Hi!
This question is for those of you who have a printer for edible images.

I have the Cannon I900 printer. What is very frustrating for me is this. When i don't use it for a month or two, the ink inside the cartridges gels up, making it difficult to run a decent print.
I usually have to spend hours clearing out the clogs, and washing the print head. After that, sometimes it works, and other times some of the colors don't show up at all. I end up using tons of ink trying to fix this problem.

I don't want to give up because i really like the ease of using frosting sheets for my cookies and it's so versatile.

I'd like to hear what kinds of printers you have and what you do in order to keep the edible ink flowing when not in use.

thanks in advance for any help

I have been using frosting sheets for years now and have had a couple of printers. I had those problems as well. What I learned to do was this. After you are thru with your project and don't forsee using the printer for a while, remove the cartridges from the printer, place in ziplock bags and place in refridgerator, this will keep them from gelling up. Also I would wash the print head out right away so that it also wouldn't clog up from residual ink.

Hope this helps

I've had my printers for about four years. I had a cannon First. Needless to say problems,problems all the time clogged heads dry inks etc.

Switched to a epson fill my own cartridges this printer has been there every time. I am on my second one because the kids knocked the first one off the self. Got anotherepson the same love it epson C88+
If I know I won't be using it for a while i just drape a garbage sack over it.

I heard that about epsons, but I have only bought canons and don't have that problem.

So cartridges in ziplocs in the fridge and clean printhead right away will solve this problem, huh?

What exactly is the diff between the cannon and the epson that the ink gels in one and not the other?

I don't know what the difference is. When I purchased the program I bought from KopyKake, the only printers that would work with their program at the time was with canon. Once you get past the gliches you are fine.

I also sell frosting sheets to several different bakers so maybe because I don't leave mine sitting too long between uses.

Lots of people complain about this problem and I know I have had it. This is how I take care of it and it works for me.

I also have an epson and have never had a problem. I too refill my cartridges and leave them in the printer. I go for months at a time without printing an so for no clogs. I've had mine about 4 years.

Still having a problem trying to get the printer to work properly. Now all the colors are coming out except for magenta. I've done just about everything to try and get it to work but this time around, it's just not doing it.
If i can get it to work, then i'll take your advice about how to store the carts and cleaning the head.
If not, i'm gonna look into buying the epson.

I'm sorry your having so much trouble!!

Thank you. You are very kind.
I'm just relieved that this is happening when i want to print for a personal use as opposed to an order. That would've been a nightmare.
In the past i've tried to contact kopykake and photofrost for help but they couldn't do much. As a matter of fact, one of them (don't remember which one) said that gelling of the ink is very common and they avoid it by using edible ink in all their printers, including ones they print onto regular paper. Interesting huh?
Needless to say, i've almost gone through most of the ink i just splurged on to run through the printer. Tonight is my last shot on this printer.

Does anyone know if you can use the same printer that you have used regular ink with edibile ink. What I mean is I have an Epson printer that is compatible with the edible ink. Could I take out the regular cartridges and print with edible ink or would it contiminate the print.

Hi luv2bake6 I have the Cannon too and I used to have the same problem with mine until I discovered that if I put the cleaner on the back of the head and after washing the back of the head had solved my problem. My friend she has an Epson and she has the same problem but she can't remove the printer's head

Hi misabel99.
Would you mind explaining what you do in more detail? I don't quite get it and would appreciate any help i can get!
Thanks so much!

Yes, please share that again, What cleaner???

I recently bought 2 edible images printers from a bakery auction. For 15.00 each I might add..woohoo! Anyway they are both canon. I researched it online and Canon is the recommended brand by most because of the removable head. I had to clear a clog in mine before all the colors worked. I put a pot of hot water on the stove and held the print head over the steam and the clogs came loose and ink poured out into the pan. I also have the edible image head cleaner. I use it after printing and I also run the deep clean cycle on my printer after I use it.

Where did you get the cleaner? Was it from the auction too? If so do you know what company it came from?

Sorry to ask sooo many questions.

It was in the stuff from the auction. It is bakery crafts brand copy confection cleaner. The airbrush cleaner would work just the same. I know you can get it at the cake supply.

Didn't think of that! Thank you.

your very welcome.

HI guys, I've been reading this thread, I'm seriously thinking of getting this edible image contraption, cant I just buy a new printer if I already have a scanner and computer? If so, can someone direct me a bit as to what I'll need- I've seen you discuss cleaners and refillable cartridges, whats the best advice? Thanks!

Hello bakingmama,
Yes, all you would need as far as computer equipment is concerned is a printer that yuo would use solely for the frosting sheets.

But you do need to know what size/style to buy. Like I have said, I have been using only canons and they work for me just fine, Lots of people do not like them and use epson. It would be personal choice as far as I'm concerned.

Contact the company you plan to work with ie KopyKake, and they will tell you which models can be used and help you get the necessary equipment from them. You will need frosting sheets, ink, and software.

With Kopykake, you can do everything on line. The software is free. I recommend that you use a printer with individual color cartridges as opposed to the multicolor tank. That way you can refill them instead of buying new cartridges each time you run out.

Hope this helps, but please feel free to ask other questions.

I don't know the names of the other companies but I know they exist. Maybe someone else can help us out here.

Sorry to make this so long.

Still can't get the magenta to work. I ran the cleaner through the printer and cleaned out the printhead again. I think i may need to buy another printhead and start all over again. I have used up all the ink i recently bought. Sometimes it doesn't seem worth it....

Luv2bake, have a question, by any chance are the cartridges you have the ones that have the little chip that need to be reset all the time?

I was just wondering if maybe that was the problem?

nope, just your good old fashioned refillable cartridges from kopykake.

Auntginn, thanks so much for the advice, I spoke with Kopycake, and I think I'm going to buy a printer tomorrow, they told me that the canon cartridges can only be refilled twice, whereas the epson can be filled an unlimited amount of times, because it has no sponge. I think I'm going to to try the epson. I saw frosting sheets on Lucks.com along with lots of other very cool things! cant wait to try! Thanks!

That's interesting cuz when i spoke with kopykake 2 years ago about the cannon, they said the cartridges can be refilled a lot more times than 2x.
Go figure. And they strongly recommended the Cannon over the Epson at the time.
I think the Epson is probably a better bet for printing Ei's. The only problem is the fact that the printhead cannot be removed to clean.

That is very.... interesting. I have refilled my cartridges at least a dozen times and they are going strong as ever. No problems.

Like I sid before. When Kopykake started out their product was made only to work along side canon, however as things developed including competition, they mad the cartridges capatible to epson printers.

I'm gong to have to check out lucks, in the past I have not liked the quality of their frosting sheets though. They have been to thin for my liking and many of my customers complain that because of it they are hard to remove from the backing and tear easy.

I agree. While i normally get my frosting sheets from kopykake, a friend bought some sheets at lucks for a printing project i was doing for her. I found the sheets to be much thinner (too thin) and they did not look good on the cookies either.