Canon IP4300 and aftermarket ink

[TheCoffeePolice]

I have had miserable luck trying to find a printer and after market ink that works for me. I'd like any thoughts on my next attempt. I'm going to refill OEM cartridges for the IP4300 with this ink.

"Welcome to Hobbicolors refill ink sale. The item in this sale is a Canon compatible 5-Color Starter Refill Ink Pack (5C-MP) for refilling Canon inkjet photo printers ip4200, ip4300, ip5200, ip5300, MP800, MP830 and many other Canon printers that use a 5 color PGI-5 and CLI-8 individual ink tank ink system."

I know how to run the printer by disabling the chips or I my look into a chip resetter. I haven't explored the resetter idea yet but any comments on that to would be welcome.

Thanks a million!

[UTR]

IMO, Hobbiecolors is a good third party ink supplier. Also, the newer chip resetters seem to work very well. Since you can refill for less than $1 per cartridge verses $13-$15 for a new OEM cartridge you will pay for the chip resetter by refilling one set of cartridges. After than it is all money in your pocket. I have used third party inks in our Canon printers for years with no complaints and have saved thousands of dollars in the process.

[jflan]

Dave at Hobbicolors sets a high mark for other eBay sellers.
His ink is in the top tier of non-OEM inks.
Packing is meticulate and shipping is very fast.

Inktest Hobbicolors UW-8/Inktec CLI-8/Original Canon CLI-8 inks

As you know, you will have to choose to reset or not.
The REdSETTER (upper/lower case correct) is the best Canon resetter at the moment.

Then you will have to choose which refill method.
German or conventional through the top.
http://www.nifty-stuff.com/the-german-durchstich-refill-method.php

With the durchstich method some are using a push-tack to make the hole for the needle.

With conventional you either use the original Canon fill hole (remove their stopper) or make your own hole.
I make my own 1/8" hole in the correct spot and then use a silicone rubber bung as supplied by Hobbicolors.

[TheCoffeePolice]

Great information! Thanks!

[CDan]

There’s also some re-filled OEM tanks around with reset chips. These might be worth looking at for refilling. I just ordered some off Amazon for a trial, they’re about 1/2 of OEM price. They’re from some company called “LD Products”.

[TheCoffeePolice]

I’d be interested in knowing how the re-filled OEM tanks work out. I’m going to order the Hobbicolors starter kit on eBay. I’ll run it for a bit and if all goes well, I’ll get the chip re-setter. Maybe by then the price will drop a little.

[reorch]

[QUOTE=TheCoffeePolice;2118086]I’d be interested in knowing how the re-filled OEM tanks work out. I’m going to order the Hobbicolors starter kit on eBay. I’ll run it for a bit and if all goes well, I’ll get the chip re-setter. Maybe by then the price will drop a little.[/QUOTE]

Try here for a cheap resetter www.ink.co.uk. BTW Hobbicolors is the best value ink you can buy, IMO. Great photo print outs and you can get very near to OEM ink if you alter your printer profiles.

[TheCoffeePolice]

How do I go about altering color profiles? There are seven profiles for my ip4300 under the Color Management tab. Is it just a matter of selecting one of those? Or do I need special software?

[CDan]

[QUOTE=TheCoffeePolice;2133434]How do I go about altering color profiles? There are seven profiles for my ip4300 under the Color Management tab. Is it just a matter of selecting one of those? Or do I need special software?[/QUOTE]

If you’re talking about color adjustments, just make the manual adjustments you need, then go to the “profiles” tab and save the current settings as a new profile.

[TheCoffeePolice]

[QUOTE=CDan;2133462]If you’re talking about color adjustments, just make the manual adjustments you need, then go to the “profiles” tab and save the current settings as a new profile.[/QUOTE]

Cool. I’ll be filling my iP4300 tanks with Hobbicolors soon.

[CDan]

[QUOTE=TheCoffeePolice;2133666]Cool. I’ll be filling my iP4300 tanks with Hobbicolors soon.[/QUOTE]

I usually have a few saved profiles in there for different paper and ink combos.
You can do the same with different printable disc types.

Also good to keep on hand a few color bar images for printing and adjusting. Many of the ink sellers have them for download.

[jflan]

[QUOTE=reorch;2133430]Try here for a cheap resetter www.ink.co.uk. BTW Hobbicolors is the best value ink you can buy, IMO. Great photo print outs and you can get very near to OEM ink if you alter your printer profiles.[/QUOTE]
That looks like the REdSETTER although they don’t identify it as such. Price is great at $18.50 USD, too bad they don’t ship to the US.
Second that on Hobbicolors. I’m a very happy Hobbicolors user in my Canons. The gurus at Nifty-Stuff have tested and commented on Hobbicolors ink extensively.

