Re: Imagewriter ll Woes

[dalloff@gcfn.org (Dave Althoff Jr)]

A couple of other IWII tricks...

First of all, make sure that the tractor feed units are properly lined up
and all, and make sure that the feed lever is in the tractor feed
position.  On the ImageWriter II, the tractor feed units don't work if the
lever is in the wrong position...in fact, there is a method for backing
the paper out so that you can friction-feed sheets without taking the
tractor feed paper completely out.

That said, there are a couple of common problems with tractor feed paper
on the IW-II, and the most common is that the paper gets a curl in it at
the top edge, especially if the paper is advanced past the autoload point.
 So here's something to try when you load the paper...

*Double over* the first two pages of the load.  That is, take the first
page and fold it over the first perforation.  Then put the double layer
into the tractor feed.  This increases the stiffness of the paper, and it
means that the first point to enter the platen is actually the BOTTOM of
the first sheet, where it hasn't had a chance to curl.  Form-feed to the
beginning of the third page (second sheet to go through the printer)
before you start printing because otherwise the first page will print too
dark/heavy.

When you put the paper on the tractors, you should be able to press the
FORM FEED button and have it automagically advance until the printhead is
"looking" at the top line of the page.  If you set it up that way, you'll
get proper margins and such.  The problem, of course, is that then it's
hard to cut the sheet off when it's finished.

If doubling up the sheet doesn't solve your paper threading problem, then
you are probably suffering from a case of Avery Syndrome, and it's a real
PITA to fix on an Imagewriter II.  Many times people try to run labels
through the IWII, and it works, until the job is finished.  Then, people
try to remove the stack from the continuous label stock and then run the
remaining partial sheet backward through the printer to unload it. 
Invariably this causes one of the labels to dislodge from the carrier
sheet and get stuck to the platen, the paper guide, or both.  Correction
requires removing the platen, which is not an easy thing to do on an IWII
if I remember correctly.  Remove the offending label, reassemble the
printer, and all should be right with the world.

Unless, of course, you are at your local office supply store trying to
find tractor-feed paper and IW-II color ribbons...  8-)

--Dave Althoff, Jr.
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