Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register [http] [https] [nntp] [nntps]

Groups > sci.electronics.design > #430962

Re: Brother International is a bunch of asshats

Show all headers | View raw

Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@cruzio.com> writes:

> On Tue, 11 Oct 2016 19:20:56 +0100, John Devereux
> <john@devereux.me.uk> wrote:
>
>>Hey Jeff, any similar recommendation for aftermarket workhorse color
>>laser printers?  I have a very old HP 4500DN we use for printing manuals
>>(and general use). Even genuine consumables are dirt cheap on ebay since
>>everyone is throwing them out. But it is slow and big and heavy, and can
>>have feed problems with our "silk" finish paper.
>
> About a week ago, I tore down and refurbished a pair of HP 45500DN
> printers for a local appraiser.  He also uses them for reports.  150K
> and 200K pages each.  He wants to keep the printers going hopefully
> forever because of the low cost of ownership and reliability.  He
> claims he can start a large print job, and go off to do something
> else, and know that it will be done without any problems.  
>
> However, the problem that precipitated a rebuild was not the usual
> worn rubber parts or cleaning.  Despite my repeated warnings, he
> purchased some genuine HP "old stock" toner carts.  However, there's a
> problem.  Everything on eBay is "genuine" HP "old stock" which means
> they're old carts with an uncertain history.  Caveat emptor.  I'm not
> sure exactly what went wrong, but after about 100 color pages, the
> prints started to look awful with toner splattered everywhere.

Oh yes I've had something similar happen, a lot of the "genuine" stock
is indeed old. It's not too much trouble to swap out the guilty
consumable.

> My guess(tm) is the rubber scrubber blades inside the toner carts had
> age hardened and were not removing excess toner from the drums.  Lots
> of cleaning, some pre-emptive rubber parts replacements, and different
> set of carts, and both printers now work normally.
>
> 4500/4550 parts and pieces.
> <http://www.printerworks.com/Top-LaserJet-Parts-PrinterWorks/CLJ-4500-Printer-Parts.html>

Thanks!

> Sorry, but I'm not going to recommend any printer I haven't sold,
> setup, played with, repaired, dissected, or otherwise had some
> experience using.

OK, understood.

> Most of the stuff I have in the office are older
> home color laser printers, all of which have some type of limitation
> of chronic problem.  If you're really using it as a printing press, I
> would avoid all the low end printers.  They just don't last.  Same for
> Brother, where the low end product are ummm... low end.

The 4500DN was pretty "high end" when we bought it, ~$7000 in USian!
last time I looked they were basically free here now, as long as you
don't need it shipped... I guess we'll keep using it.

> Incidentally, I picked up a semi-dead Brother (model number forgotten)
> color laser printer for $40 from a local recycler.  I then burned
> about 15 hrs and $40 in parts, and it still dumps blue toner.  Fixing
> b&w laser printers is fairly simple, but color seems is far more
> complex.
>
> Also, if you want cheap Brother printers, look for the "refurbished"
> printers on Staples web pile:
> <http://www.staples.com/refurbished+brother+color+laser+printer/directory_refurbished%2520brother%2520color%2520laser%2520printer>
> They're about half the price of a new printer and seem to be new in
> the box on arrival.  Other than one printer with shipping damage, no
> problems.





-- 

John Devereux

Back to sci.electronics.design | Previous | Next — Previous in thread | Next in thread | Find similar | Unroll thread

Thread

Brother International is a bunch of asshats Phil Hobbs <pcdhSpamMeSenseless@electrooptical.net> - 2016-10-11 10:31 -0400
  Re: Brother International is a bunch of asshats Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com> - 2016-10-11 07:42 -0700
    Re: Brother International is a bunch of asshats Phil Hobbs <pcdhSpamMeSenseless@electrooptical.net> - 2016-10-11 10:51 -0400
      Re: Brother International is a bunch of asshats Baron <baron@linuxmaniac.net> - 2016-10-11 17:05 +0100
      Re: Brother International is a bunch of asshats Joerg <news@analogconsultants.com> - 2016-10-11 09:19 -0700
        Re: Brother International is a bunch of asshats Robert Baer <robertbaer@localnet.com> - 2016-10-11 20:56 -0800
        Re: Brother International is a bunch of asshats "P E Schoen" <paul@pstech-inc.com> - 2016-10-12 04:30 -0400
          Re: Brother International is a bunch of asshats "Tim Williams" <tiwill@seventransistorlabs.com> - 2016-10-12 08:13 -0500
      Re: Brother International is a bunch of asshats Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@cruzio.com> - 2016-10-11 10:43 -0700
        Re: Brother International is a bunch of asshats John Devereux <john@devereux.me.uk> - 2016-10-11 19:20 +0100
          Re: Brother International is a bunch of asshats Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@cruzio.com> - 2016-10-11 13:50 -0700
            Re: Brother International is a bunch of asshats Jon Elson <jmelson@wustl.edu> - 2016-10-11 17:01 -0500
            Re: Brother International is a bunch of asshats John Devereux <john@devereux.me.uk> - 2016-10-12 08:12 +0100
        Re: Brother International is a bunch of asshats jurb6006@gmail.com - 2016-10-11 11:22 -0700
          Re: Brother International is a bunch of asshats Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@cruzio.com> - 2016-10-11 14:11 -0700
  Re: Brother International is a bunch of asshats John Larkin <jjlarkin@highlandtechnology.com> - 2016-10-11 09:02 -0700
    Re: Brother International is a bunch of asshats Bill Martin <wwm@wwmartin.net> - 2016-10-11 09:50 -0700
    Re: Brother International is a bunch of asshats "Tim Williams" <tiwill@seventransistorlabs.com> - 2016-10-11 14:14 -0500
    Re: Brother International is a bunch of asshats Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> - 2016-10-11 14:26 -0700
  Re: Brother International is a bunch of asshats Marte Schwarz <marte.schwarz@gmx.de> - 2016-10-11 18:14 +0200
  Re: Brother International is a bunch of asshats Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@cruzio.com> - 2016-10-11 10:10 -0700
    Re: Brother International is a bunch of asshats bitrex <bitrex@de.lete.earthlink.net> - 2016-10-11 13:50 -0400
      Re: Brother International is a bunch of asshats Phil Hobbs <pcdhSpamMeSenseless@electrooptical.net> - 2016-10-11 14:28 -0400
    Re: Brother International is a bunch of asshats Phil Hobbs <pcdhSpamMeSenseless@electrooptical.net> - 2016-10-11 14:22 -0400
  Re: Brother International is a bunch of asshats Ecnerwal <MyNameForward@ReplaceWithMyVices.Com.invalid> - 2016-10-11 16:52 -0400
  Re: Brother International is a bunch of asshats Winfield Hill <hill@rowland.harvard.edu> - 2016-10-11 17:55 -0700
    Re: Brother International is a bunch of asshats Winfield Hill <hill@rowland.harvard.edu> - 2016-10-12 12:42 -0700

csiph-web