Note 12 - Operating Segments (Details Textual) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	$ 11,007,000	$ 10,201,000	$ 30,597,000	$ 30,470,000
Product Concentration Risk [Member] | Sales Revenue, Net [Member]
Concentration Risk, Percentage	60.00%	55.00%	58.00%	57.00%
Geographic Concentration Risk [Member] | Sales Revenue, Net [Member] | Non-US [Member]
Concentration Risk, Percentage			1.00%
Traditional Business [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	$ 4,445,000		$ 12,750,000
Traditional Business [Member] | Transferred at Point in Time [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	3,099,000		8,685,000
Traditional Business [Member] | Transferred over Time [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	$ 1,346,000		4,065,000
Journal Technologies [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax		$ 6,562,000	17,847,000
Journal Technologies [Member] | Transferred at Point in Time [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax		2,520,000	5,873,000
Journal Technologies [Member] | Transferred over Time [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax		$ 4,042,000	$ 11,974,000