end I guess it's whatever works best for you, but you'll definately not make any believers from people successfully using the German method.

I know it works. I tried it successfully. It did not make me a believer.

 

[nche11]

If you guys all can do it in 10 seconds your cartridges will have little ink in the sponge. You have only refilled half of the cartridges. The sponge does not absorb ink from the reservoir instantly. If you don't wait for it to absorb ink you have only refilled it partially. It will work still but your cartridge will only last half of the time than a correctly fully refilled one.

I tried to refill a cartridge that was half empty with the German method. Ink in the sponge started to overflow as soon as I began to inject ink into the reservoir. Obviously for every drop of ink injected into the reservoir equal volume of the air inside the empty reservoir needs to find a way out through the sponged tank. If the sponge tank still has a bit of ink the air that needs to go out will force some ink to overflow, especially if you try to do it fast (like in 8 seconds). If you do it slowly then the air will find its way to escape without ink overflowing. But then it is not like 10 seconds or less.

I am explaining why I don't believe you. Hope this makes sense to you.

 

[avolanche]

I am explaining why I don't believe you. Hope this makes sense to you.

Call us liars all you want.But that doesn't change the truth.Maybe your technique is lousy for the German method?

 

[nche11]

Please explain to me how long does the sponge take to absorb ink while you are injecting ink into the reservoir. I thought I explained why I did not believe it can be done in 10 seconds.

 

[websnail]

HEY!... Simmer down for a second... This is no reason for folks to start heading for name calling..

*puts away newly acquired father hat and smooths down the baby sick on his shoulder*

If I understand things correctly the reason some folks are having success over others is simple...

Some are refilling an empty cartridge which has little or no ink in the sponge so the issue of ink being forced out of the sponge is not a problem.

Others are topping up cartridges that do have a "full"(ish) sponge and as a result are hitting problems or at least, need to slow things down, thus take longer.

I also suspect that if you were able to see each other in action you would soon realise where the different styles, needles, etc... came into play and understand why the differing opinions exist.


Either way, it's great being a proponent of a particular technique but just remember that success tends to make converts of us all and what works for one may not suit someone else...


Right... back to work for me... *looks around for nappies to change*

 

[nche11]

I got out the plugs and instructions and followed them precisely. Unfortunately, the plugs leak. Am I correct that the plugs don't go in all the way?

Don't blame the plug. Those plugs are the same that came with my G&G cartridges before. They are made for doing exactly what they are meant to do, to seal the fill hole.

If you have to buy plugs, then it costs more than the German method. I appreciate your sharing your information, I have learned something and I don't want you to feel that you are doing anything wrong by having a difference of opinion. Please continue.

That's a good point. The plugs could be hard to come by. If I am running out of such plugs I may return to the German method, assuming I can get 2 inch long needles.

 

[nche11]

Websnail, thank you. You just did a much better job in explaining it. I recall that Pharmacist had a post before which had all the details how to deal with this issue. I am sure it can be done reasonably fast still, but not in 10 seconds, I don't think so.