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Too cheap for a take-up reel

anotherdog

New Member
Sitting here babysitting my VP540, wishing I had sprung for the take-up reel. I was wondering if some genius on signs 101 had come up with something that could do the job that could be built out of spare cores and release tape.
Phew, I also need to build that extractor fan too.
 

jiarby

New Member
Dood...
What do they cost?? A couple hundred bucks?? The take up on my 1604 Mutoh was one of the bonuses compared to the 1204 when I bought mine.

Take up reel is a MUST HAVE....

Go to the blood bank and give plasma and save up for one.
 
P

ProWraps™

Guest
more like 1400 - 2000 bucks... if you have a laminator, move it in front of your printer. then use the rolls on the front of it to hand wind the prints onto. ghetto take up reel 101.
 

Gene@mpls

New Member
I have been thinking about this for a couple years- I think it could be done
with a BBQ rotisary motor and a motion detector from an outdoor light or
an electric eye. Maybe get to it this winter- slower than hell now. Gene
 

ManningSigns

New Member
here is my homade take up reel. It is manual, but it takes a whil for the print to get to the floor so you have time to do a few other things close by.
 

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Gene@mpls

New Member
I actually have something similar on my VP540- manual wind with an 'egg'
timer on the computer to remind me to wind. Gene
 

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CS-SignSupply

New Member
Heard of using windshield wiper motors and a foot pedal or ir sensor with relay. Never seen it but client told me it works well.
 

sweetpea35

New Member
I built mine from a BBQ rotisary works great. what I did is have it drive a 2" card board tube then throw a couple rubber bands around it slip a 3" tube over that it act like a clutch
because the rotisary turns a little fast than the printer prints it works perfect two years ago I got an order for 40 ten foot banners so I came up with this so I would load in 10
banners go home at night and come back in yhe morning and the machine was just finishing the prints.It cost about 20.00 to make and about two hours. If any body would like to see a pic let me now.
 

LJ4133

New Member
Take Up reel

I have one on my XC 540 and never use it because it's either "too fast" or "too slow" and I have to babysit it going on the take up reel. Once its done I have to reverse the feed and it takes as long to unwind it. What Iended up doing is to put my layout table about 4' away and use a bean bag sock (a big one) to keep it off the floor. It works great since it has to be baby-sat too and I can pull about three feet at a time and just leep it going on my 20' table.
 

Gene@mpls

New Member
Post it up. I love seeing attempts at mechanical ingenuity. I imagine the best system of a take up roll would be a slow rpm paired with a slip clutch. Just keeps enough tension on it with pulling on it.

Ditto- I may have time this winter to do some experimentation. Thanks Gene
 

sweetpea35

New Member
Well here is my attempt at a homemade take up roll. TURKEYS DONE !!!!
DON'T LAUGH IT WORKS!!!!! :flamey:
 

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ColesCreations

New Member
This is what we do on our Epson 10600:
We lay down 2-4 empty rolls on the floor perpendicular to the printer, and have a rack that we roll up the slack every half hour or so. No problem if the vinyl get to the rolls, as they keep 'em off the floor, can have a yard or 2 on them, folds nicely.

Good idea with the rotissery though, but use an arm with a microswitch under the middle of the roll, when the vinyl pushes down the arm, the motor starts and runs untill the slack is taken up. Same system on the old Summa Durachrome we have.
 

gvozden

New Member
We almost finished our take up reel. Work perfect,look like factory model only inproved :) With Omron electronic and servo motors.
Optic is a switch for motors and we made it look like original rolands,with tension aluminium bar.
There is a two way you can made take-up reel. China models have simply photocell/opti switch and when roll touch a beam engine get impuls for several spins till circut is cut again. Or you can do like guys at Roland with tension bar and build in switch(optic). When bar move down ( printed material get lose) bar activate switch and motor wind material as long as bar dont get in higher position.
Like I sad I made roland system but with heavier case and stonger motor so it easy workin with heavy material. As soon as I get back case from powder coating Ill post pictures for you guys. Some of my friends wants for their mutohs becose it can easy work on 1614 with heavyes banners. Mine is for Sp but actually its only diferent in lenght of tension bar.
sorry on bad eng. :)
 

jasonx

New Member
gvozden:

Can you modify it so it works in print and cut runs? So it allows the media to come back off the take up reel?
 

Fuzzbuster

New Member
Use or find an old HP 3800cp
can be found with takeup reel for $3-$400
they have take up reel with the eye on the floor
pillage the take-up system and install it on your printer
they are either on or off when media gets to the floor

can be done but the actual reels arent very strong

just an idea
 

COUNTYSIGNS

New Member
i just today was tryin that -- check it out -- rotiserie motors have forward and reverse-- the unfortunate thing is that the reverse and forward mech.is internally in the motor-- i tried to bypass the switch -- no luck--- but check out this dude on here who built a take up reel for under 20 bucks -- funny -- but works
 

1leonchen

New Member
there was a previous post here of some one doing it with a photo electric switch. can rember his name he had a Roland fj i think
 
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