Atari 1027, rest in peace...

[Gunstar]

Well, I was just talking to the guy at Best Electronics while ordering parts yesterday, I attempted to order an new print head for my 1027 printer, to finally get it up and running. I was going to use it as the final copy printer for a book I'm writing on my A8.

Best E. has quit selling their 1027 printer head stock becuase it's all apparently dry-rotted (or some similiar type of deterioration), still "new" in the package. Apparently they work for about five minutes, then fly about into a million pieces. So there is no way to keep 1027's up and running if it's original head gives out. Good bye 1027, you had your problems, but letter quality printouts wasn't one of them...

 

Does anyone out there still have a 1027 up and running?

Edited February 4, 2012 by Gunstar

[19Echo]

i may be wrong, but i thought that i read somewhere that there was a way to revive them? or another place that had some.

[Gunstar]

If they are new-old-stock like at Best Electronics, chances are they have deteriorated too. I don't think there's a way to "revive" crumbling rubber/polyeurathane or what ever it is...I hope you are right, on either count, but I really don't think Best Electronics stock deterioration is an isolated incident. I think it's just what ever the heads were made of wasn't made to last 25-30 years. There may have been additional preservation steps that could have been taken, but hind-sight is twenty-twenty.

[19Echo]

looking back, it may have pen the 1020 i was thinking about. sorry

[Gunstar]

Yes, there is a place to still get 1020 compatible pens, at least there was several years ago...

[+orpheuswaking]

Do a search in this forum, there have been a couple threads on this and pretty much the general consensus is that 1027 printers are only useful for parts at this time...

 

[Edit]

 

Here is the thread from 2009 with a lot more info

 

http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/149855-1027-so-sad/page__view__findpost__p__1828414

 

as you can see, I actually posted the exact same info from Brad at Best, you would think he would update that on his website

Edited February 5, 2012 by orpheuswaking

[Tin_Lunchbox]

Do a search in this forum, there have been a couple threads on this and pretty much the general consensus is that 1027 printers are only useful for parts at this time...

 

<text clipped for brevity>

 

 

Too bad. Anyone know the current availability and expected condition of printer cartridges for the Atari 825? I hear now and then the home remedies involving an old cartridge and a can of WD40 or whatever, but I dunno if I'll attempt that.

[Gunstar]

Do a search in this forum, there have been a couple threads on this and pretty much the general consensus is that 1027 printers are only useful for parts at this time...

 

<text clipped for brevity>

 

 

Too bad. Anyone know the current availability and expected condition of printer cartridges for the Atari 825? I hear now and then the home remedies involving an old cartridge and a can of WD40 or whatever, but I dunno if I'll attempt that.

 

Best Electronics sells a very good machine called the Savmor Universal Re-inking Machine for $65 that can restore old ribbons too new, and is as good as the quality of ink you use. This is only for black or mono colored ribbons of course. I don't own one, yet, but it looks like a quality machine in the catalog picture. As the name states, it works with all (most) ribbon cartridges. It comes with a black ink bottle that looks like it would last for quite a long time.

 

I remember there was an article years ago in Antic or Analog magazines that delt with home fixes for different problems, and one was a home-made re-inking machine using thread spools and a bowl or something too...as long as the ribbons in the cartridges don't tear or wear through, those can always be renewed one way or another. It's probably even possible to replace the worn ribbon in cartridges some how (a home-brew/McGyver remedy). Rubber print head disintegrating and no modern replacements is a real death blow that Atari or other Dot-Matrix printers don't have to worry about.

Edited February 5, 2012 by Gunstar

[+Allan]

It's to bad the 1027 couldn't be used to make something else. I hate to see all that cool looking XL plastic go to waste.

 

I'd like to make something out of my dead 1050 drive as well.

 

Allan

[Bryan]

It's to bad the 1027 couldn't be used to make something else. I hate to see all that cool looking XL plastic go to waste.

 

I'd like to make something out of my dead 1050 drive as well.

 

Allan

 

The solution would be to make a cast of the bands (difficult, considering their shape) and pour new ones out of fresh material.

 

Maybe one of the mini travel-sized inkjet's could be crammed into the 1027 case and interfaced.

[Gunstar]

It's to bad the 1027 couldn't be used to make something else. I hate to see all that cool looking XL plastic go to waste.

 

I'd like to make something out of my dead 1050 drive as well.

