Full Version: HP4550 Thin Toner Coverage
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#12]
7 Jan 2006
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#11] 8 Jan 2006
David,
I've tried both 28# color copy paper and common multi-purpose copy paper. I have trouble filling a 7/8" circle with either.
EDITED: 7 Jan 2006 by DGL
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#13]
10 Jan 2006
To: ALL
Have those of you HP4550 users, who print black (only) transfers, ever heard the familiar multiple "clunks" of the cartridges falling into place, while printing only black?
Here's why I ask.
Today, since my black prints are so weak, I figured, why not try printing the same image with 100% Cyan, Magenta and Yellow, respectively?
First, was 100% Cyan. I heard the multiple clunks, which surprised me.
I thought to myself, maybe the cartridges were just rotating, so the Cyan cartridge would be in its proper position. Up until now, printing a combination of colors, to a single page, naturally, had me expecting to hear separate cartridges being accessed.
Since all colors printed for sublimation appear black, before pressing, the output was a solid, very dense black on the page.
I performed the same procedure for Magenta and Yellow, with the same "sounds" and perfect, dense output.
Here's what struck me as strange.
I then set the image up for 100% black, expecting NOT to hear the multiple clunks, but did.
The output, like the other colors, was very dense.
I thought, somehow, maybe I had straigtened out the problem.
I ran another print of the image, DIDN'T hear multiple clunks and the output reverted to the washed-out variety.
Since all the transfers look "black" I'll have to press them to see if the colors are as advertised by the 100% CMYK settings.
I'll let you know how that goes.
EDITED: 10 Jan 2006 by DGL
From: John (JOHNRMONTG) [#14]
11 Jan 2006
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#13] 11 Jan 2006
"Very Interesting ... yet quite weird" (German accent from a little (height impaired) German soldier aka: Laugh-In 1960's era) gee, guess I am dating myself.
Anway, to stay on track.... I am intrigued by your 'findings' and will look forward to what you find out.
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#15]
11 Jan 2006
To: John (JOHNRMONTG) [#14] 12 Jan 2006
Through the troubleshooting process of printing my image as colors other than black, I stumbled across a work-around to my situation, although I have no logical explanation for how or why it works.
Noticing that every time I heard multiple cartridges being accessed, I got solid prints, I tried typing a small word at the top of my page. In this case, the word "test" was given a 100% Magenta color value.
Below the magenta wording, I placed my three black logo images.
Printed the page and the black images were solid.
Pressed the images and they were black.
When I try to access the black cartridge, by itself, is when I get the weak and washed out images, which is strange, because I've done that in the past with good results.
Maybe I'm just getting low on black toner and when colors other than black are on the same page, "black" is actually being created by a combination of CMY. <shrug>
From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#16]
12 Jan 2006
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#15] 12 Jan 2006
David,
I know that I purchased my cartridges before you did. I am still running on the same cartridges. I would be surprised if you are running low, although I know it is all relative to the amount of jobs we have run through the machine. This toner seems to be endless. :-)
From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#17]
12 Jan 2006
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#15] 12 Jan 2006
Since it is a weird problem, let's look at a weird possibility.
Are you printing in RGB black. CMYK black is not as dense.
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#18]
12 Jan 2006
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#16] 12 Jan 2006
David,
I agree. I don't see how it's possible that I could be running low on toner. The last sub cartridge I had in my LaserJet 4m lasted almost 4 years, under fairly regular use.
In fact, I'm seriously considering buying another cartridge for the 4m for "monochrome" printing. The printer doesn't take as long to "warm up" and that way, I wouldn't be tapping out my black 4550 cartridge prematurely.
EDITED: 12 Jan 2006 by DGL
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#19]
12 Jan 2006
To: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#17] 12 Jan 2006
I like the control over my colors that CMYK sliders provide. I'll have to check which mode I'm printing in.
Whatever the mode, I believe it's the same I've always used, which hasn't been a problem in the past.