Posted by Hugh Nations Signing Agents of Austin on 12/12/07 10:41am
Msg #225622

About those toner refills...

Okay...I filled my first cartridge. Then it ran out of toner after less than 500 copies, at 10 p.m. when I had an 11 p.m. signing. What did I do wrong?

In the meantime, I've ordered half a dozen remanufactured cartridges from LD Products, which Joan Bergstrom recently touted here. List price for four or more = $30, but with free shipping for orders over $150 and a 10% off coupon, came to a total of $162. That's $27 each. One cartridge at Office Depot costs something like $80.

I've been using LD Products for years, and they're great. The only issue I've ever had with them is that they use UPS, which offers the level of service you would expect to encounter in rural Albania. They suck bigtime. But LD Products is top-notch.

Reply by Lee/AR on 12/12/07 12:01pm
Msg #225635

You used the whole bottle, right? Did you gently shake it side to side to evenly distribute the powder? Or try taking cartridge out of printer & doing that--ought to be good for another 100 or so pages. Tho' I've not bought used cartridges (use my own), I've been refilling 'em for a couple of years now and other than 1 'squeaky' cartridge, I'm happy.

Reply by Hugh Nations Signing Agents of Austin on 12/12/07 12:10pm
Msg #225639

Hmmmm...I get 2,000 page out of my remanufactured LD Products cartridges. 600 pages out of a toner refill doesn't sound like much.

Reply by Lee/AR on 12/12/07 12:49pm
Msg #225646

I get more out of a refill than a new high yield cartridge. You're right--only 600? Something is wrong there. How big are those bottles? Did you use the whole bottle? Unless you changed printers, I know you're using a HP 1020--1022? (Your Ol' Man River song with new words...LOL) I'm running a HP1200 and my refill bottles are 150 grams... well...'g'--which I assume to be grams. Either that...or exactly how much did you spill, anyway?

Reply by Hugh Nations Signing Agents of Austin on 12/12/07 1:24pm
Msg #225655

Bottles are 16 fluid ounce size. Didn't use the whole bottle. I'll try again. Maybe the toner would pour into the cartridge easier if I added water? Or just a tad of 10 wt. motor oil?

Reply by MikeC/NY on 12/12/07 7:44pm
Msg #225749

<< Bottles are 16 fluid ounce size. Didn't use the whole bottle. >>

There's your problem - it's one bottle per cartridge. As long as you've got the right refill for your cartridge, it will all fit (minus the stuff you spill).

Suggestions for your next attempt at refilling a cartridge:

1. Latex gloves
2. Plastic garbage bags

Do the refill with the cartridge in the garbage bag - spilled toner has nowhere else to go.

Reply by Becca_FL on 12/12/07 12:55pm
Msg #225647

To hear you tell it, it sure sounded like you split more toner in the bathroom sink than actually made it in the cartridge. Just a guess.

Reply by Stamper_WI on 12/12/07 4:37pm
Msg #225691

Make sure you put the plug back in tight. LOL!

Reply by MikeC/NY on 12/12/07 6:37pm
Msg #225722

<< Okay...I filled my first cartridge. Then it ran out of toner after less than 500 copies, at 10 p.m. when I had an 11 p.m. signing. What did I do wrong? >>

Could be all that toner you got on your shirt, your hands, the bathroom sink, etc ...

Seriously, though - did you shake the bottle of toner before you attempted the refill? That aerates the toner and helps distribute it more evenly in the cartridge. Shaking the cartridge from side to side before installing it in the printer is also recommended, even for new cartridges. If the toner settles unevenly, it could reduce output and/or cause other print problems.