Dropped a screwdriver into a running printer and watched it fly out like a rocket

I was fixing an old HP LaserJet in my shop in Tulsa and my #2 Phillips slipped right into the paper feed path. Hit the test button without thinking and that thing shot out the back and dented my drywall... Still haven't found the screwdriver. Anyone else have a tool go rogue like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

luna_wells576d ago

Your best bet is to check the fuser rollers and waste toner bin. That screwdriver is probably wedged somewhere in the guts waiting to jam things up next time.

green.mason6d ago

luna's right on the money about checking deeper than just the screwdriver itself. Once that thing's been rattling around inside the printer for a while it can scratch up the drum or mess with the toner distribution. Definitely pull the whole toner cartridge out and give the fuser a good look too, sometimes metal shavings from the screwdriver tip can get embedded in the rollers. Also check the waste toner bin for any foreign bits that might have fallen in there during the scramble to get it out. Those little fragments can cause faint lines on everything you print for months and you'll never figure out why.