Just a word of warning for anyone who is looking to buy or use some "old", used Canon cartridges in a CIS kit.

I decided to go this route to create a CIS after bidding for and getting a set of empty Canon cartridges that still had their chips.. Creating the kit itself wasn't too hard but I found that the cartridges needed more than a subtle vaccum to get them to refill. In particular I found that the cartridges dry sponge mean't that ink flow took a while to work normally so just bear this in mind when you try using "used" carts..


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Printers: (Canon) MP500/830, MX700, iP4000/4200/4300/4500/5200, iX4000(A3) (Epson) C84/86, D88, CX6600, R285/800/1900 (HP) K550, K850, K5400, L7680

I am in the process of buying a second user Canon i9100, mainly for A3 printing. (I have been using a CISS with my trusty Epson R300 for a couple of years now). If I retire my Epson, I will have the tanks and tubing available to make a CISS for the Canon. Would it be possible to cut the tops off the Canon cartridges, pull out the sponge and convert them for CISS? I have seen some kits being sold with 'half sponge filled' cartridges. Is that to get the best of both worlds i.e the ink gets filtered but fills quicker?

Macflame wrote:

I am in the process of buying a second user Canon i9100, mainly for A3 printing. (I have been using a CISS with my trusty Epson R300 for a couple of years now). If I retire my Epson, I will have the tanks and tubing available to make a CISS for the Canon. Would it be possible to cut the tops off the Canon cartridges, pull out the sponge and convert them for CISS? I have seen some kits being sold with 'half sponge filled' cartridges. Is that to get the best of both worlds i.e the ink gets filtered but fills quicker?

You could certainly re-use your tubing and possibly the fittings but I wouldn't recommend trying to re-use the sponge or the cartridges at all.

Reason being that the cartridges in Canons have been designed specifically for the inks in their cartridges.. there's two different sponge types for starters and the ink exit port on the Canon cartridges is designed for the Canon printheads. Oh and not forgetting the chip issue (not sure that the i9100 is affected or not) and if your printer does need them then they need to be mounted properly.

So in a nutshell you're much better off finding some empty or even full OEM carts for your printer and converting them to a CIS using your tubing and fittings. That's just my opinion mind but I suspect I might be backed up by those more in the know.


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Printers: (Canon) MP500/830, MX700, iP4000/4200/4300/4500/5200, iX4000(A3) (Epson) C84/86, D88, CX6600, R285/800/1900 (HP) K550, K850, K5400, L7680

Thanks Martin. Unfortunately the Canon fell through but I have an old Epson Stylus Photo 1200 to play with. Cartridges are very cheap for this model but I will still use a CIS with it. Do you know if it would be possible to convert the Epson cartridges for CIS? I found a place in the US selling Epson 1200 CIS cartridges for £12 but they wanted £40 to post them! Where in South Yorkshire are you? I am in Sheffield.

Macflame wrote:

Thanks Martin. Unfortunately the Canon fell through but I have an old Epson Stylus Photo 1200 to play with. Cartridges are very cheap for this model but I will still use a CIS with it. Do you know if it would be possible to convert the Epson cartridges for CIS?

No... forget about standard Epson cartridges and converting them, therein lies the way to pain and torture. You're better off contacting Robert at http://www.refillink.biz/index.htm and let him know I sent you. He's very good with this sort of stuff and can probably help with the carts you need.

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I found a place in the US selling Epson 1200 CIS cartridges for £12 but they wanted £40 to post them!

Erk... not great.

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Where in South Yorkshire are you? I am in Sheffield.

Not far, just south of Barnsley so in your neck of the woods.


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Printers: (Canon) MP500/830, MX700, iP4000/4200/4300/4500/5200, iX4000(A3) (Epson) C84/86, D88, CX6600, R285/800/1900 (HP) K550, K850, K5400, L7680