[TheCoffeePolice]

[QUOTE=CDan;2117821]There’s also some re-filled OEM tanks around with reset chips. These might be worth looking at for refilling. I just ordered some off Amazon for a trial, they’re about 1/2 of OEM price. They’re from some company called “LD Products”.[/QUOTE]

Have you had a chance to use your inks from Amazon yet? My refill project turned ugly today. I knocked over the cyan bottle among other snafu’s. So, I gave up temporarily. I ended up putting in OEM’s for now. Arrrrrghhhhh!

[CDan]

[QUOTE=TheCoffeePolice;2136492]Have you had a chance to use your inks from Amazon yet? My refill project turned ugly today. I knocked over the cyan bottle among other snafu’s. So, I gave up temporarily. I ended up putting in OEM’s for now. Arrrrrghhhhh![/QUOTE]
No, they are still on the shelf. Will likely be a month or more before they’re needed.

Sounds like you’ve discovered the main reason why I stopped refilling. It’s a PITA.

[jflan]

This is like an ad for the OEM inksellers

[TheCoffeePolice]

[QUOTE=jflan;2136802]This is like an ad for the OEM inksellers [/QUOTE]

I’m sure the OEM sellers are laughing their butts off when they read my posts. :o

How are you at re-filling?

[UTR]

Canon cartridges are easy to refill. Look at using some squeeze bottles with needles to make it simpler. Here’s a suggestion: http://www.howardelectronics.com/kahnetics/squeezebottles.html

[TheCoffeePolice]

[QUOTE=UTR;2136872]Canon cartridges are easy to refill. Look at using some squeeze bottles with needles to make it simpler. Here’s a suggestion: http://www.howardelectronics.com/kahnetics/squeezebottles.html[/QUOTE]

I am continually amazed at what an idiot I appear to be when posting on this site. I think I’m going to take the advice of the infamous pool player Willie Mosconi before posting anything in this forum for a while. He said, “Watch and learn.”

[jflan]

[QUOTE=TheCoffeePolice;2136870]I’m sure the OEM sellers are laughing their butts off when they read my posts. :o

How are you at re-filling?[/QUOTE]
I suppose I get by.

1. For the spilling issue try something that will keep the bottles and carts upright, no matter how ham-handed one may be.
   Some like to use light-duty spring clamps to stabilize the bottles and carts.
   Make sure that the spring is light (some are adjustable) and the size is “in scale” with what you are doing (1"-2" jaw) Examples:
   http://www.hobbytool.com/clamps.aspx

2. Save the orange plastic snap-offs and rubber band one to the cart you are going to refill. IOW, stopper the exit port of the cart.

3. Tape off (close) the cartridge vent before refilling
   Fold back on one end for easy opening-closing.

4. The object is to saturate the sponge about 3/4 of the way up, just like a new Canon cart.
   After the first injection of new ink (3/4 full on the reservoir side) simply grab the tape at the handle you created by folding and let some air bleed out.
   This allows the ink to flow into the sponge area. Close it when the ink is 3/4 the way up.
   Now fill the res. side to 3/4 - 7/8 full…don’t go above the sponge level.

Install the new Hobbicolors plug in the 1/8" hole you provided.

Now “milk” the cartridge as Dave describes, with the tape and orange stopper removed and over the appropriate bulk ink container.

Install the cartridge and run a test print.

Once you have a procedure down, it will take only 3 min or so to refill a cart.

Here is a video from defcon2k, showing some very efficient home refilling using the German method. My description above is pertaining to the conventinal “top fill” method.

CP,
You mentioned “other” snafus…what were they ?

[TheCoffeePolice]

I started with the yellow first. Didn’t have orange caps so I taped it with Scotch tape. All went well and it didn’t leak and installed fine using the method you described–except for not having the orange caps. I moved on to the next cartridge and the tape didn’t hold. While dealing with that mess I knocked over the bottle of ink. I was short on time and even shorter on patience. I said screw it and I opened and installed all OEM’s and saved the orange caps and attached them to the empty cartridges. I decided I will attempt refilling at a later date. I even yanked out the yellow and capped that, too! I figured with my luck I’d have a problem with the yellow. Thank you for taking the time. I’m more encouraged now than discouraged.