Back to the subject of shipping, always remember to allow for a minimum of two inches of void around whatever object you are shipping. When shipping something fragile/valuable, I always ship using the box in a box method. The inner box fits the object you are shipping as tight as possible...
I agree with fotofreak if you have the desk/work space. By adding a monocolor laser printer and making it your default printer. That way you are only using the color inkjet when you truly need it (and saving money).
Great job of diagnosing that gremlin, this is really good information to have sitting on the shelf. These problems could be the cause of many consumer electronics failures.