Digital BW, The Print

The top-feeder of 2200 seems under-designed...I suspect it wants
papers of a certain flexibility, and not of other flexibility even
though they may be of the same thickness. Just a hypothesis. As
possible evidence, I've noticed that some two-sided papers feed easily
on the first pass, but not at all on the second pass. 

Some (including me) have suspected that the mechanism wears quickly
with heavy papers, causing troublesome feed from the top.

Looking at the top feed mechanism and feed throat from the top, as it
feeds papers, I wonder if a raised fin or bump in the middle, that
would cause the paper to feed with the middle of the paper raised a
little, might help? 

Has anybody done any modifications like this? 

Do you have or know of a diagram of the feed mechanism, one that would
show all parts as well as paper flow?

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "djon43"
<djon43@...> wrote:
>
> The top-feeder of 2200 seems under-designed...I suspect it wants
> papers of a certain flexibility, and not of other flexibility even
> though they may be of the same thickness. Just a hypothesis. As
> possible evidence, I've noticed that some two-sided papers feed easily
> on the first pass, but not at all on the second pass. 
> (snip)
> Has anybody done any modifications like this? 
> 
> Do you have or know of a diagram of the feed mechanism, one that would
> show all parts as well as paper flow?
>

I had difficulty with the 2200 top-feeder which I assumed derived from
glazing of the rollers that first contact and attempt to pull in paper.

Someone suggested cleaning the rollers with rubbing alcohol via some
manner of absorbent material applied to a quarter-inch board.  I had
no quarter-inch and used half-inch 12 inches long by five inches.  A
one inch strip of felt (rescued or liberated from the wife's stock)
was cemented to the 12-inch edge.

The felt is dampened (not dripping wet) with the alcohol and the board
put into the top-feeder so the felt is on the leading edge.  Two or
three form feeds caused the rollers to grab at and spin on the felt. 
Of course the half inch wood would not feed.

I went through this procedure once and, I believe, I have since run as
much if not more paper through the 2200 than went through before the
feed problems.  It has not failed yet.

My problem was with specific relatively thin papers.  Sometimes they
fed OK, but too often did not  No trouble with any papers now.
It is a cheap (potential) fix for your problem.

Reinald