Moving a two-drum Risograph

Moving a two-drum Risograph
Difficulty	Intermediate
Duration	20 minutes (prep)
For series	MDMEMFMHMV
Tools	Phillips #2 screwdriver Tape Small zip ties (optional)

Two-drum instructions

The steps in this section are for machines with two drums only.

A two-drum machine weighs roughly 370 lbs (168 kg)—this guide goes over some best practices and options for moving one.

Overview

The big challenges to deal with when moving a Risograph are: (1) actually moving it around at all, given how heavy it is, (2) protecting the components that are most likely to get damaged, and (3) securing moving pieces so that they don't bounce around in transit.

There are a few options:

• Standard procedure—the official method involves securing the MMUMaster Making Unit, and then using a series of carrying handles for 4 people to lift the machine. However these handles are quite rare, so most people find alternate ways to carry or move it (including lifting from the base, carts/dollies, etc.). This is the recommended method for people who don't have much technical experience disassembling their machine.
• Partial disassembly—for those with more mechanical expertise, the weight of the Riso can be decreased significantly by removing some of its more modular components. This both makes it easier to carry, but can also fully isolate some of the movable components (like the MMU). This method is much more complicated, and is only for people how are comfortable taking their machine apart and putting it back together again.

Standard procedure

Remove both drums

With the Risograph on in normal mode, remove both drums. If the machine cannot be turned on, you can manually remove the drums. The rest of this process will require keeping the Risograph turned off, so this step should be done first.

Secure the Master Making Unit

Under normal operations, the MMU moves between the two drum positions to make stencils on each drum. It is driven back and forward on a track between the drums and the scanner bed. However, it has no braking system on its own, so it can roll freely when the machine is being transported. Further, it can bounce off of its rails and crush other components in this part of the Risograph. Additionally, the MMU houses the TPHThermal Print Head and the PCBPrinted Circuit Board which manages it—both of which are sensitive to vibrations/jostling, so securing the MMU also helps stabilize those components.

1. Turn off and unplug the Risograph.
2. Remove the upper right cover (the one on top of the Risograph, to the right of the scanner table) by taking out 5 screws (2 along the scanner glass, 1 at the back of the Riso, and 2 along the side). If you have an there may be 1 additional screw within the back compartment in this panel.
3. Now you have access to the cavity the MMU resides in—if it is not in the open area, look deeper within the cavity for the plastic handle beneath the stencil roll and use it to pull the MMU towards the opening.
4. Detach the control panel cover (the long plastic piece that holds the screen and buttons) by removing 3 screws along the front edge of the scanner glass, close the lid of the scanner, and then wiggle the whole control panel cover towards the front slightly and lift it out carefully. It is still tethered by a pair of purple cables on the left side—you can either unplug these from where they connect to one of the control PCBs or leave them plugged in and balance the control panel cover on top of the machine. Then remove the lower control panel cover (the gridded plastic piece directly beneath where the control panel cover used to be) by taking out 3 larger screws, and then pulling the whole cover towards you to unhook it from the metal frame of the Risograph. This cover can then be set aside.
5. Back at the MMU opening, on the right side of the machine, we need to find the "MMU bracket." This is a long metal bar just to the right of the scanner box—it runs the length of the cavity, and extends about 1 cm over it, with a pair of holes at each end. This is the "MMU bracket." If this bracket is missing (sometimes people remove it after transport), see Securing the MMU without the metal bracket below.
6. Roll the MMU on its rails, until the 2 empty screw holes on the top of it, at the front and rear, line up with the screw holes in the bracket. Each hole on the MMU has a little raised bump next to it—together these match with the holes in the bracket.
7. Take 2 of the standard screws that hold the plastic covers on the Risograph that you removed previously and use them to screw the MMU into the bracket at each end (the MMU will raise up slightly as you screw it in).
8. It's very important not to turn on the Riso with the MMU locked in place, so write a note on a slip of paper as a reminder and tape it over the power plug on the Riso.
9. Reassemble the Riso in the reverse order you disassembled it, putting all panels back on. Leave out the middle of the 3 screws along the lower edge of the scanner glass, and the 1 at the top right corner of the scanner glass (these are the 2 holding the MMU to the bracket).

Securing the MMU with no bracket

If the MMU bracket is missing, you can zip tie the MMU in place using the same anchor holes.

1. Find the 2 screw holes on the top of the MMU at the front and rear, then look for 2 screw holes cut into the side of the metal plate on the left edge of this opening (these are the mounting holes where the bracket would have been attached).
2. Use small zip ties to link together these pairs of holes, binding the MMU in place. Try to tighten them simultaneously, so that it's not pulled more to the front or the rear.

Afterwards, continue with the steps above, as if you had screwed the MMU in to the bracket.