9 May
2011
9 May
'11
9:40 p.m.
I have 1 LaserJet IIp and 3 LaserJet IIIp printers. None of them are really
usable because the toner cartridges are either out of toner or the images
have streaks and blotches. I think all of them are functional electrically
and the paper feeding is still OK. It has been 3 years since I last tried
one.
I could always use an extra printer, so I have to decide if I should get
them working or just dump them and get something new when I really need it.
Is there a source for GOOD toner cartridges? Google finds a bunch of
cartridges, but how many are junk refills? I am willing to pay for good
cartridges, but I can't tell good from bad. Are feeding parts available if
they start to pull multiple sheets, etc? Are there reputable sources?
I know these have a good reputation generally, and I used one for a long
time in the '90s.
-chuck
10 May
10 May
10:37 a.m.
I have 1 LaserJet IIp and 3 LaserJet IIIp printers.
None of them are really
Trash. They were unusable when new, they are unusable squared now.
I could always use an extra printer, so I have to
decide if I should get
them working or just dump them and get something new when I really need
it.
If it were a full III, I'd tell you to keep it, it is still a good
printer. But IIIP? Trashcan!
Is there a source for GOOD toner cartridges? Google
finds a bunch of
cartridges, but how many are junk refills? I am willing to pay for good
Make it yourself :)
cartridges, but I can't tell good from bad. Are
feeding parts available if
they start to pull multiple sheets, etc? Are there reputable sources?
There is a smal solenoid that locks one of the paper pull rollers. This
solenoid has a smal foam disk on it that when gets old, it locks the
solenoid closed and creates all types of paper feeding problems. It is on
the right side of the printer, I believe you can see it with the door
opened. Replace the foam disk with something like electric tape and you're
set.
I know these have a good reputation generally, and I
used one for a long
time in the '90s.
I just hate them :)
10:48 a.m.
On 5/10/11 10:37 AM, Alexandre Souza - Listas wrote:
While I agree that the "P" versions were nowhere near the workhorses
of the "full" versions, I've personally found them to be surprisingly
reliable for light-duty work.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL
I have 1
LaserJet IIp and 3 LaserJet IIIp printers. None of them are
really
Trash. They were unusable when new, they are unusable squared now.
I could always use an extra printer, so I have to
decide if I should get
them working or just dump them and get something new when I really
need it.
If it were a full III, I'd tell you to keep it, it is still a good
printer. But IIIP? Trashcan! 
12:34 p.m.
On 5/10/2011 10:48 AM, Alexandre Souza and Dave McGuire wrote:
We ran a III like a dog for years at a company I used to work for. We
routinely printed huge documents on it. I think in the 8 years we used
it, I think the only real failure, was on a network card. We very
occasionally would use HP's "refresher" kit which was basically new
rollers, maybe a fusing wire(right term?) and a few odds and ends.
I want to say we had 200k pages on it, and only replaced it because the
newer printers were faster and had more memory (could handle more
complex documents, like big pdfs)
The duplexer was not very reliable, but did not get much use.
Keith
If it were a
full III, I'd tell you to keep it, it is still a good
printer. But IIIP? Trashcan!
While I agree that the "P" versions were nowhere near the workhorses of
the "full" versions, I've personally found them to be surprisingly
reliable for light-duty work.
-Dave
12:45 p.m.
On 5/10/11 12:34 PM, Keith M wrote:
We ran a III like a dog for years at a company I used
to work for. We
routinely printed huge documents on it. I think in the 8 years we used
it, I think the only real failure, was on a network card. We very
occasionally would use HP's "refresher" kit which was basically new
rollers, maybe a fusing wire(right term?) and a few odds and ends.
Corona wire, most likely, or fuser lamp. But yes, that SX engine is
a real workhorse.
I want to say we had 200k pages on it, and only
replaced it because the
newer printers were faster and had more memory (could handle more
complex documents, like big pdfs)
That seemed to be the only reason most people upgraded to later printers.
The duplexer was not very reliable, but did not get
much use.
I've never used one of those duplexers.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL
1:59 p.m.
On 5/10/11 1:49 PM, Alexandre Souza - Listas wrote:
They are WONDERFUL printers!
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL
I want to say
we had 200k pages on it, and only replaced it because
the newer printers were faster and had more memory (could handle more
complex documents, like big pdfs)
200K+ pages has mine HP4Plus. With me. Because its counter is in 700K+
range.
