tweedmorton
New Member
Is there anyone out there that has experience with the Plotter Doctor and repair of the drum on a Gerber HS15 plus??
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Gerber plotter drum
- Thread starter tweedmorton
- Start date
Fred Weiss
Merchant Member
I have heard of The Plotter Doctor but have never done any business with him. As far as being familiar with the drum, I am. What did you want to know?
tweedmorton
New Member
I just wanted to know if anyone has done business with him.
Gino
Premium Subscriber
Welcome from PA.............................
We've done business with him three times. I can't say that I'm pleased with his work as of lately.
Our first plotter he repaired instead of replacing parts like he said he would do. Cost was still the same.
Second plotter he did replace the drum on our 30" and we have been happy since, until our most recent which was a 15" plotter.
He charged us to fix a problem and had a 90 day warranty and it gave out. We contacted him around 60 days that his repair work did not work. He diddled around until the 90 days was up and then he said we were over the warranty. Rather than get into a pissing contest, we just go without our 15" til this day and it cost us $1,200 plus shipping and insurance. It's a kinda sore subject with me.
We've done business with him three times. I can't say that I'm pleased with his work as of lately.
Our first plotter he repaired instead of replacing parts like he said he would do. Cost was still the same.
Second plotter he did replace the drum on our 30" and we have been happy since, until our most recent which was a 15" plotter.
He charged us to fix a problem and had a 90 day warranty and it gave out. We contacted him around 60 days that his repair work did not work. He diddled around until the 90 days was up and then he said we were over the warranty. Rather than get into a pissing contest, we just go without our 15" til this day and it cost us $1,200 plus shipping and insurance. It's a kinda sore subject with me.
tweedmorton
New Member
I wondered about how he works. He claims his drums are better than new.
Thanks for the heads up! I think I'll look some where else. Too bad people can't be honest and take care of business the right way. Most folks in the trade help each other out not cheat you out of $1200 bucks. Happy for this site so we can tell all about the bad apples.
Thanks for the heads up! I think I'll look some where else. Too bad people can't be honest and take care of business the right way. Most folks in the trade help each other out not cheat you out of $1200 bucks. Happy for this site so we can tell all about the bad apples.
Fred Weiss
Merchant Member
Please let us know if you find any other source than GSP for drums. If not and you get one from Gerber, feel free to ask for help in changing one out. It's pretty easy and only takes about 15 minutes.
tweedmorton
New Member
Does Gerber sell them and if so what kind of $ do they want?
Fred Weiss
Merchant Member
Not sure if they still offer them or not since any plotter using that drum has been discontinued for about 10 years. The last time I checked on one ... which was a while back, they were around $800.
Fred Weiss
Merchant Member
Installing a new drum in a Gerber 15" plotter
Here's a step by step from memory. The memory is of Signmaker, Sprint and SuperSprint plotters so there may be some minor differences you will need to interpret with the HS-15. You will need a Phillips screwdriver and a set of Allen wrenches.:
1. Unplug the plotter from the electrical outlet.
2. Remove the Phillips screws that hold on the two end covers and remove the end covers. This may vary with the keypad on the front of the HS-15 and you may only want to remove the rear end cover.
3. Locate the motor that drives the X-axis drum. It is held in place by four Phillips screws. Make note of its approximate position, remove the four screws and remove the motor.
4. You are now looking at the gear that is driven by the motor. It is attached to a stainless steel drum support shaft that runs through the X-axis drum. It is held in place by a Allen screw collar clamp. The drum support shaft is held in place by a second collar clamp located just the other side of the chassis wall on the drum itself. Later, when you install the new drum you will want to adjust the side to side slop. So at this time, spin the drum an note the relative freedom with which it spins and how little if any side to side slop there is if you try to wiggle the drum from side to side.
DO NOT loosen the collar clamp on the gear, but DO loosen the Allen screw on the collar clamp on the drum.
5. Place one hand on the X-axis drum to prevent it from moving and with the other hand turn the drum drive gear while also pulling it straight out of the drum. The gear and the support shaft will come completely out of the plotter. Left behind are the drum, the collar clamp and one or two washers that ride on the shaft between the drum and the motor end roller bearing. Make note of the order of these washers. Also make note of which end of the drum has the sliding sprocket.
