The Most Common Problem with a Laser Printer Toner Cartridge
Most things deteriorate with age. A laser printer toner cartridge is not an exception to this probability. Laser printer toner cartridges are well manufactured, however, in the end they are made from plastics. Laser printers and copiers generate heat when they run. This heat can eventually get to the plastic casing of the laser printer toner cartridge leading to their most common malfunction ¨C leaks.
Older laser printer toner cartridges can develop cracks or even holes. These cracks and holes will lead to toner leaking into the machine and poor print results. If you are noticing smears in your prints from your laser printer, your laser printer toner cartridge may be leaking. If so, replace it with a new cartridge. You can buy a refillable or non-refillable cartridge, but replace it quickly so you do not risk damaging your copier.
Looking to Save on Your Laser Toner Order - Look for Free Shipping
Most people looking for the best prices when buying laser toner do not take into account the ĄŽotherĄ¯ costs that come into play when you order anything online. Often, the shipping costs that are incurred will make your laser toner order even more expensive than if you went to your local retail store.
If you want to save what you should when you order your laser toner, keep an eye out for free shipping from suppliers. Many online suppliers of laser toner want to attract you as a customer. To achieve this, they will often offer free shipping on laser toner orders. Sometime you will have to order a minimum amount to qualify for the free shipping. If you need that much, then great, order and get your free shipping. If you do not need the amount they require, keep looking, you are sure to find a supplier that meets your needs.
Diluting Your Laser Printer Toner
Refilling laser printer toner can get to be expensive. Even if you have the self-refill cartridges, the actual toner refills can run pretty high. If you want to get more life out of your laser printer toner, look into products that you can use to dilute the toner before you refill.
Some of these diluting products can turn one bottle of toner into the equivalent of 10 bottles. They are easy to mix in with you toner refill and will not make you sacrifice any of your print quality. These are available from several manufacturers and can be found easiest on the Internet from ecommerce sites. DonĄ¯t keep refilling your laser printer toner before you check this stuff out. The cost savings are outstanding.
Advantages to Laser Toner Printers
There are many advantages to using a laser toner printer, but the main ones are simple; speed, economy and quality. Because a laser can move much faster than an ink jet, you will have print jobs finish with lightning speed. Also, since the laser beam has a larger print diameter, it can create much clearer prints without spilling any excess ink.
When it comes to costs, laser printers are typically more expensive than inkjet printers. However, the ongoing costs of a laser toner printer are far less than the same costs with an inkjet. Compared to inkjet refills, laser toner powder is cheaper and lasts a far longer. Because inkjets run dry so quickly, laser toner printers have become the printers of choice for most offices that do large amounts of printing. Advances in laser toner printer technology have made them even better suited for a home. There have been greatly reduced sizes of printers as well as improved print quality. Both of these advances have coincided with a drastic reduction in the cost of laser printers, making them a great choice for your home.
Cleaning Spilled Laser Toner
If you tried refilling your laser toner and had a little accident with the powder, donĄ¯t throw out the pants or shirt quite yet. Although it has some seriously strong stain power, you donĄ¯t want to wait to get the laser toner off. First, do not rub it in to get the powder off.
- Before you rub, try to blow or shake the laser toner from the spilled area. Rubbing toner in will only make the problem much worse.
- Next, if you have residual dust that you cannot shake or blow off, carefully use an ink remover. Apply the remover to the affected area and let sit.
- After a few seconds, scrub the laser toner with an abrasive sponge or scrub brush.
- Wash in a washing machine on light. Be sure to keep other garments out of the machine while running, just in case you missed a piece of toner.
This should get the laser toner stain off without permanent damage. Look for ink removers at your local hardware store and ask if they will work with powdered ink such as laser toner.
Tools to Help Clean Your Laser Toner Cartridge
If you have had your copier for some time, chances are that your laser toner cartridge is due for a cleaning. Cleaning refillable laser toner cartridges is essential to extending the quality and life of your copier or printer. Here are a few tools that you will want handy when you are cleaning your cartridge.
A Mask ¨C The particles that gather in a laser toner cartridge are toxic and should never be inhaled. Use a mask that can filter fine particles and odors. These are easily found in the painting section of your local hardware store.
Jars of Compressed Air ¨C The black powder that is the laser toner inside the cartridge is very fine and is easiest to just blow away with a can of compressed air.
Cotton Swabs & Alcohol ¨C Using these two pieces in combination is the best way to get all of the toner out of the cartridge. The alcohol will get the cartridge clean and ready for the refill.
Look for recommended cleaning instructions for your particular laser toner cartridge in your manual. No matter what type of copier you have, each of the tools above will be essential.
A Few Tips For Refilling Laser Toner
Refilling your own laser toner cartridge can save you a lot of money when it comes to printing costs. This little project is not the easiest and can take a few times to get down perfectly. Because of the chemicals in toner as well as the stain possibilities involved, here are a few things to take note of if you are trying to refill your laser toner.
- Wear rubber gloves. Most laser toner refill kits will come with a pair. They are included for a reason, so put them on!
- Tools. The toner refills are sealed pretty tightly, so you will want to have a pair of needle-nose pliers handy to pry the opening off.
- Mix. Newer laser toner is thicker than older toner, so you can now purchase products that are safe to use to dilute the toner. Toner Save is a great product for this and can give you far more life out of a bottle of toner.
- Location, Location, Location. Do not attempt to refill your laser toner in any areas of your home or office that you do not want to stain. A sink is recommended and you should stick to the bathroom to avoid getting the toner near your kitchen.
Filling laser toner is a risky proposition, but if you take these few tips into account and your job will be a little easier.
When Laser Printer Toner Goes Bad
Anyone who uses a laser printer knows that when it comes to laser printer toner, if you donĄ¯t use it, you could lose it. Toner that sits for extended periods of time can deteriorate and lead to poor printing results. Curious why that happens? Here is a short explanation.
Laser printer toner is not liquid. This is the first thing to get out of the way. As opposed to liquid ink, laser printer toner is actually a very, very fine powder. The powder is ink in a dried form so that it will react with the laser to burn the print to the paper. Because of the fine nature of the powder, elements such as moisture can lead to clumping over time of not being used. When used, the toner is mixed around inside of the cartridge. This is why toner cartridges are made with very tight seals. The clumping in the powder will eventually lead to clogs in the printing process and smeared results. If you think your laser printer toner may be starting to go bad, donĄ¯t worry. You can clean out your laser toner cartridge and refill it with fresh toner. Just be sure to run it once in a while next time to mix it upĄ literally.
Safety Issues When Cleaning or Changing Laser Toner
If you are attempting to clean or change out your laser toner yourself, there are some safety concerns that you should take note of and precaution against. Here are a few tips on what to be careful of when handling your laser toner or printer.
First, beware of spilling toner. Laser toner is a very fine powder. If it spills and gets into the air, it can take a long time to settle and to be cleaned. If you are changing your laser toner, wear a mask to protect your lungs from inhaling the toner particles in the event of a spill. If you do spill, turn off any fans in the room to keep the toner from recycling in the air. Leave the room and come back after the laser toner has had a chance to settle.
One other common danger area in your laser toner printer is in the roller compartment. Different printers are constructed differently. If yours has the roller compartment in tight quarters, be careful if you go near it. This compartment gets hot when printing, and if you have recently printed, may still be hot when you are trying to change the laser toner. DonĄ¯t get caught burning yourself on the roller compartment. To avoid this heat, wait at least one hour after your last print before attempting to change your laser toner.
Take note of these safety issues when working with your laser printer and you will avoid many of the most common dangers that are there.