Posts by rustysurfer79

copperstag95 said:Fair enough, I just figured those colors didn't necessarily have to be used since I'll probably end up printing with whatever else is loaded in there anyway.

Thanks

It won't work if you're only using black.

You might be able to get away with just color, as long as it isn't an Epson printer.

shadowcanyon12 said:Hey, is this printer actually worth getting? Can you refill the ink at home, and if so, how? Also, what's the deal with a chip resetter?
Thanks in advance

Yeah, you can refill it.
You don't really need a Resetter.
Just don't try refilling the original cartridges—not a great idea.

Here's the deal:

Either you go the cheap route with disposable refillable cartridges.
Or you use those permanent ones where you swap the chips from the originals and then disable them later.

There are tons of different inks out there, but you've gotta test which one actually works in an HP Envy 5520 first. That's huge.

For example:
I had a customer come into the shop yesterday who bought an HP Envy 5520 specifically to print edible designs for bakeries. He was complaining because he used some permanent cartridges, and now his edible cake ink just won't work. On his old model, everything worked perfectly.

So, he spends new money on a new machine, and suddenly it doesn't work for some random reason, even though it worked fine on the older version. It just goes to show—for specialized stuff like that, it's usually smarter to stick with an older, proven solution or just buy a complete turnkey system.

Now someone’s gotta figure out why it’s failing, and hey, research is free, right?

Noah Kern5 said:Honestly, I have no clue. I only need a printer once in a while, mostly just for faxing.

In that case, just grab a laser printer for about $350 - $133

Brandon King3 said:Can someone help me out? Looking for the cheapest place to grab some refill ink for an HP Envy series—specifically black 40 and color 37. Thanks in advance!

http://www.nabava.net/tinte-za-inkje...-black__962591

Get it?

Basically, does it make sense now why:

Generally speaking, hit up Walmart.

Or rather
The PG 40 + CLi 41 combo gives you about 40 ml total.
But
that little multi-pack gives you 4 * 60 ml.

So basically

it's about $300- $133 vs $200

Do people realize this? Is this HP Envy series printer actually a decent little machine? And honestly, do you even need anything better than this? Just remember, Canon isn't stupid—they're gonna make sure they squeeze every cent out of you for those refills.

Jerry Robinson56 said:My trusty old printer finally kicked the bucket.
The error code is five orange flashes, which according to the manual means there's an issue with the print head.
I tried cleaning the nozzles, and if I just leave the head sitting in the cradle, it acts like everything is fine. But the second I load the ink, it's back to square one.
Has anyone dealt with this? Most HP printers are pretty much built the same way.
It literally died on me out of nowhere. I finished printing a disc, went to print some paper, and boom—total meltdown.
The last thing it printed on the disc looked perfect, though.
thanks

What’s the status monitor showing?

Noah Kern5 said:Supposedly there's only original color ink available here. 🤷
I was wondering if I buy an original cartridge, can I just get it refilled later? Like, take it to a local print shop that does refills.
I honestly have zero clue how this stuff works, so any help would be awesome. 🙂
Thanks.

Quick question though: How many times are you actually planning on refilling that thing?

James Mitchell3 said:Thanks for the reply... what's the deal with the print heads on Canon printers? Are they built into the cartridge (like with HP) or is it more like an Epson setup? Also, since I don't plan on using this thing every single day, is there a risk of the ink drying up?

Looking at this from a repair tech perspective: Canon print heads vary wildly. Some models have fixed heads, while others are basically disposable. Since companies like Canon or HP don't really care if a head lasts forever, they design them to just barely survive the warranty period.

So, where's the catch?

The catch is that hitting that specific "lifespan" target is nearly impossible to do perfectly. What does that mean in plain English? It means depending on how they were made, one batch of Canon inkjet heads might have heaters that die fast, while another batch lasts way longer. Honestly, neither you nor Canon can predict it. You might get heads that quit en masse after 18 months, while others cruise along for 2 or 3 years. There isn't even a major tech difference between them. Buying a more expensive model won't necessarily save you from this.

With Epson, those issues aren't really a thing anymore—they used to be, though. Nowadays, the only real downside with Epson is that to get the same print quality, they're either twice as slow or twice as expensive as a Canon. Plus, the plastic build and mechanics are starting to feel pretty similar across the board.

But honestly, you just have to ask yourself: Who actually benefits from me printing constantly? Is it Canon, Epson, or HP? Once you figure that out, you'll know which one to buy.

James Mitchell3 said:Basically, I'm looking to pick up a printer. It needs Wi-Fi, shouldn't take up too much space on my desk, and needs decent enough print quality for photo paper. Budget is around $167 (+-$33)

I won't be using it constantly—just occasional home use.
I used an Epson about 5 or 6 years ago (head issues were a pain), and I've used HP before, which was okay, but I haven't tried any Canon yet. Looking for some advice or anyone's experience with these brands.

http://www.dpreview.com/products/hp/...hp_dj3050j610a

http://www.epson.co.uk/Store/Printer...-Stylus-SX435W

Thanks for the help...

http://www.dpreview.com/products/can...on_pixmamg3150

If you look at this from a repair shop perspective—or just as someone buying gear meant to last five years—you should know that the previous versions of this Canon were the MP 520 and the IP 3600. Those inkjet heads ended up being pretty short-lived, usually acting up after just 12 months.

As for the other two, the Epson is solid for text. It’s also a really cost-effective setup if you use Colibri refillable cartridges. The only real downside is that the cartridge capacity is pretty small. We don't see many of these HPs coming through the service center since they aren't super common, but basically, it's just a clone of a Canon.

Robert Smith28 said:hey
so, I've been scrolling through a few pages here and it looks like everyone's recommending either a Xerox or a Samsung laser printer.
I'm honestly fed up with constantly running over to my buddy's place or heading to campus just to print out study guides and lab reports...
I have a Canon mp140, but obviously, it barely hit its 100-page limit three years ago before it died on me. No more ink, and honestly, I can't even find compatible cartridges anymore... plus, I bet the print head is totally fried by now, so I don't want to risk buying ink for it.... anyway
I want to pick up a new printer, and my first question is what cheap ones are actually decent... then the big debate: which one is actually worth it in the long run: laser or inkjet?! Since my classes started back up, I'm printing maybe 30-40 pages a week now. If I go laser, which one? If inkjet, which one?
Are there compatible toners for laser printers? Or can you refill them? Roughly how much does that cost?
Either way, any advice would be awesome... I'm willing to drop about $200
thanks

For $167, you could grab a refurbished HP 1012 or something similar. You can find replacement toners for those everywhere for around $15 - $67 for 200 pages. You can also get an Ecco refill kit that does 3 refills for $67 == 6000 pages.

If you sit down and crunch the numbers against any other option, for a college student, the cost difference is night and day.

So the real question is, what is the cost per $67 / 6000 pages == ?? The only thing you can really compare that to is an Inkjet with a CISS system.

With those, the math is usually 40ml == 800 pages, while 400ml == $50/8000 pages == ?

Just keep in mind that depreciation and maintenance aren't factored into that price per page.

Mark Hill90 said:Stop talking nonsense. You're giving an answer that's pretty obvious to everyone.

p.s. you seriously need to find a new dealer

And maybe try changing your tune a little.

Actually offer something constructive instead.

Like:

I use the HP Printer .......
The ink costs me about .....
With that much ink, I can get about ....... prints.
So far, I've managed to print ..... copies using this setup.
Total cost has been about $.......

And honestly, I'm super/not really/somewhat happy with it.
In the future, I'll probably switch to .......

Let's all just try being a bit more helpful and real with each other.

Sam Bailey52 said:Hey everyone,
What kind of printer should I grab for home use? Looking for something with two colors that has cheap third-party ink options.
My old HP finally kicked the bucket, and man, the ink was getting ridiculously expensive... plus I couldn't even find any decent third-party replacements anywhere.😢

Thanks!

From what I can tell, there aren't any decent third-party options in this class for around $20. $23

Honestly, if you're looking at those specific requirements, the only smart move is to grab the Ecco refill set.$33 So, I just picked up this new HP Deskjet 1050 == $42. $77.

