The true cost of printing ink ?

"Red Fox" wrote in message
t...
Today I paid over $40 for two dinky little ink cartridges. I bet the empty
cartridges cost no more than a $ or 2 to make, so why does the ink and
refilling cost so much?

It seems that the number of outfits refilling the cartridges is now
becoming
an epidemic. Maybe that will bring the price down.

Could ink be bought in bulk, say in 4 or 6 oz bottles and then loaded into
the cartridges when needed, or is that task a difficult one? Undoubtedly
the ink has to be carefully protected from the air. Has anyone done this?

TIA

RF

RF - many of us on this newsgroup refill our cartridges with good quality
aftermarket inks, make beautiful photo prints, and do no harm to our
printers. I see that many participants have responded and answered your
questions very well. Pay no attention to Measekite. He is our resident
troll who, for at least four years, has ranted against aftermarket inks and
cartridge refilling. He has never tried these products and seems to take
great pleasure in trying to dissuade someone like you from using anything
but OEM inks. In addition to reading through posts on this NG you should
also go to the Nifty-stuff forum and read through some of the info on
refilling to just get a bit of background. You can also go onto websites of
ink vendors and read the instructions they post on using their inks to
refill carts. You can also read Neil Slade's info on printers and inks.
http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/

http://www.neilslade.com/papers/inkjetstuff.html


My first effort to refill was a bit messy, but with a little practice and
experience you learn to work efficiently and neatly. I refill cartridges
for a Canon i960 and a Canon ip5000 with MIS inks, and I set up a friend for
refilling his ip5000 with Hobbicolor inks. Both have given good results.
Alotofthings sells Sensient Formulabs inks for Canon printers, and I have
friends who get excellent results with that ink as well. Unfortunately, the
latest Canon printers have a computer chip on each ink cartridge to
discourage refilling. It can still be done, but you lose your ink monitor
function and may have a problem with warranty issues if they relate to ink.
It doesn't really matter as far as I am concerned. You can buy a Canon
ip4300, a very decent inkjet printer, for under a hundred dollars online or
sometimes on a special sale. one set of new Canon OEM ink carts is about
$65 to $70 - nearly the price of the printer! If you were to only get two
sets of refills used before the printer died you would still have saved
enough to buy another printer. I've saved a few thousand dollars and
wouldn't be upset to have to buy another printhead or printer when the need
arises. My i960 is four years old and needed a new printhead after three
years of heavy use. the ip5000 is happily drinking MIS ink now after a year
and a half of moderate use.

"measekite"

| Mine has been never
| and I have always been able to unclog them. I figure in four years,
| doing an average amount of printing, I have saved close to $2,000 in
| ink costs.
|
| What a joke. In 4 years I have not even come close to spending that.

So you lack real, in depth, experience.

FWIW we go trough $75+ per month of EPSON ink at OEM cost. After market
$20 so we're ahead $50 per month. 12 months X 50= $600 in four years
that's $2400 and that's just one studio (we have several).

As to the quality of the prints, we are a graphic arts studio. Image quality
is what we are about. We are far more critial in this regard than are our
clients.

measekite wrote:

------lying lunacy bull**** deleted------------

Hey...check yourself back into that mental institution you're somehow
managed to escape from, ok.
We're sick and tired of your constant lying. You lie about ink, paper,
printers and you have admitted you have no experience at all with after
market inks.
You're nothing but a very demented psychopathic liar!
Got that...you're nothing but a pathological liar!
Get lost.
Don't ever post in this ng again, ok?
Go!!!
Frank

On Jul 24, 10:36 pm, Frank wrote:
measekite wrote:

------lying lunacy bull**** deleted------------

Hey...check yourself back into that mental institution you're somehow
managed to escape from, ok.
We're sick and tired of your constant lying. You lie about ink, paper,
printers and you have admitted you have no experience at all with after
market inks.
You're nothing but a very demented psychopathic liar!
Got that...you're nothing but a pathological liar!
Get lost.
Don't ever post in this ng again, ok?
Go!!!
Frank

Frank and Measekite,

Get a life. Laser printers are the best!!!!!

