Mounting HP7970e 9-Trk 1/2" Tape Drive

[Brent Hilpert]

On 2019-Feb-06, at 7:48 PM, Chuck Guzis via cctalk wrote:
> On 2/6/19 6:33 PM, Brent Hilpert via cctalk wrote:
> 
>> Granted you could drill the holes from the rear of the flange,
>> however from what I can see the hinge design doesn't look like it
>> will allow the transport frame to swing far enough to clear access
>> for the screwdriver shaft to tighten the screws from the front (might
>> swing to around 110deg, but not to 170-180). The 2-1/2" thick
>> transport frame pivots near the middle of it's thickness, at 90deg
>> half the thickness is still well across the flange. You'd need a ~ <
>> 1" clearance right angle screwdriver to fit between the flange and
>> the transport frame, or bolt head screws and box wrench which then
>> necessitates the milling of clearance for the heads out of the cast
>> frame.
> 
> 
> Nah, there's plenty of room to get a screwdriver in there.  I've had
> much tighter spots.


Well, maybe they changed the hinge design slightly for the model you're looking at.
Here are some pics of the 7970A with the transport open at 90 deg:
	http://madrona.ca/tmp/HP7970A/hingeTop.jpg
	http://madrona.ca/tmp/HP7970A/hingeInt.jpg
	http://madrona.ca/tmp/HP7970A/hingeExt.jpg

That's about 1-1/4" between the flange and the cast frame.
There's no way you're angling a regular shafted screwdriver in there to adequately tighten screws.
One could undo the catch that limits the angle of swing, but I still don't expect it's going to swing far
enough to get the frame out of the way, let alone the PCBs and motors still in the way.

(The black part next to the Al flange is the 'proper' steel mounting bracket.)

Flat-head hex bolts with a shortened allen-key could do it, as long as the tensional strength of the screw-heads was adequate.