direct result of the interaction of inputs and processes.

[lifftchi]

Spent my Sunday getting my printer working. And I did.



Here's my test print, which was about the second thing I printed, after the configuration page. (Don't ever do that on an HP plotter, by the way. Damned thing is five feet tall.)

I wasn't actually expecting it to be fixable, which is probably why I took so long to get around to working on it. (See also my Xerox DocuCentre.) I mean, let's list here:

• I literally bought it out of a dumpster for a literal five dollars.
• At the time, I was very poor and could not afford ink.
• So I kept it in my living room and ignored it.
• Then I moved.
• And I stored it outside for a year.
• This is the part I am most ashamed of.
• Then I put it in storage for a year.
• Then I brought it to LA with me.
• And I kept it in my garage for another year.
• But I bought ink in the meantime.

By now the printer is covered in cobwebs, dirt, dust, and spilled ink. Some of the plastic is cracked (from the initial dumpstering) and scraped (ditto). Bits and pieces are bent out of shape. I don't have the legs (they were a casualty of some move or other). Truthfully, I feel guilty just thinking about it.

So I took it out today, scrubbed it down with 409 and rubbing alcohol, and started working on it. Oiled the rails. Cleaned the sensors. Bent some metal bits back into shape. Worked my way through a bunch of error messages with the aid of HP's forums. Made some stupid mistakes. But I got it working in the end, which I can only credit to the goddess of victory. I'm not sure why I have such luck with electronic goods, but I am certainly grateful.

Sometime this week I'll have to figure out why the alignment isn't working.