Log

Date

Category

Entry

26-03-2026

Plotter, Roland GRX-300AR, HP 7575A (2), HP 7575A (2), Roland DXY-980A

What had been advertised as a single Roland GRX-300AR - another A1-sized saddle plotter, broadly similar to the DraftPro DXL — turned out to be the first of four. A second HP 7475A was visible in the corner of the listing photograph, prompting a closer enquiry, and on arrival a third 7475A and a Roland DXY-980A had also surfaced. The seller, Shaun, was helping clear out a house and had taken a chance on listing the Roland before purchasing it himself. It found probably the only saved search for "pen plotter" in the country almost immediately.

The trip down was made alone. None of the machines were in particularly good condition - clearly stored for some time and in need of cleaning before any mechanism would move freely. The first HP eventually came to life, though pen selection was sticky and the Geneva wheel turned out to be broken. The second HP refused to pick up pens at all and shared the same Geneva wheel fault. The GRX-300AR's carousel was reluctant to turn, though after a clean it appeared to resolve itself without much intervention — the machine seemingly working out its own difficulties.

The DXY-980A's power supply remains missing. The machine has been disassembled and cleaning is underway; it had been comprehensively colonised by dust, grime, and a small population of spiders. Further progress waits on the power supply turning up.

30-01-2026

Plotter, Mutoh iP-500, HP 7575A (1)

The Mutoh iP-500 and (first) HP 7575A surfaced in a single Gumtree listing south of Johannesburg, close enough this time to inspect in person before committing. The trip was made with a colleague, Jean, to meet Richard - an electronics repair specialist who had acquired the plotters as part of a job lot and become curious enough to clean them up and attempt to get them running.

The HP needed a new Geneva wheel, a common failure point and one that can be 3D printed. The Mutoh arrived without its perspex cover or the handle for closing the pinch wheels, and its keypad had degraded badly (Richard had already 3D-printed a replacements for testing). Both machines carry the smell of cigarette smoke; the Mutoh, in particular, still seems to be smoking when it plots.

A useful selection of pens came with them, including four self-propelling pencil-lead holders.

03-01-2026

Plotter, HP 7575A DraftPro DXL

Found unexpectedly on the floor of a hospice charity store a few days after being scammed online - a quiet reversal of fortune. The machine was in remarkable condition for its age, though too large to fit around the baby seats in the car; collection had to wait a week.

First power-up revealed a paper detection fault. After some cleaning, reading, and a few careful manoeuvres around increasingly brittle plastic, the issue was traced to the AirPot adjustment governing the paper-edge sensor - a physical mechanism rather than the optical sensor used in later machines. A small tuning brought it back into service.

The DraftPro plotted beautifully, with the welcome ability to adjust pen speed mid-plot. A tired-looking trailing cable had been noted during cleaning but left in place; it burned out shortly afterwards, just as the machine's character was becoming familiar. Components for the repair are currently being sourced - not a simple task.

10-12-2025

Plotter, HP 7585B

Surfaced in a listing a few weeks after the Sekonic was secured. The promise of A0 plotting was reason enough, but the deciding factor was its appearance - something resembling a console from the bridge of an early Star Trek set. With no opportunity to inspect beforehand, the purchase rested on the seller's assurance that the machine had been functional before going into storage some years ago. Shipping cost more than the machine itself.

It arrived carrying its own quiet ecosystem: rust, dust, plant matter, and other less identifiable residues. On power-up the lights came on, but nothing followed - the machine was present but unresponsive. It now sits partially disassembled, awaiting a proper clean and a more methodical diagnosis.

Hope remains that it can be coaxed back into service, and that an A0 plot will eventually emerge from it.

25-11-2025

Plotter, Sekonic SPL-430

The first acquisition, and,though it wasn't apparent at the time, the start of a minor obsession. Bought from a woman who was helping her neighbour clear out a garage following the recent death of the neighbour's husband. The machine itself was immediately intriguing, though where it would lead was not yet clear.

A3/A4 print size, six-pen carousel, with both serial and parallel connections. Getting it running on a Mac proved relatively straightforward via a USB-to-parallel adapter, though the cable cost more than the machine itself. It came with a number of pens, most of them long dried, but enough remained workable to begin plotting.

Machines

Sekonic SPL-430 HP 7585B HP 7575A DraftPro DXL HP 7475A (1) Mutoh iP-500 Roland GRX-300AR HP 7475A (2) HP 7475A (3) Roland DXY-980A

Sekonic SPL-430
HP 7585B
HP 7575A DraftPro DXL
HP 7475A (1)
Mutoh iP-500
Roland GRX-300AR
HP 7475A (2)
HP 7475A (3)
Roland DXY-980A