Poor experience with computer friends refill kit

[rconn2]

Here's my experience with computer friends ( http://inkjet.cfriends.com/ ) jet-master refill kit for the epson R220 printer:

1. The instructions are incomplete. There's _no_ explanation of what to do with a black kind-of punch thing; no explanation for what to do with some screw thing; no explanation why one would use method #1 (poking a hole in the bottom of an epson cartridge and taping over vs. creating a hole thru the plastic and using their blue plugs). I kept going over and over the instructions and had to guess what to do.

2. The instructions say they themselves were printed on cartridges refilled like some several hundreds of times. Well... the instructions were smeared... not that I care, but hardly a ringing endorsement.

3. I figured the black punch was for making holes for the blue plugs. I created an opening using the screw thing, and then made it larger using the punch. The blue plugs still didn't fit. So, I'm trying to get the plugs to go in... ink is coming out as I juggle the cartridge around... a sloppy, irritating experience. Finally, for some of the carts, I expand the opening using the black punch and get them to kind-of fit. For a couple others, the fit isn't so great. And then, the cheap plastic black punch breaks.

Personally, if I was selling a "jet-master" refill kit, I'd provide very detailed, easy to follow instructions... spend a few extra hours writing them up... but that's just me. And I'd provide parts that weren't cheap plastic that break after a few uses.

So what does one get with this Neil recommended kit? A pair of gloves, a few blue plastic plugs (a couple extra, like 8 altogether, but not too many of course... don't want to go overboard giving away too much), a cheap plastic punch, a screw, 6 syringes and blunt nosed tips, some tape -- which seems nice (where can we buy this?) and some smeared, incomplete instructions... wrapped up in a nice glad baggy.

I still haven't figured out a good way to refill these carts -- still in learning mode. The easiest seems to be to just set the carts upside down, poke a hole in the tape on top of the hole near the nozzle, refill, and retape. I'm not sure if there's any downside to this... seems almost too easy. The blue plugs? I suppose if one is able to get a good fit... don't know how you'd do this with the supplied plastic punch... would have to experiment w/ different drill bits. I like the idea of just using a stainless steel or nylon #6 screw with an O ring... but where can I find these?

-- rc

 

[rconn2]

I forgot to add... the chip resetter for the epson r220 carts... little explanation except to match the pins on the resetter to the cart and look for the light to blink slowly. But the carts don't _fit_ the resetter... there's no guide or placeholder for them... you have to just touch the cart to the pins that you can't see and try and try till it works. There's some other plastic pieces to the resetter, but I'm guessing (?) these are guides for using other types of carts.

So... either you just get good at figuring how to set the cart on the resetter or try over and over... or get some plastic and crazy glue and try to make your own placeholder on the resetter so it'll line up... very amateurish.

Finally, there's no way to replace whatever battery is in the resetter -- it's closed up. I don't know how long the battery might last, or what it uses... but if it stops working, I guess I'll have to break the resetter open and hope I don't damage it and can replace it -- or buy another (a better one hopefully, from somewhere else).

-- rc

 

[fotofreek]

rconn2 - the screw device is used to extract the little ball in the fill hole in OEM carts. It is under the place that says "push" on top of the cart. I'd rather use a center punch and hammer and tap it into the cart. Then the blue plugs will fit. Reread Neil's info - He likes these kits primarily for the blue plugs. While they do work well (except for one cart that the fill hole was slightly too small after the ball was punched in) I prefer the screw/o-ring technique. Look up the info on "sealing the fill hole" in this forum.

 

[rconn2]

fotofreek: those aren't the instructions that came with the kit from computer friends. Those instructions were to either punch a hole through the refill hole in the bottom of the cart and seal with the blue tape or punch a hole in the upper corner and use a blue plug attached to tape. Neither seems a very good technique (I've done both). The problem with the upper corner is getting the hole the right size and subsequent leakage. The black plastic punch didn't make the hole the right size -- too small (and it broke on me). There was no explanation for the screw thing.

I didn't see anything on Neill's site about making a hole where it says "push". That would be much better since it'd be at the top of the cart. I have screws/o-rings and also some yellow silicone plugs (a google for ink jet carts and yellow silicone should find them) and plan to try a hole through the top. I also took a cart apart to see the chambers -- but am not sure if it matters -- looks like the upper chambers all connect, yet some other site described some chambers as not having ink -- which didn't fit with what I observed... iow, very confusing.

I'll re-read Neil's info. And am curious where on the cart you use screws/o-rings? Okay just looked at an opened cart... there is no ball under push or anywhere under the top of a T048x epson cart. There's an upper bit of plastic and a lower -- no ball and nothing other than solid plastic separating the lower and the chambers. Are you trying to trick me

 

[fotofreek]

My mistake - I didn't notice the reference to EPSON. Neil's instructions are for the BCI-6 Canon carts and that's what I mistakenly thought you were asking about. Sorry to to confuse the issue!