mikef@Portia.Stanford.EDU (Michael Fallavollita) (02/28/89)
I have an Epson FX-80 that I've used well. The problem is that my print is getting really bad, especially the tops and bottoms of the letters. I've tried cleaning the head by soaking it in alcohol and that seemed to help for a day. Does anyone know of a good way to clean the head? How about replacements? Are replacement heads a common item or would I have to write to Epson and pay some outrageous amount for a new one? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. Mike Fallavollita mikef@portia.stanford.edu
yuan@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu (Yuan 'Hacker' Chang) (03/01/89)
In article <525@Portia.Stanford.EDU> mikef@portia.UUCP (Michael Fallavollita) writes:
-I have an Epson FX-80 that I've used well. The problem is that my print
-is getting really bad, especially the tops and bottoms of the letters.
What do you mean by "bad?" Is the print light, blurry, or crooked?
-I've tried cleaning the head by soaking it in alcohol and that seemed to
-help for a day. Does anyone know of a good way to clean the head?
I don't know about a good way, but soaking it in alcohol is
definitely not a good way. I think alcohol will oxidize metalic parts,
plus removing lubricants from the moving parts. So after a while your
print pins will all be out of alignment.
-How about replacements? Are replacement heads a common item or would I have
-to write to Epson and pay some outrageous amount for a new one?
Replacement is probably a good idea, although expensive. Xerox
Service Center here charges $80 for a print head the last time that I check
(about a year ago)...
--
Yuan Chang "What can go wrong, did"
UUCP: {uunet,ucbvax,dcdwest}!ucsd!nosc!uhccux!yuan
ARPA: uhccux!yuan@nosc.MIL "Wouldn't you like to
INTERNET: yuan@uhccux.UHCC.HAWAII.EDU be an _A_m_i_g_o_i_d too?!?"jc58+@andrew.cmu.edu (Johnny J. Chin) (03/02/89)
Replacing Epson printheads are a pretty easy task (except LQ-1500,2500,2550).
The reason you only got one good day out of soaking it in alcohol is because
the tips of the firing pins are worn and no longer strike the paper in a
squared fashion. Printheads do cost money. If you call Epson direct, they
will most likely tell you to call an Epson Service Center or charge you list
price for the part.
I just so happen to work for a company who is an Epson Service Center. If you
wish, I can ask them for the price of the head. Or you can call my office
directly and ask for Alfred (tell him Johnny sent you).
Alfred will give you a better price if you mention my name (no, I don't get
any kick backs, I'm his supervisor.) The office is:
Micro Computer Systems (212) 247-0420
250 West 54th Street
New York City, New York 10019 Alfred's ext. is x103
You will need to know when you purchased your printer, the exact model number
and its serial number.
I hope this information will help.
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Computer Dr.
Disclaimer: The views expressed herein are STRICTLY my own, and not CMU's.rlb@cs.odu.edu (Robert Lee Bailey) (03/05/89)
In article <wY35g6y00WQ1IiLcxj@andrew.cmu.edu> jc58+@andrew.cmu.edu (Johnny J. Chin) writes: > >Replacing Epson printheads are a pretty easy task (except LQ-1500,2500,2550). > >The reason you only got one good day out of soaking it in alcohol is because >the tips of the firing pins are worn and no longer strike the paper in a >squared fashion. Printheads do cost money. If you call Epson direct, they >will most likely tell you to call an Epson Service Center or charge you list >price for the part. > A technician friend once told me about a method of restoring bad pins in a print head. NOTE: I DO NOT GUARANTEE THAT THIS WILL WORK! IT IS POSSIBLE TO DAMAGE THE PRINTHEAD BEYOND REPAIR. I TAKE NO RESPONISIBILITY FOR POTENTIAL DAMAGES. IT SHOULD BE USED AS A LAST RESORT ONLY! With this disclaimer out of the way, the problem, as mentioned in the above posting, is that the end of the pins become "blunted" which cause them to stick in the head. The solution is to remove the blunted part at the end of the pin. The method described to me is a follows: 1. Remove the print head 2. dissasemble the print head & remove the pins 3. using a knife sharpening stone, GENTLY stroke the end of the pin against the stone to remove the blunted portion. VERY GENTLY is the key! The pins are delicate and will break. Also, do not remove too much or the pin will be too short to contact the paper. 4. Thoroughly clean each pin, and the head assembly using TV tuner cleaner or contact cleaner. This has some lubrication in it also. 5. reassemble the head & install it. I have never tried this myself, so I do not know if it works. Again, this should be done as a LAST RESORT. Be prepared to buy a new printhead if it does not work or if you break a pin or remove too much material from pins.
mikez@radix (Mike Zuhl) (03/09/89)
Some (many? all?) print heads use beryllium in the tubes holding the hammer wires. In solid metalic form, beryllium is safe [sic], but the dust is poisonous when ingested (breathing, licking you fingers, etc.) With wear, some of the beryllium grinds off and collects as dust around the print head. I suggest that at the very least you clean off the print head carefully and wash your hands before working on it. Alternately, let your kid brother fix it. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mike Zuhl | tektronix!ogcvax!verdix\ Radix MicroSystems, Inc.| !radix!mikez Beaverton, OR 97006 | decvax!decwrl!mipos3!omepd/ Phone: (503) 690-1229 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------