How did I do?
Made out like a bandit. There are multiple units there that each one was good value for $600.
One thing you didn't mention - did he have manuals for any of that, and did you get them? Hopefully.
I've just had a nice score. Not test equipment, but still...
On Thursday I spent the day cleaning and polishing furniture, at my mum's place. She's too old to manage such things now.
On the way there I'd seen a kerbside toss 'office machine'. I've been trying to resist picking up junk since I really don't need any more stepper motors and metal rods, etc. But this was a big, quite new looking thing. I didn't even pay attention to what it was due to being in a hurry. I've been hoping to start finding digital copiers containing hard disks and thought this might be one. So far none (too recent I guess.)
When I got it home and looked, it turned out to be a color laser printer. A Fuji-Xerox Docuprint C3300 DX. It had been out in overnight rain, so had water through some areas inside. Thinking it would be interesting to tear down a color laser printer (never had one before) I left the covers open for a while to dry it out. (Hot here in Sydney atm.)
What started to get my attention was that it became clear the unit had been owned by someone either very heavy handed, or bad tempered. A few physical breakages, all obviously from user slamming body doors open and closed violently, wrenching paper guides, etc. The obvious ones:
- One hinge on the main front lid. Pin popped out of position, so there is no actual hinge. Halts the machine since the door doesn't position properly and it carries the main paper feed path. Pin easily popped back into place.
- Restraining arm and damper on left of main door, snapped right off. Also prevents the door closing unless you carefully steer the broken end while closing the door. I think the other half is inside the case. If so I can repair it. But not critical.
- Plastic gear that equalizes the manual paper feed guides. Had popped off it's pivot and rattling around loose inside. Just popped it back on.
- A thin plastic guide that's part of the manual feed path. Obviously broken by violently opening the front cover. Fixable.
I thought hmmm... angry idiot owner broke the machine. I wonder if that's all that's wrong with it, or was he angry due to some prior fault? Looked at toner cartridge prices - no way I can afford to buy new cartridges if they are low.
The plan had been to immediately dismantle it, not even bother powering on. But what the heck... it looks in good condition otherwise. Just in case those are the only things wrong... I waited a couple of days till it was well dried out then after fixing the critical hinge pin, powered it up.
Ha ha... it works. At least it prints a clean B&W page of status and settings.
So funny to see the page counters:
Meaning, the color cartridges are full. I wonder who bought a very expensive color laser printer, then only used it for bulk B&W printing?
Now to get the manual and drivers and try color printing.
I don't really care if it works; it's not like I greatly need a color printer. But amusing to get a good one for free, and with full color cartridges.
Ha ha ha! I just realized. In restoring an electric motor for a vacuum pump, I'd made a note to print off a little replacement label for the wiring details inside a cover. The original had to be scraped off prior to repainting.
See
http://everist.org/NobLog/20151112_planning_vacuum.htm "20151202 Wednesday"
So I do have a very slight need for a printer atm. Was going to do it at someone else's place who does have a printer.
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