Epson 1280 Problem

My 1280 is messing up every sheet of paper that it prints on. There are small
areas of stray ink that look like hairlines ... they could almost pass for fine lint stuck to the surface of the paper (usually near the edge of the image area). But it's ink.

I'm assuming something has ink on it that shouldn't, but I don't know what to
look for.

I also figured that if a bit of ink spilled, the problem woud go away when the ink dried. but this hasn't been the case. The problem started last week (on my first day of printing in several weeks) and persists several days later.

I'm using piezography warm neutral inks with the CIS system bought from inkjet mall.

Any thoughts?

I had a similar problem with my 2200 that was driving me crazy. A tiny piece of the black sponge that is below the track of the print head had bent upwards and was contacting the print head when it moved around before the paper was loaded. I was able to push it back in place and that took care of the problem.

Good luck

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ron Marshall

I had a similar problem with my 2200 that was driving me crazy. A tiny piece of the black sponge that is below the track of the print head had bent upwards and was contacting the print head when it moved around before the paper was loaded. I was able to push it back in place and that took care of the problem.

Good luck

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ahhh, that makes sense. i'll take a look. thanks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by paulr

My 1280 is messing up every sheet of paper that it prints on. There are small
areas of stray ink that look like hairlines

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I have a 1280 that experienced the "magenta lines of death" as I heard it called once. Think vertical lines (in a horizontal print), often going past the edge of the image. With color ink they are magenta in color.

Seems to be a common problem with these models--I am told the problem is a bad print head--no economical repair.

Anone need a good condition 1280 with just one teeny problem?

--Darin

luckily i don't think this is the print head.

the immediate problem seems to be ink getting on the littl gray rollers that are right below the polished metal rod that the print head glides on.

ink is somehow getting on the rollers in a thin, whispy pattern, and of course it then transfers right onto the paper. i just don't know where it's coming from in the first place.

I've dealt with HP printers that developed streaking like you describe. The problem there was lint and dust from the paper, which had built up on the edges of the printhead until it dragged on the paper. Kinda similar to the sponge mentioned previously... Hope you find it. Keep us posted.

The first thing I'd probably do is clean the print heads and the little pad the heads rest on when they're not in use. That may or may not solve the problem but it's easy to do and can't hurt anything.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Alan Davenport

I've dealt with HP printers that developed streaking like you describe. The problem there was lint and dust from the paper, which had built up on the edges of the printhead until it dragged on the paper. Kinda similar to the sponge mentioned previously... Hope you find it. Keep us posted.

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Seems like that was it. I wiped off the print heads several times with an alcohol soaked kimwipe ... 90% of the problem was gone. Then I vacuumed the entire inside of the printer, and wiped off the print heads again. Bingo!

Not fun, I'm up and running again.

Thanks for all the help.

p.s. ... it might have been cat hair.