Gene@mpls
New Member
This has been a work in progress- but I think is is done and I am
satisfied. Not only am I cheeep- but I like to customize things to my
tastes. The winder is a rotisserie motor (50 or 100$) with a homebrew
brass adapter to turn a closet rod with various plastic plumbing fittings
to get to the right size to slip a 3" core on. The plastic has some slip
when fit to the rod and coro strips screwed to the plastic has tension/slip
to the core. To load a core you lift the left side of the rod and slip it on-
same to unload- to transfer the core to a wall mounted post leading to
a 12ft table and then to the laminator. I don't think this is common- but...
I also like that I don't have to stoop, as my stooper does not work as it
used to. The winder is turned on/off by a motion detector/relay that also
runs the IR heater. The snorkel picks up the print carriage and triggers
the winder and IR- and shuts off after no motion for 4-5 min. This has not been a problem as the winder will slip for this interval and the IR does not overheat the vinyl before turning off.
The IR I bought is an add-on unit meant to add to an existing heater
on a stand- cheaper and I didn't want the stand. I tried it on top of the
vinyl but it is very clumsy so switched to the bottom with a stainless
'grill' to keep the vinyl off until it is attached to the winder. IR heats from
the inside out so I get good drying. When the vinyl is attached to the
winder the vinyl is pulled taut- the distance can be adjusted with the
large wing nuts which come with the unit.
I am sure a lot of purists are puking on their shoes but it works for me
and has made me a millionaire (joke- but multi-thousandaire). Gene
satisfied. Not only am I cheeep- but I like to customize things to my
tastes. The winder is a rotisserie motor (50 or 100$) with a homebrew
brass adapter to turn a closet rod with various plastic plumbing fittings
to get to the right size to slip a 3" core on. The plastic has some slip
when fit to the rod and coro strips screwed to the plastic has tension/slip
to the core. To load a core you lift the left side of the rod and slip it on-
same to unload- to transfer the core to a wall mounted post leading to
a 12ft table and then to the laminator. I don't think this is common- but...
I also like that I don't have to stoop, as my stooper does not work as it
used to. The winder is turned on/off by a motion detector/relay that also
runs the IR heater. The snorkel picks up the print carriage and triggers
the winder and IR- and shuts off after no motion for 4-5 min. This has not been a problem as the winder will slip for this interval and the IR does not overheat the vinyl before turning off.
The IR I bought is an add-on unit meant to add to an existing heater
on a stand- cheaper and I didn't want the stand. I tried it on top of the
vinyl but it is very clumsy so switched to the bottom with a stainless
'grill' to keep the vinyl off until it is attached to the winder. IR heats from
the inside out so I get good drying. When the vinyl is attached to the
winder the vinyl is pulled taut- the distance can be adjusted with the
large wing nuts which come with the unit.
I am sure a lot of purists are puking on their shoes but it works for me
and has made me a millionaire (joke- but multi-thousandaire). Gene
Need to post a drawing for those of us that want to DIY. I take it the motion sensor detects movement of the printhead?
:ROFLMAO: Franken-heater...too funny.
