Streaks caused by "overprint sponge" - how to remove/clean excess ink?

[ivanalbright]

This problem is likely caused because I almost exclusively print massive amounts of the same size, same layout, borderless prints. For example, once a week, 500 4x6" pages with a black border all the way to the edge. I've been doing this for a quite a few months now. Lately, more and more of the prints get a kind of streaky inconsistent line along one side of the page.

I believe this is because the absorbent black sponge area (you can see in the photo below), is saturated with ink caused by overprinting the borderless edges. My question is if it is possible to remove and clean this spongy pad, and how to do so?

I have tried using paper towels and q-tips to absorb some of the ink off the spongey material while it was still in the printer. It did get quite a bit of black ink absorbed out, but there is still a lot remaining and the problem persists. Note that I've also tried plenty of head/nozzle cleanings in case that is the cause. This also occurs with many ink cartridges -- i've been through maybe 10 black ink cartridges and the problem keeps cropping up.

In the photo here, you can see the wide strip of black sponge material between the gray ribbon and metal bar. Toward the upper right of the photo, where the light is shining, is where the 4x6 borderless pages are printed and you may be able to see its much more saturated with black ink than the rest.


Thanks for any help!

 

[l_d_allan]

More info, please. My speculation is that it is way too soon to be considering waste-pad cleaning. You may eventually have to do that, but I'd hold off on that until other possibilities have been eliminated.

* Can you upload a sample picture that has the problem you describe?

* Can you update your profile with location, printer(s), and other refilling info like ink used, carts used, refilling method, etc.?

* The waste pads can hold a LOT of ink. However, on Canon printers, the printer is supposed to keep track of estimated waste-pad saturation percentage. Once it gets too high, I believe you'll get some message about that.

* If you have a Canon, can you get the printer into Service Mode and do an extended nozzle check to get counts of prints made, and estimated waste-pad saturation percent?

* Nozzle check ok?

* What happens with bordered prints? What about letter sized prints 8.5x11" ... bordered and borderless?

* What paper are you using? Relatively flat or curved? I got some rebated 4x6" Staples photo paper for about $0.00 that was very bowed / unflat? Tried different 4x6" paper?

* Have you tried QImage to print on larger paper? (I haven't used QImage, but my impression it can do this kind of thing ... you'd be able to use less expensive commodity 8.5x11" paper, although you'd have lots of cutting to do. Again, how much is your time worth?)

* What happens with Fast vs Standard vs High print quality?

* What percent of the 500 prints are ok, and how many are bad? Is there some pattern to the bad ones, like at the start, middle, end?

* Canon printers schedule a purge/clean cycle after a certain number of ink droplet counts. Is the problem less or more after an auto purge/clean cycle?

* Have you checked that the purge unit is working ?

* You don't necessarily save that much by printing your own 4x6" prints ... in the USA those tend to be "loss leaders" to get people in the store. Have you considered having a print shop make your 4x6" prints? How much is your time worth? In Colorado Springs, Wolf's has a special on Tues and Wed with 3.5x5" prints for $0.07 USD, for example.

* Canon printers and CISS don't typically work all that well, but I've read that Epson printers and CISS work better. You might consider a CISS in the future once this is resolved. But what is your printer's paper capacity?

 

[The Hat]

ivanalbright
Its a real bummer when that sponge picks up to much ink all right.
The black sponge is easily remover with a little care and that all thats needed.

Turn on your printer and then rise the top lit and then remover the power plug.
Now the printer is safe to work on without losing any fingers Ha Ha.

Move the ink head out of you way by moving it as far left as it can go;
now youll have a clear area to work on.

Use a flat head screw driver and you finger to pinch the sponge then lift it out carefully,
youll have to jiggle it a bit to get it round all the plastic bits sticking out.

If the print head is getting in your way then slide it back to the right side, it will pass over the exposed sponge with ease (no worries).
An important thing to remember at this point is when you get it out to check which end of the sponge is left and right (draw a note of it).

It would be a good idea to give the platen area where the sponge usually sits a quick rub of a cloth
soaked in Windex or mentholated sprits while you have the sponge out of the printer.

Washing the sponge in warm water and washing up liquid will work fine then give it a good squeeze out
in a paper towel to get most of the moisture out of it, flatten it in shape and just pop it back in to your printer.

Its best to start on the left side working towards the print head, use your finger and screw driver again gently press it back in place +
a bit of jiggling again it wont fit correctly straight away but after a minute or so it settles down nicely.

If the print head gets in your way just slide it gently to the left again fit the last bit of sponge in place,
power up and your ready to print cleanly again.

Happy printing..

 

[ivanalbright]

Thanks for the replies! It took me a little bit, but I had a chance to clean the sponge using the method The Hat described. It was pretty easy, although when trying to remove the far left edge of the sponge (the area that was under the print head) - it got a small rip. It seems to be working fine, but is there a way to order a replacement for this? (Canon Pixma Pro 9000 Mk II)

I did some test prints with good results--the problem appears to be fixed with just the sponge cleaning. There was a LOT of ink saturation in that 4" area where all the printing was done. I will know for sure if the problem was fixed within about 1 week when I do the next batch of about 500 prints -- I will update then. Thanks!

 

[The Hat]

ivanalbright Glad to hear that your problems fixed.

I wouldnt be too worried about the little rip in the sponge it wont affect your machine in any way.
But if your printing that much borderless prints then having another sponge spare might be a good idea (swop).

Now if youre going to be removing this sponge regularly then I would advise you to take your time with it (no rips next time please).
When youre printing these photos do you use high or standard quality mode,
as I would recommend only using standard and that would help cut down on the amount of over spray that you get.
Happy printing..

 

[fotofreek]

Using a canon? You can adjust the amount of increase of size of the image when doing borderless prints. On my printers the recommended setting is the second from the right side of the four settings. I've found that moving the pointer one to the left - that is second from the left - I still get borderless prints and the overspray will be less.

 

[mikling]

What you need is something similar to the rinse - suction tool that the dentist uses. This is what I use when I acquire a used printer. You need a slow stream of water and another wand that has a vacuum that will suck the water up. By putting the stream of water directly opposite to the wand, perhaps about 1/2" to 1", the water will migrate across a patch of sponge and the wand will suck the water off the sponge thus effecting a fast and controllable rinse operation between the stream and pickup.. You slowly work across the whole sponge. The overspray sponge will eventually become like new. No ink at all. This is also usable on capping station sponges which has lots of pigment residues which will impede the vacuum action on Epson pigment printers with high mileage. Water is not used in this case though.

Maybe your dentist can help you out?!!!