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ImageWriter Ribbon Cartridge Problems
Posted by: JT737 on 2023-11-07 07:14:36
I have a few ImageWriter II's and I finally decided to get around to getting one of them up and running for a project I'm working on. The ImageWriter itself is in good shape, but of course, the cartridge that was in it didn't seem to be working. So I decided to swap it out for a new old stock one that I had sitting on my shelf.

I popped it out of the box, take it out of the plastic protector bag, and put it in the printer. And.....it didn't work either! So I opened up the cartridge and quickly saw the problem: the foam covering on the rollers had disintegrated, much like a roller in an old 8-track tape.

This of course means that their was no tension on the printer ribbon, which prevents it from advancing. Now, if I had a 3D printer, I think that my solution would be to print out bigger diameter rollers made of a material that would never disintegrate, but alas I don't have one (a 3D printer, that is). So for the moment, I am just going to try to build up the diameter of the rollers with some good old fashioned duck tape.

I am both picking out as many of the bits of the disintegrated foam roller as I can from the ribbon cable so that they do not impede the operation of the cartridge.

I know that Mac Effects had ribbon cartridges for sale, but it looks like they are out of stock for now. I also found these guys, but I'm not sure if their cartridges are
any good:

Apple ImageWriter I Ribbon Cartridge

Apple ImageWriter I Ribbon Cartridge from Printer-Cartridges.com. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed!
www.printer-cartridges.com www.printer-cartridges.com


For the moment I'm going to see if I can get this cartridge up and running again...nothing like a good challenge!IMG_20231106_183135.jpgIMG_20231106_185220.jpgIMG_20231106_185506.jpg
Posted by: Phipli on 2023-11-07 07:24:08
The black and white ones are often ok so you were unlucky, the old colour ones are always degraded. Never buy a NOS colour ribbon and expect it to work!

Edit : I have IWII ribbons in mind if it makes a difference.
Posted by: LaPorta on 2023-11-07 07:43:32
You’re in luck: no need for NOS. I purchased these and they work great.
Posted by: JT737 on 2023-11-07 07:44:21
@Phipli -Thanks! I think that I bought these ribbons 5 years ago or so....I can't remember. I got this one with a few color ribbons, which best I can tell have suffered the same fate. Other than the rollers everything seems good.

Of course, I think that the design idea of using a foam roller is just a good example of planned obsolescence, as the Imagewriter printers themselves are built like tanks!
Posted by: Phipli on 2023-11-07 07:50:28
You’re in luck: no need for NOS. I purchased these and they work great.

Lol, those ones were apparently "engineered for use with 110v machines", curses. I wanted to use those, purely mechanical consumables, in a 240v machine.

🤣
Posted by: LaPorta on 2023-11-07 07:52:04
There are two versions of the IWII? Is there an international 240V one that somehow makes a difference with what ribbon you use? What is the difference? I figured that it would all be the same once the AC was turned into the correct DC voltage for the machine.
Posted by: bigmessowires on 2023-11-07 07:54:44
I purchased this Imagewriter ribbon back in September, and it's been working fine. It's much cheaper than the first option. I've only printed about 20 pages though.
Posted by: JT737 on 2023-11-07 07:55:23
I shouldn't make a difference. The voltage is just what is powering the printer, and the printer's operations should be the same with either 240 or 120 volts.
Posted by: JT737 on 2023-11-07 07:56:21
@bigmessowires -Those seem like a great deal! I'll have to order a few and try my luck.
Posted by: Phipli on 2023-11-07 08:01:51
There are two versions of the IWII? Is there an international 240V one that somehow makes a difference with what ribbon you use? What is the difference? I figured that it would all be the same once the AC was turned into the correct DC voltage for the machine.
Yeah, they're just being silly 🙂

Like when you used to see a USB cable that said "compatible with Windows and Mac OS".
Posted by: LaPorta on 2023-11-07 10:11:22
I purchased this Imagewriter ribbon back in September, and it's been working fine. It's much cheaper than the first option. I've only printed about 20 pages though.


Nothing wrong with that either, but the link I had was for a pack of six…so cheaper per ribbon, actually.
Posted by: The Old Way Of Life on 2023-12-08 13:39:49
Hello everyone. I, too, am having the same issue with a NEC Pinwriter P7 Plus. I figured out what the problem is just today, and searching for help through the net I went to this thread, and I registered to the forum.

Not sure how to replace the crumbled foams, but it shoundn't be so impossible, i think. At the moment I share some pictures I made a few hours ago. Look:
1