I'm looking to get a vintage plotter. I am not particular about what brand they are, so long as they are reasonably functional and not too spendy. If the pens are dried up it doesn't matter to me, I can work around that. I would prefer a flatbed model, especially the models made by Tandy, and if it's got a Centronix port then that's a big plus for me. I'm looking to spend around $50, plus shipping, to get one.
- VCF South West - June 14 - 16, Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center at University of Texas at Dallas
- VCF West - Aug 2 - 3, Computer History Museum, Mountain View, CA
- VCF Midwest - Sept 7 - 8 2024, Schaumburg, IL
- VCF SoCal - Mid February 2025, Location TBD, Southern CA
- VCF East - April 2025, Infoage Museum, Wall NJ
-
Please review our updated Terms and Rules here
-
From now on we will require that a prefix is set for any items in the sales area. We have created regions and locations for this. We also require that you select a delivery option before posting your listing. This will hopefully help us streamline the things that get listed for sales here and help local people better advertise their items, especially for local only sales. New sales rules are also coming, so stay tuned.
Wanted: Vintage Plotters
- Thread starter arfink
- Start date
g4ugm
Veteran Member
Proabably worth saying where you are! I would also keep my eyes open on that terrible E-Bay place. Pen Plotters seem to come up pretty often. There is one there now within your budget:-
http://www.ebay.com/itm/160689723832
I see the vendor is violating the E-Bay T&Cs beause its listed as "used" whch implies working, but then he says he can't test it. I would say its probably worth a punt. If it was listed as working then it would be more expensive. He is also lying as almost plotters have a self test thats invoked by holding down one or more buttons at startup.
I have four vintage plotters , all purchased on ebay, one Hitachi, one HP and two Rolands. The Rolands will take a cutting tool so tend to be more expensive, but one of mine is a A1 sized so is huge but was cheap, about $40. One thing to watch out for is that some of the early HPs only have a GPIB interface so are a pain to get working on Windows.
You can see my Hitachi here:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCUUgLvVvpg
http://www.ebay.com/itm/160689723832
I see the vendor is violating the E-Bay T&Cs beause its listed as "used" whch implies working, but then he says he can't test it. I would say its probably worth a punt. If it was listed as working then it would be more expensive. He is also lying as almost plotters have a self test thats invoked by holding down one or more buttons at startup.
I have four vintage plotters , all purchased on ebay, one Hitachi, one HP and two Rolands. The Rolands will take a cutting tool so tend to be more expensive, but one of mine is a A1 sized so is huge but was cheap, about $40. One thing to watch out for is that some of the early HPs only have a GPIB interface so are a pain to get working on Windows.
You can see my Hitachi here:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCUUgLvVvpg
Apple even sold a pen plotter back in the early 80s, Its RS-232, styled similar to the original Imagewriter and based on the Yokogawa Electric Works (YEW) PL-1000.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=149&coll=ap
http://support.apple.com/kb/TA41064?viewlocale=en_US
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=149&coll=ap
http://support.apple.com/kb/TA41064?viewlocale=en_US
Agent Orange
Veteran Member
G4UGM:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/160689723832
I see the vendor is violating the E-Bay T&Cs beause its listed as "used" whch implies working, but then he says he can't test it. I would say its probably worth a punt. If it was listed as working then it would be more expensive. He is also lying as almost plotters have a self test thats invoked by holding down one or more buttons at startup.
I wouldn't be so quick as to call him a 'liar' - he may just be an uninformed and/or naive seller.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/160689723832
I see the vendor is violating the E-Bay T&Cs beause its listed as "used" whch implies working, but then he says he can't test it. I would say its probably worth a punt. If it was listed as working then it would be more expensive. He is also lying as almost plotters have a self test thats invoked by holding down one or more buttons at startup.
I wouldn't be so quick as to call him a 'liar' - he may just be an uninformed and/or naive seller.
Last edited:
I found an old Roland I'm going to bid on, it's a bit more than I wanted to pay but it does have piles of extras and a working PSU, which for the Roland models is a rarity.
I did notice that HP model, and was disgusted that the seller not only didn't do the self-test, but has the manuals that say how to do it! If I don't win the Roland I might pick that one up, I doubt it's going anywhere with a seller as lazy as that.
I did notice that HP model, and was disgusted that the seller not only didn't do the self-test, but has the manuals that say how to do it! If I don't win the Roland I might pick that one up, I doubt it's going anywhere with a seller as lazy as that.
1ajs
Experienced Member
have u hit up an local schools they might have one colecting dust in back room they don't want
MikeS
Veteran Member
Well, since you still haven't revealed at least what continent you're on, even after Dave's suggesting it, maybe some people don't bother to reply with an offer because it'll probably be a waste of time...
Sorry, I guess I'm too obtuse to have noticed that one.
Anyways, I'm in Minnesota, USA. Zip code 55421.
AppleIIfan
Banned
Ill check at the pile.. I wouldnt be surprised if i ran acrossed one there
