Mending an old laser printer (eats too much paper)

[Tim Downie]

I resurrected my old Samsung ML-4500 printer the other day with a new toner/drum cartridge as I had a lot of printing to do. It was only after I started printing that I remembered why it had fallen into disuse, namely, it has a problem picking up single sheets from the paper feed and chokes itself intermittantly with 2/3/4 (or more) sheets at a time.

It seem to be a common problem with older printers. Is there an easy fix? Having paid for the cartridge I'm loath to just bin it despite its age.

Tim

[brass monkey]

Silly question but do you give the paper a good fanning before you load the printer? Some folks say don't, others say do. It's very rare that I get a jam, until I post this, obviously.

[Adrian]

"Tim Downie" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

I don't know about that particular printer, but with HPs there's usually pick-up rollers and/or pads that can be replaced reasonably easily and cheaply.

[Dr Hfuhruhurr]

Vinegar. On the pickup rollers. Works a treat where the buggers have worn silky smooth and don't actually grip that well any more. Cotton bud and Sarsons works wonders on old boxes I've worked on.

[Roger Cain]

Or ... I find it often works if you wipe the shine off the rollers with meths.

[docholliday]

In the past I've found useful information and replacement parts from

- it's a pain getting parts shipped from California, and they don't necessarily have the right PSUs for uk mains voltage, but it can be worth it for small mechanical bits, and the information is often enough without buying anything. Mike

[Andy Dingley]

For an old HP, there used to be a three-stage process for fixing this

- try each in turn until it's fixed.

First was to clean with isopropanol wipes. For some busy printers this was a regularly weekly cleaning.

Second was a modified paper tray (an official tool) which had a sandpaper pad instead of paper, so as to resurface the rubber on the rollers by attempting to feed a few "sheets".

Third, and only then, you changed the rollers. Usually the sandpaper would have done it, even on a very heavily used printer.

[docholliday]

ixyourownprinter.com- it's a pain getting parts shipped from

Forgot to mention - when I refurbished the paper feed on my laser printer (not the same model, but I suspect the principles are similar) the kit consisted of two parts, the rubber roller and a cork pad which was described as the separation pad. It might be worth looking at your printer to see if there is something similar in the mechanism. Mike

[Dave]

I was given an HP colour printer and that had the same problem. I cured it by putting a piece of 150's grit sand paper and telling it to print. as soon as the pick up roller got a hold of it, as it would with the grit on it, I grabbed hold of it for a short while and then pulled the sandpaper out of the printer, That was two years ago and it has worked fine ever since.

Dave

[Alan]

In message , Dave wrote

One of the early HP inkjets had the same problem. HP sent out a repair kit which consisted of a "green washing up scouring pad" attached to a spring loaded plate. The plate was forced against the pick-up roller and the included software turned the roller i.e. the cure was to put a rough surface on the roller.

[Spamlet]

We just had a big thread on all this: 'The good old days?'

S

[<me9]

Clean any rubber parts (rollers and pads ) in the paper path. If the rubber has hrdened replace the part.

I refurbed my laserjet 1100 using a bicycle patch cut to size for the pick up pad, it works better than new now.

[Dave]

That sounds like Scotch Brite for metal.

The 3 in one was given to me by someone who has more money than time to sort it. It still works fine more that 2 years later.

Dave

[Andy Dingley]

A smooth surface is fine, it doesn't need to be rough.

The problem is that the rubber's surface has _hardened_, and that's the layer that has to be removed, so as to restore a soft surface. Early laser printers (and especially copiers) generated lots of ozone and this had a poor effect on rubber parts.

[Tim Downie]

Thanks to all for the suggestions. It looks like there may be some life in the old printer yet. ;-) I'll have a go at the roller and see how that improves things.

Tim