9600 in an RV

[Frank Petronio]

Also wondering if anyone has experience traveling with an Epson large format printer mounted in an RV. Seriously, I know a guy who is thinking of putting a digital studio into his RV, and I'm wondering what you can do to lock things down. Any websites with pictures of RV-photo set-ups?

[Steve Hamley]

Frank,

Depending on the size of the RV, it could be done of course, but the obvious question is "Why?". I mean, where are you going to put the prints? You could roll them up as soon as they're printed of course, but if you don't, it seems to me that print storage is as much if not more of an issue. You also need some manuevering room behind and in front of the printer, considerable room for panos.

I'd think the best thing to do would have a more modestly sized "proofing" printer so that the files would be ready to go when you got to a more reasonable location for the large printer and print "disposition".

Steve

[Scott Schroeder]

I work for an environment lab that offers mobile laboratory services. We have been toting around lab equipment (A LOT more expensive than a 9600) for over 10 years without problems. Computers, equipment, printers, cylinders, etc. are all strapped down. The inside of an RV doesn't shift a whole lot (usually :)).
We have foam pads under the equipment and strap it down with the wench straps you can buy Home Depot. They have hooks on the ends that attach to Eye bolts we have installed on either side of the equipment. To insure it won't move, we do two sets in an X fashion and wench it down.
Works great!

[Mark Sampson]

This sounds like the people who do sports-team photography on location and offer finished digital prints to happy parents before the game, or tournament, is over. A big business more-or-less ignored by other parts of the photo world.

In a slightly related vein, I wonder how the Navy was able to keep photo-processing labs on board ships. Nothing like splashing the bleach-fix into the developer during a storm at sea...

[Eric Leppanen]

www.sjphoto.com/Southwest/ebus.html (http://www.sjphoto.com/Southwest/ebus.html)

[Graham Patterson]

'... and strap it down with the wench straps you can buy Home Depot. ' --scott schroeder

Mobile dungeon? 8-)

I see I missed a few applications when I was doing fieldwork.

[Frank Petronio]

I love the fact that the Stephen Johnson workshop bus travels to the Southwest, in the summer, while packed with ten workstations. Hopefully they upgraded their AC too!

[Frank Petronio]

Myself, I think RVs are impractical and too expensive. I'd rather stay in one of those nice Yosemite lodges than the RV park... and I'd save $$$ in the long run.

I wouldn't mind a camper shell on a vintage pick-up truck to drive XC, but that is more nostaglia and romance than any practical need.

[Mark Sampson]

Vintage pickup trucks are crude and uncomfortable for distance travel. Even Michael A. Smith has upgraded from a 1963 International Harvester to a Land-Rover.

[Frank Petronio]

I lived in my 1970 Ford PU as a 20 year old bum - spent weeks in Yosemite dodging the Rangers. It was great fun but maybe my 46 year old back won't feel quite the same way nowadays...

[Mike Lewis]

Thanks for the thread, Frank; I had wondered the same thing. I'd like to know how vibration from RV travel would affect a large-format printer, in my case an HP DesignJet 130. How would scanners hold up? Would they need to be "locked down" as they are for shipping? Any other issues? Hmm....

[Jim Ewins]

The hard drives on our computers (mine is Mac, my wife's a Dell) do not like the bouncing that occur on many highways, but when we stop for the night, after the redacting we print out 4x6's for post cards. We often share with folks we meet.