Date   : Mon, 26 Jul 2010 19:33:37 +0100
From   : tim.fardell@... (Tim Fardell)
Subject: Plotter Repairs

Storer, Darren wrote:
> I've been after an Acorn IEEE488 adapter for longer than I can remember 
> (just missed out on one on eBay at the start of the year). There's a 
> pile of test gear here that I control using GPIB and it would be great 
> to be able to use my beeb as an extra controller.

Sorry a bit off-topic, but this thread reminded me - I've got a lovely 
old Hewlett Packard flatbed plotter with HPIB interface (the same as 
GPIB for all practical purposes).

I actually bought an RS232 to IEEE488 converter box just so I could 
play with it! (Well, actually my brother bought it for me as a present 
when I declared it was too expensive just for a toy.)

The plotter worked great when I put it away, but when I got it out 
recently I was dismayed to see that the surface of the bed had peeled 
away all around the edges. Since it uses electrostatic chart hold, I'm 
not really sure what type of glue to use to paste it back, nor whether 
I could do so smoothly enough to allow it to work properly. Weird 
because I carefully stored it at RTP just with a dust cloth over it. 
It's a real shame because apart from that it's in pristine condition 
and worked really nicely.

If anyone has any suggestions as to how to reattach the bed surface 
I'm all ears.

I love flat bed plotters. They're a joy to behold. It would make my 
decade to get this working again.