4POLG
Newbie to Printing
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2021
- Messages
- 3
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 6
- Printer Model
- EPSON L1800 DTF
Hello friends,
Let me start by saying, I am a wife; opinionated, stubborn and obsessive. Being said, there shouldn't be a man in this world that doesn't understand the reason behind this disclosure... Since the beginning of time there has only been one source that I have ever dared to confide in or ask for help, and that is YouTube. Today, they have been unsuccessful in helping me solve my problem which, to me, is unacceptable; they've always had the answers... (Swallows pride) A little background made simple, I HATE EPSON PRINTERS! My husband and I launched a home business a few years back designing custom apparel; we have learned how to grow our brand throughout the years through different types of techniques including sublimation, transfers, vinyl and DTF. I love it.... until something goes wrong.... and the only times that has happened is on an EPSON printer. I finally, after many failed attempts and zero help from support - gave up on our sublimation printer, an EPSON (rolls eyes); I spent weeks trying to repair it after only 6 uses. So, we looked (for months) at our options and agreed on a simple DTF printer off Amazon. I spent a good amount of time researching the product before buying, read all the reviews, weighed the good and the bad; it wasn't like going to Walmart and purchasing a $200 - $300 printer, this was a huge expense. Fast forward to the present; our printer arrived and is all set up; we were able to navigate (without a manual) installing the software and bypassing the firewall.... it's been 30 days since arrival and to date, we have been able to complete 8 out of 132 shirts on just one (first of 8) active customer order(s). After re-arranging a few internal cables/threads, I was able to print 4 images until the next print; I allowed the printer to do it's thing, once it completed I pulled the print to find a saturated film with puddles of black ink dripping from the page.... with the support of my friends in the China Tech department, I dismantled the printhead and cleaned the ribbons and printhead entirely (I must mention 4 times), doing a printhead cleaning cycle and several nozzle checks with the same end result. My dear friend in China (who I swear repeatedly mocks me through facetious comments) says "My friend, in your situation, the print head is in ink, and you must replace printhead, printhead cable and motherboard with new one.", he continues "This is caused by accidental spilling of ink into the print head." My reaction was simple, UH NO! STOP THERE! I replied, "If I am printing images, with no contact with the ink via tubes or chambers, other than the printer itself clearing it's ink waste - couldn't have possibly nor accidentally spilled ink in to the print head." It didn't matter at this point, in their eyes it was a mistake on my part and I must replace the printhead, cables and motherboard which is not covered under the printers warranty.
Here is the reason I come to you. I have personally wiped all areas of the printhead and cleared (with solution) each line to ensure no blockage (YBWWCMB) and continued until (with minimal pressure to ensure I did not disturb the internal fittings/gaskets) until the output was clear. I repeated this process numerous times, going through the take apart and put back together process. I do my test print and low and behold I am left with a page soiled in piles of ink... Please, help me find a way to not only fix this issue but to ensure that I don't find myself in this very situation another 8 prints down the line. I am not going to lie, this has me seriously contemplating pulling a 2007 Brittney Spears moment where I go bat sh*t crazy and shave my head... not really but close. I believe that this process happened during the printers programmed process during the clearing of the ink waste and was in no way an error on my part. I have searched and I have yet to find anyone with this same issue, let alone finding a solution to our dilemma. I have stopped production which has caused a lot of tension between myself and our customers, who have paid for something that I can not produce at the moment.
Please know, that when responding, I have a basic level of experience but there are a lot of things that will require an explanation in laymen's terms.... I'll be honest.... I have read a few replies and it is an entirely different language that google can not translate in a single search. (But any help is greatly appreciated!!!!)
Let me start by saying, I am a wife; opinionated, stubborn and obsessive. Being said, there shouldn't be a man in this world that doesn't understand the reason behind this disclosure... Since the beginning of time there has only been one source that I have ever dared to confide in or ask for help, and that is YouTube. Today, they have been unsuccessful in helping me solve my problem which, to me, is unacceptable; they've always had the answers... (Swallows pride) A little background made simple, I HATE EPSON PRINTERS! My husband and I launched a home business a few years back designing custom apparel; we have learned how to grow our brand throughout the years through different types of techniques including sublimation, transfers, vinyl and DTF. I love it.... until something goes wrong.... and the only times that has happened is on an EPSON printer. I finally, after many failed attempts and zero help from support - gave up on our sublimation printer, an EPSON (rolls eyes); I spent weeks trying to repair it after only 6 uses. So, we looked (for months) at our options and agreed on a simple DTF printer off Amazon. I spent a good amount of time researching the product before buying, read all the reviews, weighed the good and the bad; it wasn't like going to Walmart and purchasing a $200 - $300 printer, this was a huge expense. Fast forward to the present; our printer arrived and is all set up; we were able to navigate (without a manual) installing the software and bypassing the firewall.... it's been 30 days since arrival and to date, we have been able to complete 8 out of 132 shirts on just one (first of 8) active customer order(s). After re-arranging a few internal cables/threads, I was able to print 4 images until the next print; I allowed the printer to do it's thing, once it completed I pulled the print to find a saturated film with puddles of black ink dripping from the page.... with the support of my friends in the China Tech department, I dismantled the printhead and cleaned the ribbons and printhead entirely (I must mention 4 times), doing a printhead cleaning cycle and several nozzle checks with the same end result. My dear friend in China (who I swear repeatedly mocks me through facetious comments) says "My friend, in your situation, the print head is in ink, and you must replace printhead, printhead cable and motherboard with new one.", he continues "This is caused by accidental spilling of ink into the print head." My reaction was simple, UH NO! STOP THERE! I replied, "If I am printing images, with no contact with the ink via tubes or chambers, other than the printer itself clearing it's ink waste - couldn't have possibly nor accidentally spilled ink in to the print head." It didn't matter at this point, in their eyes it was a mistake on my part and I must replace the printhead, cables and motherboard which is not covered under the printers warranty.
Here is the reason I come to you. I have personally wiped all areas of the printhead and cleared (with solution) each line to ensure no blockage (YBWWCMB) and continued until (with minimal pressure to ensure I did not disturb the internal fittings/gaskets) until the output was clear. I repeated this process numerous times, going through the take apart and put back together process. I do my test print and low and behold I am left with a page soiled in piles of ink... Please, help me find a way to not only fix this issue but to ensure that I don't find myself in this very situation another 8 prints down the line. I am not going to lie, this has me seriously contemplating pulling a 2007 Brittney Spears moment where I go bat sh*t crazy and shave my head... not really but close. I believe that this process happened during the printers programmed process during the clearing of the ink waste and was in no way an error on my part. I have searched and I have yet to find anyone with this same issue, let alone finding a solution to our dilemma. I have stopped production which has caused a lot of tension between myself and our customers, who have paid for something that I can not produce at the moment.
Please know, that when responding, I have a basic level of experience but there are a lot of things that will require an explanation in laymen's terms.... I'll be honest.... I have read a few replies and it is an entirely different language that google can not translate in a single search. (But any help is greatly appreciated!!!!)
