Refilling laser toner cartridge

1492 wrote:
Watch this YouTube video How To Extend Brother Printer Laser Toner Cartridge Life, and see Toner Reset Instruction for Brother TN620/TN650.

I particularly like Brother laser printers as they are durable, and print fast. Very economical to operate. In fact, I have five of them, only one I bought new. Found the rest in thrift shops for $10. All wireless/network.

Just wanted to extract the toner cartridges and drums, but after some self servicing, discovered that they all work. So now when running out of toner, I just swap out the printer. :B Refill when I have the time.

BTW, this toner saver trick works great. Have been using my current Brother for 3 months after the toner so called was out. :S

Great videos! I will do both of the tricks tomorrow. So far I simply removed and shook my cartridge and as per the status print-out I increased my toner level by 25%. Using your tips I may have as much as 50% of toner left.

I will try a toner refill when the end comes.

I had a strange issue with the printer this week. I upgraded my modem/router and setup the printer with the wireless connection just as I did with my old router, resetting the printer to original factory settings. It worked fine but after about 10 hours I would find all of the printer LED's blinking. Brother manual says this blinking pattern means printer needs repair by service center.

I could remove power and restart and all was OK. Then later I would notice all the LED's blinking again. I reinstalled using direct connection from printer to router using an Ethernet cable and all is fine. Maybe it just doesn't play well with the new router on a wireless basis???

dryfly wrote:
OEM toner cartridges are priced outrageous. I read nothing but bad reports on 3rd party cartridges.

So........has anyone been successful in refilling their own cartridges with toner powder? Looks like cost is about $10 for the powder.

Something no one has mentioned..

Not ALL toner is the same.

Toner actually can vary in how fine or coarse it is, the result is if you use the wrong toner you may get all black or no print at all.

For instance I used Brother toner for a Lexmark as a refill, the result was a totally black page (solid toner). Shook out that toner then refilled from a different model of Lexmark (broken printer I had laying around)and back to perfect print..

In your case, the Brother uses a split toner/drum setup.. This means when you replace the toner cartridge you are not replacing the drum.. The result is a much cheaper toner cartridge..

The Lexmark I use has the drum integrated with the toner cartridge, this means when the toner runs out you change BOTH the drum and toner.. The result is a $200 toner/drum change! Which is why I experimented with adding toner to a Lexmark..

Your Brother toner is a bargain compared to a Lexmark..

Speaking of Drum units for Brother lasers, I just use generic brands which cost less than $20. Works fine and good for well over 15,000 pages.

The other issue to remembers is to not expose the Drum unit to light for any extended period of time. I usually pull out the Toner/Drum unit to separate. Then sliding the Drum unit back into the printer and closing the panel. You can then work on the Toner cartridge without fear of damaging the Drum.

dryfly wrote:

I will try a toner refill when the end comes.

Do those containers of new toner powder have any warnings on the label ? If please read them. IIRC the boxes of the new cartridges even have a warning about inhaling the powder.

AND anyone who handles loose toner powder should do a Google (or similar) search for "dangers of toner powder" and READ some of the articles.

If you make a mistake handling this stuff it is something that can't be "undone".

Vulcan Rider wrote:

dryfly wrote:

I will try a toner refill when the end comes.

Do those containers of new toner powder have any warnings on the label ? If please read them. IIRC the boxes of the new cartridges even have a warning about inhaling the powder.

AND anyone who handles loose toner powder should do a Google (or similar) search for "dangers of toner powder" and READ some of the articles.

If you make a mistake handling this stuff it is something that can't be "undone".

Umm.. toner is nothing more than extremely fine powered plastic.

Pretty much an inert and harmless material when handled properly (IE you don't inhale, ingest or get in your eyes), much like many other common office, household or even garage non food items.

Those labels most likely were the result of some person miss using then attempting to sue the manufacturer.

Messing with toner does require a few precautions.

#1, toner WILL go everywhere you DON'T want it if spilled, blown, vacuumed. So don't handle it over carpets furniture or any other object you care about.

With that said, use some news paper or decent sized plastic bag (garbage bag) to cover your work surface.

#2 Don't wear GOOD clothing, it WILL be very difficult to get out.

