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Inner Dirt
02-22-2015, 01:24 PM
I have the worst printer, cost is 30 cents a DRF page for ink. Do not get an HP Office Jet 4630 even if it comes free with a $100 bill taped to it. The ink cartridges must have a memory chip in them because even if you refill them the printer gets a low ink alarm and will not run. What are you guys using and your cost per page? Would like to know what new printers still allow you to refill ink cartridges easily.

lamboguy
02-22-2015, 01:29 PM
i bought a Brother that is a Laser printer. i bought ink cartridge online for $17 that prints about 2200 pages. so far i have printed up about half that with no problem.

the cartridge that Brother puts out cost $32 and prints out 1200 pages.

Clocker
02-22-2015, 02:12 PM
I would never use an ink jet for PPs. Even with just one card a day, that's a couple hundred pages a week. I found even a basic home type laser to be annoyingly slow. I bought a good HP laser for about $200 that really cranks out the pages quickly. Decent non-HP toner is about $20, and that is good for about 2000 pages.

ldiatone
02-22-2015, 02:23 PM
i use a laser-scanner-copier-fax by panasonic. i buy 3-4 laser toner cartridges for $12 a piece. about 25 pages a min. give or take. its fast.

HUSKER55
02-23-2015, 02:39 AM
I GOT a Brother Laser printer, black only. Toner is $68 for the jumbo size but I use the draft 300 dot base and I get between 3500 and 5000 pages. Lasts about 2 to 2.5 months for us.

It takes care of itself and a local company does warranty work if needed. Had it for 2 years now and zero problems.

Spiderman
02-23-2015, 09:04 AM
Printing at practically no cost is my economy. Using an Epson C88 and C88+ ink jet for 10 years. Unit allows to set printing in draft mode that prints clear, prints-out faster than text mode and reduces ink used. Once four color cartridges are installed, use 20-30 black ink before needing a new set or any of the other colors. Each black ink cartridge allows for a month of printing.

Here's the best part: purchase the cartridges online for $1 - 1.50 each. Then, recycle, 10-at-a-time for $20 credit at office product retailer. In turn, purchase a box of 5000 sheets of paper, on-sale for less than $30. Use both sides of paper for printing, thus expanding supply. Currently, have two unopened boxes, a total 10,000 sheets (20 reams).

Well, situation will change within a year or two. The C88+ is no longer being manufactured. I purchased two about 1 1/2 years ago for $60 each - gave one to son.

I am gathering information for a laser printer that prints black ink only, has a toner that can be purchased online for less than $20 and allows for printing of 2-3000 copies before replacement is needed. A Brother laser printer seems to be best candidate, at this time.

mabred
02-23-2015, 11:43 AM
BROTHER 2040 not that good

3-4 years old was cheap bought it at staples

for under 60.black not that dark even in hq1200 mode

Delta Cone
02-23-2015, 10:33 PM
A couple of years ago I bought a black-and-white laser printer for under $100 -- Brother HL-2240 -- and love it.

It prints PPs great. I print maybe 200 racing forms each year. Along with other light general printing, I end up using two toner cartridges per year at about $40 each.

I was too lazy to look for better deals on toner, but I'm sure they are out there.

therussmeister
02-23-2015, 10:36 PM
I've always been afraid to buy the real cheap toner because reading reviews makes me think I would need to buy four at a time to make sure I am getting at least one that works. I've been using mid-priced cartridges from Verbatim. So far no problems.

Spiderman
02-24-2015, 08:16 AM
A couple of years ago I bought a black-and-white laser printer for under $100 -- Brother HL-2240 -- and love it.

It prints PPs great. I print maybe 200 racing forms each year. Along with other light general printing, I end up using two toner cartridges per year at about $40 each.

I was too lazy to look for better deals on toner, but I'm sure they are out there.

The HL 2240 would work for me. There are toner deals at ebay for much less than $40 each.

Is the Toner Save feature useful?

wilderness
02-24-2015, 08:45 AM
Had an HL-2140 that worked nicely for about 18-months and then went kaput after just 2.5 toners.
Never buy another Brother Laser.

The Toner Save didn't really reduce toner use.

Paid a little more and got an HP 1102 that's held up nicely.

forced89
02-26-2015, 10:03 AM
This thread got me thinking. My printer is an old HP ink jet that I paid $29.95 for about 7 years ago. It is a piece of crap but prints. So I am walking through Office Depot and see that they have a single Canon LBP 6030 w laser printer (black ink) marked down from $155.95 to $45.95. It is in an unopened box. I ask them what is the deal? They said it was being phased out. I don't know if they meant by Office Depot or Canon. Anyway the price was right so I bought it. Man, what a difference!

Grits
02-26-2015, 01:49 PM
I don't know if they meant by Office Depot or Canon.

Possibly being phased out as Staples has bought Office Depot?

wilderness
02-26-2015, 02:35 PM
Didn't Office Depot just recently purchase Office Max?
If so than Staples will pretty much have that market cornered?

There's a Chicago-based company (Quill) that has been in business for decades and offers perhaps the largest catalog. Many of their prices are absurd, however they offer most any type of product desired.

I used to enjoy shopping at Office Max (a kid in a candy store), however about five years ago their policies changed and you literally had to argue for prices on each item. They lost me as a customer at that point.