Optional step 5A. Inspect the drum support shaft for any significant wear at the two points that in was in contact with the two roller bearings. If wear is visible, loosen the collar clamp on the drive gear, remove the gear and clamp, reinstall on the other end of the shaft and tighten the collar clamp. Because the contact points are different, this is the next best thing to replacing the drum support shaft.
6. Remove the drum and washers from the plotter. Place the drum collar clamp on the new drum in the same orientation as on the old drum. Insert the drum support shaft slightly through the bearing on the motor end and place the washers on it in the same order as when removed.
7. Insert the new drum into the cavity and work the support shaft all the way through it and the roller bearing on the other end.
8. With your fingers on the sprocket and your thumb on the drum drive gear, gently but firmly squeeze together to remove any side to side slop and tighten the drum collar clamp. Check the drum for any side to side wiggle (there should be none) and that it spins freely as experienced in step 4.
9. Reinstall the motor. Note this is a slotted adjustment for how tightly the motor gear meshes with the drum drive gear. As with step 8, a gentle but firm squeeze is what is needed.
10. Plug in the plotter and slew the plotter left and right listening and looking for anything that doesn't sound or look right. If satisfied, unplug the plotter, reinstall the end covers, plug it back in and you're good to go.
Here's a step by step from memory. The memory is of Signmaker, Sprint and SuperSprint plotters so there may be some minor differences you will need to interpret with the HS-15. You will need a Phillips screwdriver and a set of Allen wrenches.:
1. Unplug the plotter from the electrical outlet.
2. Remove the Phillips screws that hold on the two end covers and remove the end covers. This may vary with the keypad on the front of the HS-15 and you may only want to remove the rear end cover.
3. Locate the motor that drives the X-axis drum. It is held in place by four Phillips screws. Make note of its approximate position, remove the four screws and remove the motor.
4. You are now looking at the gear that is driven by the motor. It is attached to a stainless steel drum support shaft that runs through the X-axis drum. It is held in place by a Allen screw collar clamp. The drum support shaft is held in place by a second collar clamp located just the other side of the chassis wall on the drum itself. Later, when you install the new drum you will want to adjust the side to side slop. So at this time, spin the drum an note the relative freedom with which it spins and how little if any side to side slop there is if you try to wiggle the drum from side to side.
DO NOT loosen the collar clamp on the gear, but DO loosen the Allen screw on the collar clamp on the drum.
5. Place one hand on the X-axis drum to prevent it from moving and with the other hand turn the drum drive gear while also pulling it straight out of the drum. The gear and the support shaft will come completely out of the plotter. Left behind are the drum, the collar clamp and one or two washers that ride on the shaft between the drum and the motor end roller bearing. Make note of the order of these washers. Also make note of which end of the drum has the sliding sprocket.
Optional step 5A. Inspect the drum support shaft for any significant wear at the two points that in was in contact with the two roller bearings. If wear is visible, loosen the collar clamp on the drive gear, remove the gear and clamp, reinstall on the other end of the shaft and tighten the collar clamp. Because the contact points are different, this is the next best thing to replacing the drum support shaft.
6. Remove the drum and washers from the plotter. Place the drum collar clamp on the new drum in the same orientation as on the old drum. Insert the drum support shaft slightly through the bearing on the motor end and place the washers on it in the same order as when removed.
7. Insert the new drum into the cavity and work the support shaft all the way through it and the roller bearing on the other end.
8. With your fingers on the sprocket and your thumb on the drum drive gear, gently but firmly squeeze together to remove any side to side slop and tighten the drum collar clamp. Check the drum for any side to side wiggle (there should be none) and that it spins freely as experienced in step 4.
9. Reinstall the motor. Note this is a slotted adjustment for how tightly the motor gear meshes with the drum drive gear. As with step 8, a gentle but firm squeeze is what is needed.
10. Plug in the plotter and slew the plotter left and right listening and looking for anything that doesn't sound or look right. If satisfied, unplug the plotter, reinstall the end covers, plug it back in and you're good to go.
