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A cheep flatbed printer?
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New MessageA cheep flatbed printer? (modified 0 times) Miyu2002
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Been looking for a flatbed printer and may have run across one. The objective for one is this:

1) Print on Printed Circuit board to etch in standard etch solution.
2) Print on a CD.
3) Print on pannels for equipment.

Looking up info on a Casio CW-50 CD labler printer and ran into a Lexmart I3 printer. This comes close. Has two paper path. The bottom tray bend the paper in a U from what I can find but the intersting one is the side slot is a flat path! Looks like no bends on this manual slot.

The question is anyone here have some experence or knowledge with this printer? Esp on the manual sheet feed? Tiger has it for 50 dollars and in the hack range.

Tnks for any info! :)

01-23-2003 01:13:57

New MessageRE:A cheep flatbed printer? (modified 0 times) VivianC
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http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?sku=L40-1150%20P

Neat. I might have to grab one of those. Please, someone let me know if it does CDRs.

VivC

01-23-2003 22:06:27

New MessageRE:A cheep flatbed printer? (modified 0 times) Miyu2002
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From some pic found at the bottom of the tiger page on it looks like a flat path. If this can take somthing as thick as a CD without scratching the top and PC board would be well worth the price. :)

At 49 bucks its a cheep hack so to speek. Oh its USB only no parallel port. And the power adapter plugs in the back.

01-24-2003 00:26:23

New MessageRE:A cheep flatbed printer? (modified 0 times) Miyu2002
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Well just order one today! For the price could not resist.

Will be intersting to see what can be jamed into the manual slot. If this works and the ink holds like the Epson in a copper etching bath should be able to make a true printed circuit board. Spray ink where I want to keep copper and non where to etch. Wonder if I can find a copper based solution where it would spray and stick a copper pattern on a blank board. No etch just deposit the wiring!

And the ability if it wont scar the lacqure on top of a cd or DVD to print on one.

For 49 dollars + 17 for shipping going to be intersting... Will post the results. If any one else orders one remember they DONT include a black cart { color only } and a USB cable!

01-24-2003 20:58:13

New MessageRE:A cheap flatbed printer? (modified 0 times) VivianC
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Ok, I broke down and ordered one as well. I'll let you know what I find out when it gets here.

VivC

01-27-2003 11:56:54

New MessageRE:A cheep flatbed printer? (modified 0 times) shavenwarthog
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Try Bens Bargains (http://bensbargains.net/) -- they have specials on scanners 1-2/week. I purchased a Canon 1200x2400 scanner via them for $50. The scanner is *great* beautiful and hi-res, and the software is quite good. Alas the hardware-based software: the driver and the installer, are both **atrocious** and now no longer work! I'd stay away from Canon unless you get something Mac/Linux compatible, they're probably made by someone else, someone with a clue.

Anyway try Ben's Bargains, they're great.

01-27-2003 12:04:36

New MessageRE:A cheep flatbed printer? (modified 0 times) Miyu2002
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Need to change the thread title and REMOVE the "?"!

Just got the printer delevered. Man that box is huge! About the size of a LaserDisk player. I mean big! I digress... Lets get to the why we are hear! :)

Well slapped the wallwart on the back where it click in. Did not even drop the only cart { color } they included but feed 110 to it and put a pice of paper in the manual slot. It grab it with major force! The path looks flat! So loaded a stack of paper about the thickness of a CD. It grab it! Ok lets go for the gusto! Grabed a CDR and slid it in! It had a bit of problem grabbing it due to possibly being a rouned edge but went through! :)

Need deep in money projects but after waiting a week just had to try this bad boy out! Need to find some of my thin PC board to cram in the slot! When I get a chance will see what it will do! It does look like rubber spring roller not the narled pointed teeth you see in a Epson. But it pitch black in side and cant tell untill I open it up for exploring! :)

For a nightmare of a week it sure helped to bring up my sprits! :)

01-31-2003 19:52:23

New MessageRE:A cheep flatbed printer? (modified 0 times) Miyu2002
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Add to things.

