TIL a weird trick for getting a clean plot from an old HP 7550

I was trying to get a final plot out for a client in Cincinnati and my old HP 7550 plotter just kept jamming. The paper would feed about six inches and then stop. I checked the rollers, cleaned the heads, and even tried a new paper roll. Nothing worked. I must have spent three hours on it yesterday. Finally, I called a guy I used to work with and he asked if I had tried turning the whole machine upside down and giving it a firm shake. I thought he was joking, but I did it. A tiny piece of plastic, maybe from an old pen cap, fell out of the paper path. It worked perfectly after that. Has anyone else had to do something that silly to fix a plotter?

2 comments

2 Comments

noah91421d ago

Always thought those old plotters needed gentle care, but sometimes you just gotta shake the hell out of them.

anna56721d agoMost Upvoted

My buddy had a plotter that would ONLY work if he smacked the side panel twice. Like a weird tech vending machine.