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Making copies at Staples. They changed their copier settings.

March 04, 2023 07:36AM
I've been going to Staples to make copies for my shops. I've been able to set the copier to make black and white copies, no problems. They have now changed the copier settings. It now puts you automatically on color. You have to change the settings every time.No more setting the copier to black and white only. Each time you have to reset the machine. They are trying to force everyone to make color copies. It's just greed.
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March 04, 2023 08:35AM
You will get no argument from me. Would be cheaper in the long run to buy a copier, or an all-in-one printer scanner Etc

I just bought a nice little HP Officejet 6970 all in one. It's a fax machine scanner copier printer cost me $106 on eBay, brand new. My last HP Officejet lasted me 12 years before it randomly quit printing. And I'm not really sure it's broken, it just may not be compatible with printing from my tablet instead of my desktop computer? It might still work just fine on a desktop computer.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/04/2023 08:36AM by Morledzep.
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March 04, 2023 10:27AM
I've heard the new printers will not allow you to keep printing with just the Black ink.
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March 04, 2023 12:19PM
I've always kept printing with black ink after the first "complimentary" little fraction of color ink runs out. For at least 20 years. Cheap Cannon or HP printers.
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March 04, 2023 01:44PM
Staples is still around? I thought they all went out of business..

We don't have a Staples here any more just Office Depot.
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March 04, 2023 02:06PM
@johnb974 wrote:

I've heard the new printers will not allow you to keep printing with just the Black ink.

I have an HP all in one (copy, scan, fax, print) and it works fine with just black as long as you physically have the color one inserted. I run out of color and it will still print the black/ white.

I have the Epson eco tank for sublimation printing and I'm thinking about getting another one for regular paper printing because I like it so much.
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March 04, 2023 09:55PM
@johnb974 wrote:

I've heard the new printers will not allow you to keep printing with just the Black ink.

There is no requirement to use the ink, it comes with the printer. You have to install it to get the printer to print. But you don't have to use it, you can set it to black and white printing only if thats what floats yer boat. And you will be saving a ton of money over the life of the printer in printing costs you're no longer paying by the page. And you'll have a business asset that you can depreciate over 5 years or more.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/05/2023 08:41AM by Morledzep.
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March 05, 2023 01:16AM
@johnb974 wrote:

I've been going to Staples to make copies for my shops. I've been able to set the copier to make black and white copies, no problems. They have now changed the copier settings. It now puts you automatically on color. You have to change the settings every time.No more setting the copier to black and white only. Each time you have to reset the machine. They are trying to force everyone to make color copies. It's just greed.

I use Staples, too. I have a Canon at home but invariably i will run out of copies for a route either by adding locations while on the route or spilling coffee or my Cherry Slush drink.
Also watch out for tbe weight of the paper. The economy b&w 24 lb paper costs a few cents less per page than the 28 lb paper and the copier defaults on the 28 lb paper.
Office Depot is no different for the tricks they play except at some OD they have a minimum for making copies. I needed 2 copies of a LOA and it ended up costing $4.
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March 05, 2023 09:41AM
FedEx Kinkos does something crazy like that. Once ẞwhile traveling, I decided I wanted to make a digital copy of a 35 page document and save to a thumb drive so I wouldn't have to lug so much paper around. They wanted 95 cents per page! Just to scan! The same computer could print out the same document on paper for just 18 cents per page! It was ridiculous.

Anyway, I've been using cheap (under $300) name brand ink jet printers for more than a quarter century. The current one is a Canon PIXMA; it's about a decade old. I might get a cheap name brand laser printer this year for black and white. Maybe.
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March 05, 2023 03:47PM
@johnb974 I would look into buying a monochrome laserjet printer. The ink cost is low and you don't have to bother with settings. If you have a power outlet in your car, you might be able to run it in your car. You should check the car manual, to make sure it won't trip a fuse. I prefer laser over inkjet due to the quality. The laser will smudge if it gets wet, but since you are handing LOAs out, I suppose it doesn't really matter.

I have changed the print settings on my previous inkjet color printers to use true black ink only and not a composite black which still uses the yellow, magenta, and cyan and it still uses those colors, just not as much. The newer printers I have used won't let me print if one of the YMC goes below a certain point. It doesn't matter if the black is brand new and I want to print a true black and white page.

Some of these newer inkjet printers will self print a report from time to time and use a splash of color ink. I am sure this is to run your color cartridges down so you have to buy more sooner.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/05/2023 03:52PM by heywave.
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March 06, 2023 12:21PM
Oh, yes. Make sure all your printer defaults are set for black & white and never remove the empty color cartridge.
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