Need to buy a new printer quick!

[pvrbulls]

My MX850 has developed serious problems that may or may not be fixable, but I need a working printer ASAP. I have been refilling the CLI-8 and PGI-5 cartridges since my old IP4300. I know things have changed a lot and I need to do a bunch of research, but I don't have much time to get something headed my way. I see a couple of pretty good deals on the Canon MG8220. I really do very little photo printing, mostly office type stuff. I do want to continue to be able to print onto CD's and DVD's. I must be able to refill without unreasonable difficulty. The new printer does not have to be an all-in-one unit, though the ability to do occasional copies comes in handy now and then. I am partial to Canon, but would certainly consider other printers that might better meet my needs.

Any and all suggestions will be very much appreciated. April 15 tax deadline is fast approaching, and I have several returns to do yet!

Thanks,

pvrbulls

 

[The Hat]

Pvrbulls
The Canon MG8220 will be a good printer to continue refilling however youll need a change in your setup to achieve this
but in the mean time you can still print off your tax returns before you have to think about refilling.

You can use a set of 221/521 cartridges for refilling with a simple chip swap
as these are pretty much the same as your CLI-8 carts just smaller, same procedure.

If however you decide to use the 225/525 that comes with the new printer
youll have to learn a whole new way to refill them either way, youll also need a new resetter.

Here are two links for you to study,
one on how to swap over a chip from one cart to another and the other is on how to refill the 525/225 opaque carts..

http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=41631#p41631
http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=62664#p62664

 

[pvrbulls]

Pvrbulls
The Canon MG8220 will be a good printer to continue refilling however youll need a change in your setup to achieve this
but in the mean time you can still print off your tax returns before you have to think about refilling.

You can use a set of 221/521 cartridges for refilling with a simple chip swap
as these are pretty much the same as your CLI-8 carts just smaller, same procedure.

If however you decide to use the 225/525 that comes with the new printer
youll have to learn a whole new way to refill them either way, youll also need a new resetter.

Here are two links for you to study,
one on how to swap over a chip from one cart to another and the other is on how to refill the 525/225 opaque carts..

http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=41631#p41631
http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=62664#p62664

Thanks, The Hat, for the helpful information. I really appreciate it.

I am under the gun to get tax returns filed and can't get the MG8220 here in time, so I am going down to Walmart this afternoon to pick up the MG5320; I may still go ahead and order the MG8220 and have the MG5320 as a backup. I need to decided if I would get any real benefit from the additional gray ink cartridge. Also, I may not like the scanner/copier on the MG5320.

There is one thing I am confused about, however. As I understand it, the MG5320 & MG8220 use the CLI-226 and PGI-225 cartridges, which are essentially opaque versions of the older CLI-221 and PGI-220 cartridges. My plan was to buy empty 221/220's on ebay and transfer the 226/225 chips to them. My confusion stems from your reference to 521 & 525 cartridges. Is that another series of cartridges that will work in these printers? Sorry for my ignorance!

 

[The Hat]

You are correct the 520/521 carts are for the European region and the Asian ones are 820/821 coded.
They will all work equally as well in place of your 225/226 carts with a chip change regardless of their origin.

You may have a problem getting hold of a grey cart,
so just use any of the other carts in the set C,M,Y and change the label..

 

[pvrbulls]

I have been using Hobbicolors since 2007 and have had no problems that I can attribute to the ink; however, recently they changed some of their formulations and I'm not entirely sure that the colors are what they were. So.... since I am starting anew with a different printer and cartridges, I thought it might be a good idea to review the choices for good quality inks at reasonable prices. Is Hobbicolors still considered a good ink for Canon printers? What are your current recommendations?

Thanks,

pvrbulls

 

[The Hat]

Give precisioncolors.com a try; they only sell Image Specialists inks..

 

[pvrbulls]

Give precisioncolors.com a try; they only sell Image Specialists inks..

Their prices seem to be VERY competitive. Would I be correct to infer that you think Image Specialists Inks are superior to Hobbicolors? If so, in what way(s)?

I see that Precision Colors has what seems like a good price on their CLI-226 chip resetter($14.88) and a nice choice of Canon OEM cartridges. I had planned on continuing with the German Refill Method, but perhaps I should reconsider that in light of the availability of these Ready to Refill 220/221 carts with the 225/226 chips already installed. The only time I ever had problems with refilled carts, however, was with the top fill hole not holding the seal; that's why I switched several years ago to the German method... and no problems since.

 

[fotofreek]

What technique have you tried to seal a top fill hole? I've never had a leak with the stainless steel screw/O-ring seal, and many participants use the silicone plugs for a seal. Both are very easy to use.There is a very long thread on this issue by Grandad35 from several years ago. do a forum search for that thread and see the progression of development of several good techniques for sealing a top fill hole in BCI-6 carts.

 

[pvrbulls]

I was using machine screws with O-rings!

 

[fotofreek]

check out this picture on a post by NiftyStuff. http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=497#p497 . Only use stainless steel scews as the zinc plated ones corrode. O-rings are available in good quantities very cheaply at http://www.mcmaster.com/ctlg/DisplC...K515&t2=PN&ScreenWidth=1280&McMMainWidth=1056 .

I make the hole with a red-hot opened paper clip inserted between the factory fill hole and the near end of the cart. Then use the self tapping pan-head stainless steel sheet metal screw to create its own tight screw threaded hole. The O-ring must be very tight on the screw and you should not over tighten it as it will squeeze the O-ring out from under the screw head. the O-rings do get compressed after a while and should be replaced. I've never had a leaking cart with this technique.

In the same thread as ther post link shown above you can also find Grandad35's picture of flat head self tapping screws that have a taoer under the head. Grandad35 reports that the taper creates a seal without the need of an O-ring.

I am now starting to use the silicone plugs sold by Precision Colors. I prefer the clear ones that have a mushroom shaped head. You remove the factory fill hole ball and chase the hole lightly with a 5/32 drill bit. I'll see if I like these plugs better than the screw/O-rings.