I found some unique online stores for photography and equipment items (including scanners), one of which is Broadart that I couldn't locate any where else.

whodoyoulike
02-26-2015, 04:39 PM
I have the worst printer, cost is 30 cents a DRF page for ink. Do not get an HP Office Jet 4630 even if it comes free with a $100 bill taped to it. The ink cartridges must have a memory chip in them because even if you refill them the printer gets a low ink alarm and will not run. What are you guys using and your cost per page? Would like to know what new printers still allow you to refill ink cartridges easily.

I used to have an ink jet and I read that every time the printer is turned on it uses some ink. Eventually, I only turned it on when I knew I was going to print. The ink was expensive and the printer finally gave out. I purchased a laser printer which prints both sides (very quickly) or even two to a page (and probably more). The toner is about the same price I was spending on ink cartridges. I've had it a couple of years with no complaints from me. And, I got it from Staples.

Track Collector
02-26-2015, 05:26 PM
A racing acquaintance prints multiple DRF racing cards daily.

He had done well and saved lots of money since switching from an inkjet printer to a laser printer.

He uses a Brother Black&White laser printer, model HL-5470DW. At the time it was purchased on-line at Sam's Club at around $210. High-output toner cartridges (TN-750) cost about $27 from places like 4inkjets.

Like most laser printers, printing can be done in duplex mode, saving paper.

Anyone switching from an inkjet to a laser will be very pleased in the reduction in time required to print a Past Performance card.


...

Clocker
02-26-2015, 05:44 PM
Like most laser printers, printing can be done in duplex mode, saving paper.



I print on both sides of the paper, but I don't use duplex mode. I print the first half of the card one-sided. Then I flip the stack of paper over, put it back in the tray, and print the last half. That way I don't have horses from the same race on both sides of the same sheet of paper.

raybo
02-26-2015, 06:09 PM
I've always used cheap Canon inkjets, because their cartridges are refillable. I used to buy ink in bulk, at very cheap prices and just refill cartridges as needed. Eventually you will have to buy a new cartridge, but those are cheaper than most brands. These days I don't print anything much, only occasionally, but never for horse racing, I view everything on my monitor and don't go to the track, so no need to print.

Spiderman
02-26-2015, 07:43 PM
I print on both sides of the paper, but I don't use duplex mode. I print the first half of the card one-sided. Then I flip the stack of paper over, put it back in the tray, and print the last half. That way I don't have horses from the same race on both sides of the same sheet of paper.

I print on one side, save any paper that is not tattered and print on other side. I use both side-printed paper when I go to a track or simulcast center and toss it when done.

Red Knave
02-26-2015, 08:06 PM
Have a look at this product. http://fineprint.com/fp/ . I have used it for years. The 'driver' allows for duplex printing on a single sided printer and also standard things like 2 up, 4 up and even booklet printing (i.e. 5.5x8.5) where you print the documents and fold them in the middle.
There are lots of 'printer drivers' like it and often even from the printer mfg's driver.

barn32
02-26-2015, 08:12 PM
I don't know much about printers, and you guys might have already mentioned this, but a friend of mine bought a continuous ink printer from Amazon and swears by it.

It came with the ink (I think) and it lasts for a long, long time, and he only paid around $100 for it.

1st Example (http://www.amazon.com/Epson-WorkForce-WF-3620-Printer-Scanner/dp/B00JXLGF06/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1424998698&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=epson+workforce+wffi+3620+wifi+direct+all +in+one+color+inkjet+printer)

2nd Example (http://www.amazon.com/Epson-XP-310-Wireless-Printer-Scanner/dp/B00FTG73SC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1424999258&sr=8-1&keywords=epson+xp-310+wireless+color+photo+printer)

Ink System (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=epson+xp-310+cis&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aepson+xp-310+cis)

therussmeister
02-26-2015, 08:14 PM
I print on both sides of the paper, but I don't use duplex mode. I print the first half of the card one-sided. Then I flip the stack of paper over, put it back in the tray, and print the last half. That way I don't have horses from the same race on both sides of the same sheet of paper.
I print one days races on one side, and the next days races on the back. I really like to spread out each race side by side by side by side. No turning pages for me.

Clocker
02-26-2015, 08:29 PM
I really like to spread out each race side by side by side by side. No turning pages for me.

That's the big problem with duplex. You want to compare the #3 and the #4 in a race and they are on the opposite sides of the same page.

whodoyoulike
02-26-2015, 08:33 PM
Uh... you could print two sets.

barn32
02-27-2015, 12:58 PM
I don't know much about printers, and you guys might have already mentioned this, but a friend of mine bought a continuous ink printer from Amazon and swears by it.

It came with the ink (I think) and it lasts for a long, long time, and he only paid around $100 for it.

1st Example (http://www.amazon.com/Epson-WorkForce-WF-3620-Printer-Scanner/dp/B00JXLGF06/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1424998698&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=epson+workforce+wffi+3620+wifi+direct+all +in+one+color+inkjet+printer)

2nd Example (http://www.amazon.com/Epson-XP-310-Wireless-Printer-Scanner/dp/B00FTG73SC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1424999258&sr=8-1&keywords=epson+xp-310+wireless+color+photo+printer)

Ink System (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-
keywords=epson+xp-310+cis&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aepson+xp-310+cis) I just talked to my buddy who owns this printer system and he says he hasn't change the ink in 3 years