So, basically... $110 So, I've got about 5 ml, plus three 3 ml bottles, then 20, and another three 10 ml ones of ink.

Usually, you're looking at about 40 ml to hit that 800-page mark.

Honestly, you're probably looking at an Epson from that Hotspot deal, and honestly? That’s your smartest move. Why? Because it just makes sense.

Because that's why... $167 You get 440 ml of ink, and you definitely don't toss the cartridges because they have a built-in resetter. Just do the math on the page count yourself. Everything works like a charm.

With HP, once you've used up that Ecco refill kit, you're basically stuck buying a whole new set of cartridges. It's kind of a pain. $83 + $33 Looking for an Ecco set.

It’s basically the same deal as an HP, just like how you get that same experience with the newer Canons that come with dual trays.

Dennis Ramirez53 said:Thanks for getting back to me. 🙂 I really should have just asked for a recommendation right away—what’s actually considered a "best buy" here? Basically, if the upfront cost is a bit higher, I want to make sure I'm not constantly dumping money $50 into ink, but rather being able to just grab some cheap third-party refills. How does it work with laser printers? Do they use the same kind of toner as inkjets use ink, and what's the deal with the cost and how long it lasts?

You see, whenever someone asks a question like this, you always get another interested party jump in to run their own little market analysis. They try to organize things so they can pitch you an "optimal solution." It's a setup where the user gets a deal, but the seller secures their own profit and keeps their specific software running.

The real issue is that such a solution isn't a universal thing. Most big-picture solutions out there are designed primarily to milk the customer later on through proprietary supplies.

But, if someone comes to you locally offering that "perfect" alternative, it starts feeling less like they're helping you and more like they're just forcing their own specific ecosystem on you. That makes having an objective conversation about it pretty tough.

So, we're really only talking about a very specific scenario that fits those exact needs. In almost any other context, that kind of setup just doesn't make sense for a few different reasons.

Dennis Ramirez53 said:So, looking for a solid color printer for under $133. Must have cheap third-party ink available. I don't want any of those crappy 3-in-1 things, just a regular printer. Is there even anything out there at that price point?

The answer is no.

The closest thing you'll find is an Epson D92 + with permanent cartridges plus 88 ink cartridges. Only problem is, you won't find that sitting on a shelf at a local Best Buy. Plus, it’s still gonna blow past your $33 budget.

Maybe a newer Canon IP 2500 with a refill kit would be close, provided you're obsessive about never letting the cartridges run dry. But let's be real—that's hard to do, so the whole idea falls apart pretty fast. It's the same deal with the cheapest HP models. And the newest Epsons only give you like 3ml per color.

On the flip side, you can actually grab a new Ricoh GX3350 within that budget. You get it for that much with 4 x 10ml tanks. So, right off the bat, you've got 3 times more ink than a new Canon Epson or HP at this price. But there's no free lunch here either. A new set of inks (4 x 30ml) will run you roughly 4 * $73 plus tax. And every time the printer runs a head cleaning, it gulps down about 2 * 3ml of ink. Basically, one single head cleaning eats up half of what you'd get in a standard Canon Epson or HP ink pack. Of course, nobody tells you that—except maybe Ricoh or rustysurfer79. And Ricoh definitely isn't going to volunteer that info.

So yeah, once again: the answer is no.

swiftfalcon43 said:to keep it brief:
whenever I try to run a print test page—nothing happens.
I'm using an HP OfficeJet on Windows 7.
Both me and the repair guy ran some diagnostic tools, but we didn't really get anywhere.

If you're down to help, we can just take this one step at a time.

right or wrong?

Benjamin King2 said:For example, something like this: I was looking at this plotter setup online—specifically that HP DesignJet 500 model—and it got me thinking about how much things have changed. It’s one of those pieces of gear that really defined an era for anyone working in print. I remember seeing some discussions about similar setups on the forums a while back. I think rustysurfer79 mentioned something along these lines too. It’s funny how we used to obsess over these specific specs, thinking they were the absolute peak of technology. Now, looking back, it feels almost nostalgic. If you're still running hardware like this in a modern American print shop, you definitely know the struggle of keeping older machines running smoothly alongside the newer Canon stuff. It’s a balancing act, for sure. Still, there's something satisfying about gear that actually lasts.

