A couple of questions on the Epson 1520

  • Thread starter Thread starter PL
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PL

Superb printer, but I've got the usual paper feed problems (I guess
mine's getting on a bit - bought it second-user). I would like to have
a go at sorting the problem for myself by stripping the printer down and
sourcing new parts. Has any one done this? Is it an easy job - need
special tools? Where did you get the service manual from? In fact, any
help, tips or advice would be most welcome.

Can anyone recommend a brand of compatible ink carts?

Many thanks
PL
 
PL said:
Superb printer, but I've got the usual paper feed problems (I guess
mine's getting on a bit - bought it second-user). I would like to have
a go at sorting the problem for myself by stripping the printer down and
sourcing new parts. Has any one done this? Is it an easy job - need
special tools? Where did you get the service manual from? In fact, any
help, tips or advice would be most welcome.

Can anyone recommend a brand of compatible ink carts?

Many thanks
PL
Click to expand...
Ok, I've found the manual (thanks to zakezuke's post above - Service
Manuals...) so, I'm now interested in feedback on attempting the job
myself. (...plus the carts)
 
Before getting too crazy, it depends a lot on what the printer's paper
feed problem is... If it's like most Epson printers, and it's just not
picking up the paper sometimes/often/ or the paper is being picked up
too late causing an out of paper error, you like do not need to stripe
down the printer or even replace parts. It is likely just oem glazed
pick up wheels, easily remedied with a bit of judicious cleaning.

Art
 
Arthur said:
Before getting too crazy, it depends a lot on what the printer's paper
feed problem is... If it's like most Epson printers, and it's just not
picking up the paper sometimes/often/ or the paper is being picked up
too late causing an out of paper error, you like do not need to stripe
down the printer or even replace parts. It is likely just oem glazed
pick up wheels, easily remedied with a bit of judicious cleaning.

Art
Click to expand...

Thanks for that Art. Yes, it is mainly the paper pick up problem, but
as A2 paper goes through, it snags on something on the left hand side.
It doesn't happen all the time and when it does, it generally results
in a small fold on the top left hand side of the finished plot. Once in
a while though the 'snag/fold' is a major incidence causing the paper to
jam.

The other thing about cleaning the pickup wheels; I simply can't get at
them - there's no working space. What cleaning fluid do you use?
 
Could you email me with these specific issues and I will try to hunt
down the cause of the snag (it may take several days for me to get to
it... I've been swamped)

To clean the paper transport in general if you cannot get to the wheels
and other parts, I suggest getting hold of some medium weight absorbent
paper, like student grade watercolor, which is about a $1 or less a
large sheet. Spray a light coating of isopropyl alcohol on one side of
it and then feed it through the printer several times without printing
on it (Use the load/eject button). If the alcohol evaporates, spray the
other side and do the same thing. This may be enough to clean the many
wheels and the rubber tires.

Art
 
Arthur said:
Could you email me with these specific issues and I will try to hunt
down the cause of the snag (it may take several days for me to get to
it... I've been swamped)

To clean the paper transport in general if you cannot get to the wheels
and other parts, I suggest getting hold of some medium weight absorbent
paper, like student grade watercolor, which is about a $1 or less a
large sheet. Spray a light coating of isopropyl alcohol on one side of
it and then feed it through the printer several times without printing
on it (Use the load/eject button). If the alcohol evaporates, spray the
other side and do the same thing. This may be enough to clean the many
wheels and the rubber tires.

Art
Click to expand...

I'll try out the cleaning process you suggest and, in due course will
take you up your kind offer regarding the specific problem.

Just one thing Art. I remember reading, somewhere, that isopropyl
alcohol shouldn't be used on the rubber rollers. IIRC, whilst it is a
good short term fix, long term it hardens/glazes the rubber and
exacerbates the problem of paper pickup?

Regarding the DIY aspect, I was thinking more in terms of replacing
those 'worn-out(?)' rollers. Is that a big task?

Once again, thanks.
 
Arthur Entlich said:
Could you email me with these specific issues and I will try to hunt
down the cause of the snag (it may take several days for me to get to
it... I've been swamped)

To clean the paper transport in general if you cannot get to the wheels
and other parts, I suggest getting hold of some medium weight absorbent
paper, like student grade watercolor, which is about a $1 or less a
large sheet. Spray a light coating of isopropyl alcohol on one side of
it and then feed it through the printer several times without printing
on it (Use the load/eject button). If the alcohol evaporates, spray
the other side and do the same thing. This may be enough to clean the
many wheels and the rubber tires.
Click to expand...
I haven't used inkjets for about 5/6 years now, but I remember that when
I bought a pack of Epson coated inkjet paper it would have a cleaning
sheet with it and when feeding that through it would pickup a fair bit
of muck. Do they still do that, or can you buy them separately.
 
There is some controversy about using isopropyl on synthetic rubber
parts, but I don't really know of a better alternative. SOme people
have suggested using a "rubber restorer" made of orange oil compounds,
which slightly dissolves the rubber/plastic.

If you find a better cleaning agent, let me know... I'm certainly up for
a better solution.

Regarding ease of changing the rubber rollers, I honestly don't know
without looking into the manual, and i have no idea about availability
of parts, even if you could do so easily.

Art
 
As I recall the discussions from several years ago about rollers slipping on
some lasers was that many users found brake fluid helped to restore the grip
to feed rollers. I never had a need to try it out, so I don't know how
successful it would be.
 
Art - Many years ago I had a commercial grade copy machine in my office that
required on-site periodic maintenance. When the technician serviced the
machine he cleaned the rollers with cigarette lighter fluid! Worked quite
well. It cleaned off the dust and any lint that probably came from the
paper and also gave the rubber surface some "tooth". I kept a container in
the office and used it occasionally when the feed rollers needed cleaning.
I don't know if this is advisable on today's roller material.
 
It (naphtha) worked for me to clean offset printing press rollers. Many of
the commercial roller cleaners are/were naphtha based.
 
I also used Naphtha on a letterpress platen and rollers to clean off the ink
after a print run.
 
I don't know either, or if it was really advisable back then. A better
question is... do they still make cigarette lighter fluid (like or Zippo
lighters and the like?)

Art
 
Art - I believe that Zippo-type lighters are still manufactured and
purchased by people who like items with "retro" styling. There is also a
pretty strong interest in collecting some of these old lighters. I wouldn't
have a clue as to the availability or lighter fluid today, nor would I know
if it has the same components as the stuff I used in the 60's and 70's.
BTW, the copy machine had toner with a liquid carrier, and the room in which
we used it smelled like kerosene when we had a large copy run to do.

I've also used lighter fluid combined with a specific unscented face cream
product as a very good floatant for dry fly fishing. Works as well as the
commercial products sold in the fly fishing shops.
 
I believe that Zippo-type lighters are still manufactured and
purchased by people who like items with "retro" styling.
Click to expand...

The desire to have a zippo is less of a retro one and more of a
practical one. In the case of a power outage they can serve as lamps
so long as you have flint which you can store extra in the lighter it
self, and fluid where you can use just about anything from everclear to
keroine. There are also the collectors who enjoy picking up the
fashionable editions like Elvis or Harley Davidson. I live on the west
coast and always at least have a supply of zippo fluid. They come in
very handy.

There are a number of not zippo style lighters but mostly they are
often constructed as well. They often don't seal and the fluid tends
to evaperate. Also as a bonus zippo will fix any broken lighter for
any reason including ones run over by trucks... though they won't
promise that you'll get a replacement lid in the same style.

Needless to say you can pickup zippo lighter fluid or Rosen(sp) naptha
based fluid at any Safeway. It's usually on the same isle as the candy
for some reason next to the pipe cleaners.
 
Burt said:
Art - I believe that Zippo-type lighters are still manufactured and
purchased by people who like items with "retro" styling. There is also a
pretty strong interest in collecting some of these old lighters. I wouldn't
have a clue as to the availability or lighter fluid today, nor would I know
if it has the same components as the stuff I used in the 60's and 70's.
BTW, the copy machine had toner with a liquid carrier, and the room in which
we used it smelled like kerosene when we had a large copy run to do.
Click to expand...


Maybe it was the lighter fluid that made it smell that way??

Actually, almost sounds like a Gezetner machine, which uses a very
different technology than what we refer to as photocopiers.
I've also used lighter fluid combined with a specific unscented face cream
product as a very good floatant for dry fly fishing. Works as well as the
commercial products sold in the fly fishing shops.
Click to expand...

Do the fish that get caught come out dry also?

Art
 
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