Just a Tad Bit Too Late...

"If I've known this sooner..." is a phrase I'd like to use for this post.

If you've read my previous entry, you probably think its a lot to spend on ink. You're right... because I just found out a way to cut the cost to 1/3. I won't be popular with HP once I blog about this but hey, being practical is important.

After finishing my printing spree, I came upon this in DataMax@SM san lazaro. It's a Do-it-yourself(DIY) refill kit from Fullmark. Its priced at 390Php (vs 1200) and contains enough ink to refill a cartridge thrice(which is also the reuse limit a of catridge). Ink quality is acceptable so far (paper, photopaper, iron-ons) ; with that many cartidges, I won't need to buy genuines for a while.

disclaimer: I'm neither affiliated nor paid by datamax/fullmark. Such products are still 'try at your own risk'.

Odd Stuff

For me, not being afraid of new things is part of learning. I've accepted rakets, challenges and requests that come my way if only for the slightest chance that I discover something that I did not know before. But for the life of me... I sometimes end up doing some pretty odd things.

Costly Certification
During college, I was asked if I can produce colored certificates. I was able to clear that but it killed my Epson Stylus printer. Should have learned from this XD.

Domestic Help
I recently finished a project with the Department of Foreign Affairs(DFA) and International Labour Organization(ILO) entitled "Protecting Domestic Workers from their Vulnerability to Forced Labour and Trafficking" which is an interactive cd training tool made in Flash. After months and months of content revisions, I was reminded that I had to make 200 copies complete with packaging and a 12-page printed manual. I had difficulty in looking for a printer(offset/publisher) that can do this for me (6 unique color pages @200 copies each~1200sides, is too costly to run). So after busting my wallet for ink cartridge cost, my beloved HP Deskjet 5740 had to bear with me in this foolish attempt at printed production.

8 hp 95 cartridges(1200php each), 3 hp 94 (1000php each) busting a wallet was never this easy

What was I thinking?

Had to hire my cuz (thanks kat!) to help me out with cutting and packaging. It was lauched at the DFA on Aug. 30, 2006 and I'm grateful to them for the experience and the chance to help train those who will help our domestic workers.
Saintly Shirts
My mom requested me to take on a task: Photo Quality Tshirt printing. This guy does not learn, does he? My excuse is: 'these shirts are for priests and religious people'. The order was 80 shirts, and I had a hard time looking for and buying Iron-on transfers. I ended up using 3 brands (HP, ImageFlow Pro and APLI). HP and APLI were acceptable (73 and 70php per sheet respectively) while ImageFlow (63php) was dreadful because it was so thin(the printer kept jamming). The difficult part was the ironing and I wasn't even bad with ironing itself. Some browning occurs if you iron it too long; the print doesn't stick as well if done too quickly. That's an average of 5min per shirt, 1000Watt Iron and full-body weight pressure (200lbs of purely brute brymac XD).

The one on the left is a reject/experiment; center is the Iron-on transfer print; right is the print on the back of the shirt.

Often times reason is abandoned for things like rewards, charity, lessons or blessings. How long will I learn and live like this? For as long as I can I guess...