Hi I'm Dennis (DECCMA)

[deccma]

I live on Cape Cod Massachusetts and a retiree.While I'm not new to digital photography, i am just starting out with my own prints. I have just purchased a Canon Pixma Pro-100. It had great reviews for a low end pro printer and so I have more to learn. I use lightroom 5 for my print output.

I want to learn more about refilling ink as that would be a substantial reduction of cost in the print process. That to me is a big deal. However I would not want to do that if it also meant a large reduction in print quality. So hopefully the Printer Knowledge forum will be a big help in the do your own print curve.

Thanks for reading my intro.

 

[RagerToo]

Good folks here, though I'm more of a home user hack. Site keeps things pretty tight here too!

 

[The Hat]

Well you have certainly landed on your feet here so welcome, because this is the place where you can get the very best out of your printer.

We have all the information necessary on the bits and pieces you’ll need to refill your printer safely and easy without having to comprise on quality one little bit, I would suggest you stick around and enjoy all the comforts of home..

 

[stratman]

Welcome to the forum. There are a number of members with excellent experience as both professional and amateur with digital photography and the Canon Pro-100 printer.

You can obtain excellent output with aftermarket inksets. Due to your location (Mass., USA) I would recommend you take a look at Precision Colors (http://www.precisioncolors.com/PC42.html) for inks and refilling needs. The owner of Precision Colors is a trusted forum member Mikling from Canada. Pay special attention to the information about the CLI-42 Yellow ink for your printer located under the "Instructions" tab.. I recommend you not even use the OEM Yellow that came with your printer and begin printing with the Image Specialists ink in a re-purposed CLI-8 cartridge that you switch chips onto to ensure you do not get the "Yellow Jello" issue. Also, you can find in the tabs on the CLI-42 page the chip resetter for your printer's chips and a wealth of custom printer ICC's matched for your printer, Precision Colors' Image Specialists ink, and a variety of photo paper. I also highly recommend "Squezy Bottles" that come with Luer Lock needles and caps that afix to the ink bottle cap for ease of refill - beats using a syringe! It rarely gets this good unless you want to do your own spectrophotometry.

Advice -- print something once a week that uses all the cartridges in the printer. This can be done by printing a nozzle check, which can also help you identify misfiring nozzles early on and make resolution simpler. An unused Canon printer can lead to clogged nozzles. If this happens, only print nozzle checks, post one on the forum with your situation, and then we'll help. Continuing to print without ink flow can burn out nozzles and necessitate purchasing a new print head. Use your printer regularly and keep the gremlins away.

The only thing you will need to determine at this point is whether you will do top filling or the Durchstich "German" side fill method. Both work and everyone has an opinion on which is best. Refilling may share methodology but it is a personal experience that has room for individuality.

Let us know how you are getting along.

Edit -- I see @The Hat has posted. He is one of the resident experts with the Pro-100.

 

[deccma]

Thanks for the reply Stratman,

As I said I am a new to the world of printing and just got my printer. You mentioned that I should not use the OEM yellow cart. I'm afraid that your advice came too late as I had already installed all the carts and did some printing. I hope that is not too bad a thing.
So that i won't overwhelm you with my printer ignorance, i won't fire all my questions at you at one time. I might burn you out if i did that. Ha I have watched a few Youtube videos on ink refilling of the pro-100. It was the top fill. I don't know a thing about the side fill method that you mention. I did not feel that the preparation of the carts for refill was very difficult, however I do question the fact that some plastic fragments might be carried into the inside of the cart when the fill hole was drilled. I would imagine that would cause havoc with the print head if a small particle of plastic were to get into it.

I can tell that you have a lot of expertise in the area of ink refill so I really do appreciate your help here.

After reading your reply I did check out the precision ink web site. I see the economics of purchasing those kits gets better as you buy larger quantities of ink. I suspect that the best economy would be to buy the 32 oz package. However i am not printing that much and so maybe that would be overkill. I am wondering if there is a shelf life on these inks and how one has to store them?

Another area that I have not determined with respect to refilling the original OEM carts. Do you have to do a flush of the carts prior to re-filling. I saw a Youtube video on flushing the carts. I know about not refilling the yellow cart, but wonder about mixing refill ink with the original OEM ink. Maybe you could elaborate on that point for me.

So nice of you to welcome me here and I am very pleased to meet you. That's all I have for now, but i do have more questions for later.

 

[deccma]

Well you have certainly landed on your feet here so welcome, because this is the place where you can get the very best out of your printer.

We have all the information necessary on the bits and pieces you’ll need to refill your printer safely and easy without having to comprise on quality one little bit, I would suggest you stick around and enjoy all the comforts of home..

Thanks for the input. I am sure that there is all the information that I need on here. Thanks and happy to have met you here .

 

[deccma]

Good folks here, though I'm more of a home user hack. Site keeps things pretty tight here too!

Hi Rager Too,

Well I'm also a home hack user, but no very little about the world of printing so I am sure that the forum will be very beneficial in getting me up the learning curve. Thanks for the message. I'm pleased to meet you here.

