TOM WALKER wrote in a message to ROY J. TELLASON:

RJT>Yeah.  I don't have any printers hooked up to any computers here
RJT>at the mom
RJT>though I do have a laser,  an inkjet,  and a dot matrix here in the room.

TW> I have several lasers. A HP 5P on my mail machine. A Epson Action
TW> Laser 1500 o nthe Test bench and a HP Laser1100 with serious paper
TW> feed problems and a almost non working HP Laserjet Series II
TW> That is rounded out by my Epson Dot Matrox 870 and a Canon Bubble
TW> Jet 200 Ink Jet.
TW> After sop many years of using the Laser Printers I have no
TW> inclination to use either the Dot Matrix or Ink Jet again.
TW> OF course I have absolutly NO use for Color. Even the Black Ink is
TW> to ofar to expensive ror me as I print too many copies.

The inkjet here is color,  but I haven't bought any supplies for it and may
or may not get around to doing so.  The laser is nice but while it's on the
lights flicker as the heater in there draws some nontrivial power.  I can
see where the dot matrix would be handy for multiple-part forms if I used
any.  I have a whole box of 2-part no-carbon around someplace,  if I ever
decide that I need to do invoices or something,  but that's not real
likely.  It's also handy for index cards and I even have some rolodex cards
for it that I ran through there at one time.

RJT>MMC> I actually changed from the dot matrix to the ink jets when I
RJT>MMC> discovered my 20 year old supply of dot matrix ink had all jelled
RJT>MMC> up in the bottles!  I tried several solvents to get it flowing
RJT>MMC> again, but not much luck.  Not even WD-40 thinned it!

RJT>I wonder what they used?

RJT>MMC> Hey, when WD-40 fails, it's time to quit!   :-))

TW> Actialy WD-40 is a very poor Solvent as well as a Lubricant. IT was
TW> designed as a Water Displacement chemical for the US Military. It
TW> has an afinity for Water anbd is excellent for salvaging
TW> electronics that has gotten wet for some reason.
TW> Some even foolishy used it as a TV Tuner cleaner. But the most it
TW> did was to remove the Factory Lubricant and the tuners wore out
TW> sooner then necessary.

It's actually kerosene and some heavier stuff,  and the kerosene is
probably what acts like a solvent for a lot of things,  but that other
stuff that gets left behind is what causes problems.  I know of one
instance where that got sprayed on a printer ribbon and much more life was
gotten out of that ribbon but then a new printhead was needed afterwards.

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