idowell@bbn.com (Ian Dowell) (02/25/91)
Can anyone give me instructions on how to remove the platen on the imagewriter II for cleaning and unjamming? The manual isn't helpful on this point. Thanks, Ian Dowell idowell@bbn.com
sethcohn@alchemy.tcnet.ithaca.ny.us (seth cohn) (02/27/91)
idowell@bbn.com (Ian Dowell) writes: > Can anyone give me instructions on how to remove the > platen on the imagewriter II for cleaning and unjamming? > The manual isn't helpful on this point. I may live to regret this but...... Why do you want to know? If it's a label stuck.... take it to your apple dealer. If they are at all competent, it's an easy but timeconsuming thing to clean, using the right tools and such. Suggest they use the stuff that gets tackyness off, That's 9/10 of the battle. If it's something else..... I still suggest you go to your apple dealer. Trust me, I go inside em all the time, that being what I do for a living. YOU DON'T WANNA START OPENING IT UP, YOU MAY NEVER GET IT WORKING RIGHT AGAIN. I MEAN THAT, IT'S HAPPENED TO ME. AND I KNOW EM INSIDE REAL WELL. If you start playing with the alignment of the parts around the platen, you can seriously screw your printer up, and need REAL help. I've spent hours with imagewriters, not fixing the orginal problem, but getting em towrking right again, after fixing what WAS wrong. for labels, figure that $50-75 is about right. The money spent is well worth the time (and agony) you'll save. P.S Apple redesigned the Imagewriter II BECAUSE it was a pain to take apart. The NEW version is much nicer, and easier to work with. Seth, the Friendly Service Tech Seth Cohn PO 671 Ithaca NY 14850-0671 (607)272-7002 BBS 273-2815 (Voice) All opinions expressed in any way, are simply opinions. No more, No Less. I represent only myself. I am not, and have never been Elvis. Smile.
jnsims01@ulkyvx.bitnet (03/05/91)
In article <13390@hubcap.clemson.edu>, rbrink@hubcap.clemson.edu (Rick Brink) writes: > From article <62947@bbn.BBN.COM>, by idowell@bbn.com (Ian Dowell): >> Can anyone give me instructions on how to remove the >> platen on the imagewriter II for cleaning and unjamming? >> The manual isn't helpful on this point. > (other good instructions on cleaning the platen deleted to save bandwidth) Just one additional note. In all the time I worked on Imagewriter printers (both I's and II's), the only reason I ever had to remove the platen was to clean out stuck labels from the metal shield beneath the platen. And in 95% of the cases where labels got stuck, it was caused by the user turning the platen backwards to try to align the top of the labels. Invariably, this action would peel one or more labels off the sheet and jam them irremovably underneath the platen. One customer I remember had this happen *nine* times before she finally listened to the following useful pieces of advise. * DON'T use the multi-lable pages (three labels wide by eleven labels high, for instance). * DON'T use any lables of any sort which are friction-fed. * DO use one-wide, pin-fed labels (available from any good office supply house) and be sure that you are using the pin feeders to push them through, AND that the friction feed is OFF. * Finally, NEVER try to save labels by rolling the platen in reverse to line up the last label - instead, ALWAYS roll forward to the top of the next label. ************************************************************************ My wife AND my employer ignore my opinions - feel free to do the same! ************************************************************************ * John Norman Sims, Jr. * BITNET: JNSIMS01@ULKYVM * * University of Louisville * Voice: (502) 588-5565 * * Computing and Telecommunications * Fax: (502) 588-5048 * ************************************************************************ You can't win, you can't break even, and you can't get out of the game ************************************************************************
rbrink@hubcap.clemson.edu (Rick Brink) (03/05/91)
From article <62947@bbn.BBN.COM>, by idowell@bbn.com (Ian Dowell): > Can anyone give me instructions on how to remove the > platen on the imagewriter II for cleaning and unjamming? > The manual isn't helpful on this point. > > Thanks, > Ian Dowell > idowell@bbn.com To clean the platen, removal is not needed. You can use a mild solvent, some claim isopropopal alcohol (rubbing) works. I use typewriter platen cleaner, it's pretty cheap. Remove the printer to a well ventilated area. Using a coarse, tough paper towel, apply platen cleaner to the towel, then rub back-and-forth along the platen. Don't breath in the vapors, and use gloves if you are concerned about exposer to solvents. And for safty sake, unplug the printer. Do I need to mention not to smoke while doing this? Using several towels and reapplying the cleaner usually removes the shine from the platen in a few minutes. This treatment may be needed quite often. As the rubber hardens over time, the solvent will have less and less effect. You eventually have to replace the platen. Removing the Platen is not easy. You have to do some major dissambly to get it off. It's not worth it unless you're replacing it. To remove labels stuck under the platen, roll a stiff piece of thin cardstock backward through the paper path. Labels are a problem on these printers. Make sure you buy labels designed for printers, as they have a tackier adheasive than plain typewriter labels. And buy only what you need. Most labels loose stick as they get old. Eventually, they just fall off the paper.... Good luck. I take no responsibility for the fool who explodes in flames because they have no common sense. If you don't understand something, don't try it.
omh@cs.brown.edu (Owen M. Hartnett) (03/05/91)
If you do feel motivated to clean your own printer, the compelte disassembly instructions are in the book Macintosh Printer Secrets by Larry Pina, H.W. Sams. Claimer: I was the tech reviewer for the book, which means that I actually ripped open my IW to make sure the instructions were accurate. However, I've already been paid, and don't get anymore if you buy the book. -Owen Owen Hartnett omh@cs.brown.edu.CSNET Brown University Computer Science omh@cs.brown.edu uunet!brunix!omh "Don't wait up for me tonight because I won't be home for a month."