We send a HUGE thank you to Dennis and Yvonne Jenkins, the franchise owners at Cartridge World, for their fantastic informative presentation at our club meeting today!!
We had no idea nor had really given any thought about ink cartridges for our computer printers other than the fact that they’re so darned expensive! Yvonne and Dennis brought some samples that were open on the side so we could actually see the insides of a cartridge and understand how they work.
The most amazing part was how the units have changed over recent years. This photo is a perfect example (and actually makes me as a consumer quite angry).
This is what a typical cartridge used to be: filled with a sponge that held the ink.
Now compare that photo with the newer version given to us by our trusted manufacturers.
Look at the EMPTY SPACE that now occupies the inside of those expensive units! No wonder they don’t last very long!
More proof of the purposely big cartridge but actual empty space inside. Notice the very small ink sponge in this one.
We also learned that when the package says the cartridge will be good for 500 or 1,000 pages……………..the industry standard claims that a “page” is actually just a 5% coverage. The manufacturer and we consumers certainly have a different idea of what a “page” really means.
We learned briefly about the intricate formula of inks for the different manufacturers…HP, Canon, Kodak, Epson, etc. and how much training is required for the owners of a Cartridge World franchise.
You know when you see those “combo” packages in the stores where for the same price you also get some “FREE” paper? It doesn’t seem to be a very good bargain at all. The cartridges in that package have a much smaller amount of ink.
Yvonne explained how important it was for us to keep our inks fresh and prevent them from drying out. Don’t leave them just sit in your printer for six months while you’re not here. She used the example of a glass of salt water. When the water evaporates, it leaves behind the salty crusty residue. The same concept holds true for your ink cartridges. When the moisture dries out, the ink residue clogs up the jets where the ink needs to shoot out.
You can try to salvage those idle cartridges by sealing them in plastic and placing them in the frig but your best bet is to print at least a test page about once a week just to keep the ink jets clean and flowing. There is a setting on your printer for how to clean and/or align your print heads. Learn how to do that and keep your Printer Printing Properly.
Again, a huge Thank You to Dennis and Yvonne for visiting our club today. I believe I’ll be seeing them again when I need new ink for my printer. They claim we can save 40%. The store location, hours, and phone number can be found on their website at: Cartridge World Just click on this link.
Next week’s meeting will be about Internet Explorer….what are all those buttons for, how to better navigate the web, and some interesting sites to visit.
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