Keya's Blog

Fixing the Epson Scanner 3170

I have an Epson 3170 scanner.  I had moved into a new office and to my dismay, when I tried to scan a document, I heard a horrible grinding, clanking sound.  I had found other people online who had fixed their scanners, so I thought I’d try.  One person had an elaborate system that involved buffing down the stubs and creating new clasps, but my technical metallurgy isn’t that high, so I found a much easier way that involved screws, washers and my power drill. If it’s the same problem, you should be able to fix your epson (or similar) scanner in about an hour.

Top comes right off

If you have a horrible clanking, grinding sound, it’s likely that it’s because the the cog that drives the scanning mechanism from the top to bottom of the scanner is not on track.  It’s manufactured to be held by two tiny black plastic tabs.  But don’t worry!  You can fix it.  Lift off the top of the scanner.  You can see the holes at the top of the scanner that hold the top in place.

The glass plate will also need to be lifted off.  Be careful, and place it somewhere where dust won’t get on it.  The plastic cog at the bottom right hand side of the picture has come loose and needs to be held in place so the scan can take place.  It is held in place by two tiny black plastic molded tabs.  They aren’t that strong.  I accidentally broke the other one off as I was trying to fix the other one.  No worries.  As long as there’s something there, it will act as a guide.  I then got out my power drill that my brothers got me for Christmas one year.  (Why don’t they get me makeup?  Actually, the power drill has probably been more practical.)

See that little plastic tab that has broken off to the right?  There is another tab on the left side but it’s obscured by the cog thing.  Head over to the hardware store and get two screws and washers that act as spacers to hold the plate that secures the cog thing.  Also make sure to get a drill bit that is smaller than the screws.  (The hardware store people are really great and show great patience and care every time I come it.  They rock!)

Get your drill (I suppose a hand crank thing would also work) and hold the metal plate between the tabs to positioning where it is best to place the screws.   Drill through the plastic bottom of the scanner.  (Make sure that the scanner is on cardboard or something else that is okay to scratch or drill into.)

Lovely.  Reassemble the scanner and try it out.  Now the scanner works just fine.  Hope that it works for you as well!

Finished Deck Project

Here is a weekend project and how it was done.  There’s more than one way to get things done, and here is one of them.  I have a weather beaten deck that I do enjoy, but one that may not make it through another Colorado winter if it is not protected.  I think it has been 3 or 4 years since the last time it was done, so it was time. Here’s a picture of how it looked before, and the steps that were taken to get to the lovely picture above.

The beater deck, after sanding

Hand Sander

Step 1.   Sanded the deck.  My deck is about 15×15 feet.  I used a palm sander that I had.  It’s what I had around the house, so it’s what I used.  It took about 3 hours or so to get the area done.  I probably changed the sand paper on the bottom like 15 times.

Notice how the water is seeping into the wood. That's bad.

Step 2 – Swept and vacuumed the deck.  (The neighbors might sometimes wonder, and they are always amused at the hardware store, but the deck really looks good now.)

Step 3 – Mopped the deck.

Step 4 – Waited for the deck to dry.

Step 5 – Found a large paintbrush, purchased a one gallon bucket of “Exterior Transparent – Stain and Sealer – 1 coat” mixed it and started applying it.   It was a type of sealer that had a blend of three oils.  It was more expensive than other ones at the hardware store and seems to be

Water on the deck

performing much better than the last cheaper one that I bought.  It had a reddish tint to it and at first I thought it as too dark.  But after finishing the whole deck, it looks quite stylish.  I used almost the whole gallon.

Now when water hits it, it beads up, is protected and ready for the winter.