Solid choice.

You can grab permanent cartridges specifically for refilling, plus a CISS setup for it.

If you're looking strictly at the bottom line, the HP DesignJet 500 is definitely the smarter play. But if you actually care about print quality, go with Canon.

Why?

Because the new print head for the Canon should be arriving in about... $1000 What about HP? $83Look, here's the deal: Canon uses an integrated All in One print head, whereas HP goes with four separate heads that you can actually service. When you're dealing with a Canon, getting things fixed feels like a massive headache and a total gamble.

Grace Alvarez46 said:I’d love to hear from anyone who actually uses this printer.

I was thinking about picking one up myself...
How much does refilling cost?

How many pages can you get out of a single refill?

Where did you guys find refills? I’ve checked a ton of stores and nobody seems to carry this specific brand.

Has it given you any trouble?

Thanks! 🙂

Any local toner shop should be able to handle the refill for you. The real headache is whether they have the right Intel for that specific model. Just think about how many different printers are out there right now—nobody's going to stock niche supplies for some random customer who might only show up once.

Basically, you need to pick a shop you can stick with long-term. If you build that relationship, they'll make sure you're taken care of regarding support for that printer.

But if you try to play it by ear and hop from store to store, don't expect anyone to go the extra mile for you when things break.

darkowl72 said:I honestly think this one hits all the marks rustysurfer79 laid out. The variable speed isn't even that big of a deal when you’ve got variable temperature to play with anyway. Looking at this Renz HT 330 L laminator on the site. It seems like a solid little machine if you need to get things done quickly. Anyone here used one before? I'm trying to figure out if it's worth picking up or if I should just look elsewhere. Any thoughts would be huge. Check out this PDF. We're talking metal gears, heated silicone rollers, a beast of a motor... Rentz has been in this game forever and they really know how to build quality gear. That said, maybe rustysurfer79 could weigh in with some advice? He might have some personal favorites he swears by. I'm out of the industry now, but since he's still active, he’s probably way more up to speed than I am.

When it comes to film, I’m totally lost. It’s been way too long... 😬

We’ve been running one of those GMP A3 units for about 10 years now. It’s got the variable speed, adjustable temperature, and those silicone rollers. When we first picked it up, it cost around $3,000... $1333Honestly, this thing is still going strong. You just have to give the rollers a little cleaning every now and then and make sure you're always using sleeves. We actually used it to run this packaging—basically a sandwich system using 35mm film rolls.

So, basically just your standard inkjet setup—premium ink, regular copy paper, and some glossy stuff.

Using 35um film with the GMP A3 laminator.

Check out this shot from the Adriatix site showing off their latest lineup. Looks pretty solid to me.
[Link to image: http://rustysurfer79.com/PRODUCTS/A_products/A_product_SCN5596_LL.jpg]

Check out this shot of the setup.

Check out this shot of the setup: http://adriatix.us/A_PROIZVODI/A_pro...SCN5427_LL.jpg

It’s important to note that this 35um film is the same GMP stuff. A whole roll—maybe 200 or 300 meters—runs about... $50 Plus sales tax... man, there's just no way to escape it.

The biggest takeaway here? When you pair premium inkjet ink with lamination, that print isn't fading anytime soon. Seriously, even after ten years, it still looks fresh.

If you're interested, you can check out this packaging today—it was made using the exact same method ten years ago.

Check out this shot of the Fresh printer from the Adriatix catalog. Looks pretty slick, right?

This laminator is a beast—it weighs around 12 or 13 pounds.

I can't see any images or text in that link you shared. It looks like a broken URL or just an empty image file. If you were trying to show me something specific, could you try posting the content directly or checking the link again? I'm ready when you are.

rowdyotter10 said:@darkowl72.... man, you killed it...

That's what I call a killer response.
So much info, and honestly, it already helped me out a ton...
Thanks a million, I'm definitely taking a few of those tips to heart.. 😉

Could you also recommend a specific A3 laminator for light use? Like, maybe 2-3 times a month for about 5-10 pages..
And most importantly, what kind of pouches should I get??

