Why are there no open-source printers?

Previously discussed here https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30493997 and https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24786721

tldr: patents on good nozzles

There's none because you haven't made one, stop asking and go build one.

With that said, I have never found the cost of ink to be expensive. I have a laser printer and on my 2nd ink in almost 10yrs. For my HP inkjet, I buy "unofficial" ink from Amazon for cheap and it lasts. I use the laser for B&W and HP for things that need color.

I'd be pretty interested in a super cheap pen plotter type printer (one that can do multiple pages like a normal laserprinter) and just take regular ballpoint pens.

I hacked my 3D printer to do that, and used it to make our wedding invitations and they turned out beautiful, much much nicer than printing the graphics.

The toner cartridges for Brother B&W laser printers are reasonably priced.

The Epson EcoTank inkjet printers accept any ink you want to use.

People are just buying the wrong printers.

I have a Dell laser that I love... I'd have to look up the model (1365? 1370?). Not open source per se but bought because of compatibility with Linux and works like a charm. There's a setting for using third party cartridges, which are pretty widely available, even though the Dell ones aren't too bad of a deal given their capacity. I love the printer.

I went with it after looking on Linux forums for most Linux friendly laser printers.

> Why are there no open-source printers?

I don't know. But I think it's a fine idea. Pick a print head that's easily available as an aftermarket replacement part, and the rest of the bits can be scrounged from 3D printer suppliers.

I abandoned the whole inkjet thing for the same reason most people do - dried-up print heads and refill hassles. After looking at my options for lasers, I got the next best thing to an open-source laser - a 20th-century HP Laserjet "milk crate". The supply of new and used repair parts is plentiful, toner cartridges are about as cheap as they get, native drivers are available for most operating systems, and detailed factory service manuals are available if you want them.

With covid, at least where I live, they sped up paperless (and cashless). Before covid I had to print something to sign (usually for my companies or gov) about once a year, now that is digital. I (and my companies) haven’t had printers for over 10 years now; if printing was needed, we had it done at a shop; now that is not needed anymore either.

In short; my bubble or why is anyone still using printers? I know some countries still use printers; like HK where you have to send everything business or gov on paper still. I am rather for paperless as it makes things environmentally better and so much easier (sending envelops is a real pita if you don’t live in a city; last one I sent took 6 weeks to arrive in HK).

Buy a laser printer. My toner lasts for years.

This is medium tech: mecanically precise design (motors, alignment system, etc) and in many countries it is a patent mine field. Namely, you could release as open source the blue print _and_ build process of a nano-metric accurate motor, with a nano-metric laser interferometer alignment system, but I would not be surprised to see many corps coming at you and not the friendly way.

I thought the open source (in fact free source) started with printer driver ... It is always closed but you can hack it. As regards for the ink it is a different matter. Can you have open source printer but the ink is sort of close in some sense. You can open the source but not the keys I wonder.

There are inkjet printers that use bottled ink, but inkjet printers basically suck either way. Cartridges dry out, print heads clog, etc. TLDR: get a laser printer.

Feel like the paper printing domain should be split between bulk/low-res grayscale needs & high quality multicolour ones.

The former should be something the 3D printing ecosystem can easily come together around.