In a message dated 10/12/2008, system98765@............. writes:

Can  anyone recommend something to help with a clogging pen. I have an 
old PS2  recording system and the pen keeps clogging. I have contacted 
the  manufacturer and they want a large amount of $$ to send me new pens 
and  ink.


Hi Kareem,
 
    What ink are you using? Normal 'permanent' fountain  pen inks will not 
dissolve after they have dried out / aged. 
 
    I use UNO drawing pens made by Rotring. They sell a  special cleaning 
fluid for them, which works well. You may need to push a fine  wire down the pen? 
Rotring use a 'built-in' tungsten wire. Try a hard drawn  Nichrome wire?
 
    I have also looked at inks for chart recorder pens  / inkjet printers and 
you can buy specialist cleaning fluid for these.  Check with your local 
computer store / an on-line supplier? I can buy ink in  ~50ml bottles and inject it 
into commercial ink jet printer cartriges to re-fill  them. Soaking the jet 
plate with the cleaning fluid on a thin cover  cloth does clean it. Maybe 
overnight in a polythene bag?
 
    Ask your manufacturer about a cleaning fluid for  their pens? You don't 
say what type / make of pen you are using!  Ideally, you should clean capillary 
tube pens out every few months, to prevent  clogging problems. The special 
needles used for injecting insulin used to come  with a cleaning wire.
 
    Regards,
 
    Chris Chapman






In a message dated 10/12/2008, system98765@............. writes:
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  anyone recommend something to help with a clogging pen. I have an 
old=20=
PS2=20
  recording system and the pen keeps clogging. I have contacted 
the=20
  manufacturer and they want a large amount of $$ to send me new pens 
an=
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  ink.

Hi Kareem,
 
    What ink are you using? Normal 'permanent' foun=
tain=20
pen inks will not dissolve after they have dried out / aged. 
 
    I use UNO drawing pens made by Rotring. They se=
ll a=20
special cleaning fluid for them, which works well. You may need to push a fi=
ne=20
wire down the pen? Rotring use a 'built-in' tungsten wire. Try a hard drawn=20
Nichrome wire?
 
    I have also looked at inks for chart recorder p=
ens=20
/ inkjet printers and you can buy specialist cleaning fluid for these.=20
Check with your local computer store / an on-line supplier? I can buy ink in=
=20
~50ml bottles and inject it into commercial ink jet printer cartriges to re-=
fill=20
them. Soaking the jet plate with the cleaning fluid on a thin cove=
r=20
cloth does clean it. Maybe overnight in a polythene bag?
 
    Ask your manufacturer about a cleaning fluid fo=
r=20
their pens? You don't say what type / make of pen you are using!=20
Ideally, you should clean capillary tube pens out every few months, to preve=
nt=20
clogging problems. The special needles used for injecting insulin used to co=
me=20
with a cleaning wire.
 
    Regards,
 
    Chris Chapman