Printer Problems

**Damraska** · #1 10-09-2020, 11:26 AM

Of late, I am not having much luck with equipment for modeling. First my air compressor broke, then my airbrush jammed, and now my printer is borked (again).

About 5 years ago I purchased an Epson Workforce wide format printer and a third party ink refill system I forget the exact model number and hurt too bad to hobble downstairs again and look. The ink refill system consists of pigment inks, third part cartridges, and a syringe.

About once each year I print a model or two, then the printer lies fallow. Each year, it clogs and I waste a bunch of time and ink getting it working again.

Last year the printer clogged very badly and I purchased a third party ink head cleaning kit consisting of some ammonia based solvent, a syringe, and a plastic tube. The syringe and tube deliver the solvent to the print heads. This cleaned up the printer heads and returned the printer to working order. I thought all my clog worries were behind me.

Nine months passed and my printer is clogged again. Over the last week I have used the cleaning solution on the print heads three times. Each time the problem gets worse. After the second treatment, the printer stopped printing entirely. After the third treatment, it was printing but very badly.

Obviously, I have read many online articles on ink clogs and how to fix them. After more than 10 hours trying various solutions nothing has worked. Have any of you run into this sort of problem? Did you get it fixed? If so, can you describe how?

Thanks in advance for any help.

**Dane** · #2 10-09-2020, 01:31 PM

I faced this problem on my printer Epson L-110. It is needed to clear the printing head. Not a very difficult procedure. You will need to get flushing fluid, two syringes and a soft tube. You can watch the process in video. In Russian, but it is understandable.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTYnoJ9ZCKs

**Damraska** · #3 10-09-2020, 03:23 PM

Thank you very much, Dane!

That is a more elaborate version of what I have been doing. I will give it a try now and hope for the best.

**Butelczynski** · #4 10-09-2020, 03:24 PM

Issues with printers are nr1 reason why I use commercial printing stores or B&W printer at work.It seems modern printers aren't that much better than old ones and in some cases worse (looking at HP junkjet).

**gotham** · #5 10-10-2020, 05:27 AM

The ink for inkjet printers is designed to dry in the air very quickly. The advice I give customers who are low users is to print a small picture once a month, just the keep the ink from drying up in the heads. A simple bit of housekeeping of a printer should keep it going.

**Dane** · #6 10-10-2020, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Damraska

That is a more elaborate version of what I have been doing. I will give it a try now and hope for the best.

Damraska, be careful with small plastic details. I broke one clip in my printer... Due to my own guilt.

**Dane** · #7 10-10-2020, 08:05 AM

gotham, I print one small picture every one or two week, especially in summer.

**db-sa** · #8 10-10-2020, 08:34 AM

Printers have feelings you know and suffer when neglected.
It probably just thinks it's been forgotten.
Try a bit of TLC and give it a test sample of colors to print every month ... or so.

**SCEtoAUX** · #9 10-10-2020, 09:09 AM

Here are a couple of pictures I print occasionally to keep the printer heads active.

Printer Problems-001printerblue-colortestpage.jpg

Printer Problems-002printer-test-woman.jpg

**Damraska** · #10 10-11-2020, 02:59 AM

Thank you for all the suggestions and replies!

Unfortunately, after the most recent attempt at cleaning, the printer no longer prints anything. Cleaning fluid easily flushes through the nozzles but when the full ink cartridges are installed, nothing prints. Nothing prints the second day. Nothing prints the third day. It is beyond me.