A new way to fill

[ghwellsjr]

Actually, now that you mention it, recent posts have nothing to do with the subject of this thread, which is vacuum filling.

No, the subject of this thread is "A new way to fill" and the Original Poster presented three videos produced by vendors of new ways to fill and we are evaluating the claims made in the videos of the products being sold. Isn't it incumbent on the vendor to supply complete and accurate descriptions of his product and not to deceive? And isn't it incumbent on posters to help the OP learn more about the product before purchasing it, especially a gadget that costs $180 and probably doesn't work as well as the sales video presents it? I would hope that nobody buys any of these products based on these videos and finds out after it's too late they what they got was not what they expected. The heat is coming from the videos. The light is coming from the posters.

 

[lowepg]

Listen, Im not endorsing it or anything, Im just saying he had another vid out there where he demonstrates (at least the beginnings) of ink filling the reservoir side from a hypo on the sponge side. Someone else has commented that he was lying or something- I dont think that was a fair statement either.

Here's what Ross says in his other video starting at 12:44:

"Never dislodge the fill plugs while it's in the printer, period. You can actually even refill through this center hole. Forget the German method, forget all these other things that are out there about drillin' a hole in the side of the cartridge and goin' in with a long needle through the sponge. You can refill these right in the printer and top 'em off any time you want and you can do it carefully and you can even see your ink level coming up in these pockets and the reservoir side and when you see it's full, stop delivering ink, you're done."

Ross is lying.

His message is clear: "Buy my superior cartridges and you won't even have to take your cartridges out of the printer to refill them." He states this at least four times throughout his video, twice in the quote above and twice just after 5:35.

That fact is, you cannot get even a few drops of ink into the reservoir of the cartridge by using his technique. It's a lie. Why is it unfair for me to point this out?

It's not that he is trying to help people by providing an educational video--he's selling a product--it's a commercial, and he's doing it in such a way that unsuspecting buyers won't realize that it won't work, because, when you buy "empty" cartridges and ink from him, he automatically refills them before he delivers them to you, so you won't know until a long time later when a cartridge gets low or empty that you cannot refill it while it is in the printer.

Well, since I dont have a religious attachment to one method vs another.... and I was bored, I thought Id experiment a bit.... it seemed a reasonable alternative to calling the guy a liar....

I took an old non-oem cart I had lying around (bought before learning the evils of non-oem carts).

I drilled out a typical 1/8" hole on the reservoir side that Id normally use in my top-fill method. I then drilled straight through all 3 ports in the sponge side (like ross seems to have in his carts).

I covered the outlet port and stuck a needle down through the center hole (sponge side) and started filling. Now the first time I went too fast and water came out the sponge side ports (I tested with water- not ink!). The next time I went a bit slower and sure enough, after the sponge saturated, the water level on the reservoir side came up, nearly to the top. So, I cant speak to his assertion that you can fill in-printer. However, I can attest that in my test- you certainly CAN completely fill the cartridge from the sponge side.

Also, I think its fair to say he is making a video of refilling HIS carts.... not OEMs..... so unless you've tried it- I dont think its fair to call the guy a liar. And, yes, he's selling products- so what? He's in America, where (at least for the time being) its still OK to try to sell a product and favor it over the competition .

I can say for SURE- I cant think of a reason Id want to refill a cart this way- way too easy to make a mess....

 

[rodbam]

If we tried to refill in the printer as Ross Hardie said would the print head act like the cap we put on to prevent ink leaking out of the main outlet? If not you would think it would make a mess in the printer.
The only thing that appeals to me is exposing the air maze on my OEM cartridges to make 100% sure there's no ink to dry & block the maze. With my limited knowledge I'm not going to try it, I will wait until I'm as experienced & silly as Startman & then give it a go

 

[stratman]

I will wait until I'm as experienced & silly as Startman & then give it a go

Well, follow me if you want to learn from your mistakes.

 

[ghwellsjr]

If we tried to refill in the printer as Ross Hardie said would the print head act like the cap we put on to prevent ink leaking out of the main outlet? If not you would think it would make a mess in the printer.
The only thing that appeals to me is exposing the air maze on my OEM cartridges to make 100% sure there's no ink to dry & block the maze. With my limited knowledge I'm not going to try it, I will wait until I'm as experienced & silly as Startman & then give it a go

No, the print head does not act like a cap. It won't prevent ink from leaking out of the main outlet. Yes, it will make a mess in the printer. That is why Ross Hardie says never to remove the plug over the reservoir unless the orange cap is in place.

 

[ghwellsjr]

I drilled out a typical 1/8" hole on the reservoir side that Id normally use in my top-fill method. I then drilled straight through all 3 ports in the sponge side (like ross seems to have in his carts).

I covered the outlet port and stuck a needle down through the center hole (sponge side) and started filling. Now the first time I went too fast and water came out the sponge side ports (I tested with water- not ink!). The next time I went a bit slower and sure enough, after the sponge saturated, the water level on the reservoir side came up, nearly to the top. So, I cant speak to his assertion that you can fill in-printer. However, I can attest that in my test- you certainly CAN completely fill the cartridge from the sponge side.

