I just use/focus on Home Inkjet Printers, they are simpler, with more free tutorials on the internet and more common parts available on the internet with accessible prices and thus, easier to deal with.

If you want to use other types of 2D printers, such as laser printers, I don't think this project will be able to help you.

Inkjet printers are the common "2D" printers you often see at homes, offices, universities or schools.

There are a lot of types of inkjet printers with even more types of parts and ways of working, so try to stick to the cheapest home printers because they are more standardised than the rest.

Some places use "professional" or industrial level inkjet printers that will be more complex and harder to find new parts, they probably won't have as many tutorials as you see on the internet.

Do not buy new ones, just go to areas where there are a lot of electronic trash pilling up: office centers, junkyards etc. You can even ask for your friends and/or family for their broken ones, you will be surprised on how much electronic trash people produce.

Useful materials:

What are the types of printers?

• Laser Printers
• Solid Ink Printers
• LED Printers
• Business Inkjet Printers
• Home Inkjet Printers
• Multifunction Printers
• Dot Matrix Printers

You will lose/break parts by accident.

Thus the need for broken/old/used/thrown away printers that you will probably find for free.

As careful as you will try to be, eventually you will break stuff without knowing it. So better have a spare for everything...

I don't know exaclty the name/type of the tip you will need to use to disassemble the printers, but normally a normal interchangeable screwdriver kit will have all the tips you will need. It is normally sold as "screwdriver for electronics". It doesn't have a lot of mistery to it.

As I said, there are a lot of free tutorials on the internet, and the disassembling process will depend heavily on the type of printer you're trying to take apart. But don't worry about that, just go searching around the printer and eventually you will find the screw holes.

Useful materials:

Here is a video showing the disassemblying process/instructions for HP Inkjet printers, that are normally seen on homes: