# about to set up a t-jet 2



## howrdstern (May 7, 2007)

i have a "in box" t-jet 2 that i'm about to set up and most if not all my files are mac illustrator- i've been told i need to run the t-jet software on a PC ( beacause it's not compatible with mac) and i have a PC... do i just save my artwork files as an eps? also any advice in pulling the stuff out of the box- i herd it can be pretty overwhelming with all the manuals and read materials, i just want the easiest way to get started- and now with all the threads regarding the "white ink" i'm ready to jump ship and haven't even set this machine up... any help much appreciated


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## Printzilla (Mar 22, 2007)

You can go a couple of routes. You can get Illustrator for PC and print from it directly to Fast Rip. Or you can export as a file type that Fast Artist can import and print from it.

The best advice I can give you is.... FORGET white ink printing for at LEAST 30 days. The next piece of advice is do all the maintenance all the time. The third piece of advice is do all the maintenance all the time.


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## tomtv (Feb 6, 2007)

I would consider doing all the maintenance all the time if I were you...



Tom


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## howrdstern (May 7, 2007)

Printzilla said:


> You can go a couple of routes. You can get Illustrator for PC and print from it directly to Fast Rip. Or you can export as a file type that Fast Artist can import and print from it.
> 
> The best advice I can give you is.... FORGET white ink printing for at LEAST 30 days. The next piece of advice is do all the maintenance all the time. The third piece of advice is do all the maintenance all the time.



thanks for the info- will i be able to run illustrator 8 to the fast rip ?- i design on a MAC (CS 2) but don't want to buy a new version of illustrator for the PC, so i'll just save it on the mac as a illustrator 8 file for the PC. Also, is the maintenace tough or just time consuming? i am doing runs of about 25 to 30 so i'm not sure what to expect.


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## csquared (Sep 8, 2006)

something I would also consider is not taking on any orders until you are very comfortable with the machine...


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## GRH (Apr 25, 2007)

The maintenance is not tough or time consuming but it must be done religiously. All it takes is about 5 minutes a day and 30 minutes once a week.


I don't know if Printzilla mentioned this but do all the maintenance all the time.

The most important part on the T-Jet2 is the capping station. This part must be kept impeccably clean. If you have the external waste tank flush the capping station at the end of every print day. If you don't have the external waste tank then get one so you can do this. This is not in the T-Jet maintenance manual but it is the single most important thing that you can do to keep your printer working trouble free. 

As Printzilla says don't take any orders that require white ink until you are sure you have it mastered (if this is possible). 

Regards,
GRH


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## Printzilla (Mar 22, 2007)

howrdstern said:


> thanks for the info- will i be able to run illustrator 8 to the fast rip ?- i design on a MAC (CS 2) but don't want to buy a new version of illustrator for the PC, so i'll just save it on the mac as a illustrator 8 file for the PC. Also, is the maintenace tough or just time consuming? i am doing runs of about 25 to 30 so i'm not sure what to expect.


the only option you have is to export the file, transfer the file to the pc, import into fast artist, and print from it.

do you plan on 25-30 dark shirt runs?


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## howrdstern (May 7, 2007)

you guys are making it less stressful- i can hold off on dark for a while til i get to know the machine- i have sublimation/ roland cutter/ and some screen printing set-up... i'm doing more boutique sized runs- so perhaps runs of 30 - 50 a day ( which won't require the white ink) by the way- you mentioned importing into fast rip- so what format does fast rip take? thanks again


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## Printzilla (Mar 22, 2007)

tiff, jpeg, gif, eps, psd, ai that i know of.


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## howrdstern (May 7, 2007)

any problems with printing lights or whites without the use of white ink?- most of what i'll be doing is that kind of printing. so will the file change any from an illustrator cs file into fast artist ( like colr variation or loss of any detail) ?


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## iegraphics (Aug 14, 2007)

GRH said:


> The maintenance is not tough or time consuming but it must be done religiously. All it takes is about 5 minutes a day and 30 minutes once a week.
> 
> I don't know if Printzilla mentioned this but do all the maintenance all the time.
> 
> ...


I and a couple others own a T-Jet2 but we are not aware of "flushing" the capping station. We have the external waste tank. How is the flushing process done? We've been told by techs at usscreen to put a drop or 2 of windex in the capping station before shutting down, AND we've been told by other techs there that we should NOT do that as it will cause problems. 
We've owned this for over a year and have had nothing but problems, despite that it is immaculately clean. Maintenance is incredibly important, but for us it's not enough. We've replaced the print head 4 times, the ribbon cable 4 times, the capping station 4 times, the encoder strip about 6 times, many of the chips on the cartridges several times, yet it still breaks down. We even brought it to Phoenix to be refurbished, brought it back and within a week (after just 25 prints) it began to fail again. Aargh!


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## treadhead (Jul 26, 2006)

AMEN!!! to the maintenance tips and holding off on using white inks. Having my T Jet II for the past 3 months I can attest to that. 

We've had some of the minor issues but none of the major issues I've read about. Also, the manual is a bit confusing and out of date. Check USSPI website for up to date videos.

One more thing I would add to the recommendations. READ...READ...READ...all you can about the T Jet II on forums like this one and join the USSPI users forum for valuable information.

Good luck!!


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## Printzilla (Mar 22, 2007)

iegraphics said:


> We've replaced the print head 4 times, the ribbon cable 4 times, the capping station 4 times, the encoder strip about 6 times, many of the chips on the cartridges several times, yet it still breaks down. We even brought it to Phoenix to be refurbished, brought it back and within a week (after just 25 prints) it began to fail again. Aargh!