Of course you can attest to that--we've been here before. This is what you said in post #39 when you referenced Ross Hardie's other video and said, "Ross shows that you CAN get ink running into the reservoir side from filling from the sponge side." And then I responded in post #40 telling you all the things you had to do to get ink to flow from the sponge side to the reservoir side and then you did exactly what I said you had to do in your test and now you're repeating, "I can attest that in my test- you certainly CAN completely fill the cartridge from the sponge side."

Don't you see the difference? The difference is the plug that goes in the top of the reservoir. If it's not there, then ink will freely flow between the two compartments in either direction. You can fill the reservoir and it will go into the sponge or you can fill the sponge and it will go into the reservoir. But if it's in there, then the ink cannot flow into the reservoir from the sponge.

And Ross states several times throughout the video that you never want to remove the refill plug in the top of the reservoir while the cartridge is in the printer. So that means the ink will not flow from the sponge to the reservoir.

Now if you want to do a legitimate test, do the following: take another compatible cartridge that has not been used for refilling (no extra holes in the reservoir). Drill a hole (or two or three--it doesn't matter) above the sponge. Place a cap over the outlet port. Inject ink into the sponge and completely saturate it. See if any ink flows into the reservoir. Remember--no holes in the reservoir side--just in the sponge side.

Also, I think its fair to say he is making a video of refilling HIS carts.... not OEMs..... so unless you've tried it- I dont think its fair to call the guy a liar. And, yes, he's selling products- so what? He's in America, where (at least for the time being) its still OK to try to sell a product and favor it over the competition .

HIS carts were not manufactured for him--he is merely taking some compatibles that he gets wholesale and modifying them: He rips off the label over the air path (thereby ruining it). He bores out two holes in the top of the cartridge to accept his plugs. He fills it full of ink through both refill holes. He puts plugs in the refill holes. He puts hot glue in the wells over the sponge. And NOW you can say it's HIS cart. But we know that it behaves just like the original compatible that also behaves just like an OEM in terms of how the ink can flow between the two compartments. So you can do the new test that I suggested and maybe you'll understand what the issue is and why I'm calling him a liar when he says you can leave the cartridge in the printer and refill just the sponge side and you can see the ink coming up in the reservoir side.

 

[ThrillaMozilla]

Actually, now that you mention it, recent posts have nothing to do with the subject of this thread, which is vacuum filling.

No, the subject of this thread is "A new way to fill"

That's right, he posted videos of devices for vacuum filling with a syringe. Discussing Ross Hardie's dubious videos seems a bit far afield. Interesting, and I'm guilty too, but probably a little off the subject.

 

[ThrillaMozilla]

OK, in spite of my previous comment, I'll join the party and add one more comment. (Disclosure: the previous three or four posts were added during a couple of minutes while I was editing my previous post.) But now we really SHOULD get back to the subject.

I drilled out a typical 1/8" hole on the reservoir side that Id normally use in my top-fill method.... I ...stuck a needle down through the center hole (sponge side) and started filling. ...the water level on the reservoir side came up, nearly to the top.

lowepg, just in case you haven't got the idea by now, you really CANNOT do that in the printer. If you do, you'll have an awful mess. If you don't believe us, then by all means try it with ink on your own printer, BEFORE you reply.

 

[lowepg]

OK, in spite of my previous comment, I'll join the party and add one more comment. (Disclosure: the previous three or four posts were added during a couple of minutes while I was editing my previous post.) But now we really SHOULD get back to the subject.

I drilled out a typical 1/8" hole on the reservoir side that Id normally use in my top-fill method.... I ...stuck a needle down through the center hole (sponge side) and started filling. ...the water level on the reservoir side came up, nearly to the top.

lowepg, just in case you haven't got the idea by now, you really CANNOT do that in the printer. If you do, you'll have an awful mess. If you don't believe us, then by all means try it with ink on your own printer, BEFORE you reply.

I feel like I walked into the new German Inquisition...

Thanks, but I'll happily reply WITHOUT your requirement that I make a mess in my printer.... I'm not trying to change anyones mind/religion/method/etc here, just trying to find a simple way to test the theory..... plus I like to play in the sink

So, yeah, I only tried 1 piece of what Ross claimed. As I said, I had no intention to play out side the sink (in my printer).

The enemy is not US. The enemy is complaisance, ignorance, lack of innovation and paying OfficeMax prices for OEM cartridges.

 

[ghwellsjr]

Actually, now that you mention it, recent posts have nothing to do with the subject of this thread, which is vacuum filling.

No, the subject of this thread is "A new way to fill"

That's right, he posted videos of devices for vacuum filling with a syringe. Discussing Ross Hardie's dubious videos seems a bit far afield. Interesting, and I'm guilty too, but probably a little off the subject.

He posted two videos on expensive gadgets that do vacuum filling with a syringe and a third video (post #13) on the modified prefilled cartridges that Ross Hardie is selling. All three videos are dubious and lead the unwary buyer astray. All three are promotional videos designed to sell a product by not telling the whole truth or by telling a lie. It may be obvious to you where the problems are but others still need an explanation and that's what I'm providing.