Eric, two questions regarding the x900.
1) Is there a trick to getting the top cover off? I've removed the left and right covers and am through page 79 (removing the six screws). On p 81, I can't lift up on the top of the front cover to remove it. The whole thing is loose, but feels like it is still caught somewhere and I am afraid to use any force at all. Does the top cover come up with the dark plastic flip-up cover on the front all as one piece? Do you pull more on the dark plastic piece or on the metal?
2) Did you drain your inks before all of this? If so, did you order 11 of the Epson draining cartridges part 1500853? I can't find them listed at Compass Micro or anywhere else. Also, for draining, I'm guessing that I could buy cheaper third part draining cartridges and it wouldn't matter. Any suggestions? Looking for the cheapest/easiest way to do this though I know the cheapest way is usually not the easiest. . . .
Btw, I am just tinkering as curiosity has gotten the best of me. I am still planning to buy a new Canon printer. I am just curious to see the innards of the machine and also to see if I could change the printhead myself if I tried (trust me, I don't have your skills!). I have not yet bought a $1300 printhead from Epson as I'm unsure I can replace it myself and worried that it is throwing good money after bad, so to speak as I could end up with the same problem.
(Even if the printhead transplant is successful, do you then go ahead and change the pump cap assembly and damper as a preventative measure (at which point you're getting closer to the cost of a new printer with a warranty). I'm still trying to better understand when/how the fatal clog happens. I know that people without the clogs say that your humidity is too high or too low, or you didn't print enough, or you printed too much matte paper with dust or cut too much canvas etc, but I think there is also some random outcome to the process as I had some problems early on with my printer as well . ..)
Finally, to anyone else who is trying this themselves-- remove the maintenance tank and have a sealable bag ready before sliding off the right cover. This might be kind of obvious, but just in case . . .