JRgraphics
New Member
Hi Fred, do the bearings ever give out, mine has a noise at the gear end of the drum shaft. It's not consistent but about every half turn it makes a rubbing noise. It does not effect the cutting or plotter movement. What do you think?
Fred Weiss
Merchant Member
I've never heard of the roller bearings wearing out. Could be the spring washer, could be the gear, or it might just be dirty.
JRgraphics
New Member
Thanks Fred, I look it over and let you know.
peewee the pinstriper
New Member
Two thumbs up for the doctor! IF you do send you HS15 to him do yourself a favor and go to Walmart and buy a big Ice chest to send it to him... He requests you build a crate to ship in in... i bought the Ice chest for $57 and packed it in that then duct taped the thing shut... it even has handles on either end to aid in the shipping process... He was impressed to say the least on my shipping technique ( we ship ATV motors this way) and even calld me to let me know that was one heck of an idea..besides you can't build a crate for $60 and in the end you end up with a big ol' honkin' ice chest 
James Burke
Being a grandpa is more fun than working
Two thumbs up for the doctor! IF you do send you HS15 to him do yourself a favor and go to Walmart and buy a big Ice chest to send it to him... He requests you build a crate to ship in in... i bought the Ice chest for $57 and packed it in that then duct taped the thing shut... it even has handles on either end to aid in the shipping process... He was impressed to say the least on my shipping technique ( we ship ATV motors this way) and even calld me to let me know that was one heck of an idea..besides you can't build a crate for $60 and in the end you end up with a big ol' honkin' ice chest
Usually UPS slaps an extra charge on for a "non-uniform" container (such as a bucket). How about the ice chest?
Fred Weiss
Merchant Member
Two thumbs up for the doctor! IF you do send you HS15 to him do yourself a favor and go to Walmart and buy a big Ice chest to send it to him... He requests you build a crate to ship in in... i bought the Ice chest for $57 and packed it in that then duct taped the thing shut... it even has handles on either end to aid in the shipping process... He was impressed to say the least on my shipping technique ( we ship ATV motors this way) and even calld me to let me know that was one heck of an idea..besides you can't build a crate for $60 and in the end you end up with a big ol' honkin' ice chest
I have no beef with The Plotter Doctor and, as far as I know, the company is a valuable resource to the sign making community.
Having said that, I think anyone who invests in a tool that is central to earning their living should take a few covers off and spend a little time figuring out what is what and how it works. While there are a few things it may not be wise to try to fix yourself, most things are not and you will be miles ahead taking care of 99% of the maintenance and repairs yourself.
I've run Gerber equipment continuously since 1983 and have never encountered a maintenance procedure or repair to any of it that required shipping the equipment off to the factory or a repair specialist. Replacing a drum in a Gerber plotter is just about the most difficult thing one will ever attempt with that device (which is not to say it is particularly difficult) and I was able to provide a 10 step instruction on doing it from memory a few posts back that I think most people can successfully complete.
Plotters, in particular, are very simple devices that execute mechanical movement on either three or four axes and have a couple of motors and sensors along with modular circuit boards that can be swapped out in troubleshooting a problem. There is really nothing about them that isn't fairly obvious and you shouldn't be dependent on others to stay operational.
As far as crating or interesting packaging ideas, you are leaving yourself open to loss by not retaining original factory containers and using them. If I ever bought a used plotter or printer, it would only be if the original shipping containers had been saved and was included with the purchase.
My replacement rubber cover on drum has seams, resulting in uneven surface for cutting vinyl material. Not horrible but there are issues cutting intermediate vinyl. I have been looking into other companies that specialize in rubber tubing. I like to have something that can be slipped over drum like a platen on an old Underwood type writer.
peewee the pinstriper
New Member
I want to say it was like $65 shipping and insurance from northern cal to southern cal.
shakey0818
New Member
drum 4 plotter
i just got off the phone with gerber 2 hrs ago ad thy said a new drum for my 15 year old gsx plus 15" plotter was going to be $395.let me know if you find a replacement cheeper or a new slip on cover and where to buy 1 ty&gl
i just got off the phone with gerber 2 hrs ago ad thy said a new drum for my 15 year old gsx plus 15" plotter was going to be $395.let me know if you find a replacement cheeper or a new slip on cover and where to buy 1 ty&gl