Ken Bates
03-13-2009, 04:15 PM
Here's my recommendation.
Purchase the Canon MP830 if you can still find them or its equivalent.
The Pigment black ink cartridge # is PGI-5BK
The colored (dye) cartridges are CLI-8Y, CLI-8M & CLI-8C and the black dye is CLI-8BK. ( all 5 cost a lot so you want to refill )
Over the years I have accumulated refill bottles which use caps with 21 guage needles with blunt ends. I also used to use medical syringes and needles (legal in my state).
I used to get top quality black ink for $15/liter but it is now about $40.
I get my ink from a company a few miles north of Boston via UPS.
American Ink Jet - Developer and Manufacturer of ink jet inks since 1983! (http://www.americaninkjet.com)
I have not tried their color inks in my Canon. I have some left from the time I used to refill my Hewlett Packard office jet.
I am using the colored inks sold by a Canadian? company (on the Canada/Maine border) http:Inkjet Cartridges, HP Inkjet Cartridge Refills, Canon, Epson Printer Ink Cartridges (http://www.atlanticinkjet.com) (inexpensive but the quality of their black pigment ink is poor. Their color inks perfectly match those sold by Canon. The appeal of Atlantic was their kits that came with a few refill gadgets --- i.e. removal screws and sealing clips to cover the cartridges while refilling and waiting for them to equilibrate ( after about 30 mins they will not leak after removing the clips ) only one clip with a kit so purchase 4 more for about $5.
When the ink runs out you punch down the plastic bead into the holding chamber (or try to screw it out) and fill with a syringe ( I now have small squeezable plastic bottles with needle caps )
I use a hot melt glue gun (got for <$4) to seal the holes.
The first time you refill the Canon you will get a message. It warns it will not be responsible for using refills ( they hint they will negate your warranty --- my unit has outlived its extended warranty flawlessly- awesomely without a hiccup )
Just hold down the STOP/RESET button for >5 secs. and your home free forever. I love my MP830 so much that I have another in an unopened box.
It may sound like a lot of hassle but now I spend about 10-15 minutes refilling and print B&W and color practically for free.
PIXMA ink is awesome but no refillers have figured out the proprietary formula
(formulas are patented) Amjet comes closest with their imitation --- select their Catalogue # 114CBK-4613
AMJETS PIXMA color inks are the 114 series --E.g. 114 ccy, cma, cye, and cpk for the black dye ink.
You can't imagine the joy and freedom of easy refilling for just a few bucks a cycle on the Canon PIXMA all in one printers.
UPDATE: I should have checked things before I posted. I just visited the ATLANTIC site and think the kits I got for practically nothing may not be available. They now sell the inks individually for $14/8oz and $39/Liter (still not bad) it seems they don't sell the cartridge clips. but go to the site and get the phone # and call. They were helpful and friendly.
As for AMJET --- they don't post prices but they are also friendly and helpful and operate with Swiss efficiency and competence. They are top shelf and may be cheaper or close to Atlantic for price.
Also: ATLANTIC sells syringes with needles. I would recommend the 60cc unit (2oz.) for $1.45 each. Purchase 5, then Suck up 60 cc's from an 8oz bottle and refill 6 times. That leaves about 6oz in the bottle for about 18 more cartidge refills. Color cartidges hold almost 10 cc's and the pigment black about 15 cc's. (Pigment black is just for pure b&w printing) (the dye black and the cyan, magenta and yellow are blended for color printing.)
The key thing is to be sure the Canon printer you buy used the PGI-5 for black and the CLI series for color. Of course there may be other cartridges that can be easily and successfully refilled. I must have refilled mine about 20 times over a four year period with perfect results and no need to clean or adjust print heads.
UPDATE: YET ANOTHER ADDENDUM. I just remembered that the genuine Canon cartridges that came with my Canon Pixma MP830 printer
had an orange plastic cap that covered the ink dispensing orifaces. I tossed them. They may obviate the need for cartridge clips to keep the ink from leaking out during the refill. (after about 30 mins the absorbant sponge in the dispensing chamber keeps the ink from pouring out
but what really keeps it from gushing out is a good seal at storage chamber filling hole. Before I got my clips I used electricians tape to temporarily seal the holes until I was ready to put the cartridges back in the printer.
