Paper Re-Use in laser printers

[Fearty]

I'm sorry if this seems a rather dumb question......

In the office where I work I despair at the amount of paper wasted from
printer mess-ups where paper comes out blank or has just a tiny amount of
print on them so I thought I could save waste by re-inserting this paper
back into the laser printer but I got told off as apparently this practise
is not compatible with laser printers or photocopiers.

Is this correct and if so, why? Does the paper receive some sort of
treatment that renders it useless for the purpose of re-using?

Thanks


Stephen

 

[Bob Eager]

Is this correct and if so, why? Does the paper receive some sort of
treatment that renders it useless for the purpose of re-using?

It dries out, for a start. Also, the edges inevitably get damaged a bit
so it tends to jam.

 

[John Beardmore]

Is this correct

Broadly speaking, NO !

and if so, why?

Not so broadly speaking, there are papers that tend to curl after one
pass though the printer, and as a result they are more prone to jams
etc.

But, no jams, no problem...

Does the paper receive some sort of
treatment that renders it useless for the purpose of re-using?

No.

Happy recycling !


Cheers, J/.

 

[John Beardmore]

It dries out, for a start. Also, the edges inevitably get damaged a bit
so it tends to jam.

I use vast amounts of recycled paper for proofing documents and very
seldom have any jams at all even if the paper that's going in is far
from flat. The only significant indicator for jams IME, is crumpling
along the leading edge. Side edges are not really an issue.

Duplexing is more prone to problems, but even that is normally OK, and
if the paper wasn't more or less blank on one side, you wouldn't be
recycling it would you ?


Cheers, J/.

 

[Caitlin]

I'm sorry if this seems a rather dumb question......

In the office where I work I despair at the amount of paper wasted from
printer mess-ups where paper comes out blank or has just a tiny amount of
print on them so I thought I could save waste by re-inserting this paper
back into the laser printer but I got told off as apparently this practise
is not compatible with laser printers or photocopiers.

Is this correct and if so, why? Does the paper receive some sort of
treatment that renders it useless for the purpose of re-using?

Thanks


Stephen

I also had someone tell me off for this - after using recycled (already
printed on) paper in my HP 4+ for about 5 year with no adverse effects at
all (and a good environmental conscience). Maybe it just depends on how
touchy the printer is.

 

[ato_zee]

Not so broadly speaking, there are papers that tend to curl after one
pass though the printer, and as a result they are more prone to jams
etc.

Fuser heat takes all the moisture out of the paper. Put a pile
of paper in a dessicator, then try to print, problems. The
electrostatic based print process doesn't like it. Stack the
used paper in a pile for a day, or a bit longer, then the weight
of the pile will flatten it, and it will absorb moisture and
stabilise to room conditions. That said duplex does two
passes, but the machine is built to duplex. That's just my
experience. I once put some paper in a dessicator to protect
it from a damp, celler, environment, printer wasn't happy.

 

[John Beardmore]

Fuser heat takes all the moisture out of the paper. Put a pile
of paper in a dessicator, then try to print, problems.

Well maybe, but I don't use a dessicator, and I have no problem reusing
paper already printed on one side.

The
electrostatic based print process doesn't like it. Stack the
used paper in a pile for a day, or a bit longer, then the weight
of the pile will flatten it, and it will absorb moisture and
stabilise to room conditions. That said duplex does two
passes, but the machine is built to duplex. That's just my
experience. I once put some paper in a dessicator to protect
it from a damp, celler, environment, printer wasn't happy.

Well, OK, but either the fuser doesn't remove ALL the water, or there
isn't always a problem printing on utterly dry paper.

Whatever facts you think your logic is based on, it can't deny the
experience of all the people who reuse paper printed one side, with or
without waiting for it to rehydrate.


J/.

 

[John Beardmore]

In message
<42154e06$0$27617$61c65585@un-2park-reader-02.sydney.pipenetworks.com.au>

I also had someone tell me off for this - after using recycled (already
printed on) paper in my HP 4+ for about 5 year with no adverse effects at
all (and a good environmental conscience). Maybe it just depends on how
touchy the printer is.

Our main printer is an LJ4M+PS, but we've done it on other lasers and a
range of ink jets. As long as the paper is free of clips, staples and
marmalade, there never seem to be any problems.


Cheers, J/.

 

[Bob Eager]

Well maybe, but I don't use a dessicator, and I have no problem reusing
paper already printed on one side.

