Okimate 10/20 printing without a ribbon (thermal paper)

[telengard]

I had read in a few places that this was possible. I purchased some single sheet thermal paper (brother lb3635) and I see a whole lot of nothing.

 

Can someone who owns one of these confirm that this is possible? Maybe I'm using the wrong kind of paper??

 

Any insight appreciated!

[fibrewire]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okimate_10

 

The Okimate 10 printer transfers color wax from the ribbon to the paper. It is a "Thermal Transfer" printer, like iron on transfers used in t-shirts. It does not have a heating element that passes over thermal-reactive paper, so it is not a "Direct Thermal" printer.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_printing

[telengard]

Hi there,

 

Thanks for the info. I've read some posts on other forums that people are printing with their Okimate 10/20 with *no* ribbon installed on thermal fax paper. That's what I was hoping to do. Maybe there is something specific about that paper. I'm using thermal paper but not thermal /fax/ paper.

[fibrewire]

i don't have a close-up picture of the print head, but as long as the print head makes direct contact with the paper i don't see a problem with this working. Does the sheet of Brother lb3635 paper have the correct side making contact with the print head?

[telengard]

Possibly not, although I didn't notice a difference between the 2 sides. I'll try the other side tonight. Probably should have tried that right off the bat.

 

thanks again!

[telengard]

Tried both sides tonight and neither was printed on. I'm going to try and find some thermal fax paper, maybe that will work. Not sure what this stuff is, it says thermal but it must mean something else.

[fibrewire]

The paper should turn black when exposed to a heat source like a lighter or electric stove. Receipts from walmart and gas stations are printed on thermal paper, and your printer paper should react similarly.

[telengard]

So it doesn't seem to be the paper. as suggested I put it over the toaster and it turned black quite quickly. I purchased a ribbon for the printer and it too doesn't print. I'm using the self test to try things out. I guess this means the printer head is toast.

[BillC]

So it doesn't seem to be the paper. as suggested I put it over the toaster and it turned black quite quickly. I purchased a ribbon for the printer and it too doesn't print. I'm using the self test to try things out. I guess this means the printer head is toast.

I don't have an Okimate printer but I do have an old Roland DG PR-1012 dot matrix that uses a plastic flex cable(similar to that used for XL/XE keyboard cables) to connect the printhead to the main circuit board, if the Okimate is similar perhaps the end of the ribbon where it plugs into the circuit board has oxidized and is making a poor connection.

[+Stephen]

*** deleted ***

[jaesonk]

I used rolls of thermal paper with my Okimate 10 & 20 printers.  The printer came with a special holder for rolls of thermal paper.  It attached to the base of the printer.
https://my.okidata.com/om20ibm.nsf/MOCContents/EF8C872793D7C798852563470066814E?OpenDocument
 

It worked well with thermal paper, I didn't care for the curling of the paper though, but it saved on using up your ribbon cartridges. 

I also reused my cartridges a few times, rewinding them with a pencil.  I could get a few passes out of a black.  Less for colour.  Used cartridges were decent enough for draft prints.