printing to a deskjet on overlength paper problem

[mikej62526]

Hi, I'm new to the forum, any help would be appreciated.
I am running Autocad2000i, on windowsXP, and have drawn a part to scale on the screen. it is approx, 6.5" by 44" long. I'm trying to duplicate this part in a machine shop. What I would like to do is print the part to scale so that I can lay the sample part on top of the paper and match it up to be certain that the drawing is correct. I'm using a deskjet 712c for a plotting device. I've always had good results printing to scale in the past with this printer, the problem is trying to get autocad, or windows for that matter to recognize paper that is 44" long. The printer does have a banner option in windows 98, but the banner option is not available with XP. I have another system in my office with windows 998 on it, but I still can't get autocad to recognize the long paper size.
Thanks
Mike

 

[starry]

You can plot in sections on standard paper and assemble a long sheet.
First determine the printer calibration:
Draw an accurate linear reference line in two directions (X and Y) on a blank drawing. Plot to full size, 1=1 to a regular sheet in your printer. Check with an engineers scale for sizing. If more or less in either direction, convert your drawing to a block and insert at the inverse ratio to compensate. The cutoff edges of a sheet's images will show the hard clip limits of the printer's pages.
Next make a grid for reference to get things square and aligned linearly when you assemble the sheets. Overlay this grid on seperate layer from your object. The grid frequency can be the same as the hard clip limits of your printer pages, so you know where the joints of the sheets will be.
Now print each section on a page to the printer, using Window, and snap to the corners of the page grids to print 1=1 full size on each sheet.
Now you have the image in sections on several (four or more) sheets to make your 44 inch part the full size. You can lay it out on sheet metal for accurate placement of features.
A student of mine years ago did an instrument panel on a Beechcraft Twin Barron this way and had no problem.