The detested blot

June 17, 2007 1:54 AM

Streaks of ink when printing - Canon SmartBase MP360. Can anyone tell me how to take the printer apart?

... or just advise me that this is not a sensible thing to do. I have vertical streaks of ink appearing on the back of every page I print - this gets fainter if I print a lot in one session. I think that there must be a pool of ink inside the printer, but there is no obvious way to take the thing apart (manual is no help). I have looked at the forums at fixyourownprinter which say that the SmartBase has a cotton pad to soak up ink - I'm wondering if mine doesn't, or it's moved out of place, as the printer's only about two years old and doesn't get a huge amount of use. So, if anyone can tell me how to take it apart, that would be great, and if you think this is a bad idea or have other suggestions please let me know. I have tried the Deep Cleaning option from Printer Setup.

posted by paduasoy to Computers & Internet (4 answers total)

With most printers, you don't need to dismantle them to see this pad. Just open the thing, as if you were planning to swap out cartridges and look to the left where the carriage would end it's travel. These pads are generally in a small rectangular hole and are easily cleaned with rubbing alchohol. If it's missing, you can try using a square microfiber cloth cut to the correct shape and glued in (trying to use a cotton pad is begging for little strands to get stuck on the print head and truly screw up the job). Alternatively, just wipe the roller down before each print job.
posted by IronLizard at 2:05 AM on June 17, 2007

Response by poster: Thanks, IronLizard, but I have tried cleaning what seems to be the side of the roller (very small section visible). There is a small hole at the left end of the cartrisge track, but I can't see into it (because of the rest of the printer above it) and I can only just get one finger into it, so there's no way I could get anything out. That's why I think I need to dismantle it.
posted by paduasoy at 2:45 AM on June 17, 2007

You may have already done this, but check the shape of the ink stains against something. On my (Epson, but it's not a unique problem) printer, I get long, thin lines which are actually from an ink buildup on the rollers. 25 annoying minutes with Qtips and alcohol took care of it.

Other than that, check out all the documentation for the printer (both on your hard drive and in manuals) as well as Canon's website. Unless it's very poorly designed, you shouldn't have to do major (and unanticipated by the manufacturer) dismantling to clean the thing.
posted by nevercalm at 6:14 AM on June 17, 2007

There is a small hole at the left end of the cartrisge track, but I can't see into it (because of the rest of the printer above it)

OK, now try stuffing a microfiber pad in it, until it just barely sticks up over the edges. Print something. Pull the pag back out and look at it, if it's inked up a bit it's working.

I have to wonder, though, if you maybe just got a pair of leaky cartridges.
posted by IronLizard at 12:23 PM on June 17, 2007