How to replace the cutter on Z Series printers

[Mark Lindquist]

This is how to replace the cutter, for anyone looking for it.

Replace Cutter

It's very easy and this is a nice simple illustration showing how.

[deanwork]

Thanks Mark.

[Geraldo Garcia]

I never had a dull cutter, but the little plastic pin on top of the cutter had broken twice and that is the main connection between the cutter and the carriage. One happened still under warranty so they took the the old cutter when replacing it, the second happened after the warranty had expired so I replaced it myself and kept the (still sharp) old cutter. It works nicely as a safety knife to cut some materials.

[Mark Lindquist]

Thanks Mark.

I don't know what happened to your other thread -it's locked- but this was meant for you - guess you figured, LOL.

[Mark Lindquist]

I never had a dull cutter, but the little plastic pin on top of the cutter had broken twice and that is the main connection between the cutter and the carriage. One happened still under warranty so they took the the old cutter when replacing it, the second happened after the warranty had expired so I replaced it myself and kept the (still sharp) old cutter. It works nicely as a safety knife to cut some materials.

Nice.  Good idea Geraldo -

[deanwork]

I don't know how that thread got locked.

Anyway I see that the cutter is on the left side. The piece under the head on the right side that my star wheel got stuck on must be something that measures the edge of the paper. It is a thin metal piece that sides in and out. Whatever it is it seems to be fine now that it was cleaned.

john

[Mark Lindquist]

Heh heh, you're lucky that thing did't get sucked into an electronics board or whatever and caused a lot of trouble.

Several things to think about in that regard.

Glad you caught it.

[Ernst Dinkla]

I never had a dull cutter, but the little plastic pin on top of the cutter had broken twice and that is the main connection between the cutter and the carriage. One happened still under warranty so they took the the old cutter when replacing it, the second happened after the warranty had expired so I replaced it myself and kept the (still sharp) old cutter. It works nicely as a safety knife to cut some materials.

Sounds like you either had tough media to cut or the path the cutter assembly slides/runs on has been dirty. When I had to replace the carriage belt I cleaned that bar the cutter runs on and cleaned and lubricated the cutter itself. On both Zs I have. It is a delicate maintenance job, at some surfaces of the bar and the cutter wheels there should be friction to keep the rotary blades circumferential speed above the cutter/carrier linear speed, the rotational cutting principle. Other surfaces where the friction should be reduced can use some teflon applied, silicon works too but may accumulate paper lint faster. No cutter replaced so far, 12 years total use. Good maintenance there will reduce the load on the head carriage belt too.

Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
December 2014 update, 700+ inkjet media white spectral plots

[deanwork]

Actually what I also found was tiny piece of tape. I figured it out. When a roll of media ran to the very end, ( the end section of the paper which has tape on it), a piece of that tape came off and broke off one of the star wheels. They were both stuck together against the thin piece of metal that slides in and out on the bottom right of the print head assembly. This star wheel/tape object attracted ink and that was why you saw both dotted lines and ink lines.

Moral is don't ever let your paper roll run to the end and pull tape into the printer, any printer.
We've all done when not paying attention, it but it is a very bad idea.

john

Heh heh, you're lucky that thing did't get sucked into an electronics board or whatever and caused a lot of trouble.

Several things to think about in that regard.

Glad you caught it.

[Mark Lindquist]

Lesson learned, John, and I will benefit from your mistake ("... a wise man benefits from other's mistakes")

Funny how things like this just happen, and seemingly so insignificant, they can cause damage and consternation.

I think Ernst's continual admonition to clean and do maintenance on the printer is the key.

That is finally sinking in through this hard head....