HP Pen Plotter

[Doug_P]

I have been given an old HP 7586b plotter. Is there a way to use it with Autocad 2009? I would like to know before I accept the offer, it's big and I need to move it about 15 miles.

[lpseifert]

See if you can get a driver from HP for your operating system.

[Doug_P]

I've tried to locate a driver from HP and there isn't one available. I'm running Windows XP pro. I was wondering if anyone has tried to run one of these older plotters on a newer computer.

[Rickard5]

I use the same Roland Plotter Driver on all my HP Pen Plotters and they work Flawlessly
I'm using the Roland DXY980 plotter Driver in win 2k, XP and Vista
I have a Draftmaster Pen Plotter at the shop
a 7475A and a 7470 here in my Home Studio
and I have a 7550 out in my home shop I use to plot templates and such
All of them work flawlessly with this driver! I'm also using Autocad 2002
I think the 7586B is an HPGLII Plotter so the stock windows HPGLII driver will work ! but some things to remember

1. Plotters are not printers, You are pretty much going to use it with Autocad or Illustrator only, they don't print Raster Graphics

2. HP Felt tip pens suck! It is worth the time and investment to buy some Rapidograph pens off epay to convert to plotter pens I can tell you how.

3. Hord every OLD DRIED up pen you can get your hands on thay are real useful for conversions, Like I build CHEEP CHEEP Balpoint pens for doing checkplots and for plotting pattrens

4. if you do go the Rapidograph pen rout you'll save a TON OF MONEY on ink, Cartridges for my HP DesignJet 600 cost me like $28 each but a bottle of Rapideograph Ink costs me $2.75 (Higgins T100) and with 00,0, and #1 pens a bottle will last though 2-3 rolls of paper

5. HP Serial Plotters REQUIRE a special Null Modem Cable
cables to go has one for $9

6. HP Serial Plotters like real Serial Ports, I've had real bad luck with the usb to serial stuff, but then it might be that I got the $9.99 special

I'd go and get the thing before I DO !!!!!!!

Ohh and one more thing Autocad will have a driver in the plotter wizzard! and it sucks so bad plots look like they were done on a dot matrix printer, and that driver beats the pens all to hell!

do me a favor if you decide not to get the plotter at least get me all the pens he has

[ReMark]

I will suggest not taking the plotter. Do you really want to be stuck using pens? Find a used/refurbished inkjet.

[Doug_P]

Rickard5,
Thanks for the info I'm going to try to find the driver from roland and see if I can get the plotter up and running. I know that there are only a couple of pens in the carosel.

Remark,
This plotter is free, I know that a inkjet is more versital than the old pen plotters. I just like the uniqueness of them and I'm a bit of a tinkerer. It will be fun to see if I can make it work.

[ReMark]

I thought most of the pens were sealed units. How does someone actually go about refilling them? We actually deep-sixed a Mutoh pen/pencil plotter because we could no longer get pens from the manufacturer and Mars-Staedtler discontinued making and selling similar type pens that would work in the plotter.

Funny how pen plotters would jump around the drawing as the media rolled back and forth compared to inkjet plotters were the drawings are just spit out in a straight line.

[Rickard5]

Thanks for the info I'm going to try to find the driver from roland and see if I can get the plotter up and running.

Doug the file name is d028220j.exe located here and go to Roland DGA and get their "Dr.Stika" app if you want to mess with cutting vinyl stickers (it's Free)
if you need a Cable check these guys out

I know that there are only a couple of pens in the carosel.

I'd keep ONE at least to have as a guide to the model pens it uses, You Probaly got lucky and they are the Taller style pens that give you more room for modding. I'll try to work up a brief how to on converting Koh-I-Noor Rapediograph pens for use with the HP Plotter pens . Remember epay is your friend I picked up a full set of Rapediograph pens for $20 and about 150 Felt tip pens for another $20 so now for a $40 upfront investment I can use $2.75 Bottles of ink that last twice as long as the $35 Cartriges in my Design Jet 600
and if you want to mess with cutting you can use a Roland type blade holder $45 off ebay NEW and Blades are out there for $10 for 4

This plotter is free,

Best Price !!! I paid $300 in shipping to get my Draft master E size plotter here from FLA

I know that a inkjet is more versital than the old pen plotters.

WRONG WRONG WRONG
1 can't cut vinyl Paint masks or stickers
2 can't get that wounderfull Pen and ink look in your drawings
3 can't use Illustration board
4 a roll of Vellum Costs a fortune and you'll waste 1/2 of it
5 Shinny object Factor, Pen Plotters are an exercize in Robotics Like an automated Drafting robot !

I could go on for pages

I just like the uniqueness of them and I'm a bit of a tinkerer. It will be fun to see if I can make it work.

That's the spirit Good to se some one else willing to tinker with something instead of being spoon feed

I thought most of the pens were sealed units. How does someone actually go about refilling them?

Where there's will there's a dumb redneck that don't know you can't refill them

We actually deep-sixed a Mutoh pen/pencil plotter because we could no longer get pens from the manufacturer

You're KILLING ME. I'd love to have a Mutoh Plotter

Pens are easy if you can't buy them MAKE THEM

Mars-Staedtler discontinued making and selling similar type pens that would work in the plotter.

epay

Funny how pen plotters would jump around the drawing as the media rolled back and forth compared to inkjet plotters were the drawings are just spit out in a straight line.

Shinny Object Factor , that's what makes them soo kool

[Doug_P]

Here's 9 and I've got 1 more before I can add a signature.

[Doug_P]

Rickard5, I couldn't agree with you more. I think that the pen plotters are very cool. What I meant about ink jet plotters was the ability to print photos, color logos and such.

Some years ago I stood in an engineers office watching the pen plotter doing it's drawing and was amazed. We have a graphtec plotter at work for doing vinyl and it works on the same principal.

I also found the driver you sent me the link for and there is a cable place close to our house. http://toplinecables.com/ They are a little more expensive than the link you sent.

Thanks so much for all your help. Doug