Printer Problem

do you have a 38 special or perhaps a 44 magnum?

one other thing, learn cursive and you won't have to print.

Call Brother. But first double-check you have all the ink cartridges in correctly and securely. About the Q-tips and alcohol, I don't know if that's a good idea...maybe it's fine, I just don't personally know. Are you using official ink cartridges from Brother? One thing...with many printers it's actually bad for the print heads to leave ink in there while never plugging in the printer for more than a few months.

Is there possibly some piece of tape or other protective covering on any of the new ink cartridges? That's about all a user could check for.

By the way, we have three Brothers at the office. Never again! NEVER!

i've been told - repeatedly ! - to use the printer at least a couple of times a week to prevent ink/printer problems .
what 'might' help is to let the printer do the test pattern repeatedly . it sucks up a lot of ink but might help ?
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can i bring in a 'dumb' printer question here ?how do i adjust the printer so it doesn't leave a quarter of the right printing out ? it happans every now-and-then ; not all the time.
i've been told how to do it, but never wrote it down !
thanks. hbg

Wow, I'm not as dumb as I thought...at least most of this stuff already went through my mind/checked out.

Dys, thanks for once again aiming an arrow right at the heart of the matter. If it wasn't for Diane, I'd ask you to be my cuppycake gumdrop.

Monger - Yeah, all in secure and properly, check.
I used the q-tips since at work the biomeds use alcohol swaps for cleaning parts in a dialysis machine. I figured, if it doesn't harm that $7-10K thing, it wouldn't hurt the printer.
Yeah - official Brother ink cartridges, ask for them by name.
Oh - the cartridges weren't in the printer when they were in storage. The think was new, packed and sealed in the box. It's just that the black cartride somehow wasn't included. Thanks

Roger - No tape or covering. Checked that out first think. Yeah, this is strictly a personal use printer. I wouldn't get something like this for work, plus it was a gift. Thanks

hamburger - yeah I wish I could do a test run to "unclog" it. The problem is, it won't do anything, just keeps telling me to install the cartrige - Thanks

All great suggestions.

What a way to spend a Sunday afternoon, huh?

I think I'll look up cust service on the internet and see if I can email them.

Piece of farging sheet.

AH -HA!

I went on line and studied the FAQ's

There is a plastic clip that is supposed to fit OVER the cartridge, I was letting the clip stay next to it.

Now, all I've got to do it run it through a few cleaning cycles. the yellows not right, but getting better.

Thanks All!

all systems go ! keep printing away ! hbg

(i'll post my question separately).