Inks worth of $

[jonathaw]

Hellooooo. I have a Samsung ML-1450 (http://product.samsung.com/cgi-bin/nabc/product/b2c_product_detail.jsp?prod_id=ML-1450%2fXAA) laser printer and it's treated me fabulously for about 3 years. Unfortunately, the ink is starting to go and it's becoming noticeable by me. I will buy a new cartridge (freaking $99), but I obviously want to squeeze everything I can out of this one.

In the MLL we have the Xerox Phaser, which has 4 ink cartridges, which are much more expensive than mine, and we also try to squeeze them dry. I know CK has a sophisticated technique of banging on the cartridges to shake the ink around and lengthen it's useful life.

If I take my cartridge out and shake it a little will that help? Or will I get ink everywhere? I'm scared to do anything for fear of the latter, but I really don't know much about this. I've never replaced ink on printers except ink jets, which are a whole different beast.

Thanks!

[lnp]

Now I might be wrong, but here goes. If you shake it, the worst that can happen is that the powder which gets fused to the paper (the laser bit of the laser printer) goes all over the place. Basically what the shaking/pounding does (I think the pounding is more effective) is dislodges the powder from places that don't contribute toner (the ceiling of the cartridge, etc.) and puts it where it can do some good.

[jonathaw]

Yeah, I think that's exactly the idea behind shaking it, but my problem is more with "the worst thing that can happen"
If you shake it, the worst that can happen is that the powder which gets fused to the paper (the laser bit of the laser printer) goes all over the place.
I can't really have that happen, heh. Has anyone tried this? Can you just take a cartridge out of a printer and not have stuff get everywhere?

[fischerm]

I've done this all the time with black & white laser printer toner cartridges. Just take the toner cartridge out and rock it back and forth pretty viggorously, maybe tap it against your palm on each end to shake stuff up. What Lars said is pretty much true, you're trying to get all the toner that is stuck to the top and sides of the cartridge down towards where it can get out. I've never had any problems with toner getting all over the place, no more than you get with just changing the toner cartridge with a new one.

[jonathaw]

Gracias. I just did it and no, I didn't get toner all over the place. I think I was just paranoid cause when I was younger I totally had an ink accident. I think it was from shaking a cartridge, but... well it was a long time ago. It's all good though! I've conquered my ink fear and now I have crisp black text.