Digital BW, The Print

I have an Epson 1280 with which I use a MIS VM inkset.  Lately, it 
appears to have some ink on the underside of the head and as it 
passes over the paper, it creates ink smudges.  I remember 
reading something about cleaning the bottom of the head with a 
paper towel soaked with Windex, but I don't remember exactly 
how that is done and I can't seem to locate the old message.  
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Justin Smith 
http://www.findJustin.com

Justin-

Are you using thick paper? Have you adjusted the paper alignment to 
allow for thicker paper? Is the paper flat? Does it have the support 
tray all the way out?

Cleaning it is usually pretty easy...just run a used sheet through a 
couple of times to soak it up (the towel trick is more for head 
cleaning).

Sometimes the desktop printers will just drive you nuts with thick 
paper.

Hint...you might need to run the alignment utility if you adjust the 
paper thickness lever.

Hope this does it.

Tom O'Connell

TomOC@...
www.thomasoconnell.com



--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "smithj72" <smithj72@y...> 
wrote:

> I have an Epson 1280 with which I use a MIS VM inkset.  Lately, it 
> appears to have some ink on the underside of the head and as it 
> passes over the paper, it creates ink smudges.  I remember 
> reading something about cleaning the bottom of the head with a 
> paper towel soaked with Windex, but I don't remember exactly 
> how that is done and I can't seem to locate the old message.  
> Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
> Thanks in advance,
> Justin Smith 
> http://www.findJustin.com

I just had this problem with my 1160.  The rollers have ink on them which g=
ets placed on the paper in even increments. You wipe off the rollers (with a=
 q-tip) while pressing the paper feed button. But it is very frustrating bec=
ause once you start printing again the roller (or two) will again become ink=
y. This is caused by  a buildup of ink on the underside of the printhead and=
 after each pass to the "sponge" it returns to the middle to deposit ink on =
the rollers which in turn deposit it on the paper.

SO  what you have to do is hold the ink button down like you would if you a=
re changing carts. This will cause the printhead to go to the left and stop.=
 Then you unplug the printer (without turning it off) which will make the pr=
inthead movable by hand.  Then use 1 inch wide strips of paper towel (I use =
photex wipes that I use with my scanner) soaked in Alcohol, or Windex, or Fa=
ntastik, etc..  and place them in the black trough. Push the printhead over =
the paper towel, then you can lift the paper towel on both sides of the prin=
thead and rub it back and forth a few times. You may want to focus on the ar=
ea behind the actual nozzles as this is where I suspect the offending buildu=
p occur.  Try that a couple of times and you should be good. Make sure every=
thing is clean and don't rub too hard or use anything hard against the print=
head.
Clean up the inside as best as possible before plugging it back in. (Ink wi=
ll go everywhere but it doesnt really matter much)

Once you turn the printer back on you will need to clean the rollers off wi=
th paperfeed button trick again as ink is probably still on the underside. (=
(Hold a wipe or q-tip against the roller while pressing the paper feed butto=
n, make sure you don't have any nice paper loaded))

I think I learned about this from the piezography group.

-mh
toomanyartists.com


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "tomoc" <TomOC@s...> wrote:

> Justin-
> 
> Are you using thick paper? Have you adjusted the paper alignment to 
> allow for thicker paper? Is the paper flat? Does it have the support 
> tray all the way out?
> 
> Cleaning it is usually pretty easy...just run a used sheet through a 
> couple of times to soak it up (the towel trick is more for head 
> cleaning).
> 
> Sometimes the desktop printers will just drive you nuts with thick 
> paper.
> 
> Hint...you might need to run the alignment utility if you adjust the 
> paper thickness lever.
> 
> Hope this does it.
> 
> Tom O'Connell
> 
> TomOC@s...
> www.thomasoconnell.com
> 
> 
> 
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "smithj72" <smithj72@y...> 
> wrote:
> > I have an Epson 1280 with which I use a MIS VM inkset.  Lately, it 
> > appears to have some ink on the underside of the head and as it 
> > passes over the paper, it creates ink smudges.  I remember 
> > reading something about cleaning the bottom of the head with a 
> > paper towel soaked with Windex, but I don't remember exactly 
> > how that is done and I can't seem to locate the old message.  
> > Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
> > Thanks in advance,
> > Justin Smith 
> > http://www.findJus tin.comˇ

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "smithj72" <smithj72@y...> wrote:
> I have an Epson 1280 with which I use a MIS VM inkset.  Lately, it 
> appears to have some ink on the underside of the head and as it 
> passes over the paper, it creates ink smudges. 

Justin,

the previous 2 messages have good advice already. Some additional notes:

- I wouldn't advise using alcohol. Fantastik works very well.

- To get under the head, lightly soak a kitchen towel or wipes or whatever and 
carefully fold so that the head will slide over the material when it is set in the 
trough. Important Tip: Use the + - (thickness) lever to help you in this. Put it in 
+ to get the head over the soaked towel, then in - to make the head contact the 
towel and run it back and forth. Be gentle, don't press down and keep 
changing towels.

- You don't need to unplug or even turn the printer off. Just make sure it's not 
about to print, reach to the left where a big white plastic wheel is visible. 
Rotate towards you just a bit. You will notice a lock (tab) that will release by 
the side of the head that is nearest you at the base of the chassis. That's all. 
Now you can slide the head at will. When done, lock it again as a "courtesy" to 
the brains of the printer. It will still find its place if you don't.

- To clean the little rubber rollers lay down a soaked towel and use that same 
big white wheel to turn the platten (main rubber roller that moves the paper) 
and therefore turn these little buggers. Clean until clean!

- The other area of contamination is the sponge that caps the heads and acts 
as the "spitoon" when head cleanings occur. Carefully and gently (not to upset 
the delicate springs underneath) mop up what you can with several pats of a 
dry kitchen towel. By "kitchen towel" I always mean a sturdy paper towel that 
won't shread easily or leave a bunch of lint and threads behind. This is not 
where to save money. Buy the best for this use.

This should become routine maintenance - long before unwanted ink hits 
paper.

Please also explore the tech support pages of inkjetmall.com. They wrote the 
book on the subject (big credit to Bill Bergh).

Good luck.


Antonis