[Coco] Amazing!

[George Ramsower]

This is for John and Neil;

From: "Neil Morrison"

>
> Use numbering machine ink - it contains a lubricant.
>
> Neil
>

 In the past, I've mixed a little WD40 in with stamp pad ink. I've not had 
premature head wear that I know of, but then I don't really print that much 
from a coco anyway.
The WD40 also helps keep the stamp pad ink from drying out so fast.
 I've never heard of numbering machine ink and I wouldn't know where to find 
it unless I hunt it down on the net. I garonteeya there's none out here 
where I live, thirty miles from San Antonio. In the process of looking for 
an owner's manual on the 'net (couldn't find one) so I could get the 
graphical set up info, I discovered that new print heads are still available 
for this machine. It's a nine pin head. WOW! I never thought parts would be 
available, and not only that, but refurbished ML172 machines are available 
as well.

> From: "John"
>> Hello George,
>>
>> I'll ask the silly question - how exactly can someone nowadays re-ink an 
>> old
>> ribbon like that?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> John

 John,

 There's rarely a silly or stupid question. Only silly or stupid 
mistakes(voice of experience)

 Just open the cartridge up and drip new ink onto the roller or in this 
case, a fairly large rectangular pad that has a wick that goes from the pad 
and makes an ink path to the ribbon.

 ----- minutes pass ---

 Okay, I just attempted to bring this one back to life.

 The large pad is still plenty wet however, it has shrank in size and no 
longer contacts the wick. So I built a spring to press it against the wick 
and I see how that works.
 This one just might not be repairable if the pad won't transfer to the 
wick.

 I just hope the new cartridges are as good as this one once was.

 I'll pass some legal paper through it in the self test mode to see if it 
will pick up the old ink. First, I need to let the wick do it's trick before 
I do that. Right  now, it's still just legible and perhaps in a couple of 
days, it will start darkening. Then I'll try using up paper to see if it 
will help.
 The stamp pad ink I have is not the stamp pad ink I was using in the past. 
I thought it was, but this one uses a roller ball to apply the ink. The one 
I thought I had use a sort of a pad in the top and I could squeeze the 
bottle and make it drip out. This one does not. So... I may end up hunting 
down the numbering machine ink as Neil suggested.


George