Desided to see how it prints so loaded up the cartridge and hung it on a test computer. Well while its printing open the access door. From what I could see it prity flat path! So if I deside to play a bit more hooky may jam a PC board and do an etch! :)

Also need to see if the print head will clear what I want to stuff in it. If so home free.

02-01-2003 01:44:45

New MessageRE:A cheep flatbed printer? (modified 0 times) stretch
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From what I understand the print head on these are actually in the ink cartdridge and not part of the printer. Therefor when you change the ink cartdridge you get a new print head. Let us know if it prints on a blank cdr.
02-01-2003 13:00:34

New MessageRE:A cheep flatbed printer? (modified 1 times) Miyu2002
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Had to do somethign else than listen to the news. Needed somthing to keep my mind off of stuff. :(

Did jam a CD in it. Non printiable and could hear the head banging but it did print on this non Inkjet label cd. A bit wavery but you could see the Microsoft Print test page! Did the same for a stack of paper and heard the head band on each pass. So some work may be needed but the clean path is a lot of the effort done.

Need to open it up and take a look on actual setup inside. its sone werd printer!

Ok Yes its a completer tank/head assembly smaller size of 4 or 6 AA battries. Kind of like the mount on an Epson to hole both in place. Does a fare job missing the Black cart but you dont get a true black more like a muddle drk gray-brown.

02-01-2003 14:56:38

New MessageRE:A cheep flatbed printer? (modified 0 times) gdlanzi
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I'm creating a CD printer using a Lexmark 1100 printer. These are older printers and should be available for less then $10 on ebay and other places. I have modified this printer to print on cd's and it works ok, but I am still not happy. The beauty of this printer is the way it comes apart. You can remove the plastic and end up with a very compact metal carriage and a separate power supply. Futher more the paper drive section is also removable and is no bigger than 3" x 2" including the stepper motor. My current plan is to create a plexiglass sheet with a cd size hole routed in it to the depth of a cdr. I can drive the plexiglass with the stepper and the roller that came with the printer and then mount the printer carriage on top of and around the plexiglass so that the plexiglass slides underneath of the head at the proper height to print on a cdr. If there is any interest I may post pictures on the construction. This printer could theoretically be able to print on any flat surface that can fit between the 8 3/4" space on the printer carriage assembly.
02-02-2003 15:56:01

New MessageRE:A cheep flatbed printer? (modified 1 times) Miyu2002
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Same with the i3. 10% is working area rest is fluff. :) The main item for me is to see if I can print on a PC board then etched the board.

For labeling a CD have found rub-on letters seem to hold. Mostly dont need to do a full label just label it.

PS: Good luck on your hack! :)

02-02-2003 18:19:50

New MessageRE:A cheap flatbed printer (modified 0 times) VivianC
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Ok, I got my printer this week and a plastic CDR holder from an EZ-CD printer and went nuts. Setup was no problem. Prints fine on regular paper. Tried the CD holder: paper jam. I couldn't get it to feed without pushing it hard. Anyone have any ideas on how to raise the rollers a bit? I took it apart but didn't see anything obvious.

Or maybe someone has a thinner CD holder to try? I also tried to feed a CDR through with a piece of paper and the paper jammed something awful.

Anyone had any success?

VivC

02-06-2003 12:50:03

New MessageRE:A cheep flatbed printer? (modified 0 times) Miyu2002
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Untill I can move something looks like the max is the thickness of a cd. Had to let a client borrow it for a while untill they get a new printer so had to put my fun on hold. :(

Was thinking of raising the cart holder about the thickness of a penny should do it. Sorry no ideas so far on actualy doing it. Hum. Wondering if the CD is hitting the lip of the cart holder? If so a bit of a trim may make it work. Unknow untill I get it back.

For info I stuck the CD as you face the slot on the far left. It took after a bit of a push but was jerkey.

PS: What did you think of the "Size" of this printer? Wow what a footprint!

02-07-2003 02:58:09

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