DMP-2000 New ribbon or re-ink old ribbon

[Flonky_Tash]

Hello!

So I've got a DMP-2000 that's sat on display, not doing a lot. I'd like to get it working again, but not sure what to do in terms of getting a replacement ribbon.

Does anybody know what compatible ribbons to look out for?

OR Does anybody have any advice on the possibility of re-inking the old ribbon that's already in there.

Thanks!

[||C|-|E||]

It could be that this one is compatible:

Commodore DMP 2000 - C13S015021 / 7753 - Compatible - Ruban Noir - 500 ml | eBay

I would like to stress the COULD part, because I am not sure at all. The wiki points out that they should be OK:

Amstrad/Schneider DMP2000 Printer - CPCWiki

[Bryce]

Not a chance that that's compatible, the DMP2000 ribbon is a two part component with separate plastic cases at each end. You can still find them for sale from a company called Fulihua though: For Amstrad Dmp2000,3000 (welded)xl4202; 4208 Compatible Printer Ribbon Cassette

Bryce.

[||C|-|E||]

The good news is that you know where to buy the proper ones! 

[Lazy Dude]

when I was a kid we used to soak the ribbon in drawing ink, it works for a bit.
Guess it depends on what you want to print, that'd be ok for text.
Graphics would just cane the arse out of it.

[chinnyhill10]

when I was a kid we used to soak the ribbon in drawing ink, it works for a bit.
Guess it depends on what you want to print, that'd be ok for text.
Graphics would just cane the arse out of it.

Using the wrong ink can damage the print heads.


Amstrad Action used to advocate re-inking using a special spray. Doubt that is available any longer.

[Lazy Dude]

Yeh I agree, and after all this time I'm buggered if I remember what exact ink I used! Just remember it kept it going for years so maybe I got lucky with the ink?!!!

[Bryce]

There were kits to re-ink the ribbon, but the mess it made was ridiculous, 90% of the ink ended anywhere but on the ribbon. The spray solutions didn't add new ink, they just reactivated the remaining ink on dried out ribbons.

Bryce.

[chinnyhill10]

There were kits to re-ink the ribbon, but the mess it made was ridiculous, 90% of the ink ended anywhere but on the ribbon. The spray solutions didn't add new ink, they just reactivated the remaining ink on dried out ribbons.

Bryce.

I forget the article but AA claimed they had been reinking the same ribbon in their office DMP2000 with a spray for years.

[1024MAK]

There were kits to re-ink the ribbon, but the mess it made was ridiculous, 90% of the ink ended anywhere but on the ribbon. The spray solutions didn't add new ink, they just reactivated the remaining ink on dried out ribbons.

<Warning: Del Boy tip ahead>In the past, to get a dried up ribbon working again (not for a worn out ribbon), I have used a carefully applied amount of WD40. You have to manually move the ribbon so that you get an even amount of WD40 on it. Don't flood it with WD40. You just need to get a little into the ribbon.

You need to understand that this is a bodge and the ribbon will not produce very good output for very long. Use at your own risk.

The best thing is to buy a new ribbon. But the above tip may be useful if you want to test that the printer actually works before spending money on a new ribbon.

Mark

[Bryce]

Wow, that just brought back a  memory. Some people used to put vinegar on the ribbon to bring it back to life. You got another round out of the ribbon, but everything you printed stank of vinegar!

Bryce.

[remax]

Wow, that just brought back a  memory. Some people used to put vinegar on the ribbon to bring it back to life. You got another round out of the ribbon, but everything you printed stank of vinegar!

Bryce.

That's perhaps the reason why my love letters didn't had a good outcome 

[Bryce]

That's perhaps the reason why my love letters didn't had a good outcome 

No, that wouldn't have helped.

Bryce.

[||C|-|E||]

That one must be the smell I hate the most 

[Bryce]

That one must be the smell I hate the most 

Then I'd advise you not to open any letters you get from remax, especially if the address text looks dot-matrix.

Bryce.

[SRS]

I used to glue inkpad-pieces to the head (double-sided-tape, still on[attach=2] it ), soak this with stamp-ink (Pelikan i.e.) and then
let the head run left / right (printing spaces etc.) for a dozend times.


For compatibility: like Brye said: it has to look like that on each side:[attach=3]

[Lazy Dude]

another trick just came back to me, get hold of some A4 sheets of carbon backed copy sheets and slap that over standard A4 paper.
You can leave the print ribbon in place.
Bingo perfect printouts!

[||C|-|E||]

Guys, you know a surprising amount of tricks to avoid buying new ribbons! 

[Flonky_Tash]

Not a chance that that's compatible, the DMP2000 ribbon is a two part component with separate plastic cases at each end. You can still find them for sale from a company called Fulihua though: For Amstrad Dmp2000,3000 (welded)xl4202; 4208 Compatible Printer Ribbon Cassette

Bryce.

Wow, did not expect so many responses on this!

I think I will go for Bryce's option of just getting a replacement, just to be on the safe side of things

Thanks, everyone! You're wonderful bunch of nice people

[Lindsay Chapman]

I don't know whether you've started a purchase through alibaba.com but if you haven't and/or don't fancy buying 10 Ribbons, I've found the following link through which you can buy a single seamless black cartridge:
Amstrad DMP2000 Seamless Black


It's a bit pricey (£13.98 inc delivery and VAT) - but it comes from a UK company with all the protections afforded by the The Consumer Contracts Regulations.


If you have sourced some through alibaba.com, would you mind sharing how much they cost and what their quality is like.


Thank you,


Lindsay.

[Flonky_Tash]

I don't know whether you've started a purchase through alibaba.com but if you haven't and/or don't fancy buying 10 Ribbons, I've found the following link through which you can buy a single seamless black cartridge:
Amstrad DMP2000 Seamless Black


It's a bit pricey (£13.98 inc delivery and VAT) - but it comes from a UK company with all the protections afforded by the The Consumer Contracts Regulations.


If you have sourced some through alibaba.com, would you mind sharing how much they cost and what their quality is like.


Thank you,


Lindsay.

Thanks for your suggestion, Lindsay I'll certainly keep that site in mind in future.


I have managed to source a new old ribbon from ebay which I have yet to get round to install and test.


Modern life tends to get in the way of me messing around with old technology 

[Lindsay Chapman]

You're very welcome Flonky_Tash.


I know what you mean about modern life and old technology.  After all, it is a helluvalot easier (and cleaner) to change an ink cartridge in a modern printer than it is to change a DMP2000 ribbon.


I've got a DMP2000 in need of a new ribbon (the old one is almost transparent) and a DMP3160 in need of a total rebuild (it has suffered the ministrations of someone who knew even less than me about these printers when they decided to dismantle and re-assemble it).  This is the state they've been in for over three years - until I can "get round to" doing something about it.  D'oh! 


Oh well - maybe this winter (but don't hold your breath). 

[alanesq]

It seems impossible to find a replacement ribbon for these (unless you want 100 units) but I managed to get mine working by purchasing a roll of typewriter ink ribbon, I was unable to find any the required width so I cut it down to size using a hot wire (search for "foam cutter" for more info, they are easy to build). 


I then tried joining the ends together with some very thin tape, this did work but not very well.  Much better to join it using a plastic bag sealing device (search for "impulse sealer") which on max setting does a very good job.  It may be possible to use a hot knife blade or soldering iron?

I bought myself a bottle of ink pad ink which does a good job of re-inking the ribbon.