Well it's a new tool for me..

I use my printer in the shop a lot to print out my sketch-up drawing. I went to print out one today and the brother printer I used to use wouldn't print. I ran the cleaning routine several times but in spite of using a whole new ink cartrage it would work. Sooo I went out and got this HP 1600. $32.00. can't but ink cartrages for that. I guess they give you the printer so you'll have to buy the cartridges from them..

Don Baer said:

HP 1600.View attachment 39385 $32.00. can't but ink cartrages for that.

Click to expand...

You've got that right. They are much more concerned about getting people to pump out pages through their printers and using ink than they are about selling the printers!

I'm just waiting for the 'disposable' printers to hit the market that come prefilled with ink.

Brent Dowell said:

...I'm just waiting for the 'disposable' printers to hit the market that come prefilled with ink.

Click to expand...

I don't think we'll see that. They don't want us to throw the printers away. The printers are sold at or slightly below cost, since the manufacturers know they are simply delivery mechanisms for the ink, which of course is where the money is. I've read an interview with the head of one of the printer companies (don't recall which on) where he acknowledged that fact.

This is a similar concept to what Gillette did when they introduced the safety razor back in 1901. Here's an interesting article about the idea of loss leaders...

http://itotd.com/articles/295/giving-away-the-razor-selling-the-blades/

Yeah, It's a little far fetched, I realize. I did do some work with a company a while ago in the business. One of the guys I worked with was actually a 'color scientist'. They were way into the whole quality of the ink and paper and the ability of their product to correctly reproduce what you think you see on the screen. It's actually quite a fascinating business.