I do love my HP4Plus :) 
2:09 p.m.
New subject: HP LJIIp and LJIIIp printers - get them working or dump them?
At 12:59 PM 5/10/2011, Dave McGuire wrote:
On 5/10/11 1:49 PM, Alexandre Souza - Listas wrote:
Hmm, hadn't checked the page count on mine in forever. Datecodes 6/1992,
but I've only moved 29,491 pages on my 4mp? Only 59 reams in 19 years?
- John
200K+ pages has mine HP4Plus. With me. Because its
counter is in 700K+
range.
I do love my HP4Plus :)
They are WONDERFUL printers! 
3:51 p.m.
On Tue, 10 May 2011, Alexandre Souza - Listas wrote:
We've got some HP4000's at work that are great workhorses.
That and I can change the READY message to things like, "OUT OF CHEESE" or
"INSERT 25 CENTS". The look on people's faces is just priceless. :)
I'm really looking forward to the day I figure out how to make the Ricoh
copy center show a pong game on the LCD display. :D
g.
--
Proud owner of F-15C 80-0007
http://www.f15sim.com - The only one of its kind.
http://www.simpits.org/geneb - The Me-109F/X Project
ScarletDME - The red hot Data Management Environment
A Multi-Value database for the masses, not the classes.
http://www.scarletdme.org - Get it _today_!
Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical
minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which
holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd
by the clean end.
I want to say
we had 200k pages on it, and only replaced it because the
newer printers were faster and had more memory (could handle more complex
documents, like big pdfs)
200K+ pages has mine HP4Plus. With me. Because its counter is in 700K+
range.
I do love my HP4Plus :)
4:10 p.m.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gene Buckle" <geneb at deltasoft.com>
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
<cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2011 3:51 PM
Subject: Re: HP LJIIp and LJIIIp printers - get them working or dump them?
On Tue, 10 May 2011, Alexandre Souza - Listas wrote:
We've got some HP4000's at work that are great
workhorses.
That and I can change the READY message to things like, "OUT OF CHEESE" or
"INSERT 25 CENTS". The look on people's faces is just priceless. :)
I'm really looking forward to the day I figure out how to make the Ricoh
copy center show a pong game on the LCD display. :D
g.
I have a nice HP 4si in the basement where it will pretty much stay forever
(you need 2 people to move it). Very nice printer for its age with all the
decent interfaces of the era installed (Apple, parallel, ethernet,
tokenring). All I am missing is the duplexer. Postscript printers were nice
to have in the 1990's. I also managed to get a new HP toner for it on ebay
for something like $11 shipped a few years back, which is better then using
old toners that were repeatedly refilled and leave streaks. I have spare
rollers and fusers so it will last till I get bored of it.
I want to
say we had 200k pages on it, and only replaced it because the
newer printers were faster and had more memory (could handle more
complex documents, like big pdfs)
200K+ pages has mine HP4Plus. With me. Because its counter is in 700K+
range.
I do love my HP4Plus :) 
4:51 p.m.
On 5/10/11 1:10 PM, "Teo Zenios" <teoz at neo.rr.com> wrote:
I have a nice HP 4si in the basement where it will
pretty much stay forever
(you need 2 people to move it). Very nice printer for its age with all the
decent interfaces of the era installed (Apple, parallel, ethernet,
tokenring). All I am missing is the duplexer. Postscript printers were nice
to have in the 1990's. I also managed to get a new HP toner for it on ebay
for something like $11 shipped a few years back, which is better then using
old toners that were repeatedly refilled and leave streaks. I have spare
rollers and fusers so it will last till I get bored of it.
Locally I almost had a 5SIMX a few years ago until my help in getting it
busted their shoulder and I couldn't get another person to help me get it
our of the 2nd floor office and down to my subaru :(
The person giving it away said it was busted, but the symptoms were about
$30 in parts and a couple hours to fix... Had fixed about half a dozen for a
local computer recycler in trade for some sparc hardware.
14 May
14 May
9:38 p.m.
Locally I almost had a 5SIMX a few years ago until my
help in getting it
busted their shoulder and I couldn't get another person to help me get it
our of the 2nd floor office and down to my subaru :(
The person giving it away said it was busted, but the symptoms were about
$30 in parts and a couple hours to fix... Had fixed about half a dozen for
a
local computer recycler in trade for some sparc hardware.
