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From: blgardne@esunix.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.misc
Subject: Re: Helpful Hint to Extend Useful Life of Printer Ribbons
Message-ID: <6@esunix.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 26-Feb-87 10:12:10 EST
Article-I.D.: esunix.6
Posted: Thu Feb 26 10:12:10 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 1-Mar-87 15:02:03 EST
References: <119@ritcv.UUCP>
Lines: 32

in article <119@ritcv.UUCP>, rsm6306@ritcv.UUCP says:
> 
> Personally, I would prefer to re-ink my ribbons rather than rejuvinate them, 
> assuming the same amount of effort and mess is involved.
> Would be interested in hearing about techniques others have used for reinking.
> 
I've been re-inking the ribbons for my Epson RX-80 with good results.
Simply pop off the top of the cartridge and run one of those roller-ball
stamp pad re-inkers (Sanford #857) across the ribbon. Be careful doing
this, you'll be very surprised at how much ribbon can fit into that
cartridge if it pops out! I've done it, and it's a real mess.

The best technique seem to be simply pushing the applicator down into
the ribbon, rather than trying to roll it across the entire length of
the cartridge. I try to get the ribbon wet in 3 or 4 places along the
length of the cartridge, then seal it back up and put it on the shelf
for a week or so to let the ink soak through the entire ribbon. It helps
if you wind the ribbon part way through the cartridge every couple of
days. (The Skill Twist electric screwdriver is perfect for this.)

One important tip: use less ink than you think you need, or you'll wind
up with a first class mess.

Re-inking can be messy, but a buck or so for the bottle of ink beats
$5-10 for a new ribbon, or $60 for one of those powered re-inking
machines. The stamp pad re-inkers are also available in a few colors, it
makes using colored ribbons much cheaper.

-- 
Blaine Gardner @ Evans & Sutherland
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