Re-inking printer ribbons

[Chuck Guzis]

You need a Mac Inker, produced for years by Computer Friends.  Basically 
a slow-speed motor and a hollow tube with small holes.  You fill the 
tube with printer ink (very messy) and the motor draws the ribbon over 
it.   The ink will wick through the entire ribbon.

After I moved to laser printing, I gave away my Mac Inker.  I didn't 
miss it--as I said, it's a pretty messy business, but it got the job done.

The old trick was to open the cartridge and spray WD40 over the top of 
the ribbon in the stuffer box.  Close the ribbon box, put it in a sealed 
plastic bag and give it a few days for the ink to permeate.

The limit to this is, of course, is that you're not replacing the ink, 
but rather just moistening it.   Eventually, all fabric ribbons will 
wear out, however.

--Chuck