Copy Machines

[Iceblink]

One of the bad things about schools is lower class neighborhoods is that they often don't have the needed supplies or equipment.

I make so many copies at home. It's insane, and the inkjet cartridges cost me a fortune.

I am cool running small print jobs... but sometimes, I need hundreds upon hundreds of copies.

What should I do?

I want to buy a relatively inexpensive copy machine, but do they even make them any more? All I see are these all-in-one machines that print, fax, copy, and scan. I just need the copier!

I need something that can copy things quickly, well, and inexpensively.

Any ideas?

[Jacen McCullough]

I'd invest in a lazerjet printer. The up front cost will be more expensive, but you'll save a ton in ink and they print faster. I had an old HP Lazerjet for about 12 years. I needed to fill the toner twice. I replace my Lexmark cartridge twice a semester.

[Iceblink]

I'd invest in a lazerjet printer. The up front cost will be more expensive, but you'll save a ton in ink and they print faster. I had an old HP Lazerjet for about 12 years. I needed to fill the toner twice. I replace my Lexmark cartridge twice a semester.

I actually have an HP Laserjet4 at school. Is the ink cheaper? I wasn't sure how it worked. Can you do double sided copies on it? I always heard you shouldn't use paper that's already gone through a laser.

Are toner cartridges available for an old laserjet like that? I hadn't really thought about using that as my main printer. I just let the kids use it for their papers and printing up info.

[Jacen McCullough]

I actually have an HP Laserjet4 at school. Is the ink cheaper? I wasn't sure how it worked. Can you do double sided copies on it? I always heard you shouldn't use paper that's already gone through a laser.

Are toner cartridges available for an old laserjet like that? I hadn't really thought about using that as my main printer. I just let the kids use it for their papers and printing up info.


To be honest, I don't know too much about modern laserjets. The one I had was from the early 90s. I used to do double sided stuff all the time with no trouble. I inherited the thing from my older brother when I started high school. I have no idea how long it had been since he'd filled the toner, but I used that printer all through high school and my first 4 years of college without ever needing to change the toner (and I printed stuff ALL the time, including lots of graphics). Every now and then it would print a bit faded, but all I had to do was take out the toner cartridge, shake it up a bit, and everything would be fine again. Plus, the thing was durable as all hell. My dog used to jump on it when she was a puppy, the thing was dropped a few times, and never a single problem. I ended up giving it up when the dog chewed through the cord and I couldn't find a cheap replacement. I ended up just tossing the thing in the dumpster when I bought an inkjet. Now, having to replace a 40 dollar ink cartridge once every 3 months or so, I regret that decision. The second I have an official teaching job and can write off the expense of a decent laserjet printer, I'm doing it (hoping that the ones around now are as good as the ones out a decade ago).