This is a printer I look for to have. There is a real nice one, with
duplexer, multiple paper sources and the entire cabinet for R$ 900 near my
home. So bad it is too expensive to me :(
9:36 p.m.
tokenring). All I am missing is the duplexer.
Postscript printers were
nice
I dream of finding one for my 4Plus :(
to have in the 1990's. I also managed to get a new
HP toner for it on ebay
for something like $11 shipped a few years back, which is better then
using old toners that were repeatedly refilled and leave streaks. I have
spare rollers and fusers so it will last till I get bored of it.
You must recondition the entire cartridge, changing the doctor blade,
wiper and cylinder....Or else, streaks :)
9:34 p.m.
We've got some HP4000's at work that are great
workhorses.
I took a look at a HP5SI MX today...R$ 900 if my girlfriend hadn't said
to the seller "R$ 300 is a steal on this machine, it must be worthy R$
2000!!!" :o(
That and I can change the READY message to things
like, "OUT OF CHEESE" or
"INSERT 25 CENTS". The look on people's faces is just priceless. :)
:oD
I'm really looking forward to the day I figure out
how to make the Ricoh
copy center show a pong game on the LCD display. :D
ROTF!!! :D :D :D
10 May
10 May
10:40 a.m.
On Mon, May 9, 2011 at 9:40 PM, Charles Dickman <chd at chdickman.com> wrote:
I have 1 LaserJet IIp and 3 LaserJet IIIp printers.
None of them are really
usable because the toner cartridges are either out of toner or the images
have streaks and blotches. I think all of them are functional electrically
and the paper feeding is still OK. It has been 3 years since I last tried
one.
I could always use an extra printer, so I have to decide if I should get
them working or just dump them and get something new when I really need it.
Personally, I use printers until something big breaks, then I toss them.
Unless you can cannibalize another unit for spare parts and the fix is easy,
it just isn't worth the time or expense to get them running again. I've
found that once something breaks on a printer, it's the start of everything
else breaking as well.
Especially for the *very* old laser printers - usually the fuser and toner
are seperate so that's one more consumable to buy, the rollers loose their
grip, the path gets clogged up with paper particles and toner, the power
supply starts to go, etc...
I'd rather pick up a newer-but-used "business class" printer, like an
imageRunner or LaserJet 5 series for a couple of hundred and fix that up
than dump the money into a twenty year old machine.
11 May
11 May
6:29 p.m.
On Mon, May 9, 2011 at 9:40 PM, Charles Dickman <chd at chdickman.com> wrote:
I have 1 LaserJet IIp and 3 LaserJet IIIp printers.
None of them are really
usable because the toner cartridges are either out of toner or the images
have streaks and blotches. I think all of them are functional electrically
and the paper feeding is still OK. It has been 3 years since I last tried
one.
I could always use an extra printer, so I have to decide if I should get
them working or just dump them and get something new when I really need it.
Is there a source for GOOD toner cartridges? Google finds a bunch of
cartridges, but how many are junk refills? I am willing to pay for good
cartridges, but I can't tell good from bad. Are feeding parts available if
they start to pull multiple sheets, etc? Are there reputable sources?
I know these have a good reputation generally, and I used one for a long
time in the '90s.
-chuck
I wouldn't reccomend using any of those for "real" usage, but I
wouldn't scrap them either. Pick the printer in the best cosmetic and
mechanical condition and use the others as parts machines. The IIp and
IIIp were great little compact lasers and should make a great addition
to any sort of late 16-bit/early 32-bit home computer setup you might
have. New old stock toner is still available from a few places on
Amazon and it's not too expensive... yet. Assuming you don't plan on
using your "historic desktop" too much, a couple of toner cartridges
could last you 10 or more years.
4778
days inactive
4783
days old
16 comments
10 participants
participants (10)
-
chd＠chdickman.com -
geneb＠deltasoft.com -
geoffr＠zipcon.net -
jbmcb1＠gmail.com -
jfoust＠threedee.com -
keithvz＠verizon.net -
madcrow.maxwell＠gmail.com -
mcguire＠neurotica.com -
pu1bzz.listas＠gmail.com -
teoz＠neo.rr.com