Loving laser.....

NotMe wrote:
FWIW we go trough $75+ per month of EPSON ink at OEM cost. After market
$20 so we're ahead $50 per month. 12 months X 50= $600 in four years
that's $2400 and that's just one studio (we have several).

What is this "after market" you mention? Sorry I am not a native English
speaker.

Do you mean you use third party ink? If yes, of what brand?
I am very interested, since you are a graphic arts studio!

As to the quality of the prints, we are a graphic arts studio. Image quality
is what we are about. We are far more critial in this regard than are our
clients.

"igfg"

| FWIW we go trough $75+ per month of EPSON ink at OEM cost. After
market
| $20 so we're ahead $50 per month. 12 months X 50= $600 in four years
| that's $2400 and that's just one studio (we have several).
|
| What is this "after market" you mention? Sorry I am not a native English
| speaker.

Aftermarket is third party ink not sanctioned/approved by the printer
manufacture.

| Do you mean you use third party ink? If yes, of what brand?
| I am very interested, since you are a graphic arts studio!

Suppliers vary. Right now I'm holding ink by Ridisc and G&G in my hand.

Our standard printer are Epson and have been for years. We did a balance
test on using OEM (original equipment) and aftermarket ink over 12 to 18
months and found little difference in the work product. Also no noticeable
difference in the equipment failure rate. But I should qualify that last as
a very small sample.

All expenses included and assuming that the aftermarket in was somehow
reducing the functionality of the printers we save, on average, ~ $2000 per
year per studio.

We don't print archive work product so I have no knowledge of how long this
will last in the real world.

We print preliminary proofs on everyday stock for the most part.

We also print proofs for client approval but on better quality paper.

We also require printer galley proofs and have not noticed a significant
difference in what the printer sends and our client proofs. Perhaps I
should mention that we calibrate our displays, our printers and coordinate
these with the clients printers. But we did this with OEM ink as well as
there are variations there as well.

Grand kids print out tons of snap shots and so far no complaints in that
department.

| As to the quality of the prints, we are a graphic arts studio. Image
quality
| is what we are about. We are far more critical in this regard than are
our
| clients.

Printer Bob wrote:

"NotMe" wrote in



"igfg" | > FWIW we go trough $75+ per month of EPSON ink at OEM cost. After market < | > $20 so we're ahead $50 per month. 12 months X 50= $600 in four | > years that's $2400 and that's just one studio (we have several). | | What is this "after market" you mention? Sorry I am not a native | English speaker. Aftermarket is third party ink not sanctioned/approved by the printer manufacture.



Just to add that printer makers sanction only their own inks, mainly for the huge profit it brings them.


Now if you think about that statement it is really dumb.  What do you think they are in business for.  Of course they want to sell their own ink.  It is also best.  And yes the price is very expensive.






| Do you mean you use third party ink? If yes, of what brand?


There are no brands.  The relabeler will not tell you what they are selling so you do not know the brand (mfg/formulator)


| I am very interested, since you are a graphic arts studio!


Not using the best materials is like screwing the customer. 


Suppliers vary. Right now I'm holding ink by Ridisc and G&G in my hand. Our standard printer are Epson and have been for years. We did a balance test on using OEM (original equipment) and aftermarket ink over 12 to 18 months and found little difference in the work product. Also no noticeable difference in the equipment failure rate. But I should qualify that last as a very small sample. All expenses included and assuming that the aftermarket in was somehow reducing the functionality of the printers we save, on average, ~ $2000 per year per studio.



If just 1,000 people in the world saved $2,000, that would be $2,000,000 out of printer maker's hands and into ours. And yet printer makers still do not get the message to reduce the cost of ink.


