Is it necessary to ever clean and lubricate the polished metal slider bar in the pro 7880? (the long polished metal bar that the ink head carriage slides back and forth on)
If so, is there any lubricant or cleaner you have used or might recommend?
I have a large Fletcher mat cutter with a similar polished metal bar on which the cutting head slides on. Fletcher recommends periodic cleaning and lubrication of the bar using lighter fluid (yeah… cigarette lighter fluid… similar to kerosene).
There is a whole section on lubrication in the printer repair manual, which points to several specific areas that should be lubricated. Based on the manuals there are different lubricants specified for different printer models, and I don’t know enough about grease/oil/lubricants to know the key factors why certain lubricants are used for certain areas (other than the obvious: viscosity), and what other lubricants may be comparable… They specify “G-26” for the 7800/9800 in most areas, and “Super Multi Oil #32” for the CR shaft, but “G-84” lubricant for the 7900/9900 CR shaft. From what I’ve read, I would not recommend using WD-40, lithium or other lubricants, because the density and viscosity are important, and also because of oxidation, corrosion, chemical out-gassing and how that can effect your printer, inks and paper. From what I have read, it looks like “Super Multi Oil #32” is generally used on gears and turbines.
It would be awesome if someone with more knowledge about lubricants could pitch in to add some helpful info to this thread, as lubrication is a key factor in proper maintenance and function of any machine.
Thanks for the information. I looked through the manual. I found a section on lubrication of the CR shaft which showed a very complex dismantling to remove the shaft and replacing lubrication pads inside the print head carriage… far beyond what I would be willing to undertake without completely destroying my printer.
In your experience, do you routinely lubricate the CR shafts on 7880’s, or is the shaft more or less permanently lubricated for the typical life of the printer (using the lubricant in the carriage head shaft bearing pads)? Is periodic cleaning (wiping) of the CR shaft all that necessary to maintain it?
I constantly learn new things every day, and without being officially trained to be a certified Epson repair tech, I have to rely on the printer manuals, my experience and technical abilities to learn about all the different models we use and support.
My experience has taught me that machines need to be kept clean and used regularly (or stored properly when not used) for the best results and longest life. For many years, I have been head of technical support and research & development for Inkjetmall, as well as production manager at our fine art printing studio, Cone Editions Press. This range of duties has given me a broad understanding of our products, and the printers we make them for- in both a highly technical way of using/testing/pushing products in all different ways, and using them every day in our high quality fine art production studio. I have maintained and repaired our various model printers over the past +/- 7 years, and have learned a lot (plus saved us several $thousands). From this experience, I have learned keeping a printer clean, regularly agitating pigment ink carts, maintaining proper humidity levels and using the printer will give you the best results and least headaches. The capping station, wiper blade and flushing box should be cleaned regularly, and bottom of the print head as needed (which should be fairly infrequent, provided you keep the other parts clean). I also work to keep the printers clean of paper fibers/dust, in the top paper feed path, all inside the cleaning area and paper feed path, and bottom paper feed path. Often, when a printer isn’t used daily, I drape a large sheet of slip sheet paper over to help prevent dust and stuff from getting inside. I have to admit, there have only been a few times I have lightly lubricated our printers’ CR shafts, and I used a Q-tip with small amount of white lithium grease (which I now read isn’t the best thing to use). When I did grease the CR shafts, both times were on several year old printers that had been kept fairly clean, and dampers replaced every few years, but used a LOT. During routine damper replacement and thorough cleaning, I noticed the grease looked pretty dirty, so I carefully wiped the shaft clean, and applied a small amount of lithium grease in it’s place. This seemed to work fine, and I’ve never had an issue with it, though your question has prompted me to want to learn more about the lubrication needs of various printers, what lubrication to use on what parts/printers, and where to get them… There’s always a lot going on, but when I learn more about this, I will be sure to add info to our maintenance tips.
Thanks much for your reply. Your real world user-based experience is worth immeasurably more than the information in the Epson service manuals and the typical Epson repair tech’s approach (where preventative maintenance and commonsense solutions are not the norm).
Thanks for your advice and for your updates to the maintenance tips.
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