Printer mod

May 24, 2007 5 Replies

I have built a flatbed printer from an old Epson 640 but need to fool the printer into thinking there is paper in, when the drive stepper is disabled I have tried timing relays but can't get it right. Does any clever person know how I do this. This would be a great project if it were possible.


If it is built from an old printer, then I would assume that it is a centronics connector, that is fed from a db-25 connector.

Simply needs a resistor tied to the PE signal.

I did a writeup on it years ago that you can refer to:

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Don...

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Somehow I was thinking it's an inkjet, the number just seems of that type.

And hence, or maybe because the question suggested it itself, the issue is some interlock that prevents the printer from operating. But perhaps what I was thinking of as interlocks are merely sensors to pass a signal to the computer via the interface.

I'd just find the actual switch, and deal with it, in this application. Though, the question almost seems to suggest that the problem might be a missing switch (because he says he modified the printer, but now it's not working).

Michael

A piece of scotch tape over the switch actuator?

Good Luck! Rich

I have kept the slotted optos and tried using 555 timers to simulate the paper feed it did work a few times but then stopped I don't know if the timing is too critical I might try a geared motor with a slotted disk if all else fails but was wondering if there was a wiring trick, info on how inkjets operate is so hard to find. I can fool the paper feed sensor but not the paper detect switch it seems to be about 6 to 8 seconds delay.

If only it was that simple, its all about timing.

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