[rescue] Any interest in an ImageWriter I?

[Geoffrey S. Mendelson]

On Mon, Apr 09, 2007 at 02:41:57AM -0500, Bill Bradford wrote:

> The last time I dealt with a "plotter", it was really nothing more than 
> a wide-format-paper HP inkjet printer.  I've not seen one that actually 
> used separate pens in *years* (e.g., since about 1990-91 or so, back in
> the days of Gateway '386 systems and AutoCAD..)

I have an HP one, I got a few years ago when I thought I was going to
actually build hardware (ca 2003). It has feed problems, which probably
can be easily fixed, but I haven't used it, so I did not fix it. It does
produce really nice output though, but so does a modern inkjet.

It will produce an 11X17 inch plot much bigger than any of the printers
I have.

At the time I could still buy pens locally from stores that catered to
architects.


Some day, I'll get around to cleaning it off, fixing the feed problems
and doing something with it. Or maybe not :-(

I have a few pens for it, but buying a set of new pens from the U.S. or a
new set of feed rollers will cost more than a decent high resolution
inkjet printer.

My original intention was to have our engineer design boards on a computer,
and then use the plotter to draw the traces on copper covered boards. 
The boards would then be developed like film, by removing the copper where
it was not covered by ink. At one time this was the standard way of making
small quantities of circuit boards. 

Now, I have no idea of how it is done, but there are plenty of places
that will make boards from you directly from files output by programs.

The people that I know who are professionals use programs that cost
$10k up, but there are plenty of freeware or cheap programs out there.

To go back to the original subject, I would love to trade an Imagewriter
II (I have two of them) for an ImageWriter I. Unfortunately the shipping
would be far more than the printers are worth.

I found that I could get ribbons from the U.S., and might even if I looked
hard enough get one locally, but where do you get tractor feed paper?

Geoff.

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