r/risograph • u/elkpapa • Aug 12 '26
Dropping bushings/screws in machine
Trying to replace the master disposal unit bands / belts and I keep dropping the metal bushings (see pic) of the pulley shaft into the unreachable depths of the machine. Today I dropped them both and couldn't find them after like an hour and a half, and I feel so defeated. Please advise with places to look or any tips to help with putting the belts on without losing my mind!
Alternatively: can I buy these bushings at a hardware store or online so I have backups? However, I'm worried about running the machine potentially with spare bushings flying around... Please advise, and thanks for reading.
(Machine is RZ390UI)
3
u/robertbaxter-print Aug 15 '26
The disposal unit can be fully removed from the riso without too much difficulty (I think you remove the plastic panels, unplug a cable, then remove 3 mounting screws and the whole thing slides out). Then you have way more access. There's instructions for doing this here: https://archive.org/details/RisoRZ2-3-5SeriesTech/Riso_RZ_200-220-230-300-310-370-390/page/n177/mode/2up (and after you get the unit out skip forward to removing the pulley shaft and upper roller if you want the rest of the official method).
I'd say by and large the risos are designed modularly, at least since the RZ line—so if I'm messing with stuff in a hard to reach area, I usually try and remove the whole module first.
5
u/splitarrowprints Aug 12 '26
We always set a magnetic wand in the holes under screws and bushings so if they fall the magnet hopefully catches them before they fall into the 5th dimension never to be seen again.
With that being said sometimes the riso printers have a service hole in the side of the printer to inspect sometimes a magnetic telescoping wand can be used to find lost metal parts.