#3, were protective vinyl, plastic, or rubber gloves (you DON'T want to get toner on your hands, it will leave black marks that take time to wear off.

#4, Don't handle in front of a fan or outdoors in a breeze..

#5, cleaning up, do not use a standard sweeper if spilled on the floor, it will simply go right though the sweeper and be blown out..

#6, DON'T DRY RUB to clean up spilled toner, rubbing creates heat and toner MELTS with heat.. Makes for some ugly stains..

Hint, if you get toner on your hands, immediately wash in COLD water. Hot water will 'set' the toner, as will normal body temps.

Gdetrailer wrote:
Umm.. toner is nothing more than extremely fine powered plastic.

Messing with toner does require a few precautions.

Have YOU read the published information and cautions about the possible harmful affects of the stuff ??

It would appear not as your post strongly implies that there is no REAL risk.

Black Lung disease is just caused by finely powdered coal too.....JUST.

I have a good friend who has been sick with pneumonia for the past week or so. It wasn't getting better so they did a CAT scan. She has hundreds of tiny nodules in the upper lobes of both lungs. At this point they think it might be caused by living in a dusty desert environment in her younger days; she has had URI problems for a LONG time.

Saving a few bucks by refilling your own laser cartridges might COST you dearly later on.

Vulcan Rider wrote:

Gdetrailer wrote:
Umm.. toner is nothing more than extremely fine powered plastic.

Messing with toner does require a few precautions.

Have YOU read the published information and cautions about the possible harmful affects of the stuff ??

It would appear not as your post strongly implies that there is no REAL risk.

Black Lung disease is just caused by finely powdered coal too.....JUST.

I have a good friend who has been sick with pneumonia for the past week or so. It wasn't getting better so they did a CAT scan. She has hundreds of tiny nodules in the upper lobes of both lungs. At this point they think it might be caused by living in a dusty desert environment in her younger days; she has had URI problems for a LONG time.

Saving a few bucks by refilling your own laser cartridges might COST you dearly later on.

Do you realize that just the act of eating and breathing CAN be hazardous to your life?

Have YOU personally read all the hazardous warnings posted a gas stations when you fill up?

Have YOU personally read all the hazardous warnings listed on oil bottles when doing your own oil changes?

Do you realize that Eating TOO much or TOO little food can be hazardous?

Do you realize drinking too much or too little water is hazardous?

According to YOU there SHOULD be MILLIONS OF DEAD OR DYING OFFICE WORKERS that have been exposed to toner from the use or operation of office copiers..

Have YOU ever PERSONALLY looked into a copier used in a shared office environment?

I have, spilled toner in a copier is pretty much NORMAL but yet I have NEVER heard of any DEATHS due to toner inhalation..

I have also spent many years of my life REPAIRING LASER PRINTERS, it is not "rocket science" to dealing with toner spills.

Heck, my Dad used to deal with asbestos (industrial pipe insulation), retired after 38 yrs of exposure, HE IS STILL ALIVE AND VERY ACTIVE at 88 yrs young.. Doctors can not find ANY evidence of asbestos damage in his lungs..

As I stated previously, AS LONG AS YOU DON'T INHALE (I will add DIRECTLY INHALE) the toner ( I will add, by sticking your head into the toner container) you will be fine..

Bulk toners typically have a nice small pour spout, generally pretty easy to work with.

I get our toner cartridges refurbished at a local shelter workshop for the handicapped. They replace the fuser and refill to XL (full) capacity. If there is a defective part they replace those, too. $40.00 vs. $149 for store priced cartridge.

Gdetrailer wrote:


As I stated previously, AS LONG AS YOU DON'T INHALE (I will add DIRECTLY INHALE) the toner ( I will add, by sticking your head into the toner container) you will be fine..

This could have been an almost verbatim quote from the deniers of asbestos and coal related lung disease from 30 years ago.
And slightly modified, cigarettes too back a little farther.

It takes DECADES for some of this to show up.

Every person can and should make up his/her own mind about things like this but they need ALL of the available information before doing so.

Having some unknown person on the Internet tell you "you WILL be fine" should have no bearing on your ultimate decision.

And your entire post smacks of "If I haven't seen it, then it obviously does not exist." which is the attitude of WAY too many people these days.