How to Install the Print Ribbon in a Sharp Calculator
By Fred Decker
Although most desks hold a computer, and most computers will run powerful spreadsheet or calculator programs, separate desktop calculators are still widely used. A calculator is often more convenient than an on-screen program, and printing calculators from manufacturers such as Sharp provide a quick hard-copy record of your figures. Over time, the calculator's ink ribbon will wear out and begin to fade, so you'll need to replace it to keep your printing crisp and legible.
Step 1
Remove the paper roll from your calculator, tearing it where it enters the feed mechanism. Hold down the paper advance button on your calculator until it ejects the small remaining piece, then turn off the calculator.
Step 2
Slide the printer cover toward the rear of the calculator until it releases, then lift it off and set it on a nearby flat surface. Your old ribbon will be visible on two small reels, located behind the printhead at the rear of the printing compartment.
Step 3
Lift out the old ribbon and discard it. Open the sealed package containing your new ribbon and slide the full reel over the shaft on the right, with the black side of the ribbon facing up.
Step 4
Thread the ribbon around the metal guides between the printhead and the rubber platen. Slide the second reel onto the left-hand shaft and gently turn the spool to take up any slack.
Step 5
Trim the torn end of your paper roll with a pair of scissors to give it a neat edge. Turn the calculator back on and slide the end of the paper into the feed slot. Hold down the "Paper Advance" button until paper emerges from the printhead.
Step 6
Replace the print cover, inserting the end of the paper through the cover's serrated slot. Slide the cover back into place until it clicks and tear off any excess paper. The calculator is now ready to use.
Tips
- It's difficult to change the ink ribbon without smudging ink onto your fingers, so wear disposable gloves if possible.
Writer Bio
Fred Decker is a trained chef and certified food-safety trainer. Decker wrote for the Saint John, New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal, and has been published in Canada's Hospitality and Foodservice magazine. He's held positions selling computers, insurance and mutual funds, and was educated at Memorial University of Newfoundland and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology.