Help

[TonyM]

Hi all,

I need some help re spares etc.

I am trying to learn sublimation, and have bought a fair bit of equipment now.
I have had some fantastic advice from the members so far and have bought things on their advice and not been dissapointed in their recomendations.
I ordered stuff from a members shop here and within no time had tracking numbers and all I needed to be cofident of my orderEverything had arrived by noon the day after. Good service or what?

Well. I got my Epson 1400 with the sublimation system, my supplies to get me going and tonight got to setting it up.
I bought the printer and sub system off e-bay and beleive I got a good price.

Well anyway. I was setting it up and the first thing amiss was that on following the instruction it asks, "remove all the rubber bungs from the bottles, and in red it states DO NOTTHROW THESEAWAY AS THEY ARE NEEDED FOR REPLACING THE INK CHAMBERS"
Well out of the six I only had four... one was just open, probably the spillage in the box and one had sellotape on it.
Question,: Where can I buy spare bungs for when I want to fill up?

Secondly It tells me to replace with the air filters? Well I only got 5 of those , so i am one of those missing.

Thirdly it refers to the "Tube support arm" well i never had one of those at all?
So I just tried it without one?
Any ideas where I can get a tube support arm?

As I tried it without the tube support arm it went barmy and pulled out the yellow and light cyan tube from the cartridge.
This made loads of air bubbles in the yellow tube and I cleaned the heads a few times. The air bubble moved a bit but not enough. So i printed a picture of some yellow daffodils to try and get it up. They came out pink?

I did a yellow box. I got a couple of grey lines?

Then I tried cleaning again The light cyan came out of its cartrige again, but this time it wasnt just the tube that came loose it was the connector that sits in the cartridge, and it just falls out now?

So my question is, as I sit here with my multi coloured figers and frustrated look is:

Where can i get spare rubber bungs that I should keep, but never threw away, as I never had them.
Where can i get the Air filters, and the rubber bit that goes into the cartridge that the tube from the CISS connects to?
Oh yes and the support arm. I need that too?

Please help a multi coloured fingered idiot.

Thank you

Tony

[Justin]

Hi Tony,

When you get a minute, please edit the title of your post to be more descriptive. It helps for future searches and you'll get more members taking a look and offering help.

Justin

[bms]

You're in a bit of a pickle

Was the Easyflow system new or second hand? I presume second hand if you had tape over things rather than completely sealed. Any chance of the seller on ebay having these spares?

We could probably get all these spares for you from Sawgrass - they aren't things we normally keep as spares as they don't usually go missing.

The arm is very important unless you want to use your own arm for holding the tubes in the right place so they don't get tangled when printing. A old 6" ruler from a school pencil case, sellotape and double sided tape might get you going temporarily - do you have a colour booklet that shows where this all needs to go?

The tubes must fit snugly in place otherwise all you're going to do is get air in the system and nothing will print.

Air filter missing - lay a piece of kitchen tissue over the hole to stop dust getting in for now.

The light cyan - should have a right angled bit of plastic that the rubber tube connects to. This fits into a rubber sleeve in the top of the cartridge to make an air tight seal - have a close look inside the printer for these bits.

[TonyM]

You're in a bit of a pickle
I dot kow about that, I am in debt , thats for sure?

Was the Easyflow system new or second hand? I presume second hand if you had tape over things rather than completely sealed. Any chance of the seller on ebay having these spares?
Second hand. I got it off e-bay. No complaints, I am happy with what I paid for and I canot expect perfection?

We could probably get all these spares for you from Sawgrass - they aren't things we normally keep as spares as they don't usually go missing.
I just need a couple of plugs, a filter an arm and the Right angled bit that fits into the cartridge. (The RA bit is there but is distorted and does not sit sweet in the cartridge and falls out)

The arm is very important unless you want to use your own arm for holding the tubes in the right place so they don't get tangled when printing. A old 6" ruler from a school pencil case, sellotape and double sided tape might get you going temporarily - do you have a colour booklet that shows where this all needs to go?
That is a good idea. I wii do that
No I dont have a booklet but I underatand that it needs to sit so as it doesnt rip the LC out of the cartridge now?

The tubes must fit snugly in place otherwise all you're going to do is get air in the system and nothing will print.
I understand that.

