Apologies for posting here. I posted to comp.periphs.printers, but
things are really slow over there.

I'm trying to help one of my daughters solve a printer problem...black
ink smears on her card stock.

She prints wirelessly from a Windows 7 laptop to a Canon MG 6120 printer.
It's printed fine for years, but it's started to leave (only) black ink
smudges on one edge of the 4"x6" card stock that she prints on, as shown
here:

https://postimg.cc/t1nxV6tP

The card stock is placed in the rear tray. We've tried cleaning the
paper feed roller, cleaning the pad in the cassette, both per the
manual's instructions. The smudging remains. I sense that something has
wet ink on the transport path that needs cleaning.

I remember many years ago, reading on the comp.periphs.printers
newsgroup, about 'overflow
sponges' that absorb ink when certain maintenance procedures are
performed (not necessarily about this MG 6120), such as head or cartridge
cleaning/alignment.

I don't know if the MG 6120 even has an absorbing sponge, but thought I'd
at least mention this in case someone knows this may be the issue. By
the way, these cleaning/alignment procedures have been performed, and all
is perfect.

I hesitate to pull the printhead carrier. Not sure I could.

The manual does not address smudging.

Any ideas?

In message <XnsB14065D23554FBorisinvalidinvalid@135.181.20.170>, Boris
<Boris@invalid.invalid> writes
>Apologies for posting here. I posted to comp.periphs.printers, but
>things are really slow over there.
>
>I'm trying to help one of my daughters solve a printer problem...black
>ink smears on her card stock.
>
>She prints wirelessly from a Windows 7 laptop to a Canon MG 6120
>printer. It's printed fine for years, but it's started to leave (only)
>black ink smudges on one edge of the 4"x6" card stock that she prints
>on, as shown here:
>
>https://postimg.cc/t1nxV6tP
<snip>
>
>Any ideas?

Could the current pack of card stock be defective? If she hasn't already
done so, she could buy another pack - perhaps from a different
manufacturer - and try using that. Has she tried it with a different
black ink tank, in case it's that which is at fault?
--
John Hall
"Acting is merely the art of keeping a large group of people
from coughing."
Sir Ralph Richardson (1902-83)

Boris wrote:

> Apologies for posting here. I posted to comp.periphs.printers, but
> things are really slow over there.
>
> I'm trying to help one of my daughters solve a printer problem...black
> ink smears on her card stock.
>
> She prints wirelessly from a Windows 7 laptop to a Canon MG 6120 printer.
> It's printed fine for years, but it's started to leave (only) black ink
> smudges on one edge of the 4"x6" card stock that she prints on, as shown
> here:
>
> https://postimg.cc/t1nxV6tP
>
> The card stock is placed in the rear tray. We've tried cleaning the
> paper feed roller, cleaning the pad in the cassette, both per the
> manual's instructions. The smudging remains. I sense that something has
> wet ink on the transport path that needs cleaning.
>
> I remember many years ago, reading on the comp.periphs.printers
> newsgroup, about 'overflow
> sponges' that absorb ink when certain maintenance procedures are
> performed (not necessarily about this MG 6120), such as head or cartridge
> cleaning/alignment.
>
> I don't know if the MG 6120 even has an absorbing sponge, but thought I'd
> at least mention this in case someone knows this may be the issue. By
> the way, these cleaning/alignment procedures have been performed, and all
> is perfect.
>
> I hesitate to pull the printhead carrier. Not sure I could.
>
> The manual does not address smudging.
>
> Any ideas?

Looks like it might just need cleaning. Using a cotton swap (Q-tip), wipe
the part of the cartridge where the ink comes out (no idea what the name is)
with rubbing alcohol -- the purer the better. (Don't use drinking alcohol
for this unless you happen to have a bottle of 190 proof Everclear handy.)
Do so until it appears visibly clean, changing cotton swabs if it gets
visibly dirty.

If the printer has print heads or nozzles, do the same with them. Be VERY
VERY gentle while doing this part or your printer could become borked.
Ensure you don't leave any lint or fibers behind anywhere.

WAIT UNTIL EVERYTHING IS DRY.

Try a test print. If still smudging, see if your printer has a self-clean
function.

Otherwise, I would just get a new printer. Shrug.

--
Yeah, that's why mom and dad are gone,
because my dumbass brother let their bulbs burn out.

"Auric__" <not.my.real@email.address> wrote in
news:XnsB140B732B7961auricauricauricauric@135.181.20.170:

> Boris wrote:
>
>> Apologies for posting here. I posted to comp.periphs.printers, but
>> things are really slow over there.
>>
>> I'm trying to help one of my daughters solve a printer
>> problem...black ink smears on her card stock.
>>
>> She prints wirelessly from a Windows 7 laptop to a Canon MG 6120
>> printer. It's printed fine for years, but it's started to leave
>> (only) black ink smudges on one edge of the 4"x6" card stock that she
>> prints on, as shown here:
>>
>> https://postimg.cc/t1nxV6tP
>>
>> The card stock is placed in the rear tray. We've tried cleaning the
>> paper feed roller, cleaning the pad in the cassette, both per the
>> manual's instructions. The smudging remains. I sense that something
>> has wet ink on the transport path that needs cleaning.
>>
>> I remember many years ago, reading on the comp.periphs.printers
>> newsgroup, about 'overflow
>> sponges' that absorb ink when certain maintenance procedures are
>> performed (not necessarily about this MG 6120), such as head or
>> cartridge cleaning/alignment.
>>
>> I don't know if the MG 6120 even has an absorbing sponge, but thought
>> I'd at least mention this in case someone knows this may be the
>> issue. By the way, these cleaning/alignment procedures have been
>> performed, and all is perfect.
>>
>> I hesitate to pull the printhead carrier. Not sure I could.
>>
>> The manual does not address smudging.
>>
>> Any ideas?
>
> Looks like it might just need cleaning. Using a cotton swap (Q-tip),
> wipe the part of the cartridge where the ink comes out (no idea what
> the name is) with rubbing alcohol -- the purer the better. (Don't use
> drinking alcohol for this unless you happen to have a bottle of 190
> proof Everclear handy.) Do so until it appears visibly clean, changing
> cotton swabs if it gets visibly dirty.
>
> If the printer has print heads or nozzles, do the same with them. Be
> VERY VERY gentle while doing this part or your printer could become
> borked. Ensure you don't leave any lint or fibers behind anywhere.
>
> WAIT UNTIL EVERYTHING IS DRY.
>
> Try a test print. If still smudging, see if your printer has a
> self-clean function.
>
> Otherwise, I would just get a new printer. Shrug.
>

Thanks. I will pass this on.