Thanks

When picking a laminator, stay away from the ones where you can't adjust the speed or temperature. Also, avoid the cheap ones that don't have heated rollers--

For the laminating material, just grab a roll and cut it to size whenever you need. It's pretty simple. But you really need a carrier sheet, and because of that, you absolutely need a machine where you can control the heat and speed. Just a heads up, those decent A3 machines aren't exactly cheap. If you go with a budget model, they'll probably end up overcharging you on the specialized film anyway.

rowdyotter10 said:Look, this is solid info. Seriously, thanks a ton for sharing that!
I honestly didn't have the sense to realize that the input tray angle actually matters, especially when I'm trying to feed in some thicker paper... ugh.

So, I've pretty much narrowed down my search. I'm looking for an A3 laser printer that doesn't take up too much room—ideally something with a really tight footprint—and won't absolutely bleed me dry on toner costs.
I wouldn't touch used gear with a ten-foot pole. I'm a huge print addict, and honestly, everything I buy second-hand seems to give up the ghost after exactly one use. 🙂

And yeah, obviously all those other gadgets too... except for the printer.

I finally realized I don't need some massive industrial cutter to churn through hundreds of pages at once. Honestly, all I really need is a basic paper trimmer for just one to three sheets at a time. It’ll probably only cost me a few bucks.

I'm honestly stumped on the laminator situation... what's the verdict on quality? Does anyone have a specific brand of film they swear by?

So, you ended up narrowing it down to the Rex Rotary GX 3350 with that extra rear tray. $400 + Sales Tax

Look, you've got two different versions to choose from, usually sitting around... $133 I'm sitting here with about a third of my ink left, and I'm wondering... $267 Plus sales tax on the Full capacity option. Basically, you're looking at 4 x 10 ml versus 4 x 30 ml. Later on, that one Full ink bottle comes in around... $77 Even with tax included, this setup is a total steal—it’s basically 50% cheaper than buying brand-new ink cartridges with the same capacity. And honestly? The thing works like a charm without any hiccups. Plus, you've got an easy way out later on if you want to switch things up; you can just convert the same printer into a sublimation machine using Gel sublimation ink.

rowdyotter10 said:Look, I wasn't just looking for a printer..
If you read my message, you can clearly see I'm asking about every single piece of gear separately..

Basically, I need advice on what to pick from all this stuff..

A color laser seems like my best bet... but you think maintenance will be pricey...
I'm a total newbie when it comes to this kind of equipment, so I really don't know..

Also, is an A3 machine enough, or should I go for one of those massive ones..

I'm budgeting maybe $150-$300 for a laminator and manual cutter, and maybe $300-$600 for a printer... I just hope the upkeep isn't crazy and that the ink doesn't run out too fast or cost a fortune...
That's the main thing...

But I'll also eventually need a folding and binding machine. Is it better to buy my own, or should I just find a local print shop to pay for that? I won't be doing high volumes enough to make owning one worth it..

If you want brand new, definitely go with the Rex Rotary GX 3350 + Rear Feeder == roughly $667 with Full inks

If you're okay with something used + cheap ink
Then grab an HP OfficeJet 1100 + CISS

We have users on here using both types of printers. Both sides are happy, though one guy pays way less for the exact same result $1.25 while the other $0.33. We're talking a 4:1 ratio. With original ink, it's more like 1:1. It all comes down to the ink formula.

And if you actually need A3 format, the comparison stays pretty much the same

Comparing the Ricoh GX 7000 and the HP OfficeJet 2800—new units for both are roughly $750. A used HP + CISS would be around $1000.

Now, if all of that is way out of your budget

Just get a new Canon IP 4850 + a refill kit, or even some generic ink for refills. Your cost per print would be about 1:4:8 compared to the printers mentioned above.

If you're cool with a used printer, hunt around for an Epson SC 640 660 670 up through the 880 models. You can find them on a hot spot
Why?

Because these older Epson SC models have a 45-degree feeder angle. Almost all current or newer printers—except for the RR GX3380 with the extra feeder—use a 60 to 80-degree angle. That's not great for business cards. For instance, the latest Epson SX 130 has a 90-degree feeder.

So yeah, it's definitely not as simple as it looks.