Digital BW, The Print

> 
> For those of us who haven't filled carts before, can you post (or
> point us to) a list of equipment needed and instructions? The MIS site
> lists 5 different filling methods and 3 different chip-resetter
> procedures.
> 

The EZ refill carts have a plug at the top of each chamber.  You just pull
the plug and squirt in 12cc of ink.  So, six 10 cc syringes and 10 needles
are good to have.  I prefer the longer 4" needles.  

One thing to be carefull of is that the holes at the top of the carts are
not partially blocked by the cart label.  The beta carts I received had this
problem.  I took a sharp razor knife and reamed the hole in a way to cut the
label out of the way.  That top hole must seal when the stopper is put back
in.  Be careful not to push the stopper in so far you can't get it out,
however.

Once full, the carts need to be "primed" to get air out of the outlet.  The
same modified bottom-fill adapter will work for all.  I just rinse it off
and go to the next chamber.  I have shortened the MIS bottom fill adapter so
that the snout is 7mm.  What you want is a snout that is long enough to open
the poppet valve, but short enough to have seal in the outlet.  I think the
shortened shouts are better than the other solutions I've seen.  So, one
bottom fill adapter is needed.

Before I prime the carts, I use a razor knife to cut the thin, clear plastic
seal.  I use an "X" cut.  Some have felt that a poorly broken seal can
partially block a printer inlet.

That's about it.  I'd buy the ink in 4 oz. bottles.  The pints are difficult
to use after the ink level drops.

I re-use the syringes many times.  Wash them well.  After they are dry, when
I re-assemble them I spray some silicone lubricant onto a paper towel and
roll the rubber syringe plunger edge on the towel.  (The darkroom vent fan
is handy during this.) The silicone helps keep the syringes working well.
It's not that necessary for the re-filling jobs, but for very accurate
mixing the syringes can get too stiff to be easy to use.

There isn't much to this.  The toughest part may be fumbling around with
those little stoppers.

All the parts are on the MIS accessories page.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com