General Printer
Terminology
Most HP printer manuals
we know of contain the statement that the jet cartridge(s) used by that
printer cannot be refilled. This is simply not true both in theory and
in practice.
In general, the term
‘cartridge’ refers to the actual physical container of ink,
from which ink flows to the printhead. ‘Printhead’ refers to
the element that delivers the ink to the paper in such a way as to print
letters or graphics.
With HP printers, the
printhead is part of the cartridge, and therefore results in a higher
cartridge replacement cost.
HP Color Cartridges
contain sponges permeable to ink. When you refill the
cartridge you replenish the sponge from which ink is drawn to the
printhead partly by gravity and partly by the printhead pull.
HP Black Cartridges
contain a vacuum-sealed cavity that is filled with ink.
Most HP Black Cartridges contain pigmented, or water-resistant
ink. When you buy a Refill Kit for this type of cartridge, we
provide an easy "Snap-and-Fill" cradle in order to maintain
the proper vacuum seal.
Refilling is just that.
The trick is to refill slowly, not because the process is tricky, but
fast filling may cause foaming of the ink at the dispenser’s end.
Foaming causes air bubbles, which hamper the smooth flow of ink. But you
can easily recover from air bubbles.
Our instructions
are clear and simple and reflect the experience acquired from our own
specialized field testing as well as from many users who kindly have
acquainted us with their findings when refilling their own cartridges.
The Truth about Inkjet Inks
Inkjet
ink is the live proof of a remarkable balancing act of chemistry.
Here are the physical and mechanical factors that play a role in the
formulation of the final emulsion:
Stability
- Viscosity - Surface tension - Conductivity - Shelf life
Flammability - Resistance to biological growth - Dye solubility
Pigment degree of emulsion - Filtering time - Corrosiveness
Plastic compatibility - Resistance to particulate and residue formation
Uniformity of drop size - Drop velocity limit - Drop frequency limit
Crust resistance - Clog resistance - Optical density
Color steadfastness - Fading resistance -Water resistance
Solvent resistance - Spreading characteristics
Feathering characteristics - Dry time - Testing
As of 2003
inkjet printer commercial technology is about 14 years old and it has
seen dramatic developments. Still, the printhead is the heart of the
printer and the ink is the printer’s blood.
In the fierce competition for market share, printer manufacturers have
and are constantly improving the end product. Even so, however elaborate
the technology, the end result will always be the delivery to paper of a
cluster of ink droplets.
Consequently,
improvements in technology result in tighter specifications for the
inks. Inks must respond reliably to the complex demands and interplay of
electrical signals, heat, pressure and drop formation inside different
printheads.
This is
why there is no ‘universal refill kit’ which implies a
‘universal’ ink. Until 1994 we managed to service the existing
printer population with two basic types of ink. Today we have over
160…. and counting.
Some of you may have watched the late night commercials for a
‘universal’ kit. The pretty girl in the infomercial wears a
turtle-neck so tight that makes me want to be the turtle. The girl is
fair, the commercial is fancy but the information is false. We know it
by the number of complaints of ‘universal’ ink users who call us.
Nor should you be surprised. The fact that something is not necessarily
true just because it’s printed in a newspaper, equally applies to
television. These are the same channels where the next infomercial will
‘guarantee’ that we can lose 20 pounds in 20 days…
In summary, the best favor you can do your cartridge(s) is to fill (and
refill) them with the correct ink(s). And if, by perusing our web pages,
you notice that we do not yet have a refill kit for your new printer, it
means that we are still working on the inks.
Orson
Wells used to say ‘There will be no wine before its time”. It goes
for inks too except that we don’t drink but print (with them).
If you
would like to gain a deeper understanding of the workings of an
inkjet printer, please contact us and ask for The Zen of Jet
Printer Cartridges and Jet Printer Cartridge Refilling - a creative,
informative brochure composed by our President.
JetMaster®
Refill Kits
Our JetMaster®
Refill Kits include all of the
essentials that will aid in making the process of refilling your ink
cartridge a pleasant and satisfying experience. We design and
manufacture each of our JetMaster®
Refill Kits ourselves, following the unique specifications of your
printer. As new printers are continually released on the market, we
continually research and develop new kits as needed.
