Re: Strange Ultra Micro banding with Photo EX

["Bruce Roorda" <possum1@softhome.net>]

There have been many posts about head cleaning techniques that use Windex or
similar cleaner as a solvent.  I'll try to summarize.

One technique is to move the printhead to the cartridge changing position
and to put about 5 or 6 drops of Windex from an eyedropper on the pad that
seals the printhead in its parked position.  The head is then returned to
parked position and allowed to sit overnight, softening dried ink and
whatever paper dust and cat fur are embedded in it.  The pad is mounted on
springs and can be knocked out of place if you aren't careful.  There may be
components under the pad that can be damaged by excess solvent, so don't go
overboard.

Details vary among models, but for some you can hold the paper feed button
for 3 seconds and the head moves to cartridge change position.  It won't
stay there long, so you have to unplug, then turn off the printer.  The head
can then be moved by hand.

The paper towel technique requires moving the print head to cartridge change
position, too.  Instead of putting Windex on the pad, you cut a piece of
good (strong and not too fuzzy) paper towel and fold it so it's 4-6 layers
thick.  The strip is placed in the channel over which the print head runs
and Windex placed in the middle of the towel strip.  Print head is moved
over the towel strip.  The towel strip may be pulled back and forth or the
print head may be moved back and forth over the strip.

Clogs from hell may require that you repeat the soaking and paper towel
cleaning for *several days*. Run some cleaning cycles after soaking or using
the paper towel.

I think that sometimes gunk build-up on the printhead slightly deflects the
ink from one or more nozzle holes so that your nozzle check pattern may look
OK but you still get some banding when printing.  When it's really bad it
shows up on the nozzle check.

MIS has several purge patterns in a file you can download (purge.zip).  If
you print a pattern that has the 4 or six colors side by side, that will
show whether your problem is with the paper feed rate or nozzle holes.  The
patterns are .tif's, so you can edit them and print just a short part as a
check, instead of printing a whole page.

There have been other more aggressive cleaning procedures suggested and
tried.  Those often lead to a dead printhead.

Good luck.

Bruce Roorda
Possum Hill Farm


----- Original Message -----
From: "Sal Sessa / "Events Photography"" <sal.sessa@verizon.net>
 > OK. I'll bite.
>
> What's the "windex fix?"
>



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