Air filter missing - lay a piece of kitchen tissue over the hole to stop dust getting in for now.
Really? So it is just to stop dust?

The light cyan - should have a right angled bit of plastic that the rubber tube connects to. This fits into a rubber sleeve in the top of the cartridge to make an air tight seal - have a close look inside the printer for these bits
It is there. It is twisted /split/knackered /falls out. I need a new one?

Many thanks

Tony

[TonyM]

Ok
Just got it down in a good light.

What I see is the RA bit that goes into the cartridge is fine.
I have split the plasic bit.

It is like a collar?

That is split and that is why the little right angles falling out.

Ok it gets worse.

I have just lost the tiny little split plastic bit in the actual cartridge.

Is it totally wrecked now?

Can i get the little plastic bit? Can i replace it with he old one in the cartridge?

Help!

tony

[bms]

Really? So it is just to stop dust?

Yes basically

Can't help much more until Monday when I'll see what spare parts we have that might be suitable. It's possible to get a brand new cartridge and tube assembly for the Photo 1400 which gives you the part of the Easyflow system from where the 6 connectors are near the bottles of inks (all filled with ink) - but this will cost.

In the meantime if the systems not completely knackered you could try a hot glue gun seal around the tube that's loose to seal it temporarily.

[purpledragon]

buy cheap buy twice here endith the lesson

[TonyM]

Hi Martin

Does your company supply spare parts such as the seal and bungs?
I am going to the Print exhibition at the NEC tomorrow. If Sawgass have a stand perhaps they may be able to advise?

Thanks for you help thus far.

Tony

[bms]

We can certainly get the spares for you. I'll need to check what we have as we might have some spares in the office. If we have spare bungs and/or seals then I can pop these in the post to you, but can't promise until I check on Monday. Sawgrass are usually very good with us in supplying spare parts if needed (obviously in their interest to get you printing so you buy more ink!), but they usually like to send these to us with an order we have coming and there's nothing planned for a next week at least.

If you need a complete cart and tube assembly then we have these available from stock but in your situation you'd probably need to pay for that.

Have a hunt round at the NEC. I don't think Sawgrass have a stand, but there may be some other sublimation suppliers there.

[TonyM]

Once again Martin,
Thank you so much for your guidance.
I would appreciate it if you could check for the spares.
I need a seal where the tube attaches to the cartridge, 2 bungs, the guide arm (I think that is correct) and an air filter.
Amazing at what can scupper one?
A teeny little rubber seal the size of a couple of grains of rice. I still have a blue hand.
I ordered some mugs, paper and plaques from your site on Wednesday and within no time I had the tracking numbers and they were delivered Friday Morning. Fantastic service and I will definitley be a customer in the future.

I was going to just let purple dragons comments pass as we are all entitled to our opinion, and in the main he is correct.
But I feel that I would like to respond. I am a member of other forums where such comments cause new members not to ask vital questions or admit to their mistakes for fear of being ridiculed. That kind of defeats the object of having such a forum?
Members like Martin, JSR and others give their time and fantastic advice to help others, and if along the way they gain a bit of Kudos and a new customer, then why not? Good luck I say.
It is a pity that Purple dragon, although correct posted his comment, without knowing the full facts.
It was neither constructive nor helpful.
I know it is the best policy to buy the best and that you get what you pay for. But we can only buy what we can afford.
I also know, that I do not really have very much idea about sublimation. I am trying to learn and thank God for forums like this that offer such constructive help. I also know that I made a mistake and ripped the seal because I bought cheap and there was no support arm. I wish I could have bought it all new with a guarentee. But I couldnt. In fact I had to sell my Guitar and my wifes watch to get the money to buy the cheap system. Now I am not going to go into personal details,but I do have a reason for trying to get into this, and it is not for me personally.
I am so very grateful to people like Martin and JSR who take the time to help nunbskulls like me, and hope they continue.

purple dragon, may i just add that although you are correct in saying buy cheap pay twice, I think adding "here endeth the lesson" was a bit patronising and could be construed as offensive to people of faith.
No offence intended, and i am sure you never meant it that way.

I accept what you meant in the context it was given.
All I ask is that you post constructively and consider others feelings and views.

Tony