As well as
the specifically designed inks, tools and instructions, some kits may
include a chip-resetting device depending on the make and model
of your inkjet printer. This is a cradle-type hardware device we
have created to reset the chip that, in some cases, tells the cartridge
that it may not continue to print, even though there may still be ink
left and no other problems may be present.
We
offer bulk ink in three sizes: 2.35 oz (70 ml), 4.35 oz (130 ml)
and 17.5 oz pint (525 ml) bottles. Inkjet ink is also available by the
gallon -- please call for details. Bulk ink comes in especially
handy after you finish using the ink that comes with the original refill
kit. Once you have the tools you need, you only need to reorder
ink. Purchasing ink in bulk slashes the actual printing costs even
more dramatically.
Along with
refill kits, we also have Inkjet Cartridge Cleaning Kits (for
printheads experiencing blockage from normal ink residue)
available. Like our Refill Kits, these include specialized tools
and detailed instructions, but instead of ink, Cleaning Kits contain
Cleaning Solution that may be injected into the appropriate cartridge to
flush out ink residue.
Compatible
Inkjet Cartridges
Compatible
cartridges are new inkjet cartridges that are identical to the
original OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) cartridge in dimension,
shape, configuration and ink. However, some cartridges such as Hewlett
Packard and Lexmark do NOT and CANNOT have compatibles due to the
manufacturer holding patents on their design.
We do
carry compatible cartridges for many name brand printers such as Canon,
Brother, Xerox, and Epson. Fortunately, there are no patents on
these cartridges, hence the costs of compatible cartridges are lower
than the cost of OEM cartridges. These new cartridges are
manufactured in ISO certified facilities.
OEM
Inkjet Cartridges
An OEM
cartridge is a cartridge made by the same manufacturer as your
printer. We sell only brand new OEM cartridges instead of remanufactured
cartridges, as it has been our experience that remanufactured
cartridges do not travel well. We offer OEM cartridges for just
about every HP printer, and continue to add more cartridges to our
supply lists every day.
Laser
Printer Supplies
Laser
printers use toner, a powder-like substance made of carbon and
iron particles, instead of ink to transfer text or graphics to a page.
Each toner has its own specific chemical composition, designed
specifically to interact with the active parts of the laser
cartridge. We only provide chemically identical toner for the
cartridges we support. We offer bulk toner, packaged in
pre-metered bottles (or in 10 kg bags), which is delivered to you ready
to be transferred into the empty cartridge.
If you
would like to gain a deeper understanding of the workings of a laser
printer, please contact us and ask for The Toner of Peyton Place
- a creative, informative brochure composed by our President.
In our TonerBucket
Remanufacturing Kits, we provide toner, applicable new replacement
components, and written instructions with illustrations to make
remanufacturing your toner cartridge as simple as possible. Laser
Replacement Components may include (depending on the printer):
-
Drum
(Organic Photo Conductor): Attracts the toner in the precise place
the laser beams an image and then rotates three times per image,
rubbing the toner onto the paper.
-
Wiper
Blade: Polyurethane strip that wipes away the excess toner from
the Drum after the image has been formed on the paper.
-
Recovery
Blade: Mylar strip that ensures the excess toner removed by the
Wiper Blade is put into the Waste Bin.
-
Doctor
Blade: Assures that the correct amount of toner is delivered via
the Magnetic Roller to the Drum.
-
Magnetic
Roller: Picks up the toner, charges it with the right polarity,
and delivers it to drum.
-
Primary
Charge Roller: Properly magnetizes the Drum so that the toner will
fall on it in the precise places the laser beams an image.
-
Fuser
Roller: Ceramic cylinder that melts the toner on the paper in
order to fuse it permanently to the paper.
-
Fuser
Wand and Felt: Cleans the toner residue from the Fuser Roller
after it has melted the toner to the paper.
We also
offer a wide range of laser toner cartridges. You may
choose from new, compatible, or remanufactured cartridges according to
your specific printing needs.
We welcome your
questions and are glad to help with any question you may have. Just call
1-800-547-3303 for prompt and friendly service. We make it a point of
NOT using voice mail. No recorded messages - your call is always
answered by a live, friendly, and knowledgeable person who is ready to
be of service.