WOW. That is crazy! I just replaced the head on my original machine. It had over 13k prints. I have four machines, and have not replaced as much stuff as you have with one. I just cannot imagine why you would need to replace that many capping stations if proper maintenance and procedures were followed. Six encoder strips is about four too many as well. What was happening that you needed four ribbon cables? They should last forever if you do not get them wet.

I sincerely hope you have better luck in the future.


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## GRH (Apr 25, 2007)

iegraphics said:


> I and a couple others own a T-Jet2 but we are not aware of "flushing" the capping station. We have the external waste tank. How is the flushing process done? We've been told by techs at usscreen to put a drop or 2 of windex in the capping station before shutting down, AND we've been told by other techs there that we should NOT do that as it will cause problems.


Tom, to flush the capping station flood it with cleaning fluid or warm water. Using a syringe apply suction to the waste ink bottle to pull the cleaning fluid and waste ink out of the capping station. You can apply suction in two ways, by pressing the tip of the syringe into the vent on the waste ink tank or by removing the tube. After you flush the capping station place about 3 drops of cleaning fluid on the capping station to keep it moist (never use Windex on the capping station). Windex is designed to evaporate, not a good thing for keeping the capping station moist. I also suspect that Windex may dry out the seal on the capping station (my theory only).

Placing liquid on the capping station overnight can cause problems with siphoning ink into the waste tank so if you do this make sure your ink levels are correct and be sure to turn the valve off on the waste tank.

Flushing the capping station has virtually eliminated all problems I used to have with head clogs. It has drastically cut down on the number of head cleanings I do. I can leave the printer down for several days and still get a perfect nozzle check. My experience is with the T-Jet 2 but I suspect that most of these printers would benefit from this procedure.

Regards,
GRH


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## tomtv (Feb 6, 2007)

That is the first time i have heard of cleaning with water. Is this new or just from experience? I have always heard use nothing but the cleaning solution but some have said a mix of windex and distilled water. 

very interesting,

tom


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## GRH (Apr 25, 2007)

tomtv said:


> That is the first time i have heard of cleaning with water. Is this new or just from experience? I have always heard use nothing but the cleaning solution but some have said a mix of windex and distilled water.


Tom,

This is from my own personal experience. Out of an abundance of caution I normally use cleaning fluid but warm water seems to work just as well.

I am very leery of using Windex on the capping station in any form. The day I quit using Windex is the day many of my head clog problems went away.

Regards,
GRH


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## tomtv (Feb 6, 2007)

Thanks for the info.

It is always interesting to hear what people are doing to make their machine work the best.

Tom


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## PinkFreud (Mar 8, 2007)

GRH is right on about flushing the capping station....I discovered this recently when I was starting to get bad nozzle checks for the white and multiple cleanings did not solve the problem....I was sure I finally needed to get a new printhead....However Harry from Equipment zone suggested flushing the head with hot water as GRH describes....I used a combination of hot water and cleaning solution sucked it through the waste ink tube, ran a cleaning and bingo my white was perfect again


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## tomtv (Feb 6, 2007)

This is great news for many out here that are having problems.

Great info...

Tom


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## Printzilla (Mar 22, 2007)

The reason you do NOT want to use Windex is the newer non streaking formulas contain a wax like substance in the formulation. You can imagine what that would do to a system.


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## iegraphics (Aug 14, 2007)

GRH said:


> Flushing the capping station has virtually eliminated all problems I used to have with head clogs. It has drastically cut down on the number of head cleanings I do. I can leave the printer down for several days and still get a perfect nozzle check. My experience is with the T-Jet 2 but I suspect that most of these printers would benefit from this procedure.
> 
> Regards,
> GRH


When our T-Jet actually works, which is not often, we do not always have work for it. It's really a side job for three of us that we do after regular working hours at the digital sign shop we work at. So it may sit for a week or two. Is there anything we can or should do to make sure it starts up again without problem? We do the maintenance after the last use and before we run it again, but maybe there is something we are not aware of that would help keep it in running condition even with long periods of inactivity.


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## Printzilla (Mar 22, 2007)

Consider an additional bulk ink system that only contains cleaning fluid. Swap it in when you know the printer is going to be inactive. It would be a little pricey to always flush the ink out of the lines, but if it is going to sit for a week or more, it would be worth it.


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## GRH (Apr 25, 2007)

iegraphics said:


> When our T-Jet actually works, which is not often, we do not always have work for it. It's really a side job for three of us that we do after regular working hours at the digital sign shop we work at. So it may sit for a week or two. Is there anything we can or should do to make sure it starts up again without problem? We do the maintenance after the last use and before we run it again, but maybe there is something we are not aware of that would help keep it in running condition even with long periods of inactivity.


As Marc says if you shut your printer down for more than a few days you should replace the inking system with cleaning cartridges and do several head cleanings to remove all of the ink from the head. Another thing to consider is that over a period of time the ink will settle in the ink bottles and in the cartridges. Before you start back up you need to agitate the ink bottles and reprime the cartridges. If you don't do this when you start up you will suck thick settlement into the head causing problems.

An alternative to the cleaning cartridges you can flush the capping station every 2 or 3 days adding a few drops of cleaning fluid to the capping station to insure that it does not dry out. This is a bit more risky than the cleaning cartridges but I have gotten by with it for over a week. You will still need to reprime the cartridges before turning on the printer.

Regards,
GRH


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