wilson@mimsy.umd.edu (Anne Wilson) (06/15/91)
Would it be bad to reuse the back side of laser printer output as paper for the laser printer? I'm thinking of running the used paper through upside down so I could use the back which is currently blank. But, perhaps the existing toner on the downside of the paper would harm the printer?? What if the printed side had been scribbled on with pencil, pen, or highlighter?? Please send any responses to wilson@mimsy.umd.edu. If anyone else is interested let me know and I'll share the responses. Wondering In Maryland (Anne Wilson)
wilson@mimsy.umd.edu (Anne Wilson) (06/20/91)
Well, the results are in and the answer is ... who knows??!! The responses about whether or not to reuse laser printer output were rather across the board. Here's what I got in my mailbox: Absolutely not. Bad idea. Don't ever do this: 5 responses Probably a bad idea, maybe you shouldn't: 1 response Maybe ok on a limited basis: 3 responses I do this all the time!: 3 responses So, there you have it. Make your own decision. To help, I've included the following pertainent comments that I received: ---------- My principle is: if there is little text on the printed side (or if I absolutely have to have two-sided copies) I turn the paper around and reprint on it (I use a LaserJetIIP). I have the printer for almost 2 years now and nothing bad has happened -- yet. ---------- At Columbia we finally got at least some of the buildings to recycle paper, including here in the Comp. Sci. building. That would be better than printing on the reverse of used paper. The printer engine in the NeXT is a typical Cannon engine. If it is necessary to replace the finishing assembly you'll be out something on the order of $100. That's a great deal of paper. --------------- Paper curling could cause jamming. ---------------- After a few pages, toner gets onto the rollers and makes ugly streaks on the output. Highlighter shouldn't hurt it, pen-- depends on the ink. I'd stay away from pencil. ---------------- I reuse paper this way *all* the time---have been for at least a year on my NeXT Laser without any noticeable problems so far. There have been intimations over the net that this is a bad idea, but... What does *not* work is to load the paper cassette with upside down used paper. It seems the printed side is just rough enough to prevent the sheets from feeding one page at a time. Each sheet tends to pull the next one through prematurely. That is, I do a lot of manual feeding. In fact it would be nice if there was a way to make the print panels default to manual printing instead of cassette, but I haven't found a way to arrange this. -------------- No! NO! NO! You REALLY don't want to do this. It may seem like a great way to save money, but it would cost so much in terms of a shorter laser printer life. The toner that is baked on to the page will flake off as paper curls through the maze inside the printer, getting old toner all over parts. Like the roller. The printer will end up getting gummed up, with reduced print quality, etc. And for some printers there are other bizzarre problems that can encroach. Like paper curl from the first time through inducing more frequent paper jams. I think that there is also a problem with the unprinted side often getting lubricants on it from going through the paper path, meaning that in a second pass, the toner will not stick and end up all over the fuser. ------------ i'm sure you'll get plenty of other responses to your query, but just in case not, everyone I've heard from that has tried it, has said that the NeXT printer doesn't last very long when laser paper is fed through twice. the printer gets toner gunked up inside and overheats etc. advice is not to try it. ------------ Anne, we do this all the time... Big proponents of saving trees. Our only problems have been with Toner refilled catridges. Never any problems with "recycled" paper. We ahve all sorts of Pen marks, and even send a few through on the wrong sides. No adverse effects. ------------- Yes. I tried this trick once and ended up needing a service call to clean all the stringy toner from the insides of the printer. I hate wasting paper, too, so I bring it home and let my kids color on the backsides! ------------- The good news is that I do this all of the time. The bad news is that someday I may have to buy a new printer. :-) No seriously, I don't know if this is a good idea or not, but I am poor and 99% of the paper I send through has been written on.
wilson@mimsy.umd.edu (Anne Wilson) (06/20/91)
Woops! I made a mistake - sorry. The tally should read as follows: Absolutely not. Bad idea. Don't ever do this: 5 responses Probably a bad idea, maybe you shouldn't: *4* responses (not *1*) Maybe ok on a limited basis: *1* responses (not *3*) I do this all the time!: 3 responses That seems to make the consensus a little clearer anyway... Anne