Dymo DiscPainter Turntable Belt Replacement

Introduction

The belt in most Dymo DiscPainters has returned to the dinosaurs and turned to tar, rendering the machine entirely unusable - even if you were already aware that you could use a Lexmark #1 color print cartridge instead of the long-obsolete Dymo cartridge (simply trim off a small plastic tab).

The symptom of a broken belt is a turntable that spins far too freely, and for far too long when flung with a finger. When flung with maximum gusto, the turntable should stop spinning within about 1 second if the belt is good (and you can hear the motor whirring inside when you do). If the belt is broken, it'll spin near-endlessly. When you try to print, you'll likely get a printer error of some kind, as it's not tracking turntable movement when it's expected.

The procedure to replace the belt is a bit invasive and fiddly, but if you get it right, your DiscPainter can continue printing in 2024 and beyond!

Step 1 Remove Lid

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Press inward on the hinge (as arrow, on the thinner side) to disconnect this side of the lid.
The opposite side of the lid will now be free to fully remove.

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Step 2 Separate Upper Chassis

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Dymo DiscPainter Turntable Belt Replacement, Separate Upper Chassis: step 2, image 2 of 2

Remove 6 Philips #2 screws that secure the upper chassis to the lower chassis.
The upper and lower chassis should simply lift apart.
Disconnect the two printhead ribbon cables (careful to keep them in that layered order when reassembling!) and the sensor connectors, which simply lift out.
If your print bed is not in the fully-forward position, and the lid is locked: there are two spring-loaded manual release levers on the bottom edge of the printer. Simultaneously slide them towards the front of the printer while lifting the lid (requires 2-1/2 hands) to override the lock and free the lid to open the chassis.

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Step 3 Separate print bed from lower chassis

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Pop out the C-clip in the rear of the machine, attaching the rail to the motor mount.
If your print bed is too far forward to access the front C-clip, you can freely twiddle the spiral rod to move the print bed further to the rear. It is automatically calibrated on every startup, so there is no harm in moving any motor manually.
Pop out the C-clip in the front of the machine on the opposite rail, attaching the rail to the chassis.
C-clips are hateful little things and love to fly. A great tool to have on hand is a magnetic, small-blade flat screwdriver, both for disassembly and reassembly. When disassembling, use another hand to cover any potential fly-off path the clip may take if it tries to escape Earth.
Once the C-clips are removed, simply slide each rail in the direction that was freed by the C-clip, and it should dislodge the opposite end, which allows you to pivot the rod and completely remove the rod.
Tilt the print bed mechanism on its side, revealing the ribbon connector to the main board.
To unlock the ribbon connector on the board, slide the locking tabs towards the back, parallel to the board, at the same time. They should move approximately 1-2mm, and the ribbon cable should then move freely within the socket, requiring no force to remove it, as it is a zero insertion force (ZIF) connection.

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Step 4 Disassemble the print bed & replace belt

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Remove 6 Philips #2 screws that secure the lower print bed to the upper cover.
When reinserting screws into plastic threads, it's advisable to first turn the screw counterclockwise until it drops into the pre-formed thread. This "click" indicates the correct alignment, allowing you to then screw it in clockwise without cutting new threads, which could potentially strip the plastic and damage the hole.
The turntable belt can now be accessed for cleanup and replacement.
There is a sensitive position-sensing optical ring on the underside of the turntable. Be sure not to damage it with any scraping or fingerprints.