Colour Laser Printer... advice please!

[Spartacus]

Hey

One of the reasons I've been absent for a while is my printer (Epson Stylus Inkjet) just doesn't work. Blurry prints, black not printing, new carts, I'm fed up with the bleeping thing.

I was thinking of a colour laser printer as prices are affordable. Given price is a huge issue for me can anyone recommend a laser printer, or a brand to go for or avoid, or features I should be looking for.

I like the fact the Epson has a scanner and is wireless, so those would be handy too. Speed of printing is unimportant, but image quality is everything. Costs of print would be an issue too if they vary considerably.

Anyway, what have you got, what do you recommend, etc. etc.

Thanks! Merci! Gracias! Ta very kindly!

[Dennispls]

Hello Spartacus,

I was in your spot not too long ago and just decided to try the samsung clp-365w wireless color laser printer. The prints come out pretty nice depending on the type of paper you use. However I have seen a lot of issues with the cartiridges causing errors. If the printer is turned off and on it might load up in error without me knowing what is causing this.
To remedy this I have to manually reload all the cartridges and slam on some things in order to get it to work. The wireless fucntion is hard to configure and doesn't work that nice.

My next printer won't be a laser printer anymore (size and costs per cartridge are absurd). I would not recommend this Samsung printer.

[hirondelle]

I have heard that the way laser printers bond color to paper can be a problem for modeling - ink soaks in, toner not so much. Can then give flaking etc.

I use an Epson Inkjet & this util has saved it from being scrapped a couple of times.
SSC Service Utility

Essential for proper cleaning etc I've found - so may recover your printer as it has mine.

[murphyaa]

I had a Konica-Minolta color laser a few years back (5 years, I think), and it did a pretty good job. One problem you'll have to deal with laser printers though is the color flaking off when you fold or roll the parts, or just at random because it feels like it. There are various solutions to the flaking problem, from cheap, to not so cheap.

Another thing you might look into is a CISS (Continuous Ink Supply System) It basically replaces the small ink cartridges in your inkjet with good sized tanks of ink for about $100, give or take, depending on the printer you use with it. I've never used one, but both of my beta builders have them, and the printouts look pretty good.

[Spartacus]

I wasn't aware of the flaking issue, so thanks for the head's up on that.

I'll try the utility first...

[peaceglue]

Hello spartacus,

shortly ago I buyed an ink printer, because I'm very disappointed about the flaking problem (bad toner bound to the paper). The time for a workaround should be saved for more useful actions towards a model.

Even the option for heavier paper (the printer works with higher temperature for getting a closer bounding between toner and paper) doesn't works satisfying.

Coloring the small areas with no toner is a weired action: You have to score the right coulor first (difficult enough) and second you maybe use colors without the same glossiness like the toner.

I think there is in present no alternativ (payable) to the ink printers.
Towards the inks there are an interesting development towards inks with pigments (which are more stable and are not so damageable with water).

Greetings peaceglue

[Muttleyy]

I used a HP laser. The quality was excellent, but it only worked well on thin paper. In thicker papers the ink had come loose from the paper when handled. I do not know if it was because of refilled cartridges or by a product feature. Anyway, switched by an inkjet Epson Stylus 5600 CX with bulk system. So no need to worry about the cartridges. Perhaps the problem with your old inkjet printer had to be (apart from life, obviously), the lack of use of cartridges. Has at least once a week, if something is blocking all print. Another thing, it may seem dinosaur thing, but do not trust a lot of these things wirelles. If available, I will always prefer cables.

[woody]

Hi Spartacus,

definitely I wouldn't recommend a laser printer. Toner is "burnt" upon the paper and tends to fall off when you form or bend the paper - well, and that's normal when building a card model.

The ink of an inkjet printer is sucked by the paper and remains where it is even when you form it. I use a Brother MFC-6890 an I'm very content with it. Not only that you get a good value for money, even ink cartridges are affordable. The printing speed is OK, and drivers are available for all common operating system, even for Linux which I have in use.

Hope this helps.

Best regards,
Woody

[richkat]

Laser print toner (not ink) is a plastic based product, it is melted on the paper. On some laser printers the thick paper setting will slow the fusing section down and let the toner bond better, but it still is a layer "on" the paper, that's why it cracks and peels easy........Rich