Purchase the Canon MP830 if you can still find them or its equivalent.
The Pigment black ink cartridge # is PGI-5BK
The colored (dye) cartridges are CLI-8Y, CLI-8M & CLI-8C and the black dye is CLI-8BK. ( all 5 cost a lot so you want to refill )
Over the years I have accumulated refill bottles which use caps with 21 guage needles with blunt ends. I also used to use medical syringes and needles (legal in my state).
I used to get top quality black ink for $15/liter but it is now about $40.
I get my ink from a company a few miles north of Boston via UPS.
American Ink Jet - Developer and Manufacturer of ink jet inks since 1983! (http://www.americaninkjet.com)
I have not tried their color inks in my Canon. I have some left from the time I used to refill my Hewlett Packard office jet.
I am using the colored inks sold by a Canadian? company (on the Canada/Maine border) http:Inkjet Cartridges, HP Inkjet Cartridge Refills, Canon, Epson Printer Ink Cartridges (http://www.atlanticinkjet.com) (inexpensive but the quality of their black pigment ink is poor. Their color inks perfectly match those sold by Canon. The appeal of Atlantic was their kits that came with a few refill gadgets --- i.e. removal screws and sealing clips to cover the cartridges while refilling and waiting for them to equilibrate ( after about 30 mins they will not leak after removing the clips ) only one clip with a kit so purchase 4 more for about $5.
When the ink runs out you punch down the plastic bead into the holding chamber (or try to screw it out) and fill with a syringe ( I now have small squeezable plastic bottles with needle caps )
I use a hot melt glue gun (got for <$4) to seal the holes.
The first time you refill the Canon you will get a message. It warns it will not be responsible for using refills ( they hint they will negate your warranty --- my unit has outlived its extended warranty flawlessly- awesomely without a hiccup )
Just hold down the STOP/RESET button for >5 secs. and your home free forever. I love my MP830 so much that I have another in an unopened box.
It may sound like a lot of hassle but now I spend about 10-15 minutes refilling and print B&W and color practically for free.
PIXMA ink is awesome but no refillers have figured out the proprietary formula
(formulas are patented) Amjet comes closest with their imitation --- select their Catalogue # 114CBK-4613
AMJETS PIXMA color inks are the 114 series --E.g. 114 ccy, cma, cye, and cpk for the black dye ink.
You can't imagine the joy and freedom of easy refilling for just a few bucks a cycle on the Canon PIXMA all in one printers.
UPDATE: I should have checked things before I posted. I just visited the ATLANTIC site and think the kits I got for practically nothing may not be available. They now sell the inks individually for $14/8oz and $39/Liter (still not bad) it seems they don't sell the cartridge clips. but go to the site and get the phone # and call. They were helpful and friendly.
As for AMJET --- they don't post prices but they are also friendly and helpful and operate with Swiss efficiency and competence. They are top shelf and may be cheaper or close to Atlantic for price.
Also: ATLANTIC sells syringes with needles. I would recommend the 60cc unit (2oz.) for $1.45 each. Purchase 5, then Suck up 60 cc's from an 8oz bottle and refill 6 times. That leaves about 6oz in the bottle for about 18 more cartidge refills. Color cartidges hold almost 10 cc's and the pigment black about 15 cc's. (Pigment black is just for pure b&w printing) (the dye black and the cyan, magenta and yellow are blended for color printing.)
The key thing is to be sure the Canon printer you buy used the PGI-5 for black and the CLI series for color. Of course there may be other cartridges that can be easily and successfully refilled. I must have refilled mine about 20 times over a four year period with perfect results and no need to clean or adjust print heads.
UPDATE: YET ANOTHER ADDENDUM. I just remembered that the genuine Canon cartridges that came with my Canon Pixma MP830 printer
had an orange plastic cap that covered the ink dispensing orifaces. I tossed them. They may obviate the need for cartridge clips to keep the ink from leaking out during the refill. (after about 30 mins the absorbant sponge in the dispensing chamber keeps the ink from pouring out
but what really keeps it from gushing out is a good seal at storage chamber filling hole. Before I got my clips I used electricians tape to temporarily seal the holes until I was ready to put the cartridges back in the printer.