 

Allan

 

Well, the 1050 can be fixed, if you wanted, but yeah, it would be nice to use the cases of stuff that can't be fixed or we just don't need to fix (like yur 1050) as use them for something else. I am currently about to use an old 1030 modem case, and the part of the board with SIO ports and power, to install SIO2PC and SD card, etc. interfaces, maybe an IDE and USB too. I was just looking over my 1027 case to see what I can use it for, and I'm looking to see if there's enough of the bevelled edging to use on the edges of my Commodore 1084 monitor, to match my XL equipment better, and use the metal band on the front and slap an Atari badge on it. Of course this would involve destroying the 1027 case for bits and pieces.

 

There's always something to salvage, if your a hardware freak like myself. I'll desolder the components and SIO ports and re-use them for spares or other projects. The 1027 will be used in salvage, but I had much more noble intentions for the old gal.

Edited February 5, 2012 by Gunstar

[Tin_Lunchbox]

<text clipped for brevity>

 

Best Electronics sells a very good machine called the Savmor Universal Re-inking Machine for $65 that can restore old ribbons too new, and is as good as the quality of ink you use. This is only for black or mono colored ribbons of course. I don't own one, yet, but it looks like a quality machine in the catalog picture. As the name states, it works with all (most) ribbon cartridges. It comes with a black ink bottle that looks like it would last for quite a long time.

 

 

Thanks, but I looked and it appears to be sold out (http://www.best-electronics-ca.com/addendum.htm). I noted your comment about the Atari magazine article for home-made printer ribbon refurbishments.

 

For projects, I'd rather program something than work to get the 825 functional right now, however that beast is so solid and incredible that maybe I can eventually find a time to apply an home remedy.

[MEtalGuy66]

1027s are a good source of male SIO connectors. It also has a real nice solid state bridge rectifier,and quite a few other nice parts in it. The front plastic panel is one of the pieces beetle used to make his 1450XLD replica machine a few years back..

[spamh8r]

I know I'm bumping a pretty old thread-- but it seems that if someone has a print head, a replacement could either be cast, or scanned, then 3D printed. Is there anyone currently attempting to do that, or something similar?

[+Allan]

Isn't the print head on the 1027s made of rubber? I don't think there is a 3-D printer that can do rubber but I could be wrong.

 

Allan

[spamh8r]

Not that I'm aware of, but there are several different densities of ABS... surely something could be done.

[Bryan]

Polyurethanes are nice because they start out as a 2-part liquid and turn into something that feels like rubber (although many different types are available, some being more like a hard plastic). The down side is that they react with oxygen and eventually crumble. If someone could create a silicone printing band, it would probably outlast the rest of the printer.

[+slx]

I think it's just what ever the heads were made of wasn't made to last 25-30 years.

As sad as it is to lose functionality for historic gear 25-30 years is still a lot of endurance. Most of today's printers won't last a fifth of that (although one has to admit that they have become a lot cheaper).

[KLund1]

I've wanted to use a 1027, but the few I've had, the print head fell apart by looking at it twice in a row!

It would nice if someone could make a replacement from a 3D printer. I've read that that technology may not be ready for prime time yet, Nor the correct material to print from. But I'll keep a1027 around just in case someone does step up.

 

But just a thought;

Couldn't you get one that is intact, very carefully remove it after a deep freeze, and make a plaster mold. Then just make a plastic resin cast, drill a hole in the center. then replace it, with stops in the center hole to hold it in place. ???

[1050]

No kind of plastic/vinyl could hold up to the oil that ink is made from, for that you need neoprene rubber. Just for an example, the front seal on my 59 Chevy has been holding back oil since 1975 when I last overhauled it. Plastic just won't last any time at all.

 

Guttenberg used oil and lampblack to make his ink with and as a side effect it allowed some of his landscape wood carvings to last until recently found still in good printing shape. The wooden blocks were tucked out of the way and wrapped up in the oil soaked cloth that kept them clean from dust build up in the printing shop. I've been re-inking my Star printer ribbons with a similar mix since the 80s, Rotella 15-40 works great, the ink outlasts store bought 2 to 1. I started with my 1027 and re-inking it worked great too, until the head came apart. It came apart in the closet, I had long ago retired it because of the outstanding output of Star printers in comparison. But no printer can match this particular font for good looks, the 1027 makes most letter quality fonts look very second rate.

 

Someone will have to use photos like these to make steel molds with and then cast/inject neoprene with them? Wish I knew more about it.

http://atariage.com/...d-photo-survey/

[lbaeza]

Hi

 

Is there a way to cut the letters from this, and somehow paste them on the 1027 wheels?

Please take a look at the attached picture.

 

Kind regards