Cowboy,
An aside on inkjet printers and print heads.
One reason HP ink cartridges are so expensive is that the heads are an integral part of the cartridge, as you mentioned.
My first ink printer was a EPSON which had fixed heads. Over time, those heads got to the point where they needed to be reworked. I got several quotes for the job ... could buy a new printer for near the same price. So, I bought an HP. Pay more for the cartridges, but I get new print heads each time.