Inkjet paper in laser

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Periproct

I've given up on inkjets and got a HP 2605dn laser.

Just wondering if it is safe to use up all the various inkjet photo paper I
have lying around or am I risking some kind of coating coming off with the
heat and wrecking the printer.

Regards, Nigel

(Won't be able to reply for a while but I'll get back to you eventually).
 
Do NOT use inkjet printer paper in a laser printer.

As you mentioned, it can melt and ruin the fuser roller and other parts
of the paper transport, as some use a plastic or polymer that will melt
under the heat of the fuser system of a laser. Further, some surfaces
will slip on the transport and make a smeary copy. Some inkjet papers
are coated on the back with a special layer to either keep the paper
flat or to help the paper transport, in many cases this coating is
sensitive to heat.

I'd recommend trading or selling your inkjet paper for a probably
greater quantity (since it is less costly) supply of laser glossy or
card stock, if you can find someone so interested,

Art
 
Arthur Entlich said:
Do NOT use inkjet printer paper in a laser printer.

As you mentioned, it can melt and ruin the fuser roller and other parts of
the paper transport, as some use a plastic or polymer that will melt under
the heat of the fuser system of a laser. Further, some surfaces will slip
on the transport and make a smeary copy. Some inkjet papers are coated on
the back with a special layer to either keep the paper flat or to help the
paper transport, in many cases this coating is sensitive to heat.

I'd recommend trading or selling your inkjet paper for a probably greater
quantity (since it is less costly) supply of laser glossy or card stock,
if you can find someone so interested,

Art
Click to expand...

Thanks for that confirmation. I thought that might be the case so I'll
probably collect all my inkjet paper and donate it to anybody who wants it
at work.

I guees the same applies to labels. The sticky may not be up to the heat
although nowdays a lot do have inkjet and laser on the packet.
 
Periproct said:
Thanks for that confirmation. I thought that might be the case so I'll
probably collect all my inkjet paper and donate it to anybody who wants it
at work.

I guees the same applies to labels. The sticky may not be up to the heat
although nowdays a lot do have inkjet and laser on the packet.
Click to expand...

Can it be said then that an inkjet is much more forgiving in daily
use? I mean you need to fool with ink, but that's about it. Put almost
any paper in and you get something out without hurting the printer.
I've toyed with going to a laser printer too, but they seem so fragile
from the posts here.
 
Periproct said:
I've given up on inkjets and got a HP 2605dn laser.

Just wondering if it is safe to use up all the various inkjet photo paper
I have lying around or am I risking some kind of coating coming off with
the heat and wrecking the printer.

Regards, Nigel

(Won't be able to reply for a while but I'll get back to you eventually).
Click to expand...

You can use any non-coated paper, it's not hard to tell coated from
non-coated.
 
Thanks for that confirmation. I thought that might be the case so I'll
probably collect all my inkjet paper and donate it to anybody who wants it
at work.

I guees the same applies to labels. The sticky may not be up to the heat
although nowdays a lot do have inkjet and laser on the packet.
Click to expand...

As to the paper - the polymer paper may just melt. The microporous paper
may be(or not - I was quite successful with microporous on laser
printer) to 'hard' when hot. Adhesives - I'd say unpredictable.

OTOH: If you have PayPal account - drop me a private email (I'm having
both - laser & inkjet printers at home) as to the surplus of inkjet papers.
 
Jerry1111 said:
As to the paper - the polymer paper may just melt. The microporous paper
may be(or not - I was quite successful with microporous on laser printer)
to 'hard' when hot. Adhesives - I'd say unpredictable.

OTOH: If you have PayPal account - drop me a private email (I'm having
both - laser & inkjet printers at home) as to the surplus of inkjet
papers.
Click to expand...
Sorry but I was having a chat on the phone to a mate earlier and he said
he'd take all my inkjet paper. I know he hasn't got a lot of spare cash and
I'm not good at selling things so it's going to a good cause. I'll go and
throw some money at PC World tomorrow and restock.
 
Al Bundy said:
Can it be said then that an inkjet is much more forgiving in daily
use? I mean you need to fool with ink, but that's about it. Put almost
any paper in and you get something out without hurting the printer.
I've toyed with going to a laser printer too, but they seem so fragile
from the posts here.
Click to expand...

In my opinion laser printers are not fragile. The only thing you need to be
careful about is to only use paper, transparencies, envelopes and labels that
are designed for laser printers This really is a simple change. Most plain
paper is inkjet and laser friendly. Generally lasers are cheaper to run but may
cost a little more to buy but that comparison is slowly changing.
When you consider the issues with inkjets that are not used very often and the
inherent risks associated with tiny nozzles that can clog, the inkjet is in my
view more fragile than a laser. Having said that, inkjets have certain
advantages. So it is horses for courses really.
For what it's worth, not all paper will work with all inkjets, especially photo
paper. The ink and paper must be compatible otherwise poor quality prints
occur. This is much less true of lasers because the toner is fused onto the
surface of the paper rather than absorbed through a coating (in many cases
anyway).
Tony
MS MVP Printing/Imaging
 
Snipped
When you consider the issues with inkjets that are not used very often and
the
inherent risks associated with tiny nozzles that can clog, the inkjet is
in my
view more fragile than a laser. Having said that, inkjets have certain
advantages. So it is horses for courses really.
Click to expand...
Clogged nozzles because I didn't use the printer because I was so concerned
about the rate that inkjets use ink. Plus the cost of replacing cartridges
was the reason I went to laser. I originally had a Brother 5150D and printed
anything and everything without a worry. I have a feeling the new HP2605dn
is going to have higher running costs but at least I know it isn't going to
throw a load of toner into a waste tank each time I use it for the first
time after a break.
 
Periproct said:
Snipped
Clogged nozzles because I didn't use the printer because I was so concerned
about the rate that inkjets use ink. Plus the cost of replacing cartridges
was the reason I went to laser. I originally had a Brother 5150D and printed
anything and everything without a worry. I have a feeling the new HP2605dn
is going to have higher running costs but at least I know it isn't going to
throw a load of toner into a waste tank each time I use it for the first
time after a break.
Click to expand...

Yes you are right, lasers do produce waste toner but for entirely different
reasons that inkjets produce waste ink. The amount of wasted toner in lasers is
pretty small, and for the 2605 is very small indeed.
Some HP inkjets recycle waste ink back to the cartidges.
Tony
MS MVP Printing/Imaging
 
Al Bundy said:
Can it be said then that an inkjet is much more forgiving in daily
use? I mean you need to fool with ink, but that's about it. Put almost
any paper in and you get something out without hurting the printer.
I've toyed with going to a laser printer too, but they seem so fragile
from the posts here.
Click to expand...

Laser printers are far more forgiving in the long run as long as you use
paper suitable for it. Photo papers for inkjets are especially designed
for them. Laser printers do best with plain paper, bond paper, and if the
particular printer you own has specified heavier weight paper and envelopes,
card stock of recommended weight or lighter, envelopes on which the adhesive
causes no problems when heated, and labels especially designed for the heat
that laser printers generate. No clogs, no frequent cart changes, cheaper
cost per page with most lasers, greater duty cycles, no problems with
infrequent printing. I use both an inkjet for color photos and laser for
business docs.

I just purchased a new laser printer after retiring my 12 year old HP5p
printer. The 5p still works perfectly and has never had a moment of down
time. I just decided to treat myself to a faster, newer printer that will
have less chance of breaking down just when I would need to get a special
project done. Some lucky non-profit is going to get the 5p that still
works like new and an extra toner cartridge.
 
If the labels have a special inkjet receiving coating, I would not use
them in a laser printer. However, most today have a heat resistant
adhesive that works in both, as you stated.

Art
 
I think overall (and especially with a black and white one) laser
printers are pretty well designed and tend to be reliable.

The one thing that is important with laser is that the toner powder is
fused to the paper with heat, and therefore you must use paper that
isn't impregnated or other containing low thermal plastic or coatings
that melt under heat.

Inkjet printer heads do not actually touch the surface of the paper
since they spray the ink onto it. The paper transport rollers on inkjet
printers are probably more apt to being effected by paper surfaces than
laser. Also the drum on a laser printer can be damaged by foreign
materials like staples or paperclips. Still, overall laser printers
last a long time and their toners do as well, even if sitting in the
toner cartridge.

Art
 
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