converting a cj500 to solvent

[gary s]

I know this topic has been discussed alot here and I have read most of them and think I could do it myself but I would perfer someone who has experience in converting these printers over to convert mine. My cj500 heads are perfect and I have installed the heaters already that work great , but thats where i stopped. Is there anyone in the GTA that would be willing to do my conversion or know someone that would?(for a reasonable fee) It can be done at my shop in Brampton or I can deliver the machine to anywhere within reason. I have all new parts and I have purchased blank cartridges. From what i have read the only thing I dont have is a cleaner but i did purchase all new lines.

Thanks
Gary

 

[anozira02]

Actually you have done the hardest part,, installing the heater... I done about 12 conversions. All you need to do is first flush your print heads with aqueous flushing liquid and after that flush it with eco-solvent flushing liquid this process will clean your lines as well, at this point you can remove the heads from the printer MAKE SURE AT THIS POINT YOUR PRINTER POWER IS OFF AND UNPLUGGED THE POWER CORD AS WELL. Next remove the printer top cover which held by small screws front and back push the carriage away from the work area. Next Remove the pump and capping station, follow up by drilling some holes to reroute the pump waste lines to closer to the front near the pump, don’t use the thin
Line extenders currently on the ink pump lines.. drill a 5/8" hole through pump assembly plate which the pump and capping station sits on,, this hole should be about 1-1/2" in away from the right edge of the assembly and 1-1/4" back from the front edge of the assembly plate. Next drill one 5/8" hole through the top of the printer main frame assembly alined with the hole you drilled above, next drill one more 5/8" hole at the bottom of the frame assembly about 1" to the right of the hole above it,,, unfortunately these holes wont lineup with each other due to there is a leg mounting plate in the way, so it have to be offset a bit from the hole above, this is the hole for the waste ink lines to exit into the relocated ink waste bottle. bottle and the cap from the rear use the mounting cap as a pattern to drill the last holes, hold the bottle cap against the frame and mark with a magic marker where the middle of the drain hole should be and also mark where the two small mounting crew holes should be.. Finally install the new capping station, solvent compatible ink pump, reinstall heads, install solvent compatible dampers install new ink.
May have to put the printer through a few cleaning cycle in order to start getting ink to the heads. By the way,,, if you flush the lines you wont have to use new ones... Good luck

 

[ddarlak]

i agree with most of what you said. heads don't need to come out, and you can reuse the dampers if cleaned properly.

i agree, you have done the hardest part.

i'm also not on board with all the drilling, don't see the need for it. I just zip tied an old ink bottle to the stand/leg and drilled a hole in the top. when it's full, replace with another ink bottle.

i'm assuming your going bulk ink , as that is that way to go...

i wouldn't have minded a trip to toronto to set you up, but i'm afraid i'm not allowed in your country anymore

 

[gary s]

thanks for the relplies guys, I had no probelm figuring out and making the heaters/controllers. i think the main thing I am worried about is screwing up the heads as they have gone way up in price and i dont want to screw them up and have to replace them. I guess if i just find two good quality flushing fluids and flush them good with both liquids I should be fine.

 

[ddarlak]

i used to get heads for $89 all day long, once they broke the $200 mark i switched to latex.

best move ever.

the route your going is a good/cheap entry into printing, but make some cash and upgrade as quick as you can. you will spend hours a day keeping that machine in top shape.

i can leave my latex off for a month and turn it on and start printing, with what you have, you'd be starting all over.

good luck

 

[gary s]

The good thing is the machine is always ran daily, The main reason for the switch up is the versitility of printing on diffrent colored media. Also the price of pigment media is rediclious and getting harder to find, local suppliers no longer carry any of it and I am on my last roll. I was just thinking about getting another printer only but the main thing I run is stickers and I like the print and cut in one process.

 

[anozira02]

One thing about these older printers is,,, easy to work on, ink heads now in the 300-400 dollar range, it's only two of them in the printer not like some of the newer brothers where some of the print heads are running $700 and up. Drawback is parts are getting harder and harder to find for these older printers, also they slower then the newer ones. If you can overlook all that these printers are good working horses,,, if you take care of them they will last you a long time.. I run two of these printer,, but again I have a small shop and work out of my home so speed is not a big thing for me..

 

[gary s]

I also am just a small shop(just me) as well so speed is not really an issue., I have 2 other cutters and I use to mostly do just cut vinyl and sub out all my printed work. I got this printer and expaned my capabilites but want to go further and want to be able to print on diffrent colored vinyl. I have a cusomter who regually takes 2inch printed stickers that they use in the trophy industry for medallions and they now want to get them on gold and silver material instead of just white. They do a fair bit of business but not enough to justify spending the money on a newer print and cut. I have had my cj500 now for about 3 years and I have no complaints about it, other than not being able to print on colored media.

 

[Robert M]

Converting to solvent

If you do switch it over get a Mutoh capping station. They have a screen in them to prevent the solvents from swelling up the pad inside the cap. Pick the Mutoh Falcon outdoor from our site www.solventinkjet.com

 

[staci0625]

Is there a way to keep these from clogging if it is not going to be run daily, like when I go on vacation or over the weekends?

What heaters did you put in yours? We are about to order the parts to convert our as well and I am undecided about the heater. Thanks for posting your question today. I've been reading about theses for months and months and too do not want to do anything wrong as I go through this process.

 

[ddarlak]

Is there a way to keep these from clogging if it is not going to be run daily, like when I go on vacation or over the weekends?

pop the heads out and run cleaning fluid thru them, put them back in after vacation.

if your going to run this machine, you are going to become very familiar with popping the heads out and daily maintenance...

 

[anozira02]

Yes, and make sure you shut the power off before you mess with the heads,,, even pull out the main power cord as well. I screwed up a few heads by not doing so..

 

[staci0625]

pop the heads out and run cleaning fluid thru them, put them back in after vacation.

if your going to run this machine, you are going to become very familiar with popping the heads out and daily maintenance...