Purchasing a used Epson 7880, what precautions should I take in transport?

[uintaangler]

Yes, I know about the potential persistent clogging problems I may encounter with an Epson Wide Format printer, ultimately I decided if I can get a nice used machine locally at a huge discount - that would be my decision.
I am meeting the owner on Monday to decide on the purchase and if I do make the deal - what precautions should be taken in moving the printer out of his home and into mine?
Here is what I am dealing with….
*** quote from seller: "you'll need to have a strong helper to help carry it down a 17 step staircase in my house"
*** load it into the back of my 4Runner for a short drive to my house
*** bring it up some very steep steps to bring it through my front door and into the house

How important is it that it be kept LEVEL while carrying?
Would it be better to remove all ink cartridges and put in new ones when I get it home?
I guess there is ink in the lines - is it better to get it out of the lines? How is that done?

Thanks,
Bob

[huguito]

Based on my own experience moving my 9600 with the help of my son, my guess is that without the carriage frame it was less than 100 pounds, the frame is removed with 2 or 4 screws, have a flat and a Phillips screwdriver with you.

Lock the print head, it should be a bracket that comes with the printer when is delivered new, very easy to install.

Try not to incline it much, we managed to keep it almost horizontal most of the time and no ink was spilled.

Remove the cartriges.

You may find two plastic tabs protruding from the bottom, I think to help position the printer on the frame, make sure to make room for them when you place it on your truck, we broke one, didn't affected how the printer works.

Pay

Drive away

Remember to remove the print head locking bracket or the tape you used to lock it in place if bracket was missing

Print like its no tomorrow


Hugo

We placed the printer on a folded bed cover and lower the tire pressure on the rear tires to minimize road shock

[davidh202]

Leave the carts in!  - lock down the head

directly from the users guide !


Preparing the Printer for Shipment
1. Turn off the printer and wait until the carriage moves to the home
position (on the far right) and the P Power light goes off. Then unplug
the printer.
2. Remove the following parts:
• Power cord and interface cables
• Paper basket
• All paper or other media
• Optional Auto Take-Up Reel (if installed)
• Optional SpectroProofer Mounter (if installed)
3. Leave the ink cartridges installed.

[davidh202]

Get the manual here...


http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/support/supDetail.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&infoType=Doc&oid=171984&prodoid=63089639&category=Products


 tells what to do starting page-167

[Wayne Fox]

*** quote from seller: "you'll need to have a strong helper to help carry it down a 17 step staircase in my house"

Bob

Why does the seller think it's your responsibility?   I wouldn't touch it until he got it down the stairs and to your car, and I'd watch the entire time while he did it.  What happens if you or your friends slip and drop it or worse hurt yourself?  On HIS property? 

tipping is not a good idea ... probably OK if it's new/empty but not such a good idea if it's full of ink.  but there are degrees to "tipping", I don't think some angle would be bad, but I would try to keep it somewhat level.

[Jim Coda]

How important is it that it be kept LEVEL while carrying?
Would it be better to remove all ink cartridges and put in new ones when I get it home?
I guess there is ink in the lines - is it better to get it out of the lines? How is that done?

If memory serves me right, Epson recommends saving used cartridges for when the printer is to be moved.  I guess that gives the ink in the lines a place to go.  BTW, I think you mean a 7890 printer.

After asking the seller if there is anything wrong with the printer, I'd do a nozzle check and look carefully for any broken lines.  Then I'd do a print.  If either isn't perfect I'd walk. 

Finally, if the printer is acceptable, you need to make sure the head can't move when you move the printer. Ask the seller if he or she saved the styrofoam and plastic things that, along with tape, held the head in place originally. If not, you'll have to come up with something to do the job.  Maybe there's a suggestion in the manual for that.

Good luck.

Jim

[Farmer]

Avoiding tilting it more than 15 degrees.  You can tape the head in place, but it's unlikely to be an issue if you're not driving a long way or over rough ground.

Check with your insurance - chances are you're not covered if something happens.

I agree with Wayne (as usual!) - I wouldn't be the one carrying it down someone else's stairs and risking damage or injury.  If he wants to sell it, he should present it at the door basically, but I would want to run it up and do a couple of nozzle checks before taking it away.

If the ink carts aren't full, you can leave them in for a short trip.  Say, 50% or less.  Over that, there's quite some mass in them and vibration and movement and shock etc - well, p=mv so the more the mass the more you're going to strain things if they move around.

[uintaangler]

FWIW, the printer is actually an 7880 

[Jim Coda]

FWIW, the printer is actually an 7880 

That's fairly significant. The 7880 has the old head with 180 nozzles per channel, not the current head with 360 per channel.   Given all the complaints on this forum about the 7900 and 9900, some might argue that's a plus.  It also doesn't have the auto switching technology for PK and MK that the newer printers have. 

Jim

[uintaangler]

Since I haven't actually purchased the used 7880 yet, if anybody can comment on the 7900 vs 7880 point just raised by Jim, I'd love to hear it

[BrianWJH]

Since I haven't actually purchased the used 7880 yet, if anybody can comment on the 7900 vs 7880 point just raised by Jim, I'd love to hear it

What Jim is talking about is that the 7880 doesn't have a slot for both the PK and MK inks like the x900 models do.

To swap blacks you need to use the Black Ink Conversion kit which comes with the printer when new, the kit is not expensive and are often sold on eBay.

Another method that uses less ink is discussed by Keith Cooper over on Northlight Images here.

Brian.