That is because 90% of the people are smart enough to use OEM ink because they remember why they bought the printer to print photos in the first place.


Their greed is greater than their guilt. They blindly rather lose it to aftermarket suppliers than reduce the price accordingly so we wouldn't have to buy aftermarket inks. Dumb!

Smart.  If you look at their profits they are not losing anything.






We don't print archive work product so I have no knowledge of how long this will last in the real world. We print preliminary proofs on everyday stock for the most part. We also print proofs for client approval but on better quality paper. We also require printer galley proofs and have not noticed a significant difference in what the printer sends and our client proofs. Perhaps I should mention that we calibrate our displays, our printers and coordinate these with the clients printers. But we did this with OEM ink as well as there are variations there as well. Grand kids print out tons of snap shots and so far no complaints in that department.



None here either. Been printing pictures and what have you for friends for many, many years to rave reviews. They marvel at the fact that I use aftermarket inks and produce such beautiful, lasting results for a pittance.


Poeple who look at their friends pictures will marvel at any snapshot but people who look at their friends photographs will not.  It is like the people who used to marvel at their friends Kodak Brownie snapshots.  Most have never heard of a Nikon, Leica or Canon.

igfg wrote:
NotMe wrote:
FWIW we go trough $75+ per month of EPSON ink at OEM cost. After
market
$20 so we're ahead $50 per month. 12 months X 50= $600 in four years
that's $2400 and that's just one studio (we have several).

What is this "after market" you mention? Sorry I am not a native
English speaker.

That is inferior ink that is repackaged and relabeled and resold by some
small vendor who will not tell you the mfg/formulator of what they are
selling because it is made by some you who in china or some 3rd world
place. Look at www.pcworld.com or www.pcmag.com or google whilhelm
labs and read the test results. Then you will know. And beware of many
in this news group who either work for or are associated with these
palces and will tell you that people who believe in OEM products are dumb.

Do you mean you use third party ink? If yes, of what brand?
I am very interested, since you are a graphic arts studio!

As to the quality of the prints, we are a graphic arts studio. Image
quality
is what we are about. We are far more critial in this regard than
are our
clients.

NotMe wrote:
"igfg"

| FWIW we go trough $75+ per month of EPSON ink at OEM cost. After
market
| $20 so we're ahead $50 per month. 12 months X 50= $600 in four years
| that's $2400 and that's just one studio (we have several).
|
| What is this "after market" you mention? Sorry I am not a native English
| speaker.

Aftermarket is third party ink not sanctioned/approved by the printer
manufacture.

| Do you mean you use third party ink? If yes, of what brand?
| I am very interested, since you are a graphic arts studio!

Suppliers vary. Right now I'm holding ink by Ridisc and G&G in my hand.

Our standard printer are Epson and have been for years. We did a balance
test on using OEM (original equipment) and aftermarket ink over 12 to 18
months and found little difference in the work product. Also no noticeable
difference in the equipment failure rate. But I should qualify that last as
a very small sample.

All expenses included and assuming that the aftermarket in was somehow
reducing the functionality of the printers we save, on average, ~ $2000 per
year per studio.

We don't print archive work product so I have no knowledge of how long this
will last in the real world.

We print preliminary proofs on everyday stock for the most part.

We also print proofs for client approval but on better quality paper.

We also require printer galley proofs and have not noticed a significant
difference in what the printer sends and our client proofs. Perhaps I
should mention that we calibrate our displays, our printers and coordinate
these with the clients printers. But we did this with OEM ink as well as
there are variations there as well.

Grand kids print out tons of snap shots and so far no complaints in that
department.


Now there is a market for the junk ink. And snapshots are not photographs
| As to the quality of the prints, we are a graphic arts studio. Image
quality
| is what we are about. We are far more critical in this regard than are
our
| clients.

measekite wrote:


----------all lies deleted--------------

Stop the lying measher****head!
We're all sick and tired of your lies!
Frank