Ebay Shipping labels printing very light.

[bob91361]

When I print labels at USPS, they come out fine but when I print the labels using eBay, on my laser printer, they come out very light. Especially the new Bulk Shipping option.

I've tried all the suggestions in the forum (preferences, quality, etc.) but the only thing that works is printing the labels on regular paper then scanning them to .jpeg and opening them with a photo software like Photoshop. Then I adjust the brightness and contrast and make sure that the printer gets its instructions from Photoshop.

Then I print them on "sticky" labels and it works pretty well.

[berserkerplanet]

I printed one to PDF, and then plain paper this morning and it was fine as usual (single Priority Mail label not bulk)

Print labels to PDF - easier to manipulate, maintains original quality, allows reprinting, and provides permanent record.

Irfanview free image viewer with PDF plugin can open PDF format files and perform all the brightness/contrast/gamma/sharpen/etc functions to fix it up as needed in your case.

I use PDFCreator as a printer driver, there are other alternatives such as CutePDF, etc.

Another option is a printer driver called ImagePrinter that prints things to jpg, pdf, tiff, png, or bmp format files. If printout is a single page image it optionally automatically opens it with the default viewer for the filetype or a configured specified program (Irfanview for jpgs in my case) I use freeware v2.0.1 from 2010 (32bit/Win7 max?)

[bob91361]

Thanks! 

I'll try that program you were talking about; saves me having to open PS.

I think part of the problem is that I'm trying to print on those half-page, peel-and-stick, labels. I notice the print comes out better on plain paper (comes out really well on glossy paper - at least on my Canon laser printer) but hard to stick on package.

I'll try that Infranview. Good to know.

Bob

[berserkerplanet · Accepted solution]

Glad it helps.

I also have trouble printing in matte finish peel and stick labels also. Not as sharp, not as dark, and doesn't cook on as well as plain paper or glossy stock - even using the "preheat the fuser an extra 5 seconds"  label stock settings. Using a 10+ year old cheap Samsung laser with cheap toner carts I refill with whatever toner I have (including toner recycled out of the toner cart waste bins 🙂

If you have any questions about the software just ask.

[bob91361]

I guess we are getting off the subject but how hard is it to refill toner cart. Isn't it kind of messy?

You can buy them on eBay for $13 including postage.

Bob

[berserkerplanet]

It can be messy but not too bad. I lay out some newspaper, have some moistened paper towels handy (wet towels wipe up any spilled toner better).

Need to figure out where the toner cart waste bin is exactly in order to cut an emptying hole without hitting a stiffening rib, but that specific info is usually available in detail from one of the aftermarket toner cart sites. I use a specifically modified soldering iron that burns/cuts a 3/4" hole in the plastic (bought the iron from a refiller site years ago).

Picked up 6 big bottles of Samsung toner (each one refills 3 or 4 times) for about $35 years ago. So about $2 a refill (even less with the recycled waste bin toner - it seems to be about 50% of the original toner load) Toner refills often come with the little plastic plugs to plus up the waste bin hole, but even though I have a few in my kit, I just use a strip of clear 2" shipping tape to cover the hole.

Also need to figure out where the fill port is (once again, either obvious or available online). My carts have 2 screws, end plate lifts off, pop out plug, squirt toner in with bottle, replace plug, put plate back on, replace screws, good to go. Some carts may not have fill plugs and need a hole burned in like the waste bin with a plug used to cap it off after.

All done on newspaper. Use paper towels to wipe off any spills or dust, ball up waste in newspaper and done.

Refill bottles usually come with a pouring spout cap like above - fits right in the 3/4" fill holes (don't squeeze blow a cloud of toner dust out - let it empty with gentle squeeze and gravity). A regular soldering iron with a regular pointed or chisel tip could be used too by burning a 3/4" circle. Might not be a perfect circle and not pluggable with plastic plug, but just use tape instead.

Pretty much what I do is buy $15-$20 aftermarket carts, use them until empty, and refill 1-3 times or until they start streaking or otherwise produce poor printout. Been doing that for 11 years. Same thing for previous Samsung printer. Been doing the same with an old HP Laserjet 6MP for about 15 years. (The "old wives tales" about using only new $120 OEM carts don't hold any water in my experience.)

[bob91361]

I'm printing this and promise to give it a try.
I buy refill toner cart. for the free clinic, where I volunteer, and they go through them pretty quickly. The administrator was paying $50 a piece for generic cart. until I told her about eBay. But this is even better!
Thanks again.