Homebrew PCBs

My faithful HP 1020 is printing shadows, blotches and several versions 
of what I am trying to print out on the same page!!!  Cleaning 
procedures etc have failed to fix - so its time for a new laser.  I use 
it to print layouts on LaserStar(?) film only, then to the UV box.  
Have been happy with quality of print of old unit but thought I would 
check feedback from others on the group.
Thanks
Paul vk4apn

On Tue, 06 Jan 2009 06:52:34 -0000
"Paul Newman" <vk4apn@...> wrote:

> Have been happy with quality of print of old unit but thought I would 
> check feedback from others on the group.

Did you change the cartridge? After changing the cartridge ir's nearly
impossible that those problems remain.

http://www.repairfaq.org/samnew/printfaq.htm

haw quite a few tips on repairs.

John

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Paul Newman" <vk4apn@...> wrote:
>
> My faithful HP 1020 is printing shadows, blotches and ... - so its
time for a new laser.  I use 
> it to print layouts on LaserStar(?) film only, then to the UV box.  
> Have been happy with quality of print of old unit but thought I would 
> check feedback from others on the group.
> Thanks
> Paul vk4apn
>
I like the HP printers best myself (for Laser Printers). We have 8000
series at work and they are decent but personally I like my 1200 at
home best. Lines and fill areas are always solid and uniform. I
haven't done much photo since switching to TT for most things but the
prints I have done to transparency stock looked as good as the ones to
paper do. I actually run on remanufactured cartridges (about $40
instead of $80+) and the results are just as good as the HP OEM
cartridges were. I think the last one was from saveontoner.com.
Phil KA0HBG

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Paul Newman" <vk4apn@...> wrote:
>
> My faithful HP 1020 is printing shadows, blotches and several versions 
> of what I am trying to print out on the same page!!!  Cleaning 
> procedures etc have failed to fix - so its time for a new laser.  I use 
> it to print layouts on LaserStar(?) film only, then to the UV box.  
> Have been happy with quality of print of old unit but thought I would 
> check feedback from others on the group.
> Thanks
> Paul vk4apn

Paul,
    This shadowing, blotching and double-up printing usually means
that the drum unit is past its use-by date. The cleaning blade used to
remove excess toner after transfer to the paper sheet is becoming hard
and no longer doing its job properly. Trying to find and fit a new
cleaning blade (neoprene usually) is almost impossible, so I would
suggest a new drum assembly. This is probably easier and cheaper than
trying to break in a new laser printer.

Regards,
Simon VK4TSC

Many thanks to those that replied - all useful info and links.
I recently bought a new injet as a general printer Canon mp610. I 
thought i would see how well it would print out a PCB layout - i had 
some very old HP overhead transparency film on hand...results were 
better than the 
laser, crisp lines, dense blacks.  I produced 2 boards with them and 
they have turned out 100% - so might leave the laser for a while.
Paul vk4apn

> Paul,
>     This shadowing, blotching and double-up printing usually means
> that the drum unit is past its use-by date. The cleaning blade used 
to
> remove excess toner after transfer to the paper sheet is becoming 
hard
> and no longer doing its job properly. Trying to find and fit a new
> cleaning blade (neoprene usually) is almost impossible, so I would
> suggest a new drum assembly. This is probably easier and cheaper 
than

> trying to break in a new laser printer.
> 
> Regards,
> Simon VK4TSC
>

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Paul Newman" <vk4apn@...> wrote:
>
> My faithful HP 1020 is printing shadows, blotches and several 
versions 

*** I too have a 1020, but I use it for printing checks.  It has
started leaving a fuzzy vertical band down the R/H portion of the 
page.  I pulled the cartridge and discovered some toner on the 
drum.  I cleaned off the drum with some cotton buffs, and so far so 
good.  Been maybe 20 sheets of paper through it since then, all perfect.

                       - Jerry Kaidor

Bit of a stale thread but I'll throw in my 2c... I've had some 
experience with a number of Lexmark laser printers (NOT inkjets) that 
were more than satisfactory. I uninstalled a few at some sites 
(office depots) that had as many as 550k pages of *cardstock* through 
them. These were Optra R series printers, and the S and T series are 
every bit as good.. 

The nice thing is, you can pick up lightly used printers for change - 
I paid $65 for a T520 with 63k pages on it. I bought two new 20k page 
toner carts (drum incl) for $15 each, SHIPPED. 

The print quality remains very high to (nearly) the last page of the 
cartridge, which is unusual for many laser printers. Unfortunately I 
haven't done any transfers with it, I need to get more "release" and 
give it a try I guess.