Thread: Re-filling laser Cartridges

The first laser printers were often "re-fillable". But it was always potentially very messy and was never a perfectly clean process. These early kits came with a number of replaceable parts and cleaning tools. One I worked with, also had two cartridges. One was reused and tossed after a few refills, the other was tossed but under a different duty cycle.

The issue nowadays is that individual cartridges have unified variuos function and some of the consumables are working components. They will need to be changed at some point of time and I'm not sure how easy this is for a casual maintainer. They typically also contain various electonics to control the toner volume/counting and (I think) calibration functions. These would have to be reset too.

I use a couple of oz-based online sellers that I can't remember right now. They're quick to deliver and far cheaper than the shopping centre based sellers. I only use originals, so far they have been cheaper than any commercial refills. We used to use refills at work before we shifted to networked copiers under service contracts. The refill companies never disputed any compaints and just sent a replacement. That gave you peace of mind from a dollar point of view but I always wondered if failure rate of reused cartidges was hit and miss.

There are plenty of places that will accept used cartidges for recycling. Some sell to refillers, some crush.

Final comment - I ruined $120 in clothing and footwear when refilling in a hurry. The stuff is impossible to dislodge from textiles.

I don't mind a bit of mess if I can refill them which I assume places like Cartridge World do because they want your old one.
I had a $60 Brother printer, they want $136 for the cartridge. I heard a story that they only part fill the cartridges that come with the new printer as a means of getting you on board, but I bought replacement original cartridges for a Fuji printer last year and they didn't seem to last much longer than what came with the printer.

The whole system is just so horrendously wasteful - I bought a new printer today and as well as Aus, it came with UK and US power cords.

I'm not sure where you can get hold of toner. It would have to be the right type too. I'm out the the IT world now so not sure what if any differences exist between toner types. Maybe you can source some toner powder for copiers. Some manufacturers supplied it in plastic bottles. That could be old hat too but presumably someone still has it for older machines limping along.

Some printer manufacturers do sell smaller cartridges (+bigger ones too) and some supply them with new printers. Any seller should be offering comparative coverage or page count info with a replacement cartridge. Avoid any that don't.

You're right. Refillers take your empty and refill to sell to the next customer. Good way to recycle. I agree about the waste and it's an even bigger problem with smaller really cheap printers because cart. life is so low.

I have never found Cart world cheap and a friend and hubby own a franchise ! Look at the online sellers before you commit to trying your own refilling. Have you tried searching the web ? Someone has probably pulled apart and/or refilled your model cartridge. Anyway - have someone with you to take photos. I think they could be interesting but I would not touch toner and a camera at the same time.

I picked up a Fuji-Xerox CP205 colour laser on special from Harvey Norman's for $79. At retail, a single colour refill cartridge is $99, so it's cheaper to throw the printer out rather than refill it. (make that two cartridges if you don't buy the printer on special)

Needless to say, I've got eBay sourced refill toner that cost $50* for all four colours and replacement chips that happily let you refill but I haven't needed them yet!

*Edit - my bad, mine were $70...but you can get them for $50ish

Yeah I've heard about them putting chips in the cartridge that limit the number of copies.
In the past you could ignore the low toner warning and print until quality degraded, this time it just stopped dead.

For some time now I have had considerable success with the
following bloke who operates from a shed at his home. He has
a couple of people working for him and they appear to be very
busy when I have visited him. I have found Alan, the director,
to be most cooperative and his costs are much cheaper than
others I have checked out.
I have a Brother HL-2040 mono laser printer and his refills
have proven successful for me. Details are as follows

Computer View and Associates
4 Millay Court
North Balwyn 3104.

Mobile. 0425 740246
Home. 03. 9857 7578
Email. [email protected]

Note: I have no connection other than being a satisfied customer.

Allan

Thanks I'll keep that in mind, although I went out and bought a Fuji printer because the cartridges were $40 cheaper than the Brother.
Having said that though, I was in Officeworks yesterday and they had 3 brother cartridges on the cheap shelf for $40 each - doesn't that hiss you off lol.