# HP Inkjet printer boards



## Harvester3 (Jan 18, 2009)

Hey you all.
I dismantled (with a hammer) an HP deskjet 700 series printer (actually 3) for the interface cards.
When I took the cards loose, I discovered a bunch of plated springs which you see in the photo.
The CPU socket on HP servers also bear similar plated springs. Didn't know if anyone had seen these before, or if they're worth the skinned knuckles to get.
Thanks


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## Chumbawamba (Feb 7, 2009)

Hey Harvester.

I've looked at HP inkjet printers but they seemed to be too much work for the apparent yield. What do you think? Your photos look like you ended up with a nice small pile but again all that work seems to make it not worth it for whatever Au you may get out of it.

What I do go after are the gold-plated contacts on the plastic film connector ribbon where the carthridges make contact on Lexmark and some HP models and others. It's easy to whip out my knife and make a few strategic cuts to then just pull out the part with the gold.


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## Harvester3 (Feb 7, 2009)

Well, of all the hardware we dismantle, I've gotta say that an inkjet printer is about the most difficult to take apart and offers the least reward although these little springs and cards are pretty. Unfortunately they're only in a few models.
If you can use stepper motors and steel rods, it might be worth the time.
Frustrating without a 10lb hammer and/or a wore out chainsaw...
The little interface cards are good harvest though.


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## Chumbawamba (Feb 8, 2009)

You would probably have a better (and faster) time at it just ripping the carthridge carriage out of the printer and then paying some school kids to disassemble that part. The rest can go into the misc. e-waste bin (I used to get $.05/lbs for that crap, now it's worthless so I charge to take it). Stripping it for the steppers and rods is a great idea if you can use that stuff, or if you have a steady stream of buyers. I'll bet they would sell pretty well through the classifieds of Nuts & Volts, Servo and Make magazines. Perfect for small robotics projects.


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## Harvester3 (Feb 9, 2009)

Yep scrap crap market has sure taken a plunge... we don't get anything for printers- ink or laser. CRTs have become a liability as well. Haven't actually been able to start charging for anything, but that time is coming.
Nice to meet another scrapper. I'm in the Tulsa area. 
Take care


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## Chumbawamba (Feb 11, 2009)

Hey Harvester.

Here in California we are lucky in that we get $.20/lbs from the State for recycling CRTs. It's subsidized the same way cans/bottles are in most states: i.e. you pay an upfront deposit and then redeem it when you recycle, except in the case of monitors, televisions, etc. (and this applies to CRT models, which are now almost extinct as far as new products, as well as LCD, plasma, projection, etc.) you pay an added recycling fee when you purchase the good and then theoretically you should be able to recycle the product for free when you're done with it. Unlike with cans/bottles though, any display product no matter how old is eligible, as long as it is sourced from within the state of California.

Before the program I used to charge $10 for small CRTs, $15 for large. I used to charge anywhere from $20-$35 per TV, depending on size. I made a lot more money back then. Now I barely scrape by. Another example of government welfare hurting business, though I admit it is much better for the consumer, and I am sensitive to that, but the processors got screwed.

Anyway, the reason for this posting is to follow up on your printer harvest. I decided to dismantle an HP printer yesterday thinking I would come up with the same materials you did in the photo above but I had a different model. It only had the gold-plated contact film in the back of the carthridge carriage rather than the spring-loaded pins. However, I did find another previously unknown (to me) source.

See my message here for details:

http://goldrefiningforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=4194


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## Shaul (Feb 14, 2009)

Harvester;

Actually taking apart an HP Printer is usually pretty easy. 

Most of them are assembled with 'Star' screws, so a cordless screwdriver or drill with an assortment of 'T' bits ( T-5 to T-10, T-15, T-20 etc.) will make short work of a printer (without the need for 10 lb. hammers or chainsaws :lol: ).

Also 'T' bits are the same kind as used to take apart hard drives.


Shaul


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## peter i (Feb 14, 2009)

"T" for "Torx"

A big set of all the different types of bits is a must for any tinkerer!
(I still remember the joy when i laid hands on my first set of "Tamper proof torx"-bits. And knew that they were tamper proof no more)

8) 

Check out the row on the left, there are plenty to choose from!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torx


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## Shaul (Feb 14, 2009)

Thanks Peter,

I just couldn't remember the name.

The reason I used 'T' is because my Torx drivers are marked T-5, T-10 etc.


Shaul


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## zauggart (May 7, 2009)

try using a hammer to take them apart works good for me and is very fast


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## qst42know (May 7, 2009)

I've tried both ways and flogging your printer is a lot more work. :lol:


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## nicknitro (May 8, 2009)

The scene from Office Space Comes to mind. The one where they thoroughly beat down the office Fax Machine. :lol: 

Think of the money saved in therapy.


Good Times,

Nick


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## gold4mike (May 27, 2009)

I take out my aggression on them by smashing them on the concrete floor of my garage. The first time I did that I didn't think to warn my wife and she came running thinking I had found a new way to injure myself! 

One good slam and they're usually apart far enough to get at the good parts.


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