If it works for you, fine. It's your printer!

Whatever facts you think your logic is based on, it can't deny the
experience of all the people who reuse paper printed one side, with or
without waiting for it to rehydrate.

Probably depends on the printer. And ISTR this was official advice from
HP - I'll try to find it.

 

[Arthur Entlich]

I have used one sided used paper in my laser printers, photocopiers, and
inkjet printers since I started with them over 10 years ago. They have
suffered no ill effects.

If you check the instructions, most laser printers and photocopiers will
even have a section on making double-sided copies, which are not
different form reusing the paper's other side.

If a very rare circumstance, you might have a toner from another brand
of photocopier that melts at a much lower temperature than the printer
you are using, and that might cause a paper jam and some grunge on the
fuser rollers, but even that cleans up after a couple of copies.

Way back in 1990 I was part of an office experiment by a major
photocopier company to see if their copier had any problem with either
recycled paper of double sided copies. No problems occurred. We had no
more paper jams than average, no more maintenance calls and no poorer
copy results. We just ended up with lower paper costs.

Some older copiers and some current color copiers and laser printers use
fuser oil, which was a silicon based oil that helped to keep the toner
from transferring onto the fuser parts. For years now, monochrome laser
printers and photocopier use Teflon coatings or other methods to prevent
sticking of toner to fusers.

Unless your office co-workers can show you a written statement to the
effect by the manufacturers that double-sided printing is not to be done
with a specific machine, you can probably assume otherwise. And if the
manual states double-sided printing is an option, I would certainly not
worry about reusing paper. Of curse, make sure the paper is dry, cooled
down, unwrinkled, and has no foreign matter on it or staples.

Art

 

[Arthur Entlich]

I get no more jams with one side used paper than with fresh virgin
paper. In fact, I usually get less, because the paper rarely sticks
together with other sheets (static cling), as occurs with paper coming
right out of the package new.

Art

 

[Arthur Entlich]

I print double sided all the time on a single sided printer. The prints
looks fine and they don't jam. This is done right after the other side
is printed and the paper is still mildly warm.

Art

 

[usenet]

I print double sided all the time on a single sided printer. The prints
looks fine and they don't jam. This is done right after the other side
is printed and the paper is still mildly warm.

Come to think of it this mode of use is surely condoned by 'manual
duplex' options on many printers.

 

[Burt]

no problem with an HP3p, HP5p, Canon i960, epson stylus 900, canon copier
pc940, or canon copier pc770. The copiers are actually set up to manually
turn the paper over and feed it through a bypass feeder.

 

[John Beardmore]

On Fri, 18 Feb 2005 10:01:37 UTC, John Beardmore


If it works for you, fine. It's your printer!

Indeed it is. HP transferred ownersheep to me when I purchased it.

Probably depends on the printer.

Quite possibly.

And ISTR this was official advice from
HP - I'll try to find it.

I don't doubt that HP (who make a shed load of money selling
consumables), will be happy to advise you any time !


J/.

 

[Bob Eager]

I don't doubt that HP (who make a shed load of money selling
consumables), will be happy to advise you any time !

I won't bother then. I doubt that very many people buy their paper from
HP, though.

 

[John Beardmore]

I won't bother then.

I can't think that there's much they say that will negate the
experience of countless users.

I doubt that very many people buy their paper from
HP, though.

I'd hope not... Not on lasers anyway. Plotter and inkjet
consumables may be another matter.


J/.

 

[Alan]

I'm sorry if this seems a rather dumb question......

In the office where I work I despair at the amount of paper wasted from
printer mess-ups where paper comes out blank or has just a tiny amount of
print on them so I thought I could save waste by re-inserting this paper
back into the laser printer but I got told off as apparently this practise
is not compatible with laser printers or photocopiers.

Is this correct and if so, why? Does the paper receive some sort of
treatment that renders it useless for the purpose of re-using?

It'll be fine. If you stack it so it feeds it in the opposite way to
the first time (so that the edge that is curled is at the back rather
than the front) jams will be less likely.

With the laser printers I've used, HPII, III, 4, 4L, used paper was a
bit more likely to stick together. If you're not duplexing this isn't
a big deal, you just get two or three sheets pulled at once every now
and then.

None of the many photocopiers I've used had any problems at all with
recycled paper; I think the paper handling is generally more robust
with copiers than printers. So actually I usually use new paper to
print and donate the waste to the copier.