 

[stratman]

As I said I am a new to the world of printing and just got my printer. You mentioned that I should not use the OEM yellow cart. I'm afraid that your advice came too late as I had already installed all the carts and did some printing. I hope that is not too bad a thing.

It is OK but there is a slight risk of the gelatinous Yellow Gello (as our Irish friend The Hat spells it) ocurring in the print head once you change over to after market yellow ink. By not using the CLI-42 Yellow and going straight to the after market ink you would bypass the risk. At this point, obtain a CLI-8 cartridge from Precision colors and fill with the Image Specialist ink and have fun. If you notice missing or streaking ink then stop printing and let the forum know for details on how to diagnose and treat.

I don't know a thing about the side fill method that you mention.

The durchstich or German method utilizes a hole on the side for refilling. I find it to my liking. Others not.

Examples of Instructions (and some excellent miscellaneous info):

http://www.printerknowledge.com/thr...thod-for-the-pgi-520-cli-521-cartridges.3806/

http://www.octoink.co.uk/kb/questions/103/SquEasyFill Tips (see "attachments at the bottom of page for instructions and also look at the "Troubleshooting Canon cartridge issues (Not PGI-9)" for future reference) (Octoinkjet is a refill seller who is also a trusted forum member - websnail - who resides in merry old England.)

I did not feel that the preparation of the carts for refill was very difficult, however I do question the fact that some plastic fragments might be carried into the inside of the cart when the fill hole was drilled. I would imagine that would cause havoc with the print head if a small particle of plastic were to get into it.

I guess it depends on how sloppy you would be. I have not had an issue with plastic bits and bobs left in the cartridge. I've even pushed the ball into the spongeless side when trying out the Top Fill method, switched over to the Durchstich method and still no issues for several years of use of the cartridge. Used hot glue to seal initially then switched to Mikling's silicon plugs from Precision Colors (make sure to get the correct height plugs for your printer). You will know if there is a feed problem when streaking occurs. Stop printing anything but nozzle checks and let us know if you need assistance.

For the Durchstich hole I use a push pin. I've also used a drill with a 2 mm bit, IIRC. I have always used 18 gauge blunt needles, though some forum members prefer smaller gauge and sharp tipped. I have not had a problem with this equipment or the cartridge pads for well over 6 if not 7 years. But, again, it is a matter of individual preference where your personal picadillos guide your decisions. If it works then it is good.

After reading your reply I did check out the precision ink web site. I see the economics of purchasing those kits gets better as you buy larger quantities of ink. I suspect that the best economy would be to buy the 32 oz package. However i am not printing that much and so maybe that would be overkill.

Unless you are doing a LOT of printing, start off with either a 2 oz or 4 oz bottle size. Each ounce (by weight, NOT fluid amount) will give at least 25 ml's of ink, IIRC from a post long ago from Mikling. You should get 2+ refills per 1 oz of ink IF you refill when the cartridge is marked as empty by the printer's ink level monitoring system.

FYI -- since the printer will do a maintenance purge of ink from all the cartridges when you take out and refill just one cartridge, the consensus on the forum is to refill all cartridges at the same time to decrease wasting of ink (which fills up the purge page with waste ink sooner). Some keep one or more sets of cartridges in order to be ready for replacing when needed and to be able to refill at their leisure while resuming printing immediately. It's up to you. (There's that individuality/choice thing again!)

I am wondering if there is a shelf life on these inks and how one has to store them?

2 years is a number spoken of by a number of merchants and our own e-tailors of after market ink Mikling and Websnail. Of course your storage/handling conditions will determine any shortening of that rule of thumb time frame.

Another area that I have not determined with respect to refilling the original OEM carts. Do you have to do a flush of the carts prior to re-filling. I saw a Youtube video on flushing the carts. I know about not refilling the yellow cart, but wonder about mixing refill ink with the original OEM ink. Maybe you could elaborate on that point for me.

No, no flushing/purging of the cartridge is need before refilling with Image Specialists inks. They are all dye-based inks and will not cause a reaction EXCEPT for the YELLOW ink, which does cause a gelling (Yellow Jello) reaction. This is why you need to obtain a CLI-8 ink cartridge for your Yellow ink.

There are always caveats, such as:
- You don't know the providence of the empty cartridge or it is suspect of having fungus, bacteria, or caked ink.
- Streaking or missing ink occurs - from fungus, bacteria, or caked ink - which may be resolved with purging the cartridge.

 

[RagerToo]

Any suggestions for storing ink carts? My Photosmart is older and I've snapped up some new carts from folks whose printers have gone to the recyclers.

I was going to hunt around for a suitable glass jar and seal them up.

 

[stratman]

Any suggestions for storing ink carts? My Photosmart is older and I've snapped up some new carts from folks whose printers have gone to the recyclers.

Nice find.

New OEM cartridges with the seal still on can be stored upright, protected from the sun and extreme temperature and humidity conditions. In other words, keep them in your home, maybe your closet.