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General Instructions

1. Refilling - Refilling of toner (and developer also with some cartridges) is similar to adding gasoline (petrol) to or changing the oil in a car. It is not a difficult process. You can use the general refilling instructions shown below.

2. Refurbishing - Refurbishing is similar to changing the spark plugs and tuning up a car engine. It is more effort than most people want to make. Although we have refurbishing instructions for many cartridges, we do not recommend it unless you
   • have many laser printers/refill
   • have printers and refill which are similar
   • plan to devote a serious effort to learning the process.

Refilling

1. Toner can make a mess. Work in a area free of breezes over an open newspaper which can catch spills.
2. Toner can burn. Do not work near an open flame.
3. Toner can be irritating if breathed. Avoid breathing in the toner as you would any dust.

1. Canister - a tube which holds toner.
2. Drum - a more complex cartridge with gears and a gelatinous coated drum.
3. Toner and Developer - Similar to the Drum cartridge, but uses both toner and developer.

Canister Cartridges

1. Go to an area where you can make a mess and spread some newspaper for a work area.
2. Taking the cartridge, look for a plug. This is usually on the end of the cartridge.
3. If you find the plug, remove the plug.
4. If you don't find the plug, find a location which is not in the paper path. Make a hole here using a drill or hole saw.
5. If you had to make a hole, vacuum out the residue from inside the cartridge.
6. Shake up the bottle of toner. Then, remove the lid. Pour entire bottle into the cartridge.
7. Seal the hole with the plug, or use duct tape or black electrical tape to seal a hole which you have made.
8. Fold up the newspaper carefully to contain the toner that has spilled. Throw away.
9. You may refill canister cartridges many times.

Drum Cartridges

Caution: Keep the drum away from bright light and do not touch! Bright light and touching the drum can cause a deterioration in copy quality.

To refill this cartridge, follow the steps below:

1. Go to an area where you can make a mess and spread some newspaper for a work area.
2. Place the cartridge so that the drum runs right to left in front of you.
3. Let's call the drum the "center" of the cartridge. One side of the cartridge is therefore larger than the other side. In other words, either the front or the back of the cartridge is larger than the other.
   • The side which is larger we will call the "Toner" side.
   • The side which is smaller we will call the "Waste" side.

   During normal operation, toner moves from the "Toner" side past the drum onto the paper. Some excess toner moves further and ends up accumulating in the "Waste" side. This must be vacuumed out before we refill the cartridge, or we will soon find lumps of toner falling onto the copies which we print.

4. Vacuum out the "Waste" side. Be careful not to touch the drum.
5. Look on the "Toner" side. On one end, you will likely find a translucent white plug. Some plugs may be different in color. On some cartridges the plug is hidden behind the gear box. Remove the plug if possible.
6. If you could not find the plug or remove it easily, you may make a hole in the "Toner" side. Simply use a drill or hole saw. Be sure that the hole is not in the paper path so it does not snag papers as they go by.
7. If you made a hole, please vacuum out the shavings.
8. Shake up the toner bottle. Remove the lid and pour the toner into the cartridge. Use the entire bottle of toner.
9. Seal the hole with the plug, or use duct tape or black electrical tape to seal a hole which you have made.
10. Fold up the newspaper carefully to contain the toner that has spilled. Throw away.
11. You may refill drum cartridges two or three times before the drum begins to deteriorate. Then you will need to refurbish the cartridge by replacing the drum, or have a professional refurbisher work on the cartridge.

Toner and Developer Cartridges

These cartridges are very similar to the Drum Cartridges just discussed above with a minor difference: There are two plugs.

• The large plug is for toner.
• The small plug is for developer.

The developer plug may be inside the cartridge. Thus, you may need to open these cartridges up. Contact us if you need detailed instructions on this procedure.