GPIB interface cards are -very- expensive, $300 ISA and $400 PCI, same
price new or used.
However, a GPIB plotter may fetch a good price on eBay, as long as you
emphasize that it is GPIB. There are still a lot of places using it on
test equipment and plotters.
I mistakenly picked up a GPIB plotter (HP 7475a) at Boeing Surplus for
$20, then after finding out the price of the interface cards I sold it
on eBay for $75. To a business less than 2 miles from Boeing Surplus!
Have you checked out the Scratch 'N Etch idea for making PCBs? There
are some sample etches in the Files (or maybe photos) section.
They are not strong enough to use for drilling. You'd have to rebuild
them entirely, only using the electronics/firmware to drive larger
steppers and more robust mechanicals. Might as well build it from scratch.
Steve Greenfield
--- In
Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "Dave Mucha" <dave_mucha@y...>
wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I am lucky enough to have gotten a few HP plotters. these are the
> ones with the multi pen carosel. I need to check each to see if they
> are all the same model. The paper moves back and forth under the
> pen and the pen moves side to side.
>
> Anyway, I am thinking of doing something with them. one idea is to
> unload them on E-bay, another to see what steppers are used.
>
> the last is to modify one for making PCBs.
>
> the connectors are GPIB or some such odd type.
>
> any suggestions ?
>
> in reading the list there is the pen filled with resist idea and the
> coat the board and scratch off the coating idea.
>
> has anyone modified one of these for drilling ?
>
> Dave